Part Three

THE TRUTH
 

In replying to the "HERETICS", a pro-Qur'an member wrote a ten-page letter which was never replied by the Muslim scholar. Instead, he terminated his term as the Rector of the International Islamic University one and a half months later. This kind of silence is also practised by other ulamaks whenever pro-Qur'an members write to them.

The typesetting of the ten-page letter for the purpose of this publication has changed its number of pages and thus, in this booklet, it has become nineteen. Certain statements, like the following, may be confusing to the reader because the letter has been reproduced without changing any of its contents: 

i)  "... verses 75:16-19 mentioned at the top of this page" 

ii)  "... mentioned on page 5 of this letter" (fifth line from the bottom of page 40 of this booklet) has become page 36. 

iii)  "Please turn to page 7 of this letter" (paragraph numbered 13g, on page 44) has become the first half of page 41. 

iv)  "... please turn to page 4 of this letter and see paragraph numbered 6". This paragraph is on page 33 of this booklet. 

The inconvenience is regretted.

Othman Ali,
(The home address is omitted
to protect the innocents
now residing at the premises.)

13th October 1988

Tan Sri Prof Dr. Muhammad Abdul-Rauf,
Rector, International Islamic University,
46400 Petaling Jaya.

Dear Professor,

"Peace be on you."(6:54)

I would like to congratulate you on your writings entitled 'IRRATIONALITY OF THE ANTI-HADITH HERETICS' which was widely publicised and circulated. You have indeed done a great favour to the so-called pro-Qur'an 'group' by correcting their error when you wrote, on page 10, 'They claim that the subject pronoun of the verb: "He named you Muslims" in this verve (22:78) refers to Ibrahim, but it really refers to Allah'. This effort of yours, Professor, should be applauded especially by those who love and reverence the Book.

2.    My interest in your scholarly writings began when I first read your thesis, 'Al-Yakin: Authenticity of Al-Hadith', published by the Islamic Affairs Division, Prime Minister's Department in 1986. Your first translation of a verse from the Holy Qur'an, on page 2 of the booklet, had kept me thinking for it was written as follows: 

"And whatever the Messenger gives you, you must uphold and follow; and whatever he forbids you to do, you should avoid it completely. " (59:7)

Your translation of this verse was found to be in slight disagreement with the various translations of the Qur'an by various scholars which are in my collection. Here are five of them:

"So take what the Apostle assigns to you, and deny yourselves that which he withholds from you."
- Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"Hence, accept (willingly) whatever the Apostle gives you (thereon, and refrain from (demanding) anything that he withholds from you."
- Muhammad Asad

"And whatsoever the messenger giveth you, take it. And whatsoever he forbiddeth, abstain (from it)."
- Mohammed Marmaduke Pickthall

"Whatever the Apostle gives you, accept it; and whatever he forbids you, forbear from it."
- Dar al-Choura

“... and whatever the Apostle gives you, accept it, and from whatever he forbids you, keep back,"
- M. H. Shakir

We were clearly taught by God that we have to listen to all views and follow the best, as in the following verse, and since your translation of the verse above, has evidence of interpolation, your thesis has become suspect.

"Who hear advice and follow the best thereof. Such are those whom Allah guideth, and such are men of understanding." (39:18)

Why should one interpolate the verses of the Qur'an? What does one hope to achieve? The answer, in your case, is on page 2 of the thesis, 'Authenticity of Al-Hadith' in which you stated the verse in question authorised Al-Hadith. The verse was adulterated in order to legitimise the much controversial Hadith! This is, of course, not the only reason why your translation of the verse had kept me thinking and had made your thesis to become suspect. Also, by revealing only those words to the public, you were premeditatedly concealing the majority of the words and of the real message of the verse. Here is the full verse:

"That which Allah giveth as spoil unto His messenger from the people of the townships, it is for Allah and His messenger and for the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer, that it become not a commodity between the rich among you. And whatsoever the messenger giveth you, take it. And whatsoever he forbiddeth, abstain (from it). And keep your duty to Allah. Lo! Allah is stern in reprisal." (59:7) 

And, allow me to continue to the next verse to confirm the context, that is, the division of the spoils of war:

