DR. ARIF ZAMAN (AZ) vs DR. QAMAR ZAMAN (QZ)

CRITIQUE ON QAMAR ZAMANʼS ARTICLE ON SAUM:

Dear all,

A few days ago my friend forwarded me Dr. Qamar Zamanʼs article on Saum. The fact that he forwarded me this article showed his support of it and when i read it, most of his arguments stemmed from this article. However, I had noticed that only only him, but some others spoke about Qamar Zaman and his different views on Saum. Following 17:36 (verify what you hear and see) i opened his article and read it.

Its a long 75 page article in which he tries his best to prove that Saum means something different than what is traditionally understood.

For me, providing proof is very important (2:111). Giving justification of your comments by providing substantial evidence is invaluable which i will show you that QZ has failed in may ways. Not only this, QZ has ACTUALLY CHANGED THE ARABIC IN ONE INSTANCE (example to follow) in his desperation to prove his point. I wonder how many quranology readers caught that huh ???? It reminded me of 3:78 and 2:79.

Another thing important to me is that whatever meaning of a word someone introduces, it should be applicable in all occurrences in the quran and it SHOULD MAKE grammatical sense and contextual sense as well. I have noticed, even on Quranology, people make magical metaphorical meanings of bits and pieces of ayats w/o verifying the meanings of the same words in other ayats and this is exactly what QZ has done too. (examples to follow).

Another thing important is to check the arabic to confirm the translation given. I have noticed many people dont do this. They take it for granted that the translation is 100% correct. Allah says in 39:28 that you will only guard yourself in the arabic reading.

Like every other writer, he wasnot 100% perfect either. Its ok, no one is.There were some points which i agreed with him for e.g the fact that people are programmed and brainwashed and everyone should verify their beliefs (page 3 to 6).

He criticized traditional translations........ which i do too, no problem. But the amount of errors in his article are tremendous and grave (examples to follow). However, i wished he would tell us which TRADITIONAL TRANSLATIONS (TT) he is talking about???.... I would have expected QZ to at least name the translator he is criticizing. I have not even read some of the TRADITIONAL TRANSLATIONS he showed, so i dont know where he is coming from. It seemed like he made up his own TTs and criticized his own TTs to make a point.

He does have preconceived notions, uses flowery language and stretches on an argument unnecessarily.

We all know, to support one big lie, one has to utter many small lies.

Likewise, QZʼs article has many errors, some small and insignificant, some big and significant. I will list all. For me, an error is an error regardless. It all adds up.

An incorrect translation will lead to an incorrect concept... simple logic!He has based his arguments on many incorrect translations which have of course lead him to believe what he is believing in.

By no means am i saying that i am 100% correct, the following are my thoughts. Everyone should follow 17:36 and verify.

Lets starts:------------------------- On the cover page he provides the translation of 2:183 as:

“O ye who believe! Siam are prescribed to you, as they were prescribed to those before you, so that you become Muttaqi”

Now, first of all if he is so much into transliteration, the arabic doesnt say MUTTAQI.It says ʻTATTAQOONʼ..

Ironically, BOLDED on page 29 too.More on this to follow.

--------------------------

page 3:

“torturing himself”

I have read this sooo many times in our recent discussions on different threads on quranology.

Please people, nobody gets tortured for God sakes!This whole hype about hunger and pain and suffering!Dry eyes! , stomach aches..., Food wasting!...

Please, stop being sissies!

First of all if Saum/abstinence from food and drink makes you that ill, its ok, dont do it. God has given you an option (more discussion on this to follow).

Secondly, food wasting is a day to day problem, lets not blame Ramadan for it.

Its a human error, not a Ramadan error. And lets not be judgmental, there are many people who cook food according to their demands and finance and DONOT waste food.

There are many days in a year where people will go without food and drink for hours while playing games, studying for exams, attending meetings, traveling etc etc.

How come these complaints are not raised then?????? surprising isnt it.And then, what about when Ramadan falls in winters when Saum is from 7am till 4pm, just like an other day at the office????

ʻstarving-starving-starvingʼ

Oh Pahhleez!, no one starves to death while SAUMing in Ramadan. This Over exaggeration is not even funny.

I marvel at the height people are trying to make silly excuses just to avoid Saum/abstain from food and drink in Ramadan.

---------------------- page 7:

“But in religion Islam Soum is assumed to mean stop eating, drinking, and intimate relations with wife.”

Although SAUM for me simply means Abstinence or Restraint from something. I think QZ is simply catering the typical traditional meaning prevailing in society, which is fine.

---------------------- page 8:He starts of by providing a TT of 2:183 and 2:184.

“O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you, as it was prescribed to those before you, so that you become Muttaqi .These are just a number of days. If any of you is sick or on a journey, he can make up the number on other days. For those who have the power to fast (but choose not to do so) there is a ransom, the feeding of a needy. But whoever does well of his own will, it is better for him. And fasting is better for you if you knew. (Traditional Translation)

Again he changes TATTAQOON into Muttaqi which is not written in arabic. It seems like he wants to jump one step ahead. I know that TATTAQOON will eventually make you a Muttaqi just like EEMAAN will make you a MOMIN but at least lets stick to the correct arabic for God sakes!

TATTAQOON in it self doesnt mean MUTTAQI YET. It means to ʻguardʼ.Once you start guarding yourself, you will eventually become into a muttaqi.

By just wearing a karate robe, you wont become a black belt on day one.

Allah says:“an arabic reading (quran) w/o any crookedness that they may GUARD/YATTAQOON” (39:28)

Very self explanatory ayat. The arabic language will GUARD us from deviating from the truth. Many people will read translations in other language and not verify it in the arabic and simply get deviated from the truth. This is exactly what has happened to QZ and his supporters on quranology as well.

Now here in 39:28, if you want to put MUTTAQI/RIGHTEOUS will it make sense???

The arabic language will make someone righteous?????? seriously?If that was the case, all arabs in the world today would have been very pious people.But we all know thats not the case.

“These are just a number of days.”

This is also an incorrect translation of AYYAMUM MAʼDODAAT.It doesnt mean ʻnumber of daysʼ

MAʼADODAAT has root letters ayn-daal-daal.

It means counting.

It says:“Days COUNTED, so whoever amongst you is sick or on a journey, then COUNT from other days........”

Other examples:“...count (taoʼddu) the favours of Allah, u will not be able to.....” (14:34)(16:18)

Some have also translated this into ʻa few daysʼ. The arabic word for ʻfewʼ is QALEELA.

