In answer to the video "Sin and Salvation, Part 5 - Paradise in Islam"
Deut27 curses the one who does not live by the divine law. Yet we have Paul in places like Gal3:10 painting it as a curse which Jesus' death now retrospectively freed the world from. But the world in the first place isnt even concerned by this law, only the Jews were, and still are, concerned by it. This negative, completely misconstrued view of the mosaic law is of course in disregards of statements such as Deut30:10-14 where the entire Law is said to be at anyone's reach, of Ps119:1 stating that
"Praiseworthy are those whose way is perfect, who walk with the law of the Lord"
and Job37:23 which does not expect people to be perfectly righteous in Torah observance. In fact even the NT contains similar statements, as in Lk1:6 where John's parents are upright in God's sight, observing all commandements blamelessly. This is the way of God and is reflected not only in the earlier revelations, but down to the Quran as well
2:220"And had God so willed, He would indeed have imposed on you hardships which you would not have been able to bear, but behold, God is almighty, wise".
The sharia/law of God is and has always been intended to be simple and straightforward, adapted to man's nature, extreme circumstances and exceptions, and above all it is the means by which one is spiritually purified 2:185,5:6,22:78. Whenever the religion became complicated, it was either because of man-made additions to it, or as a punishement.
Today's Christians pick and choose which laws are still aplicable to them while all of them, including the so-called 10 laws, were revealed at Sinai. But being non-Jews, they are not obliged to follow the Law in the first place, yet still declare that Jesus' sacrifice is the only thing that saved them from it (the law that God Himself obliged). Being that God is the source of the very laws they condemn, the "mercy" of Jesus "fulfilling" the law by "breaking" it, came after the generations upon generations of oppression by that very same God's demand that His law be upheld and fulfilled.
In answer to the video "Sin and Salvation, Part 5 - Paradise in Islam"
No sin will be put on those scales.
Falsehood is a vanishing thing in the hereafter. There, Justice will reach its ultimate form where only the Truth in one's actions will be measured
7:8"The weighing on that day is the true. As for those whose scales are heavy, they are the successful".
This verse explains, the counter weight for each action will be a specific standard of truth. For example when one's charitable actions are weighted, their heaviness or level of worthiness in God's eyes will depend on whether these actions were performed in accordance to God's prescribed standards. Each good action will be taken into account indiscriminately among the people 99:7.
A good act from a Quranic point of view is something done to please God because it is commanded by Him directly or is in accordance with the principles of His revelation. The Quran repeatedly speaks of how any act devoid of this principle by those who willfully reject those very principles, will remain "lost" in this present world where the corresponding reward will be given. It will not be accounted for in the Hereafter where the good nature of a deed isnt what validates it in God's eyes. It must go hand in hand with something else, as will be shown later on.
This is a major Quranic theme. When all has been created with an inner truth, for a higher purpose and for an appointed term in a universe whose phenomena all testify to a higher reality 30:8,14:19,10:3-6 by Allah who is Truth in essence 22:6,62 it necessitates that everything false or based on falsehood, ie devoid of its higher purpose ultimately perishes. That reality many times manifested in this very world with the uprooting of transgressing nations altogether. That is why, as said previously, only the Truth in one's actions will be measured
7:8"The weighing on that day is the true. As for those whose scales are heavy, they are the successful".
Their deeds are therefore nullified in the Hereafter, and their good deeds, that is, those deeds in accordance with their ingrained fitra/their spiritual disposition which every human being is born with, will be restrained to this passing world
18:104"lost in this world's life"
as if they were lush vegetations that then become
18:45"dry broken into pieces which the winds scatter".
The restriction of these deeds to this passing world means they will have no value in the Hereafter because they were not done with the right perspective of building a relationship with God. Such people are described as labour-weary and exhausted on the day of resurrection 88:3. Because they had laboured a lifetime without the perspective of the hereafter in mind, they thus wake up to a gloomy situation, seeing their efforts spent for nothing. Their corresponding reward will be paid in this world, because the Quran repeatedly says that Allah never lets the good deeds remain unrewarded
42:20,46:20,17:18,11:15-16"Whoever desires this world's life and its finery, We will pay them in full their deeds therein, and they shall not be made to suffer loss in respect of them. These are they for whom there is nothing but fire in the hereafter, and what they wrought in it shall go for nothing, and vain is what they do".
This general statement covers all people, regardless of their belief or profession of faith, including Muslims who also may sometimes transgress and conduct themselves hypocritically or with a strict materialistic mindframe.
As regards the previously mentioned notion of restraining the reward of certain good deeds to this present life only, the New Testament speaks of the same principle, when it quotes Jesus in Matt6 about those who do "good" without any perspective of the Hereafter such as praying, fasting or giving to charity only to be seen by men that they will have no reward in the Hereafter and that they will be paid in full in this world only, meaning the deed will not be considered as "good" in the Hereafter
"Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full"
or as stated in the Quran
4:142,107:4-6"So woe to the praying ones, Who are unmindful of their prayers, Who do (good) to be seen".
Now to the scales of judgement day
23:102-103"Then as for him whose scales/mawazin are heavy, these are the successful. And as for him whose scales are light, these are they who shall have lost their souls, abiding in hell".
These Mawazin/scales of the day of judgement, is in the plural because it isnt the concept of a regular scale that is meant here. The plural indicates that there will be many criteria of evaluation and measurements to which the deeds will be compared, meaning that the good nature of the deed itself is not enough for it to be weighty in the spiritual realm. The Quran says many times, a good deed, even done by someone who has professed Islam, such as prayers, fasts, zakat and others can be rendered null and void in the Hereafter if not done as prescribed by God, Who does not judge actions and deeds according to their external form but on the basis of the faith and sincerity underlying them
2:264,3:117,13:22,33:19,67:2"He is the Lord who created death and life so that He may test you that which of you is better in deed".
The ultimate reality of creation is to be a test in the performance of good deeds rather than the quantity of such deeds. For instance when concluding the passage ordaining fasting upon those claiming to adhere to correct faith, it states
2:185"and exalt Allah for His having guided you, and that perhaps you might be grateful (to Him)".
The bestowal of guidance upon a fasting believer is a conclusive reality however sincerity in obedience is conditional upon the person's level of God-consciousness, hence the term "perhaps" attached to the deeper appreciation of the practice.
In many ways does the Quran explain the fact that quantity isnt what is asked from us but rather quality of deeds, including through subtle and eloquent linguistic devices. In 20:75 for example the adjective alsalihat/the good, refers to the deeds, which is rhetorically omitted to bring more focus on the adjective, in this case quality/goodness. Then the verse proceeds to negate quantity and focus on quality, from another angle. The adjective salihat should normally be in the singular feminine, to indicate plural yet the plural feminine is used. This abnormal construction was used even in preislamic literature to indicate that a lesser plural in terms of quantity is meant.
