Discussing Islam with a Muslim is difficult. My blog helps atheists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists and others understand Islam and its holy books; Quran (Qu’ran or Koran) and Hadith. The blog enlightens Muslims on the cult-like and violent nature of Islam, Mohammed’s pedophilia, and, especially, the clear scientific and logical errors in the Koran. I also examine the fallacies behind the concept of Islamaphobia.
This is the third in a series of posts that has less to do with discussing Islam with Muslims, and more to do with non-Muslim ignorance to the vicious cult of Islam. In Parts 1 and 2, I demonstrated that Islam means "submission" not "peace," and that the Quran is extremely violent when you understand verse abrogation, and the history of Muhammad.
Here, I will point out the fallacy of Islam's supposed tolerance of other faiths and of atheists. Let's start with the great Ayaan Hirsi Ali educating the uneducated on Dhimmitude and on Muslim intolerance
Dhimmis and "People of the Book"
So what is Ayaan Hirsi Ali referring to, and do 1000 year old churches and synagogues tell the full story? What about the apologist retort that Muslims protect "People of the Book" (Jews and Christians)? Well, first here is the Quran verse referenced by Ayaah Hirsi Ali:
9:29 Fight those who do not believe in Allah, nor in the latter day, nor do they prohibit what Allah and His Messenger have prohibited, nor follow the religion of truth, out of those who have been given the Book, until they pay the (Jizya) tax in acknowledgment of superiority and they are in a state of subjection. Sounds almost exactly like her words in the video, except worse. Fight against them until they pay the Jizya tax acknowledging inferiority and live in a state of subjection. The word to describe people in such a state is "Dhimmi." How does it look in practice? (from Al-Maghili, a fifteenth century Muslim theologian) On the day of payment {of the jizya} they {the dhimmi} shall be assembled in a public place like the suq {place of commerce}. They should be standing there waiting in the lowest and dirtiest place. The acting officials representing the Law shall be placed above them and shall adopt a threatening attitude so that it seems to them, as well as to others, that our object is to degrade them by pretending to take their possessions. They will realize that we are doing them a favor in accepting from them the jizya and letting them go free. (Al-Maghili, quoted in Bat Ye'or, The Decline of Eastern Christianity under Islam, 361.)
Here's more from Sufi theologian and jurist al-Ghazali:
…the dhimmi is obliged not to mention Allah or His Apostle…Jews, Christians, and Majians must pay the jizya …on offering up the jizya, the dhimmi must hang his head while the official takes hold of his beard and hits [the dhimmi] on the protruberant bone beneath his ear [i.e., the mandible]… They are not permitted to ostentatiously display their wine or church bells…their houses may not be higher than the Muslim’s, no matter how low that is. The dhimmi may not ride an elegant horse or mule; he may ride a donkey only if the saddle[-work] is of wood. He may not walk on the good part of the road. They [the dhimmis] have to wear [an identifying] patch [on their clothing], even women, and even in the [public] baths…[dhimmis] must hold their tongue….
Dhimmis were also prohibited from building churches, proselytizing or openly practicing their religion. Sounds like modern day Saudi Arabia, correct? Well, this is one reason why Wahabi Muslims in Saudi Arabia think they have the purest version of Islam. Dhimmitude was and is not pleasant, and it was also not the rule. In many cases, Jews and Christians were just made into slaves or killed. Find a full history here from Bat Ye'or and other scholars.
What about those that were not perfect in their Dhimmitude or did not want to live in a state of subjection:
…the whole Gaza region up to Cesarea was sacked and devastated in the campaign of 634. Four thousand Jewish, Christian, and Samaritan peasants who defended their land were massacred. The villages of the Negev were pillaged…Towns ...were isolated and closed their gates. In his sermon on Christmas day 634, the patriarch of Jerusalem, Sophronius, lamented…that the Christians were being forcibly kept in Jerusalem: ‘…chained and nailed by fear of the Saracens (Muslims),’ whose ‘savage, barbarous and bloody sword’ kept them locked up in the town…
Sophronius, in his sermon on the Day of the Epiphany 636, bewailed the destruction of the churches and monasteries, the sacked towns, the fields laid waste, the villages burned down by the nomads who were overrunning the country.
In a letter the same year to Sergius, the patriarch of Constantinople, he mentions the ravages wrought by the Arabs. Thousands of people perished in 639, victims of the famine and plague that resulted from these destructions. According to [the Muslim chronicler] Baladhuri (d. 892 C.E.), 40,000 Jews lived in Caesarea alone at the Arab conquest, after which all trace of them is lost...
The above is only from the history of Palestine. In Moorish Spain, churches were turned right into mosques. In a strange irony, Muslims in Spain are now asking for equal rights to the Church of Cordoba. This church had been Christian, was turned into a mosque by the Moors, then turned back into a church. Destruction or alteration of Dhimmi property continues until today - Iran destroyed seven ancient synagogues just last week. What about those that were not "People of the Book"? Well, let's start with the estimated millions of Hindus killed during the Muslim conquest of India. K.S. Lal estimates up to 80 million killed, and, while others have criticized this number, most scholars concede of a death toll in the many millions.
Of course there are the 1/4 million Armenians murdered by the Turks. Then there were the original non-Muslims who lived in the core of today's Islamic strongholds: Iran, Iraq, Syria, Egypt...was that a peaceful conversion? Well, it wasn't called "Muslim conquest" for nothing.
From Muslim countries: Seething, with threats of violence.
From Western nations: Condemnation and cowardice. The freedom of speech that we hold dear is discarded at the slightest threat.
No political body seems to speak for me. Internet bloggers and Youtubers are the only ones that are being honest and direct. My favorite...Pat Condell:
So the movie is finally out. Finally...after the Dutch parliament requested that Dutch MP Geert Wilders not show it, after the EU went to censor it, and after Network Solutions prevented even an announcement that the film was coming.
Watch it. In its entirety. You'll have to do it on the Internet because the MSM will try to hide this film, even though it's only 15 minutes. You'll join the 1 million viewers who saw it in only the first 30 minutes of its release!
Then watch for the seething violence that will follow.
Update: Apparently, Sarkozy has “officially declared that France would provide every necessary support to aid the Netherlands in the suppression of any Muslim violence” that may result from the release of Dutch MP Geert Wilders’ controversial documentary film called “Fitna.”
Further update: After threats of violence, LiveLeak was forced to take down the film. The great thing is that through their death threats, Muslims have demonstrated exactly what Geert Wilders is trying to prove. Islam is clearly a violent, sick religion whose followers have lost their ability to reason.
The good news is that the Youtube link is still working, and I've added that at the top of the page. Watch the LiveLeak version underneath to hear the official statement from the company.
Another update: LiveLeak decided not to cower in the face of violent Islam. The video is back up!
Nothing needs to be said. This words of this brilliant woman are enough.
Update - Al-Jazeera apologizes Al-Jazeera apologized ( also YNET) because their male Muslim speakers got their collective asses handed to them by a woman, an atheist woman no less. Hilarious.
Update - Wafa Sultan in hiding Still embarrassed by Wafa Sultan's amazing performance on Al-Jazeera, Muslims have issued enough death threats for Wafa Sultan to go into hiding. Don't you love discussing Islam with Muslims?