“.....then u turned away except for a few (qaleela) of you....” (2:83)“.....but a few (qaleela) of them will believe” (4:46)“.....and remember you were a few (qaleela)....” (7:86)

Ironically even he admits that the word ʻiddahʼ means to count on page 15He says:

“Generally, Arabic word “Eiddah” means to count. But it also means to be prepared”

On page 30, he adds another word:

“The root of word is made of Arabic letters Ayn, Daal, Daal, which means amount or quantity as well as to prepare.”

He definitely needs to make up his mind

And besides pls note that he provides another meaning of ʻiddahʼ = BE PREPARED

WITHOUT GIVING ANY QURANIC CROSS REFERENCES.

Further:ʻFor those who have the power to fast (but choose not to do so) there is a ransom, the feeding of a needyʼ

(this is discussed later)------------------------------------- page 8:He writes:“Is not it strange that the same act used as a punishment five times is now being prescribed as a gift or blessing? How is it possible that the same physical trial used as a punishment on several occasions suddenly turns into a blessing that helps people become Muttaqi”

Thats a good question. The answer is very simple.If i get a speeding ticket, i will have to pay a fine, that will certainly not make be do it again. I will be very very careful..... and subsequently become a cautious and better driver.

If a student in school gets a punishment to write a 1000 times that “he wont make noise in the class”... he will definitely learn from the lesson and will never make noise in the class again...... and subsequently become a good guy. Simple.

(more to follow on the 5 SAUMing punishments).

Another good example is Kung Fu Panda 1.If u havent seen it, u might want to.

-------------------------------- Page 9:“in no period in history Muslims ever became Muttaqi through Fasting during Ramadhan.”

Now, on what grounds is QZ making such a strong statement???????Where are the stats???? facts and figures???This is what i call an unconfirmed, biased statement made on preconcieved notions.

“In reality, Muslims display utter lack of discipline during Ramadhan. You can see complete chaos and disorder on the streets, which results in complete breakdown of traffic system.”

Again, no justification provided for this utter nonsense.I think i know where he is coming from. In pakistan, an unruly traffic is witnessed on a daily basis! Thats a government problem, not a Ramadan problem.So QZ is generalizing that with Ramadan. Again, lets not blame Ramadan for a humanʼs immature behavior.

I have lived in Dubai for 11 years, everything remains in perfect harmony. QZ is again only focussing on the negative aspect. He is trying hard. What about the extra charity which is also given in Ramadan by people?????? which mind you doesnt come out a lot in other months???? (not that it shouldnt)

“Workers are either lazy and ignore their duties or absent during office hours”

Again, unnecessary generalization. This happens in all societies in the world 365 days a year. I think i am more productive at work, b/c when i eat lunch, thats what makes me sleepy!

----------------------------------

page 9-10:He provides his own translation of 2:177 to show the qualities of a Muttaqi:

“It is not a virtue that you turn your faces towards east or west. Virtuous is the one who is in peace & harmony with Godʼs commandments, the Last Day, the Angels, the Scripture, and the Prophets; and who spends his wealth on relative, orphans, helpless, wayfarer, needy, and broke; and strives to establish political, social, and economic system according to Godʼs Commandments to bring about prosperity to the whole society; and he keeps his promises; And he is stead fast in all circumstance whether he encounters daily hardships or full scale war; such are the truthful people and deserve to be called Muttaqi.”

Just to make it easy for some people, the brown portion of his translation is “wa-aqeemos-salata-wa-atus-zakata”. Because this is not a discussion on salat and zakat i wont go there.

Then, ʻBASIʼ is not ʻwarʼ. The arabic word for war is ʻharbʼ which is not even mentioned in the arabic.

See 47:4, 8:57 for HARB as war.

Anyhow, 2:177 is a very good ayat which describes the qualities and duties of a typical MUTTAQI. What makes QZ think that these qualities cannot be acquired during the Saum of Ramadan????

He says:“Did fasting, which is nothing but mere hunger and thirst, ever produce such noble qualities in a Muslim or any human being? The answer is no, never.”

Ummm, i dont know which people QZ hangs around with, but i have seen notable changes in many people i know. Ramadan comes yearly as a training period for reinforcement.

Let me give an example.There is a soldier in the army, who goes through vigorous training, sometimes he gets posted in a desert, sometimes on snowy peaks, sometimes on the sea for months. Why?.. this simply makes them rough and tough for their ultimate job. If they stop doing their exercises after a while, they will lose their strength and thus they have to revisit the gym and maintain their power. Now, some guys might use their power to protect the people and some......... to exploit the weak!

(Pls watch Kung Fu Panda 1)

Similarly, abstinence from food, drink and legal sex (3 things which people love to do, lets face it) makes a person strong in abstaining from other temptations from the satan.

Mind you the Saum of Ramadan doesnt end at 2:184. Its description and context continues till 2:187.

------------------page 11:Over here, QZ is simply chewing the TT.Again...... an incorrect translation will lead to an incorrect concept.If he only verified this TT in the arabic, he would have got all the answers.

he says:“If someone has the power or ability to fast but chooses not to do so, the whole business of Fasting falls flat on its head.”

He is right here, but unfortunately he is not checking the arabic. He is getting irritated at an incorrect translation.

The word YOUTIQOONAHO doesnt mean ʻthose who can afford itʼ OR ʻthose who have the power to fast ʼ and this is where all the confusion is coming from. 

YOUTIQOONAHO means ENCIRCLED or SURROUNDED. And what does this mean? Encircled means that you are enclosed in a situation for e.g people who have cancer, they are sick for years and years, thus they are enclosed in their sickness. Diabetes is forever, there is no cure for it, people are enclosed in their sickness. People in outer space are enclosed in a situation where there is no sunrise or sunset. People on the

poles are enclosed in a situation where there is daylight for 6 months and night time for 6 months.

The root letter for this word are ʻtouay-wow-qaafʼ.

See 3:180

“....they will be encircled/surrounded......”

Thus if someone is traveling or simply has a sore throat....they are NOT encircled/enclosed in a situation forever!. These people can make up for fasts in other days. SIMPLE.

---------------------------- page 12:

“Here Arabic word Tatawwa'a means obedience. Hence, correct translation would be “Whoever obeys the good, it is good for him.” There is no mention of doing good gladly in the original Arabic text.”

I disagree. The word ʻkhaieerʼ doesnt mean ʻgoodʼ.Khaieer is used for comparison.

Whenever a comparison is made, words like shorter, taller, better, fatter, thinner etc are written.

