Islamic (Sharia) Law in America, J. Christian Adams, Minnesota
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uB6gps7dkUA
Muslims in the USA want Sharia law and say they will not follow US laws, 4:26
https://youtu.be/uB6gps7dkUA
Blog Smith is inspired by the myth of Hephaestus in the creation of blacksmith-like, forged materials: ideas. This blog analyzes topics that interest me: IT, politics, technology, history, education, music, and the history of religions.
Wednesday, October 31, 2018
Islamic (Sharia) Law in America, J. Christian Adams, Minnesota
Tuesday, October 30, 2018
Monday, October 29, 2018
Qur'an Textual Problems
Qur'an Textual Problems
The Qur’an was not collected before Mohammed died.
Significant parts of the Qur’an were obtained from its reciters and memorizers but not from manuscripts. The accuracy of those codices is questionable because many reciters and memorizers of the Qur’an had already been killed in the battles of the war of the apostasies (ridda), which raged for seven months in Arabia in 633 right after the death of Muhammad. In fact, portions of the Qur'an were irretrievably lost in the Battle of Yamama when about 450 of the companions of Muhammad who had memorized the text of the Qur’an had perished:
“Many (of the passages) of the Qur'an that were sent down were known by those who died on the day of Yamama ... but they were not known (by those who) survived them, nor were they written down, nor had Abu Bakr, Umar or Uthman (by that time) collected the Qur'an, nor were they found with even one (person) after them” (Ibn Abi Dawud, Kitab al-Masahif, p.23).
In fact, Aisha, youngest wife of Muhammad, testified that certain verses of the Qur’an on suckling and stoning were lost (Muslim 8.3421). Second caliph ‘Umar bin al-Khattab stated emphatically that certain verses, including the verse of stoning adulterers, were lost (Bukhari 8.82.816-817; 9. .424; 4.52.299; 5.59.416, 421; Muslim 5.2286).
According to “Legal Opinions” (part 1, p. 102) of Sheikh Kishk:
“The four most important commentators were ibn ‘Abbas, ibn Mas’ud, ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, and ‘Ubay ibn Ka’b al-Ansari”
However, according to Bukhari 6.61.510, the caliph ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan (644-656 AD) commanded Zayd ibn Thabit together with Abdullah ibn Zubair, Sa’id ibn al-‘As and Abdul-Rahman ibn al-Harith to collect and edit the Qur’an. According to Islamic tradition, ‘Uthman’s text of the Qur’an was largely based on the text of the Qur’an in the possession of Hafsah (one of the wives of Muhammad and the daughter of ‘Umar bin al-Khattab). Other important Qur’anic codices were ignored. These important codices differed radically from Hafsah’s text though Mohammed favored Ibn Mas'ud.
Ibn Mas’ud was excluded from the committee despite the fact that Muhammad himself had considered him one of the best authorities on the Qur’an:
“Learn the recitation of the Qur’an from four: Abdullah ibn Mas’ud, Salim, the freed slave of Abu Hudhaifa, Mu’adh ibn Jabal, and Ubai ibn Ka’b” (Bukhari 5.57.104; 6.61.521, 522, 524).
It is significant that Muhammad did not mention Zaid ibn Thabit in this list.
As a result, the two full chapters (Surahs) of al-Hafd and al-Khal’, which were in the Qur’anic versions of ‘Ubay ibn Ka’b, ibn ‘Abbas (a cousin of Muhammad) and Abu Musa, were eliminated. In addition, Surah al-Fatihah (1), Surah al-Falaq (113) and Surah al-Nas (114) were added (al-Suyuti, al-Itqan fi ‘Ulum al-Qur’an, part 1, pp. 221-2). Those Surahs were not in ibn Mas’ud codex. More than 200 verses were dropped from Surah al-Ahzab (33) (al-Suyuti, al-Itqan, part 3, p.72). Al-Suyuti records the two deleted chapters (Surahs) of al-Hafd and al-Khal’ in their entirety in his “al-Itqan,” part 1, p. 185.
