The Qur'an Dilemma

The Qur’an Dilemma

Former Muslims Analyze Islam’s Holiest Book

Volume ONE

Glass Road Public Relations sent me a free copy of this book to review. Here is what Glass Road says about this project:

We know that the Muslim population is growing in the U.S. And we know that Jesus can save a Muslim as easily as He can save anyone who comes to Him. And we know that we have as much responsibility as Christians to reach Muslims with the saving Truth of the Gospel as we do anyone else walking this earth.

But what do Muslims believe? How can we know—really know—that what we are told about Islam is true? How can we even begin a conversation with someone whose way of life and religion we know nothing of . . . and may even be fearful of?

For the first time in history, we can know exactly what The Quran says. A group of former Muslims who became Christians several years ago decided to take on an enormous task: go through the Quran, sura by sura (sura is akin to chapter) and share it in Arabic and English. The result is Volume I of The Quran Dilemma.

Unlike Christianity, Islam doesn't encourage its believers to own a copy of the Quran and read it for themselves. They are dependent on the imam (something like the local preacher, in Christianity) to read from the Quran and interpret it.

But now it is accessible. You can read it for yourself, along with articles about what Islam says regarding certain topics, whether that verse's directive was later changed when Mohammed claimed to get a new revelation, and more.

And you can know that you are reading something created by people who love Jesus for who He says He was and is.

I’ve long been interested in the teachings of the Muslims, but never have found a book that I felt was comprehensive or well written enough to keep my attention. Plus I didn’t want something that a strong bias for or against Islam. This seemed to be the book I was looking for. So I requested to be a part of the blog tour.

However, with our recent move, the book didn’t catch up to me until last week. I’m glad it did. It’s a beautifully bound hardcover with full color pages of text and page design. But not only does the beauty of the book catch my attention, the content is fascinating and insightful. Unfortunately I haven’t had time to peruse it in detail because of the book’s late arrival. I look forward to doing that in the near future.

The following is from the information Glass Road sent with the book and is a comprehensive survey of what this project is about and what the first volume contains:

Fast Facts

v The Qur’an is the very foundation of Islam. It is the source of all Islamic laws and practices, religious or otherwise, in Islamic countries and societies.

v The current Qur’an is divided into 114 chapters, or suras, of different lengths. This first volume of The Qur’an Dilemma investigates the first nine of these suras.

v Each sura contains the text of the Qur’an (Palmer translation) complemented with these well-annotated elements:

Ø  Sura Introduction

o   Highlights backgrounds and outlines major subjects and issues for discussion at each sura

Ø  Critical analysis of key verses

o   Focuses on their historical accounts, scientific information, logic, linguistic and literary structure

Ø  Variant readings of certain verses

o   Highlights how the original Arabic Text has been read by others in ways that differ from the current common readings

o   Emphasis is given to the variation in the text itself, especially by those who do not agree with the current codification made by ‘Uthman’s committee

Ø  Abrogated verses with analytical comments

o   Explains how the authority and understanding of such verses are impacted by other verses. (Abrogation is a phenomenon or doctrine peculiar to the Qur’an, in which hundreds of verses have been annulled or replaced by other verses.)

v The Qur’an Dilemma also contains valuable articles on several topics that will interest and enlighten the reader, such as the “Compilation of The Qur’an” status of “Women in Islam,” and treatment of “People of Other Faiths,” to name a few.

v The book contains a glossary to help support the reader and a Who’s Who section that provides a brief bibliographical synopsis of some of the mentioned Islamic scholars, exegetes, and historical figures.

v Although written by former Muslims, The Qur’an Dilemma uses Islamic classical references in their original languages to satisfy the scholar. Yet this commentary is written in a fluid language that allows average readers to enjoy these materials and increase their knowledge of Islam.

Background

Today, America is faced with a stealthy ideological threat: Sharia law. The word Sharia, translated, means “the path or the way.” Sharia is a comprehensive legal and socio-political framework. Even though Sharia law may have a spiritual and religious tone, it seeks to regulate all manner of behavior in the secular sphere, including economic, social, military, legal, spiritual, and political.

