2:58 The mysterious Town

YUSUFALI: And remember We said: "Enter this town, and eat of the plenty therein as ye wish; but enter the gate with humility, in posture and in words, and We shall forgive you your faults and increase (the portion of) those who do good."
PICKTHAL: And when We said: Go into this township and eat freely of that which is therein, and enter the gate prostrate, and say: "Repentance." We will forgive you your sins and will increase (reward) for the right-doers.
SHAKIR: And when We said: Enter this city, then eat from it a plenteous (food) wherever you wish, and enter the gate making obeisance, and say, forgiveness. We will forgive you your wrongs and give more to those who do good (to others).

The questions that rise:
1.Which town is it?
2.Why God forgive those who enter the town?
3.Where is this story in the bible?

Jerusalem

In Dr. Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din Al-Hilali translation we find one interpretation:
And (remember) when We said: "Enter this town (Jerusalem) and eat bountifully therein with pleasure and delight wherever you wish, and enter the gate in prostration (or bowing with humility) and say: 'Forgive us,' and We shall forgive you your sins and shall increase (reward) for the good-doers."

There's no explain upon what the translator knew that this town was Jerusalem but it make sense,cause Jerusalem is a holly place so the combination of holly place and humility will give forgiveness.

So the 2 questions above have answers,but the third,where is such story in bible?

There's another difficult:
One Verse before was the story of the Manna:
And We gave you the shade of clouds and sent down to you Manna and quails, saying: "Eat of the good things We have provided for you:" (But they rebelled); to us they did no harm, but they harmed their own souls. (2:57)

Two verse after there's the story of water from the rock:
And remember Moses prayed for water for his people; We said: "Strike the rock with thy staff." Then gushed forth therefrom twelve springs. Each group knew its own place for water. So eat and drink of the sustenance provided by Allah, and do no evil nor mischief on the (face of the) earth. (2:60)

So The story with the manna was in the desert and the story of water from the rock was in the desert so where Jerusalem fitting in?

Shittim

Yusuf Ali's Commentary:
This probably refers to Shittim. It was the "town of acacias," just east of the Jordan, where the Israelites were guilty of debauchery and the worship of and sacrifice to false gods a terrible punishment ensued, including the plague of which 24,000 died. The word which the transgressors changed may have been a pass-word. In the Arabic text it is "Hittatun" which implies humility and a prayer of forgiveness, a fitting emblem to distinguish them from their enemies. From this particular incident a more general lesson may be drawn; in the hour of triumph we are to behave humbly as in God's sight, and our conduct should be exemplary according to God's word; otherwise our arrogance will draw its own punishment.

Is this explain what is so important to enter the town?shittim wasn't a holly place!
This interpretation try to answer where this story is in the bible,but is there a connection between the story in Quran to the story of shittim in bible?

The shittim story is in Numbers:
And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit harlotry with the daughters of Moab. And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods; and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. And Israel joined himself unto the Baal of Peor; and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel...And those that died by the plague were twenty and four thousand. (25:1-9)

So there's no room to try to match between those 2 stories.

So we didn't found any story in bible that fitt to those verse and it very odd cause Muhammad speak to the jews and say remember ,how can someone remember somthing he never knew?

2:55 What did Israel say to Moses in mount sinai

YUSUFALI: And remember ye said: "O Moses! We shall never believe in thee until we see Allah manifestly," but ye were dazed with thunder and lighting even as ye looked on.
PICKTHAL: And when ye said: O Moses! We will not believe in thee till we see Allah plainly; and even while ye gazed the lightning seized you.
SHAKIR: And when you said: O Musa! we will not believe in you until we see Allah manifestly, so the punishment overtook you while you looked on.

This in contray to what is written in Bible:

And all the people perceived the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the voice of the horn, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled, and stood afar off. And they said unto Moses: 'Speak thou with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.' (Exodus 20:14-15)

2:47 - Israel,The chosen Nation

YUSUFALI: Children of Israel! call to mind the (special) favour which I bestowed upon you, and that I preferred you to all other (for My Message).
PICKTHAL: O Children of Israel! Remember My favour wherewith I favoured you and how I preferred you to (all) creatures.
SHAKIR: O children of Israel! call to mind My favor which I bestowed on you and that I made you excel the nations.

This verse talk about the unique status of Israel.Reading the verse it sound like Muhammad agree with the Biblical verses about the chosen nation:

For thou art a holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be His own treasure, out of all peoples that are upon the face of the earth.
The LORD did not set His love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people--for ye were the fewest of all peoples-- but because the LORD loved you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. (Deuteronomy 7:6-8)

If we compare the translations we see that YUSUFALI added interpretation-I preferred you to all other (for My Message). So it would sound that Israel aren't special nation,just God decided to start with them...