The following are excerpts from a debate between Arab-American psychiatrist Wafa Sultan and Egytian Islamist Tal'at Rmeih, which aired on Al-Jazeera on March 4, 2008.
Egyptian Islamist Tal'at Rmeih: "The West only understands the language of force. Contacts with the West which are not based on real force are futile. One day, America declared that the North Korean nuclear dossier would be referred to the U.N. Security Council. North Korea issued a one-line declaration: 'Korea will consider this to be a hostile act of war.' The Americans bit their tongues, and that was it. The West understands nothing but the language of force, and attacks nobody but the weak. Therefore, our nation – with all its people, and organizations, institutions, rulers, and subjects – is required to adopt a resolute stand of resistance and confrontation in the face of these criminal and hostile acts. The West, in this confrontation, which is not divorced from the massacres that are taking place in Palestine and Iraq…The embassies of Denmark, Holland, France, and the U.S. are not more precious to us than Iraq, which has been destroyed, or than Palestine, which is experiencing a real – not fabricated – holocaust. These countries are subject to a holocaust and a massacre. How can we confront this? By Allah, if we issued a communiqué, signed by all the Arab and Islamic organizations and institutions, the West would bite its tongue and stop all this. By Allah, if the Arab summit decided to boycott Denmark, they would all be disgraced. By Allah, if the masses of the nation would gather for one hour only around the embassies of Denmark, those despicable lowlifes would be in a position of retreat, not attack."
[…]
Arab-American Psychiatrist Wafa Sultan: "All religions and faiths, throughout the history of humanity, have been subject to criticism and affronts. With time, this has helped in their reform and development. Any belief that chops off the heads of its critics is doomed to turn into terrorism and tyranny. This has been the condition of Islam, from its inception to this day. Islam has sentenced [its critics] to prison, and whoever crosses the threshold of that prison meets his death. The Danish cartoons have managed to break down the first brick in the wall of that prison, and to open up a window, through which the sunrays enter, after a lengthy darkness. The Danish newspaper exercised its freedom of speech. Liberties are the holiest thing in the West, and nothing is more important. But if Islam were not the way it is, those cartoons would never have appeared. They did not appear out of the blue, and the cartoonist did not dig them out of his imagination. Rather, they are a reflection of his knowledge. Westerners who read the words of the Prophet Muhammad 'Allah has given me sustenance under the shadow of my sword' cannot imagine Muhammad's turban in the shape of a dove of peace rather than in the shape of a bomb. The Muslims must learn how to listen to the criticism of others, and maybe then they will reexamine their terrorist teachings. When they manage to do so, the world will view them in a better light, and consequently, it will draw them in a better light. The reactions of the Muslims, which were characterized by savageness, barbarism, and backwardness, only increased the value of these cartoons, and gave them more importance than they merited, simply because they proved that these cartoons were true, and that the message they were conveying was true. The Muslim is an irrational creature ruled by instincts. Those teachings have deprived him of his mind, incited his emotions, and reduced him to the level of an inferior creature that cannot control himself or react to events rationally."
[…]
Tal'at Rmeih: "God help me. First, Islam is too great to be harmed by the publisher of the cartoon, or by that woman who is talking over there. The truth is that everything she said is 100% false, I'm sad to say. It seems to me that the American and Zionist intelligence agencies have begun to produce people who are hostile to their own nation."
[…]
Dr. Faysal Al-Qassem, Moderator: "How come freedom of expression in the West is sacred only when it comes to degrading the Muslims? Are they allowed to talk about the Holocaust? Are they allowed to talk about Christianity? That is the question. Cinemas were burned down in the West when they talked about Christ."
Wafa Sultan: "I live in America, and I never heard of a single cinema that was burned down here. Where do you get your information from? It sounds as if you are living in America, not me."
Moderator: "In France."
Wafa Sultan: "This is completely baseless. You should criticize your own beliefs just as Christians criticize their beliefs."
[…]
Moderator: "Don’t you think that you are treating the viewers like fools? You present some trivial reactions as barbaric. Have you forgotten that the country in which you live destroyed Iraq in its entirety, killing 1.5 million Iraqis and driving five million out of their homes? Didn't you see the dozens of children annihilated in Gaza, in a holocaust, as Israel itself admits? When a man blows himself up, he becomes a terrorist, but when you annihilate an entire people, whole countries, it is considered a humanitarian act?! Who are you kidding?"
[…]
Wafa Sultan: "Why are they upset about what is going on in Gaza, while the Koran says to them: 'They shall kill and be killed.' So here they are – killing and being killed. What's wrong with that?"
Tal'at Rmeih: "Leave the Koran out of it. If you want to talk politics, go ahead."
Moderator: "I beg you to stick to politics. He talked only about politics."
Wafa Sultan: "Dr. Faysal, you know that you cannot separate Islam from politics. Islam is not a religion, but politics. You must let me express my views the way I want. When you called me, you didn't say I was not allowed to discuss Islam or the Koran. Islam says to them that they will 'kill or be killed', and here they are—killing and being killed. So what's wrong with that? They want to be martyred and to meet their black-eyed virgins, and Israel is merely helping them get what they want. What's wrong with that? If you want to change the course of events, you must reexamine your terrorist teachings, you must recognize and respect the right of the other to live, you must teach your children love, peace, coexistence, and productive work. When you do that, the world will respect you, will consider you in a better light, and will draw you in a better light."
Moderator: "Can you denounce the Zionist massacres in Gaza? That's a simple question. Do you have the courage to do so?"
Wafa Sultan: "I can denounce the Palestinians and the Israelis alike. Hamas chose this path, and you have to pay the price for your choices. When you decide you want peace – I am sure that Israel wants peace, but as long as you keep reciting those teachings, which are full of hatred, rancor, and terrorism, you will be unable to make peace with others. You must recognize and respect Israel's right to live. You must teach your children love, peace, and coexistence. Only then will there be peace."
[…]
Moderator: "Do you dare to say that the number of people who died in the Jewish Holocaust is even one less [than what they claim]? Do you dare to say that? Why don't you dare to even touch on Jewish history – let alone on Jewish religion and sanctities? Why do you flex your muscles only against the oppressed Muslims?"
Wafa Sultan: "Why do you want me to deny historical documents that confirm that the Holocaust took place? If there was no proof, I would deny it. But I cannot deny history, knowledge, and documents confirming that the Holocaust indeed took place. Why do you want me to deny the facts?"
Moderator: "From what she says, it is clear that she has no problem denying the holy books, but she is adamant about not denying historical documents."
Wafa Sultan: "Can you as a Muslim deny the massacre of the Jews of the Bani Qureyza tribe, by Muhammad and his followers?"
[…]
Tal'at Rmeih: "There is a gang that controls [the West], and you are not allowed to criticize Israel or the Holocaust. Anyone who criticized the Holocaust was placed on trial. Noam Chomsky wrote one line about the Holocaust in a book, and the book was recalled from the market. Bernard Lewis – that great philosopher – said something about the Holocaust and was placed on trial. What did the American president say to the U.S. forces sent to the Philippines? He gave them two orders: 'Kill all people above the age of ten, and convert [the rest] to Christianity.'"
