UNDERSTANDING REVELATION BY REASON

Dear HZ,

It is our honor to comment on the opinions of an academic intellectual like you. It is known in the Islamic community that you are a very nice man. Nevertheless, like most people in the world, you are new to Islam. Therefore, you need to read the opinion of others who have put decades into studying Islam. Below, we have replied to the points you have made, designating your points as HZ, and our points as ICBH:

HZ: Thank you for sharing the information about (IVF). However, for some reason somehow the main portion of my point was conveniently overlooked!! Therefore, hear it is again: I would like to call your attention to the verses below.

(Quran) 006.038:

" . . . Nothing have we omitted from the Book . . . "

ICBH: You tend to quote only a portion of the verse of the Quran. You must get accustomed to looking at the entire verse, along with verses that before and after it, before you make a judgment. If not, you would judge the verse out of context. It is analogous to reading a sign that says "In Case of Fire, Do Not Use Elevator" if you only read "Do Not Use Elevator". It is obvious that the context has been lost. Instead of understanding that you must not use the elevator only when there is fire, you misunderstand that you must not ever use the elevator.

HZ: (Quran) 054.017 & 054.022 & 054-032 & 054.40:

"And We have indeed made the Quran easy to understand and remember: yet will anyone memorize it?"

ICBH: As we mentioned before, you have only concentrated on select Ayat instead of the verse as a whole. As a whole, the Quran has verses that are Hard Facts (Mohkamat) and some that are Allegorical (Motashabehat). Therefore, while the verses that are Hard Facts (Mohkamat) are easy to understand, the verses that are Allegorical (Motashabehat) are not easy to understand and are open to interpretation by Ulama (Knowledgeable People).

HZ: (Quran) 016.089:

" . . . and We have revealed the Book to you explaining clearly everything, and a guidance and mercy and good news for those who submit."

ICBH: As the verse mentions, the Quran is a Book of Guidance since it explains everything clearly, resulting in mercy and good news for those who submit to it. When you obey the Quran and live according to the Quran, you will be successful.

HZ: (Quran) 039:055:

"And follow the best that has been revealed to you from your Lord before there comes to you the punishment all of a sudden while you do not even perceive;"

ICBH: As the verse mentions, obey God through revelation. Otherwise, you will suffer unperceived punishment. If you do not obey God, you will end up obeying Shaytan.

HZ: (Quran) 039:027:

"We have made up every sort of comparison for mankind in this Reading so that they may be reminded by"

ICBH: The Quran is saying that you must use both revelation and reason to understand your surrounding. For more information on Revelation and Reason, read the following articles:

REASONABLE UNDERSTANDING OF REVELATION (QURAN)

http://www.icbh.org/topics/revelation.htm

21ST CENTURY REASONABLE UNDERSTANDING OF REVELATION (QURAN)

http://www.icbh.org/topics/21stcentury.htm

HZ: (Quran) 007:003:

"Follow whatever has been sent down to you by your Lord and do not follow any sponsors besides Him"

ICBH: If you "Follow whatever has been sent down to you by your Lord", you are following Revelation. In addition to Revelation, you need to follow Reason. For example, pose the question: why is Heroin Haram? It is Haram because Revelation says Mind Altering (Khamr) is Haram, and Reason says Heroin is Mind Altering. Therefore, Heroin is Haram. The Quran says obey God, obey Rasool and obey your Religious Leaders.

HZ: . . . We have not neglected anything in the Book (Qur'an) . . . (Qur'an, 6:38)

ICBH: As mentioned before, in terms of Guidance, the Quran has not neglected anything. But, it does not mean that everything about every topic has been written in the Quran. For example, the Quran says obey God and establish prayer, but does not say:

How many Roka needs to be performed?

What needs to be recited in a specific Roka, Fatiha and/or Ikhlas?

When Roka needs to be performed?

When Sojud needs to be performed? etc.

For these issues, you must refer to the Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH) according to his Ahlul Bait (SA).

HZ: Hadiths and any other documents are written by humans for a variety of reasons (such as money, power, and so on). Quran is the commands of God. Why are we having any problem realizing this very obvious and clear fact?

ICBH: Some Hadith have been recorded down falsely for bad reasons (such as money and power). But, not all Hadith are recorded down falsely. In fact, you need Hadith for certain rules that have not been mentioned in the Quran. For example, you need Hadith to know the rules of Prayer (Namaz) and Fasting as mentioned above.

HZ: Which part of the above verses from the Holy Quran and the sermons of Nahjul Balagha are hard to understand?

ICBH: As mentioned before, not all verses of the Quran (and, for that matter, sermons of Nahjul Balagha) are easy to understand. For example, it is hard to explain the following Surah without any help from Hadith:

"To thee have We granted the Fountain (of Abundance).

"Therefore to thy Lord turn in Prayer and Sacrifice.

"For he who hateth thee, he will be cut off (Abtar, No Male Children)."

Surah Kousar (108): Ayat 1-3

You need Hadith to help you understand that Kousar [Fountain (of Abundance)] is Fatima Zahra (SA), the daughter of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).