Khaieer means ʻbetterʼ

Iblees says that he is BETTER/KHAIEER than Adam (7:11)

Allah informs us with things better/khairun (in 3:15) than what mankind likes (in 3:14)

If KHAIR in 3:15 meant ʻgoodʼ.... do u think that the things mentioned in 3:14 are not good????.... women, sons, gold, silver, cattle, property ?? whats wrong with these? Nothing!

So the correct translation of the last part of 2:184 would be:“....so whoever willingly/obediently does better, so it is better for him.....”

------------------------ page 13:“Quran was revealed during the month of Ramadhan. But we are also told that the Quran was revealed over a period of 23 years.”

Aaaahhhhh, so this is where u guyz are coming from! Gotcha!

Firstly, this whole 23 years thing is coming from hadees so it is totally irrelevant here to us in our discussion.

Secondly, we need to think what the word ʻnazilʼ means which is usually translated as ʻrevealʼ which is ok. Reveal also means to EXPOSE something.

Allah reveals/exposes Iron (57:25)Allah reveals/exposes rain from the skies (14:32)

Allah says:“O those who believe! Ask not questions about things which, if made plain to you, may cause you trouble. But if ye ask about things when the Qur'an is being revealed/exposed, they will be made plain to you, Allah will forgive those: for Allah is Oft- forgiving, Most Forbearing.”(5:101)

The above ayat addresses believers of all times. Not only 700 AD.Thus the quran is being revealed/exposed today as well!!!

Thus when you share an ayat with someone, you are EXPOSING/REVEALING the ayat to him.

Ramadan is the month in which the whole quran is exposed in Masjids from A to Z.In the other 11 months, people will recite only their favorite ayats. This is what the ayat means. Its hinting towards the Taraweeh.

This is discussed more with ʻshaharʼ below.

---------------------- page 14:“This traditional translation is extremely vague. “Whoever is present” implies those who are alive. In other words fasting is mandatory only for those who are alive. This is a strange command. Do not we know that the dead cannot fast?”

Again....... he takes these TTs as standards, chews them and shows his astonishment to a stupid TT.

Of course, even i would do that, but what further astonishes me is that why does QZ not look at the arabic. The arabic says ʻfaman shahida minkum” which means SO WHOEVER WITNESSED FROM YOU ALL.

As simple as that. The arabic doesnt say ʻwhoever is presentʼ.

---------------------- page 14:

“Henceforth, whoever witnesses this Shahar (state or situation)”

Wait a minute.................wait a minute...Did he just translate SHAHAR into “state”.Lets discuss this further down with page 33.-----------------

Near the end of page 15 he says:“Please note that here God explains the wisdom behind Soum, which is supposed to do the following.a)Bring ease or comfort, not hardship; b)Complete the count; c)Facilitate establishing Godʼs glory and appreciation of His bounties.”

Then he further attempts to explains these points on page 16. Very conveniently he talks about only A and C and doesnt throw any light on B...... simply b/c his utter nonsense wont support his views.

He starts his same whining about how SAUMing from food and drink will make people so incapacitated.

He takes “yes ease, no hardship” part of 2:185 totally out of context.He says on page 16:

“The Fasting can do none of these. It does not remove hardships (turmoil, unrest, anarchy, chaos, terror etc.) or bring ease and comfort to the society”

Guyz, this is what happens when you take things out of context.The ʻease and no-hardshipʼ of 2:185 is for those who are sick and ill, who wont be able to saum/abstain from food and drink during this time. Very simple.

---------------------------- Page 19 to 20He quotes a TT of 2:187 and then he gives the views generally understood in the society.

On page 20 he says:“Look and ponder. At the end of this verse once again it is repeated, “So that they become Muttaqi”. Does this type of fasting and intercourse with wives ever build Taqwa in men? What is the relationship between Taqwa and intercourse at night?”

Oh My God!Again....... things taken out of context.I think he should be the one taking a close look at the ayat in the end.

IT DOESNT SAY MUTTAQI FOR GOD SAKES!

It says YATTAQOON

Why is this guy jumping to the result????

One has to go through a 5 year course of Medical knowledge to eventually be called a doctor.

One has to practice guarding for some time, only then will he become a MUTTAQI.-------------------------- On page 21:He says:

“Hence, He said “intercourse” indirectly by using the word “Rafas” metaphorically. What a splendid explanation?

Instead of common noun Nisa the proper noun Annisa has been used. Who are these special women?”

REALLY ??????????????

I WANT EVERYONE TO OPEN THEIR QURANS AND LETS SEE WHETHER AN-NISA IS REALLY WRITTEN OR NOT?

It is NOT!!!

The arabic just simply says ʻnisaʼ. It doesnt say An-Nisa.

Secondly pls also note that he borrowed the ʻALʼ from ʻAL-RAFASAʼ and put it in front of ʻnisaʼ.OH MY GOD!!!!!

Seriously??????....... do i need say more?

More on ʻALʼ to follow.------------------------ page 21:he says:“If God meant wife or wives, He would have used the correct word Zoj or Azwaaj (wife or wives). Annisa not only means wives but mothers and sisters as well.”

Well, guess what buddy, ZOJ doesnt mean wife either!

Frankly speaking, i have not found any word for ʻwifeʼ so far in the quran. Pls correct me if I am wrong.

The word Zoj means PAIR or COMPANION. (See 78:8, 55:52) The context will tell us which relationship Allah is talking about.

ZOJ can be used for wife (33:37) and husband (2:230).

zaujin means = female pair.zaujun means = male pair.

2:25 tells that ZOJ by Itself cannot mean husband or wife b/c all believers in Heaven will have them. Will female believers have wives?? will male believers have husbands???No!

But when used in context it tells us who is our female or male pair.

Same for amraati:In 3:40, i would expect Zakariya requesting God for a son from his amraʼati would mean ʻwifeʼ and not ʻgirl friendʼ or a ʻkeepʼ.

Thus amraʼati means = female person.

Coming back to the word ʻNISAʼ.4:23 pretty much tells us which females we cannot marry. Thus the al-rafasa would only be justified for a ʻwifeʼ and depending on the context we choose the word ʻwifeʼ and not ʻmotherʼ.----------------- page 23:“Eating and drinking does not always mean eating food and drinking water. It also means seeking knowledge and applying it.”

HE PROVIDES NO QURANIC REFERENCES TO SUPPORT THIS THEORY.

----------------- page 23 and 24 he tries to say that KULU is a metaphorical eating used in 2:187.“Here we need to discuss a bit more about the Arabic word “Kulu”

Wait a minute........... why not drink????why is he ignoring the word ʻdrink/washrabooʼ from 2:187.

on page 24:

“it would be worthwhile to study additional verses of Surah Al- Baqarah . Then, it will be clear to us that “Kulu” means to acquire knowledge of Godʼs decrees and “Sharab” means to apply this knowledge to our daily lives.”WOW!!!!. Kulu means to acquire knowledge and sharab means to apply this knowledge! wow! pls note that

HE DOESNT PROVIDE ANY QURANIC REFERENCES TO SUPPORT THIS THEORY.

