This is the second of probably about a dozen posts it will take to work through the second Surah. If you want to read them in succession then you can go to the commentary on 2:1-22 here. This Surah (chapter) is by most lists considered the first of the Medina Surahs. The Quran as we... Continue Reading →
Surah 2:1-22 Who does God hate?
The second Surah (chapter) is the longest surah in the Quran. It has 286 ayat (verses) and there's no way I am going to try and run a commentary on the entire thing in one post. Even if I were willing to do so, I highly doubt even the most interested reader would have the... Continue Reading →
Surah Al Fatiha (the Christian comentary)
I am not a big fan of the Quran. Nearly all of my friends, neighbors, and co-workers respond to this simple statement with some level of shock and horror. Of course, the next question is always, "Have you actually read the Quran?" More shock and dismay when I respond, "I have. Three times, in three... Continue Reading →
Marty Sampson, Faith, and Doubt
Do you recognize this song? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0H7RKgRTyps How about this one? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJ_p21fUNiw These are just two of the many, many songs that have impacted the church in the last couple of decades that were written or co-written by a man named Marty Sampson. Lately, however, it has not been his beautiful lyrics or his talent for... Continue Reading →
Dream Crazy
Is it really so much easier to point the finger than it is to examine our own lives? Instead of asking, "What has he sacrificed?" What if we asked, "What do I believe? How passionately do I believe it? What am I willing to sacrifice to see it come true?"
Debating with The Myth of the Muslim Tide
Some of you mıght know that I am a rabıd reader. I target to read 100 books a year and even though I rarely hit that goal, I usually do come close. Somewhere along the line, I came to realize that I don't read the way most people do. I don't read books, I engage... Continue Reading →
How old is Mecca? (and other follow up questions)
How old is Mecca? When was the city first built? Is there any historical or archaeological evidence that can give us a definitive answer? Did Abraham and Ishmael first purify the Ka'ba, build Mecca, and institute the Hajj as it seems to say in 2:125-127? Did Abraham really instruct his sons to follow the command... Continue Reading →