Once more, the normal grammatical rule is that a singular feminine adjective comes with an object (the deeds in this particular case) to indicate quantity but if the adjective is in the plural feminine it implies a lesser quantity. Then again towards the verse's end, the adjective alulaa/the high, describing the ranks of the successful in the Hereafter, follows the same abnormal grammatical construction in order to indicate a lesser plural. This implies that the high dwelling places are restricted, few, exclusive, yet even so, in order to achieve these exalted places one doesn't need to exert himself quantitatively but qualitatively as indicated in the first part of the verse.
That concept is exemplified in the previous verses, through the account of Pharaoh's magicians who, towards their life's end, came to believe and remained steadfast in their faith despite the promised torture. Elsewhere when it adjoins the salihat to correct faith as a prerequisite for success in the Hereafter, it precedes the word with min/of to indicate that complete accomplishment of all righteous deeds is not the intent, even acting upon a part of the prescribed deeds is enough to be counted among the successful 21:94 and God will never let go to waste even the tiniest of those deeds, done in the most secret of ways 99:7.
It is reported that
"by his good character a man can reach the degree of the one who stands in prayer at night and the one who is thirsty from fasting in the heat of the day".
And as a matter of fact, quality inevitably leads to quantity, eagerness to re-live a spiritually fulfilling experience.
Following with the same idea of quality over quantity in terms of deeds is the very general and unspecific injunction to do, side by side with the performance of prayer and charity, any type of good 2:110. The overall principle in Islam in relations to reward in the afterlife is that nothing we can do in itself merits the disproportionate good that lies in store. Only by God's grace are the righteous believers rewarded with paradise. Thus the Quran and the traditions emphasize moderation in religion, as well as the quality, sincerity and constancy in doing good deeds
"The Prophet was asked, "What deeds are loved most by Allah?" He said, "The most regular constant deeds even though they may be few." He added, 'Don't take upon yourselves, except the deeds which are within your ability".
"The Prophet said, "Do good deeds properly, sincerely and moderately, and receive good news because one's good deeds will not make him enter Paradise." They asked, "Even you, O Allah's Messenger?" He said, "Even I, unless and until Allah bestows His pardon and Mercy on me".
The balance, just like the books of deeds, the witnessing entities that will be brought forth whether external or within our own selves, are only tools serving the purpose of articulating the truth of one's deeds in such a way that it will inevitably lead to self conviction. They are some of the aspects of God's perfect court of justice
5:109,4:166,6:19,10:28-29,17:13-14,21:47"And We will set up a just balance on the day of resurrection, so no soul shall be dealt with unjustly in the least; and though there be the weight of a grain of mustard seed, (yet) will We bring it, and sufficient are We to take account"
25:58"and Sufficient is He as being aware of the faults of His servants".
This new world, besides obeying to different natural laws, will obey to a different system that shall define success in it. Its "currency" will be the good deeds done in the former life, and carried to the next life by correct faith, hence the necessity to keep both worlds in view
2:200-201"For, of men there is he who says, "Our Lord! give us in this world", and for him there shall be no portion in the Hereafter. And among them there is he who says, Our Lord! give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter and save us from the chastisement of the Fire". They shall have (their) portion of what they have earned; and Allah is quick in reckoning".
In answer to the video "Sin and Salvation, Part 5 - Paradise in Islam"
Adam and Eve were always meant to go to the earth, prior to even their creation. In God's plan they were meant to be His temporary trustees on the earth, not in Heaven, and as mortals who would live and die on the "turab" from which they originated 2:30,35:39,38:71. It is precisely this aspect of their nature, their mortality, that Iblis seized upon to lure them into transgression, promising them immortality 7:20,20:120.
Humanity's goal was thus always to live on earth, Adam ad Eve's garden was therefore a temporary abode, just like the world outside the garden where they and their descendants are meant to exercise their vicegerency for a decreed time until they are returned to Allah for account.
After the incident of the tree, their sincere repentance and God's forgiveness they were not kept in the Garden but sent to earth through a reiteration of the order to leave the garden that was stated prior to their repentance 2:36-8. Their repentance was accepted and they were nevertheless made to leave the garden, meaning it was not by way of punishment but as a matter of course. Had not the order to leave been repeated after their repentance was accepted, one would have erroneously concluded that Adam and Eve were expelled from the garden because of their mistake. The couple being expelled from the garden had therefore nothing to do with a fall at all, and was God's plan from the beginning as demonstrated earlier.
The garden was thus an earthly transition place where man got acquainted with his self and his future responsibilities resulting from his capacity of freewill, this is why Iblis was allowed to play a part in it and why temptation was made possible.
After they ate from the tree and saw that their condition didnt change as promised to them by Iblis (they didnt become immortal angels), Adam and Eve realized their transgression as often happens when a sincere person comes back to his senses after a mistake or a sin, or when caught doing something wrong. They realized the importance of God's advise in regards to Iblis. Iblis was certainly not their well wisher as he was trying to portray himself. He had instead deceived them into inappropriately showing their nakedness
7:20-2"So, the shaytan whispered/waswasa to the two of them..And he swore to them both: Most surely I am a sincere adviser to you. So, he lured/fadallahuma them with falsehood.."
4:120"He gives them promises and excites vain desires in them; and the Shaitan does not promise them but to deceive".
From a linguistic perspective, dallahuma stems from d-l-w used for the dangling of the bucket in a well to pull out water from it. It implies the anticipation of good results since succeeding in getting water is a good result and good expectation. It is also used in the context of animal hunting, slowly making it approach, attracted by a bucket at the end of a rope which is progressively drawn closer. Through the use of this word, as well as of waswasa, what transpires is that Iblis' deception succeeded only after many persistent and gradual exhortation.
As their senses came back to them, they realized what his true purpose was, and now knowing that the exposition of one's private parts is an unnatural, evil inspired deed, began immediately piling up tree leaves upon themselves and sewing them
7:22"he mislead them through deceit; so when they tasted of the tree, their private parts became manifest to them, and they began to cover themselves with pieced-together leaves from the garden".
As stated in the HB
Gen3:7"And the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked, and they sewed fig leaves and made themselves girdles".
They were then called out and confronted for their transgression
7:22"Did I not forbid you both from that tree and say to you that the Shaitan is your open enemy?".
They were told that although they had now lost all advantages they had in the garden in regards to general physical comfort, they would still find provision on the Earth until an appointed time 2:36,7:24. Adam and Eve accepted the consequences of their disobedience and took on themselves the full responsibility of their act, and immediately asked God to forgive them 7:23. In the Bible, they began immaturely fingerpointing eachother and refused to repent after which God banished them from the Garden.