Allah says:Of the cattle are some for burden and some for meat, eat/KULU what Allah hath provided for you, and follow not the footsteps of Satan: for he is to you an avowed enemy.(6:142)

Very clearly, you EAT the meat, you dont acquire knowledge from meat!!!

Pls also note, how he totally ignored the word DRINK, and very conveniently leaves it upon the reader to do his own research.

Bravo!

More on this on page 27 below.------------------ page 25 and 26 he says:“We are well aware of the above fact. But what does it mean by Tilka Hudood Allah (these are limits set by God) and Fa La Taqrabuha (do not approach them)? We got a problem here if these “limits set by God” are related to fasting. There is only one command of fasting. Hence, it will be considered only one limit. Why is God talking about multiple limits?”

No, there is not one limit set by God. There is more than one and that is why the plural ʻHUDOODʼ. THE LIMITS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1) permitted to you in the nights of the SAUM is al-rafasa towards your wives (i already addressed this above). THUS NOT ALLOWED IN DAYLIGHT.

2) Eat and drink till the white thread distinguishes from the black thread. THUS NOT AFTER THAT.

3) towards the night. THUS TOWARDS THE SUNSET TWILIGHT, NOT BEFORE THAT.

4) when in Masjids donot mobaashiroohunna with wives.

These above 4 limits are plural, not singular!!!

---------------- From pages 25-27 he emphasizes on the presence of ʻALʼ in front of the white thread, black thread, Fajr.

He says that the ʻALʼ makes it a special proper noun.

I know that Allahʼs qualities start with the word ʻALʼ which is translated as ʻTHEʼ. But this doesnt mean you cannot use the word ʻTHEʼ in a general sense.

For e.g if you see in the beginning of 2:187, RAFASA begins with ʻALʼ.

Are you trying to tell me that there is some SPECIAL INDECENT TALK and some not-so-special-indecent-talk??????

The NISA, by the way doesnt start with the word ʻALʼ. I think QZ is hallucinating!

If i say “the book is kept on the table” , does this make this table a proper noun just because it is preceded by the word ʻtheʼ ?????naaaaaah!

If you note in 41:44, the word quran doesnt have ʻALʼ in front of it either!

“and if was made A QURAN in non-arabic......”

Let me give you another example:“It is Allah who created The Heavens and The Earth and reveals/exposes rain from THE SKY (AL-SAMA)........”(14:32)

See...... AL-SAMA, The Sky. Is there something so special about this sky that Allah has to use ʻALʼ in front of it to make it a proper noun?????

No!... thus here the word ʻALʼs presence in front of SAMA doesnt make it special.

If there was no ʻALʼ here, it would have been ʻA SKYʼ as if to say there are many other blue skies????? huh?

---------------- on page 27:He quotes 2:188. There are many people who quote this ayat to show that KULU is metaphorical.

I think Allahʼs positioning of 2:188 is perfect!It clearly distinguishes real physical eating/KULU in 2:187 (which is associated with DRINK) from a metaphorical eating/KULU (which is NOT associated with DRINK).

Whenever Allah uses KULU as metaphorical eating, DRINKING is not mentioned.

----------------- page 28:“Actually, we often find fasting folks to be hot tempered, quarrelsome, irritated, and disorganized.”

Again, i dont know which people he hangs around with.

----------------- page 30:he says:“This sickness may not be physical and the journey may not be on the land. Illness might be lack of knowledge and journey might be for gaining the knowledge or ideology.”

Wow!....lets give him the credit where its due, at least he is using the word ʻMAYʼ and ʻMIGHTʼ this time and not jumping to conclusions.

AGAIN, NO QURANIC REFERENCES PROVIDED TO MEAN OTHERWISE.

I know that Allah uses metaphors in the Quran as well.

However, the illness here is only physical illness, not mental, b/c it is expected that a physically ill person will be able to COUNT the number of days he missed and complete them later on.

The journey here is not a spiritual/mental journey. There is no adversity on a person in his mental journey. He can stay at his home, do research in an air conditioned home and yet SAUM/ABSTAIN. No problem!

------------------- page 31:He again provides the same incorrect translation of 2:184 and then wonders why people have to pay a ransom.

I have already explained above that YOOTIQOONAHO doesnt mean ʻthose who have the powerʼ. It means those who are encircled.

He further says:“Taam does not just mean feeding the hungry. This Arabic term includes all the necessities such as food, clothes, housing, education, health, honor, security, and justice.”

Wait wait wait.....AGAIN NO QURANIC REFERENCES TO PROVE HIS POINT

In 2:61 people of Moses are demanding for vegetables b/c they couldnt just stick to one kind of TAAM/FOOD. If we take TAAM as clothing as well, do we wear cucumbers, onions and lentils????

5:96 makes it lawful to use seafood as FOOD/TAAM. Do we wear salmon and tilapia??? shrimps??? Allah says:“And they say: "What sort of an messenger is this, who eats/kulu food/taam, and walks through the streets? Why has not an angel been sent down to him to give admonition with him?”(25:7)

Were they expecting somebody naked??????? LOLz.Very clearly, QZʼs meanings of TAAM does not fit here.------------------------ page 32:he says:“Quran uses Khair with two distinct meanings; Godʼs revelations or decrees (2:105) and wealth or belongings.”

no references given for ʻwealth or belongingsʼ and because i am not a hafiz, i am not sure whether this is genuine or is he making this up.--------------- Page 32 and 33:This is what he says for shahar:

“It means well known or famous”

Therefore Michael Jackson was ʻSHAHARʼ, according to this definition.

Then suddenly he says:“Anything that becomes famous is called Shahar”Now Michael is not SHAHAR anymore b/c he is not a ʻthingʼ.

He further adds:“In brief Shahar means any event or saying that becomes well known or situation that involves bloodshed”Michael is not an ʻeventʼ nor a ʻsayingʼ, nor did his songs involve bloodshed.

To add more:“Shahar also means to take out sword from its sheath.”Michael now becomes a figure of violence.......poor ʻsoulʼ.

Previously on page 14 he said:“Henceforth, whoever witnesses this Shahar (state or situation)”Michael is definitely NOT a state or situation.

Then on page 59 he provides his translation of 2:197, he says:“The reasons(shahar) for the Protest are obvious”Michael now becomes a ʻreasonʼ.

