tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post1356467556744798411..comments2024-03-19T09:06:21.507-04:00Comments on Irtiqa: "Atoms and Eden" - a brief presentationSalman Hameedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04327330113822656571noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-45213169756949362782011-03-22T04:31:10.642-04:002011-03-22T04:31:10.642-04:00Akbar,
By "personal God" thinkers usuall...Akbar,<br />By "personal God" thinkers usually refer to a God with whom we have a "personal" relationship: we pray to Him, He hears each of us, He responds to our prayers, He guides us (sometimes), He punishes us, etc. This is not, however, necessarily the same as an anthropomorphic God, who shows features and characteristics of humans (jealousy, revenge, etc.). Various thinkers and theologians have criticized either or both concepts.<br /><br />In the Qur'an we find God indeed described as a personal God, though the human traits are open for interpretation. What you describe ("absolute, eternal, non-dependent, formless, incomparable to anything that we know") is correct and refers to God's ineffability and transcendence. In the Qur'an, however, God is both transcendent and "immanent", i.e. present right here around us ("closer to you than your jugular vein").<br /><br />Now the important question is: do you want to construct your own view of God or do you want to let the ulama tell you what you must believe?Nidhal Guessoumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12638764091228065424noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-86516864348941315472011-03-22T04:15:19.582-04:002011-03-22T04:15:19.582-04:00Hi Mohamed; thanks for the comment, and glad you l...Hi Mohamed; thanks for the comment, and glad you liked my short review. <br />As I said, there are a number of surprises in the book, including some big disappointments at how shallow or cartoonish some thinkers can be...Nidhal Guessoumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12638764091228065424noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-33399473696854718312011-03-22T03:20:35.015-04:002011-03-22T03:20:35.015-04:00I read a somwhat similar book: Conversations on re...I read a somwhat similar book: Conversations on religion. Will hopefully read Atoms and Eden someday. There is so much to read and so much to listen to. To grasp the substance more efficiently, I sometimes wish someone will tell me only those bits that I will find interesting. :) But how can someone else know what bits will be of interest to me? I love increasing my general knowledge of science and religion. :) The uprising in Arab countries, Gaddafi's war, etc are of little interest to me.Alinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-55872676869568919902011-03-21T20:25:14.158-04:002011-03-21T20:25:14.158-04:00Nidhal:
What is meant by a personal God? Does Qura...Nidhal:<br />What is meant by a personal God? Does Quran advocates a personal God too? How do we interpret Quranic meaning of God when it briefly describes this concept as something unique, absolute, eternal, non-dependent, formless, incomparable to anything that we know, and incomprehensible by the standards of human imagination? What is your view of this Quranic description?Dr. M. Akbar Hussainhttp://www.amateurastronomers.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-23966483408582100672011-03-21T12:35:48.354-04:002011-03-21T12:35:48.354-04:00Very surprised to see those opinions from Harris a...Very surprised to see those opinions from Harris and Armstrong! Great review and definitely on my reading list now.<br /><br />BTW, I agree: “To the Best of Our Knowledge” on WPR is a great program. I think readers of this blog will find it worth listening to.Mohamedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03713658577594814316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-13364605481168175192011-03-21T08:00:50.938-04:002011-03-21T08:00:50.938-04:00Nidhal,
Thanks for bringing attention to the book...Nidhal,<br /><br />Thanks for bringing attention to the book. I totally concur with you. I'm currently reading it - and it is very good. I highly recommend it! It does a nice of job of highlighting the complex ways scientists view the relation between science & religion.Salman Hameedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04327330113822656571noreply@blogger.com