They were forgiven without delay as denoted with the particle "fa" 2:37, and told again to leave the garden, that they and their future generations will find outside of it the proper divine guidance to recover the state of spiritual happiness they have lost 2:38,20:123. From a linguistic perspective it is also worthwhile to note the use of talaqqa in 2:37 in regards to the guidance of Adam. It is a word denoting a pleasant encounter, it is used in the Quran in the context of the angels receiving the righteous' soul at death and also welcoming the dwellers of heaven. This further stresses that God did not resent Adam following the incident, Adam met his Creator with pleasant words.
This sums up the Creator's interaction with the first human vicegerents.
It is important noting, the Quran repeatedly says both Adam and his wife were simultaneously mislead, by Iblis and not by oneanother 7:20. It even specifically points to Adam's misguidance 20:120 while it never mentions his wife alone in that context. The prophet said
"were it not for Eve, no woman would ever betray her husband".
It is always important not to try and read too much into a quote made a very long time ago, detached from its direct context. Especially if it is done in ignorance of the established patterns related to the subject, as are found in the Quran and the vast corpus of ahadith. The statement doesnt say what was the nature of Eve's betrayal although it is assumed it has to do with the incident of the tree. It doesnt speak of ingrained sinfulness or bad behavior, neither does it generalize Eve's action as affecting all women. It simply says, if a woman betrays her husband then it is somehow connected to Eve's betrayal of Adam. We will never establish the chain of events linking our current experiences and actions all the way to Adam and Eve. But this hadith tells us the connection exists. Eve established a pattern that was perpetrated to all her female descendants, the same way one learns a behavior from his parents, who got it from their parents and so on.
No blame or anger were expressed on anyone or anything, following their repentance and complete forgiveness. No curses were inflicted as senselessly allegedly done by God in the Biblical account, much less on women Gen3.
The Quran for example strikes right at the idea of the process of pregnancy being a cursed punishment, simply through its wording, calling the womb "al-rahm". The word stems from the same root describing God's most manifest attribute of rahman. The throes of pregnancy or childbirth, if experienced, arent in anyway an evil punishment, just like other physical processes involving pain that humans may experience everyday arent curses. Although the pain of labor is what most women worry about, it actually is an important component of childbirth. It incites women to find their own ways of facilitating birth, instinctively guiding the laboring woman into positions and activities in response to what she feels, increasing the strength and efficiency of the contractions and encouraging the baby to settle in and move down the birth canal, protecting the muscles of the birth canal and perineum anf the baby as he is born.
When the pain is entirely removed, the feedback system is disrupted and labor is likely to slow down and become less efficient, besides the other known complications of suppressing it using modern techniques such as an epidural injection. As labor progresses and pain increases, endorphins (much more potent than morphine) are released in increasing amounts. The result is a natural, not total, decrease in pain perception.
On the other hand, the rising level of endorphins also contributes to a shift from a thinking, rational mind-set to a more instinctive one. Endorphins create a dream-like state, which actually helps women manage the tasks of birthing. Inner experiences become more important than the external environment. As labor progresses and the pain of labor increases, women “go into themselves,” become much less aware and, at the same time, much more focused on the work of labor, and are able to tap into an inner, instinctive wisdom.
Another angle through which the Quran demonstrates mankind's potential to spiritual success, through this very mistake of Adam and Eve, is by presenting the story also from the perspective of Iblis. His disobedience was due to wilful rebellion, leading him to more obduracy even after his confrontation with God. But Adam and Eve, whose transgression was a mistake immediately felt shame, accepted the consequences of their transgression, took full responsibility for their act and began seeking God's forgiveness.
Consequently, they found God merciful.
Although the Bible casts the major part of the blame on Eve who was deceived first and then tempted Adam 1Tim2:14, thus paving the way for the severe misogynism of Judeo-Christian scriptures, the account in both the Quran and the HB obviously shows it was forgetfulness and negligence that made them disobey God's command
20:115"nasiya/he forgot, and We found no firmness of purpose in him".
What both Adam and his wife forgot was God's warning as regards Iblis' intentions towards them "Surely he is your open enemy". They genuinely thought he was their well wisher.
It was not a deliberate act of rebellion and conscious transgression. After their mistake they became of the thalimeen. The word means "to oppress" and it is used in the Quran for oppressing another or oppressing oneself. It is the latter that is meant for Adam and Eve. In Quran terminology, all sins, deliberate or not, are considered a harm to the self. It was not rebellion that made Adam and Eve sin. Their subsequent feelings of shame and remorse even before God confronted them testifies to this fact (contrary to the example in 2:54).
Allah Himself states it was forgetfulness of his warning that lead them to be prone to Iblis' whisperings. Their sin was not preceded by repeated and wilful transgressions, revealing a rebellious tendency, as seen in 6:44,32:14. All this reinforces the fact that their transgression was unintentional and the Quran declares that unintentional sins are mistakes 2:225,33:5.
This paralells with the OT's account of the incident that eating from the tree was not a deliberate sin, but a mistake (cheit).
God was thus demonstrating the eternal enmity between Iblis and mankind. The fundamental method in which the will would have to assert itself for a human being is by defeating his evil suggestions
20:117"O Adam! This is an enemy to you and to your wife; therefore let him not drive you both forth from the garden so that you should be unhappy".
God is warning them, He does not want them to leave the Garden *through the satan's deception* because it would result in a state of spiritual unhappiness 2:36,38. Iblis only desires that they live in a state of unhappiness and misery, the inevitable result of disobedience to God. But the Merciful declares that even in this life of toil on earth for which mankind was originally made, they can achieve the very happiness that they had in the garden. What causes happiness in this world is following the guidance laid down by God and constantly remembering Him
13:28,22:77,64:16,20:123"..then whoever follows My guidance, he shall not go astray nor be unhappy".
As to misogyny, nothing in Islam remotely resembles what is found in Judeo-Christian texts and traditions, whose background is, as already stated, the events of the garden painting Eve as the first to sin, then leading Adam to sin, and because of that was condemned to be "restrained" through subjection to the rule of her husband forever Gen3. Prior to the modern era, that notion was interpreted as warranting physical punishment for marital disobedience, in both Jewish and Christian traditions. In Christian texts, through the writings attributed to Paul, male rulership is associated with physical coercion in case of disobedience. This includes disobedience of subjects to their ruler, slaves to their masters, children to their fathers, and by obvious analogy, wives to their husbands. Rom13:1-5,Titus2:9-10,Eph6:5,Heb12:5-11,1Tim3:4,Ex21:20-21,Prov23:13-14,20:30,13:24 etc.