Twenty years after Muhammad’s death, the caliph ‘Uthman codified the revised Medinan codex and ordered the destruction of all other codices in order to standardize the consonantal text of the Qur’an.
After Mohammed's death, memorizers of portions of the Qur'an disagreed on verses of the text or were killed and thus portions of the Qur'an were lost forever. According to Muslim sources, Uthman collected what he wanted in the present text of the Qur'an and Uthman burned the portions he declined to include.
Sunday, October 28, 2018
Saturday, October 27, 2018
Friday, October 26, 2018
Thursday, October 25, 2018
Wednesday, October 24, 2018
Sikhism
Women's Rights, Sikhism vs. Islam
Sikh Women vs. Muslims, Partition of India, 1947
Golden Temple
Sections include: Emergence of Sikhism, Life of Guru Nanak, Sikh Theology, The Ten Gurus, The Khalsa, Sikh Scriptures, Sikhism in India and the Diaspora, Rituals and Rites of Passage, and Sikh Holidays.
How do you know God exists in your scriptures?
Tuesday, October 23, 2018
Islamist Reformation, Feminism
"I am a free-lance academic, passionately involved in debates on gender equality in law. As a feminist, I expose and criticize the injustices that these laws continue to inflict on women in some Muslim contexts. As a Muslim, I approach these injustices by stressing one crucial element in the tradition of Muslim legal thought: the distinction between Shari‘a (the ‘path’, found in the Qur’an and the Prophet’s practice) and fiqh (‘understanding’, the jurists’s efforts to deduce laws from these textual sources); this distinction enables us to see patriarchal laws not as ‘divine Shari‘a’, but as outdated human fiqh. My aim is to bring Islamic and human rights frameworks together in order to lay the basis for an egalitarian Muslim family law."
Fiqh (/fɪk/; Arabic: فقه [fɪqh]) is Islamicjurisprudence.[1] While Sharia is believed by Muslims to represent divine law as revealed in the Quran and the Sunnah (the teachings and practices of the Islamic prophet Muhammad), fiqh is the human understanding of the Sharia[2]—sharia expanded and developed by interpretation (ijtihad) of the Quran and Sunnah by Islamic jurists (Ulama)[2] and implemented by the rulings (Fatwa) of jurists on questions presented to them.
“RUNAWAY is a powerful and heart-breaking documentary about a group of young runaway girls who are taken to a women's shelter in Tehran, Iran. The film focuses on the sufferings of young girls who struggle to free themselves from the tyrannical and abusive power of their families, mainly their fathers, brothers, and stepfathers. The sisterly feelings of the girls towards each other, their spiritual strength, their courage to rebel, and their wit are shown with a great degree of compassion and empathy in the film. The filmmakers have beautifully criticized the patriarchal system of family and the destructive power of male family members over the lives of their daughters and sisters. One can imagine that the issue of confinement and abuse goes beyond the issue of class when it comes to the problem of domestic violence and the desire to control women through anger, aggression and madness.” - Mehrnaz Saeed, Colombia College Chicago
Divorce Iranian Style
Hilarious, tragic, stirring, this fly-on-the-wall look at several weeks in an Iranian divorce court provides a unique window into the intimate circumstances of Iranian women’s lives. Following Jamileh, whose husband beats her; Ziba, a 16-year-old trying to divorce her 38-year-old husband; and Maryam, who is desperately fighting to gain custody of her daughters, this deadpan chronicle showcases the strength, ingenuity, and guile with which they confront biased laws, a Kafaka-esque administrative system, and their husbands’ and families’ rage to gain divorces.
Scholar and filmmaker Ziba Mir-Hosseini, a specialist in Islamic law, gender and development and Professorial Research Associate at the Centre for Middle Eastern and Islamic Law, University of London, is the recipient of the 2015 Martin E. Marty Award for the Public Understanding of Religion. At the Marty Forum, Professor Mir-Hosseini will be interviewed by Diana L. Eck, Harvard University. The Marty Award recognizes extraordinary contributions to the public understanding of religion.
