You know how theres loads of ways of interpreting anything anyone reads? well that obviously includes the Qur'an, so how do we know we're interpreting it correctly? and how do those people that write commentaries know that and everyone else?

:S
See, the other day in R.E i was talking to some girls and one of them was like

"all religions contradict themselves, they say one thing in one place and then another in another place"

but i was like no not all of them are and its also down to how people interpret the books.

and then she was liek yeah thats true theres like a million ways of interpreting every holy book.

so that got me thinking, have we actually got a way of making sure how we understand the Qur'an is the right way? if so what is it :S

">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5d3CEx-d9cQ]

ok, this is something that for some reasom irritates me.

It shouldn't because it is extremely minor, but it does.

So when someone accepts Islam, do they revert or convert?

The arguments are as follows:

Argument for using "revert"

Unlike Christians, Muslims do not accept "Original Sin" and that all humans are born in a sinful state. We believe that people are born pure.

Since Islam is accepting God and returning to a purer state, people say that someone has reverted to islam

Argument for using "convert"

Well, this one is simple - people have chosen to accept Islam. Unless they were previously Muslims who had converted to something other than islam and then back, they are simply converting to Islam.

My view

Topic: Do all paths lead to the same God?

"Imagine, for example, that three blind men are touching an elephant. The first blind man is holding on to the elephant's leg. He explains, "I think an elephant is like the trunk of a great tree." The second blind man disagrees. "No, I believe an elephant is like a snake," he says while holding the elephant's trunk. The third blind man responds, "No, you both are wrong, an elephant is like a wall." (He is touching the elephant's side.) Each blind man thinks he is right and that the others are wrong even though all three of them are all touching the same elephant. In a similar way, is it not possible that all religions are in contact with the same ultimate reality and merely describe it in different ways?"

Many people are crucifying Ed Balls and the Labour government for this, but I think it is a good move:

MPs pass Ed Balls's controversial change to the sex education bill, allowing faith schools to opt out of rules on teaching homosexuality and contraception

What this *should* mean is that while the subjects still have to be taught, they do not have to tow the government line on such things and pretend it is all happy families.

Even on the issue of contraception it would give the schools the right to put forward a stronger message than they maybe were previously allowed.

I have mentioned this a few times, but then I also go back to how things are.

The issue is that us Muslims seem to almost excusively focus on the plight of the Palestinians.

Why? because it is easy and it is well know.

Yet there are other places in the world where Muslims live and where humans are also suffering - some times at the hands of other Muslims.

This is nothing new and I am sure we can all name drop a few different places where things are happening - Nigeria in the Nigerian Delta, Sudan in southern Sudan and the Darfour region, Somalia, Chechnya, Assam in India, the Uyghurs in china.

[center]Milad un Nabi Mubarak!

Say: Because of the Blessings (fadl) of Allah and His Mercy (rahma) you should celebrate (with happiness and pleasure). That is better than what (wealth) they amass. (Surah Yunus)

Narrated by Abu Qatada Ansari (ra). The Prophet was asked about fasting on Monday whereupon he replied:

"It is (the day) i was born and revelation was sent down to me." (Sahih Muslim)
[/center]

First it was the infamous war and onslaught of Lebanon in 2006 not to mention the many previous wars Israel has had with its neighbours.

Then Gaza and now the embroiling dispute with Britain on the killing of the Hamas leader Mahmoud Al-Mabhouh in Dubai supposedly carried out by Mossad and his crew.

The assassination emphasises that still Israel and the Palestinians are in a state of perpetual war. Israel has always been a state within a state its reputation dwindled by the treatment of Palestinians and disregard for mercy.