From: rroy@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Raja R Roy)
Subject: Re: Islam Preaching Equality
Keywords: spend some time  with your bretheren starving in Bengal.....
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 19:50:44 GMT


In article <1992Dec18.192410.7318@news.nd.edu> milind@agni.cc.nd.edu (Milind Sa
raph) writes:
>rroy@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Raja R Roy) writes:
>
>>   I don't know about others, but this fellow does not give any informa-
>>tion to anyone. All he knows is to act like a parrot and say after every
>>line that Islam is perfect, Quran is word of God, hence perfect, hence
>>proved. Wish he could argue better than monkeys, and more, wish he could
>>think . I mean he is so stupid to say that lightly beating women is OK.
>
>(Raja means Shakil by "this fellow")
>
>Shakil believes that the Quran is word of God, thus by definition perfect,
>consistent, timeless and comprehensive (Shakil, correct me if I am 
>misstating your position).  It is a matter of belief and thus not open
>to argument or in need of any proof.  Within this framework of belief,
>he attempts to provide rationale for various Islamic rules and 
>regulations.  If you have any disagreements, you have to argue within
>this context.
>
>He and others have cited some evidence for validity of their beliefs,
>which to them is convincing.  Here is what I remember:
>
>1. The Prophet was illierate.  How could he have produced something
>   of great beauty like the Quran? 


	I don't want to argue, but still I will point out this. Islam
 has many similarities between Judaism and christianity. There is proof
 that Prophet knew about Judaism. So how much of Quran is inspired from
 that can be debated. If the argument is that Prophet was illiterate, so
 he could not have thought it himself can be challenged in the light of
 the fact that he had prior knowledge of other religions.Also the beauty
 of Quran itself is subjective. To non-muslims it may not be that
 beautiful, may be?  >
>2. There are no contradictions in the Quran and is consistent with 
>   all the known scientific facts and theories.  Furthermore, the
>   Quran, with proper interpretation could be shown to have 
>   anticipated some modern scientific facts and theories.

	Discussion on this topic is futile. If this was true, muslims
 would be master of the world, and not the americans or japanese. >
>3. A challenge by the Prophet to produce a single verse matching the
>   literary beauty and grandeur of the Quran remains unanswered for
>   the past 1400 years.

    This is again subjective. I think there is nothing more beautiful
   than Gita. >
>4. When other religions and nations were busy discriminating on the
>   basis of race, gender and class (or caste), Islam asserted the
>   equality of all the human beings and gave significant rights
>   to women.  Rest of the world is catching up only now with what 
>   Islam said 1400 years ago.

	It does not treat muslims and non-muslims as equal, period. >
>5. The rapid spread of Islam after the Prophet (when Islam was 
>   practiced in its pure form), the meteoric rise of the Islamic
>   civilization and its primacy for hundreds of years are indicative
>   of its divine nature.

	Can anyone tell me how Islam was practiced in purest form. I never
 understood why Prophet had more than four wives ?

>Each of this can be debated and argued, but the whole exercise (IMO)
>is futile.
>
>-- Milind Saraph
>
>