Debate between Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Tariq Ramadan - Part 1 of 3

- Reform Islam is still by far a minority reading of Islam. The majority of Muslims believe in an orthodox, literalist reading of Islam.

- What is written in the Quran and Sunnah is not compatible with the modern values held in the secular states we live in today.

- If we accept the idea that the Quran was written by human beings then we can easily change or abrogate parts of the Quran.

- If you are a Muslim who believes the Quran can be changed you are under the threat of death.

- The Ismailis, the Bahai, and the Ahmadis have taken some steps to change Islam, not necessarily to match modern values but in their own way. They are now considered Non-Muslims by other Muslims are not allowed to enter Mecca for Hajj.

- There is some movement on more modern, dynamic readings of Islam in the Muslim community in places like Germany and Morocco (Germany has many Moroccan immigrants, Morocco is known for being somewhat liberal in their Islam).

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXR10XSFrVY

Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsP5sm7-94c

Thanks to Muslim Humanism

New Age Islam: Mapping an Agenda for the Twenty-first Century

Indian Ulema have no time to lose, must call militant Quranic surahs obsolete

By Sultan Shahin

The so-called Indian Mujahedeen have used in their notorious e-mails certain Quranic verses to justify killing of innocent civilians. These are the same verses that enemies of Islam’s pacific and humane philosophy have been traditionally using for centuries to demonise Islam. Muslims who go berserk and want to simply smite all and sundry in their crazy stupor also routinely use these verses to justify their fanaticism and probably also to brainwash the still-not-so-crazy to their cause.

New Age Islam urges Indian Ulema to come out with explicit, unequivocal statements that the Quranic verses like the following - “Therefore, when ye meet the Unbelievers in fight, smite at their necks”- are now obsolete: they were meant for a specific situation during the Prophet’s life and do no apply today. Read more ...

Source: Muslim Heretics Conference

A Guide to the Qur’anic Contradictions, Part 5

By Abul Kasem

Sura 12: Yusuf (Prophet Joseph)

12:19
A passing caravan’s water-drawer rescued Joseph.
Contradiction: 12:20 says Joseph’s brothers sold him as a slave for a miserly price.

12:100
Joseph thought Satan had created enmity between him and his brethren; Joseph’s parents and his brothers prostrated before Joseph.
Contradiction: 2:255, 3:2, 3:18, 11:2, 20:98, 40:62, 40:65 say humans must prostrate (worship) only to Allah, and no one else.

12:109
Allah sends revelations to men only.
Contradiction: 27:82 says Allah also sends a beast as a messenger.
Contradiction: 35:1 says Allah sends angels with wings as messengers.
Contradiction: 6:130, 11:69, 11:77, 22:75 say Allah also sends jinns and angels as messengers. Read more ...

Source: Islam Watch

A Guide to the Qur’anic Contradictions, Part 4

By Abul Kasem

Sura 8: al-Anfal (The Spoils of War)

8:9
Allah helped Muhammad with one thousand angels in succession (following one another: Gabriel led five hundred of them, and Michael led five hundred of them—ibn Kathir).
Contradiction: 3:125 says Allah helped Muhammad in Badr with five thousand angel soldiers.
Contradiction: 3:124 says Muhammad requested Allah to send three thousand angel fighters.

8:38
Allah will forgive unbelievers’ past if they accept Islam; if not, they will face the fate of their forefathers (i.e., exemplary punishment from Allah).
Contradiction: Allah says in 3:20 if the unbelievers do not convert to Islam leave them alone, Muhammad's duty is only to convey the message.

Sura 9: al-Baraat (Immunity) or al-Tauba (Repentance)

9:23
Unbelieving father, brothers are not protectors of converts of Islam; Muslims should not take them as guardians.
Contradiction: 17:23, 31:15 say respect parents even if they are unbelievers.

Source: Islam Watch

A Guide to the Quranic Contradictions, Part 3

By Abul Kasem

Sura 5: al-Maeda (The Table Spread)

5:5
Foods of the people of the Book are lawful for Muslims and vice versa. Lawful in marriage (for Muslim men) are: chaste believing women; chaste women of the Book (i.e., Jewish and Christian women).
Contradiction: 2:221 says do not marry idolatresses.
Contradiction: 9:30 says Christians and the Jews are idolaters.


5:13
The Children of Israel (Jews) tampered with their scriptures and broke their covenant with Allah; Allah made their hearts hard, but Muhammad is to forgive them.
Contradiction: 6:34, 6:115 say none can tamper with Allah’s words.
Contradiction: 9:29 says kill the Jews and Christians unless they pay jizya tax or convert to Islam.
Contradiction: 5:54 says the Muslims must be very harsh and stern towards infidels.


5:21
Moses said his people should occupy the holy land (of Palestine, Jerusalem or Jericho).
Contradiction: 7:137 says Allah let the Moses’ people inherit the land east and west, that is, the land of greater Syria. Read more ...

Source: Islam Watch

A Guide to the Qur’anic Contradictions, Part 2

By Abul Kasem

A note to the readers

In Part 1, I wrote that verses 2:51 and 7:142 contradicted. However, the Qur’an says in both the verses that Moses' appointment with Allah was for forty nights. Verse 2:51 clearly says forty nights. Yusuf Ali translates 7:142 in this manner (to be fair, please ignore Yusuf Ali’s insertions inside the parentheses):

We appointed for Moses thirty nights, and completed (the period) with ten (more): thus was completed the term (of communion) with his Lord, forty nights. And Moses had charged his brother Aaron (before he went up): "Act for me amongst my people: Do right, and follow not the way of those who do mischief."

Ibn Kathir explains the ambiguity in this manner:

‘Allah reminds the Children of Israel of the guidance that He sent to them by speaking directly to Musa and revealing the Tawrah to him. In it, was their law and the details of their legislation. Allah stated here that He appointed thirty nights for Musa. The scholars of Tafsir said that Musa fasted this period, and when they ended, Musa cleaned his teeth with a twig. Allah commanded him to complete the term adding ten more days, making the total forty. When the appointed term finished, Musa was about to return to Mount Tur.’

This explanation is confusing. To say the least—could it that Allah’s instruction to Moses was to fast during night (forty nights in total) and seek audience with Allah during the day (forty days in total). It could be either. I chose the first option: that is, Moses fasted during nights and met Allah during day. Read more ...

Source: Islam Watch

Man who thinks Qur'an should be amended targeted for death by jihadists

Bernard-Henri Lévy, author of Who Killed Daniel Pearl?, participated in a seminar last fall (pictured above, with link) about how the West is thinking about Islam too much -- indeed, that it is "obsessed" with it, and that this obsession is "costing us." I don't know what stand BHL took on that issue at the seminar, but in any case, now he has been targeted for death by jihadists. Perhaps those who think we are thinking about Islam too much are not thinking about it enough. Read more ...

Source: Jihad Watch

Welcome to our world, Mr. Lévy