Is this Your Book? - How Does the Quran Liberate Women?

 

 This is another post in a new series on this blog: Is This Your Book? Each post will give controversal passage(s) from a book I am passively familiar with - meaning that I am no expert. I may not understand the context or nuances of the passages I am bringing up. This week are passages from the Quran that I have to admit seem to mean that women are not equal to men in an ontological senses, rather, that women are not as valuable or loved by God. Obviously, not all Muslims believe these things are commanding subjugation of women, but how do they understand the context of these passages. I would appreciate any comments or recommendations for contents to explain what these passages actually mean if they do not mean what some Muslims like Al Quaida and Hamas and Boka Haram seem to think they mean. Why are you right and they are wrong? As I understand the teaching of Islam, women should not be educated and are under the control of their Fathers, Uncles, Brothers, Male Cousins, and Sons. I appreciate the help in understanding these as I should understand them. Thanks to all. 

Is This Your Book? - Passages From the Quran That Seem To Command Violence

 This is the start of new series on this blog: Is This Your Book? Each post will give controversal passage(s) from a book I am passively familiar with - meaning that I am no expert. I may not understand the context or nuances of the passages I am bringing up. This week are passages from the Quran that I have to admit seem to mean that I should be killed by Muslims who trying to follow the teachings of Muhammad. Obviously, not all Muslims believe these things are commanding violence agains Non-muslims, but how do they understand the context of these passages. I would appreciate any comments or recommendations for contents to explain what these passages actually mean if they do not mean what some Muslims like Al Quaida and Hamas and Boka Haram seem to think they mean. Why are you right and they are wrong? I appreciate the help in understanding these as I should understand them. Thanks to all. 

Is the Trinity compatible with the Koran? Abdulla Galadari & Joshua Siju...

Did the Umayyads change the Qur'an? - YouTube

David Wood has posted another great video from L'Orientalist on his blog 

Muslims tell us that the Qur'an has been perfectly preserved. Oddly enough, there isn't a shred of evidence for this preposterous claim. Indeed, a brief examination of the history of the Qur'an reveals significant changes to the text. In this video, L'Orientalist shows that changes were taking place even after Uthman produced his revised, standardized edition of the Qur'an.

Answering Muslims - Did the Umayyads Change the Qur'an? 
Did the Umayyads change the Qur'an? - YouTube

Answering Muslims: Qur'an Error: Does the Sun Set in a Muddy Spring? (Surah 18:86)

Here is part 2 of David Wood's series of videos pointing out errors in the Qur'an.




Answering Muslims: Qur'an Error: Does the Sun Set in a Muddy Spring? (Surah 18:86)

Book « Is the Qur’an the Word of God?

Here is a book tha tI think I may try to get  my hands on. From the table of contents, it seems to be a good overview of the Qur'an.  I found out about it from a link tweeted by Brian Auten.

Book « Is the Qur’an the Word of God?

Does Allah Allow Muslim Men to Beat their Wives in Islam's Qur'an? | True Freethinker

Mariano, has posted a great article on his blog regarding the charge that the Qur'an tells Muslim men that it is permissible to use physical force to make their wives submit to their authority. I think He did well in respecting the Qur'an and presenting his case. I think it's worth checking out.


Does Allah Allow Muslim Men to Beat their Wives in Islam's Qur'an? | True Freethinker

Unbelievable? 6 Mar 2010 - Debate: Which is more trustworthy - The Bible or Koran?

James White had a very debate with Muslim Adnan Rashid. They debated which is more reliable: the Bible or the Qur'an? James White did a great job summarizing textual transmission of the Bible. Rashid disagreed on how White talked about how the Qur'an came to us. I've heard other scholars agree with White's presentation. Rashid seemed to lean heavily on the work and conclusions of Bart Ehrman and he never really did refute White's explanation about why Ehrman's conclusions is wrong. In fact he used the same defense White used for the Bible to defend the textual integrity of the Qur'an.