Sharia law is considered the dividing fault-line between Islamic reformers (i.e. Moderates) and supremacists (Radicals). Reformers consider Sharia law to be a reference point for a Muslim’s personal conduct that should not be imposed on other pluralistic societies. Supremacists, on the other hand, seek to impose a totalitarian system under which all Muslims are required to obey and install Sharia law, and the world is mandated to adopt it. Failure to fulfill such domination is considered to be a failure against Islam as a universal religion and Allah’s mandates.

Under the radical’s view, the West is perceived as an obstacle to be overcome and over-rules, and not a civilization that can be embraced or adhered to.

Since 9/11, many in the US and the West have realized the risk raised by violent Islamic jihadist and radicals, who have launched an all-out war against all Western societies and their allies in the Middle East. However, despite such appreciation of this threat, many (including peaceful and moderate Muslims) have fallen short of recognizing the peril posed by Islamic jihadists and radicals who operate by deceit and stealth from within the gates of liberal and democratic societies. Such Islamic Supremacists believe that Islam is superior to every other culture as taught by the Qur’an, “You are the best of Peoples, evolved for mankind” (Q3:110), that non-Muslims are “the most vile of created beings” (Q98:6), and that mercy toward other civilians is only commanded toward Muslims as they are commanded in this verse to be “merciful to one another, but ruthless to the unbelievers” (Q48:29).

Where do Islamic jihadists and radicals draw support for their radical views? They rely first and foremost on the Qur’an, and normally recite its verses in support of their views and actions.

           

v “fight the idolaters utterly” (Q9:36)

v “fight those who believe not in God . . . even if they be People of the Book” (Q9:51)

v “take not the Jews and the Christians as friends and protectors . . . and he amongst you (Muslims) who turn to them for friendship is of them” (Q5:51).

The Qur’an also teaches the Doctrine of Abrogation, by which earlier commands by Allah, even commands to be peaceful toward others, were cancelled by latter verses (Q2:106). It also sanctions the killing of those who leave Islam (Q16:106), it calls all other laws un-Islamic and considers its followers—even if they were Muslims—to be unbelievers (Q5:47), and when it comes to equality between genders, the Qur’an very clearly relegates women to a status inferior to men (Q2:282; 4:3; 4:34).

The Qur’an Dilemma reveals these truths and more concerning the contents and teachings of the Qur’an, and unveils the foundations behind Islamic radicalization and Sharia law.

Purpose of the Book

The Qur’an Dilemma gives English-speaking readers, both Muslims and non-Muslims, many of the critical arguments concerning Islam and the Qur’an. It addresses whether the Qur’an is a book of terror or peace, an inspired divine book or a mere political text.

The book weaves through Islamic history and its many classical commentaries and resources to provide an objective, investigative body of research concerning the truth about Islam.

The book is a result of the team effort of many former Muslim researchers, scholars, writers, and specialists. The team approach was taken to eliminate any undue bias, misunderstandings, or propaganda against Islam and its teachings.

The critical methodology used in this book was inspired by the courageous tradition of those who have dared to analyze the Qur’an throughout history. Contemporary intellectual productions available in Arabic and foreign sources were also incorporated. The result is a book directed equally to both Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

For more information about this book and the rest of the volumes in this project and how to obtain your own copy, go to www.theQuran.com.

Beware of Wolves in Sheep's Clothing

As a reviewer I get many requests via e-mail to review books. I first received the request for Chandel L. White’s Romans to Jude, Precise Christian Scripture Revealed: A How-To Guide for Unveiling Authentic Gospel Truth (http://www.romanstojude.com/) last fall from his publicist. I ignored the first few times it came to me, but the wording in the description of the book both intrigued and repelled me.

Finally I accepted the request to review and received a .pdf of the book to read. In the somewhat organized chaos of our recent move, I didn’t have time to read the book until yesterday. Even then, when I shut the file on my desktop, I was still undecided as to writing a review. Normally, I don’t post reviews of books I can’t get into, are poorly written, or contain content I don’t agree with, desiring to promote good books by authors I can wholeheartedly support.

