Discussion about "My Ordeal with the Qur'an"
Reply #1685 - December 17, 2014, 08:20 PM
OK, How's this:
"My Ordeal with the Qur'an and God in the Qur'an" is an English translation of a book originally written in Arabic by Dr Abbas Abdul Nour, born in Damanhur, Egypt in 1927. A graduate of Al Azhar and a doctor of philosophy. He was a preacher, imam and head of a Sufi lodge in Egypt.
He began to have doubts about his faith which led to endless questions and ultimately to the conclusion that revelation is the product of the human mind rather than the mind of god. As a consequence revelation must be subject to human reason and not the other way around.
There are very few books by Muslims that analyse the Qur'an in a truly critical way - and even fewer in Arabic by Arabs. This book is important because it breaks that ground and removes that barrier.
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(Quotes from the author's introduction.)
This book is an emphatic and unambiguous call for a re-reading of the Qur'an… It is a call to break the shackles & chains that have distorted our thinking… that have become a source of backwardness and ruin.
It is a fresh look at the Qur'anic text along with criticism and analysis of its verses in an attempt to lift the veils that obscure our vision, nay, that have blinded us. That have paralysed our ability to think freely.
The Qur'anic text has become our holy cow. There is no difference between those who worship statues and those who worship the text. We approach it on our knees, prostrating before it, trembling and terrified. We fear the lions roar that wards off all those who dare peek behind.
I want us to storm this lion's lair that guards the text of the Qur'an… We must apply the methodology of reason. We must re-consider the distinction we have created between the sacred and the profane. The Qur'an must be placed back into the fallible human realm where it belongs.
Achieving such a transformation will be difficult. But every journey begins with one step and the benefits will be enormous. For we will finally end the tragedy of our situation. Heal the schisms that have torn us apart. Reconcile the differences between us and our fellow man regardless of faith or the lack of it. Start building a new and better identity and society in our countries. One that will allow us to once again contribute positively to the course of human history. For identity is not something that simply corresponds to a past glory, formed at one moment in history and then remaining like that forever. It is an ongoing process of constant re-invention.
We must be courageous and face the facts regardless of fear, apprehension and unease. We cannot remain imprisoned in this dark cramped room while the world around us marches on. We must throw open the curtains and go out into the light. Re-discover the spirit of dynamism & enterprise we once had before retreating to this time-capsule and locking the doors.
The book that is in front of you requires you suffer some pain and that you persevere in reflecting and introspection. It will strain your nerves, frighten and anger you. It will trigger instinctive defence mechanisms.
But I have not written this other than with a good intention, longing for us to be better.
Ultimately it is up to, you, the reader, to judge and think for yourself.
Topic: Discussion about "My Ordeal with the Qur'an"