Understanding Islam, and reading the Qur'an chapter-by-chapter

[°Leprechaun]

I did a thread on Sufism two months ago. Although Islam doesn't really appeal to me, Sufism is interesting. Nanak(born 1469), the founder of Sikhism was disturbed by the conflict between Hindus and Muslims and sought to make peace between them. Of course, Sikhism is different from both religions, but (unfortunately, I think), some people think that Sikhism is a union of the two faiths. Sikhism is very different from Hinduism, but has some similar ideas. I think of Sikhism as a cousin to Buddhism, although the former is theistic and the latter nontheistic.

Anyway, as far as the Koran goes, I did read the first chapter, which is very long. I never got beyond that. It was similar to the Old Testament in some ways. It was last winter that I read it
so I don't remember a lot of details. Although there are similarities to Islam, Judaism, and Christianity there are big differences as well. Muslims totally reject the Trinity, which, for some Christians is very important. Obviously the differences between sects is a big problem in Islam; Muslims in the US and perhaps some European countries (I don't know about France) are more moderate than your typical Muslims. The difference between the two major divisions, Sunnis and Shias is, of course, a source of violence in some Muslim countries. (like Iraq), this was true of Christianity in the past, but even some Christians consider other Christians as heretics even if they are not actually at war with them. The Mahayana and Theravada Buddhists have differences as well, but they have not generally gone to war with each other. But there are exceptions to this. Certainly, while Buddhism is often thought of as a peace religion, this is not always the case, but I think historically Buddhists have been more peaceful than Christians or Muslims. All generalizations, of course. With all their differences Christians and Muslims have much more in common with each other theologically speaking, than they do with Eastern religions. I tend to see Quakers having more in common with Buddhists, at least as far as being a peace religion, than with other religions. Theologically Quakers haven't accepted Reformed Christian ideas, at least historically. Christianity has evolved and doesn't embrace the theology of it's past.

[°Leprechaun]

Most people don't talk about the Muslim network Al Jazeera which has been very controversial, not surprisingly. They did an interview with Lawrence Lessig. There is also going to be an interview with the founder of wiki.

[°Leprechaun]

The last ten minutes of the second part of the youtube video talks about Islams contributions to science, the Renaissance, and the idea that reason and faith should be separated.

[°Leprechaun]

"The religion of Love is different from all religions
For lovers, religion and denomination is God alone"


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumi,_Jal%C4%81l_ad-D%C4%ABn_Mu%E1%B8%A5ammad#Universality

"In that faith, Muslims and pagans are one."

comments?

[°Leprechaun]

By the way, not all Muslim nations are theocratic. Turkey is one example. It is not a theocracy. It is a secular state with no official religion. Yet 96.5% of the nation is Muslim.

[°Leprechaun]

By the way, not all Muslim nations are theocratic. Turkey is one example. It is not a theocracy. It is a secular state with no official religion. Yet 96.5% of the nation is Muslim.

90% of Muslims in Turkey are Sunnis.

[°Leprechaun]

I wonder how many people know how to translate the word "Allah"?
I think that a lot of people don't know about this. Maybe not people here, but people in general. It is important to know this possibly before knowing anything else about Islam.

[°Leprechaun]

correct. So when a Muslim says there is no God but Allah, they are really saying there is no god but God. Allah and Jehovah are both God, in a sense the same God. They are only different gods because people create God in their own image. So every Muslim and every Christian has a different "image" of God in their mind. It is the figurative chicken and egg, did "god" create humans in "his" image or have humans created "god" in their own limited image of what god would be if god existed? There's the conundrum.

[°Leprechaun]

Outline:

1. My translation of The Koran (N. J. Dawood)
2. Context: Religion in general
(specifically comparing Islam to  Judeo-Christianity)
3. The history of Islam
4. Islam today
5. Atheism and other infidels
6a. Islam and politics
6b. Al quada, Daesh (aka ISIL/ISIS)
6c. Liberal Islam vs. the literalists
6d. Sunnis, Shias, and Sufis
7. Bibliography
(The Koran, The Bible, and the adventures of the Black Girl in her Search for God by G.B. Shaw)
8. Arabic, math, science and the contributions of Islam

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Black_Girl_in_Search_of_God

The point is that I would be taking on a really big task if I tried to delve into Islam 101,
since it is a huge topic.
 
Comments?
Suggestions?
Questions?
Answers?
Disagrements?
Logic?
Emotion?
Feeback?
Is it worth the effort, or will I be wasting my time?

Having a logical brain, I will begin my essay at the beginning of my essay and begin with Islamic Scripture,
which (although open to debate, as all things are, or so it would appear) is considered to be "the infallible Word of God"
(Dawood's words, not mine).

Stay tuned for my observations, as I begin my essay (assuming anyone is interested).

Or would all or some of these topics, better be discussed in alternative threads?

[°Leprechaun]

You are going to see a lot more about Jesus as you go forward. Muhammad was evidently shocked and horrified by the idea that God could have a flesh-and-blood son and viewed that as idolatrous, but was also very impressed with Jesus as a prophet. Muhammad also will maintain that Jesus didn't actually die on the cross, but rather, a body double of some sort was crucified in his place.

This is one of the biggest differences between the two religions. Obviously if someone over simplifies by saying "all religions basically teach the same thing" that is simply not true. The only area for common ground would be to say that either religion could get you to heaven. There is evidence for this in both the Koran and the Bible, but that truth escape most people. (of course, I don't believe in an eternal hell, which makes what I said problematic for me and a lot of others, but it is a valid point, I think, nonetheless).

[°Leprechaun]

Yes, you are right that Muslims and Christians differ on who God is.

correct. So when a Muslim says there is no God but Allah, they are really saying there is no god but God. Allah and Jehovah are both God, in a sense the same God. They are only different gods because people create God in their own image. So every Muslim and every Christian has a different "image" of God in their mind. It is the figurative chicken and egg, did "god" create humans in "his" image or have humans created "god" in their own limited image of what god would be if god existed? There's the conundrum.

The same God?!  Really?!  Who are you to equate them as worshipping the same God?

Have you not heard that the New Testament claims that Jesus is God and that as far as it is concerned, and even as far as Jesus' own words, rejection of Jesus' identity and resurrection is tantamount to rejecting God?  Therefore, Christians do NOT worship the same God as Muslims, since Christians worship Jesus as God and Muslims reject Jesus as God.

The same "God" in the sense that "God" is sometimes used.
The fact is that Allah simply means God.
For example,

"In God We Trust" or "One nation under God". Those phrases don't specify which God.

I also said that they were different. Each person has a different "image" of God in their mind.
The Bible speaks of the image of God in the first chapter. Does any person fully understand what the term God means and if that God exists, what he (or she) is like?

[°Leprechaun]

By the way my only point was that "Allah" simply means "God". In other words "Allah" isn't the name of the specific God that Muslims worship although their idea of God is obviously different
from the idea that Jesus is God.

[°Leprechaun]

DudeofDudes,
By the way, since this is your first day here, welcome.