For every Ayat and Surah, you must know the "Shane Nozol": the reason the Ayat was revealed, the time the Ayat was revealed in relation to another Ayat. Surah Kousar was revealed after Prophet's (PBUH) son Ebrahim died. People were saying that the Prophet (PBUH) has no son and descendant, and therefore he will be "Abtar". God says we gave you "Kousar" (Fatima) and your descendant will be from her. Now, there are millions of "Sayyid" descendants of the Prophet (PBUH) and all the enemies of the Prophet (PBUH) do not exist. God says the truth.

HZ: In your email, you mentioned "ijma of the ulama". Who are the "ijma of the ulama"? Whoever they are and whatever they say according to His Holly Majesty Ali; should be considered as a point of view of someone or a group of people, nothing else.

ICBH: The "ijma of the ulama" (Consensus of Knowledgeable People) is Common Sense and Collective Reasoning. Shariat is based on Revelation (Quran and Sunnat) and Reason (Aghl and Ijma). While Revelation is fixed, Understanding of Revelation is variable. Reason changes according to time. Therefore, Islam stays alive and fresh forever. If you want to destroy Islam, take out the Reason. Unreasonable Religion is Unreasonable.

HZ: I am taught by The Holy Quran that I only follow the commands of God (Quran) and nothing else. Please remember this part: " . . . Nothing have we omitted from the Book . . . " God is telling us: The Holy Quran is complete. (Doesn't need any help by any human, with any title, even if they call themselves "ijma of the ulama" or anything else)

ICBH: As mentioned before, the Quran does not mention the rules of Prayer (Namaz). Therefore, pose the following questions:

Where in the Quran does it say Fajr Prayer is 2 Rakat?

Where in the Quran does it say Zohr Prayer is 4 Rakat? etc.

Where in the Quran does it say we must first begin the Rakat with Surah Fatiha?

Where in the Quran does it say that we must continue the Rakat with Ruko?

The answer to all these important detailed questions about the rules of Prayer (Namaz) are not found in the Quran. They are found in Hadith and Sunnah.

HZ: We all have been given the power of choice. Having The Holy Quran in my hands, and the very clear commands of God in black and white, " . . . Nothing have we omitted from the Book . . . "; as a Muslim (An individual who is totally submitted only to God) I do not follow any other source under any condition and for any reason whatsoever

ICBH: The Quran says:

"O ye who believe!

"1. Obey Allah, and

"2. obey the Messenger, and those charged with authority among you (Your Religious Leaders)."

Surah Nisa (4): Ayat 59

The main point is that, according to another Ayat in the Quran, you must take:

"1. Allah,

"2. His Messenger, and the (fellowship of) believers

"as Wali".

Surah Maida (5): Ayat 56

Those charged with authority among you and the (fellowship of) believers are religious leaders. Therefore, you must obey your religious leaders as your Wali (Guardian).

HZ: With these Undisputed Clear Facts (not what x, y, and z is saying), should we as a Muslim still read the writings and obey what another human is telling us? Or should we read The Holy Quran and only obey the commands of Almighty God?

ICBH: As Muslims, we should always expand our knowledge. The first word revealed to Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) was "Read" [Surah Alaq (96):1]. Therefore, we should not limit ourselves in one field of knowledge despite the fact that a particular point from one field of knowledge was not mentioned in the Quran. For example, in the field of medicine, Islam goes over in vitro fertilization. Yet, the Quran does not cover in vitro fertilization. Therefore, another human, namely a Momen medical doctor who is an expert in the field of medicine and Quran, can tell you when it is Haram or Halal to go through with in vitro fertilization.

HZ: Please respond to me if and only if your statements are followed by at least one of the verses of Quran. Points of view of people are just a point of view, and nothing else.

ICBH: We need Revelation and Reason to address an issue. You are asking us to restrict ourselves not only to Revelation, but only to one resource of Revelation (Quran). Furthermore, you are disregarding Reason in addressing an issue. For example, the Quran (One Type of Resource of Revelation) does not address the issue as to whether or not women should be allowed to be an Imam. Therefore, we must not only use another source of Revelation (Sunnat/Hadith), but we must use Reason as well.

HZ: [In in vitro fertilization,] the doctor usually uses about 3 fertilized eggs in the procedure which the other 2 usually die and they conclude this as like killing the living being or wasting them.

ICBH: According to another human, namely a medical doctor who is an expert in the field of medicine, in in vitro fertilization, 1 or 2 Fertilized Eggs are used, and the remaining 8 or 10 Fertilized Eggs are usually either Frozen or Flushed. In Islam, a Fertilized Egg inside a womb, if grown, becomes a Fetus. In 6 weeks, the soul enters the Fetus, and then becomes a baby. Fertilized Egg outside the womb is like a single-cell either sperm or ovum. Therefore, it can be flushed.

Please reply. It is our pleasure to have dialogue with you.

Islamic Center of Beverly Hills