Muhammad in Jewish Scriptures ?!

Dr Zakir Naik,a famus muslim scolar in India, tell to his students that Muhammad is mentioned in the Jewish scripts.
The source is here:
http://www.irf.net/irf/comparativereligion/middle/judaism/1.htm#link

At the first time i heard about this concept,i laught...well i know the jewish scripts and never bumped into Muhammad...

The base to this theory is this verse:
I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee; and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. (Deuteronomy 18:18)

If you ask evry little Jewish boy,he would say that the meaning of this verse is that there will be prophets from the Jewish people,so how could Dr Naik say that this verse talk about Muhammad?

This is Dr Naik explaination:
Muhammad (pbuh) is from among the brethren of Moses (pbuh). Arabs are brethren of Jews. Abraham (pbuh) had two sons: Ishmail and Isaac. The Arabs are the descendants of Ishmail (pbuh) and the Jews are the descendants of Isaac (pbuh).

There's a verse ,few verses before,that say:
A prophet will the LORD thy God raise up unto thee, from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; (Deuteronomy 18:15)

So lets do a little exercise in reading comprehension :
Moses speak in front of the Jewish people and say to them that God will raise a prophet from the midst of them.
So is there any other way to understand it that this prophet will be from the Jewish people?!

I Can understand why Dr Naik brought the 18:18 Verse and not the 18:15-
In 18:15 Moses speak to the Jews,so there no room to say he ment to Ishmailies.
In 18:18 God Speak to Moses,So one without sharp eye won't notic...

The meaning of the word Brother

But lets go back to 18:18...
Can the word brethren can tolarate the interpataion that it means Ishmailies and not Jews?

When Moses speak about the relationship between Jews,he say brethren
There's a lot examples ,i will bring few:

1.And ye may make them an inheritance for your children after you, to hold for a possession: of them may ye take your bondmen for ever; but over your brethren the children of Israel ye shall not rule, one over another, with rigour. (Leviticus 25:46)

2.thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the LORD thy God shall choose; one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee; thou mayest not put a foreigner over thee, who is not thy brother.(Deuteronomy 17:15)

3.The priests the Levites, even all the tribe of Levi, shall have no portion nor inheritance with Israel; they shall eat the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and His inheritance. And they shall have no inheritance among their brethren; the LORD is their inheritance, as He hath spoken unto them.(Deuteronomy 18:1-2)

4.And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben: 'Shall your brethren go to the war, and shall ye sit here? And wherefore will ye turn away the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD hath given them? (Numbers 32:6-7)

Do Jews and arabs are really brothers?

Another little thing Dr Naik didn't mentiond:
Abraham had two sons: Ishmail and Isaac.
Isaac had two sons : Jacob and Esau.
So if the Arabs are the descendants of Ishmail and The Jews are the descendants of Jacob
that make them cousins not brothers...

Does Muhammad is like Moses?

Here Dr Naik give a very sharp observation:
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is like Moses (pbuh):
i) Both had a father and a mother.
ii) Both were married and had children.
iii) Both were accepted as Prophets by their people in their lifetime.
iv) Both besides being Prophets were also kings i.e. they could inflict capital punishment.
v) Both brought new laws and new regulations for their people.
vi) Both died a natural death.

So insdet of understand the prophet like moses In the immediate way -like moses,A Jew like moses,Dr Naik interpret it -like moses,Same biography.

So does Muhammad has the same biography as moses?
i)Moses was Jew,Muhammad wasn't
ii)Moses was raised as a prince,Muhammad was a trader

and above all:
iii)Muhammad was illiterate,Moses wasn't - And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Write this for a memorial in the book...' (Exodus 17:14)

and it will be easy to find more gap between Moses to Muhammad

Words in his Mouth

Another claim by Dr Naik is :

d) Words in the mouth:
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was unlettered and whatever revelations he received from God Almighty he repeated it verbatim.
Deuteronomy (18:18):
"I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him."

We can find this kind of term about Prophet Jeremiah:

And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying: Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee, and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee; I have appointed thee a prophet unto the nations. Then said I: 'Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak; for I am a child.' But the LORD said unto me: say not: I am a child; for to whomsoever I shall send thee thou shalt go, and whatsoever I shall command thee thou shalt speak. Be not afraid of them; for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD. Then the LORD put forth His hand, and touched my mouth; and the LORD said unto me: Behold, I have put My words in thy mouth; (Jeremiah 1:4-9)

So we can find the exact terms of Deuteronomy (18:18) fulfilled in Jeremiah!

