The Qur'an and the Wrath of God

A YouTube video clip of Rahma, a two year old Muslim girl,* gives an insight into the extent of the spread of Wahabism within the abode of Islam. **. Asked about a reference in the Qur’an to those who deserve God’s wrath, Rahma was quick to reply: the Jews. As for another reference in the Qur’an to those who go astray, Rahma replied: the Christians.

The traditional interpretation of those who deserve God’s wrath, in the opening chapter of the Qur’an (Al-fatiha), relates to those who err by breaking God’s law; As for those who go astray, the traditional association is made with those who act with negligence or carelessness***

1: 5 Thee do we worship
And Thine aid we seek

1: 6 Show us the straight way,

1:7 The way of those on whom
Thou hast bestowed Thy Grace,
Those whose (portion)
Is not wrath,
And who go not astray Al-Fatiha or the opening chapter 1: 5-7

With hatred of Jews and Christians filling Rahma’s two year old heart, the future of co-existence between Muslims and non-Muslims looks bleak indeed.

sources:
* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyYHtkiXkcI
** for an insight into the extent of the spread of Wahabism within the abode of Islam please watch http://atheistmedia.blogspot.com/2008/07/channel-4-quran.html
*** Interpretation of the Qur’an provided by Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The Qur'an and the Oppression of Women

The oppression of women in the Qur’an goes hand in hand with Muhammad’s enhanced status, as a prophet of the Arabs, and his newly-found financial independence.

For some fifteen years, the injunctions of the Qur’an remained silent on the issue of women. Muhammad was at the time in a monogamous marriage to Khadija, a wealthy woman some fifteen years his senior, who supported him financially for over two decades. The Qur’an alludes to Muhammad’s poverty in one of its earlier verses:

“And he found thee
In need, and made
Thee independent” 92:8

Muhammad, who married Khadija when he was twenty-five years old, was a bachelor for longer than was the tradition at the time probably because of his poverty. He is said to have been rejected as a suitor when he asked for the hand of his cousin Umm Hani.

As Muhammad became independent financially and was able to provide for himself and his wives in Medina, the Qur’an downgrades women to a lower status because “men support them from their means” and allows husbands to beat their wives.

4: 34“ Men are the protectors and maintainers of women,
Because Allah has given the one more(strength)
Than the other, and because they support them
From their means.

Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient,
And guard in (the husband’s ) absence
What Allah would have them guard.

As to those women on whose part ye fear
Disloyalty and ill-conduct, admonish them (first)
(Next), refuse to share their beds,
(And last) beat them (lightly);

But if they return to obedience,
Seek not against them means of (annoyance):
For Allah is Most High, Great (above you all) ”
Al-Nisaa or Women 4:34

It is no wonder that a tradition of Muhammad relays that he saw women being strung up by hooks thrust through their tongues by a demon. Their crimes were to mock their husbands and to leave their homes without their husbands’ permissions. [1]

Under such abominable conditions, can anyone in truth judge Muslim women for leaving their homes without their oppressors’ permissions?

sources;
[1] ) see 15th century Persian illustration of Muhammad and women in hell http://www.zombietime.com/mohammed_image_archive/islamic_mo_full/

The Qur'an and Tribalism

The attempt of the Qur’an to introduce change in 7th century Arabia presupposes the tribal culture of the early Muslims. The language and conceptual framework of the Qur’an are, thus, laden with tribal imagery and ethos.

In one of its early suras, the Qur’an deals with the contrasted fates of the soul with obscurity being linked to evil deeds, on the one hand, and purity to charity, on the other. In this context, the story of Thamud, who were destroyed for their wickedness, is relayed:

“Then they rejected him
(As a false prophet),
And they hamstrung her.
So their Lord, on account
Of their crime, obliterated
Their traces and made them
Equal (in destruction,
High and low)” ! [1]

The verse that follows is one that portrays God as fearless of retribution: a reality of life in tribal Arabia.

“And for Him
Is no fear
Of its consequences. ”

Another reality of tribal Arabia is the system of tribal protection which was the only tribesmen's safeguard against murder. The only guarantee of safety, in the harsh reality of life in the desert, was the fear of retribution under the tribal protection laws.

Thus, in proclaiming monotheism, the Qur’an presents God as affording protection to all without needing protection Himself.

