Surah 4:81-135 Ponder on the Quran

The Rev. Terry Jones announced this week that he plans to put the Quran on trial. And I think that's a great idea, as long as the Bible is put on trial, as well, using the same standards that are applied to the Quran. The burning, firing squad, drowning, shredding thing is silly, of course, but the basic idea is sound enough. Read the Quran (Bible, Book of Mormon, etc.) and decide what it is worth.

And that's pretty much what the Quran says as well. Read the Quran, ponder on it, and decide for yourself what to make of it. If it is from Allah, you should find no incongruity. It should all be good, true, beautiful, perfect.

Will they not then ponder on the Qur'an? If it had been from other than Allah they would have found therein much incongruity. 4:82

With that in mind, then, let's continue to ponder the Quran by looking for incongruities in this section.

Let's start with the good.

1. What goes around comes around. (It's not true, but it's a nice thought.)

   Whoso interveneth in a good cause will have the reward thereof, and whoso interveneth in an evil cause will bear the consequence thereof. 4:85

2. If someone says Hi to you say Hi (or Howdy) back to them.

   When ye are greeted with a greeting, greet ye with a better than it or return it. 4:86

3. Be kind, help the poor, and strive for peace.

   There is .. good in ... him who enjoineth almsgiving and kindness and peace-making. 4:114

4. Value justice, for both poor and rich, even when it adversely affects you or your family's interests.

   Be ye staunch in justice, witnesses for Allah, even though it be against yourselves or (your) parents or (your) kindred, whether (the case be of) a rich man or a poor man 4:135

Now for the bad.

1. Most of us would be followers of Satan if it wasn't for Allah.

   If it had not been for the grace of Allah upon you and His mercy ye would have followed Satan, save a few (of you). 4:83

2. So fight for Allah. Allah will always rig the battle so that Muslims will defeat non-Muslims.

   So fight (O Muhammad) in the way of Allah ... Allah will restrain the might of those who disbelieve. 4:84

   Relent not in pursuit of the enemy. If ye are suffering, lo! they suffer even as ye suffer and ye hope from Allah that for which they cannot hope. 4:104

3. Don't try to convert apostates or Christians. Allah led them astray and he wants them to stay that way.

   The hypocrites, when Allah cast them back (to disbelief) because of what they earned? Seek ye to guide him whom Allah hath sent astray? 4:88

   Allah pardoneth not that partners should be ascribed unto Him ... Whoso ascribeth partners unto Allah hath wandered far astray. 4:116

   Plead not on behalf of (people) who deceive themselves. 4:107

4. After non-Muslims die, they will make excuses for their unbelief -- like saying that they were oppressed. Then the angels will ask them, "Why didn't you move to another country?" But the angels won't wait for an answer. They'll just take them all to hell, except for the feeble men, women, and children who couldn't devise a plan. Or whatever.

   Lo! as for those whom the angels take (in death) while they wrong themselves, (the angels) will ask: In what were ye engaged ? They will say: We were oppressed in the land. (The angels) will say: Was not Allah's earth spacious that ye could have migrated therein ? As for such, their habitation will be hell, an evil journey's end. Except the feeble among men, and the women, and the children, who are unable to devise a plan and are not shown a way. 4:97-98

5. All non-Muslims go to hell anyway.

   Whoso opposeth the messenger ... and followeth other than the believer's way, We ... expose him unto hell - a hapless journey's end! 4:115

6. So don't be friends with them. They are an open enemy to you. If they oppose you in any way, just kill them wherever you find them.

   Choose not friends from them till they forsake their homes in the way of Allah; if they turn back (to enmity) then take them and kill them wherever ye find them, and choose no friend ... from among them. 4:89

   The disbelievers are an open enemy to you ... Allah prepareth for the disbelievers shameful punishment. 4:101-2

   If they keep not aloof from you nor offer you peace nor hold their hands, then take them and kill them wherever ye find them. Against such We have given you clear warrant. 4:91

7. But don't kill any Muslims, unless it's by mistake, in which case you must set free a Muslim slave and pay some blood-money to the dead Muslim's family.

   Whoso slayeth a believer of set purpose, his reward is hell for ever ... an awful doom. 4:93

   It is not for a believer to kill a believer unless (it be) by mistake. He who hath killed a believer by mistake must set free a believing slave. 4:92

8. Those that have female gods pray to Satan.

   They invoke in His stead only females; they pray to none else than Satan. 4:117

9. Don't bother trying to treat your wives fairly. It's impossible.

   Ye will not be able to deal equally between (your) wives, however much ye wish (to do so). 4:129

10. Don't cut cattle's ears. (Men shouldn't shave their beards and women shouldn't pluck their eyebrows.) Allah commands non-Muslims to shave beards and pluck eyebrows so he can have an excuse to burn them in hell after they die.

    I will lead them astray, and surely I will arouse desires in them, and surely I will command them and they will cut the cattle' ears, and surely I will command them and they will change Allah's creation ... For such, their habitation will be hell. 4:119-121

So ponder the Quran with Allah and put it on trial with Terry Jones. Do the same with the Bible, Book of Mormon, or other supposed holy book. Refuse to believe in any book that is unworthy of your belief, and you'll be free from religion forever.