"And (it is ) for the poor fugitives who have been driven out from their homes and their belongings, who seek bounty from Allah and help Allah and His messenger. They are loyal."(59:8)

One could clearly see that what the Prophet was giving and what he was forbidding was NOT Al-Hadith as you claimed. How could one go wrong with the non-allegorical verse like this? Why can't one see the truth? These questions are answered on page one of the booklet mentioned in the first paragraph of this letter ('Irrationality of the anti-Hadith Heretics' - from here onwards in this letter all arguments and references are referred to this abusively worded booklet) where you, Professor, considered yourself as 'qualified' in religious matters when you wrote, 'none of them is qualified to do so.' (3rd line of the 3rd paragraph.)

3.    The question of qualifications to deliver God's message are clearly stated in the Holy Queen and here is one of them:

"Follow those who ask of you no fee, and who are rightly guided." (36:21)

A person who receives no fee or wage is rightly guided! A person who receives a fee or wage is not only unguided by God but also not to be followed! So, one of the most important qualifications to preach God's religion is by not getting paid for it!

4.    The 'case of the verse 59:7' is not the only reason why I began to suspect your perception and submission to the Holy Qur’an. Here are four verses and we will see how you submit to these verses of Allah:

"For We had certainly sent unto them a Book, based on knowledge, which We explained in detail, - a guide and a mercy to all who believe." (7:52)

"Say: 'Shall I seek for judge other than Allah? - when He it is Who hath sent unto you the Book, explained in detail.'" (6:114)

"It is no invented story but a confirmation of the existing (Scripture) and a detailed explanation of everything, and a guidance and a mercy for folk who believe." (12:111)

"We have neglected nothing in the Book." (6:38)

Verily God has spoken the truth. How did you, Professor, react to these verses of Allah? You had not only rejected them but also sarcastically worded your rejection as follows:

“... the Holy Qur'an which is fondly described ... as “fully detailed"'
(page 20, lines 2, 3, 4th paragraph)

There is of course the freedom, Mr. Rector, sir, to believe or disbelieve as in this verse:

"Say: (It is) the truth from the Lord of you (all). Then whosoever will, let him believe, and whosoever will, let him disbelieve." (18:29)

Furthermore, only to those who want to believe in it, only then, the Qur'an will become a guide and a mercy. Please see 7:52 and 12:111 above.

5.    Prior to that sarcastic remark you made about the Qur'an you posed a few questions to justify the indoctrination of Al-Hadith being an article of faith in Islam (on page 19 of that pathetic booklet).

Your question: If we reject the Hadith, how could we identify the blind person mentioned in the Quranic verse 80:2 as 'Abd Allah Ibn Umm Maktum?

My answer: Here is the full story:

"He (Muhammad) frowned and turned away when the blind man came towards him. How can you (Muhammad) tell? He might purify himself. He might be mindful and the Reminder might profit him.
But to him who is wealthy you do attend: although the fault would not be yours if he remained uncleansed. Yet to him who came to you with zeal and awe, you gave no heed. " (80:1-10)

There are many lessons here:

- that we should not frown and turn away (like what Prophet Muhammad did) from a man whose eyes may be blind but his heart is not, and pay attention to a man whose eyes may not be blind but his heart is.

"Truly it is not their eyes that are blind but their hearts which are in their breasts." (22-46)

- that we should not frown and turn away from a poor man and give attention to a rich man.

- that we should not frown and turn away from someone who seemingly may look blind or 'stupid' - and so on!

- that Prophet Muhammad was not a 'maksum' or,'one without fault' as preached by the ancient cum pious Muslim scholars who are passionately followed by today's learned men of Islam.

- that the name of the blind man will not be questioned later:

"Then shall We question those to whom Our Message was sent and those by whom We sent it." (7:6)

Your question: Or how could we know that 'Amr Ibn Hisham, (Abu Jahl) was the person referred to in the verses 96:9-19?

"Have you seen him who strives to dissuade, a servant (of Allah) when he prays?" 96:9-10

My answer: I refrain myself from any form of gossip unless mentioned by name as in Sura 111.

- Can't that verse apply to anybody?