“Say: Who is it in whose
Hands is the governance
Of all things, who protects
(All), but is not protected
(Of any)? (Say) if ye know. ” [2]

The presentation of the Creator within such a tribal cultural context has serious implications. Life becomes the prerogative of only those who belonged, and got the protection of, the tribe of Allah. Those who fall out of the tribe can only expect to pay the dearest price of all: the loss of Allah’s protection.

[1] ) Al-Shams or the Sun XCl:14
[2] ) Al-Mu’minun or The Believers XXlll: 88

The Qur'an and Free-Will

Ambiguity and contradictions abound in the text of the Qur’an in relation to many of its themes. One such theme relates to God’s Plan and man's free-will vis-a-vis the Creator.

In the early formative years of Islam, when Islam was weak, the Qur’an stresses free-will and defines Muhammad role to be that of an apostle with no power to watch over the believers.[1]

“He who obeys
The Apostle, obeys Allah:
But if any turn away,
We have not sent thee
To watch over
Their (evil deeds) ” Al-Nisaa:80

The message of freewill is repeatedly hammered into the Qur’an in verses such as:

”This is an admonition:
Whosoever will, let him
Take a (straight) Path
To His Lord” 76:29

“If it has been thy Lord’s Will,
They would all have believed,
All who are on earth!
Wilt thou then compel mankind,
Against their will to believe!” 10:99 [2]

Richard Bell, however, notes the apparent contradiction between 76:29 and 76:30-31 [3] The idea of predestination is introduced to limit man’s will by that of Allah. Man is now admitted to Allah’s Mercy only if Allah wills it:

“But ye will not,
Except as Allah wills,
For Allah is full of
Knowledge and Wisdom.” 76:30

“He will admit
To His Mercy Whom He will;
But the wrong-doers,
For them has He prepared
A grievous Penalty.” 76.31

With man’s free will being limited by that of Allah, the verse commanding the faithful to slay the unbelievers (lX:5), that Allah did not admit into his mercy, casts a long shadow over Allah’s justice and mercy.

References:
[1] ) Richard Bell. The Qur’an translated (The verse al-Nisaa: 80 is believed to have been revealed in Medina, following the Uhud battle)
[2] ) Ali places this Sura in the late Meccan period before the hijra (immigration) to Medina whereas Richard Bell places it in the year 2 or 3 (Islamic calendar) following the rift with the Jews in Medina.
[3] ) The Sura belongs to the early Meccan period with the possible exception of some verses, according to Ali. Richard Bell agrees and notes the contradiction between 29 and 30-31

A New Reading of the Qur'an

An attempt to reform Islam makes a new reading of the Qur’an an imperative task. It is, however, by no means, an easy one.

One of the main difficulties surrounding an understanding of the Qur’an relates to its compilation which does not agree with the chronology of the revelation of its verses. Short passages of the Qur’an, which were revealed to Muhammad over some 23 years, were subsequently joined together into chapters of various lengths that did not necessarily belong to the same period.

Traditional accounts of the occasions on which some passages were revealed are preserved. Some of these are, however, improbable and do not agree with historical events, according to early biographies of the life of the Prophet. For the most part, ambiguity surrounds the historical context of many of the Qur’an’s verses.

Scholarly work revealed that the text of the Qur’an shows signs of revisions. Recent media reports * revealed that parchments of an early copy of the Qur’an, found in Sanaa, show evidence of revisions with some verses being washed off and overlaid by others.

The Sanaa fragments, which date to some 70 years following the death of the Prophet, show sheer differences in the written language of the Qur’an which can potentially revolutionise our understanding of its text. The lack of vowel markings in the Sanaa parchments makes it possible to derive as many as some thirty different meanings to some words of the Qur’an, according to a German scholar.

This finding makes it all the more difficult to accept the traditional interpretation of the standard Cairo text of the Qur’an. It is evident that the standardised written language of the Qur’an, as we know it today, is a product of a much later stage than the Sanaa texts.

One must, therfore, wonder if the original text bears any resemblance at all to the standard copy of the Qur'an today.

* see link to Atheist Media Blog provided in my blog list

The Miracle of the Qur'an

In the early years of Islam, many converts were won over by the sheer penetrating language of the Qur’an. Muhammad’s miracle, in a highly literary culture, was the mere recitation of the Qur’an in a language and structure that had hitherto been unknown to them.