[…]
Wafa Sultan: "Did you invite me to the show to hear hollow speeches, which have been around for 1,400 years?"
Tal'at Rmeih: "Allah be praised, we have an identity and a culture."
Wafa Sultan: "How can someone who believes in killing people who do not pray possibly criticize liberties in the West? This is a farce. What past is he defending? Is he defending the invasions and lootings?"
Tal'at Rmeih: "I am defending the past of the Islamic nation, which was the beacon of knowledge for the entire world…"
Wafa Sultan: "…polygamy, beheadings, chopping of heads and feet on alternate sides, accusing people of heresy, and drinking camel urine, as a cure for all ailments – is this the past he is defending?"
Tal'at Rmeih: "No, I am defending a magnificent past of a magnificent nation, which was the cradle of knowledge and civilization, at a time when the most that people in the West could do was to catch a rabbit and scurry back to their caves. This nation has made the greatest contribution to civilization and humanity. Our religion is not complete without recognition of other religions. We are the ones who have called for tolerance and respect for religions."
Many apologists will often take another next ignorant step. They commit the tu quoque fallacy by comparing the Quran to the Bible. As an atheist, I can ignore the fallacy and see the violence in both books as abhorrent.
By far the greatest portion, however,over 60% of the text of the Koran, is devoted to polemics against unbelievers, justifications for placing them in submission or killing them, on rewards for those who believe in Allah (especially for those who war against unbelievers), and punishment for unbelievers on earth and in the hereafter.
However, counting verses is not enough. There is more.
It is important to understand the differences between Islam and the other two Abrahamic religions. These differences explain why the Quran's violent words are much more dangerous:
1. Muslims consider the Quran to be the word of Allah, NOT the inspired word of Allah. Thus the Quran is considered perfect in the eyes of Muslims. No mistakes. Thus, there is no doubt on what to do when it says "beat your wife" if you fear disloyalty or "slay the unbeliever wherever you find them."
2. The Quran's words are considered timeless and universal, regardless of the context from which they came.
3. Islam is considered more than just a religion. It is considered a prescriptive guide to life, law, politics, warfare,...many have called Islam a "political religion" or even a socio-political system with religion as just an element.
Now, these points together, you have a violent, racist, misogynist guide to life that is timeless, universal and infallible. At this point, it pays to just list some of these horrible verses in the guide:
Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress limits, for Allah does not love transgressors. 2:190
And slay them wherever you catch them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out, for tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter. 2:191
And fight them on until there is no more tumult or oppression, and let there prevail justice and faith in Allah; but if they cease, let there be no hostility except to those who practice oppression. 2:193
Fighting is prescribed for you, and you dislike it. But it is possible that you dislike a thing which is good for you, and that you love a thing which is bad for you. But Allah knows, and you know not. 2:216
Let those fight in the cause of Allah who sell the life of this world for the Hereafter. To him who fights in the cause of Allah, - whether he is slain or gets victory – soon shall We give him a reward of great value. 4:74
Of the Unbelievers:"seize them and slay them wherever you find them: and in any case take no friends or helpers from their ranks." 4:89
Allah has granted a grade higher to those who strive and fight with their goods and persons than to those who sit at home. 4:95
…"for the Unbelievers are open enemies to you." 4:101
For the Unbelievers, Allah has prepared a humiliating punishment. 4:102
O People of the Book! Commit no excesses in your religion: nor say of Allah anything but the truth. Christ Jesus the son of Mary was no more than a Messenger of Allah… Do not say "Trinity": desist: it will be better for you: for Allah is One God: Glory be to Him: far exalted is He above having a son. 4:171
From those too, who call themselves Christians, We did take a covenant, but they forgot a good part of the Message that was sent to them: so We estranged them, with enmity and hatred between one and the other, to the Day of Judgment. And soon will Allah show them what they have done. 5:14
In blasphemy indeed are those that say that God is Christ the son of Mary. 5:17
O you who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and protectors: they are but friends and protectors to each other. And he among you that turns to them for friendship is of them. 5:51
They do blaspheme who say: "God is Christ the son of Mary." They do blaspheme who say: God is one of three in a trinity: for there is no God except one God Allah. If they do not desist from their word of blasphemy, verily a grievous penalty will befall the blasphemers among them. Christ the son of Mary was no more than a Messenger; many were the Messengers that passed away before him. 5:72- 73, 5:75
Of the Jews:‘When in their insolence they transgressed all prohibitions, We said to them: "Be you apes, despised and rejected."’ 7:166
"Many are the men We have made for Hell…" 7:179
Remember your Lord inspired the angels with the message: "I am with you: give firmness to the Believers: I will instill terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers: you smite them above their necks and smite all their finger-tips off them." 8:12
Against them make ready your strength to the utmost of your power, including steeds of war, to strike terror into the hearts of the enemies of Allah. Whatever you spend in the cause of Allah shall be repaid to you and you shall not be treated unjustly. 8:60
O Messenger! Rouse the Believers among you to the fight. If there are twenty amongst you, patient and persevering, they will vanquish two hundred: if a hundred, they will vanquish two thousand of the Unbelievers: for these are people without understanding. 8:65
…Then fight and slay the Pagans wherever you find them, seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem of war…9:5
Fight them and Allah will punish them by your hands, cover them with shame, help you to victory over them, heal the breasts of the Believers. 9:14
Fight those who do not believe in Allah … until they pay the Jizya with willing submission and feel themselves subdued. 9:29
… Allah will send His punishment from Himself or by our hands. 9:52
Therefore, when you meet the Unbelievers in fight, smite at their necks; at length, when you have thoroughly subdued them, bind a bond firmly on them… He lets you fight in order to test you, some with others. But those who are slain in the way of Allah, - He will never let their deeds be lost. 47:4
It is He Who got out the Unbelievers among the People of the Book from their homes at the first gathering of the forces. Little did you think that they would get out: and they thought that their fortresses would defend them from Allah! But the wrath of Allah came to them from quarters from which they had little expected it, and cast terror into their hearts, so that they destroyed their own dwellings by their own hands and the hands of the Believers. 59:2
That is because they resisted Allah and His Messenger: and if any one resists Allah, verily Allah is severe in punishment. Whether you cut down O you Muslims the tender palm-trees, or if you left them standing on their roots, it was by leave of Allah, and in order that He might cover with shame the rebellious transgressors. 59:4,5
They will not fight you even together, except in fortified townships, or from behind walls. Strong is their fighting spirit amongst themselves: you would think they are united, but their hearts are divided: that is because they are a people devoid of wisdom. 59:14
Truly Allah loves those who fight in His Cause in battle array, as if they were a solid cemented structure. 61:4
More verses (with some repeats) that inspire hatred:
On Jews and Other "Disbelievers"
[Christians, Pagans, and Jews are all castigated as unbelievers, but the Koran's main thrust is against Jews. Unbelievers in Muhammad as a prophet of God and in the Koran as God's word, are depicted not only as infidels, but are reviled as vile liars and deceivers. The theme permeating the Koran is typified by the following verse]:
5.78.. Those of the children of Israel who disbelieved were cursed by the tongue of David and Jesus the son of Mary;... Evil is that which they did... Evil is that which their souls have sent before them, for God's wrath is on them, and in the torment shall they dwell for aye. But had they believed in God and the Prophet, and what was revealed to him, they had not taken these for their patrons; but many of them are evildoers.