But this morning in my quiet time with the Lord, the title for a review (the one above) kept floating through my mind. Then I read several scripture passages from my devotional The Daily Light that addressed this subject. More scripture came to mind, along with several statements and phrases from the book. It was obvious the Lord wanted me to write this review.

As a student of the Bible and as one who loves in-depth inductive Bible study, I appreciate the emphasis the author put on this type of study. But his insistence that it is only in the books of Romans through Jude and those only in the King James Version we can find the “true” gospel is where I began to take exception with him.

First, if we’re studying the gospel, how can we leave out the Gospels and Acts which tell the story of Jesus Christ, “the author and finisher” of the gospel, our faith? And for that matter, how can we leave out the Old Testament when we read that God had His perfect plan for salvation, the gospel, already in place before He created the foundations of the world (John 17:24; Ephesians 1:4; Hebrews 4:3, 9:26; 1 Peter 1:20)?  And speaking of foundations, again how can we leave out a study of Jesus in studying the truths of the gospel when Christ Himself is the foundation of that gospel? (See 1 Corinthians 3:10–12.)

Second, why use only the King James Version? It was translated from the Greek and Hebrew texts the translators had access to four hundred years ago. The original Hebrew and Greek texts are the inspired words of God, not a human translation into any language. Yes, I believe the Bible was inspired, but I don’t believe that any one translation of those original words are inspired.

The author mentions several times that the “true” revelation is found only in the Old English of the King James Version. But the KJV isn’t written in Old English; it’s written in Early Modern English. A poetic and lyrical form of English, but still amazingly readable today.

For example, in a discussion of Shakespeare’s English, the author of an online article makes this point:

Look at the following passage in Old English and try and read it:

‘Fæder ure þuþe eart on heofonum si þin nama gehalgod tobecume þin rice gewurþe þin willa on eorðan swa swa on heofonum urne gedæ ghwamlican hlaf syle us to dæg and forgyf us ure gyltas swa swa we forgyfað urum gyltendum and ne gelæd þu us on costnunge ac alys us of yfele soþlice.’

Do you recognise it? If not, try this one:

‘Oure fadir þat art in heuenes halwid be þi name; þi reume or kyngdom come to be. Be þi wille don in herþe as it is dounin heuene. yeue to us today oure eche dayes bred. And foryeue to us oure dettis þat is oure synnys as we foryeuen to oure dettouris þat is to men þat han synned in us. And lede us not into temptacion but delyuere us from euyl.’

Easier, and perhaps you recognise it now, but only just? Look at the next one:

‘Our father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debters.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’

You have just seen a long evolution of the English language. The first is Old English and the most famous literary work written in that form is Beowulf . The Old English extract is, of course, taken from the Bible and is part of the Lord’s Prayer.

The second passage is from the Wyclif Bible of 1348, two hundred years before Shakespeare, and it is written in what is called Middle English. The most enduring and famous writer of that time is Chaucer.

The Third is from the King James Authorised Bible and it came out in the same year as The Tempest , in 1611. You have no difficulty with that extract, of course, because it is written in Modern English. You probably find that version of the Bible far easier to read than a Shakespeare text, although the language is the language all English people spoke in Shakespeare’s time. (http://www.nosweatshakespeare.com/resources/shakespeare-old-english/)

Frankly, the author’s insistence that we can only gain a deeper knowledge and hidden meaning of the “true” gospel from “this section of the Bible [which] reveals the mystery of the gospel in its fullness” smacks of Gnosticism, a false teaching of the early church that still rears its head today. Although it is usually called by different names. Gnosis is the Greek word for knowledge, and the main emphasis of the Gnostics was that they claimed to have a special knowledge above that of ordinary believers. They believed that their special knowledge and enlightenment superior to those who adhered to the written Word of God.