In answer to the video "Sin and Salvation, Part 5 - Paradise in Islam"
The HB says, like the Quran, that the primary purpose for which Adam and Eve were created, was to fill the earth and rule over the living creatures Gen1:28-29,2:5. They were created from the ground of the earth (not heaven) Gen2:7-8. Adam and Eve's "immortality" was tied to eating from the Tree of Life, which they could freely access as the Garden of Eden's caretakers Gen2:15-17. Since their "immortality" was conditioned on their staying in the Garden of Eden, it means that they were actually mortal human beings who were able to benefit from the privilege of eating the fruit of the Tree of Life to stay alive indefinitely. Their transgression, marked by the eating from another tree, the tree of knowledge, which imbued them with consciousness of both good and evil resulted in their expulsion from the Garden of Eden.
With that expulsion, their ability to eat from the fruit of the Tree of Life stopped. Had they kept eating from the tree of life, now that they are aware of not only good, but also evil, the result could have been that spiritualy degenerate people and criminals might live forever. A type of angel, an angel of destruction, the cherubim was tasked with guarding the garden's entrance to prevent that eventuality.
Thus the result of their expulsion is that they eventually died. Nothing in the plain reading of the text allows Paul's allegorical parallel between sin and death.
Despite certain important variations, many fundamental aspects remain in the HB and parallel with the Quranic account, including the fact that it must have been God's plan from the beginning to ultimately place mankind on the earth, as His vicegerents. The main areas where the Quran disagrees with the Torah is that in the latter, the knowledge of good and evil were concealed from man in a "tree of knowledge" whereas the Quran clearly states that this spiritual feature is ingrained and hardwired in man.
According to the interpolated HB, when man ate from the tree of the knowledge of good an evil, man "became like one of us", against God's will and desire. According to the Quran, God "breathed into man of his spirit" and in sura Shams, defines it as
"He inspired the soul with the knowledge of evil and good",
meaning he was meant to "become like us". The HB still contains elements of this reality when it states that man was created in the "image of God".
This is one of many examples of Quranic intertextuality, the Quran's purposeful engagement with the biblical narrative, correcting it in a profound manner in accordance with its own distinctive theological message.
We thus see the Quran giving a consistent, comprehensive picture of creation from the beginning. Mankind were made mortals from the start 2:30 so as to allow them to be tested in their spiritual resolve and ultimately held accountable in the afterlife
67:1-2"Blessed is He in whose hand is dominion, and He is over all things competent - who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed - and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving".
All tools are put at man's disposal to pass this test; both inner and outward. Senses of spiritual perception to derive the higher meaning from the constant processes of this universe, and direct guidance through chosen individuals who communicate the will of the Creator. All these arrangements do not necessitate that man will succeed, or else there would be no test. Rather man was created as a volitional creature, with a neutral spiritual nature 30:30 that is shaped and developed according to one's moral choices throughout life 91:7-10. Death is therefore not an accident, nor is mankind of flawed spiritual disposition. In the Christian model, the purpose of man was redefined in the course of history. Although he was first made to live forever in heaven, man's disobedience sent him to this world and caused him to wander aimlessly as all his thoughts and deeds became stained with sin. At one point God created a device to compensate for that inherent human flaw, which is a divine sacrifice, thereby giving man a new purpose; accepting Jesus' sacrifice.
In answer to the video "Paul Endured Greater Persecution Than Muhammad (PvM 18)"
Paul's preaching in synagogues was met with fierce resistance due to his bad mouthing the Law, and not even in a clever way. For instance contrary to repeated descriptions made of the law in the HB as "life giving" in places like Ezekiel20:11,33:14-15 or Nehemiah9:26-29 as well as spiritually preserving, a purifying delight to observe Ps119, a sentiment clearly reflected in James' writings, Paul sees the law as "stirring" into sin and death.
Without it, one
Rom7"would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "You shall not covet."
As if non religious people cannot discern basic moral principles such as these? Paul's inspired "reasoning" leads him to the conclusion that without law there is no transgression Rom4:14. It is better to leave man without moral restrictions, so that he is only justified and judged according to faith in Jesus, something Jesus himself never taught.
But what this hateful perception of the Law shows, is that divine revelation has diametrically opposed effects on individuals depending on their own inner spiritual disposition. It is certainly repulsing to the depraved to have to abide by moral restrictions, while the God-conscious delights in serving the Creator according to His own terms, as amply stated in the HB. Paul was disparaging the Law yet the agreement between him and the apostles was that he should seek non-Jews, while they went to the Jews Gal2:9.
He consequently escapes murderous Jews in most of his stops along his missionary journeys Acts14:19. In Jerusalem, the Roman commander saves him from the Sanhedrin's grip and the Jews apparently were so eager in their murderous intents that they werent deterred from planning an assault on his Roman prison. A cohort of 500 Roman soldiers and imperial guards had to leave Jerusalem to be dispatched to this helpless fellow. They protected and escorted him by night for a "proper" trial in Caesarea Acts21-24. Amazingly, Luke who is alleged to have authored Acts, reproduces the letter written by the Roman commander to his superior in Caesarea Acts23:26-30. The letter doesnt mention Paul and makes a chronological mistake. It says the commander rescued him because he knew Paul was a Roman citizen. He obviously had to, the probability of a Roman commander turning out to rescue a Jew from his brethren is very slim.
Yet we read in Acts22:23-29 that the commander rescued Paul from the Jews before he had learnt this information, after which he was given to the Sanhedrin for questionning. Besides that slip, did Luke have access to Roman archives to reproduce the letter? But then Luke also knows what was said in Antipas' apartments when he questioned Jesus Lk23:7-11, as well as what Festus and Agrippa said to each other in private concerning Paul Acts25:13-22. Probably all "God-breathed" details as noted by 2Tim3:16.
And why didnt James, the elders, or the "thousands" of Jesus converts, say a word in Paul's defense? Instead we have Roman troops rushing to his rescue to avoid hateful Jewish mobs murdering him. In Caesarea, he is presented before the Roman governor Felix. He served from the year 52 until the year 60. The head of the Sanhedrin was the Jewish high priest Ananias the son of Nebedeus. Historical records show instead that before Felix's appointment as governor, the high priest Ananias had been arrested and sent to Rome to plead his case, in the year 52. Josephus names the high priests during Felix's governorship, and says nothing about Ananias son of Nebedeus.
Anyhow, Felix, one of the richest and most powerful man in the province, will keep Paul jailed for 2 years, hoping for a "bribe". As if none of the murderous Jewish leaders could have bribed him if the detention was simply about money. Strangely no angry Jew even as much as pleaded that he be handled to them, until Felix's replacement with Festus. Festus eventually dismissed their request but nevertheless wants to "please" them by suggesting a trial in Jerusalem Acts25. Compare this to the apostles' delivrance from jail through divine intervention Acts5:17-20 and yet no miraculous appearance to save Paul to whom Jesus himself appeared.
