When you are at the other side of the court it takes a lot of thinking before you can penned down your thoughts to minimize offensive statements. Hope I managed to achieve it in this writing and make this post a better ‘place’ for exchanging thoughts and opinions.
During my kid’s days I’m lucky to experience both village and city’s life. Experienced both animism and secular way of life which later transformed to Sunni’s way of life. City’s life is almost the same with other cities in the world whereby money is everything. People are busy with their life and religion’s teachings not really effective to mold them. Village life is the one that changed a lot. Although we are Muslims community, the animism practices still there and mainly because the peoples knowledge in science, technology and Islam still very low or almost none in early 70’s. Believe in demigods or spirits or ‘djins’ or ‘keepers’ still strong and influenced village life significantly. They tried not to make these creatures angry so that they will not harm the villagers. It is not as bad as the case of the Arab during pre-Islamic period. They do believe in Allah and prayed to Him to provide rain during the drought season and stop it when flood came but Allah was not alone in His kingdom.
The community consists of a leader which supported by a group of imam(s), the wise ones and the elders, commoners and the most sought after entity during disaster and illness, the shamans. There are two types of shaman, orthodox who recited mantras in our mother tongue and the ‘Quranist’ type who recited mantras in Arabic.
However, it is the imams, wise ones and elders that ensured the laws and orders of the community in place, including taboos. Peoples lived their life according to the ways molded by this group of peoples. Their thoughts really matters and seems to be carved onto stones. It is important for each individual in the community to align his or her way of life set by them to void punishment and the worst one was being out casted by the community. We need each other help during padi’s planting and harvesting seasons, marriage ceremonies, funeral etc.
Things changed now. With the advancement of science and technology the service of the shamans no longer required by many and the fellowship of the community leader, imams, wise ones and elders broke as people becoming more educated. People do sought advice from these peoples but there will always be a room for second opinion and most importantly room for logic, reasoning, common sense and rationalism. Nowadays, there is no such thing as everything was fixed or ‘carved onto stones’ for someone to live life. Out casted is not a big issue as individuals able to carry on with their life with or without others support. Almost everything has a price nowadays even for an imam.
The point I’m trying to make here is that, the wind or wave of common sense, logic, reasoning and rationalism has and is slowly eroding the ways of life which earlier thought to be carved on stone, fixed and no change. Quran also not being spared from this wave as we can observe right over here in this site, Quranists are trying to ‘clean-up’ Quran’s verses to suit their thoughts and principles. Issues like polygamy, ‘right hand possessed’, slavery etc. being viewed in different perspective as the original Arabic words seems not fitting the readers’ mind. There are cases whereby Arabic words being left out after being translated to other language. It is not just the Quranists that doing this, the modern thinkers of the others sects also doing the same as they realized some of the verses in the Quran needs to be re-translated and re-interpreted to suit modern civilization and thinking. It is a slow process and it is the Quranists who championed this as they have a good and effective tool, the internet and best of all, they are not limited by the hadiths and sunnahs of the prophet. We are yet to witness the big wave when the Quranists ready to emerge from their virtual world into the real world to materialize their version of Quran’s ways of life. Are Quranists ready?
Follow-up on the verse 47:4 discussion, actually I’ve read few translations in English and my own language, Quranist’s version, which giving more extreme understanding and out of humanity value. Example as below:
Sahih International: So when you meet those who disbelieve [in battle], strike [their] necks until, when you have inflicted slaughter upon them, then secure their bonds, and either [confer] favor afterwards or ransom [them] until the war lays down its burdens. That [is the command]. And if Allah had willed, He could have taken vengeance upon them [Himself], but [He ordered armed struggle] to test some of you by means of others. And those who are killed in the cause of Allah - never will He waste their deeds.
I don’t know Arabic but these translators surely have some base to translate the Arabic words or sentences of verse 47:4 into this manner. Maybe they try to be honest to knowledge or maybe they don’t really understand the whole context of Quran.
Dear Jaafar,
Actually Quran has solution for the Sunni/Salafis vs Ahmadis’s issue and for all the conflicts in the Muslim's world but none of the Muslims believe in Quran. Here is the solution from Quran.
49:9 And if two parties of believers battle with each other, you shall reconcile them; but if one of them aggresses against the other, then you shall fight the one aggressing until it complies with the command of God. Once it complies, then you shall reconcile the two groups with justice, and be equitable; for God loves those who are equitable.
Where are you Quranists? Isn’t this is your responsibility? Why are you hiding in this virtual world? Go out and uphold your God’s words.
Dear Mr.Q, youssef4342 and Student of Allah,
I’ve read your reply to me and please find my reply in this writing. Please be informed that I was not going to put Quran in acid test anymore but more to understand how Quranists going to prove their version of Quran is the one that going to make this world a better place to live.