Scholarly work by Ernest Renan sums up the miracle of the Qur’an as being a text that was revolutionary on both the literary and religious levels. In fact, the language of the Qur’an, in the early years of Islam, was a certain sign of God’s pre-eminence and his most precious gift to the Arab race.

One of the early verses of the Qur’an affirms the miracle of the revelations by challenging those who doubted Muhammad to produce a passage (sura) such as those recited by the Prophet:

“And if ye are in doubt as to what we have revealed from time to time to Our servant (Muhammad), then produce a Sura like thereunto.. ”

History, however, tells us that Muhammad had a fair share of rivals who rose to the Qur’an’s challenge. Both Musaylima and Sajah of central Arabia are cases in point of other prophets, treated by Muhammad as impostors, who recited revelations in rhymed prose in the same style as that of the earliest revelations of the Qur’an.

The language of the Qur’an, which was recited in the Arabic dialect of the tribe of Quraysh, was also to be superseded by the richer Arabic language of the middle ages which was inspired by Hellenistic philosophy. *

It is no surprise that one of the leading reformers of Islam Sheikh Rifaa al-Tahtawi conceded in the 19th century that the contention of the superiority of the Arabic language, believed to be the language of Allah, is all but a fallacy.

* Please refer to my previous post ' Qur’ an and reason ' for more details

Understanding the Qur'an

Few books, if any, caused as much turmoil and bloodshed than the Qur’an, especially in relation to the quest to understand its text.

Some billion Muslims across the Globe regard the Qur’an to be the uncreated Word of God that existed since eternity. Any scholarly attempts to understand the Qur’an, within its cultural and historical settings, have traditionally attracted accusations of blasphemy within the abode of Islam.

The case of Egyptian national Nasr Hamid Abu Zeid, who lives in exile in Holland, is a case in point. His attempt to present a new contextual understanding of the Qur’an, as a text, saw him being branded an apostate, an accusation that traditionally entails a penalty of death.

Yet, a true understanding of the Qur’an presupposes an understanding of the 7th century Arab nomads’ culture and world-view. Imagery in the Qur’an, for instance, belongs to the simplistic world-view of the Arabs and can only be understood in an allegorical manner and not literally, as has been the case.

On another level, the Qur’an also mirrors the failure of the Arabs of the 7th century to develop a sophisticated interpretation of the cosmos. The universe, according to the Arab recipients of the Qur’an, was dominated by Jinns or spirits: a belief which persists in the Qur’an.

The Qur’an, which was revealed over the period of some 23 years, is a reflection of the changing circumstances and needs of the Muslim community at the time. The changes in the style, content and moral teachings of the Qur’an, over the period of the revelation, can only be understood to mean that changing conditions entail a change in legal injunctions.

Last, but not least, the unsystematic arrangement of the verses of the Qur’an and the unintelligible Arabic language of some of its verses represent another challenge that any scholar has to contend with.

It is, thus, no surprise that the meaning of many passages of the Qur’an is, the Arabs hold, only known to God.

The Qur'an and the Jews

Allah states in the Qur’an ( ll:106 ) that He reserves the right to abrogate verses and substitute them by better ones. However, the stark contrast between the early verses of the Qur’an, relating to the Jews, and those that followed, is such that it casts serious doubt about the very authenticity of the Qur’an.

In the early verses, when the Jews were equal members of the Medina community, the Qur’an appeals to the Jews to fulfil their part of the Covenant: “Children of Israel, call to mind the (special) favour which I bestowed upon you, and fulfil your Covenant with Me as I fulfil my Covenant with you, and fear none but Me.” ( ll:40 )

In another part of the Surah, the Qur’an reminds the Jews of the special favour that He bestowed on them by preferring them to all others for His Message: “Children of Israel! Call to mind the (special) favour which I bestowed upon you, and that I preferred you to all others ( for My Message ) ” ( ll:47)

At this stage, Islam presented itself as a mere extension of the initial Message revealed to Moses. Muslims prayed towards Jerusalem and fasted on the Day of Atonement Yom kippur along with the Jews (a tradition still observed to date). Muhammad was merely a reminder of the earlier scriptures and acted as an intermediary in settling disputes in Medina.