But for Muhammad we can see different term:

Say: Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel-for he brings down the (revelation) to thy heart by Allah's will, a confirmation of what went before, and guidance and glad tidings for those who believe,- (2:97)

So who is more like "Words in his Mouth" ,Muhammad or Jeremiah ?

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is mentioned by name in the Song of Solomon ?!

well that is the Joke of the year!
Dr Naik is trying to prove that Muhammad Name is in bible so he bring this verse,In Hebrew:
Hikko Mamittakim we kullo Muhammadim Zehdoodeh wa Zehrace Bayna Jerusalem. (Song of Songs 5:16)

What is Muhammadim - It's a word for candy...the im in the end of the word is for plural so it's candys...
Beside Hebrew and Arabic are cousin languages so finding word in bible that is similar to Arabic Name isn't surprising...
My Name is also in Bible:
And they came to Ophir, and fetched from thence gold, four hundred and twenty talents, and brought it to king Solomon. (1 Kings 9:28)

So does that mean this blog was prophesy?

Confirm The jewish scripts 2:41 - Part 2

I published my previous post in orkut.com and got a lot a responses,so i want to summarize the whole debate.
And believe in that which I reveal, confirming that which ye possess already (of the Scripture), and be not first to disbelieve therein, and part not with My revelations for a trifling price, and keep your duty unto Me. (2:41,translation by PICKTHAL)

Muhammad try to convince the Jews to accept him as a prophet,he wanted to assure them he's not deny their scripts,on the contrary,he confirms & validates the authentication of their scripts and he's the successor of the Jewish prophets.

Muslims,today believe that The Jewish/Christian Scripts are Corrupted so the try to explain that Muhammad didn't confirm the scripts Just confirm the Relevation to the prophets,assisted with the translation of YUSUFALI
And believe in what I reveal, confirming the revelation which is with you, and be not the first to
But still there's another translation that support the PICKTHAL translation:
And believe in what I have revealed, verifying that which is with you, and be not the first to deny it, neither take a mean price in exchange for My communications; and Me, Me alone should you fear.

To support the their explain,they brought this verse to show that Muhammad only confirm the Relevation:
Say: "We believe in Allah, and in what has been revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham, Isma'il, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and in (the Books) given to Moses, Jesus, and the prophets, from their Lord: We make no distinction between one and another among them, and to Allah do we bow our will (in Islam)." (3:84 By YUSUFALI)

But the difference between are:
2:41 Muhammad talk to the Jews
3:84 Muhammad talk to his believers Hence the differences...

But there still no proof that Muhammad thought that the Jewish scripts are corrupted,so Another verse brought:
And there are among them illiterates, who know not the Book, but (see therein their own) desires, and they do nothing but conjecture. Then woe to those who write the Book with their own hands, and then say:"This is from Allah," to traffic with it for miserable price!- Woe to them for what their hands do write, and for the gain they make thereby. (2:78-79 by YUSUFALI)

So Muslims say this verse talk about Jews and it say who write the Book with their own hands, and then say:"This is from Allah,"

So what does the verse say?Does it talk about Jews?It doesn't say ,but if so there differences between the 2 verses:
2:41 Muhammad talk to The Jewish community,as a public
2:78 Muhammad talk about individuals that deceive in order to sell scripts,but this verse doesn't talk about The scripts the Jewish community has.

So there's no evidence that Muhammad say that the Jewish scripts are corrupted,on the contra,Muhammad confirm the Jewish scripts!

So why Muslims don't accept this?
There's a lot contradictions between The Jewish/Christians Scripts and The Quran and there 2 ways to explain that:
1.Muhammad didn't knew the bible well.
2.Where there's a contradiction between Bible and Quran it's because Muhammad came to correct the corruption in The Jewish scripts

So if the Muslims accept 2:41 that Muhammad confirms the Jewish Scripts How can explain the contradiction between them?

Confirm The jewish scripts 2:41

O Children of Israel, remember My favor, which I bestowed upon you, and fulfill your part of the covenant, that I fulfill My part of the covenant, and reverence Me.
You shall believe in what I have revealed herein, confirming what you have; do not be the first to reject it. Do not trade away My revelations for a cheap price, and observe Me. (2:40-41)

Muhammad want to convince the jews to join his religion.His strategy to show the jews he's not founding a new religion but he is the successor of the jewish prophets.

