It's doubtful that Islam can enter the modern age anchored to Muhammad's Qur'an - the one that promotes hate and lends divine sanction to sex slaves and violence. But is reform really possible?
The organization Muslims Against Sharia is creating a new Koran with the violent verses removed. How legitimate and wise is this action? There is an effort in Turkey, for instance, to also revise Islamic texts. What real hope can these acts offer to bring Islam into the modern and democratic world?
To discuss this issue, Frontpage Symposium has assembled a distinguished panel. The following is an excerpt:
"Khalim Massoud, let’s begin with you.
Your group Muslims Against Sharia is creating a new Koran with the violent verses removed. Tell us about this effort and what you hope to achieve and how realistic you think it is.
Massoud: Thank you Jamie.
We don't look at it as a new Koran, but rather a reversion to the original. We base it on three premises:
* God is infallible
* God is the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate
* The Koran contains contradictory verses
We believe that unless you are a fundamentalist Muslim, a pagan or an atheist (and there is nothing wrong with being a pagan or an atheist), you would agree with all three premises.If two verses in the Koran contradict each other, then at least one of them could not have possibly come from God because it would contradict the doctrine of God's infallibility. And because God is the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate, the peaceful verse could come from God and the violent could not. If you are a Muslim and you follow our logic, you would agree with us. So what we are trying to achieve is to educate Muslims that the doctrine of Islamic supremacy is not divine, but rather a perversion put in the Koran by nefarious people to fit their agendas. Once we get rid of Islamic superiority doctrine, which is the cornerstone of all evil in Islam, Islam once again could become peaceful, loving, enlightened religion as we believe God has intended. "
We don't look at it as a new Koran, but rather a reversion to the original. We base it on three premises:
* God is infallible
* God is the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate
* The Koran contains contradictory verses
We believe that unless you are a fundamentalist Muslim, a pagan or an atheist (and there is nothing wrong with being a pagan or an atheist), you would agree with all three premises.If two verses in the Koran contradict each other, then at least one of them could not have possibly come from God because it would contradict the doctrine of God's infallibility. And because God is the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate, the peaceful verse could come from God and the violent could not. If you are a Muslim and you follow our logic, you would agree with us. So what we are trying to achieve is to educate Muslims that the doctrine of Islamic supremacy is not divine, but rather a perversion put in the Koran by nefarious people to fit their agendas. Once we get rid of Islamic superiority doctrine, which is the cornerstone of all evil in Islam, Islam once again could become peaceful, loving, enlightened religion as we believe God has intended. "
To read the article please click FrontPage Magazine.
What makes Massoud so sure that Allah is not fuming over what he's doing to His Book? But I guess its in the right direction. A much needed makeover. Now we'll have to remove the misogynistic laws, brutal punishments, brainwashing descriptions of the afterlife, mythical stories and unscientific garbage and end up with a blank book except for a few 'do good unto others' verses. Oh joy. Why not just flush it down the toilet? Why do moderates have to insist on clinging onto their faith till the last second? OK, i guess i'll be optimistic and hope that this move'll at least reduce the number of explosions and killings in the name of Islam.
ReplyDelete1 in 12 verses is about violence.
ReplyDeleteWe will be left with a very small Koran after they remove the violence.
it dsnt take much brainstormin to decipher who the first pigshit is who has made the first comment
ReplyDelete2nd "anonymous", out of curiosity can you prove this statement of yours? that 1 in 12 is about violence
http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/quran/cruelty/long.html
ReplyDelete6666/512 = 13
here's an authentic translation(Yusuf Ali)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ishwar.com/islam/holy_quran_(yusuf)/
Neither Islam nor the Koran can be reformed. They can be abolished. The closest we will come to a "new Koran" is "Auguraanu" - literally!
ReplyDelete"What makes Massoud so sure that Allah is not fuming over what he's doing to His Book?"
ReplyDeleteAllah is infallible and would not put contradictions into His Book. By removing violent crap put there by nefarious people, we please Allah.