But persecuted Paul had his own type of luck. The charges against him were relegated to mere religious matters Acts23:29,25:19,25:26-27 and consequently dismissed by both Festus and the Jewish king Herod Agrippa who just so happenned to be in town Acts26:32. All this happened before even the hearing of his case in Jerusalem. Follows a bizarre twist, with persecuted Paul given another escort, this time to Rome and to present his case to none other than Caesar himself. This wasnt event needed, persecuted Paul himself made the request despite all local authorities clearing him from any charges. There was never such an instance in the Roman judicial system of overruling local authorities' decisions simply by "appeal to Caesar" Acts26:32. And we're not even talking of an unfavorable ruling but one that had just aqcuited him! The high priest Jonathan was put to death by the procurator Felix just a few years earlier, surely he could have made the same appeal as Paul did?
Whoever was writing the plot of Acts surely did a lousy job until now at defending Paul's case of unjust persecution. At approximately the same time of Paul's appeal, another appeal was made to the Caesar Nero, by the Jewish High Priest Ismael. Nero agreed influenced by his own Jewish wife. However, Ismael was held imprisonned in Rome. The author of Acts had a clear political and theological motive in mind, supposedly endorsed by Jesus Acts23:11 through inspiration: to move his story on towards a necessary climax in Rome.
Upon his arrival to Rome, he was allowed to live in a house, summon Jews and other visitors to preach to them freely, protected by a soldier Acts28:16-31.
The so-called "prison letters" – Philippians, Philemon, Colossians and Ephesians are traditionally ascribed to Paul in his Roman captivity despite recent Biblical scholarship opinion to the contrary. Nothing evokes imprisonnement in these writings except for the vague and isolated references "prisoner in Jesus Christ" and "bonds" to endorse that claim. Pauline vocabulary is full of such words evoking servitude, suffering and "imprisonment", all of which to convey the idea of his metaphorical servitude to Jesus. "Rome" is nowhere mentioned in any of the prison letters. The whole claim rests on the single reference to "Caesar's household" of Phil4:22, and the use of "palace" in
Phil1:13"My bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places".
It is said he was finally acquitted of the charges against him and therefore started travelling around Europe and the Mediterranean coasts to spread his teachings to the gentiles.
It is hard therefore to imagine how he would be arrested again by the same Nero then executed, as tradition alledges. The Church needed the fabrication of that itinery in order to render authentic 1 and 2 Timothy, as well as Titus since in the latter, Paul anticipates his soon reunion with other Christians in Greece Titus3:12,13.
In answer to the video "Paul Endured Greater Persecution Than Muhammad (PvM 18)"
Muslims must avoid those circles where Islam is being mocked and defamed, after expressing their dissociation with them, or gatherings where spirituality as a whole is completely disfigured or absent
6:68,70,4:140"until they enter into some other discourse".
So to argue that a Muslim, although he is to avoid this kind of circles, is allowed to create a similar circle where other people are defamed and mocked is baseless. The opening statement of the book of Psalms echoes this position of the Quran
Ps1:1"The praises of a man are that he did not follow the counsel of the wicked, neither did he stand in the way of sinners nor sit in the company of scorners".
Avoiding and retreating from such atmosphere does not equal to arrogance and haugtiness. Muslims should always try and speak in the most kindly manner to the followers of other faiths who do not act insiduously, seeking to undermine one's faith and community 17:53,29:46, nor should one be repulsed and turn away with contempt from those who, despite their beliefs not being in full accordance with the Quran
6:52"call upon their Lord in the morning and the evening".
Although denouncing any worship directed to other than Allah isnt forbidden, yet the Quran explains that this should be done with proper arguments, not simply using insulting and obscene language
6:108"lest exceeding the limits they should abuse Allah out of ignorance".
The verse explains, such an improper manner of conducting a dialogue can only lead to harm and similar obscene language in return. This was the prophet's way of denouncing false worship since the beginning of his call. Although the pagans were offended by his arguments, it was not on account of using improper language, misplaced arguments, distortions of other people's true beliefs, but the mere fact of speaking the hurtful truth against their sacred but inherently false system.
For example when the prophet, like the prophets of the HB from Moses, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Jonah, down to Micah, Habakkuk, described false idols as worhtless pieces of man made carved wood or stone, devoid of any sense of perception and incapable of fending for themselves, much less for those bowing to them, he was not using profanity but only speaking the hurtful truth.
On the other hand when Jesus used profanity against Jewish "races of vipers" and "sons of satan", he was being expletive "when you say these things, you insult us" said the Rabbis. Jesus was in turn exposing himself to similar profanity. It is ironic that this type of personal abuse, initiated by Jesus, not even in answer to them insulting him, isnt regarded as offensive by the Christian critics of Islam. Why would they, when it is with such background that later antisemitism developped and flourished, with Jesus' example. That is not even getting into the vile language of the HB by YHWH in reference to the spiritual "harlotry" of Israel. The whole book of Jeremiah including Lamentations which is traditionaly attributed to him, and Ezekiel after him, as well as Micah are filled with metaphors of adultery, shameless exhibitionism, betrayal and divorce, sensless harlotry by paying tributes and gifts in subjugation to the "lover" instead of receiving payment as a prostitute would, fornication with foreigners endowed with donkey-like "large genitals" who ejaculate like horses, to whom her "virgin breasts" are shamelessly displayed, "scattering of ways" and "spreading of legs to every passerby" without ever being sated, in reference to Israel's unfaithfulness to God's covenant, going after false gods and forsaking the true God
Ezek16:38"And I shall judge you [with] the judgments of adulteresses and murderesses, and I shall deliver you [to those who shed] blood with fury and zeal".
In the book of proverbs, the use of a similar imagery is directed at the idolaters, compared to a lurking harlot ready to snatch the souls caught off-guard Prov23:27-8. Elsewhere, other "brides" of God have their share of metaphorical sexual debauchery, like the non-Jewish city of Nineveh that reformed itself under the prophet Jonah but returned to its evil ways afterwards and was thus condemned with equal anger and fury by God who will
Neh3:5-6"uncover your skirts upon your face-and I will show the nations your nakedness, and the kingdoms your shame. And I will cast detestable things upon you and make you vile, and I will make you like dung".
Sexual metaphors are also employed in reference to the Torah itself, supposed to be as intoxicating as a woman's love annd as satisfying as her breasts Prov5:19-20.
These critics instead find fault when Abubakr answered the unjust accusations of treachery and lack of faith, with typical Arabic terminology to refer to the worthlessness of a person. He said
"go suck al-Laat's clitoris".
