Hi Reality Check,

My response was in relation to specific case, Christian missionaries who ‘intentionally’ mislead their followers about their fellow muslims.

Your comments proved my point on the polygamy issue: the verse referring to polygamy in the Koran restricts it to force majeure and under strict conditions (agree it is misused in the Arabic culture). But here is what I find interesting in your comment: I don’t see anyone talking about militant secularism and the fact that polygamy is ‘legally allowed’ in the free world (ie a man can have as many female relations with children in each house hold!).

Cardinal Pell whose vision I respect and value, was talking about that very same issues. Gay marriage and gay priest not only are causing divide within the same church, but widening the divide between Western Catholic church and East Europe Catholic and Orthodox churches.

PS: to put a smile on your face about what we have in common:
the whole chapter 19 (98 verses) in the Koran talks about Virgin Mary’s life before and after Jesus and his first days miracles as a new born (which are not in the bible by the way, Koranic miracles of Jesus when he was a new born is exclusive to muslims:):))

Have a good day.

This story is long on name-dropping, a common Muslim tactic since they are so keen to have "western" coverts to "legitimise" their religion, but short on details like was the "Shayk" actually a Muslim or was he merely an Arabic/Quranic scholar (which isn't always a positive for Muslims, as some selective Quranic quotes would quickly show)?

It always interesting to see someone who quotes from the Quran being labelled a "Christian missionary"! It's like, well, if you want to become a Muslim you have to read the Quran (preferably in Arabic, the only "reliable" source) but if you question what you read, you're a really bad person.

I love it when Muslims claim Jesus (and, conveniently, a whole swag of Jewish and Christian prophets) but emphatically deny he was crucified, a point which is often left out until they are pressed. Then comes a long lecture on how he lived on to old age and is buried in Kashmir etc.

wow wow wow...hold the horse.
Firstly, Boaz David actually identified himself as a 56 year old Christian missionary in a previous discussion..It is not an 'accusation'.

Secondly, Jesus ' crucifix is not a religious issue for us as muslims. It something that is the corner stone of Catholic faith.

Thirdly, Islam is a fast growing religion. Whether Cat Stevens or others chose it or not, it doesn't add any popularity or legitimacy.
Islamic teachings have been the same since it came and doesn't change to 'attract more candidates'.

Fourth, I studied the Bible and the Koran in their native semetic languages and unfortunately some of the translations done by Christian missionaries replace the word 'ungrateful' with the word 'infidel'.

Fifth, this article was about a good man who passed away, compare you vicious attacks to the North American Mulsims websites (and Aussie muslims) who sincerely paid tribute to the late John Paul (or any other religious figure).

Thank you for stopping by,

Name dropping?

Next time Shaykh Nuh Keller visits Australia and addresses a packed house at the Imam Ali Mosque in Lakemba, I will let you know. You can see with your own eyes Muslims of all ages and races and colours gathering to listen to him with heads bowed in respect and pin-drop silence.

Yes, an American shaykh speaking in an American accent.

If you take a look at a recent study of Australian Muslims done by Abdullah Saeed and his team at the University of Melbourne, you will see that census figures show that the biggest group of Muslims by place of birth are Muslims born in Australia. Is it any wonder that English-speaking imams and religious scholars are so popular?

On boxing day last year, the Sydney Opera House was packed as people came to hear 2 prominent western Muslim speakers. One was Swiss-born Tariq Ramadan. The other was an American scholar who studied in Turkey, Naeem Abdul Wali.

You might like to check out the website of the Zaytuna Institute, perhaps one of the most influential Muslim thinktanks and schools in the western world. www.zaytuna.org

peace.

Why are we supposed to be thrilled by the prospect of Muslim Sheiks speaking in comprehensible English? The message is no clearer! Sheik Hilaly has been here 25 years and is incomprehensible, and his "message" is even more muddy after some of the fantastic and illogical claims made over the Douglas Wood affair. As Wood said when asked of the Sheik.. he said "Who?" which is funny as the Sheik had claimed to have spoken to Wood on the telephone!

Going into raptures over the odd Western convert to Islam hides one important fact: the penalty for apostacy from Islam is death, true? So even Yusuf Islam would be in deep trouble if he publicly announced he was wrong, and wanted to become a Buddhist, wouldn't he?

To my brothers of another faith,
I dropped by the article to broaden my limited knowledge of Islam and with the thought that there might be some interesting comments regarding his life. How I felt tears well when I read the likes of David, RealityCheck and Viking: nothing but fear-based vitriol, ignorance and some level of brain-washing.

As a PRACTICING CHRISTIAN and passionate on the subject of spirituality, I can think of no logical reason for their malice. Any true Christian, for a start will accept the faith of another is real and honest. That each if us has a right to commune with our God as we see fit. That they denigrate (“They may be 'good' Catholics, but not real bright. Ignorance of the scriptures = ignorance”) simply means they are afraid – of their uncertainty and of what they don’t understand. Our God first and foremost taught tolerance, compassion and love. None of which was shown in their writing. I would be ashamed to be held in the same company as they.

On behalf of all true Christians, I think it safe to say that the passing of one of your scholars and faithful is a loss to the world and our true condolences are offered. I can only hope more of his kind appear in all faiths of the world. May OUR God make it so…

JustDan