Michael Kessler (Georgetown University) and Ayesha S. Chaudhry (University of British Columbia), Presiding
Fight for equality for women in Islam: Musawah.
I am a free-lance academic, passionately involved in debates on gender equality in law. As a feminist, I expose and criticize the injustices that these laws continue to inflict on women in some Muslim contexts. As a Muslim, I approach these injustices by stressing one crucial element in the tradition of Muslim legal thought: the distinction between Shari‘a (the ‘path’, found in the Qur’an and the Prophet’s practice) an
Monday, October 22, 2018
Sunday, October 21, 2018
Saturday, October 20, 2018
Led Zeppelin, BackMasking Satan
Check out this episode: https://itunes.apple.com/us/
Podcast 8.24 Satanic Imagery And Conspiracies In Modern Culture
Published June 19, 2015
This final episode in the
series looks at some ways in which Satan still finds a place within
modern culture. After discussing the importance of the film Nosferatu
(1922), I discuss Satanic imagery within the country blues (1930s) and
rock and roll. Then I conclude with a discussion of two Satanic
conspiracies of the 1980s, the Satanic ritual abuse scare and the notion
of backmasking in rock and roll.
At 37:00 you hear Led Zeppelin's, "Stairway to Heaven" played forward and backward according to backmasking: do you hear a reference to Satan?
Backmasking is a recording technique in which a sound or message is recorded backward onto a track that is meant to be played forward. Backmasking is a deliberate process, whereas a message found through phonetic reversal may be unintentional.
Backmasking was popularised by the Beatles, who used backward instrumentation on their 1966 album Revolver.[1] Artists have since used backmasking for artistic, comedic and satiric effect, on both analogue and digital recordings. The technique has also been used to censor words or phrases for "clean" releases of explicit songs.
Backmasking has been a controversial topic in the United States since the 1970s and 1980s, when allegations from Christian groups of its use for Satanic purposes were made against prominent rock musicians, leading to record-burning protests and proposed anti-backmasking legislation by state and federal governments.[2]
A well-known alleged message is found in rock group Led Zeppelin's 1971 song "Stairway to Heaven". The backwards playing of a portion of the song purportedly results in words beginning with "Here's to my sweet Satan" (listen ).[84] Swan Song Records issued a statement to the contrary: "Our turntables only play in one direction—forwards."[19] Led Zeppelin vocalist Robert Plant denied the accusations in an interview: "To me it's very sad, because 'Stairway To Heaven' was written with every best intention, and as far as reversing tapes and putting messages on the end, that's not my idea of making music."[85]
Friday, October 19, 2018
Metaxus on Christians and Political Involvement
Metaxus on Christians and Political Involvement, 2:23
What is the proper role for Christians in politics?
Best selling author Eric Metaxas explains what it means to "be political God's way." Metaxas is a board member of the Manhattan Declaration, a movement of Christians for life, marriage and religious liberty founded by Chuck Colson and over 100 religious leaders in 2009. Read, sign and share the Declaration at www.manhattandeclaration.org.
https://youtu.be/sQrtbVVpnjU
Thursday, October 18, 2018
Where Does Jesus Say He Is God?
Where Does Jesus Say He Is God?
Mark says it at the outset of his gospel (1:1).
The angel told Mary her child would be the Son of God (Luke 1:35).
John the Baptist said the same thing (John 1:34).
Nathanael said it (John 1:49).
Martha believed it (John 11:27).
The centurion said so (Matthew 27:54).
Jesus claimed that He said so (John 10:36).
Jesus clearly implies it in John 11:4.
The charge against Jesus was that He claimed to be the Son of God (Matthew 27:43; John 19:7), a claim He never denied, and virtually admitted (Luke 22:70).
The Gospel of John was written to convince the reader that Jesus was the Son of God (John 20:31).
Why, you might ask, does Jesus not say so plainly. I think the answer is found in Matthew 16:15-17:
15 He said to them, “And who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “You are blessed, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven!” (Matthew 16:15-17).