O MY GOD!!!!GUYZ!!!!!!!...........SERIOUSLY????????????????

See... i dont care how a word is being used by the general public, the only thing which matters to me is how Allah uses a word in His Book. PERIOD!

AGAIN NO QURANIC REFERENCES TO PROVE HIS POINT

He has provided different meanings in a span of 3 paragraphs!He needs to make up his mind!

Now lets try to fit his meanings of the word SHAHAR in the following ayats:

1)The number of SHAHAR near to Allah are 12, four of which are Restricted!(9:36)

hummmm, so there are 12 ʻstates or situationsʼ out of which 4 are restricted?????does this make sense?????

2) So, if there are only 12 states in the sight of God, why does God Himself give an example of a 1000 SHAHAR in 97:3 ??????? Remember, here its being compared to a night/layl. So we have to compare apples to apples.

Night is a time period, vs SHAHAR which is a month, another time period. God wont compare a layl/night time to a state/situation/reason/popular.

3) Allah says:“We have enjoined on man kindness to his parents: In pain did his mother bear him, and in pain did she give him birth. The carrying of the (child) to his weaning is thirty months.”(46:15)

wow, i dont even know what to make of this if we apply QZʼs meanings.

4) Allah says:“If any of you die and leave widows behind, they shall wait concerning themselves four months and ten .........”(2:234)

Wait a minute.......... 4 situations??? 4 states??? 4 famous sayings???4 swords?????

my God!

This is another thing i notice. People take bits and pieces from an ayat and make their own concocted meanings w/o verifying from other ayats.

Utter nonsense!!!

------------------ page 33:he says:

“The prohibited month for the prohibited month and all things prohibited in retaliation. (Traditional translation)

Can you draw any meanings from the above translation? Sure they named four prohibited months. But what does it mean the retaliation for them is prohibited months? The word Shahar used here is singular, not plural. In other words God is talking about Shahar, not Alshahar.”

Firstly, if you see in the ayat, it does say AL-SHAHAR which QZ ignored again.Secondly, again, he has provided an incorrect TT and is criticizing it.

I have time and time told so many people, always check the arabic!

The correct translation of 2:194 is as follows:“The Restricted Month is WITH The Restricted Month and the restrictions are related, so whoever aggresses on you, so you aggress on him with the example of what he aggresses on you and take guard of Allah, and know that Allah is with the Mutaqeen”

If only QZ paid attention to the arabic, he wouldnt be so boggled with TTs.His whole confusion on 2:194 can be very well be answered.

9:36 tells us that there are 12 months out of which 4 are restricted.

2:194 tells us that The Restricted Month is WITH The Restricted Month which means they are CONSECUTIVE!!! simple!

The arabic says ʻBiʼ which is a preposition which means ʻWITHʼ.QZ has totally ignored the preposition ʻBiʼ.

The restrictions in these 4 months are RELATED/QISAAS.

If in these months somebody aggresses on me TO DO something bad, i will aggress on him to NOT TO DO that same thing. As the ayat itself says.

The 4 restricted months are Ramadan, Shawaal, Zeeqaad, Zilhij. (9,10,11,12 hence consecutive). Something or the other is restricted in all these 4 restricted months and that is why these are called HARAM/RESTRICTED.

9:36 tells us that you are not allowed to fight/kill (psychological) the Mushriqeens (not deers and tigers per Aidid Safar) in these 4 restricted months. I cannot initiate an argument, but i can only respond with the same topic per 2:194.

9:2 tells us to take a trip in the Earth in the 4 MONTHS! (now if shahar meant ʻstate of mindʼ, how will one take a trip in the Earth??????? )

2:197 tells us that the MONTHS of Hajj (Shawaal, Zeeqad, Zilhij) are well known.In these, indecent talk (rafasa), taking liberties (fasooq) and debating (Jidala) are not allowed!

So when the restricted months are ended, then kill/fight the mushriqeen (9:5). (not deers and tigers)

For whoever thinks that Shahar means state of mind/popular condition etc, pls translate all the above ayats for me with their meanings and it should make contextual sense. Thank you.

----------------- page 38,He provides his translation of 2:187: “Mistreatment of Annisa (Kami or common folks) had been widespread or considered acceptable behavior in the society. But they are your brothers and sisters (you all are the children of a common ancestor). God was aware of your treachery against your own people. Yet, he turned to you in favor and forgave you. Now you can establish cordial relations with them and take only what rightfully belongs to you.”

huh??????

The verse starts with OHILLA/Permitted which is not to be found in his translation.

Anninsa is not written in the arabic text for God sakes!!! Didnt he proof read his article before submitting it????????

Brothers and sisters??????? huh? whatever happened to LIBAAS, they are your garments and vice versa?

He then provides a different translation of the same ayat on page 41 and 42:“It had been made lawful for you to mistreat helpless folks during the dark nights of tyranny.They are your garment and you are theirs. God was aware of your treachery against your own people. (You were stealing the fruits of their hard labor.)Yet, God turned to you and forgave you.”

Clearly shows how desperate he is to play with words and confuse people. Now the brothers and sisters get replaced by ʻgarmentsʼ.

He further says on page 38:

“Two words in the above verse need our attention. They are Rafas and Annisa. Rafas means bad-mouthing. The other term Annisa not only means women but it also applies to the weak, deprived, and helpless folks of the society”

Wait wait!!!!!!!!!

As a reminder, look at this again, he takes the ʻALʼ of AL-RAFASA and puts it in front of NISA to make it AN-NISA........ whoooooa!

So nisa also means weak and deprived huh? helpless folks???Really???

AGAIN NO QURANIC REFERENCE TO PROVE HIS POINT

I guess if his meaning is correct, then there shouldnt be any gender difference right?Males and females both get oppressed.Lets apply his meaning to the following ayats then:

1) “.......so keep away from NISA during their menses....” (2:222)I guess males also have menses/maheez then.

2)“...when u (masculine plural) divorce NISA......” (2:231)hummmmm, either the word TALAQ doesnt mean divorce OR i think according to his definition, males can be married to males???

3) “ZEENA/attraction/adornment for mankind is the love of desirable things from the NISA, and the SONS and the heaps stored up from the GOLD and the SILVER...”(3:14)

So according to his definition, the oppressed and the weak are ZEENAT for mankind????? really?????

4) “ and remember the angles said, O Mary, Allah has chosen you, and purified you and chosen you above the NISA of all worlds” (3:42)

hummmm, so Mary was also oppressed and weak????remember, we have to compare apples to apples.Where is it written that Mary was oppressed???? by whom????

