Irfan,

It was sad news specially a moderate and smart thinker.
Interesting enough his time in Egypt was in Nasser's period of persecuting everyone, even mosslems.

As for the mainstream media I believe it is becoming more and more business driven and wave surfers rather than wave makers.

Sad day when a good guy passes away, but worse is when you run home to watch what is happening in the world, and all you get is Big brother evictees, ms Corby misfortune and Michael Jackson neverland.

Viva cable TV, BBC and other wave makers...

Salam,

Irfan,

Wonderful words that are a fitting tribute to one of the good guys. Sorely missed, we can only hope that his work and the grace with which he lived his life inspire others to do the same.

Irfan, your portrayal of this man is a poorly veiled attempt to characterize Islam and its prophet in the same manner. Did his work on the life of Mohammed include references to his cruelty ? The incident below, or the murder of Ka'ab etc Or was he selective, taking a 'sanitized and idealist' approach ?

Sahih Muslim

Book 016, Number 4131:

Anas reported: Eight men of the tribe of 'Ukl came to Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) and swore allegiance to him on Islam, but found the climate of that land uncogenial to their health and thus they became sick, and they made complaint of that to Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him), and he said: Why don't you go to (the fold) of our camels along with our shepherd, and make use of their milk and urine. They said: Yes. They set out and drank their (camels') milk and urine and regained their health. They killed the shepherd and drove away the camels. This (news) reached Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) and he sent them on their track and they were caught and brought to him (the Holy Prophet). He commanded about them, and (thus) their hands and feet were cut off and their eyes were gouged and then they were thrown in the sun, until they died.

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I find no attraction to Islam or its alledged prophet, and this is one of the major reasons. (among others) Let the truth be known, and let people be FULLY informed, I wonder if Cat Stevens knew about this kind of thing when he was considering becoming a Muslim.

As for the man you referred to, seems like he was sincere, but sincerely wrong.

Boaz David,

Interesting that you know little about Islam and its teachings and you are a Christian Missionary.

Qu’ran is the source of Islamic faith and belief. The hadith (ie sayings of Prophet Muhammed) have 6 different sources and the ‘narrated hadith’ (ie the proven sources documented during his life time) are only 7 of them.

Now you being a Christian missionary should know all of this, but reading through some of your comments you seem obsessed with Islam being your boo boo man!

You have an equal responsibility to educate your followers on Islam and Quranic teachings. Lots of good Catholics I know go to mosques and their musslim friends because they are confused why Jesus is more glorified in the Quran than in the bible and why Virgin Mary story have a full chapter while there is no mention of her in the bible.

Whoever you are, please stop the “catch the fire’ ministries attitude and come to reason…musslims and christians have common values and beliefs, we both believe in Jesus, his virgin birth we both believe in his second coming.

Peace,

Ash

David, did I go to schoool with you? I remember a guy at St Andrews Cathedral School with your name. I finished year 12 in 1987. Were you at that school?

David, I urge you to read Shaykh Martin's book.

You might also read the book of Saladdin's Minister for Health, Shaykh Musa bin Maymun. Shaykh Musa was a Spaniard who fled to Cairo and met Saladdin. Shaykh Musa's reputation had spread far and wide for a brilliant philosophical and theological treatise he had written in Arabic.

Saladdin was so impressed with the treatise and with Shaykh Musa's formidable reputation as a physician that he begged Shaykh Musa to lead his medical team.

So what was special about this book? Well, the book is a trialogue of three faiths. In the book, Shaykh Musa made the bold claim that Judaism is superior to both Christianity and Islam.

Huh? Shaykh Musa? Arabic book? Saladdin impressed?

The book has been translated into English as "Guide to the Perplexed". Shaykh Musa was Moses Maimonides. Saladdin appointed a Jew to head his medical team.

"Lots of good Catholics I know go to mosques and their muslim friends because they are confused why Jesus is more glorified in the Quran than in the bible and why Virgin Mary story have a full chapter while there is no mention of her in the bible."

They may be 'good' Catholics, but not real bright. Ignorance of the scriptures = ignorance; The Gospel of Like could give them no less than a dozen references about Mary and the Glory of God's son, Jesus.

"muslims and christians have common values and beliefs" however, they are not readily found in Sharia law too often, but, Muslims have at their disposal all sorts of legal folly that Western traditions of freedom set up to, ironically, undermine our own freedom at the expense of new 'minorities.'

When someone like Cardinal Pell says that Muslims & Christians should combine to protect concepts of family, I wonder if this means monogamy or polygamy as the fundamental point of agreement?