Jalal
Abualrub
| ·
"Sufism has had a great impact
on the way the average Iranians view Islam. Sufism does not have
the hard edges that traditional Islam has. It is much more
tolerant and much more mystical."
Well, you have chosen the wrong Muslim to talk ill about
Sufism. I am a follower of the Quran and Sunnah, the way the
Prophet's companions understood and implemented them. Thus, not
only Sufism is a borrowed philosophy, as you stated, but a
separate ideology alien and in opposition to Islam.
I never fail to criticize Sufism in the light of the Quran
and Sunnah and will soon write a booklet on its negative impact on
Muslims. |
So far you are the winner of this discussion. You are
again on the money. Islam and Sufism are two different things. Thanks
heaven that both of us know that. Please do write your book and let all
the deluded people who think Sufism is an interpretation of Islam know
that too.
You would be doing a great service to both of us.
| Yet, you offered no examples on how Sufism is more tolerant than
'traditional Islam', whatever that term means. Thus, so far, your
criticism is concentrated on what
Iran
had to offer you in terms of Shiism and Sufism, both of which I am
extremely familiar with, but opposed to, and the revolution and
its impact on the Iranian society. I fail to see specific examples
in the creed of Islam or its tenets that compelled you to dislike
Islam. |
Okay, let us leave Sufism aside since it has nothing
to do with Islam. Let us talk about Islam and sure as we go along I will
give you the specific reason for which I dislike Islam. I suppose that is
the subject of our discussion.
| 4. "Many
Iranian sages found the Quran too mundane with little or no
spiritual content." At least you said here, 'many
Iranians'; you still need proof and examples to what you said
here. Are there any
specific and direct examples to support you sweeping statement
about the Quran that it does not have a spiritual content? You
know that anyone can issue a general statement about anything they
do not like, but the evidence is what counts, isn't it? |
You are absolutely right. I shall provide my
evidences one by one allowing you to refute them.
| 5. What
you described in your statement, “so they
tried to reinterpret the verses of that book and vest them with
spiritual significance to satisfy their own refined mystical
palate", is the very method that I spent my life
objecting to and opposing. Yet, I again fail to see specific
examples here, just a general statement, let alone why Islam is at
fault here so that you disliked it. |
That was the introduction! The specifics are what we
are going to talk about. I already gave you one specific. It is the charge
of misogyny. Let us start with that. Once you
respond to that charge I will move to the next one.
| 6. "Most
of the Iranian modern Muslims did not go to mosques or paid much
attention to the Mullahs." I ask you for evidence to
this statement. Someone else could counter by saying that it is
well-known that the Iranian mosques are full of worshippers and
that the so-called mullahs, an un-Islamic term, still hold
considerable influence over
Iran
, with millions of Iranians still devoted to them and supportive
of their agenda. I am not a Shiite nor do I ever support Shiism or
its dogmas, but justice is required from all. You, again, issue
sweeping statements here for which you need to not only present
evidence, but also state the relevance of them to why you left the
true Islam, rather than the Iranian, Sufi, Shiite Islam. |
The fact that most Iranians, do not go to the Mosque
is something you can find out by talking to any Iranian. But that is not
the point we want to discuss. Our discussion is about Islam and Muhammad
and whether he was a true messenger of God. If you want to assume that
Iranians are devout Muslims, that is fine with me. The charges that I have
brought against Muhammad have nothing to do with Iranians.
| 7. "The
Islamization of Iran which led to the Islamic revolution was so
sudden that took everyone by surprise. Khomeini said people did
not make the revolution because they wanted a better life; they
made the revolution because they wanted Islam. That of course was
not true." Again, you are talking to the wrong person
about
Shiism
,
Iran
and Khomeini. If this is why you left Islam, I heard nothing so
far in terms of why you left the Quran and prophetic Sunnah, which
came to existence before Shiism, or the so-called Islamic Sufism,
or the Iranian revelation. Yet, your statement that the
Islamization of Iran led to the Islamic revolution is stated
backward. Do you mean that the revolution led to the Islamization,
or at least to bringing Khomeini to power who then led the
Islamization of Iran? |
Let us forget about
Iran
and Shiism. My charges are laid against Muhammad and the Quran. They have
nothing to so with Shiism, Mullahs or
Iran
. I brought that up just to answer your questions but really they are
irrelevant.
| 8. "People
made the revolution because they wanted freedom of speech. But
foolishly they followed a religious leader who lied to them and
promised them such freedom." This is your personal
opinion to describe one of the major movements of the late
twentieth century. Freedom of speech, as you put it, was but one
of many complex issues that led to the revolution. So for you to
offer this simplistic explanation needs powerful evidence,
scientific evidence. I witnessed the Iranian revolution, to which
I am opposed, and followed its news closely for years. The
complexity of it and the political, economic, social and religious
factors that led to its triumphant conclusion are far more
important, and complex, than the mere reason you offered for it. |
Yes I agree, I merely pointed out one aspect of it.
But we are not going to talk about
Iran
and its revolution. Our discussion is going to be about Muhammad and
whether he was a messenger of God. Specifically I will lay charges against
Muhammad and you will prove those charges are not true.
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