"And verily we have displayed for mankind in this Qur'an all kinds of similitudes ..." (17:89)

Your question:  Without the Hadith, how could we know that the Prophet died in the room of his young wife Aishah, in her lap and resting his noble head on her breast?

My answer: How is that position possible unless Aishah was much taller than the Prophet! Is this the position Muslims should die? If we don't die in this manner, are we going to hell?

The rest of the stories in your Hadith on pages 19 and 20 are food for the Hadith addicts, bed-time stories for some, hearsay or conjecture for a few. Other than the Qur'an, one may find many contradictions:

"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)

6.    In the midst of your colourful Hadith parade, a sorrowful cry was heard: '... these and many other Quranic passages would have become mere riddles.' (page 19, line 15) But the Qur'an says otherwise:

“And We have indeed made the Qur'an easy to understand and remember: then is there any that will receive admonition?" (54:17, 22, 32,40)

As stated in the brackets, this verse is repeated, word for word, FOUR times in a sura of fifty-five verses. Why can't we take heed? And, Mr. Rector of the Islamic University International, sir, the Qur'an is NOT a book of riddles but a book of Wisdom!

"A.L.R. These are the Ayats of the Book of Wisdom. " (10:1)

7.    The samples of Hadith that you produce as exhibits to defend the indoctrination that Al-Hadith is an article of faith in Islam must have come from the elites' arsenal of choiced works by the ancient cum pious scribes on the so-called Hadith Nabi. You cited, on page 18, this sacred Hadith:

'A woman embraced Islam, and thereby her marriage to an unbeliever was automatically, annulled. After the expiry of her 'Iddah' she was married to a Muslim. Yet, it happened that her original husband had, meanwhile embraced Islam. So, he went to the Prophet and claimed his wife. The Prophet ruled that she should return to her first husband as the second marriage was invalid since the original husband became a Muslim prior to it.' 

Let us now put this Hadith to an acid test. Let me now produce a verse from the Qur'an concerning the matter:

"They (believing women) are not lawful (wives) for the Unbelievers, nor are the (Unbelievers) lawful (husbands) for them. But pay the Unbelievers what they have spent (on their dower). And there will be no blame on you if ye marry them on payment of their dower to them." (60:10)

Had the dowry been paid, the poor woman would have been spared from the agony of separating with her second husband with whom she might have some deep feelings. In the first place, is the Hadith authentic? Did the Prophet or his Companions forget about the returning of the dowry? No, he didn't. Yes, the Hadith (from the so-called pious scribes) failed the test.

"We have sent down to thee the Book in truth, that thou mightest judge between men as guided by Allah." (4:105)

As for the other two cases for judgement in the Hadith you produced on page 18, one has to refer only to the Qur'an (like what Prophet Muhammad did) to give the verdict instead of the massive volumes of Hadith which according to verse 4:82 mentioned earlier are full of contradictions.

Though I agree with you when you stated that 'the Holy Quran commanded the Prophet to judge between people in the light of the Quran' (page 16, 12th line from bottom), I consider it despicable when you again interpolate a verse by adding the phrase, as follows:

"And we have indeed revealed the Scripture unto you with the truth so that you may judge between people in the light of that which Allah has taught you." (4:105, page 16, last line) 

Please see the common translation of the verse above. Please see whether the Hadith regarding the woman who embraced Islam is in the light of the Qur'an.

8.    On page 15, you quoted a verse and it was followed by a brief explanation. They are as follows:

‘"He it is (Allah) Who has sent among the unlettered (community) a Messenger of their own (race) to recite unto them His revelations, and to purify them, and to teach them the Book and Wisdom. " 62:2

According to this Quranic text, Prophet Muhammad was sent to deliver two things: The Book and Wisdom. Wisdom here according to Iman Shafi'i is the guidance contained in the Hadith.’

The Book and Wisdom here are not two things but one. If I were to say, "My letter and the questions", does it mean two things? No, Professor! Let us study these verses:

"These are the Ayats of the Book of Wisdom." (10:1)

"By the Qur'an, full of Wisdom." (36:2)

"Your Lord has enjoined you to worship none but Him, and to show kindness to your parents. If either or both of them attain old age with you, show them no sign of impatience, nor rebuke them; but speak to them kind words. Treat them with humility and tenderness and say: 'Lord, be merciful to them. They nursed me when I was an infant.'