[This theme is presented in the Koran over and over again. The contexts change, but the message remains the same. The precepts presented, one must emphasize, are to be taken as the lessons that Allah himself commands to be believed as the means to avoid being boiled in Hell.
2.92. Did not Moses came to you with clear proofs, and yet you worshiped the calf after he left, and you were polytheists and wrong-doers.
2.96. Verily, you will find the Jews the greediest of mankind for life and even greedier than those who ascribe partners [other gods] to Allah.
2.100. Is it not [the case] that every time they make a covenant, some party among them throw it aside? Nay! the truth is most of them believe not.
2.124. And when his Lord tried Abraham with certain words, he fulfilled them. He [Allah] said: "Surely I will make you an Imam of men" . Abraham said: :And [what] of my offspring?" My covenant does not include the unjust, said He [Allah].
3.75. Among the people of the Scripture [Jews and Christians] is he who, if entrusted with a Cantar [a great amount of wealth, etc.], will readily pay it back; and among them there is he who, if entrusted with a single silver coin, will not repay it unless you constantly stand demanding, because they say: "There is no blame on us to betray and take the properties of the illiterates [Arabs]." But they tell a lie against Allah while they know it.
3.78. Among them are those who distort the Book with their tongues, so that you may think it is from the Book, but it is not from the Book. They say: "This is from Allah," but it is not from Allah. They speak a lie against Allah while they know it. Do not make friends of those outside your religion, since they will not fail to do their best to corrupt you. They desire to harm you severely. Hatred has already appeared from their mouths, but what their breasts conceal is far worse...
3.119. Lo! You are the ones who love them but they love you not, and you believe in all the Scriptures while they disbelieve in your Book [Koran]. And when they meet you, they say, "We believe". But when they are alone, they bite the tips of their fingers at you in rage. Say [to them]: "Perish in your rage."
3.120. If a good befalls you, it grieves them, but if some evil overtakes you, they rejoice at it. But if you remain patient and become Al-Muttaqûûn (the pious), not the least harm will their cunning do to you.
4.161. And their taking usury though indeed they were forbidden it and their devouring the property of people falsely, and We have prepared for the unbelievers from among them a painful chastisement.
4.156. And because of their [the Jew's] disbelief and uttering against Mary a grave false charge [that she has committed illegal sexual intercourse].
4.157. And because of their saying [in boast], "We killed Messiah Jesus, son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah," - but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but the resemblance of Jesus was put over another man... For surely; they killed him, not Jesus son of Mary.
4.159. And there is none of the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), but must believe in him, son of Mary as only a Messenger of Allah and a human being... And on the Day of Resurrection, he [Jesus] will be a witness against them.
4.161. And their taking of Ribââ [usury] though they were forbidden from taking it and their devouring of men's substance wrongfully [bribery, etc.]. And We have prepared for the disbelievers among them a painful torment
4.50. Look, how they invent a lie against Allah...
4.52. They are those whom Allah has cursed, and he whom Allah curses, you will not find for him any helper.
5.51. O you who believe! Do not take the Jews and Christians for friends; they are but friends of one another; and whoever among you takes them for a friend, then surely he is one of them.
5.58. And when you call to prayer they make it a mockery and a joke, because they are a people who will not understand.
5.60. ...Those Jews who incurred the Curse of Allah and His Wrath, some of whom He has transformed into monkeys and swine...
5.62. You see many of them [Jews] hurrying for sin and transgression, and doing illegal things [bribes and usury]. Evil indeed is that which they have been doing.
5.63. Why do not the rabbis and the doctors of law prohibit them from their speaking of what is sinful and their consuming what is unlawfully acquired? Certainly evil is that which they work...
5.66. ...As for most of them, evil is what they do.
7.40. ...The doors of heaven shall not be opened for them, nor shall they enter the garden until the camel pass through the eye of the needle.
7.41. They shall have a bed of hell-fire... thus do We reward the unjust.
8.55. Surely the vilest of animals in Allah's sight are those who disbelieve.
8.56. Those with whom you make an agreement, then they break their agreement every time...
62.5. The likeness of those who were charged with the Torah, then they did not observe it, is as the likeness of the ass bearing books, evil is the likeness of the people who reject the communications of Allah.
Regarding Christianity
[Many references to Jesus appear in the Koran. The Gospel is accepted as a holy book to be followed, and Jesus is cited as a prophet, but Jesus's divinity is denied]:
23.91. Never did Allah take to Himself a son, and never was there with him any (other) god -- in that case would each god have certainly taken away what he created, and some of them would certainly have overpowered others; glory be to Allah above what they describe!
Fighting "Unbelievers"
[Slaughtering unbelievers is authorized with some nominal"limits." Killing unbelievers becomes an obligation under many circumstances. Unbelievers are to be spared if they become subject to believers, and pay an obligatory tax].
2.190. Fight in the Way of Allah those who fight you, but transgress not the limits.
2.191. And kill them wherever you find them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out. And Al-Fitnah[disbelief and worshiping of other gods along with Allah) is worse than killing.
2.193. And fight them until there is no more Fitnah and worship is only for Allah..
2.216. Jihad (holy fighting in Allah's Cause) is ordained for you, though you dislike it, and it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you.
2.243. Did you [O Muhammad] not think of those who went forth from their homes in thousands, fearing death? Allah said to them, "Die!" Then He restored them to life.
3.12. Say [O Muhammad] to those who disbelieve: "You will be defeated and gathered together to Hell, and worst indeed is that place to rest."
[The following passages refer to two battles against Jewish communities, one at Badr, in which the Islamic forces were victorious, and the other at Uhud, in which they were defeated]:
3.13. There has already been a sign for you, O Jews, in the two armies that met [at Badr]: One fought in the Cause of Allah; the others were disbelievers. The believers saw the disbelievers with their own eyes [as] twice their number, although they were thrice their number.
3.139. So do not become weak against your enemy, nor be sad, and you will be victorious if you are indeed believers.
3.141. So does Allah test [or purify] the believers [from sins] and destroy the disbelievers.
3.142. Do you think that you will enter Paradise before Allah tests those of you who fought [in His Cause]?
3.143. You wished for martyrdom before you met it. Now you have seen it openly with your own eyes.
[The Koran then turns to the battle of Uhud. The exhortations are rationalizations of the ignominious defeat of the Muslim forces]:
3.155. Those of you who turned back on the day the two hosts met, it was Shaitâân [Satan] who caused them to backslide[run away from the battlefield] because of some [sins] they had earned. But Allah, indeed, has forgiven them.
3.156. O you who believe! Be not like those who disbelieve and who say to their brethren when they go out to fight: "If they had stayed with us, they would not have died..." It is Allah that gives life and causes death.
