tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post775430697273403515..comments2024-03-09T04:25:13.906-05:00Comments on Irtiqa: The folly of seeking premonitions in sacred textsSalman Hameedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04327330113822656571noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-60303338183033430482012-07-28T16:34:58.110-04:002012-07-28T16:34:58.110-04:00Ali,
Thanks for letting us know about your book.
...Ali,<br /><br />Thanks for letting us know about your book.<br /><br />-SalmanSalman Hameedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04327330113822656571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-57767878785957821402012-07-28T04:34:32.802-04:002012-07-28T04:34:32.802-04:00@ Jawwad
There was no need for such sarcasm. But...@ Jawwad <br /><br />There was no need for such sarcasm. But thank you for the "Best Regards and good luck to all your patients" part. <br /><br />AliAlihttps://www.createspace.com/3772911(optional)noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-46425239066229604532012-07-28T02:12:56.384-04:002012-07-28T02:12:56.384-04:00"Dr Ali argues that in our observations of sc..."Dr Ali argues that in our observations of science there is plenty of evidence for God. This evidence becomes clear only if we interpret scientific findings comprehensively."<br /><br />Dear Dr Sheeza Ali<br /><br />Anxiously waiting for the next Noble Prize to go to you. It seems from the description that you have rendered Scientific Method useless in one master-stroke! I can predict in advance that there will be one condition missing in all your statements in the book and that is falsifiability!<br /><br />Best Regards and good luck to all your patients.<br /><br />JawadMohammad Jawwadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12163268927776847361noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-27863425777169357412012-07-28T01:41:25.774-04:002012-07-28T01:41:25.774-04:00* please delete the word 'well' in the des...* please delete the word 'well' in the description of the book.Alinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-35861628167052853142012-07-28T01:39:42.785-04:002012-07-28T01:39:42.785-04:00God is not a Delusion -- A well book by a Muslim D...God is not a Delusion -- A well book by a Muslim Doctor presents arguemnts against atheism. <br /> <br /><br />Dear Salman and readers of this website,<br />Ramadan Kareem.<br />Long, long ago, I mentioned that I was writing this book.<br />Now that it is complete, and out in the market, I thought I will let you know.<br />Kind regards,<br />Ali <br /><br /><br />Please visit the following link for details.<br /><br />https://www.createspace.com/3772911Alinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-27003462501900251332012-07-26T22:30:41.554-04:002012-07-26T22:30:41.554-04:00Asad,
It will be interesting to see how global co...Asad, <br />It will be interesting to see how global communication is going to combine or wipe-out certain ideas. If we go by the example of the "2012", then we will fuse new ones with content from all over the world. <br /><br />Jawwad,<br />yes, since the power and success of science is now quite apparent, it is now used for the promotion for all sorts of religions. The pattern of inerrancy that you have alluded to is also seen in other religions as well.Salman Hameedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04327330113822656571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-21072909281215928642012-07-26T03:38:07.517-04:002012-07-26T03:38:07.517-04:00I have come across a toned down version of the sam...I have come across a toned down version of the same folly of finding science in scriptures. The argument is that Quran is not a book of science but the statements in Quran pertaining to science are always accurate. Perhaps this is less of a worry as it is a veiled attempt that in essence concedes that scriptures are reinterpreted in the light of science but the link between science and holy texts remain nonetheless. And of course, the ultimate motive remains to prove the superiority, correctness and miraculous nature of one's religion.Mohammad Jawwadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12163268927776847361noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-37086492818890929732012-07-26T00:14:39.515-04:002012-07-26T00:14:39.515-04:00Yes, messianic beliefs were motivational and spiri...Yes, messianic beliefs were motivational and spiritually beneficial for endangered minorities like Jews, early Christians or Shias (facing persecution under Umayyads & Abbasids). But when these beliefs are misused and hijacked to promote vengeful militant or political ideologies (as in present times) then there will be a potential for conflict and human suffering. <br /><br />Here’s a rather long essay from a mainly Jewish perspective by a Hartford seminary professor. <br /><br />http://abrahamicfamilyreunion.org/shiite-mahdism-and-jewish-messianism-the-ambivalent-mingling-of-piety-and-politics/Asad Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00590746399686326935noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-29294787139645774522012-07-25T22:59:04.853-04:002012-07-25T22:59:04.853-04:00Asad,