Paul addressed the Gnostics specifically in his teaching in 1 Corinthians 8, 13:2; 2 Timothy 2:14–16; and Colossians 2:2–4. In handling the Word of God, believers must be careful to avoid all empty speculations and interpretations from outside scripture. In the author’s bio is this paragraph:

White has been interested in humanity’s relationship with the ethereal and textual truth of God since early childhood. These curiosities have lead [sic] him on a 30-year journey filled with enlightened experiences with various spiritual organizations: Christian (denominational and non-denominational), Mormon, Jehovah’s Witnesses, The Nation of Islam, and Science of Mind. In addition, he has also followed the teachings of many of America’s most well known Christian leaders as well as philosophies and works by John Randolph Price, Louise L. Hay, Eckhart Tolle, Ernest Holmes, Wayne Dyer, Esther Hicks, Robert Lomas, Thomas Sowell Ph.D, W.E.B. DuBois, Albert Pike and Max Weber. White has also developed a great appreciation for the insight of the Bhagavad-Gita, the Tao Te Ching and the philosophy of Zen.

True Christianity is not a composite of all the religions in the world leading to the same God. It is a belief in and a daily relationship with a living Savior, Jesus Christ. Nothing else.

The simple gospel of Christ, defined in 1 Corinthians 15:1–4, is that Christ died for our sins and was buried and rose again the third day, “according to the scriptures.” The “mystery” is that Christ, in the form of the Holy Spirit, now indwells us (Colossians 1:26–28).

It is not the “the wisdom of [my] inner man” but the indwelling Holy Spirit who now teaches us through scripture as Christ promised in John 14:26: “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”  

So in light of this seemingly innocuous Bible study White proposes to Christians, we must take heed to the words of scripture and be discerning to the false teaching contained within.

For “we have . . . a more sure word of prophecy whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts” (2 Peter 1:19).

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105).

“Beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ how that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts” (Jude 17–18).

“The Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils” (1 John 2:18).

Jesus said, “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves” (Matthew 7:15).

Book Review for Tailor-Made Bride by Karen Witemeyer

My sister, Kathy Anderson, and her family came to visit in July, over the weekend of the Fourth. She wrote the review that follows, and yes, I've had it awhile. (Here's what I posted in June about the author and the book.)

My sister’s house is a treasure-trove of good Christian fiction, so whenever I visit I’m always on the look-out for something I can “steal” for my own reading pleasure. When I saw A Tailor-Made Bride on her pile of books to be read last weekend, I was thrilled since it was one of several new historical romances I had on my current reading wish list. I snatched it up knowing it would be perfect for whiling away down-time at our mountain cabin. Unfortunately, down-time is always hard to come by during family gatherings, so I’d only read about half of the book when the time came to head back home. Margie graciously allowed me to keep the book for my eight-hour car ride. For a price. When I was done, I had to submit a review of the book for her blog. What’s a girl to do? I took the book. A review seemed a mere pittance compared to what it would have cost me to leave my poor hero and heroine stranded in the midst of chaos and misunderstanding until I was able to locate another copy of the book. And so, I offer you my payment for a highly entertaining car ride across the eastern plains of Colorado and the cornfields of Nebraska.

I love Bethany House historicals.  Alexander, Gist, Klassen, and Sawyer are among my favorite writers of historical fiction. I dove into A Tailor-Made Bride by newcomer Karen Witemeyer with similar expectations and was not disappointed. The premise of the story, a dressmaker who loves beauty confronting a crusty liveryman who fears its lure, promised and delivered plenty of sparks. I liked Hannah, the feisty, independent heroine with the heart of gold, right away. The grumpy Jericho or “J.T.”, not so much, but he grew on me as the story progressed. What proves most attractive about both main characters is their willingness to allow the Holy Spirit to teach and change them throughout the novel.

Witemeyer does a great job of fleshing out her main characters, but also peoples her story with a unique cast of secondary characters. Tom Packard, J.T.’s simple, yet genuine assistant; Louisa James, Hannah’s hard-worked and independent neighbor; Delia, J.T.’s shy, pretty sister with her numerous love interests; and the unusual Ezra Culpepper—each comes with his or her own set of problems that add twists to the story.

The plot includes plenty of conflict and enough surprises to keep things interesting, plus bits of humor as well—just the way I like it. Overall, A Tailor-Made Bride was an entertaining read. I’ll be looking forward to more releases by this new author.