Alochol:
Why forbid alcohol while praying when it is forbidden at all times? Specifying that drinking isnot allowed when praying very strongly implies that using alcohol when not praying is allowed. Not allowing alcohol while driving doesn´t forbid drinking alcohol at all times, does it?
OK, we cannot understand afterlife, but saying wine is present in heaven sounds strange to me while it is so strongly forbidden (in later verses) here. But OK, I will take your word we cannot understand it...
The verse still applies - do not approach prayer whilst not in control of one's senses. A later verse (in terms of when it was revealed) banned alcohol and when Muslims heard this revelation, they stopped drinking and threw away their liquor.
History teaches us that no one complained that Islam was ambiguous about the use of alcohol - it is forbidden. The fact that verses relating to prayer were revealed before the verse about alcohol being banned does not change things. Requiring sobriety does not (at least in my mind) equate to allowing drunkeness.
As for wine in heaven, the Quran says it is not alcohol, but a drink that does not cause inebriation - I'll get the quote for you. This qualification in the Quran itself should remove any confusion over whether alcohol is allowed.
I will quote the relevant passages when I can look them up.
Creation: Sometimes earth is created in 6 days and at other time 8 days in the Quran. If this is something we cannot understand, OK...
Could you give me the verses please and I'll respond. I'll also look this up myself.
Even the Quran itself says that some verses are ´better´ than others: Surah 2:106: None of Our revelations do We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, but We substitute something better or similar: Knowest thou not that Allah Hath power over all things?
So, the revelation is time bound? Obviously, there are cases that Allah is substituting his own words with something better. Why not revele the best straight away???
Yes, previous revelations are timebound. Quranic revelations on the other hand are not - so says the Quran itself.
Why not reveal the best straight away? Because man has evolved socially and materially. When mankind was primarily nomadic, the more 'advanced' laws of social interactions (such as possessions, inheritance etc) would not have been relevant. Also, if there was not a way of recording and faithfully transmitting the message, the revealed law would not be transmitted efficiently - and therefore was geographically bound.
However, this is not a contradiction - am I missing some point here?
Some scientific questions:
71:15-16 God created the seven stories heavens and made the moon as a source of light in these heavens
The moon is the source of light?
I did a quick Google and at http://www.ahadees.com/english-surah-71.html
the translation of verses 14 to 20 is:
While He has made you in diverse stages.
Do you not see that Allah has made seven heavens one upon another?
And He illuminated therein the moon and has made the sun as a lamp.
And Allah has caused you to grow from the earth like vegetation.
Then He will cause you to return there to and will bring you forth for the next time.
And Allah has made the earth for you as a bed spreading.
That you may walk through its wide ways.
'illuminating the moon' and 'sun as a lamp' seem to be in accordance with my understanding of science. (I'm not sure of which translation this is, so have given the web address). Can look into this more if you want.
Note v14 implies evolution (at least that is my take).
88: 20 The earth has been flattened.
And there are dozen more verses indicating very strongly that the earth is flat.
Again, same source as above v17 to 21:
Do they not look at the camel, how created?
And at the heaven, how it has been raised high?
And at the mountains, how they have been set up?
And at the earth, how it has been spread out?
Admonish you then; you are but an admonisher.
I don't think this needs any comment - earth is being used in contrast to mountains - hardly implying that the whole of the globe (planet Earth) is flat. Do you agree there is no contradiction here?
23:14 blessed Allah the best of all creators.
How many creators are there?
Only one creator of the universe or life, but everyone/thing that makes something is a creator of that thing. I see no contradiction in the verse which states God is the best creator.
86:7 says human sperms originate from between the back and the ribs
hmmm...
v5 to 7
Then let man consider, from what he is created.
Created from a gushing water.
Which comes out from between the loins and the ribs.
I've given an explanation of this verse in a previous post here - pointing out that 'back' isn't in the translations but that 'loins' is. Most of the seminal fluid does emanate from within the body and not the testes - but that said, the testes is also part of the loins.
cheers,
Shafique