Why I am not a Muslim

Why I am not a Muslim
(p 44) Religion and Government: Under the Abbasids, there was an intimate relation between the government and religion…government and religion were identical…religion was the government of the people
(p 35 )Pilgrimage to Mecca, rites and rituals-Pagan (sura 2.153,22.28-30,5.1-4,23.37).
(p 39)Black stone worshipped-elements of Alexandria writing ca 190 “the Arabs worship stones
(p 43)Widengreen: Iranian types of religion exercised…post exilic Jewish religion…Mithraism…gnosticism and on Islam( p 133)
(p 45) 5 times prayers Zoroastrian-people of the book (Sura 22.17).
(p 46) Meraj and Burraq also Persian-Zoroastrian.
(p 48) belief in angels and demons from Persians and pagan Arabs.
(p49) heavily indebted to Judaism
(p52) creation based on Exodus 20.11) sura 1.37.
(p 53) moral and legal laws from the Talmud-3/12 waiting period for divorced female to remarry (sura 2.28) Talmud 40.1, stories and legends, Adam, Cain and Abel, Noah, Joseph. Hud, Moses, Solomon-Sheba.
(p 60) Alexander the great epic of Gilgamesh.
(p 61) Christianity-Syrian-Jacobite and Nestorian kind
(p 63) Jesus-sura 4.155,156 deny crucifixation
(p 66) Earliest biography of m by Ibne Ishaq 750 CE, (died 632)
(p 67) Hadith-Bukhari d 870, Muslim d 875, Ibne Maja Abu Dawood d 889, al-Tirmizi d 892, al-Nisar d 915.
( p77) Hijra 622.
(p 78) Al-Hudaibiya 628
(p 91) Massacre of Jews
Zainab bint Jahsh w/o Zaid. God permitted (sura 32.2-37) Aisha “Truly your God seems to have been very quick in fulfilling your prayers
Satanic verses-sura 53 Lat, Uzza and Manat-these are exalted females, whose intercession, verily is to be sought after.
Gabriel later on “what, shall be male progeny to you, and female unto them that were indeed an unjust partition. They are naught but names, which ye and your fathers have invented.
(p 104) Quran-mindless way children chant
(p 107) disputed ayahs
(p 127) God’-omnipotent, omniscient, benevolent, angry, proud, unable to control subjects from sin, self sufficient, why mankind, all powerful, why demand praise and worship from those he has created
(p 138) Islam and evolution
(p 147) did Jesus exist.
(p 163) Bertrand Russell-bolshevism combines the characteristics of the French revolution with those of the rise of Islam.
Marx has taught us that communism is fatally pre-destined to come about, this produces a state of mind, not unlike that of the early successors of M
Among religions, Bolshevism is to be reckoned with Mohammedanism, rather than with Christianity and Buddhism…are primarily personal religions, mystical doctrine and love of contemplation. Mohammedanism and Bolshevism are practical, social and unspritual, concerned to win empire of the world.
(p 164)Christianity-Jesus “render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s and unto god, the things which are God’s” (Matthews 22.17))
In Islam, there is no separation.
Islamic Law:
-the Quran,
-Sunnah,-consensus (Ijma) of scholars,
-Analogy (Qiyas)

Sunna-interpreters, Fiqh, Faqih, science of Sharia
-Malik ibne Abbas (d 795)
-Abu Hanifa (d 767)-more scope to reason and logic
-Al-Shafii (d 820)-Hadith as source of sharia
-Ahmad ibn Hanbal (d 855) Quran uncreated
(p 172) Compatibility with Democracy and HR
-Islam has never favored democratic tendencies-Hurgronji (359)
-Female ½ vote as a witness, and half inheritance, can’t marry men of the book
-non-Muslim inferior in status.
-Atheists do not have right to life.
-Slavery-yes, cohabit with female slaves (sura 4.3, married females if slaves sura 4.28)
-Torture-flogging, amputation, stoning to death.
-choice not allowed
-Killing as revenge, monetary recompense possible
-non-Muslim may not testify against a Muslim
-right of divorce, not equal for female.
-Can’t change religion-apostasy, death
-rights of minorities-Bahai, Shia, Ahmadi violated.
-Blasphemy-god, prophet-death.
-non-Muslim must not be allowed to have authority over Muslims (sura 4.141, 73.8
(p 177) Western ideas of individualism…democracy…separation of church and state often have little resonance in Islamic, Confucian, Japanese, Hindu, Buddhist or orthodox cultures-Samuel Huntington-Clash of Civilizations (364).
(p 180) As soon you have an established religious institution that is beyond doubt, you have tyranny, thought police and an absence of critical senses. In the Islamic theocracy, god is the absolute and unchallengeable ruler.
Democracy and Islam:
-Islam legislates every aspect of human life, in a democracy, equal rights for females and minorities under law.
-Islam, (Christianity and Judaism) condemn the rationalistic approach
-The notion of individual making rational decisions and taking moral responsibility for actions absent, only obey orders.