Thanks for the broader historical context -...Asad,<br /><br />Thanks for the broader historical context - and you are right about these roots and about the influence of the period Babylonian Captivity. The same is true for some of the origin stories as well as the narrative of the flood (from the Epic of Gilgamesh). <br /><br />But, of course, there is a tremendous appeal for these end-of-days narratives - and I think one can find spiritual elevation from these. The problem comes when they are simply reduced to the specifics of battles and various destructions. Such reductions soak out complexities and leave us with a Michael Bay version of Sacred texts. And that is a problem.<br /><br />By the way, I like your comparison of people like Shahid Masood with Harold Camping. This is accurate. When I teach about UFO religions (like Raelians or Scientology), I stress their similarities to mainstream religions...and leave the value judgement aside.Salman Hameedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04327330113822656571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-69055891506970901352012-07-25T18:25:49.177-04:002012-07-25T18:25:49.177-04:00It is because of this hope that the ancient Jews a...It is because of this hope that the ancient Jews and early Christians and Muslims found the apocalyptic & messianic ideas appealing and that is why they were adopted and then expanded upon. Even to this day many muslims (esp. shia) most fervently wait for the messiah 12th Imam and pray for his early arrival (along with Jesus’ 2nd coming) to intervene and rid the world of evil. Some like Shahid Masood or Haroon Yahya know how to make a quick buck out of it while others like Harold Camping or 2012 Mayan doomsday ones just make fool of themselves.Asad Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00590746399686326935noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-82487810831422853452012-07-25T17:31:46.205-04:002012-07-25T17:31:46.205-04:00It is interesting because if you go back in histor...It is interesting because if you go back in history a bit one will find that major parts Judeo-Christian and Muslim eschatology are heavily borrowed from Zoroastrianism. Let’s see how.<br /><br />King Josiah considered himself a savior of Judaic monotheism and amongst his contemporary prophets he may have inspired the concept of hope for a future ‘messiah’. In 609 BC he died fighting Egyptian pharaoh Necho at Megiddo (from which the word ‘Armageddon’ is derived). Twenty years later when Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem, a sizeable portion of Jews including priests, scribes and prominent citizens were exiled to Babylon.<br /> <br />In 540 BC Babylon was captured by Cyrus of Persia who allowed the Jews to freely practice their religion. It is believed that major parts of the Old Testament were written down and theology expanded during this period in Babylon. Before the exile to Babylon in 6th century BC, Judaism had a very vague or no concept of the end of times or heaven & hell and it’s only during the exile that Jewish eschatology & messianism as well as the concepts of heaven & hell, resurrection, demons/Satan and angels were developed.<br /> <br />Persia, whose chief religion was Zoroastrianism, was the dominant nation of the region and had a rich cultural mythology definitely predating the written Jewish Torah. There is little doubt that Jewish eschatological concepts were influenced by Persian & Zoroastrian mythologies as the similarities are too vivid to ignore. These ideas then found their way into Christianity and Islam. Jews, early Christians and Muslims were a persecuted lot and the idea of a messiah provided hope for the future and an ultimate triumph of good over evil and the establishment of a pious kingdom/governance on earth.<br /><br />Here are some links:<br />http://www.nytimes.com/1999/04/03/arts/apocalyptic-meditations-every-faith-has-a-view.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm<br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messianism#Zoroastrianism<br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoroastrian_eschatology<br />http://www.zarathushtra.com/z/article/biblicalconnection.htm<br />http://www.zarathushtra.com/z/article/influenc.htmAsad Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00590746399686326935noreply@blogger.com