April 1999: Page 1, 2, 3, 4

Submitters Perspective

Page 3

Dress

Continued from page 2

In this verse, “awraat” means puberty also.

3. A group of them said, “O people of Yathrib, you cannot attain victory; go back.” Others made up excuses to the prophet, “Our homes are exposed (awraat).” They just wanted to flee [33:13].

In this verse awraat means vulnerable to attack.

It is obvious from the above verses that the word “awraat” has nothing to do with women. In the Quran women are called “nisa.” Although women are vulnerable to attack by unrighteous men, God protects believing women who follow His commandments.

Whether we are created in the form of a man or woman, we are responsible individually in following God’s commandments. We learn from the Quran that we all are equal in the sight

of God. Therefore, what will distinguish us in the Hereafter will not be our gender, race or color, but our righteousness:

O people, we created you from the same male and female, and rendered you distinct peoples and tribes, that you may recognize one another. The best among you in the sight of God is the most righteous. God is Omniscient, Cognizant. [49:13]

Senobar Tafozali & Naima Turner


Abraham and the Sacrifice:

God never ordered Abraham to sacrifice his son

This year over one billion Muslims around the world have celebrated the Islamic holiday Eid-ul-Adha, The Festival of Sacrifice. The festival follows the completion of the Hajj, the Holy Pilgrimage to Mecca.

Most of us grow up in the Muslim world learning that the reason for celebrating the Hajj (pilgrimage) season has to do with Abraham building the Kaaba and also his attempt to sacrifice his son Ismail.

Muslim scholars have been teaching that God inspired Abraham to sacrifice his son Ismail by slaughtering him with a knife. While this gross crime of a father slaughtering his own son is mentioned in the Bible, the Quran does not support it. These teachings of the Muslim scholars are reflections of the Jewish influence on the early Muslim scholars.

Continued on page 4