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Thank you for your reply, this makes a lot more sense now

Salam all,

I found the narrative of the Quranic cave sleepers in chapter 18. However, it was a bit confusing and I couldn't understand a few parts of it. Joseph's article on this issue deals more with the location and historicity of the incident than the actual story. Could someone please explain what the story of the people in the cave was?

Mia

Hi Nura,

I get what you're saying. It doesn't make much sense to suggest that God would need to conceive a child in the human sense, but I was simply trying to put it in terms that are applicable to humans. And since God is not comparable to humans, it follows that He cannot have a human child.

If you get what I mean...

And yes, there may be other ways to be considered a definite mother to a child. I'm not entirely sure. I was simply trying to explain things on a simplified scale.

[He has turned to you in mercy.]

Salam,

Let me respond to the second issue you raised. You asked if the given verse was an injunction to pray (presumably a lot) during the night. Of course praying during the night is good, but if you read the verse carefully, it's only addressed to the Prophet, and it's actually telling him to stop praying so much, because he's praying so much it's getting unreasonable! See this:

"Your Lord knows that you stand up praying for nearly two-thirds of the night, or one-half of it and sometimes one third of it, as do other among your followers. God determines the measure of night and day. He knows that you will not be able to do it, so He has turned to you in mercy. Recite, then, as much of the Quran as is easy for you."

This verse is advocating moderation. It tells the Prophet that prayer and devotion to God is good and all, but only when taken to reasonable terms.

Secondly, about jinn: I don't know whether they talk to fortune-tellers or not. I doubt they do. There are many fortune-tellers who actually give quite accurate information, but they might actually have the gift or foresight; I doubt they are informed about future events by jinn.

Yes, it's quite possible that jinn eavesdrop in the heavens, considering that they're primarily metaphysical beings, but this is an "ambiguous" or "allegorical" verse and it's not meant to be pursued.

Mia

I'm sorry, I don't have an answer to this question, but it's quite a good issue to raise. I'm confused as well. I think AnsweringChristianity might have an article about this. They usually have articles about alleged "contradictions".

Salam,

Nura: This is an interesting way to think about the verse--an injunction to mercy and not to aggression. I think your idea of the verse is better than the usual interpretation, which has connotations of cruelty and killing.

Wakas: Thank you for the alternate translation. It makes more sense than the Yusuf Ali one. This is my understanding, from what you posted, of what the verse is saying:

• When you meet the disbelievers in war, take captives.
• Make sure you have them fully in your power.
• Don't kill the captives. Either get a ransom for them or set them free. God likes it when people are merciful.
• Obviously, this verse is only to be used in situations where the other party is engaged in an active war with the believers.

Is this correct?

Thank you for your replies

Salam all,

This is Quran 47:4:

Yusuf Ali: Therefore, when ye meet the Unbelievers, smite at their necks; At length, when ye have thoroughly subdued them, bind a bond firmly (on them): thereafter (is the time for) either generosity or ransom: Until the war lays down its burdens. Thus (are ye commanded): but if it had been Allah's Will, He could certainly have exacted retribution from them (Himself); but (He lets you fight) in order to test you, some with others. But those who are slain in the Way of Allah,- He will never let their deeds be lost.

I hope this verse is referring only to those disbelievers who fight against Islam, right?

I fully agree with Brother Joseph's sentiments on this topic on the first thread he suggested.

Salam,

Nura, thank you so much for your explanation. There is one thing I want to add, after doing some research:

How did Mary have a child? She carried the baby for 9 months and then went into labor, the usual biological way, except without a father. A child is only your biological child when you give birth to them that way. Obviously, God does not have the anatomy to have a literal child that way. So He would need a consort with a physical body if He wanted to have a child the human way (of course He would never want that, but I'm just saying, hypothetically).

Sorry Ilker, I didn't realize you had a thread nearly identical to mine.

Salam sister Zara

Thank you for the alternate translation. It's a very good translation of the verse but I'm not sure if it's true to the original Arabic.

I was wondering why the original Arabic used in this verse is so vague. It seems kind of incoherent. Was this done on purpose, so that the verse could have multiple meanings?

Salam

Thank you for your clarification.

Yes, the Sahih International translation may be quite ridiculous, as translations often are. I think your understanding of the verse makes sense. I was a bit confused at first, but this has helped

Salam, sorry about all these threads, but I came upon this verse:

And they make the jinn associates with Allah, while He created them, and they falsely attribute to Him sons and daughters without knowledge; glory be to Him, and highly exalted is He above what they ascribe (to Him). Wonderful Originator of the heavens and the earth! How could He have a son when He has no consort, and He (Himself) created everything, and He is the Knower of all things. S. 6:100-101 Shakir

God gave Mary a child while she had no consort. Why does His lack of a consort necessitate that He can't have a child?

It is understood that in the Quran, a "real" begotten child is a biological child. An adopted son does not get his father's name. A "real" son or daughter is biologically related to their parents. However, Jesus had no father. Why does God need a consort for a child?

Please answer this one, it's quite important

Salam

First let's cite the verse you described.
4:119--And I will mislead them, and I will arouse in them [sinful] desires, and I will command them so they will slit the ears of cattle, and I will command them so they will change the creation of Allah." And whoever takes Satan as an ally instead of Allah has certainly sustained a clear loss.

In this verse, changing the creation of Allah is referred to in a negative light only when it changes the nature of beings. For example, Satan is arousing sinful and evil desires in people, and altering their God-loving nature. Changing God's creation in this way is harmful.

Going to the gym is just a function of staying healthy. This verse refers to those who alter the creation of Allah in a harmful way, trying to divert people from the path of God. Cattle branding (or ear-slitting) is also referred to in this verse because it's a cruel and harmful practice. That's all.

Hope this helps

And see:

http://quransmessage.com/forum/index.php?topic=851.0

Mariyah

*sigh*
...Either no one knows the answer to this, or else they just don't feel like replying.

Come ON, y'all.

[O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person, and from him He created its mate, and from them both He created many men and women and fear Allah through Whom you demand of it, and the wombs. Surely, Allah is Ever an All­ Watcher over you.]

Salam everyone,

I had a question about verse 4:1. Most of the translations for this verse have lots of brackets in which extra words are added. These words are not part of the original Quranic text. If I took all the brackets out of the translations and presented the un-edited Quranic text, it wouldn't seem to make much sense. I feel like parts of this verse are practically unintelligible without the brackets.

Par example:

O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Adam), and from him (Adam) He created his wife [Hawwa (Eve)], and from them both He created many men and women and fear Allah through Whom you demand your mutual (rights), and (do not cut the relations of) the wombs (kinship). Surely, Allah is Ever an All ­Watcher over you.

Versus:

O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person, and from him He created its mate, and from them both He created many men and women and fear Allah through Whom you demand of it, and  the wombs. Surely, Allah is Ever an All­ Watcher over you.

The second version of the verse is truer to the original Arabic, without any reference to gender in the first part of the verse, and it has no added words. However, the last part makes no sense--"Fear Allah through whom ye demand of it, and the wombs"? I can sort of figure out what this means, but it's not really clear.

Does anyone know why this sentence in particular is written so confusingly?