Your Lord best knows what is in your hearts. If you are good, He will forgive those that turn to Him.

Give to the near of kin their due, and also to the destitute and to the wayfarers. Do not squander (your substance) wastefully, for the wasteful are the devil's brothers; and the devil is ever ungrateful to his Lord. But if you turn away from them to seek your Lord's mercy, hoping to attain it, then say kind words to them.

Be neither miserly nor prodigal, for then you should either be reproached or reduced to penury.

Your Lord gives abundantly to whom He will and sparingly to whom He pleases. He knows and observes His servants.

You shall not kill your children for fear of want. We will provide for them and for you. To kill them is a great sin.

You shall not draw near to adultery, for it is foul and its way is evil.

You shall not kill any man whom Allah has forbidden (you to kill) except for a just cause. If a man is slain unjustly, we have given his heir the power (to demand satisfaction). But let him not exceed the limit in slaying, for he (the victim) will be helped.

Do not draw near the property of orphans except in a nice way, until they reach maturity. And keep your promise. Surely it will be inquired into.

Give full measure, when you measure, and weigh with even scales. That is fair, and better in the end.

Do not follow what you do not know. Surely the hearing, sight and heart - about all these (you) shall be questioned.

Do not walk proudly in the earth. You cannot cleave the earth, nor can you rival the mountains in stature. The evil of all this is odious in the sight of your Lord.

These injunctions are but a part of the wisdom which your Lord has revealed to you." (17:23-39)

Even if what you or Shafi'i said were true, one does not see much or any wisdom at all in the Hadiths that you packed in the booklet. Even my daughter will know what to do should an epidemic break out without knowing the Hadith below - or, she might make a better decision because of modern medicine! Here is the 'wise' Hadith:

‘Should an epidermic break out in a land where you happen to be, stay where you are and leave it not. If you are not there, enter it not (for the time-being).' (on page 4, at the bottom)

9.    The Qur'an tells us that it is God Who explains the Qur'an:

"Do not move your tongue (with the revelation) so that you may hasten (committing) it (to memory). We Ourself shall see to its collection and recital. When We read it, follow its words attentively; We shall Ourself explain its meaning.” (75:16-19 )

But you in your effort to impose the believe in Al-Hadith wrote emphatically in bold capital letters, 'Part of the Prophet's task was to explain and give detail' (on page 14) and you produced three verses to support this claim. One of them is this:

‘"And We have revealed unto you the Reminder so that you may explain to the people that which has been revealed for them." 16.44'

One should be very careful or be very academic with the verses of the Qur'an when one wants to make a conclusion. Let us examine the context.

"And (even) before thy time, (O Muhammad) We never sent (as Our apostles) any but (mortal) men, whom We inspired*: and if you have not (yet) realized this, ask the followers of (earlier) revelation, (and they will tell you that their prophets, too, were but mortal men whom We had endowed) with all evidence of the truth and with books of divine wisdom.
And upon thee (too) have We bestowed from on high this reminder so that thou might make clear unto mankind all that was ever been thus bestowed upon them, and that they might take thought." (16:43, 44)

*(The following is an explanation by Muhammad Asad in ‘The Message of the Qur'an : Translation & Explanation')

'This passage has a double purport: firstly, it connects with the statement enunciated in verse 36 to the effect that God's apostles have appeared, at one time or another, within every civilization, and that, consequently, no substantial human groupment has ever been left without divine guidance; secondly it answers the objection frequently raised by unbelievers that Muhammad could not be God's message-bearer since he was "a mere mortal man”.’

Going back to verses 16:43, 44 just quoted above, do they tell you that the Prophet had explained and given details as you had propagated? No. The Prophet 'used' the Qur'an to make clear to the people what had been revealed to them because the Qur'an was revealed through him. Even if the Prophet had explained the Qur'an, how do you think he would explain the verses 75:16-19 mentioned at the top of this page?

