Questions for Muslims

Question 1:

Is the Quran clear or unclear?

Quote:

[2.99] And certainly We have revealed to you clear communications and none disbelieve in them except the transgressors.
[2.242] Allah thus makes clear to you His communications that you may understand.

Some people believe that texts are so inherently vague, that all texts are meaningless. If we accept this skeptical viewpoint, then the Quran is a meaningless text. So we can ignore the text and do whatever we think is right. I do not think that that is the approach advocated by the Quran, or why would Allah want us to follow this text that we cannot understand? Further, the Quran self-proclaims itself to be clear. Therefore, the Islamic position would seem to be that the Koran is clear and to believe and follow it.

Question 2:

Do you believe in hell?

The Quran repeatedly condemns unbelievers to hell. The Quran repeatedly claims to be just, wise and merciful. If your child, parent, spouse or sibling were a non-believer, would you advocate that they should burn in hell for eternity? The punishment is ineffective as a deterrent, as a non-believer would not accept that the Quran is from God, and would not expect to be punished for non-belief.

Question 3:

Would you blindly follow such a ruler (see below) and why or why not?

http://www.secularhumanism.org/wtc.htm describes many violent verses from the Koran.
Based on Islamic tradition, the Quran is clear, the text is perfect, it is from God, and it is free from errors.
Imagine there was a new ruler of a state that believed with perfect faith in the Quran. This ruler has read the Quran hundreds of times.
He then decides to run the state according to the Quran, and he wants you to carry out the punishments. He (and his team of judges??) would decide on who gets what punishment and your job would be to punish the people (e.g., you would amputate thieves, and blindly follow whatever punishments are prescribed). Would you accept such a position?
The reason I am asking this question is that there are many victims of violence in the name of Islam. I'd like to distance myself from these people that commit these violent acts in the name of Islam. I'd explain that we have no proof that the current Quran is from Allah or that it is the same as the original, that the text is unclear and could be misinterpreted, that there is no proof that there are no contradictions, that it is wrong to follow a false prophet, and we have no proof that Muhammad was a true prophet. With all these doubts we should err on the side of compassion. And if you are still unsure you need to carefully evaluate every source on Islam to determine whether Islam is true, so that you don't unethically hurt people.
Would you blindly follow such a ruler and why or why not?

Question 4:

Can you offer a proof, not a hypothesis, but a proof that the Koran is from God? Can you list several verses that are so brilliant that they have to be from God? Can you prove that the Quran that Allah recited to Gabriel is the exact same text we have today?

Question 5:

Do you have doubts about the truth of Islam?
If you lack proof, then being intellectually honest, you should doubt that the Quran is from God.

Quote:

[2.147] The truth is from your Lord, therefore you should not be of the doubters.
[6.2] He it is Who created you from clay, then He decreed a term; and there is a term named with Him; still you doubt.
[49.15] The believers are only those who believe in Allah and His Apostle then they doubt not and struggle hard with their wealth and their lives in the way of Allah; they are the truthful ones.

Question 6:

Are you a hypocrite?
Some people claim to believe in Islam, but really do not. These are hypocrites.

Quote:

[4.138] Announce to the hypocrites that they shall have a painful chastisement:
[4.142] Surely the hypocrites strive to deceive Allah, and He shall requite their deceit to them, and when they stand up to prayer they stand up sluggishly; they do it only to be seen of men and do not remember Allah save a little.
[4.145] Surely the hypocrites are in the lowest stage of the fire and you shall not find a helper for them.
[9.67] The hypocritical men and the hypocritical women are all alike; they enjoin evil and forbid good and withhold their hands; they have forsaken Allah, so He has forsaken them; surely the hypocrites are the transgressors.
[9.73] O Prophet! strive hard against the unbelievers and the hypocrites and be unyielding to them; and their abode is hell, and evil is the destination.

Question 7:

The Koran claims it is clear, but I do not think it is clear. I honestly do not know how certain cases of inheritance should be handled according to the Quran. I am unaware of a proof that Islam is true. I do not have the courage of my convictions to amputate a thief, or to commit an 8:12. Striving to be honest, I have doubts. But it is wrong to have doubts. If I follow Islam but do not believe in it then I am a hypocrite. What should I do? The choices are believer, doubter, unbeliever or hypocrite.

Rand

Note: The quotes from the Quran are from http://www.hti.umich.edu/k/koran/browse.html.