3.157. And if you are killed or die in the Way of Allah, forgiveness and mercy from Allah are far better than all that they amass [of worldly wealth, etc.].
3.158. And whether you die or you are slain, verily to Allah shall you be gathered.
3.166. And what befell you on the day when the two armies met was with Allah's knowledge, that He might know the believers.
3.167. And that He might know the hypocrites. It was said to them: Come, fight in Allah's way, or defend yourselves. They said: "If we knew fighting, we would certainly have followed you." They were on that day much nearer to unbelief than to belief. They said with their mouths what is not in their hearts, and Allah best knows what they conceal.
3.168. Those who said of their brethren whilst they [themselves] held back: "Had they obeyed us, they would not have been killed." Say [to them]: "Then avert death from yourselves if you speak the truth."
3.169. Think not of those who are killed in Allah's way as dead. Nay, they are alive with their Lord are provided sustenance from their Lord.
3.170. They rejoice in what Allah has bestowed upon them of His Bounty, rejoicing for those who have not yet joined them, but are left behind [not yet martyred] that on them no fear shall come, nor shall they grieve.
3.172. Those who answered [the Call of] Allah and the Messenger after being wounded; for those of them who did good deeds and feared Allah, there is a great reward
4.74. Therefore let those who would trade this world's life for the Hereafter fight in the cause of Allah.. Whoever fights in the way of Allah, be he slain or be he victorious, We shall grant him a mighty reward.
4.75. . What reason have you for not fighting in the cause of Allah and of the weak among the men and the women and the children..
4.76. Those who believe, fight in the Cause of Allah, and those who disbelieve fight in the cause of Satan. Fight therefore against the friends of the Satan; surely the strategy of the Satan is weak.
4.89. They desire that you should disbelieve as they have disbelieved, so that you might be like them; therefore take not from among them friends until they fly [follow] in Allah's way. But if they turn back [to disbelief], then seize them and kill them wherever you find them, and take not from among them a friend or a helper.
4.91. You will find [those hypocrites] who would like to be safe from you and [also] secure from their own people. As often as they are sent back to the mischief they get thrown into it headlong. Therefore, if they do not withdraw from you, offer you peace, and restrain their hands, then seize them and kill them wherever you find them; against these We have given you a clear authority.
8.17. You did not slay them, it was Allah Who slew them, and you did not smite when you smote [the enemy], but it was Allah Who smote, and that He might confer upon the believers a good gift from Himself.
8.41. And know that whatever of war-booty that you may gain, verily one-fifth of it is assigned to Allah, and to the Messenger [Muhammad], and to the near relatives [and also] the orphans, the poor, and the wayfarer...
8.57. Therefore if you gain the mastery of them in war, then punish them severely in order to disperse those who are in their rear, that they may learn a lesson.
8.65. O Prophet! urge the believers to war; if there are twenty steadfast ones of you they shall overcome two hundred, and if there are a hundred steadfast of you they shall overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve, because they are a people who do not understand.
8.66. Now Allah has lightened your burden, for He knows that there is weakness in you. So if there are a hundred steadfast of you they shall overcome two hundred, and if there are a thousand they shall overcome two thousand by Allah's permission
8.67. It is not fit for a prophet that he should take captives unless he has fought and triumphed in the land; you desire the frail goods of this world, while Allah desires [for you] the hereafter.
8.69. So enjoy the booty you have gained in war, lawful and good, and be afraid of Allah.
9.5. So when the sacred months have passed, slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them captives and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush. But if they repent and perform prayer and pay the poor-rate, leave their way free to them.
9.13. What! will you not fight a people who broke their oaths and aimed at the expulsion of the Apostle, and they attacked you first; do you fear them? But Allah is most deserving that you should fear Him, if you are believers.
9.14. Fight them so that Allah will punish them by your hands and bring them to disgrace, and bring you victory over them, and heal the hearts of a believing people.
9.29. Fight those who do not believe in Allah, nor in the Last Day, nor do they prohibit what Allah and His Apostle have prohibited, nor follow the religion of truth, out of those who have been given the Book, until they pay the tax in acknowledgment of superiority and they are in a state of subjection.
Women in the Koran
2.223. Your wives are a tilth [fertile ground or "receptacle for your seed"] for you, so go into your tilth when you like, and do good beforehand for yourselves, and be careful (of your duty) to Allah, and know that you will meet Him, and give good news to the believers.
4.34. Men are the protectors and maintainers of women because Allah has made some to excel others and because they spend out of their property. Good women are therefore devoutly obedient, guarding their chastity and their husband's property. Those [women] on whose part you fear disobedience, first admonish them, then refuse to share their bed, and last, beat them. Then if they obey you, do not seek a way against them.
22.31. Say to the believing women that they cast down their eyes and guard their private parts and do not display their ornaments; let them wear their head-coverings over their bosoms, and not display their ornaments except to their husbands or their fathers, or the fathers of their husbands, or their sons, or the sons of their husbands, or their brothers, or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or those whom their right hands possess, or male servants not having need [of women], or the children who have not attained knowledge of what is hidden of women; and let them not strike their feet so that what they hide of their ornaments may be known
-------------------------------- I know I've missed a lot, even for the Quran. Also, the violence continues in a much more prescriptive way in the Had, and there is a lot more prescriptive violence in the Hadith for those interested. Here are some links to lists of vicious Quran and Hadith passages:
With Muslim immigration to the West continuing, Westerners have learned about honor killings the hard way (Aqsa Pervez, 16 in Canada, Amina Yaser Said, 18, and Sarah Yaser Said, 17 in Texas, Ghazala Khan in Denmark, Hina Saleem, 21 in Italy ). Many have asked if they are connected with Islam. Muslims have been quick to deny it. Rather than going through a long explanation, I will leave the reader with two sets of facts: a UN report on the prevalance of honor killings in certain (mostly Muslim) countries and the Quran and Hadith that incite the activity. The reader can then make up their own mind. My final comment is that although Muslims will try to avoid discussing the horrific penalties for lewd activities and adultery, it is interesting to find that my inspiration for this post was comments posted to me by a Muslim supporting stoning and 100 lashes as the correct solution from Sharia law to America's decadent society (check comments to this post on violent sexism and wife beating).
The UN estimates that there are thousands of honor killings every year. They also have some ideas where they are from (United Nations High Commission for Human Rights (2002)):
"The report of the Special Rapporteur ... concerning cultural practices in the family that are violent towards women (E/CN.4/2002/83), indicated that honour killings had been reported in Egypt, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Pakistan, the Syrian Arab Republic, Turkey, Yemen, and other Mediterranean and Persian Gulf countries, and that they had also taken place in such countries as France, Germany and the United Kingdom, within migrant communities."
Hmm...migrant communities. Now from the Quran and Hadith (thanks to FaithFreedom.org )
Quran- 4:15 “If any of your women are guilty of lewdness, take the evidence of four (reliable) witness from amongst you against them; if they testify, confine them to houses until death do claim them. Or God ordain for them some (other) way.”
Quran-24:2 “The woman and the man guilty of adultery or fornication—flog each of them with hundred stripes: Let no compassion move you in their case, in a matter prescribed by God, if ye believe in God and the last day.”