Muslims Against Sharia,
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting our blog. we have added your site to our links list.
military intelligence?..lol
ReplyDeleteAdam Moses,
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for your support!
why did a compassionate God allow His Holy book to be corrupted hence leading millions astray? :S
ReplyDeleteThere are no verses in the Quran which unequivocally state that Muslims should go and slaughter infidels without cause! war is sanctified only on those who have faced oppression, injustice and the like..
ReplyDeleteCalling for a removal of verses from the Quran is really asking for it. This is grounds to view the works of that blog with suspicion..
No justice-No peace simple as that; doesn't matter how many verses you choose to disqualify. You cannot expect people to stay silent while their lands, resources and right to self-determination are stripped from them.
And if a Muslim in Indonesia feels for a fellow Muslim in Iraq, this is no different from a guy in Arizona feeling for his fallen American in New York. That 75% of the worlds known oil reserves lie beneath Arabs feet is what differentiates him from the guy in Arizona.
And where people have not the f-16s and the like to defend themselves with, expect them to use whatever means available to defend themselves with and to fight oppression with, including their own bodies.
Terrorism is no different from the Wars being raged on by governments, except maybe the attire and the availability of PR companies.
If you beleive you are a free thinker, why not open up your mind like , say a parachute (which works when its open) and go through and read the Quran and its teachings, wihtout falling into various traps and pithalls set up by Islam haters. You will not be able to defend ANY, i mean ANY of your allegations against Islam!!!
ReplyDelete"why did a compassionate God allow His Holy book to be corrupted hence leading millions astray?"
ReplyDeleteGod gave people free will. God's children are also murdering each other in huge numbers, but does not stop that either.
"There are no verses in the Quran which unequivocally state that Muslims should go and slaughter infidels without cause! war is sanctified only on those who have faced oppression, injustice and the like"
You're right. When infidels do not accept Islam as the only true religion, it oppresses the hell out of Muslims.
"You will not be able to defend ANY, i mean ANY of your allegations against Islam!!!"
Of course not. Millions of murders committed in the name of Islam is nothing more than allegations.
So by allowing His Holy text (the one and only link to Him) to be corrupted, He led people to Hell. Correct? Doesnt that contradict with His compassion?
ReplyDeleteI am genuinely curious.
"He led people to Hell"
ReplyDeleteThat's quite a stretch, isn't it?
Who the ell ru to talk of stretching???
ReplyDeleteIs it? I am sorry, but I dont understand why.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I gather, God let His only guidance to mankind be corrupted, which in turn made people ignorant and die as sinners, landing them in Hell. This contradicts his compassion does it not? Please correct me if I am wrong.
It's either that or lack of free will. Freedom has its price.
ReplyDeleteBut its not lack of freewill right? So you agree that God is not compassionate? If not, how do you explain the price of freedom?
ReplyDeleteI don't. God is compassionate; people are not so much.
ReplyDeleteWe agree there. But then how do you explain God punishing those whom He Himself led astray?
ReplyDeletehehehe..looks like som people are seeking to take on responsibilities far beyond their understanding
ReplyDeletethat blog is a farce
"But then how do you explain God punishing those whom He Himself led astray?"
ReplyDeleteHe did not lead anyone astray. What is so confusing about Free Will?
hmmm..btw which blog is a farce?? pls tell me...
ReplyDeleteneed to know u know, otherwise may end up reading somehting stupid..hehe
I think when He allowed His Book to be corrupted He left His followers no choice but to follow it, abandon it, or reform it. Since the mainstream opinion is that the Quran hasnt been reformed throughout history, that leaves us with choices 1 and 2, which both lead to Hell. Freewill has no significance when all choices lead to the same result, or so I feel.
ReplyDeleteWhich brings me to another question, if the Quran was corrupted why didnt God prevent it? And when it was corrupted, why didnt He send a reformer sooner? Why now when lots of people have ignorantly followed it and died and burn in Hell for unknowingly following the commandments of God which He Himself corrupted? Thank you for indulging me.
"Since the mainstream opinion is that the Quran hasnt been reformed throughout history"
ReplyDeleteMainstream opinion is not always the right one.
"if the Quran was corrupted why didnt God prevent it?"
Which part of "Free Will" don't you understand?