Jesus did not want Peter and His disciples to believe He was the Son of God just because He said so. He wanted God to bring them to this conclusion, based upon the evidence of Scripture.
Wednesday, October 17, 2018
Five Minutes of Heaven
Five Minutes of Heaven
Trailer, 1:55
Movie
Five Minutes of Heaven is a British and Irish film directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel from a script by Guy Hibbert. The film was premiered on 19 January 2009 at the 25th Sundance Film Festival[2] where it won the World Cinema Dramatic Directing Award for Oliver Hirschbiegel, and the World Cinema Screenwriting Award for Guy Hibbert.[3] It was broadcast on BBC Two on 5 April 2009, and also had an international theatrical release.
The first part reconstructs the historical killing of 19-year-old Jim Griffin by 17-year-old Alistair Little in 1975, and the second part depicts a fictional meeting between Little and Jim's brother Joe 33 years later.
In Lurgan, Northern Ireland, during 1975 and the Northern Irish Troubles, the Irish Republican Army are targeting British loyalists and the loyalist Ulster Volunteer Force are exacting revenge on Catholics they claim are militant republicans. Alistair Little, 17, is the leader of a UVF cell, eager to let blood. He and his gang are given the go-ahead to kill a young Catholic man, James Griffin, as a reprisal and a warning to others. When they kill Griffin, his 8-year old little brother Joe Griffin watches in horror. Little is arrested and sentenced to prison for 12 years.
In Lurgan, Northern Ireland, during 1975 and the Northern Irish Troubles, the Irish Republican Army are targeting British loyalists and the loyalist Ulster Volunteer Force are exacting revenge on Catholics they claim are militant republicans. Alistair Little, 17, is the leader of a UVF cell, eager to let blood. He and his gang are given the go-ahead to kill a young Catholic man, James Griffin, as a reprisal and a warning to others. When they kill Griffin, his 8-year old little brother Joe Griffin watches in horror. Little is arrested and sentenced to prison for 12 years.
The Troubles (Irish: Na Trioblóidí) is the common name for the ethno-nationalist[11][12][13][14] conflict in Northern Ireland during the late 20th century. Also known internationally as the Northern Ireland conflict,[15][16][17][18][19] it is sometimes described as a "guerrilla war" or "low-level war".[20][21][22] The conflict began in the late 1960s and is usually deemed to have ended with the Belfast "Good Friday" Agreement of 1998.[3][23][24][25][26] Although the Troubles mainly took place in Northern Ireland, violence spilled over at times into parts of the Republic of Ireland, England and mainland Europe.
The conflict was primarily political, but it also had an ethnic or sectarian dimension,[27] although it was not a religious conflict.[11][28] A key issue was the constitutional status of Northern Ireland. Unionists/loyalists, who are mostly Protestants and consider themselves British, generally want Northern Ireland to remain within the United Kingdom. Irish nationalists/republicans, who are mostly Catholics and consider themselves Irish, generally want it to leave the United Kingdom and join a united Ireland. The conflict began amid a campaign to end discriminationagainst the Catholic/nationalist minority by the Protestant/unionist government and police force in 1968.[29][30] The campaign was met with violence, eventually leading to the deployment of British troops and subsequent warfare.[31]
The main participants in the Troubles were republican paramilitaries such as the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) and Irish National Liberation Army (INLA); loyalist paramilitaries such as the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) and Ulster Defence Association (UDA); British state security forces – the British Army and Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC); and political activists and politicians. The security forces of the Republic of Ireland played a smaller role. More than 3,500 people were killed in the conflict, of whom 52% were civilians, 32% were members of the British security forces, and 16% were members of paramilitary groups.[6] There has been sporadic violence since the Good Friday Agreement was signed, including a campaign by anti-ceasefire republicans.[3][25][32]
Trailer, 1:55
Movie
Tuesday, October 16, 2018
Islamism
Contemporary Debates Within Islamism
the-world-war-inside-islam-isis-caliphate-saudi-arabia-iraq-syria
Monday, October 15, 2018
Sunday, October 14, 2018
Saturday, October 13, 2018
Why Sharia Does Not Work in Israel
Why Sharia Does Not Work in Israel
Speaking to the Jewish Chronicle in 2008, Dr. Aviad Hacohen, a constitutional law expert from Hebrew University and the head of the Mosiaca Centre on State and Religion, detailed what he sees as the “two main shortcomings” of Israel’s system:
The first is that it creates a twin-track system of religious and civil law that are not always compatible. Over-ruling of the religious courts by the Supreme Court is not uncommon, and in 1992, in the landmark case Bavli v Bavli, the Supreme Court ruled that civil courts take precedence over religious courts.The second shortcoming is that the system isn’t good for everyone. It can’t deal with mixed marriages, or those who are not recognised as belonging to a religion.Such arrangements between religious courts and the civil authorities are impossible in countries like the US and France, where there is a strict division between state and religion, but they exist in Germany and Belgium where some religious groups are allowed to rule on such matters.