Abubakr's abuse in return for abuse isnt even a personal attack, as is the case with Jesus' words, but a scorn of an inanimate object. It is everyone's right to reply to a hurtful attack, verbal or physical, in a similarily painful way. Denying that right is an injustice towards the victim, just as forcing someone to be passive or forgiving. Magnanimity is always encouraged in the Quran, but never at the expense of justice, it must come freely and without pressure, by the victim itself.
Even though the use of defamatory speech may be exceptionaly justified in case a person has in some way been wronged, pardonning the evil which has been done is much preferable to God 4:148-9. ALJAHRA means something that is out in the open with the aim to be noticed and not missed. This includes loud expression and anything that is flagrant and so on. The message is that Allah does not love this kind of communication unless the person was himself victim of it. In this case God hears and knows what is going on, which is a message in itself of reassurance to the victim, but still gives license to retaliate in the same manner, without transgressing himself the bounds by which he was assaulted. The verse hints to self-restraint while still not denying the person's injured self, and his natural right to answer back and defend himself. This is speaking of situations where a soft speech and forbearance, as is the general rule in Islam when one is confronted to ill mannered people and verbal attacks, is not enough to stop the harrassement and abuse.
Denouncing falsehood in all circumstances, religious or else, is therefore never condemned or prevented in the Quran, but rather the manner in doing it is regulated. So in the case of one's beliefs being insulted one doesnt reply with an insult, the Quran tells the believer in such case to avoid the circles where Islam is being mocked 4:140, precisely to avoid such lowly behavior of mockery for mockery as described in
6:108,68:10-11"And yield not to any mean swearer, Defamer, going about with slander".
A righteous person should act accordingly, responding to falsehood with dignity 25:72. Ridiculing or mocking one another while arguing does not behoove the God-conscious, it is the trait of those devoid of upright character.
When the critic's aim is to objectively assess the Islamic arguments, carefully listen and evaluate the Islamic position, instead of shutting his ears or pretending to listen while preparing his counter arguments, telling others to do the same, raising irrelevant objections just for the sake of discrediting, without any solid basis for argument, isolating a word or a sentence from its context, hairsplitting it so as to make it a basis of doubts and accusations, misconstruing words so as to prevent them being properly understood 4:46,40:4-5,56,41:40 then a meaningful discussion can be engaged
16:125"with wisdom and goodly exhortation, and have disputations with them in the best manner".
The prophet's own life and ability to take on criticism is testimony to this. As well, Muslims can freely mingle with kindness and justice with any non-muslims who do not seek to fight Islam, do not opress Muslims unjustly 60:8-9. Although the prophet never initiated the kind of verbal attack he was calumnied with, when he was approached by a Muslim poet, Hasan bin Thabit, who proposed verbally attacking the enemy poetry that targeted him, the Muslims and Islam, he did not instruct him to steep to their lowly immoral, unwarranted standards. For example he told Hasan that his lineage shouldnt be attacked, meaning he did not want Hasan to provoke them on that point lest they in turn insult the prophet's ancestors.
In answer to the video "10 Reasons to Reject Islam"
People will be divided into 3 groups; the foremost in faith who will have precedence over the others and will be drawn close to God (more from old times than later times 56:13-14), the righteous (more from the old as well as late times 56:40) and the wrongdoers 56:7-11. This shows that the communities and groups that have been formed in the world on the basis of race, country, language, tribe and clan, and economic and political interests, will break, and the people will be re-grouped on the basis of true belief, morality and character.
Each group will have to answer to a different level of reckoning, going from fast and easy to difficult and lengthy.
The first group wont be reproached for their minor sins and shortcomings, will be forgiven and redeemed through their good deeds. Once made to enter paradise, the reward awaiting them will be made to match not any deed, but the best of them at least. Then by God's grace their reward will be made to surpass what is proportionaly due to them 6:160,16:96-7,29:7,39:35,46:16,84:8. It is clear that in Islam, the righteous' good deeds in themselves are not what grant him salvation in the hereafter. They serve as a measure of a person's faith in God. It is then God's grace that translates exponentially that level of faith, whose indicator are the deeds, into reward in the hereafter.
On the other hand, others will be requited for the worst of their deeds, all the bad that they accumulated, including the smallest sins. These small sins wont be forgiven immidiately as with the previous group 13:21,46:16,74:38-9 hence their lengthy and difficult reckoning 13:18,41:27,74:9-10.
This minute, but just requital will fall upon them on a day like a crushing weight 75:25. The ahadith speak of people coming on the plain of judgement carrying their sins that will physically materialize as mountain like burdens on their backs. They will be reprimended for every one of their misdeeds, great or small. Depending on each case, that requital will occur starting from their earthly death, in the intermediary period that precedes the resurrection, meaning the barzakh. It will go on during the Resurrection and Hell if necessary, before they are finally granted forgiveness and potential entry in Heaven. Some will certainly have to go through the last stage, dwelling in Hell, before they are purged from their sins but others will be cleansed through prior processes. As God says elsewhere even in reference to the followers of the devil himself
7:18"Whoever of them follows you, I will surely fill Hell with some/min of you all".
This is because each person's circumstances that lead him to follow a certain path are different. Only God is capable of integrating such intricacies in a perfect individual judgement. The vast majority of mankind will have to undergo one of, or a combination of these stages of requital -the grave, the resurrection, and hell- while a tiny fraction will enter heaven without rendering any account.
This is the idea behind the prophet's reported statement that from among Adam's progeny 99% of mankind will be singled out for hell. It doesnt however say that these 99% will all be made to enter it, just that they will certainly deserve it. As said above, some will have to go through it while others will sufficiently be retributed and cleansed through prior processes.
Those who are destined for Heaven, without undergoing any cleansing process, will not be brought anywhere near Hell. They will be so far removed from it, they will not hear the sound of its roar on the Day of Resurrection
92:17,26:90,21:98-103"Surely you and what you worship besides Allah are the firewood of hell; to it you shall come. Had these been gods, they would not have come to it and all shall abide therein. For them therein shall be groaning and therein they shall not hear. Surely (as for) those for whom the good has already gone forth from Us, they shall be kept far off from it, They will not hear its faintest sound, and they shall abide in that which their souls long for. The great fearful event shall not grieve them, and the angels shall meet them: This is your day which you were promised".
The supreme awesomness of this Day will not grieve the righteous, who shall in addition be protected from its upheaval and afflictions 2:277,21:103,88:8,76:7-11. Through a subtle linguistic device, the Quran explains this idea of the righteous believers on that day being far removed from the terror
"no fear upon them, and nor shall they grieve".
