A Muslim Convert Once Before

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The Torah comprises the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.  This is a brief explanation of the origin of the names of these books.   The word “genesis” has come into the English lexicon, and means “beginning”.  However, the word “genesis” itself comes into English via the Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible, from the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the Septuagint.  The original, Latin transliteration of “Γένεσις” ( Genesis ), means “origin”.  In turn, it is from the Biblical Hebrew “ בְּרֵאשִׁית ”, ( B’rishit ) literally meaning, “In the beginning”.  “B-” is a preposition in Hebrew meaning “in.”  “R’shit” means “beginning.”  Therefore, the Book of Genesis takes its name from its opening words:   Gensis 1:1 1 God, at the beginning of time, created Heaven and Earth.   1 ἐν ἀρχῇ ἐποίησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν   1 In principio creavit Deu...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   The following is my answer to a Quora question: “ What arguments have been used to counter the Epicurean Paradox? ”   I am looking at this question for the Abrahamic and related traditions since they explicitly hold the concept of an Omniscient, Omnipotent God as central to their theological doctrine.   Mainstream Judaism and traditional Islam both agree that evil is perception since if God is All Good, then everything in the Divine Sight and cosmic scale is ultimately good.   It is our inadequacy and perception that causes things to be “evil”.   There is a Day of Judgement where all misconceptions are Addressed.   Based on Scripture, Christianity actually defines evil as all that is opposed to God and His   Intent, sin; or that which the human perspective views as “harmful and non-productive”, suffering. Christian theologians have argued that though evil is present, it is not strong enough evidence to su...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The following is my answer to a Quora question: “ What are the differences between the Peshitta and the Septuagint? ”   “ Peshitta ” is derived from the Syriac ܡܦܩܬܐ ܦܫܝܛܬܐ , mappaqta psitta , which literally means “simple version”.   The Peshitta is the standard version of the Bible for churches that follow the Syriac tradition.   These include the Maronite, the Chaldean Catholic, the Syriac Catholic, the Syriac Orthodox, the Malabari Syrian, the Syro-Malankara Catholic, the Mar Thoma Syrian, the Assyrians of the East, and the Syro-Malabari churches.   It is thought that the Old Testament of the Peshitta was translated into Syriac from Hebrew around the 2 nd century AD, and that the New Testament of the Peshitta was translated from Greek.   There are several versions of the Peshitta .   The Septuagint is simply the Greek version of the Old Testament.   The Septuagint is the earliest extant Greek trans...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   The following is my answer to a Quora question: “ If God is really All Powerful, All Knowing, and Truly Loving, then why does evil exist? ”   The first question is, does evil exist?   I am looking at this question for the Abrahamic and related traditions since they explicitly hold the concept of an Omniscient, Omnipotent God as central to their theological doctrine.   Mainstream Judaism and traditional Islam both agree that evil is perception since if God is All Good, then everything in the Divine Sight and cosmic scale is ultimately good.   It is our inadequacy and perception that causes things to be “evil”.   There is a Day of Judgement where all misconceptions are Addressed.   The doctrine of tzimtzumin , in Kabbalah, holds that God has Withdrawn Himself so that Creation can exist, but this withdrawal means Creation is Veiled from the Reality of Divine Attributes.   This is similar to the concept ...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   We often hear this claim by Muslims that the Christian and Jews Honoured as Ahl al-Kitab , the People of Scripture, in the Qur’an are not the same as the Christians and Jews now.   I have actually even heard some asatidzah parrot this nonsense as well.   This contention is easily refuted from a theological and historical perspective.   Firstly, the Qur’an is viewed in Sunni Islam as Kalamullah , the Eternal Speech of God.   Therefore, whatever is Mentioned in it is applicable in all relevant conditions unless abrogated by another verse of the Qur’an.   God has Named them, the Christians and Jews, People of Scripture.   Who has authority to decide otherwise?   To think that is actually shirk, polytheism. Did this people think that the Omniscient, Omnipresent God would not be aware of the evolution of these two faiths?   Secondly, the main tenets of Judaism and Christianity were already established...