Questions about Islam

[Egyptian_Muslim]

Imperfection of Muhammed (One of the problems I have with him): Sahih Bukari Volume 5, Book 59, Number 369.

You cannot go to the book Sahih Al-Bukhari and start to draw conclusions from hadiths there.
There are many many information and skills that you need in order to do so, if you didn't know what are hadiths, or how are they classified or authenticized, how are you going to draw conclusion from Sahih Al-Bukhari??

That's why I recommended that if you want to read Hadiths don't go to Sahih Al-Bukhari right away.

Look Katy, I can respond to that definitively, but I am not going to do so for a reason.
I can write a very long essay and fill it with arabic terminology and technical terms that you don't know. You will come out with the impression that I have in fact refuted the accusation. But what if I am writing non-sense? Do you have the knowledge to determine if I'm saying the truth or not?
The same with polemical literature, if you don't have solid background in the subject you can be taken into believing things that are not true at all, you'd simply go with the one who has higher voice.

That's why when I am studying Christianity I didn't go to polemical literature, I decided to read and study works of eminent scholars on the subject first. And I am doing that - as far as I can- with open mind and heart. The purpose of study is not to find "errors" in Christianity.

Similarly if you want to study about Islam, the best way IMO is doing the same.
Avoid polemical literature in the begining and read scholarly works with open mind and heart. You will lose nothing If anything you will have stronger knowlegde about the world's second biggest religion, which is very useful IMO.

That's why, if you checked all the books I recommended to you, you'll not find any of them polemical at all. They don't mention, let alone criticize, Christianity.

One more book I'd recommend is "Muhammad: His life based on earliest sources" by Martin Lings. Which is a very scholalry biography of the Prophet, and is considered the definitive biography in English.

Purchase: http://www.amazon.com/Muhammad-Life-...0036518&sr=1-1

Now I think I recommended alot of books. But you don't need to read them all at once.
You can start with one (e.g. Islam and the destiny of Man), and if you find your self interested move to another one.

The decision is yours of course
I hope we were able to help and answer your questions.
Peace

[zaheerhussain]

Katy,

1. As I said earlier, the maximum limit of 4 wives at a time didn't apply to him. He had a different limit of maximum number of wives. The 4 wives at a time limit applies to a common mine without max. limit. In other words, common man could have a max. 4 wives at a time, but in total he could marry as man he wants. For example, the Prophet could not take additional wives if any of them died or if he divorced them. A common man can marry as soon as one of 4 dies or if they get divorced.

2. The multiple marriages are neither not discouraged. It depends on the capacity of the man. The question is: If a man can handle more than one wife as per the conditions of the Qur'an? If he can, then well and good. Still he is not encouraged or discouraged.

3. Authentic and unauthentic hadeeth are classifications based on several conditions.
a. How trustworthy the narrator was (his memory, etc.).
b. How good the chain of narration is.
c. How many people have narrated it.
d. etc., etc.

4. Sunni & Shia: This difference arose around 25 years after the death of the Prophet during the reign of Caliph Ali. Shia do not accept the caliphate of first three Caliphs. It is a long story.

5. Messiah in Islam. He is only Jesus son of Mary. This is a "title" given to him for his method of treating his patients by touching his hand over the patient. Each prophet had a title or two, like Abraham the friend of Allah, Moses, who talked with Allah. Jesus has other titles like the Word of Allah, the Spirit of Allah.