Friday, October 12, 2018
Thursday, October 11, 2018
MEMRI: The People versus Mohammed
The People versus Mohammed
#3896 - Egyptian Opposition Activist Loses His Cool Following President Morsi's Speech
Sada Al-Balad (Egypt) - July 2, 2013 - 04:01
Sada Al-Balad (Egypt) - July 2, 2013 - 04:01
Wednesday, October 10, 2018
Informational Interview Questions
“In reading about ed tech careers, I’ve found it so interesting that you are working right at the intersection of education and technology. I’d love to know more about how you juggle those two. I don’t want to be stagnant but I love my liberal arts education and would never want to lose touch completely. Can you tell me about how you use your education? Or has the work moved you completely over to the world of business?”
“One of the challenges of your job must be the variety of departments and disciplines that you work with. What types of people do you find yourself interacting with? And, if you don’t mind me asking, what’s interesting or challenging about working with those teams."
“One of the challenges of your job must be the variety of departments and disciplines that you work with. What types of people do you find yourself interacting with? And, if you don’t mind me asking, what’s interesting or challenging about working with those teams."
- Would you take a minute to run through the specifics of how you first moved out of academia and into your first industry job?
- Is there anything you would have done differently in your early career or any cautions you’d alert me to in hindsight?
- Can you share with me what you think the major ingredients for your success have been so far? What internal or mindset elements do I need to be thinking about?
- What do you think the best next move would be for me to manage my way along a similar career path?
Tuesday, October 9, 2018
Monday, October 8, 2018
Sunday, October 7, 2018
Saturday, October 6, 2018
Friday, October 5, 2018
Accomplishments: Jews vs. Muslims
Accomplishments: Jews vs. Muslims
Even as the distaste for Jews intensifies around the Western world and more and more members of the international community step up the pressure on Israel to stop being the cause of so much trouble in the otherwise idyllic Middle East, Israeli and Jewish scientists continue to clean up at the Nobel Prizes. It's nothing less than fascinating, in fact, that notwithstanding the lack of affection for Jews and the Jewish state that is evidenced in the Scandinavian media, Jews (who, after all, represent less than 0.2% of the world population) have managed to accumulate a staggeringly disproportionate number of Nobel Prizes over the decades – making up about 21% of the laureates in chemistry, 26% in physics, 27% in physiology or medicine, and 37% in economics.
Meanwhile, Muslims – who, if you haven't heard it lately, number somewhere around 1.5 billion, a good 25% of the planet's population – have racked up only two Nobel Prizes in the sciences. One of these winners, Egyptian chemist Ahmed Zewail, got his Ph.D. in the U.S., where he's also done most of his research. The other, the late physicist Abdus Salam, who studied in Britain and spent much of his career outside of his native Pakistan, wouldn't even count as a Muslim in the eyes of most adherents of that religion, since he belonged to the relatively peaceable, tolerant, and civilized Ahmadiyya sect, whose members are (in Pakistan and many other Islamic countries) officially considered infidels and are the subjects of brutal persecution.
jews_muslims