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The following is my answer to a Quora question: “ Is the God of Judaism, Christianity and Islam the same? ”   All three faiths belief in One God, and since there is only One God, then it is the same God for all three faiths.   That is not the contention at all.   The contention is in the Nature of this One God, the Divine Attributes.   Islam and Judaism agree that God is Absolute.   Trinitarian Christianity qualifies that God has three forms, all co-equal, or almost, depending on the denomination.   T are differences in the theodetical approach, and the juxtaposing of God’s Goodness with the presence of evil and suffering.   Islam and Judaism have very little theological differences.   They agree on almost everything.   They disagree on the nature of prophethood and the identity of the eschatological prophet.   The Jews still await the Messiah as the Final Prophet.   The orthodox Muslims con...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   The following is my answer to a Quora question: “ When Christianity, Islam, and Judaism teach that only their followers will go to Heaven, how do we know, which of these three are correct because all three cannot be right?   What about all the other human beings? ”   Why do we have to assume that Salvation is exclusive to specific religious traditions?   Would that not imply that God is unjust and our chances of Salvation are dependent upon the lottery of birth?   If we consider this theologically, the emphasis in Revelation is on values, not labels.   If a person is good, he is good, regardless of his religious inclination, and his acts are Judged based on their sincerity.   A person is not considered a Muslim, a Jew or a Christian, and then have his acts Judged. Whilst that is the belief of many Jews, Christians and Muslims, it seems more borne of hubris and tribalism.   That would imply that an evil a...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   The following is my answer to a Quora question: “ According to Islam, who are the Jews and Christians who will enter Paradise? ”   There are two similar ayat , verses , that Mention the fate of the Christians and the Jews:   سُوۡرَةُ البَقَرَة إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَٱلَّذِينَ هَادُواْ وَٱلنَّصَـٰرَىٰ وَٱلصَّـٰبِـِٔينَ مَنۡ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡيَوۡمِ ٱلۡأَخِرِ وَعَمِلَ صَـٰلِحً۬ا فَلَهُمۡ أَجۡرُهُمۡ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ وَلَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡہِمۡ وَلَا هُمۡ يَحۡزَنُونَ (٦٢)   Those who believe (in the Qur’an) and those who follow the Jewish (Scriptures) and the Christians and the Sabians, any who believe in Allah and the Last Day and work righteousness, shall have their Reward with their Lord; on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. (Surah al-Baqarah:62)   سُوۡرَةُ المَائدة إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَٱلَّذِينَ هَادُواْ وَٱلصَّـٰبِـُٔونَ وَٱلنَّصَـٰرَىٰ مَنۡ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡيَوۡمِ ٱلۡأَخِرِ و...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   The following is my answer to a Quora question: “ Is it possible for Islam to reconcile with the Jews? ”   Islam does not have a problem with the Jews.   The Jewish Golden Age coincided with the Muslim one.   Muslim lands took in Jews expelled from Christian Europe, and did not have the systematic discrimination they had in Christian lands.   Some Muslims, mainly Arabs, have problems with Zionist Jews.   It is a political conflict limited to a specific geographic area.   It is neither an inter-civilisational conflict, nor an inter-religious one.   As such, there is nothing to reconcile.   As a convert to Islam, I have neither a problem with Jews nor Israel. I disapprove of certain policies of their government, just as I disapprove of certain policies of my own, but I did not inherit the political baggage of Arabs and Muslims and their opposition of Israel.

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   The following is my answer to a Quora question: “ Did Muhammad ( s.a.w. ) read the Bible or other books?   How did he narrate the stories of Noah ( a.s. ), Adam ( a.s. ), Moses ( a.s. ), and others? ”   Prophet Muhammad ( s.a.w. ) was ummi , meaning that he was unlettered.   He could neither read, nor write, at the beginning of his prophethood.   As such, he was not in a position to read any books.   That being said, the Arabs of Makkah were not unfamiliar with the Christian and Jewish traditions, and stories.   There was a sizeable Jewish community in Yathrib, to the north.   There was a sizeable Christian community in Najran, to the south.   All these settlements were along the trade route that paralleled the coast, through the oasis on the higher lands.   The polytheist Arabs were certainly familiar with the stories from the Jews, particularly their wait for the eschatological prophet. ...