Adding to Quranic exegesis
Continued from page 2
The Muslims themselves over the last thousand years have set up
and taken other books (the books of jurisprudence) to rival the
Quran as their guidance in their everyday life. The learned author
rightly points to the warning given by the Quran over this possibility:
“And the Messenger will say: ‘My Lord, surely my people
treat this Quran as a forsaken thing’. And thus have We made
for every prophet an enemy from among the guilty, and sufficient
is thy Lord as a Guide and a Helper”. (25:30-31).
This strong criticism, nay condemnation, of the false Muslims will
not endear the author to the formalist leaders of the Muslim community,
but this is perhaps necessary to fully reawaken the Muslim community
to the truth of their great religion. It also opens the way for
the re-establishment of the link and unity between Islam and the
other bearers of the Heavenly Message, like Judaism and Christianity,
that is necessary for the coming unity, peace and justice among
mankind. This book continues and carries forward the basic rationalist
teachings of the great reformer Muhammad Abduh and his teacher Jamaluddin
al-Afghani.
It will interest readers greatly to know that Dr. Rashad Khalifa
has also ventured a thesis, based on Quranic evidence, in an attempt
to solve the great riddle of the end of the world and the Day of
Resurrection. This intriguing question has, of course, given rise
to many
|
erroneous predictions in the past.
The mystery of this date, the author
claims, lies hidden in a Quranic code representing the age of Islam.
The end of the age of Muhammad, who is the last in the series of
God’s prophets to mankind, is logically the end of the world
and the Day of Resurrection. The intriguing question is therefore
the length of the period of Muhammad. By a series of “deductions”
from Quranic statements, he arrives at 1709 lunar years as the period
from 1400 Hijrah, the year of Dr. Khalifa’s discovery. Amazingly
enough, this figure of 309 lunar years or 300 solar years is mentioned
in the Quran in a separate context.
However, by venturing into this area, the author has embarked on
a hazardous enterprise, which seriously detracts from his credibility.
The Quran is categorical about the inaccessibility of the knowledge
concerning the date of the day of judgment. Speculation about this
remains an idle exercise. But this diversion need not deter us from
examining positively the point the author so diligently tries to
make.
In spite of the importance of this book, I have not read a single
review of it. But, in a sense, it is to be expected. This book is
so wondrous in its revelations, so sharp in its understanding and
so blunt in its criticisms that even those who call themselves Muslims
are sceptical and afraid of it. But I am thoroughly convinced that
it is a book of major significance for the proper understanding
of the Quran and the teachings of Islam.
Kassim Ahmad
|
ADDITIONAL
EVIDENCE FOR AN HISTORICAL CRIME AGAINST QUR’AN
LAST TWO VERSES OF SURA 9 ARE FALSE INJECTIONS
Brother Feiruz Karmally of Vancouver, BC, is a well-known mathematics
and computer wizard. He recently added up all the numbered and un–numbered
verses of Qur’an, according to the authorized Uthmani version.
The Grand Total came to 6,348. This total includes the last two
verses of Sura 9. When these two verses are removed, the Total becomes
6,346, A MULTIPLE OF 19. This conforms to
the miraculous mathematical system of Qur’an, where 19
is the common denominator.
Brother Ismail Barakat, also of Vancouver, further noticed that
the digits that make up 6,346 add up to exactly 19.
COULD
THERE BE ANY QUESTION NOW THAT THE LAST TWO VERSES OF SURA 9 ARE
FALSE INJECTIONS?
|