You may disagree with me at this point, Professor. How does God explain the Holy Qur'an? One of the ways is, when one faces a problem with a verse like what we are facing now, one should continue reading the Qur'an and the problem will be answered. In this case, Prof., you don't have to go very far - just twenty verses ahead lies the answer:

"And We sent down the Book to thee for the express purpose, that thou shouldst make clear to them those things in which they differ, and that it should be a guide and a mercy to those who believe." (16:64) 

If you are still not convinced, please continue to verse 89:

“... and We have sent down to thee the Book explaining all things, a Guide, a Mercy, and Glad Tidings to Muslims." (16:89)

In fact, Professor, you did quote this verse and it was followed by a heretic explanation, on pages 14 and 15 of your 'Heretics':

"And we have revealed unto you the Scripture as an exposition of all things." 16:89. The meaning here is 'all relevant things' of special concern to the monotheistic creed.

Why did you stop quoting the verse there? Is it because of the hallucination that the Qur'an deals only with the 'monotheistic creed'? What do you mean by saying 'all relevant things of special concern to the monotheistic creed'?

You have in your explanation above exposed the common stunt made by the so-called 'religious authorities' - if you see them walking on a tight-rope, they will insist on saying that they are flying on the magic carpet! Whenever God says something, they will say it means something else! Here, all the translations, including yours (!), say "all things" BUT (always this big 'but') you say "all relevant things to monotheistic creed". When those who uphold the Qur'an produce verses from the Qur'an which God calls the Truth, you call them heretics. What kind of an indoctrination is this? When God mentions four parts of the body in ablution, you and the indoctrination add a few more! When God mentions of middle-toned voice in salat, you and your faith will say only at certain parts of certain salat - and so on. What is worse, according to the indoctrination, all these additions and subtractions are attributed to the Prophet to whom you all claimed to have given your 'unlimited love and respect'! (page 13, second line)

"I (Muhammad) follow only that which is revealed to me. Say: 'Are the blind and the seeing alike? Will you not think?" (6:50)

10.    Another verse, or part of a verse to be exact, that you produced to legalise the illegitimate Hadith (those written and compiled by 'pious' men; the earliest of them was born in 40 A.H. - by the time he compiled them, it was about 50 to 60 years after the death of the Prophet. See page 3, 4th line. The lawful Hadith of the Prophet is, of course, the Qur'an) is "OBEY ALLAH AND OBEY THE MESSENGER". It is, to borrow the expression on page 12 of your 'HERETICS', "a word of truth misused to promote falsehood".

To obey the messenger means (to you) to believe in the Hadith. What do you really mean? Let us put the situation during Prophet Muhammad's days. Do you mean to say that when he frowned and turned away from the blind man, everybody frowned and turned away from 'Abd Allah Ibn Umm Maktum? Or, when he lost a tooth, everybody started pulling his or her tooth? Or, when he moved his right leg, everybody followed him? Or, when he got married for the fourth time, everybody started hunting for the fourth time? Or, when he ate the ribs of lamb, everybody rushed for the lamb's ribs? From the Hadiths, we know that the Prophet was constantly watched - even what he did in the toilet and in the bedroom were witnessed, witnessed by pious and reliable people.

To support your claim, about twenty verse numbers were stated. In all those verses there is not one which states clearly that obeying the messenger means believing in the so-called Hadith. There is not one phrase or half the phrase of 'believe in the Prophet's Hadith' to be found in the whole Qur'an.

If the believe in the Prophet's Hadith is an article of faith in Islam, God would have mentioned it clearly, as clear as those commandments mentioned on page 5 of this letter.

