Quote:The Quran never specifies that they continuously reject faith.
Yes it does, you didn't read my post fully unfortunately. I hope this doesn't indicate another new poster not interested in an answer but here for other reasons unknown to the rest of us. I only say this because of you appearing to miss out a section i specifically underlined the first time around. Anyway i will repeat again...
Quote:These verses do not refer to common Kuffar who reject faith. <b>The Arabic words used are al-lazina kafaroo, those who are bent on rejecting the truth. </b>
So the Quran <b>does</b> specify those who continuously who reject faith. The rest of your post i'm having real trouble getting my head around. I'm not sure if you are repeating the same question or not. I will attempt to answer again, but if you know you just want to go round in circles over and over and over then please be honest and say so, and i can switch into that mode. Right now i am attempting to genuinely answer your questions about Islam, from a friendly (i hope) position. But if you know like the other posters all curiously popping up within weeks of each other, writing in the same style, that you want to just have a dig at Islam and play a certain game with me in this post, please be honest and say so, because i am trying my best here with Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) as my witness. It's just we've had a string of posters, Christians doing the same and it's tiring. However i'll give you the benefit of the doubt and try to tackle your post again.
Quote:QUOTE
Originally posted by Anyabwile
It will not make any difference to such people whether you warn them or not, they will not believe. Allah has set a seal on their hearts and on their hearing and on their eyes is a veil. It is not because Allah has set a seal on their hearts that these kuffar do not understand and believe, but it is the vice-versa.
I don't think your interpretation makes sense. Why would Allah need to seal the hearts on didbelievers who will never believe? What the Quran is saying is, don't bother warning the disbelievers because with the seal that Allah has set on their hearts, it is impossible for them to believe. What purpose would this seal serve in your interpretation?
First of all the above quote wasn't actually my interpretation. It was taken from another website. I'm going to have to take your response bit by bit because the block of scentence above is confusing. Maybe it's because i'm up at 4 in the morning, don't know. Ok...
Quote:Why would Allah need to seal the hearts on didbelievers who will never believe?
Well if you ask like this he doesn't need to. But certain people will never believe so unless we are told of this, all our efforts will be spent on them. It's like me with some people i speak with and keep trying to show them the truth, they don't seem to get it or even want to try. I would happily continue showing them for ever, because as a Muslim it is clear this is the truth and thus i think in my finite knowledge as human i can keep on pushing with this person until they see, because it is the truth.
To us it's like explaining to someone that water is wet, throwing it on them but they won't belive. You know that if you explain to this person that water is wet and they eventually belive you, you will save them from eternal torment. A strange analogy but just bear with me here, i'm trying to give an example. So you know for yourself as a fact that water is wet (Islam is the truth). So therefore you think "well with time, i can convince them...it is the truth water is wet, it's obvious but i'll keep working on them" Because you <b>know </b> water is wet, it's obvious and because you know them realising this will save them from eternal torment, you will try your best for ever to keep drumming home this is the truth. 1) because it's obvious this is the truth and 2) because it will save them from eternal torment. This is why you will continue.
To a Muslim, saying Islam is the truth is exactly the same as saying water is wet, both are clear facts to us. So we will naturally exhaust all our efforts on Da'wah calling certain people to Islam who we think <b>"why can they not see this is so obvious it is the truth"</b> This calling to Islam to certain people because of our solid beleif this is the truth and us wanting to save them from eternal torment could go on for ever. By Allah saying there is a seal on them accepting the truth, then this verse is saying to us "let it go, there is no point, honestly i know the future for these people" It is a way of telling us even though we know it's the truth, it's not worth continuing and busting a vein over, as i do sometimes. Then i have to return to this verse to remind me.
When i read it, i'm just not reading Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) has put a veil over these people on purpose for some fun, taking away their free will and therefore sending them to hell for his own sick pleasure. I am reading that if i am a Muslim reading this verse, even though i see it is the blatant clear as day truth, don 't continue to keep trying to convince them. Efforts could be spent elsewhere like on family, the Muslim community etc etc.
Some will never belive Islam is the truth, some will never belive water is wet even though it is blatantly obvious that it is and we would want to spend all our lives showing them this before it is too late, even people we don't like. Allah is saying to us we know it is the truth of course it is so it seems obvious to us, but some people (becuase their future is seen to him,) don't accept it is the truth so move on from those people who you feel the veil or seal has been put over and try others or concentrate on your community etc.
Those who eventually accept after some Da'wah then the seal wasn't on these people. These are not the people mentioned. Fine, some will eventually see but we must as Muslims accept that some won't ever belive, this is written for them, this is the course their life is going to take, the pre destination (which is another topic as to whether you accept this or not). No matter how impossible it seems that they won't belive to us, we should accept it and move on to someone else, or something else. Not spend our lives trying to shake people who seem really stubborn out of their disbeleif.
Hope this answered the Question.