The first part of the verse pictures a caring entity looking over with full understanding of the situation without any fear while watching the scene. A practical example would be of a child who might be fearlessly playing with a snake, not knowing the impending danger but the mature person watching over, understanding the situation, would be full of fear and worry. On the last day however, because the successful will be fully justified in lacking fear and feeling secure despite the surrounding terrifying events, then the caring entity watching over wont have any fear upon them. The same phrase is used in 7:49 for the dwellers of heaven, they are in such secure conditions that none will have any reason to fear for them.
As Solomon reportedly says concerning the righteous in the life to come
Prov1:33"But he who hearkens to me shall dwell confidently and shall be tranquil from the fear of harm".
The righteous will thus proudly exclaim to all to come read from his book of deeds held in evidence in his right hand, the Iliyin 69:19,83:18,84:7. He shall be secured from harm 41:40, relieved with sustenance from heaven before entering it. The traditions speak of a Pool the water of which is from the Garden, and from which the believers shall drink before entering the Garden. Those that will be prevented from this favor on account of their sins, will long for a portion of that sustenance 7:50,19:86. They will wish for a share of the light beaming upon the righteous with such force that it will emanate from them 57:13-15. The absence of light upon the wicked on the day of judgement is alluded to in the Hebrew Bible, including in Job38:14-15.
The futur dwellers of heaven will be greeted with the best greetings by the angels and God Himself, honored and given the good news of Heaven from the moment of their earthly death 16:32,41:30 until their resurrection and entry in Heaven 7:46,13:23-4,14:23,15:45-8,21:103,36:58,39:73,56:26. This doesnt sound in anyway as if all people will be made to suffer after death as suggested by this youtuber. Once in heaven, no lewd, empty talk will be heard, only peaceful and wise speech 19:62,56:25,88:11. They will keep greeting one another and praying for eachother's peace within heaven 10:10.
On the other hand the hell dwellers, from the instant of their death where they will be violently seized by the angels and told they had been following the evil course 16:28-9,7:37,8:50,47:27 will endure a lengthy and difficult trial until they enter hell where they shall incessantly quarrel among oneanother, receive each new comer with open hostility for having influenced one another in sin 38:55-60, cursing, denying and blaming one another.
In answer to the video "10 Reasons to Reject Islam"
Only those arriving to the resurrection burdened with disbelief and so many sins they havent repented for, they will be the only ones gathered for a terrible task 25:26,54:6 as opposed to the righteous believers who in their lifetime stood in awe of such day
76:7-11"Therefore Allah will guard them from the evil of that day and cause them to meet with ease and happiness".
Consequently they, whether male or female, will never be abased or disgraced between their earthly death and final entry to heaven. Instead, once resurrected they will be shining with a light emanating from them and guiding them on the path to paradise while the rest of the world is plunged in darkness 3:194-5,57:12,66:8. They will in addition be receiving Allah's love 19:96, His individual care 76:11, they will be safe from harm 41:40 and raised in a happy state 56:8,76:11,88:8. Their faces will be bright 3:107,75:22 looking forward to Allah's promise 50:32,28:61. They wont have any grief or fear of the supreme awesomeness of that day, as they will be protected from its upheaval and afflictions, welcomed and greeted by the angels before the beginning of their judgement 2:277,16:32,21:103.
They will be removed far away from hearing the faintest sound of hell 2:17,26:90,21:98-103. The fire of hell will only be brought before the disbelievers and unrepented sinners 18:99-101, the only ones experiencing this mighty day as a great difficulty 74:8-10. This group of believers from among the Muslims and the righteous who will be safeguarded from any difficulty on that Day, does not include the criminals among the Muslims themselves whom the Quran says will enter hell and/or experience a difficult judgement.
Those who rejected or disregarded most or all of the directives of the Quran when it was communicated to them (Muslims and non-Muslims alike) and who transgressed willingly and rebelliously, then despite their good actions, their measurements on the scales of deeds, on the day they are raised for judgement, these measurements will be light
23:102-103"Then as for him whose scales/mawazin are heavy, these are the successful. And as for him whose scales are light, these are they who shall have lost their souls, abiding in hell".
The Quran also clearly says that among the Muslims themselves there are different grades in God's eyes 35:32-5 and although all will eventually enter heaven, this entry will be granted differently from person to person following a personalized appropriate trial, going from short and easy to lengthy and difficult. Some will even have to pass through Hell as long as Allah deems fit before being granted entry in heaven 6:128,11:106-108 and the Quran has mentionned several crimes such as murder, corruption of inheritance, abusing the weak people's wealth or charity etc whose perpetrators will go to hell regardless of their faith. It is in such context that the following prophetic saying is understood
"Gabriel, upon him be peace, came to me with the good news that anyone from my nation who dies without associating partners with Allah will enter Paradise. I said, “Even if he commits adultery and theft?” The Prophet said: Even if he commits adultery and theft". Elsewhere "People among those who worshiped Allah alone (ahl al-tawh?i¯d) will be punished in the Hellfire until they are coals. Then the mercy of Allah will reach them and they will be taken out and presented at the gates of Paradise. The people of Paradise will pour water over them and they will grow just as the stubble carried by the stream grows, then they will enter Paradise".
In answer to the video "10 Reasons to Reject Islam"
Besides the twofold message that there is wisdom in having some things not known to us, that one should not ask about minutiae related to the religion which may have the opposite effect of making it obsessive compulsive, hard to follow and the potential danger of falling out of religion, the verse 5:101 also carries a timeless import in regards to one's understanding of the Quran itself. It teaches one not to be hasty, but instead wait for the detail that will elaborate on a topic requiring further explanation. This detail, present in the book, will not cause the religion to become a burden. It will eventually appear as one progresses through the Quran with an open heart, as it is being revealed to oneself. For these reasons, the Quran is to be approached with patience 75:16, one should ponder and meditate on its verse before forming any adverse opinion.
God's law as originaly intended is meant at providing spiritual purification. It would then be contrary to that purpose for God to make it complicated. He has lightened our burdens through a simple and natural sharia
22:78"and has not laid upon you an hardship in religion".
Man, being a creature endowed with freewill, has a frail spirituality 4:28 that makes him lack resolve when a moral crisis arises. That spiritual weakness is only a natural outcome of an original, untrained spiritual state just as a newborn is physically weak. Only the appropriate training, spiritual or physical can make one overcome the challenges, abstract or concrete 70:19-35. Therefore to facilitate the attainement of that goal, the sharia has been made simple and appealing to man's nature
2:185,5:6"Allah does not desire to put on you any difficulty, but He wishes to purify you and that He may complete His favor on you, so that you may be grateful".