"It is He who has revealed to you the Book. Some of its verses are precise in meaning - they are the foundation of the Book - and others allegorical. Those whose hearts are infected with disbelief follow the allegorical part, so as to create dissension and to interpret it." (3:7)

In fact, the word 'Hadith' appeared about 35 times in the Qur’an and none of them has any hint at all on the so-called Prophet's Hadith. Here are a few examples of the word found in the Qur'an:

"In what HADITH after this (Qur'an) will they believe?" (77:50)

"These are God's revelations that we recite for you with the truth: which HADITH, besides the revelations of God, do they believe?" (45:6)

"Some people uphold vain HADITH in order to divert others from the path of God without knowledge, and to create a mockery out of it." (31:6)

Among the verse numbers with 'Obey Allah and Obey the Messenger' that you mentioned on page 13, these two should have caught your eyes and made you to think twice before jumping into that conclusion:

"And obey Allah and obey the apostle and be cautious; but if you turn back, then know that only a clear deliverance of the message is (incumbent) on Our apostle." (5:92)

"And obey Allah and obey the Apostle, but if you turn back, then upon Our Apostle devolves only the clear delivery (of the message)" (64:12)

There is another evidence to prove that you are concealing the truth to spread falsehood on the same page, i.e. page 13, where in the midst of your various quotations from the Qur'an to convince the people of the believe in the Hadith, you premeditatedly commit the heinous act I accused you of. Here is the half truth that you exhibit:

‘"Say: Obey Allah and obey the messenger ... If you obey him, (the Messenger), you will go aright.” 24:54' 

Why did you stop there? Here is the truth:

"Say: Obey Allah and obey the Apostle; but if you turn back, then on him rests that which is imposed on him and on you rests that which is imposed on you; and if you obey him, you are on the right way; and nothing rests on the Apostle but clear delivering (of the message)" (24:54)

11.    Another verse that you pulled out from under your sleeve in your illusionist act is:

‘”...... If they had referred it (the matter) to the Messenger and to such of them as are in authority - those of them who are able to think out the matter would have known it. " 4:83' (last line of page 13 and continued on the next page)

And here is the full verse:

"And when there comes to them news of security or fear, they spread it abroad; and if they had referred it to the Apostle and to those in authority among them, those among them who can search out the knowledge of it would have known it, and were it not for the grace of Allah upon you and His mercy, you would have certainly followed the Shaitan save a few." (4:83)

Does one see one or two Hadiths here? One sees two Hadiths - from the Messenger and from the knowledgeable (or the expert). But the stress here is on the expert, "those among them who can search out the knowledge of it would have known it". This verse is about security matter - leave it to the expert. Even if the Messenger had given his opinions on such matters, would it apply today? Are the security problems faced by us here in Malaysia in 1988 the same as those faced by the Messenger in Medina or Mecca 1,400 years ago?

12.    You have no basis for the believe in the Hadith. You have no right to impose such a believe to the innocent people of Malaysia. You are committing a crime in God's Law by slandering those who uphold the Qur'an.

Do you remember, Professor, the retributions that God afflicted the people of Egypt when they denied the Message as told is Sura 7 of the Holy Qur'an. They were afflicted with famine, loss of crops, plague, flood, locusts, lice, frogs and blood. Do you see any of these afflicting the 'Muslim' countries?

I love my country. I fear that what you and the others are doing in suppressing those who try to uphold the Qur'an, my country would face the same fate.

"You shall uphold the honourable revelations from your Lord, before the retribution comes to you suddenly ..." (39:55)

13.    Let us now examine, in brief, the rest of the 'scholarly' remarks or statements you made in the booklet.

a.    “... at the beginning, most of the Prophet's Companions were reluctant to record the Hadith in writing because of their concern for the integrity of the Holy Quran." (page 3)

- They were men of foresight. Why don't you all follow them.

b.    "... Muslims' reluctance (to write the Hadith) gradually dissipated and the Hadith compilations commensurately grew in size and in number - committing to writing what had been lying in memory.” (page 3)

- The growth in size and number was cancerous.

- 'Lying in memory' amounts to hearsay and conjecture.

c.    "The fewer (narrators) the better, since errors were less likely to occur. " (page 9)

- An admission of guilt.

d.    "Abu Ubaidah ... one of the Noble Ten given the good tiding of being among the People of Paradise." (page 4)

- A favourite dosage for the Hadith addicts to hallucinate of a reserved seat in Paradise.

- Even Prophet Muhammed whom we know will be in Paradise was ordered by God to say, "I have no idea what will happen to me or you." (46:9) You are not following the good example of the Prophet.

e.  "Imam Malik ... authorised him to exercise ijtihad and give fatwas. " (pg. 6)

- A Mafia-like set up!