Quran-17:32 “ Nor come nigh to adultery: for it is a shameful (deed) and an evil, opening the road (to other evils).
Quran-33:33 “stay quietly in your houses, and make not a dazzling display.”
Now some sahih hadiths:
Bukhari: Volume 7, Book 63, Number 196: Narrated Abu Huraira: A man from Bani Aslam came to Allah's Apostle while he was in the mosque and called (the Prophet ) saying, "O Allah's Apostle! I have committed illegal sexual intercourse." On that the Prophet turned his face from him to the other side, whereupon the man moved to the side towards which the Prophet had turned his face, and said, "O Allah's Apostle! I have committed illegal sexual intercourse." The Prophet turned his face (from him) to the other side whereupon the man moved to the side towards which the Prophet had turned his face, and repeated his statement. The Prophet turned his face (from him) to the other side again. The man moved again (and repeated his statement) for the fourth time. So when the man had given witness four times against himself, the Prophet called him and said, "Are you insane?" He replied, "No." The Prophet then said (to his companions), "Go and stone him to death." The man was a married one. Jabir bin 'Abdullah Al-Ansari said: I was one of those who stoned him. We stoned him at the Musalla ('Id praying place) in Medina. When the stones hit him with their sharp edges, he fled, but we caught him at Al-Harra and stoned him till he died. (See also Bukhari: Volume 7, Book 63, Number 195.)
Sahi Bukhari: 8:6814: Narrated Jabir bin Abdullah al-Ansari: “A man from the tribe of Bani Aslam came to Allah’s Messenger [Muhammad] and informed him that he had committed illegal sexual intercourse; and he bore witness four times against himself. Allah’s Messenger ordered him to be stoned to death as he was a married person.”
Sahi Muslim No. 4206: “A woman came to the prophet and asked for purification by seeking punishment. He told her to go away and seek God’s forgiveness. She persisted four times and admitted she was pregnant. He told her to wait until she had given birth. Then he said that the Muslim community should wait until she had weaned her child. When the day arrived for the child to take solid food, Muhammad handed the child over to the community. And when he had given command over her and she was put in a hole up to her breast, he ordered the people to stone her. Khalid b. al-Walid came forward with a stone which he threw at her head, and when the blood spurted on her face he cursed her.”
Sahih Al-Bukhari Vol 2. pg 1009; and Sahih Muslim Vol 2. pg 65: Hadhrat Abdullah ibne Abbaas (Radiallahu Anhu) narrates the lecture that Hadhrat Umar (Radiallaahu Anhu) delivered whilst sitting on the pulpit of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wa Sallam). Hadhrat Umar (Radiallahu Anhu) said, "Verily, Allah sent Muhammad (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) with the truth, and revealed the Quran upon him. The verse regarding the stoning of the adulterer/ess was from amongst the verse revealed (in the Quraan). We read it, secured it and understood it. Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) stoned and we stoned after him. I fear that with the passage of time a person might say, ‘We do not find mention of stoning in the Book of Allah and thereby go astray by leaving out an obligation revealed by Allah. Verily, the stoning of a adulterer/ress is found in the Quraan and is the truth, if the witnesses are met or there is a pregnancy or confession."
Al-Bukhari: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Whoever guarantees me that he will guard his chastity, I will guarantee him Paradise”.
Al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud, An-Nisa’i and others: Abu Hurayrah reports that the Messenger of Allah said, “No one commits adultery while still remaining a believer, for faith is more precious unto Allah than such an evil act!” In another version, it is stated, “When a person commits adultery he casts away from his neck the bond that ties him to Islam; if, however, he repents, Allah will accept his repentance”.
Al-Bayhaqi: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “O mankind! Beware of fornication/adultery for it entails six dire consequences: three of them relating to this world and three to the next world. As for the three that are related to this world, they are the following: it removes the glow of one’s face, brings poverty, and reduces the life-span. As for its dire consequences in the next world they are: it brings down the wrath of Allah upon the person, subjects him to terrible reckoning, and finally casts him in hell-fire.”
Update:
Here's a nutty, but scary story from NY about a woman who met an Al Qaeda-connected imam on a Muslim dating site. Already sounds loony, but it gets worse. Notice that the newspaper decides to defend the imam immediately without even researching the matter:
Dr. Yasser Shalaby, editor in chief of Al Zalzala, an Arabic-language paper, said he also ran an article to protect Saleh. "I felt it was very dangerous for someone to come to the mosque and try to get the leader in trouble," he said
The imam dishonored her, and now she's fearing an honor killing:
"This is a dishonor to my entire family, every member. My parents disowned me. Basically, he's ruined my life," she told The Post. "I have to clean my name."
Worst of all, she fears she is now a target for an "honor killing" by al Qaeda, according to court papers. Saleh admitted to The Post that a distant relative is a member of the terrorist organization, but said he has had no communication with him.
Typical of Muslims, the imam uses the adjective "Jewish" freely to insult her without realizing that other non-Muslims don't get it:
sheik sent her an e-mail describing her as "a trashy and lustful woman, a weeping and cursed Jewish woman."
009.030 YUSUFALI: The Jews call 'Uzair a son of Allah, and the Christians call Christ the son of Allah. That is a saying from their mouth; (in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. Allah's curse be on them: how they are deluded away from the Truth! PICKTHAL: And the Jews say: Ezra is the son of Allah, and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah. That is their saying with their mouths. They imitate the saying of those who disbelieved of old. Allah (Himself) fighteth against them. How perverse are they! SHAKIR: And the Jews say: Uzair is the son of Allah; and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah; these are the words of their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved before; may Allah destroy them; how they are turned away! The Quran claims that Jews called Ezra (Uzair) "the son of Allah." BTW, you'll notice Yusuf Ali trying to soft-pedal the point by using "a son" instead of "the son." Clearly, this is an attempt to obfuscate the matter because here's the original Arabic:
Notice that the phrase referring to the Jews (al yahoodu) and the phrase referring to the Christians (al nnasara) look exactly the same.
It is common knowledge that Jews do not have a specific person who they believe in "the son of God." This is a key contentious point between Jews and Christians, and a blasphemous comment for a Jew to make. The closest you can get in the Bible are references to one of three things (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Son_of_God):
Angels are sometimes referred to as sons - "Benei Elohim"
The real king of Israel -( II Samuel 7: 14, with reference to King David and those of his descendants who carried on his dynasty; comp. Psalm 89:27, 28)
Israel as a people (comp. Exodus 4: 22 and Hosea 11:1)
Remember this quote from the Old Testament:
Do not have any other gods before Me. Do not represent [such] gods by any carved statue or picture of anything in the heaven above, on the earth below, or in the water below the land. Do not bow down to [such gods] or worship them. I am God your Lord, a God who demands exclusive worship
It's blasphemous to refer to any other gods but YHWH. That's it.
Even the coming of Messiah is referred to as God or "king. " Let's even consider the blasphemous thought that maybe, possibly, the Messiah could be referred to as the "son" of God...still, there is no mention of Ezra as either the Messiah or "The Son of God" in modern or ancient Judaism. None. Thus, a clear mistake.
