Anonymous - A Simple Koran (The Islamic Trilogy Book 3)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

OVERVIEW

The Koran must the worlds most famous book that very few have read and even fewer have understood. But we know that this was not true during Mohammeds day. We know from both the Hadith (the traditions of Mohammed) and the Sira (Mohammeds biography) that the Arabs of Mohammeds day not only understood the Koran, but held debates about its meaning.

Why could an illiterate Arab of Mohammeds day understand the Koran and we cannot? Simple. The Koran of Mohammeds day had a context, the life of Mohammed.

The Koran you buy at the bookstore has no context to the verses. There is no time in the Koran, since the chapters are laid out in order of their length, not in time sequence. Imagine that you took a novel and cut off the spine and rebound the book starting with the longest chapter and ending with the shortest chapter. The novel would have been randomized and the plot would be destroyed. That is what has been done with the Koran at the bookstore.

For instance, when you read that it was good for Mohammed to destroy the palm trees, you have no idea what palm trees are being discussed. When you turn the page, you do not advance in time; there is no story. And there is the endless repetition.

A Simple Koran solves all of these problems by taking the Koran found in the bookstore and reconstructing the historical Koran. Then anyone can pick it up and understand it, just like the Arabs of Mohammeds day.

A Muslim will claim that this book is not a real Koran, but after reading it, you will be able to pick up a real Koran at the bookstore and understand it. Think of the Simple Koran as the map or key to the Koran.

KAFIR

The first step in learning about Islam is to know the right words. The language of Islam is dualistic. There is a division of humanity into believer and kafir (unbeliever) . Humanity is divided into those who believe Mohammed is the prophet of Allah and those who do not.

Kafir is the actual word the Koran uses for non-Muslims. It is usually translated as unbeliever, but that translation is wrong. The word unbeliever is neutral. As you will see, the attitude of the Koran towards unbelievers is very negative. The Koran defines the Kafir in the following ways:

The Kafir is hated

40:35 They [Kafirs] who dispute the signs [Koran verses] of Allah without authority having reached them are greatly hated by Allah and the believers. So Allah seals up every arrogant, disdainful heart.

A Kafir can be enslaved [Bukhari is a sacred text, see page xii.]

Bukhari 5,58,148 When some of the remaining Jews of Medina agreed to obey a verdict from Saed, Mohammed sent for him. He approached the Mosque riding a donkey and Mohammed said, Stand up for your leader. Mohammed then said, Saed, give these people your verdict. Saed replied, Their soldiers should be beheaded and their women and children should become slaves. Mohammed, pleased with the verdict, said, You have made a ruling that Allah or a king would approve of.

A Kafir can be raped

Ishaq759 On the occasion of Khaybar, Mohammed put forth new orders about forcing sex with captive Kafir women. If the woman was pregnant she was not to be used for sex until after the birth of the child. Nor were any women to be used for sex who were unclean with regard to Muslim laws about menstruation.

A Kafir can be mocked

83:34 On that day the faithful will mock the Kafirs, while they sit on bridal couches and watch them. Should not the Kafirs be paid back for what they did?

A Kafir can be beheaded

47:4 When you encounter the Kafirs on the battlefield, cut off their heads until you have thoroughly defeated them and then take the prisoners and tie them up firmly.

A Kafir can be confused

6:25 Some among them listen to you [Mohammed], but We have cast veils over their [Kafirs] hearts and a heaviness to their ears so that they cannot understand our signs [the Koran].

A Kafir can be plotted against

86:15 They plot and scheme against you [Mohammed], and I plot and scheme against them. Therefore, deal calmly with the Kafirs and leave them alone for a while.

A Kafir can be terrorized

8:12 Then your Lord spoke to His angels and said, I will be with you. Give strength to the believers. I will send terror into the Kafirs hearts, cut off their heads and even the tips of their fingers!

A Kafir can be deceived

Bukhari 5,59,369 Mohammed asked, Who will kill Kab, the enemy of Allah and Mohammed?

Bin Maslama rose and responded, O Mohammed! Would it please you if I killed him?

Mohammed answered, Yes.

Bin Maslama then said, Give me permission to deceive him with lies so that my plot will succeed.

Mohammed replied, You may speak falsely to him.

A Kafir can be annihilated

6:45 So the Kafirs were annihilated. All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds!

A Kafir can be robbed

Bukhari 5,59,537 On the day of Khaybar, Allahs Apostle divided the spoils of war of Khaybar with the ratio of two shares for the horse and one share for the foot soldier.

A Kafir can be killed

4:91 If they do not keep away from you or offer you peace or withdraw their hostilities, then seize them and kill them wherever they are. We give you complete authority over them.

A Kafir can be crucified

5:33 The only reward for those who war against Allah and His messengers and strive to commit mischief on the earth is that they will be slain or crucified, have their alternate hands and feet cut off, or be banished from the land. This will be their disgrace in this world, and a great torment shall be theirs in the next except those who repent before you overpower them. Know that Allah is forgiving and merciful.

A Kafir can be made war on and humiliated

9:29 Make war on those who have received the Scriptures [Jews and Christians] but do not believe in Allah or in the Last Day. They do not forbid what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden. The Christians and Jews do not follow the religion of truth until they submit and pay the poll tax [jizya], and they are humiliated.

A Muslim is not the friend of a Kafir

3:28 Believers should not take Kafirs as friends in preference to other believers. Those who do this will have none of Allahs protection and will only have themselves as guards. Allah warns you to fear Him for all will return to Him.

A Kafir is ignorant

6:111 Even if We had sent down the angels to them [Kafirs], the dead had spoken to them, and We had gathered all things before their eyes, they would not believe unless Allah had willed it, but most of them are ignorant.