New book: Evolution of Thinking-The rejection of Miracles

[Arnold Yasin Mol]

Here is my book on the rejection of miracles in the Quran and how the stories of the Prophets must be understood:

The Evolution of Thinking

Here is the introduction from the book:

"A lot of times person ask me why I don't believe the Quran supports supernatural miracles. Why do I translate them so differently? Well we have to bring in Psychology and the Arabic into this. One person asked me:

"If you claim Islam and the quran can be explained in an empirical scientific way then you do away with one of the core ideas of religion (and 99% of Islam.) by promoting disbelief in the 'supernatural'......"

Indeed a good question, so let's see what were the factors involved with the Quranic interpretations. The idea that Islam must believe in a God that supports the supernatural is wrong. But in the last 1400 years the belief in the supernatural dominates Islam. How can this be? There are 2 factors involved which I’ll discuss. First of all, this is normal, as most people in that those times were in a mythological phase of thinking. Their concept of power or divinity was connected by miracles and the supernatural as they themselves understood little of the creation. Because they didn't see the world and the whole universe as evidence enough for Allah's power, they demanded things that went beyond their direct doing.
The thing is, it is not that God cannot do it, the question is, will God do it? Throughout the Quran, God says that no miracle will convince people and that He will not break His laws. This includes the Laws of Nature. Throughout the Quran, God refers to reason and observation, we have to look at the creation, at our own bodies, how miraculous everything works and fits. God has the power to do anything, this is not being questioned. If we are truly convinced by miracles is the question. Do we need them to believe? Does this make our believe in God's power less? Does this makes the power and intelligence that was involved to create the universe less? When I talk with people about the verses being translated wrong and are twisted into miracles, they always end up with: 'Don't you believe God can do these things?'

And then we finally end up at the question why people defend miracles. It is because their God's image is based on a supernatural God. Instead of God being present direct here in all that exists, He having create all that exists through such precise Laws, on slight deviation and we would not be here. They do not base God's power on the creation itself, but on breaking the laws they cannot break themselves."

Dr.Shabbir's comments:

I could read only 10 pages last night - too many phones!
But wow! - it's marvelous X 10 - will finish reading tonight.

He didn't change his mind after finishing it either.

And M.Qasmi. His reaction is exactly what I tried to achieve by writing this book. I hope it will cause the same with you:

Hey,
To start with, I think it is a brilliant piece of work...

You know what scares me most?

1) What would I have demanded from our exalted prophet, had I been a common man of that time and met him trying while to understand God's message?

2) All my knowledge and understanding of the universe and man's history kept aside, where does my intellect stand when it comes to absorbing a supernormal message? The Quran is Mubeen, yes, but one needs to have a certain threshold of knowledge and intellect , or at least be a bit susceptible to it. One cannot be so without knowledge at least, and to be able to process that knowledge effectively.

Mahmood

[Sidqi]

People expect Miracles. Why.

Because they dont see around. No one tells them to see around. We do not have true scholars to tell them that from construction of a tree leaf to exact tilt position of earth and every thing in between is a total grandest miracle. Every bit in this world is the greatest example of miracle. From nervous system of an Ant to body frame of an Elephant, fixed weathers, Gases, minerals. air, water are all miracles, and hugly grand when compared to Musa's stick turning into Serpent. When Quran talks about Honey or Olive, then its telling us a miracle.

Perhaps thats why Quran keep telling us "" Think, think and think""

Sidqi. ca