I think Edward Henry Palmer said it best
The Moslem tradition is that Ezra, after being dead 100 years, was raised to life, and dictated from memory the whole of the Jewish Scriptures which had been lost during the captivity, and that the Jews said he could not have done this unless he had been the son of God. There is no Jewish tradition whatever in support of this accusation of Mohammed's, which probably was entirely due to his own invention or to misinformation.
Muslim Apologetics
What do the Muslim apologists have to say? Has anybody found a single Jew in history that said Ezra was the son of God? Funny enough, I can only find one response on the Net: http://www.islamic-awareness.org/Quran/Contrad/External/ezra.html
Unfortunately for Muslims, not even this response is able to quote a single Jew referring to Ezra as the son of God. Basically, the best part of this response is just a quote of another Muslim apologist, this one from the 300 years after Mohammad. Apologists quoting apologists do not quite solve a critical mistake made in a supposedly "perfect" book by a supposed infallible God.
Let me take this response apart in more detail:
It opens with a discussion of Ezra's life, and a quote discussing where he might be buried. The point here is that Ezra was a key figure in reforming Jewish law.
G. D. Newby
Next, it continues with a quote from Newby where an attempt is made to place a connection between Ezra, the human, and Enoch, the angel:
It is easy, then, to imagine that among the Jews of the Hijaz who were apparently involved in mystical speculations associated with the merkabah, Ezra, because of the traditions of his translation, because of his piety, and particularly because he was equated with Enoch as the Scribe of God, could be termed one of the Bene Elohim. And, of course, he would fit the description of religious leader (one of the ahbar of the Qur'an 9:31) whom the Jews had exalted
So Newby is trying to explain the verse by equating Ezra to Enoch, and angel. Now, "Benei Elohim" literally means "sons of God," and refer to angels, as described above. Nowhere is he saying that Jews referred to Ezra as "the Son of God." Also, as the reader can easily see, Newby is engaging in a rather convoluted train of thought to help him understand the verse not to assert that "the Jews" believe Ezra is "the Son of God."
Ibn Hazm
Next, we get another quote that appears to be the most damaging at first light:
"H. Z. Hirschberg proposed another assumption, based on the words of Ibn Hazm, namely, that the 'righteous who live in Yemen believed that 'Uzayr was indeed the son of Allah.' According to other Muslim sources, there were some Yemenite Jews who had converted to Islam who believed that Ezra was the messiah. For Muhammad, Ezra, the apostle (!) of messiah, can be seen in the same light as the Christian saw Jesus, the messiah, the son of Allah.[4]"
Let's look at the Quran again:
"The Jews call 'Uzair a son of Allah, and the Christians call Christ the son of Allah."
It doesn't say some Jews, it says "The" Jews.
Now, let's look at the quote. The quote speaks of Muslim converts not "The Jews"!
OK, even then, the text says "proposed another assumption" - so it is not a well-known conclusion among Jews, but an assumption. Second, it says, "based on the words of Ibn Hazm" - Ibn Hazm was a Muslim philosopher who was born in Spain 300 years after Mohammad. Using the words of a Muslim apologist to prove Islam without a fact basis is called circular reasoning.
George Sale (or Al-Baidawi)
OK, now the last major quote from George Sale, and 18th century orientalist. This quote, funny enough, actually looks to disprove the Quran by saying that it was not "The Jews," but "some ancient heterdox Jews, or else of some Jews of Medina" that declared Ezra were the Son of God. And it gets worse because it is not George Sale declaring this fact, rather he is repeating "the commentators" that "endeavour to support" the charge against the Jews. Who are the commentators? Let's go to the original source to find out who is claiming the Jews declared Ezra the Son of God. In the original source, you will find that George Sale footnotes Al Beidawi (Baidawi) making the claims. Who is Al Baidawi? A 13th century Muslim scholar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baidawi). This 13th century scholar claims to know "this verse was read to the Jews and they did not contradict it." That's the best he has to offer. So, we are back to circular reasoning again because we see just hearsay by Muslim apologists and no new facts. The conclusion: an error
So what are we left with? A bunch of smoke and mirrors from Muslim apologists. There is no proof from a single Jew in history that "The Jews" refer to Ezra as "the Son of God." Moreover, there is proof that ancient and modern Jews do not refer to Ezra as the Son of God. Thus, we can only conclude that the Quran is in error again.
Finally, if Allah was all-knowing, he would have created a perfect book. A perfect book would be timeless and always perfect. Thus, even if the Muslim apologists were correct, the Quran should've said, "some Jews at the time of Mohammad believed that Ezra could have been a son of God." The Quran is not perfect for two reasons, 1. It incorrectly asserts that "the Jews" believe Ezra to be "the son of God." 2. It is not timeless in its assertions. The Quran is just a book.
Taking a break from the usual contradictions, horrors and mistakes in Islamic holy book to discuss a recent email I received from Yahoo.
Here's the background: I was surfing through Yahoo Answers, and saw a question by a 15 year old that was about to convert to Islam. If I remember correctly, the person was female. I immediately thought - oh no, a 15 year old girl is going to subject herself to life as a second class citizen, and risk death if she later decides to deconvert to an apostate (if she lives in the wrong country). So I wrote back to the question with quotes from the Quran and Hadith. So other than a few words here and there, I just quoted from Islamic "holy" books. Well, apparently, Islamic holy books violate Yahoo's terms of service as you'll see below, so Yahoo decided to delete my post. Well, now I know to continue my migration away from Yahoo to their competitors (this won't be hard since their site has been awfully slow lately). Here's the email (with my post included - oh, and the post was in paragraph form when I wrote it, but Yahoo Answers mangles everything):
Hello Silly Allah
You have posted content to Yahoo! Answers in violation of our Community Guidelines or Terms of Service. As a result, your content has been deleted. Community Guidelines help to keep Yahoo! Answers a safe and useful community, so we appreciate your consideration of its rules.
Question: Islam related question... Help me...?
Question Details: I am a 15 year old who is going to convert to is lslam in a few days... Cam any1 help me in explaining how to pray and purify oneself B4 praying?? thx a lot...
Deleted Answer: Are you ready to be beaten as a second-class citizen? 4:34 Men are the maintainers of women because Allah has made some of them to excel others and because they spend out of their property; the good women are therefore obedient, guarding the unseen as Allah has guarded; and (as to) those on whose part you fear desertion, admonish them, and leave them alone in the sleeping-places and BEAT THEM; then if they obey you, do not seek a way against them; surely Allah is High, Great. Do you like pedophiles? Sahih Bukhari Volume 7, Book 62, Number 64 Narrated 'Aisha: that the Prophet married her when she was SIX YEARS OLD and he consummated his marriage when she was NINE YEARS OLD, and then she remained with him for nine years (i.e., till his death). Sahih Bukhari Volume 8, Book 73, Number 151 Narrated 'Aisha: I used to PLAY WITH DOLLS in the presence of the Prophet, and my girl friends also used to play with me. When Allah's Apostle used to enter (my dwelling place) they used to hide themselves, but the Prophet would call them to join and play with me. (The playing with the dolls and similar images is forbidden, but it was allowed for 'Aisha at that time, as she was a little girl, not yet reached the age of puberty.) (Fateh-al-Bari page 143, Vol.13) Do you like violence? 9:5 Then when the Sacred Months have passed, then kill the Mushrikun {unbelievers} wherever you find them, and capture them and besiege them, and prepare for them each and every ambush. But if they repent and perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat {the Islamic ritual prayers}), and give Zakat {alms}, then leave their way free. Verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. 8:39. And fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and polytheism: i.e. worshipping others besides Allah) and the religion (worship) will all be for Allah Alone [in the whole of the world]. But if they cease (worshipping others besides Allah), then certainly, Allah is All-Seer of what they do. 8:67. It is not for a Prophet that he should have prisoners of war (and free them with ransom) until he had made a great slaughter (among his enemies) in the land. You desire the good of this world (i.e. the money of ransom for freeing the captives), but Allah desires (for you) the Hereafter. And Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise. 9:29. Fight against those who believe not in Allah, nor in the Last Day, nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth (i.e. Islam) among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.
