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Wednesday, September 05, 2007

Book 1 (The Cow) Cont...

In verse 2:17 of 'The Cow', Allah continues to emphasize the despair that must belong to those who do not believe, those who are in darkness. For example (cont. from v. 2:16);
"Such are those that barter guidance for error: they profit nothing, nor are they on the right path. They are like one who kindled a fire, but as soon as it lit up all around him Allah put it out and left him in darkness: they do not see. Deaf, dumb, and blind, they will never return to the right path."
Here, as seen before (in both the Arabic and English texts), Allah is clearly without love when he speaks to his followers through Muhammad, without grace.
Compare this picture of "god" with Eph. 1: 7-8:
'In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished upon us.'
(Take special note of the mention of the Lord's blood being shed - it will come up again in a more important/influential context.)
Later on in the same passage, Allah brings down even more punishment in an Allah v. unbeliever context.
"Indeed, if Allah pleased, he could take away their hearing and their sight: Allah has power over all things."
It is interesting to cite what Muhammad, Allah's mouth, says in the last passage of soffha thalatha (page three):
"If you doubt what We have revealed to Our servant, produce one chapter comparable to it. Call upon your idols to assist you, if what you say be true. But if you fail (as you are sure to fail), then guard yourselves against the Fire whose fuel is men and stones, prepared for the unbelievers."
I'm sure Allah's challenge is meant to sound threatening, ominous, frightening. But to me, as a Christian, it merely emphasizes the insecurity of this faith. This idol has a base of clay and a head of gold - it is built on nothing but lies, and so, in the end, must fall. This challenge sounds like a child's dare or a "your mom" joke, meant to goad the opponent to something worse or better or higher or longer. What kind of child dares? One who is insecure of his own abilities, one who needs to see someone else try to do better and fail before he is sure of himself.
It is also interesting to note that Allah uses the third person "we" rather than "I". Those who read the Bible or the Qur'an for the first time may believe, as mentioned in the previous post, that the similarities between the two texts run deeper than the surface. However, when Allah refers to himself as "we", it's merely a royal "we", and authoritative "we", as opposed to Christ's "we", which refers to the Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Because there is no Trinity in Islam, there is no love shared between different parts of the same God. This is the base explanation for the lack of love displayed by Allah, both towards his followers and those he calls the unbelievers. If a child sees no love growing up, it's doubtful that he will show any love when he is an adult. In the same sense, because there has always been love in the Holy Trinity, there will always be love from the Trinity towards the children of God.
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Book 1 (The Cow)

In the first section of "The Cow", Allah defines who shall "triumph" and who shall not. When describing those who shall not come into great reward, Allah says (v. 2:6),
"As for the unbelievers, it is the same whether or not you forwarn them; they will not have faith".
This implies that there is no hope of redemption, no glimmer of salvation to which those in alleged darkness may cling. There is no room for grace. Compare this to Ps. 130:7:
'O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love and with Him is plenteous redemption.'
In the very next sentence, Allah begins his mantra on punishment for those who are in darkness.
"Allah has set a seal upon their hearts and ears; their sight is dimmed and grievous punishment awaits them.
There are some who declare 'We believe in Allah and the Last Day', yet they are no true believers.
They seek to deceive Allah and those who believe in him: but they deceive none but themselves, though they may not perceive it.
There is a sickness in their hearts which Allah has aggravated: they shall be sternly punished for the lies they tell."
Compare this to Rom. 1:21:
'For although they knew God they did not honor Him as God or give thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and their senseless minds were darkened.'
Some who are not familiar with either the Bible or the Qur'an may be inclined to think that these two passages are saying the same thing. To some extent, they do communicate the same concept. Those who do not honor God are sent into darkness, a kind of separation from Him and from understanding. But the difference lies in the future of these lost souls. Where there is Allah, there is no hope for redemption, no salvation, no grace, no love (more of this will become evident later). Where there is Jesus, where there is the one true God, plenteous redemption can be found.
Later on in the same passage Allah speaks once more of those in darkness -
"When they are told: 'You shall not do evil in the land,' they reply: 'Surely we are doing only what is good.' But it is they who are the evil-doers, though they may not perceive it...Allah will mock them and keep them long in sin, ever straying from the right path. Such are those that barter guidance for error: they profit nothing, nor are they on the right path."
Compare this to Mat. 15:13-14:
'He answered, "Every plant which my Heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit."
Again, there are similarities at the roots of these two texts, and again the difference lies in the attitude of grace and the lack thereof. In the example from the Qur'an, it almost seems as though Allah finds sport in these blind men, mocking them and keeping them in sin. Again, this demonstrates that with Allah there is no love, no compassion, despite his title of 'The Compassionate, the Merciful'. In the example from the Bible, it is said that they will be rooted up, but not mocked. They will fall into a pit thanks to their own sin, but not because God wishes to keep them there.
Also compare this example from the Qur'an to Ps. 146: 8:
'The Lord opens the eyes of the blind'.
This emphasizes hope, brings forth the grace of Christ in stark contrast to the dark and mocking words of Allah. When held up to this bright light, how can such evil words stand?