5) from a single NAFS, Allah made countless RIJAAL and NISA (4:1)So Allah made tons and tons of oppressed and weak?????

6) “ And those who no longer expect menstruation among your NISA......” (65:4)So are there some weak and oppressed men who are also supposed to have menstruation?????? hahaha

seriously?????... Nisa? weak and oppressed????-------------------------- page 43:“from socializing or intimate relations to sexual intercourse. The root of this Arabic word baashiru hunna is Baa, Sheen, and Raa .Taken literally it means direct contact .”

AGAIN NO QURANIC REFERENCE GIVEN TO PROVE HIS POINT.--------------------------- page 45:the same silly argument of ʻALʼ of the fajr and white and black threads. I have already addressed this before.

For those who think that the white and black threads are metaphors, i would highly suggest they stay awake before sunrise and witness the twilight themselves.

I will provide links to a vdo and pics where you can see the white thread is for real:

Check this vdo out, it starts with a clear twilight white thread in the horizon:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SyYGa_CaVs

Check the following pics, the links are pretty long:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidyuweb/5170145865/

also:

http://www.google.com/imgres?q=twilight+sunrise&um=1&hl=en&biw=1051&bih=529&tbm=isch&tbnid=9BKYdx76SIg7FM:&imgrefurl=http://gsplit.blogspot.com/&docid=v07rLsD9xm1T8M&w=804&h=604&ei=fGlRTrzeDNGlsALmqe36Bg&zoom=1&chk=sbg&iact=hc&vpx=523&vpy=101&dur=679&hovh=111&hovw=152&tx=142&ty=82&page=35&tbnh=111&tbnw=152&start=601&ndsp=17&ved=1t:429,r:9,s:601

also:

http://www.google.com/imgres?q=twilight+sunrise&um=1&hl=en&biw=1051&bih=529&tbm=isch&tbnid=NZ5CF8v_7A5ReM:&imgrefurl=http://photo.brendanloy.com/2008/08/perseid-dawn.html&docid=Rkt6E4cCkUorEM&w=500&h=333&ei=VmhRTo2TL8aksQK39tDDBg&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=512&page=6&tbnh=111&tbnw=153&start=87&ndsp=15&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:87&tx=83&ty=70

also:

http://www.google.com/imgres?q=twilight+sunrise&um=1&hl=en&biw=1051&bih=529&tbm=isch&tbnid=ZEWyA9KSvlS7gM:&imgrefurl=http://pobphoto.wordpress.com/2009/10/12/nautical-twilight-civil-twilight-and-sunrise/&docid=uVHXtDTrpEn_RM&w=497&h=252&ei=fGlRTrzeDNGlsALmqe36Bg&zoom=1&chk=sbg&iact=hc&vpx=97&vpy=220&dur=2079&hovh=160&hovw=315&tx=169&ty=87&page=21&tbnh=71&tbnw=140&start=355&ndsp=20&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:355

-------------------------------- page 47.“The white thread represents the shining verses of the Quran while the black thread represents wrong traditions, customs, and beliefs prevalent in the society”

This whole hype about darkness of tyranny????

What makes you think that evil stuff doesnt happen in broad daylight???Why is evil represented with night?????

And then what makes you think that Good actions dont happen in the night????--------------------------- page 46:He then goes on to quote 17:78 to show the significance of ʻALʼ.

Pls note that in 17:78, the word quran is not preceded with ʻALʼ just like in 41:44.surprise!!!!!!!!!!

--------------------------- page 48:he provides the following translation:

“You must not promise anything while you are still in the process of studying Godʼs decrees and planning their implementation.”

Hummmm, so for him BASHIROHUNNA means promise.

wow!

AGAIN NO QURANIC REFERENCES GIVEN TO PROVE HIS POINT.

The arabic word for PROMISE is WAʼDA.

“And Allah has testified His PROMISE (WAʼDA).......”(3:152) See also 4:122, 9:111, 10:4.

Then masajids for him means “studying Godʼs decrees and planning their implementation”

AGAIN NO QURANIC REFERENCES GIVEN TO PROVE HIS POINT.

----------------------------- page 53:He provides a TT of 2:196:

“Complete Hajj and Umrah for the sake of Allah. But if you are restrained, then offer whatever you can gather for sacrifice And refrain from shaving your head until your offering (the sacrificial animal) arrives at its landing-place (Mecca). If someone among you is sick or suffers from a disease of the scalp, his ransom is fasting or charity or sacrifice. Afterwards when you feel safe, perform Umrah followed by Hajj and offer whatever sacrificial animal you can grab with ease. Anyone who cannot afford a sacrifice, he must fast for three days during Hajj and seven days upon returning home. That is ten days in total. This command is only for those who do not reside near the vicinity of Al-Masjid Al-Haraam And be mindful of Allah and beware that Allah is .stern in retaliation. (Traditional translation)”

and on page 54 criticizes the TT.He says:

“Now let us study the first command related to a certain situation. Someone left home for Umrah or Hajj but got caught while crossing through an enemyʼs territory. He is a prisoner now. There are restrictions on his movements. Despite this he is obliged to buy a sacrificial animal with whatever money he possesses. Now he must send this animal to Mecca. Please take a moment to ponder.How will a prisoner buy a sacrificial animal in a hostile country? Will the enemy let him leave the prison to buy an animal for sacrifice?Where will he find the money to buy a camel or cow or ram?

Now wait a minute, where does enemy come from??? crossing the territory?????huh?

QZ is taking for granted that the word ʻOHSIRʼ means imprisonment.

AGAIN NO QURANIC REFERENCES PROVIDED TO COME TO THIS CONCLUSION.

Firstly if the ayat really meant imprisonment, do you really think Allah would enforce such laws on someone who is in jail??????For God sakes people!

Secondly there can be many conditions where a person may not be able to go for Hajj (assuming its the visit to Makka) for e.g, health problems, financial problems, unexpected commitments etc etc.

ʻOHSIRʼ means any condition where you cannot move around freely b/c you dont have the means to. Lets check another ayat with this word:

“For the poor, those who are restrained/OHSIRO in the way of Allah, nor are they able to strike in the Land/Earth........”(2:273)

The poor are not in jail !!!They simply dont have the means to move around, they dont have cars, they dont have the money to buy gas!----------------------- on page 55 he says:

“Take the example of someone who suffers from diabetes. He got rash on his scalp and had to shave his head. Now he must do one of the three.

Fast. How can a diabetic fast without risk to his life?

Give his wealth in charity. He is already a prisoner and all his belongings have been taken or confiscated. What can he offer for charity and to whom?