(p 184)HR developed in Western civilization, traceable to Plato, Aristotle, Stoics; the last maintain there was a natural law distinct from the laws of Rome/Athens. All Muslims take the Quran literally, there is no difference between Islam and Islamic fundamentalists. It is only apparent excess of this culture. Fundamentalists will apply Islamic law and all that entails, their creed and political program not compatible with Democracy (Bernard Lewis (379).
There is no legislative function in the Islamic state, and there is no need for legislative institutions.
(p 193) Fear and Loathing of the West.
Muslims point to the contribution of Islam in making of modern Europe, and at the same time denounce it as shallow, materialist, decadent, irreligious and scientific.
Popper (399) Science should not be confounded with technology. Science is indeed a spiritual activity.
(p 198) Arab Imperialism, Islamic colonialism
While European colonizers are blame for every evil on earth, Arab imperialism is held up as something of which Muslims can be proud.
Islam colonized ancient civilizations, and destroyed many-Hellenic, Christian way of life. Turks 1060s and 1070s subsequent destruction of Byzantium Empire.
Mohenjo-Daro over run by Aryans 1500 BCE, suggestion to engrave the Quran by Iqbal (1875-1935). “Indian Muslim state might rid Islam of the stamp that Arab imperialism forced upon it”.
Arabs s resisted Asceticism of Islam:
Goldzeher (417) “increasing arrogance and racial presumption of the Arabs caused revolts (Arab and the rest Ajam-dumb)
Slavery suras:16.77, 30.28; concubinage sura 4.3, 23.6, 33.50, 5.-52, 70.30
Anti-black-called Ethiopian poets black crows. Ignored pre-Islamic civilizations.
European Imperialism- France invaded Algeria, so did Arabs and Turks before them. Berbers invaded too, rejected Arab Imperialism.
Early (Meccan) Quran “To you, your religion, to me my religion 50.45 “but you are not to compel them”.
Later (Medinan) Quran 47.4 “when you meet the unbeliever, strike off their heads…”
(p 216) Christians 5.75 “they are surely infidels who say “God is the third of the “
Jews 5.63 “some of the Jews had, in the past, been changed into apes and swine.
5.51”O believers, do not take as friend, the infidel or those who received the scriptures before you…”
9.29-30”declare war upon those to whom scriptures were revealed but believe neither in god nor the last day…”
(p 217) Jihad (438) 9.5-6 “kill those who join other gods with god…”
4.76 “those who believe, fight in the name of God”
Discriminatory Taxes-Kharaj. Peasant no longer owned the land, but worked as a servant.
Jizya-9.29 had to be paid at a humiliating public ceremony
Public office 3.28 barred exercise of authority by non-Muslims over Muslims
Inequality before law-Validity of oath and testimony of non-Muslims not recognized.
(p 230) Pact of Umar (Umar bin Aziz ruled 717-720) Slaves acquired in war
Devshirme- Ottoman sultan Orkhan (1326-59) periodic taking of all Christian children of conquered territories-Janissionaries infantry
Places of worship
Usama bin Zaid, Tax surveyor of Egypt (722 CE attacked convents/Churches. Marwan (744-750) looted monasteries in Egypt Caliph Mutawakkal 853 all new churches to be demolished, 884 in Baghdad, 924 in Damascus, 1321 riots in Cairo-all churches in Egypt destroyed.
Conversion 9th CCE offered pagans of Hama Islam or death.
Armenians suffered the most 704-705 Walid I, also 852-855.
11th CCE Jews of Granada and Fez, Hindus by Mahmood
12th CCE Almoda of North Africa.
(p 235) Zoroastrians. Residents of Bokhara…espoused Islam overtly, but practiced idolatry in secret (477)
(p 241) Rationalizing heresies: Islam rejected the idea that one could attain truth with unaided human reason.
(p 242) Early on Arabs accused Arabs of plagiarizing pagan Arab poets (Al-Qays). Arabs lacked any deep religious sense, resisted prayers.
The Umayyad (664-750)
Al-Walid II ruled 743-led the life of a libertine
The Abbasids (749-1258) were more intolerant of non-Muslims, rulers claimed to be God’s shadow on earth. The Kharjites developed the theory of caliphate in… are puritans of Islam.
The Qadarites-doctrine of free will, man not absolutely helpless.
The Mutazallites and rationalism were actually involved in mihna, the Muslim inquisition
The Abbasids introduced Greek philosophic ideas into discussion of Islamic dogma, criticized superstition, gave allegorical explanation of the Siraat bridge (thin as sword pint bridge over which all will have to pass, all good Muslims and good people of the book would be able to cross it unscathed, all others will be cut up and fall in hell fire)
Mutazallite philosophy: God is one and just, sins divided into grave and petty. Grave sinner ranks between the infidel and the faithful. Injunction of right, prohibition of wrong.
-autonomy of ethics “there is absolute good, and absolute evil and reason. Reason, not divine will, primary for value judgment.