In this verse Muhammad accept the Jewish scripts-confirming what you have

So does it mean Muhammad confirm the Jewish script,that jews possess nowadays ?

Sura Al-Baqara is a Madinan sura which were revealed at Madina about the year 622 .

How can we know if the jewish scripts today are the scripts were in Muhammad time?

Today jewish and christians have the same verse of the Jewish scripts,Jewish call them-Tanach(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanach) , christians call them - The old Testement(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Testement).

The Church in year 364 had the The Council of Laodicea,produced a list of books of the Old Testament that accepted as canon.(http://reluctant-messenger.com/council-of-laodicea.htm).

Another council was the Council of Rome in 382 gave us the complete list of the books of the Old Testament(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_of_Rome).

Since 380 the jews and christians have the same books of the jewish scripts.

If Muhammad confirmed the jewish scripts in 622,So unless the jews and christians had a plot altogether to change the jewish scripts,the jewish scripts nowadays are the same scripts Muhammad confirmed!

Adam sin -2:35

We said, "O Adam, live with your wife in Paradise, and eat therefrom generously, as you please, but do not approach this tree, lest you sin." But the devil duped them, and caused their eviction therefrom. We said, "Go down as enemies of one another. On Earth shall be your habitation and provision for awhile." (2:35-36)

This story is about the first sin in of the mankind.Comparing this story to the bible version reveal little differences and explain us something about quran :
The prohibition
And the LORD God commanded the man, saying: 'Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat;but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.' (Genesis 2:17-18)
The Temptation
And he said unto the woman: 'Yea, hath God said: Ye shall not eat of any tree of the garden?' And the woman said unto the serpent: 'Of the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said: Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.' And the serpent said unto the woman: 'Ye shall not surely die;And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food...(Genesis 3:1-6)

The Jewish midrash raba points about the difference between what God prohibited and what the woman said:
God said-thou shalt not eat of it
woman said-Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
The woman added that God prohibited to touch the tree...So how this detail effect the story?The midrash explain that this was the trap of the serpent:"The serpent pushed the woman towards the tree and she touched it,and said,like you there's no death touching it so there's no death eating"
So we can see that in the bible God prohibited only about eating,but Muhammad didn't sense the slight difference between what God prohibited to what the woman added and.
Muhammad even made a rough mistake and added more then the woman added:
Muhammad said-but do not approach this tree

Satan - 2:34

When we said to the angels, "Fall prostrate before Adam," they fell prostrate, except Satan; he refused, was too arrogant, and a disbeliever.

The Quran embrace the christian doctrine about Satan:
And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.(Revelation 12:9)

The Judaism doesn't accept the concept of Satan as autonomous evil creature :
I am the LORD, and there is none else, beside Me there is no God; I have girded thee, though thou hast not known Me; That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside Me; I am the LORD; and there is none else; I form the light, and create darkness; I make peace, and create evil; I am the LORD, that doeth all these things. (Isaiah 45:5-7).

Adam Vs Angels 2:30-33

When your Lord said to the angels: ‘I am placing a caliph on earth,’ they replied: ‘Will You put there one that will do evil and shed blood, when we have for so long sung Your praises and sanctified Your name?’ He said: ‘I know what you do not know.’ He taught Adam all the names and then set them before the angels, saying: ‘Tell me the names of these, if what you say be true.’ ‘Glory be unto You,’ they replied, ‘we have no knowledge except that which You have given us. You alone are wise and all-knowing.’ Then said He to Adam: ‘Tell them their names.’ And when Adam had named them, He said: ‘Did I not tell you that I know the secrets of heaven and earth, and all that you hide and all that you reveal? (2:30-33)

There are 2 parts to this story:
1. The Angels resistance - The angels resist to the human creation cause of moral issues. The angels are spiritual creatures, they don't have bad urges so they don't sin. their all being is to sing God praises and glorify his name, but the human kind is not spiritual and has bad urges so he will make mischief and shed blood so why to create him?
2. Adam ability as answer - God show the angels ability that they lack - The knowledge of the names

There are some questions to ask:
How this ability answers the moral issue the angels raised?

If God taught Adam the names and the only reason the angels don't know the names is cause God didn't taught them "we have no knowledge except that which You have given us." So what answer is it??