- Do you still remember the verse 39:18? To listen to all views and follow the best?

f.    "Because you taught me (on the authority of you) on the authority of al-Zuhri, who related on the authority of Abu Salamah Ibn 'Abd-al-Rahman, who, in turn, related on the authority of Umm Salamah, (a widow of the Prophet), who told the story that ... " (page 5) (The words 'on the authority' in the brackets are mine, an interpolation to explain the meaning.)

- Story-telling authorities?

g.    "Those who reject the Hadith are anti-Quran." (page 13) 

- The Qur'an is anti-Hadith. Please refer to page 7 of this letter for the verses to support my statement. They are at the bottom of the page.

- "Say: Show me a book from God that provides more guidance than them (Qur'an and Torah)." (28:49)

h.    "... there are many things which obviously are not given or explained in the Qur'an such as the ritual details of the prayer zakat, fasting and hajj.. "  (page 15)

- The words of a man deprived of guidance (36:21)

- "We did not leave anything out of this scripture." (6:38)

- Of course there is a lot of difference between the Quranic rituals and those of the Sunni or the Christians or the Jews or the Buddhists or the Hindus.

i.   "The Holy Qur'an also does not give details of nuclear energy or of the recent scientific discoveries including those which have led to space conquest, or the cause of the fatal disease called AIDS!" (page 15)

“What is wrong with you? How do you judge? Do you have another book that you apply? One that gives you anything you want?" (68:36-38)

j.   "Declaration of the Prophet as the perfect model at once implies the validity and authority of Hadith" (page 7).

- Before jumping into snappy conclusions, let's hop and step first. Let's do the hop, step and jump, for the distance covered will be longer. You are talking about verse 33:21. As for the context, look at verses 20, 21, and 22. In what context was God talking about Muhammad being a perfect model? Even if you take verse 21 separately, you will find, in the Qur'an, all the examples you need. Look at 13 (d) above, to cite an example. Or, do you frown and turn away from the blind man?

k.  "If he (Muhammad) was only to deliver the Holy Qur'an and nothing else, how could he be a model for the ummah? (page 8)"

- He not only delivered but submitted to the Qur'an.

- Here again you are saying that God is not perfect.

1.    "... those so-called 'rational', 'intellectual', 'western-educated' persons are so shallow and vulnerable.. " (page 20)

- "What about the one who idolises his own ego? Can you do anything for him? Do you suppose many of them hear or understand? Indeed, they are just like animals; nay, they are even worse." (25:43-44)

- This 'ego' epidemic has caught the majority of 'Islam's' soldiers of fortune.

m.    “.. the intricate rules and literature of the language of the Qur'an (page 20)

- Those rules were created by man and imposed in the indoctrination. So difficult they are that their victims failed to see the plain truth!

- But Allah says otherwise. "We made this Qur'an easy to understand through your tongue, that they may take heed." (44:58)

- Please turn to page 4 of this letter and see paragraph numbered 6. Thanks.

n.  ".. second-hand material written by shallow scholars in non-Quranic languages." (page 21)

- The epidemic in (1) above has really got into you.

- Turn to page one of this letter and compare the honesty between you and the 'shallow' scholars.

- To God, language is not the issue. How many millions of Arab-speaking creatures who are disbelieving in the Qur'an? Have you seen one? I have. "Whether it is non-Arabic or Arabic (Qur'an), say: 'For those who believe it is a beacon and a healing. As for those who do not believe, they will be deaf and blind to it; as if they are being called from afar." (41:44)

14.    In your scheming against those who uphold the Qur'an, you came across numerous verses used by them but you remained to be silent and thus, you may be guilty of concealing (I have proven this in this letter), disregarding, discarding, neglecting and rejecting the Truth.

One could see that you have thoroughly read the NST article but you insisted a connection between the pro-Qur'an members and those personalities that you condemned. You are nothing better than them. Why are you so against those who want to uphold the Qur'an?

"However, it is not you that they reject; it is God's revelations that the wicked disregard." (6:33)

Salam!

Othman bin Ali

cc: The President, IIU.
     Other Muslim brothers. 

To Conclusion