Muhammad, however, was rejected by the Jews. He was also accused of corrupting monotheism with false ideas. It is, at this juncture, that the Jews attract the wrath of Allah and accusation are made against them in the Qur’an of perverting the Word of God (ll:61, 75)

The Jews are now despised and rejected. The Qur’an also relays the story of a community of Jews who transgressed the Sabbath and were turned into apes for it. “And well ye knew those amongst you who transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath; We said to them: ‘Be ye apes, despised and rejected’ ”(ll:65)

Thus, the Covenant with the Jews was now broken. Allah now favoured the Muslims and drew a pact with them to fight in His Name against all those who do not submit to Islam. The Covenant still holds today.

( translations of the Qur’an in this post are based on Abdullah Yusuf Ali’s translation of the Qur’an. )

The Qur'an and Women

The barbaric honour killing of five Pakistani women, who wished to exercise their right to choose their husbands freely, is no surprise. They were buried alive for committing the cardinal sin of challenging one of the Qur’an’s fundamental commandments making women a mere tilth to their husbands, to be approached when and how their husbands will..


“ Your wives are as a tilth unto you;
So approach your tilth when or how ye will;
But do some good act for your souls beforehand;
And fear God, and know that ye are to meet Him (in the Hereafter),
And give (these) good tidings to those who believe”
Al- Bakara ll:223

Over and over again, the idea of the inferior status of women and her subjugation to men is hammered into the Islamic culture by the Qur’an. Rulings by the Qur’an allowing a husband to strike a disobedient wife is but another example of the inferior status of women in Islam.

It is no wonder that Averroes (1126-98), one of the most notable Muslim philosophers, fiercely criticised the deplorable condition of women in the then Islamic world. His comment: ‘ The ability of women is not known because they are only taken for procreation,’ continues to ring true today.

He also noted that women in Islamic states are not being fitted for any of the human virtues and, as such, they resemble plants! It is, thus, fitting that five Pakistani women would carelessly be buried alive in a hole in the ground.

The Qur'an and reason

The first verses of the Qur’an ( Alaq 96: 1-5 ) are an exhortation to use reason and to seek knowledge:

1 “ Proclaim (or read) in the name of thy Lord and Cherisher who created-
2 Created man out of a ( mere) clot of congealed blood:
3 Proclaim! And thy Lord is Most Bountiful, -
4 He Who taught (the use of ) the Pen
5 Taught man that which he knew not ”

Yet, for the most part of the past fifteen centuries, Muslims have used the very same text of the Qur’an to drift away from the realm of reason. The Arab Bedouin historical and cultural setting of the Qur’an gives an insight as to why Muslims lagged behind in sciences requiring the use of reason.

On one level, the Qur’an was revealed in a language that corresponded with the cognitive level of the Arabs at the time. The world-view of the Arab Bedouins of the 7th century AD was restricted to tribal life. They were not interested in the origin of the cosmos and believed that the world was dominated by invisible spirits. They also believed in the futility of guarding against blind fate.

On another level, the Qur’an used imagery that was familiar to the first community of believers. Pre-Islamic poems by the hanifs, which lacked in any abstraction, made reference to the throne, the fire, hell and paradise: all terms that were later used in the Qur’an.

In the early days of Islam, an effort was made to reconcile reason and revelation by emphasising the metaphorical meaning of the revelations. The inner meaning of the verses of the Qur’an, they asserted, could only be attained by reason. In an effort to rationalise the cosmos, the Muslim philosophers attempted to go beyond the “sacred ” language of the Qur’an.

The Arabic language of the middle ages, which was inspired by Hellenistic philosophy, was richer in content, thus, more conducive to abstraction. The philosophers’ efforts to reconcile revelation and reason were defeated by the conservative camp which espouses the view that the Qur’an is revealed in a ‘sacred’ unparalleled language which should be interpreted literally.

Heresy accusations were levied against the philosophers for attempting to go beyond the language of the Qur’an. To date, Muslims adhere to a literal interpretation of the Qur’an and remain limited by the world-view of 7th century Arab Bedouins. It is no wonder that the first commandment of the Qur’an, encouraging the use of reason, is all but forgotten.