porus wrote:
In the quote above, the translation for 'an-nabi al-ummi' is given as 'the Prophet who can neither read nor write'. Can you provide a scholarly justification for this translation?
What can be more scholarly justification then the Ayaath itself, if you understand. Then too as what I have read, here it is...
In Arabic terminology, an ‘Ummi’ is not necessarily one who is illiterate or one who does not know how to read and write; but because the Arab nation, unlike the ‘People of the Book’, had not received any specific Divine Scriptures or Divine Laws in their language, they were termed and recognized as an ‘Ummi’ or unlettered nation and people by the ‘People of the Book’, especially the Jews.
It was not that all the Arabs of Makkah were illiterate or did not know how to read and write; but the fact is that the pagan Arabs were extremely proud of their culture, and their language, and their literature, and poetry, and prose. Many amongst the Arabs, especially the Arabs of Makkah were proficient writers of literature and poetry and well acclaimed throughout the region for their composition in the Arabic language.
porus wrote: By the way, in your initial postings you appear to have used the signature phrases from islamhelpline.com. Are you associated with this website? Or are you just copy/pasting from it? If so, please identify the source in your postings.
Of course in my initial posting its a signature phrases from islamhelpline.com, don't you think this phrase should be a signature of for every mu'meneen. As I am not a scholar like those people who write on Islamhelpline.com and many other likewise sites, I read theirs and many other resources available who Quotes from Al Quran and Al Hadiths and post it on this forum so that Mu'meneens who maybe are not surfing those sites can a have review on similar topics.
porus wrote:
Muslim dogma has it that Quran is self-referential. That is, it can be corroborated only from within itself, not from any outside source. For abdes, Dai is also self-referential. This means, for instance, that when the Dai quotes from the Quran and offers a tafseer, it would be unthinkable for an abde to validate the Dai's words by referring to the Quran. This desire for validation would be considered gross disobedience of the Dai.
We therefore appear have a situation where there are two self-referential authorities for the Bohras, the Quran and the Dai. The Dai is superior in that the Quran is either not needed or, at best, only useful if the Dai provides an interpretation for it. Nonetheless, Quran's recitation is recommended for barakaat, and better if the barakaat is transferred to the Dai.
I do not have any more comment on your above statement but only few Verses from Al Quran, if you understand...
Sura 22 - Al-Hajj (MADINA) : Verse 8
Yet there is among men such a one as disputes about Allah, without knowledge, without guidance, and without a Book of Enlightenment
Sura 3 - Al-E-Imran (MADINA) : Verse 79
It is not (possible) for any human being to whom Allâh has given the Book and Al-Hukm (the knowledge and understanding of the laws of religion) and Prophethood to say to the people: "Be my worshippers rather than Allâh's." On the contrary (he would say): "Be you Rabbaniyyun (learned men of religion who practise what they know and also preach others), because you are teaching the Book, and you are studying it."
I think you should read Quran with understanding, understand the creator and his creations, then I think you should try to ask justification for your above sentences. Further more whatever I have replied in this post is not a copy paste of another site or person except those Quotes marked in RED is from Al Quran.