Offer sacrifice. He already spent whatever he had in his possession on the sacrificial animal that he shipped to Mecca. How will he buy another sacrificial animal?” An incorrect translation will lead to nothing but confusion. The answer is in the ayat itself, if a diabetic person cannot fast, just give charity/saddaqa. No he is not a prisoner!

Charity to whom?

Allah says:The charities are only for the poor and the needy, and those who collect them, and those whose hearts are to be reconciled, and to free the captives and the debtors, and for the cause of Allah, and (for) the wayfarer; a duty imposed by Allah. Allah is Knower, Wise.

(9:60)

---------------------------

on page 56:

“he must fast for three days during Hajj and seven days upon returning home. That is ten days in total. This commandment is for those, who do not live near Masjid Al-Haraam . (Traditional Translation) (2:196)

There is something fishy about this translation. According to this translation the above command applies only to those folks who do not reside near the vicinity of Masjid Al-Haraam. In other words the outsiders are subject to liabilities and penalties but the local residents of Mecca enjoy total freedom from any obligations. Are the residents of Mecca Allahʼs darlings? The reality is that outsiders deserved the ease, not the locals.”

Totally taken out of context. The arabic talks about AHAL/FAMILY/PEOPLE which QZ doesnt talk about.

Correct translation:“.........that is for those whose family is not present at the Restricted Masjid....”

Thus this applies to everyone, not only the Meccan darlings!-------------------------------- on page 57:“The truth is that Umrah means the life spent peacefully during the times of peace while Hajj means protest to restore or take back rights. Unrest in the society and even rebellion and war fall under this term called Hajj”

AGAIN NO QURANIC REFERENCES GIVEN TO COME TO THIS CONCLUSION.

If Hajj really means PROTEST, what does it have to do with shaving off heads????(2:196)

No, shaving off heads doesnot mean cleaning your previous concepts!

If that was the case, then why does Allah further say that if someone has an illness in his head, then he has other options to do. Will those other options delete the previous brainwashed concepts?????.... rubbish!

I marvel at the way some quranists take bits and pieces of ayats, make their own metaphorical meanings which doesnt make any contextual sense with the entire ayat.

QZ then continues to give his theatrical and dramatical touch to 2:196.----------------------------- on page 58:he provides his concocted translation:

“Hence, whoever does not find guidance he/she has to complete training sessions to learn how to avoid bad- mouthing, disobedience, and quarrel when there is a disagreement. Additional training sessions will enhance your knowledge, skills, and capabilities. This is indeed good for the whole society.”

Whoooooooa!!!!! huh?wait wait wait!

What about the salasa ayaam/3 days?sabʼata = 7ashara = 10

where are the numbers in his translation which exist in the arabic?????????

I am shocked at how his followers even buy this crap?????

------------------------ on page 59 he continues:“This command is for those who lack the ability to obey and carry out orders that place restrictions on them. Follow the path of God and beware that God is severe in retribution.”

Oh my God!!where is the AHAL/family/people in his translation which is written in the arabic???---------------------- on page 59:he provides his translation of 2:197, mind you he didnot give any reference here.

“The reasons for the Protest are obvious...........”

Over here SHAHAR now becomes ʻreasonsʼ.I have already addressed this before.

This is what people like QZ do.A liar can never be consistent!.... he is bound to get caught somewhere!

So in the sight of Allah there are 12 reasons out of which 4 are restricted ???????(9:36)

really??????????-------------------------------- page 61:QZ quotes 4:92 and on the next page says:

“The punishment prescribed in this verse seems to apply to both accidental and intentional murder.”

no no no no no

4:92 only talks about ACCIDENTAL MURDER.4:92 uses the word KHATA (by mistake) twice for Gods sakes!

Its the next ayat 4:93 which talks about INTENTIONAL/mutaʼammid MURDER of which there is no forgiveness from God.!!! he will get the curse of God and will be in Hell.

Again... same mistake being repeated again and again and again!!!

If you dont pay attention to the arabic (per 39:28), you will always be mislead.

If i kill another believer by mistake, for e.g in a car accident then i have to abide by the penalties ordained in 4:92.

If i cannot free a slave or pay blood money, then i have to SAUM for 2 months consecutively!

Once i am done SAUMing for 2 months, i will damn well make sure that i drive my car carefully.

-------------------------------- on page 63 he starts off by giving a TT of 5:89 and then criticizes it on page 64.However he doesnt provide his own concocted translation this time which i was so looking forward to read! (sarcasm intended).

“God will not hold you accountable for your vain or trivial oaths. But He will certainly take you to task for the oaths that you swear under a treaty. If you break such an oath,the ransom is feeding of ten needy persons with almost the same amount of food you provide for your own family or clothing them or freeing a slave. If you cannot afford the above, then fast for three days. This is the ransom for your sworn oaths. And fulfill your oaths. This is how God clarifies his decrees, so that you might be grateful. (Traditional Translation)”

He criticizes 5:89 on age 64:

“First of all this translation gives a huge relief to the culprit, as it fails to mention any compensation for the other party, which may have suffered losses due to breaking of the oath.”

First of all people...... following 39:28, pls check the arabic.

The word OATH is not even written in the arabic!!!!

surprise!!!!!!!!!!!!! ta daaaaaaaaaa!

The arabic word for oath is ʻAEHADʼ (see 2:125)The word which is mistranslated as OATH here is ʻaymaanikumʼ

Aymaanikum means ʻRIGHTʼ.

Allah says:“We called him from the right/aymaan side of the mountain...”(19:52)

“When the two receivers receive, on the right/alyamini and on the left”(50:17)

Also see 20:80, 28:30, 24:31, 24:33, 29:48, 30:28

The word ʻRIGHTʼ can be used in different contexts.

One ʻRIGHTʼ is direction.........................(as in left and right).The other ʻRIGHTʼ is being correct..........(as in right and wrong)The third type is what belongs to you.....(access to my medical records is my legal right)

So what does ʻRIGHTʼ mean?ʻRIGHTʼ means being correct/right in the nearness of Allah.The DOs and DONTs in the Quran are the RIGHTS of a believer.

For e.g Allah commands to you to be respectful towards your parents in 17:23.Its my RIGHT to do so.If i dont, then i have to follow the penalty conditions in 5:89. So suppose i misbehaved, abused, insulted my parents, then as a penalty i have to do the ransom as ordained in 5:89.

I will have to feed 10 people.

If i cannot feed 10 people, then clothe 10 people. Very simple, i might not have cash readily available, i will go to my closet, take out 10 shirts and pants (yes the penalty will pinch me b/c these might be expensive clothes) and give it away.