-Quran created, not eternal
-Questioned authenticity of hadith.
(p 250) Manes (Mani( 216-176 CCE-Manicheans – Of Persian descent. …teaching 240, forced to leave by Zoroastrian priests, went to India. Returned two years later and got royal patronage, eventually Zoroastrian priests had him executed, preached dualism, rejected possibility of origin of good and evil to one and the same source (507).
Primeval battle between God-light-truth and matter, darkness, error.
Man mixture of good and evil, religion separates the two and neutralizes evil.
Method- Sever asceticism, vegetarianism, its spread rivaled Christianity for a while. St Augustine, briefly one of its adherents.
Zindiqa-Dualism to Atheism:
Applied to people who believed in dualism while professing Islam (Zindiqa-heresy)-extended to unorthodox views, free thinkers, atheists, materialist
(p 261) Greek philosophy and Islam:
F. Rosenthal (526) “Islamic rational scholarship…depends in its entirety on classical antiquity…in Islam as in any civilization, what is really important …is…synthesis…
Islamic philosophy is a contradiction in terms. “orthodox Sunni Islam has never welcomed philosophical thought.
Abbasid al-Mamun (ruled 813-833) sponsored translations. Most translated were Christian, most important translator Thabil b Qurra, Al-kindi, Al-Farabi, Ibne Sina ( Avicenna) 9-11the CCE.
Al-Kindi tried to reconcile Greek philosophy and Quran. Al-Farabi assigned immortality to the intellectual part of soul, life after death, no resurrection, defended (p 263) reason and subordinated prophecy to philosophy.
Ibne Sina (980-1037) tried to reconcile philosophy and religion through allegorical interpretation. Rejected resurrection, personality survives through soul.
Al-Ghazali provided theology with philosophic foundation and brought Sufism in the fold of orthodoxy.
But he is blamed for excising philosophy and rationalism from Islam and making theology a slave of dogma, supreme incoherence of philosophy (1095), he attacked philosophers whose doctrine incompatible with Islam. He condemned philosophers as infidels on three counts (heretical on 17 counts in addition to 3 infidel)-all substances eternal, denial of creation ex nihilo, god does not have knowledge of particular events occurring to individuals, denial of resurrection of body.
He was responsible for regression of Muslims to total belief and abject submission to revelation, literal heaven and hell, introduced the element of fear, opposed free enquiry, and intellectual curiosity for its own sake, unaided reason can not lead to truth, only revelation provides certainty.
Abu Bakr Muhammad B Zakaria al-Razi (865-925, Rhazez of Medieval Europe) reigned supreme till 17th CCE, he was the greatest physician of the Islamic world, and one of the greatest physicians of all time with more than 200 works, medical encyclopedia al-Hawi, was empiricist, and wrote the earliest treatise on infectious diseases, small pox and measles. He was the first true chemist, classified substances and described his experiments-philosophy-no authority beyond criticism, boundless faith in human reason, denied creation ex nihilo, five eternal principles, creator, soul, matter, time and space.
(p 267) Ibne Bajja (d 1138) used philosophy as a vehicle to criticize materialist tendencies, believed only intellect survives.
Ibne Tufail (d 1185) defended autonomy of philosophers.
Ibne Rushd (Averroes)-served as judge, studied medicine and philosophy, considered one of the greatest commentators on Aristotle, supreme rationalist, opposed all religious dogmas.
Islamic civilization and Greek science.:
Arabic words into European science-Alkali, zircon, Nadir, Zenith, Azine, Zero, Cipher, Algebra, Algorism, Lute, Architect, Coffee, Jasmine, Saffron etc. Muslims were great preservers and transmitters of Greek and Hindu learning, which may have been lost otherwise.
Sufism:
Early Sufis were acetic and quietist, inspired by Christian ideals. Sufism owes to Christianity, Neoplatonism, Gnosticism and Buddhism.
Women and Islam-Richard Burton (567) “legal status of womankind in Islam is exceptionally high. “Muslim wife has great advantage over her Christian sisterhood.”
(p 292) Bedouin women working along side their husbands enjoyed considerable personal freedom and independence. Segregation was totally impractical.
Al-Tabari, 10th CCE historian on hind bint Otba, the wife of Abu Sufyan. Women swore allegiance to and negotiated with the victor of Mecca. She chided Muhammad for imposing obligations on women, he did not on men.
Al-Ghazali (579). The revival of religion and Sciences “she should stay at home, and get on with her spinning…she should be clean and ready to her husbands sexual needs at any moment.”
Book of counsel for kings “when Eve ate fruit,…the Lord…punished females with 18 things-menses, child birth…pregnancy…lesser share in inheritance…liability to divorce and inability to divorce…men to have 4 wives…female only one husband…two women’s testimony…one man’s.
Sura 4.3, 5.6 “draw not unto prayer when ye are drunken…or ye have touched a woman,…
Sura 33.33 orders wives of the prophet to stay home. Reformists insist it was only for his wives.