The fingerprints of Jewish sources are noticeable in this story:
1.When God created Man, the heavenly hosts were divided.... Kindness said, "Let him be created, for he will do kindness!" Truth said, "Let him not be created, for he is full of lies!" Righteousness said, "Let him be created, for he will perform righteous acts!" Peace said, "Let him not be created, for he is always quarreling!"... (Bereishit Raba 8:5)

The Jewish midrash describe an allegorical debate between The ideals about Human creation-will he implement those ideals or not

2. And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto the man to see what he would call them; and whatsoever the man would call every living creature, that was to be the name thereof. And the man gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found a help meet for him. (Genesis 2:19-20)

In the biblical story it's clear that the ability of knowing the name is Adam quality, but not the reason of creation...

The quran Challenge - 2:23

The power of religion that attract the followers is that it's GOD words to the man kind.
How can we know is it really the words of GOD or maybe it's a human ?

In Judaism,the authentication of religion is a compose of 2 parts,revelation & tradition:
Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes saw, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life; but make them known unto thy children and thy children's children; the day that thou stoodest before the LORD thy God in Horeb, when the LORD said unto me: 'Assemble Me the people, and I will make them hear My words that they may learn to fear Me all the days that they live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children.' (Deuteronomy 4:9-10)

In Islam,the authentication of religion is placed inside the book:
If you have any doubt regarding what we revealed to our servant, then produce one sura like these, and call upon your own witnesses against GOD, if you are truthful. (2:23)

What does this challenge means?
Ever since the Quran was revealed, fourteen centuries ago, no one has been able to produce a single chapter like the chapters of the Quran in their beauty, eloquence, splendor, wise legislation, true information, true prophecy, and other perfect attributes. (http://www.islam-guide.com/ch1-2.htm#bf2).

This challenge is problematic in 3 aspects:
1.The criterion's - what should we measure? beauty? how can we measure beauty? beauty is in the eye of the behold,it's something subjective!
2.The judges - if we measure the poetry,only those who are specialists in poetry can decide,so how can the simple man that doesn't know or even doesn't understand poetry decide?should he trust the specialists?should he found his believes on other person opinion???
3.The language - the book is written in Arabic, and only in Arabic one can sense the beauty of the book,so how can one that doesn't speak Arabic ,should he trust those who speak Arabic?if this book is designate to the whole world,is it make sense that the book authentication can be prove only in Arabic???

Muslims scholars,know that this is a very frail prove so they now try to authenticate the quran in other ways:
Not many would accept the Qur’aan’s extraordinarily beautiful language, as proof of its Divine origin. Any scripture claiming to be a divine revelation must also be acceptable on the strength of its own reason and logic. (http://www.emuslim.com/QuranandScience/QuranandScience.asp)

The disbelievers 2:6-7

[2:6] As for those who disbelieve, it is the same for them; whether you warn them, or not warn them, they cannot believe.
[2:7] GOD seals their minds and their hearing, and their eyes are veiled. They have incurred severe retribution.

What a pessimistic point of view : "...they cannot believe" as if they are blind that cannot see.
Even blinds could see if GOD wants,Even deaf could hear if GOD wants,there where miracles...
So why can't they believe? cause GOD sealed their mind...
Where is the free will?!
Why God seals their mind?
Why should they get severe retribution,if they don't have a free will?!

I think its the easy way...if you failed to convince a man,its probably cause he can't believe...
Instead of thinking your logic is not convincing blame the other person...

The Righteous - 2:4

"And they believe in what was revealed to you, and in what was revealed before you"(2:4)
So from this verse sound that a good muslim should belive in the old testement and the new testement.
To belive in what was revealed to Muhammad is to belive in Quran,
So
To Belive in what was revealed to Moses is to belive in the Old Testement.
To Belive in what was revealed to Jesus is to belive in the New Testement.

There is no meaning to say i belive in moses,but i don't accept the old Testement...

This scripture is infallible - Sura 2:2

What a way to start a book...
"This scripture is infallible "- why? there's no explaination why should we believe that this scripture is reliable!!!
No one start a book with his own critique about the book he wrote...let the book say it!
If the book is really infallible ,trust the book to convince the readers...

"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
And God said, Let there be light: and there was light."(Genesis 1:1-3)
The Genesis opening is mush more dramatic!we actually can feel the silence of the void before creation,the story carry us away from the first moment...

why Reading Quran?

If i thought that this century is the century of secularism,that God is no longer a factor in human life,well,i was wrong!
The 11/9 terror attack in NY,brought back to life the religion factor of war,war in the name of God.
I belive Islam,after years of not being on public attention will now go back to the spotlight.
We all have prejudice about the Islam,but to fight my ignorance,i decied to read-learn the quran,the holly book of the muslims.Here in this blog i will share thouhs about this book...