If i cant find the above, free a slave. I can send money to Pakistan and set someone free. If i cant find hungry people, and i dont want to give my Armani clothes off out of selfishness, then yes, free a slave.

If not, fast for 3 days.

I am doing the above simply because i am conscious of God.If i wont be, it wouldnt matter to me whether God is angry with me or not.

The penalty, will not make me do the wrong again and hence i will become a better person.

very simple!All other good qualities, be patient, be kind, give charity to poor etc etc are the AYMANIKUM/Rights.

correct translation of 5:89 is:

“Allah will not catch you all for nonsensical/ungrammatical talk in your RIGHT and He will seize you all with whatever you tied the knot of your RIGHT; so its ransom is feeding ten needy with an average of whatever you feed your families, or clothing them or freeing a slave; so whoever doesnt find, then SAUM for 3 days; that is the ransom of

your RIGHT when you have sworn and preserve your RIGHT, Thus Allah makes clear to you all His verses so that you all may be grateful”

For e.g if i call my father ʻDUDEʼ, Allah wont get angry but if i call him ʻBASTARDʼ, and then i realize that i abused my father and feel guilty about it i have to take a HALAF/i swear that i wont do it again..... i have to preserve/wahfazo my HALAF. If i fail to do so and abuse my father again, then the penalty will be applied on me.

----------------------------------

Then he continues his criticism on 5:95 from pages 66 till 68.Again he doesnt provide his own translation.

I hate it when people find faults in a given translation and act cool about it w/o giving their own translation. If somebody finds faults in a translation, i take it for granted that he knows the real meaning.

----------------------- on page 68-69 he quotes 58:2,3,4.

Then suddenly says:“The verse 5 indicates that issue under discussion is not a quarrel between a husband and wife. Rather it is a conspiracy against the government or authority.”

Huh?????where does verse 5 come into the picture??????

Then he further provides verse 5 and w/o giving importance to the 58:2-3-4, he continues on verse 6 and 7.

On page 71 he says:

“The above verse leaves no doubt that the issue of Zahar was not about a husband calling his wife “mother”. Rather it referred to secret conspiracies to commit violence or disturbance against the authority.”

Well, well...... 58:2 has the word ʻMOTHERʼ twice!It also talks about mothers who gave them BIRTH/walad.

How can someone ignore these words????--------------------------- on page 72:“Similarly, Tahriru Raqabah is translated to mean freeing a salve. In reality Tahrir means something in writing. Hence, Tahriru Raqabah is a written statement that allows authority to take to task the person (or persons) who backslides after writing his promissory note. It can also be used to help someone who is in trouble.”

AGAIN NO QURANIC REFERENCES GIVEN TO PROVE HIS POINT

---------------------------- on page 72-73 he says:

“Look at the personality and character of todayʼs Muslims. Can you call them righteous or civilized? Their wild faces and rude looks not only strike terror in children but also frighten adults. There is no country left in the world where these fanatic Muslims have not shed the blood of innocents.”

Wild faces??????rude looks?????strike terror in children????

huh????

Once again, i dont know what kind of people he is hanging around with.But again, he is making the same mistake which the media does today.

Judging a whole nation based on a few nut cases out there!

How come he is not talking about clean shaven, educated muslims around the world??---------------------------- Coming to Mary and her SAUM.

QZ says that Mary was fasting and could eat and drink during her fast and could also talk (19:26).

QZ has taken this out of context. Pls note that Allah commands Mary to QUL/SAY.....yes, i agree...........but say what??????.........the ayat answers:

“....SAY: i have dedicated a SAUM for Most Gracious so not will i speak to any human today”(19:26)

This doest mean that Mary cannot go to the market to buy potatoes and tomatoes. She can speak as well but if she is asked about her pregnancy, she has to be silent and that is exactly what she did when she simply pointed towards the baby. (in 19:29).

Let me further explain:

I would abstain from using the word ʻFASTʼ for ʻSaumʼ.

Fast has been programmed to us in connection with ʻno-eating-no-drinkingʼ and thus when it comes to the Saum of Mary (19:26), everyone gets confused.

Saum means ʻSELF-RESTRAINTʼ or ʻABSTINENCEʼ. This meaning can be applied to BOTH places.

In 2:187 you are RESTRAINING yourself from indulging in eating, drinking and lawful sex during the daylight.

In 19:29, Mary is RESTRAINING herself from entering into an argument and when she is reprimanded, all what she does is points towards Jesus.

Thus i think RESTRAINT is a better translation of ʻsaumʼ

The Saum of Mary is just like the Saum of Zakariya:

In both their stories, u will find, that both of them experience something strange. Mary has a child w/o being touched (3:47; hence no husband or mate, she was a Hermaphrodite; feehee/in him 66:12, feehaa/in her 21:91).

Zakariya has a son in his old age while his wife was barren (3:40). They both asked for explanations, something like “how is this possible?”

(Mary = 3:47, 19:20) (Zakariya = 3:40, 19:8)

In both these situations, Allah instructs Zakariya and Mary to first digest the news themselves... in other words ʻtake a chill pillʼ. And later talk to people. Allah instructs Zakariya to communicate with people through a sign language for 3 days (3:41) and 3 nights (19:10-11) and He instructs Mary to to stay quiet too (19:26).

What do we learn from this??????????

Jesus is also reffered to an ayat/Sign in 19:21.Thus what Mary did was point towards an ayat and the ayat spoke for itself.

We also have to do the same thing. Whenever we understand something from the Quran which might be controversial..... we have to first consume and digest it, implement and practice it before going out in the public and start blabbing about it. We have to stay silent and understand the whole concept first and then all we have to do is point towards an ayat and the ayat will speak for itself.

Thus this kind of a Saum/restraint of Silence (only regarding the issue, during which time you can definitely eat and drink) is only applicable when you have recieved/understood some kind of knowledge which might be dangerous to go out in public and start talking about it without doing your homework. --------------------------------- Ironically he mentioned on page 4:

“Dear friends, if you are not familiar with my previous books, I want to let you know that I take guidance and understand Islam only and only from the Quran.”

Nice thought but his methodology is not correct. May Allah guide us all.--------------------------page 12:“We blame others (Jews and Christians) for changing the scripture. Are not we guilty of doing exactly the same?”

Ironically, yes! QZ ....you are guilty!---------------------------

In the end, after reading his 75 page write up , i am far from being convinced.He lacks a lot of basic knowledge on arabic, jumps to conclusions, has preconcieved notions, doesnt provide quranic evidence where pertinent, ignores obvious arabic words written in the ayats.

I am definitely not going to waste my precious time reading his other articles!salamDr. Arif Zaman