jquader wrote:(courtesy
http://www.irf.net )
1. Islaam is the oldest religion
Hinduism is not the oldest of all the religions. It is Islaam which is the first and the oldest of all religions. People have a misconception that Islam is 1400 years old and that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is the founder of this religion. Islam existed since time immemorial, ever since man first set foot on this earth. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was not the founder of Islam. He was the last and final Messenger of Almighty God.
Absolute hogwash. Going by this logic, all religions are equally old as all are ways to attain the right path. But then, religion and the existence of God are not the same thing. Islam as a religion came into existence only during the life of Prophet Mohammed and it is the youngest among the major religions among the world.
jquader, quoting irf.net wrote:2. For religion to be pure and authentic, it should not have interpolations, changes and revisions in its scriptures revealed from God
For any religion to be pure and authentic, its scriptures should not contain any interpolation, addition, deletion or revision. Moreover the religion’s source of inspiration and direction should be Almighty God. The Qur’an is the only religious scripture on the face of the earth which has been maintained it its original form. All the other religious scriptures, of all the other religions have interpolations, additions, deletions or revisions. The Qur’an has been in the memory of a multitude of people, intact in its original form ever since its revelation, and now there are hundreds of thousands of people who have preserved it in their memory. Moreover, if you compare the copies made by Caliph Uthman from the original Qur’an which is yet present in the museum in Tashkent and in Koptaki museum in Turkey, they are the same as the ones we possess today.
Allaah (swt) promises in the Qur’an, in Surah Al Hijr, chapter 15 verse 9
Again, I somehow don't confirm to the view that the Quran has been in the same form that it was "revealed" to mankind. Infact, I have reservations on the technicalities of the term "revealing" itself as human intervention automatically negates perfection in the process. And in no way is it true that each existing copy of the Quran has been handwritten by God himself. By the way, how can God, who is formless have a hand or a mouth to "reveal" the Quran to mankind?
jquader, quoting irf.net wrote:3. A religion is best, if it has the solutions to the problems of mankind
For a religion to be considered the best, it should have the solution to all the problems of mankind. It should be the religion of truth, and should be applicable to all ages. Islam is the only religion which has the solution to all the problems of mankind. e.g. the problem of alcoholism, surplus women, rape and molestation, robbery, racism, casteism, etc.
I also have reservations about the concept of one religion being better than the other. According to hindu scriptures, there are 9 different ways for a soul to attain salvation. And a person has to take up a way that he finds in sync with his personality to achieve his goal. Nowhere is it said that one way is better than the other.
jquader, quoting irf.net wrote:Islaam is the religion of truth, and its laws and solutions are applicable to all the ages.
Does Dr.Naik mean to say that other religions are religions of falsehood?
jquader, quoting irf.net wrote:The Qur’an is the only religious book on the face of the earth, which has maintained its purity and authenticity proving itself to be the word of God in all the ages. i.e. previously, when it was the age of miracles, literature and poetry and in present times when it is the age of science and technology. Moreover, Islam is not a man-made religion, but a religion revealed and inspired by Almighty God. It is the only religion acceptable in His Sight.
I've already addressed this above.
jquader, quoting irf.net wrote: The oldest religion need not be the purest and the most authentic religion
A religion cannot be claimed to be most pure and authentic, only on the criterion that it is the oldest. It is similar to a person saying that the water he has kept in an open glass, in his house, outside the refrigerator, for three months is purer than the water which has just been collected in a clean glass, immediately after it has been purified.
The latest religion need not be the purest and the most authentic religion
On the other hand a religion cannot be claimed to be the purest or authentic, only on the criterion that the religion is new or the latest. A bottle of distilled water which is sealed, packed and kept in the refrigerator for three months is much purer than a bottle of water freshly collected from the sea.
No religion can be pure as they're all man-made. And its not just with Islam that I have this argument. I've had numerous debates with ISKCON functionaries on their claim that their interpretation of the Gita is authentic as God revealed it to Prabhupada himself.
"The Master Of The Time"! ...