I find it interesting that Rashid ends up seeming to put the Gospel of Thomas as more authoritative than the four gospels. White explains how different the Gospel of Thomas is from the rest of the Gospels. It does not belong with the rest of the Gospels. Adnan seems more than willing to agree with the Qur'an that Jesus did not die because of crucifixion yet agree that history says that Jesus did die by crucifixion. He also tried to make it seem like Bruce M. Metzger agreed that the New Testament is unreliable. The man did not believe that. This is a great discussion.

Here is the information about the podcast containing the discussion.

James White of Alpha and Omega Ministries is on the show this week and next defending the Christian faith.  Today he argues the Bible is historically more reliable than the Koran.
Adnan Rashid of the Hittin Institute argues for the Koran and criticises the transmission of Biblical writings.
How were both scriptures written and passed on?  Among other things the Koran and Bible disagree on an important event - Jesus' crucifixion.  So which should we trust?
For James White visit http://www.aomin.org/
For Adnan Rashid visit http://www.hittininstitute.com/
For more Christian and non-Christian debate visit http://www.premier.org.uk/unbelievable get the MP3 podcast http://ondemand.premier.org.uk/unbelievable/AudioFeed.aspx or Via Itunes http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=267142101

You can listen to the podcast here



Here is a video James White made regarding Adnan Rashid arguments against the New Testament.

It's Okay, If Muhammad Did It

Muhammad is held up by Muslims as a paragon of virtue. Someone that people should emulate. The question people have been asking is: Was Muhammad a pedophile? Many Muslims say "No!" But some Muslims like Hamas believe that Muhammad married a child and consummated the relationship. They believe it so much that 450 Palestinian men married 450 prepubescent girls in a public celebration. Why do they feel justified in carrying out such a thing?

“The Prophet wrote the (marriage contract) with ‘Aisha while she was six years old and consummated his marriage with her while she was nine years old and she remained with him for nine years (i.e. till his death).” (Bukhari 7.62.88)”

Still think Islam is a good thing?

Gaza: Hamas weds 450 child brides in mass wedding *Video added*

Hamas Sponsors Mass Child Bride Wedding of “Palestinian” Children?

Islam vs Christianity - Debate - Shabir Alley vs Dave Hunt

I'm a Christian and I disagree with many of the teachings of Islam when it comes to the identity of Jesus and how do we become acceptable to God. In otherwise - the very heart of the Gospel. Unfortunately, I think that Shabir Alley did a better job arguing in favor of Koran and and against the Bible than Dave Hunt did arguing for the Bible and against the Koran. Shabir Alley was able to win this debate. Thankfully, winning a debate doesn't make you right...just the winner. I disagreed with Alley's attempt to paint the Bible as violent and chauvinistic without proving that the Koran isn't. Alley didn't have to really because Hunt did not challenge him enough.

James White Debates Abdullah Kunde on the Bible and the Koran

James White Debates Abdullah Kunde on the Bible and the Koran at Sidney University on August 17, 2009 in Australia. For anyone who wants to see Christian arguments set side-by-side with Islamic claims, this debate is one you should see!

When I heard the debate I could tell that Dr. White customarily showed his usual depth in attempting to show exactly what Muslims believe and respond to those. I like Abdullah Kunde although I disagree with him. When it came down to defending why the Koran is more believable didn't fly. I also thought that the debate showed that Islam has no answer to the problem of sin. I mean even if you went by the moral standards in the Koran, none of us could keep it. What happens when we are called to account? How do you stand before a Holy God? Christianity has the answer: Jesus.

The Surahs of the Qur'an in Chronological Order

On his blog, James White posted a chart containing a chart placing the Surah of the Koran in a possible Chronological order.

96	68	73	74	1	111	81	87	92	89	93	94	103	100
108	102	107	109	105	113	114	112	53	80	97	91	85	95
106	101	75	104	77	50	90	86	54	38	7	72	36	25
35	19	20	56	26	27	28	17	10	11	12	15	6	37
31	34	39	40	41	42	43	44	45	46	51	88	18	16
71	14	21	23	32	52	67	69	70	78	79	82	84	30
29	83	2	68	3	33	60	4	99	57	47	13	55	76
65	98	59	24	22	63	58	49	66	64	61	62	48	5
8-9	110

Dialogue Comparing the Bible and the Qur'an