Had Allah wished 2:220"He would certainly have caused you to fall into a difficulty; surely Allah is Mighty, Wise". Even after mentionning clear prohibitions, the Quran stresses the soulful nature of the Sharia by declaring lawful these same things whenever the circumstances make it too burdensome to abide by them 5:3. God's law is thus very close to human nature, it does not run contrary to it, rather it is the disobedience to the law of the Creator that is unnatural. Neither is a person expected to be over-zealous in his religious duties
24:53"reasonable obedience (is desired); surely Allah is aware of what you do".
Sincerity, not perfection is required and so if one stumbles during the pursuit of the right course, God is forgiving 4:17,53:32. One can therefore clearly see that this notion of the naturalness and simplicity of the divine law is not based on some whims by the Muslim scholars and jurists, but on Quranic indicants which occur so frequently that they cannot be mere metaphors. It is the principle of facilitation/taysir of the sharia as stated in
2:185“God wills that you shall have ease, and does not want you to suffer hardship”.
This verse is treated as belonging to the category of muhkam/decisive or explicit verses, corroborated by many others cited above. The traditions reflect that Quranic axiom
“I was sent to people with the lenient, tolerant, True Religion”
or
“Do [good] deeds that are within your capacity”
or
“This religion is very easy and entails no hardship".
The prophet instructed Muadh as he sent him to Yemen
“Facilitate things for the people and do not make things difficult for them. Be kind and lenient [both of you] with the people, and do not be hard on them and give the people good tidings and do not reject them,”.
Based on the traditions and the Quran, the scholars have thus asserted that making things easy/taysir is one of the higher objectives of the Sharia. It aims at protecting the life, property, and dignity of the whole community without causing inappropriate hardships. Throughout the ages, despite the mindless islamophobic rant, nations have been receptive to the teachings of Islam without any difficulty or hardship. This is evidenced by the transformation that Islam has brought about in the daily lives of the Arabs, the Persians, the Copts of Egypt, the Berbers, the Tartars, the people of India, the Chinese, and the Turks, without these peoples facing any difficulty in discarding their age-old bad habits, or being compelled to abandon their good customs.
In answer to the video "10 Reasons to Reject Islam"
The religion of Allah is not a burden, and neither is the set of ethical discipline it imposes upon man meant at narrowing down his feel of life 20:2, it rather is meant at enhancing it by deepening his consciousness of right and wrong. It is a blessing meant at purifying mankind or as the Quran says when speaking of the objective of religion being for spiritual tazkiya/purging. Allah calls it His favor and grace
4:113,5:3,2:231"and remember the favor of Allah upon you, and that which He has revealed to you of the Book and the Wisdom"
Here, this favor is described as being in the Book and the Wisdom refering to the body and soul of the Sharia respectively, to its commandments and their philosophy. This phrase is often used to connote the fact that God's guidance is perfectly balanced between both these aspects.
Allah has not ordained a soulless sharia concerned only with the body of deeds. The Quran constantly parallels internal with external purity and warns Muslims not to fall into the error of those before them, namely the Jews, who neglected the spirit of the Sharia for soulless external rituals and exagerated legal hair-splittings, superstitious restrictions and regulations. The prophet Muhammad actually came as a mercy to them and to relieve them from these shackles 7:157.
Allah has restored the Sharia to its original simplicity in order to lighten our burdens 2:286,4:27-8 because
"man is created weak".
This means man's weakness is due to the fact that he cannot by himself find the true path, he is in need of Allah's guidance. That is why the preceding verses speak of Allah's will to guide mankind, turn to us mercifully and lighten our burdens. 2:286 also implies that Allah could burden mankind with a difficult Sharia as a form of punishment as was done with the Israelites and as plainly stated in the book of Ezekiel quoted above. When we create an innovation and complicate the Sharia on ourselves, then we will charge ourselves with greater burdens than God asked of us. God allows this to happen as a form of punishment.
What Allah demands from us is not unreachable and He does not impose what is beyond our power and understanding. This is why Allah expects us to answer the call of religion with
2:285"We hear and obey".
It is an unconditional declaration of faith and obedience to a system which is not meant, as already said, at narrowing down man's feel of life through ethical discipline and other teachings of the Quran but on the contrary, to enhance it by deepening his consciousness of right and wrong 20:2.
With the above issues in mind, one can appreciate why the Quran tells the audience not to insist on investigating the unimportant things or minute details of a story. It diverts not only oneself but also others from the moral and spiritual import of the narration 18:22.
Similarily the Quran warns the Muslims not to ask questions about the things regarding which the Sharia is purposely silent 5:101 because such questions call for answers that tighten the limits of a directive, and then people are not able to follow them and as a result invite the wrath of God, as what happened directly and indirectly with the ISraelites. God wants that a directive be followed the way it is given. Difficulties should not be created by asking to explain what is concise and by asking to limit and restrict what is absolute and in fact
5:102"A people before you indeed asked such questions, and then became disbelievers on account of them"
2:108"Would you then ask your Prophet such questions as were asked of Moses in former times? and whoever adopts unbelief instead of faith, he indeed has lost the right direction of the way".
The simplification of the Sharia/Law leaves room for human common sense and judgement, allowing different nations and communities to frame laws for themselves to meet new and changed situations.
The Quran has laid down a handful of laws as explicit, while most provide a foundation and philosophical framework by which things can be negotiated, as long as it is in accordance with the principles of morality and wisdom laid down in the Book. The Prophet is reported to have said:
“The most sinful person among the Muslims is the one who asked about something which had not been prohibited, but was prohibited because of his asking”.
He further said
“God has set boundaries, so do not transgress them; He kept silent on certain things out of mercy for you rather than forgetfulness, do not ask about them”.
As is clear, the Quran doesnt prevent the honest debate and search of knowledge. Many Quranic verses begin with questions that are stated very compactly and their real purport becomes evident through their answer
2:189"They ask you concerning..".
The verse 5:101 rather warns against questionning that could lead to unnecessary complications in religious laws. In addition, and as demonstrated through the Israelites' example, such questionning also stems for shallow belief and hypocrisy. Asking questions, politely humbly with pure intent is never disallowed. The angels were permitted to voice questions to God directly 2:30. No religion says, almost at the end of every argument for its truth, to reflect, ponder, think for themselves. It invites sceptics to bring forth any constructive criticism and argument. As just stated, the epitome of that principle is the angels' questioning God's plan for creation, questioning God Himself and yet they arent condemned at anytime. Justified curiosity is not wrong but even encouraged
21:7,16:43"ask those who possess knowledge if you do not know”.
In 58:1 a reference is made to an incident in which a pious woman had to face a severe difficulty regarding a religious issue; instead of becoming frustrated and showing distrust in God, she presented her case before Him and His Prophet with purity of intentions. Her difficulty was resolved and her case set forth as an example in the Quran: that of a person who adopted the correct attitude when troubles came her way.
