Pluralism Lessons: November 2011

Can you help me understand the Qur'an a bit. I just was in a heated discussion and was taken back by this guy who I was on a date with tonight who was raised Jewish and he told me the Qur'an says that to kill Jews. That it is hateful religion. I am very opened minded by all religions and I attend xxxx but still lack the understanding of the Qur'an. Has it changed translations and a lot of Muslims follow that one or what am I missing now. I really didn't know what to say but I knew it was very personal and upsetting to him. Any insight will help me understand more of of the Qur'an

Thanks

G

Dear G:

The best way to handle difference is with patience, which you have done. Obviously your friend has read something somewhere or must have heard it.

I would proceed by asking him to share that information and ask if he has seen it in Qur’aan, and you would like to see it your selves, so you can honestly share with your friends.

If you have the specifics, I will be happy to address them.

Here are some abstracts

Steve Blow writes in Dallas Morning News:
http://www.dallasnews.com/news/columnists/steve-blow/20100919-In-defense-of-Islam-pursuing-9397.ece

“Ghouse said he can understand fear and criticism of Islam because he went through a time of similar feelings. As a teen, he was troubled by passages of the Quran. He called himself an atheist for a while.

But he said deeper study led him to realize the Quran had been purposely mistranslated down through history. In the Middle Ages, European leaders commissioned a hostile Quran translation to foster warfare against Muslim invaders. Later, Muslim leaders produced another translation to inflame Muslims against Christians and Jews. "It was all for politics," he said.”

Indeed there are two falsified “Translations” of Quraan, the one by a Muslim Hilali Khan is put out of circulation now, but several million copies are still floating out there. There are a total of 25 translations, 2 are bad and hateful to Christians and Jews, 20 are ok, 2 are good and one is excellent which I don’t have a copy yet. The most recommended book the world over is the translation by Muhammad Asad, who was a Rabbi and a Jewish scholar. However, there are still a few verses he has not dealt with right. It is our responsibility to fix them.

Gina, Quraan is a book of guidance. God simply cannot hate any one and in Quraan God does not hate any one. He does prescribe severe punishment for wrong doers as a deterrent, but then offers a way out – repentance and asking for forgiveness. The most favorite person of God is the one who forgives. The most popular and most repeated vese in Quraan is – God is merciful, and kind – 114 times! That is the most dominant aspect of God.

There are bad dudes in Muslims, so are in Christians, Jews, Hindus and others. At this in history no one but Muslims are under the radar. A Rabbi announced and was endorsed by 70 Rabbis in Israel that it is authorized to kill even babies of the Palestinians. Does that make Judaism bad? No, it was that Rabbi not the religion.

(http://hatesermons.blogspot.com/2011/02/rabbi-urged-no-mercy-in-killing-of.html )

Islam has got some of those, and of course the fundamentalist want to kill the Palestinians so Jesus can come back over dead bodies, pat Robertson and other continue to say evil things.

There is no justification for any one of these guys. No one should have the right to take a life out.

Here are some samples of mis translations.

1. Apology to Jews and Christians.
http://quraan-today.blogspot.com/2008/01/unlike-jews-or-christians-17.html

2. Muslim response to Geert Wilder’s bad movie about Islam
http://quraan-today.blogspot.com/2008/01/muslim-response-to-wilders.html

3. Islamophobia and Quraan
http://quraan-today.blogspot.com/2008/03/islamophobia-and-quraan.html

4. Jews turned into Apes
http://quraan-today.blogspot.com/2008/01/jews-turned-into-apes.html

5. Difficult passages of Quraan
http://quraan-today.blogspot.com/2010/12/list-of-difficult-passages-in-quraan.html