Assalaam'Alaikum!

It seems like there is little talk around here, and I am not sure if there are that many members, but I hope that we do get some people into this conversation.

I would like to quote some verses from the "Holy Qu'ran" and try to add some comments, and see if others may add their comments (My comments are in bold, and right below the quotes). Here are some of the scriptures:

Sura al-Baqara

2:38-40We said: "Get ye down all from here; and if, as is sure, there comes to you Guidance from me, whosoever follows My guidance, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. (39)"But those who reject Faith and belie Our Signs, they shall be companions of the Fire; they shall abide therein."(40) O Children of Israel! call to mind the (special) favourwhich I bestowed upon you, and fulfil your covenant with Me as I fulfil My Covenant with you, and fear none but Me.

Here is the first promise from Allah to send us 'The Book of Guidance,' this was immediately after Man was sent out of the Garden (down from heaven?). Also, we see that indeed Allah sent down guidance for the People.

2:62-64 Those who believe (in the Qur'an), and those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), and the Christians and the Sabians,- any who believe in God and the Last Day, and work righteousness, shall have their reward with their Lord; on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. (63) And remember We took your covenant and We raised above you (The towering height) of Mount (Sinai) : (Saying): "Hold firmly to what We have given you and bring (ever) to remembrance what is therein: Perchance ye may fear God."(64) But ye turned back thereafter: Had it not been for the Grace and Mercy of God to you, ye had surely been among the lost.

Here we have the list of those (some?) who will have their reward in Paradise (with their Lord). It tells us that there are three, or four(?), Scriptures that can be followed (Jewish and Christian could be counted as almost the same, by exception of the Injil, which strictly defines Christian scripture). And that whosoever works rightesously, to him shall the Allah reward (with good, and he shall not fear, nor grieve).

Also, we see that 'many had turned from the way' of the Book, but that because of Allah's mercy, they were not lost (forever).

2:75-76 Can ye (o ye men of Faith) entertain the hope that they will believe in you?- Seeing that a party of them heard the Word of God, and perverted it knowingly after they understood it.(76) Behold! when they meet the men of Faith, they say: "We believe": But when they meet each other in private, they say: "Shall you tell them what God hath revealed to you, that they may engage you in argument about it before your Lord?"- Do ye not understand (their aim)?

In here we see that it is talking to the men of Faith (wether Jew, Christian, Sabian, or Muslim it is not clear), and it says to them that "some of the people whom oppose them, say they believe, but that they have knowlingly perverted the Truth" (meaning that they have the scriptures, and understood it, but have chosen to ignore them, and teach not the truth).

2:79-81 Then woe to those who write the Book with their own hands, and then say:"This is from God," to traffic with it for miserable price!- Woe to them for what their hands do write, and for the gain they make thereby. (80) And they say: "The Fire shall not touch us but for a few numbered days:" Say: "Have ye taken a promise from God, for He never breaks His promise? or is it that ye say of God what ye do not know?" (81) Nay, those who seek gain in evil, and are girt round by their sins,- they are companions of the Fire: Therein shall they abide (For ever).

This passage is (I think?) addressing the "Pharisaic Rabbis" who wrote [commentaries, a/o interpretations of the]Law (meaning, they being the supreme authority, copied the Law and made interpretations for the people, therefore only [pharisees] said what they wanted to say, but not what Allah had commanded).

Also, it is a belief among many "Pantheist, Liberals, and others whose wishful thinking is" that hell is only temporal (some claim that it does not last more than 11-months), and after that, they all go to heaven. These have been some of the teachings of Kabbalah, Gnosticism, etc.

2:85, 87-89, 91After this it is ye, the same people, who slay among yourselves, and banish a party of you from their homes; assist (Their enemies) against them, in guilt and rancour; and if they come to you as captives, ye ransom them, though it was not lawful for you to banish them. Then is it only a part of the Book that ye believe in, and do ye reject the rest? but what is the reward for those among you who behave like this but disgrace in this life?- and on the Day of Judgment they shall be consigned to the most grievous penalty. For God is not unmindful of what ye do. (87) We gave Moses the Book and followed him up with a succession of apostles; We gave Jesus the son of Mary Clear (Signs) and strengthened him with the holy spirit. Is it that whenever there comes to you an apostle with what ye yourselves desire not, ye are puffed up with pride?- Some ye called impostors, and others ye slay! (88)They say, "Our hearts are the wrappings (which preserve God's Word: we need no more)." Nay, God's curse is on them for their blasphemy: Little is it they believe. (89) And when there comes to them a Book from God, [b]confirming what is with them[/b],- although from of old they had prayed for victory against those without Faith,- when there comes to them that which they (should) have recognised, they refuse to belie ve in it but the curse of God is on those without Faith. (91) When it is said to them, "Believe in what God Hath sent down, "they say, "We believe in what was sent down to us:" yet they reject all besides, even if it be Truth confirming what is with them. Say: "Why then have ye slain the prophets of God in times gone by, if ye did indeed believe?"

In these passages we see that "all scriptures" have been given by Allah, and that he gave them Moses, and then followed them with the Prophets, up to Isaa, and each and everyone of them came to confirm the Scriptures (as valid, and guidance for the people), yet many did not believe them. (Yet they claim to have believed, but their works show that they did not, because they had commited too much evil.) And many (not all) continued in their perverted ways.

It tells us that many claim to have the Law in their hearts, yet there is nothing but evil in their hearts, therefore they reject the prophets who call them to obey the Law. They have understood the Law, but in their hearts they have perverted it.

2:111-13 And they say: "None shall enter Paradise unless he be a Jew or a Christian." Those are their (vain) desires. Say: "Produce your proof if ye are truthful." (112) Nay,-whoever submits His whole self to God and is a doer of good,- He will get his reward with his Lord; on such shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.
(113) The Jews say: "The Christians have naught (to stand) upon; and the Christians say: "The Jews have naught (To stand) upon." Yet they (Profess to) study the (same) Book. Like unto their word is what those say who know not; but God will judge between them in their quarrel on the Day of Judgment.

This passage says that you don't need to be a Christian, or a Jew, to enter Paradise (these are vain desires, and that if you subscribe to them [because they say so], then will you be forsaken), that all you need to do is submit yourself unto Allah, and do good deeds, and then you shall be rewarded in Paradise.

It also tells us that Christians and Jews do study from the same Book (exception is the Injil), yet they say that (the beliefs of the) one is wrong, and vice versa. And it also implies that 'no one should' judge them for that, because Allah will judge between the two. It appears to be a warning, that no one should judge eachother.

[Note: I did not include all the verses in the chapter because it would take up a lot of space, but feel free to read it yourself. Please add your comments, and remember to stay in the same chapter (Sura al-Baqara).]