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Usual responses to Quran inheritance math mistakes
Inheritance math mistakes are very cut and dry. The apologetic responses are, frankly, not very good here, which is why it's a good place to start in a logical discussion on Islam. Let me go further, I have shown just a fraction of the total math mistakes that exist here (go here for some more: http://www.answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/i001.html and http://www.faithfreedom.org/Articles/sina/inheritance.htm ). Here's a fun one - what do you do for pregnant wife? Anyway, if you have an afternoon free, find some more on your own. I encourage you to do so and comment on this blog post.
Here are the standard responses:
You have not looked at all the verses. This is my favorite response because it actually opens up more issues. The other verses are 2:180-182, 2:233, 2:240, 4:33. None of them go through any math except for 2:240:
002.240 YUSUFALI: Those of you who die and leave widows should bequeath for their widows a year's maintenance and residence; but if they leave (The residence), there is no blame on you for what they do with themselves, provided it is reasonable. And Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise. PICKTHAL: (In the case of) those of you who are about to die and leave behind them wives, they should bequeath unto their wives a provision for the year without turning them out, but if they go out (of their own accord) there is no sin for you in that which they do of themselves within their rights. Allah is Mighty, Wise. SHAKIR: And those of you who die and leave wives behind, (make) a bequest in favor of their wives of maintenance for a year without turning (them) out, then if they themselves go away, there is no blame on you for what they do of lawful deeds by themselves, and Allah is Mighty, Wise.
So, if you include this verse in your calculations. You have to make sure that you leave behind one year's provisions for their wives. And now we have another contradiction! Remember, 4:12 is very detailed;
In what ye leave, their share is a fourth, if ye leave no child; but if ye leave a child, they get an eighth; after payment of legacies and debts.
So which is it, one year's provisions or 1/8? What if the 1/8 didn't include enough for even a fraction of a year? What if you had to take away a portion from somebody else to provide that one year provision? Well, you get a contradiction between verse 2:240 and 4:12.
Men should get more than women. This excuse is funny because, you may have noticed already, I don't bring this up as an issue. I just focus on the math mistake. However, I get this one a lot. My theory is that Muslims are just repeating apologetics without even listening to the issue.
Unfortunately for the Muslim, another contradiction pops up when taking this angle. 4:11 states:
as regards your Children's (Inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females:
So the men always get twice as much as the women according to silly Allah. First of all, I believe all readers can see that this makes no sense as a definitive rule for all times (simple example: the son is wealthy and the daughter is an extremely poor widow with 5 kids). Let's follow on, though, and see if there's another contradiction.
In 4:11, it says, "if only daughters, two or more, their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her share is a half." What happens if there are sons? Do they get 4/3 and 2/2? You can quickly see the problems. What happens if there are sons and daughters? Say 1 son and 3 daughters.
3 daughters: 2/3 1 son: twice that of the female or 2 x ( (2/3)/3) = 4/9
Total = 10/9. Another contradiction!
I think you can see that it's possible to do this all day long. What about if it's the reverse, 3 sons and 1 daughter? It's not even clear because the verse seems to specify the split for just daughters, but we know that sons get twice that of daughters. You can clearly see, though, that the daughter will get nothing close to 1/2. More confusion!
Anything left over goes to the nearest male relative. This excuse is also funny because Muslims have stated this is a counterargument when my two simple cases were for situations where the opposite occurred (more than 100% given away). Anyway, this is the law of "Usbah" from the following Hadith:
Sahih Bukhari 8. 80. 724 Narrated Ibn 'Abbas: The Prophet said, "Give the Fara'id (the shares of the inheritance that are prescribed in the Qur'an) to those who are entitled to receive it. Then whatever remains, should be given to the closest male relative of the deceased."
Before we take one step further, let's immediately recognize that the "perfect" Quran is again imperfect and therefore false. We have to go to the Hadith to find the answer because the Quran can't stand on its own.
If we continue, I'm sure the reader can come up with quick examples of unfairness and contradiction. For unfairness, imagine the widow has 5 children to support and will receive only 1/4 of the inheritance while the distant male relative (maybe even wealthy) receives 3 X that amount or 3/4! For a contradiction, imagine the case where there is only a widower - he should receive 1/2, but now has 2/2 because he also receives the remainder. This is a clear contradiction between the Quran and the Hadith.
You need to interpret properly. This one is a fallacy, and has already been discussed. Either the Quran is a word of a God and, therefore, perfect for all time or it's not. Additionally, in these inheritance verses, the Quran even states, "Allah makes clear to you." So we get one more contradiction...if three Muslims give three different answers and all three answers require changing the text of the Quran to make it work, well, then...Allah didn't make it clear.
How would you split the inheritance if a woman dies, leaving behind a husband and a brother but no children or parents? Husband: x% Brother: y%
Let's go to the verses for an answer: 4:12 "In what your wives leave, your share is a half, if they leave no child" Husband: 1/2
4:12 "If the man or woman whose inheritance is in question, has left neither ascendants nor descendants, but has left a brother or a sister, each one of the two gets a sixth; " Brother: 1/6
4:176 "Allah directs (thus) about those who leave no descendants or ascendants as heirs. If it is a man that dies, leaving a sister but no child, she shall have half the inheritance: If (such a deceased was) a woman, who left no child, Her brother takes her inheritance" Brother: 1/1 (100%)
So the final numbers are: Husband: 1/2 or 50% Brother: 7/6 or 117%, already over 100 because 176 and 12 contradict each other
One silly discussion I had with a Muslim ended up with him asserting that a wife was different than a woman. So his excuse for the Quran was that verse 12 refers to a wife and verse 176 refers to a woman. Hmmm, so a wife is not a woman in Islam? Seriously, if this were true, then why would it say "If (such a deceased was) a woman, who left no child"? There should be no reason to say "who left no child."
And there's more issue with these set of verses. Verse 176 directly contradicts 12 in that it provides a different inheritance for the brother when the woman has no parents or children...in one case it's 1/6 and in the other it's 6/6 or 100%. This second issue has been formally recognized by Muslims, and has been a source of significant debate(www.muslim.sh/text/hq/com
