G. The different parameters of your hypothetical examples aren't completely clear to me.
R. The parameters are not clear to the participants either.
R. One day, in Palestine, an old Samaritan (or Samarian) and an old Muslim sat
together over tea. The Samarian had recently decided to convert to Judaism;
but would not read anything beyond the Torah;
G.This is one part that isn't clear. The Samaritans are a small group which have their own Torah and claim to follow the religion of Moses,
R.Their Torah differs so much from the Judaic Torah that Jesus said to the Samarian woman at the well words to the effect of "ye know not what ye believe". And that is the point.
G.Another group sort of similar are the Karaites. They accept the Hebrew Bible, but rejected the Talmud. (And for that reason they aren't really considered Jews by rabbinic Judaism). They wanted to read the .Hebrew Bible without traditional interpretaions but apparently they still had to come up with a similar body of traditions just to apply the various laws.
R. This would apply to our Samarian as well.
G.So in both cases, it seems like these individuals believe in some holy text. But they don't seem to accept the auxiliary texts which the respective communities look to to help guide their interpretations.
R.The implication of the scenario is that neither is interested in interpretations. The Samarian distrusts men and the Muslim relies upon this verse: 7:3. Follow (O men!) the revelation given unto you from your Lord, and follow not, as friends or protectors, other than Him. (Yusuf Ali tr)
G. I think these sorts of splits (differences of opinion, not necessarily sectarian) appear all over the place, in Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and perhaps eventually in the Bahai faith.
R: The point of the scenario is that both have bound themselves to the Scripture alone. Now the Samarian is asking the Muslim what the Qur'an has to say about the Torah and the Gospel.
G: Some members of the community try to stick more closely to the texts. They might tend towards literalism, individual interpretation. They tend to believe the text can be understood more in a vacuum.
R: Neither of the individuals in this scenario wish to contaminate their faith through recourse to the varied interpretations of the "isms".
.
G: I was raised Protestant and when I became Muslim, I wouldn't say I was gung-ho Wahabi but by default I probably leaned slightly towards a "Protestant" approach to Islam. Then later on I appreciated more and more the value of tradition, and personally I think the more traditional "Catholic" approach makes more sense to me.
R: The Muslim in my scenario would have none of that. He reads the Qur'an and then turns to Allah in prayer. He was gratified to find that the very same practice on the part of the Samarian with regard to his own Book is what resulted in his embracing of the Jewish text.
G: I think no matter what, the texts are being interpreted by human beings. The question is whether you want to rely on interpretations which are informed, scholarly, and have stood the test of time. Or are you going to rely on interpretations which are uninformed, unscholarly, and were just made up yesterday.
R: The Samarian detests all interpretation; including his own. He hopes for inspiration.
R: The Samaritan is amenable to embracing the Qura'n. He wants, however, for
the Muslim to explain to him the Torah and the Gospel to him from the point
of view of the Qur'an because he noted that the Muslim had recited this
verse: Allah hath purchased of the believers their persons and their good;
for theirs (in return) is the garden (of Paradise): they fight in His cause,
and slay and are slain: a promise binding on Him in truth, through the Law,
the Gospel, and the Qur'�n: and who is more faithful to his Covenant than
Allah? (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 9 v. 111)
G: Why is the Samaritan willing to embrace the Quran? And why would they want an explanation of the Gospel?
R: The Qur'an "makes sense" to him. He has a problem with Jesus however; and other issues as well. He wants the Muslim to reconcile the texts of the Torah, the Gospel and the Qur'an by using the Qur'an only. He does not want interpretation.
R: The Samarian insists that this verse is telling him that Jews Christians and
Muslims are "believers". He also went on to say: "The following verse
confirms that I needn't embrace the Qur'an"
5:70 But if the people of the Book believe and have the fear of God, we will
surely put away their sins from them, and will bring them into gardens of
delight: and if that they observe the law and the Evangel, and what hath
been
sent down to them from their Lord, they shall surely have their fill of good
things from above them and from beneath their feet. (Rodwell tr).
G: I would actually have alot of respect for that opinion. I really do think that in God's eyes a righteous monotheist is in a pretty good position. If someone really is a righteous monothesist and is really sincerely trying to follow God's will to the best of their understanding I have a hard time imagining that a just and merciful God would send them to hell because they didn't follow Muhammad (saaws) by name.
R: The Muslim however pointed out that the phrase "if they believe" in the verse above refers to belief in the revelation brought by Muhammad; and he quotes the following in support of his assertion.
5:51. O ye who believe! take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and protectors: they are but friends and protectors to each other. And he amongst you that turns to them (for friendship) is of them. Verily Allah guideth not a people unjust. (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah)
G: In the Quran it says that shirk (idolatry, polytheism, associating others with God) is the one unforgivable sin. God might forgive anything else besides that. So a righteous monothesist isn't commiting shirk. So in terms of spirituality, I'm not sure what else would need to be said.
R: And yet the following verse suggests that Christians and Jews may be idoloters, i.e. "of those who join partners with God".
2:135. They say: "Become Jews or Christians if ye would be guided (to salvation)." Say thou: "Nay! (I would rather) the religion of Abraham the true, and he joined not gods with Allah." (Yusuf Ali tr)
2: 135 They say, moreover, "Become Jews or Christians that ye may have the true
guidance." Say: Nay! the religion of Abraham, the sound in faith, and not one
of those who join gods with God! (Rodwell tr),
G: On top of that I might say that being Muslim and following the shariah is a healthy spiritual path. I think it contains all the wisdom you need. Its established by God. It's a path which is different from others in that it is intact. I believe the Islamic understanding of sacred history is correct (like in terms of Jesus, Paul and Christianity for instance) etc. I'm not sure to what extent these are all spiritually significant questions of the heart. It is mostly head knowledge.
R:
3:73 Say: "True guidance is the guidance of Allah; (fear ye) lest a revelation be sent to someone (else) like unto that which was sent unto you. Or that those (receiving such revelation) should engage you in argument before your Lord." Say: "All bounties are in the hand of Allah: He granteth them to whom He pleaseth; and Allah careth for all, and He knoweth all things." (Yusuf Ali tr)
53:23. These are nothing but names which ye have devised -- ye and your fathers -- for which Allah has sent down no authority (whatever). They follow nothing but conjecture and what their own souls desire! -- even though there has already come to them Guidance from their Lord! (Yusuf Ali tr),
2:136. Say ye: "We believe in Allah, and the revelation given to us, and to Abraham, Isma'il, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and that given to Moses and Jesus and that given to (all) Prophets from their Lord, we make no difference between one and another of them, and we bow to Allah (in Islam)." (Yusuf Ali tr)
"Bear thou witness that He is God and that there is no God but Him" Baha'u'llah.
Salutations.
Richard
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