Beat your wife...
I think the link inkling posted covered what I would have tried to say myself. Basically, it is important to take into account the fullness of meaning of the Arabic language and the Qur'an and the Hadith as a whole, so as to understand the spirit as well as the letter of Islam, rather than taking a few words or verses of sometimes questionable interpretation and presenting them in a way that violates the spirit and letter of the entirety of Islam. Better education in this regard would help prevent both Muslims and non-Muslims from misunderstanding and misapplication.
Islam does not condone wife-beating, it encouarges men and women to love and respect each other, and to be gentle and kind in their dealings; it does not condone taking the law into your own hands and pronouncing and carrying out a death sentence or other legal punishment, it requires respect for the law and following legal procedure; it focuses always on personal obedience and personal responsibility to Allah, on fairness, on justice, on mercy and charity. Learning to control your temper and not act in anger is taught as being of great value and importance.
But you would not know this by looking at Muslims in the media or by the twisted versions of Shari'ah that are the law in many Muslim countries. You would only know this by looking for sources that have studied and understand Qur'an, Hadith, and Arabic, and those who endeavor to live it. They do exist! Anti-Islamic sites and the writings of Muslims who have a vested interested in maintaining unfair and wrongful power structures give a very distorted picture.
The Qur'an teaches love for women and respect for women's rights. Muhammad (pbuh) lived the Qur'an and provided the best example for us. After questioning and researching this matter, being a new convert, I feel confident that anything that is presented contrary to the excellence I have found in Islam is slander, and I will accept crap from no one, Muslim or non-Muslim or ex-Muslim. I wish with all my heart that all Muslims would learn and live their religion properly, including me! Again I say, correct education is of vital importance to this issue, as are a thriving economy and responsive political system.
I know there are many that will not embrace even the true teachings of Islam but, whether one accepts or rejects, I would hope that it would be on the basis of truth rather than falsehood. I do not know why people bother to lie about Islam when there are plenty of truths in it people are not going to like and will reject anyway.
Worship Adam...
Allah ta'ala did not tell the angels and jinn to worship Adam, He told them to bow. While worship may involve bowing, bowing does not necessarily constitute an act of worship but can be a sign of respect and humility. Unless you believe the Watchtower teaching that bowing in martial arts practice is an act of worship. Again, it's translation and context, determining what fits with the whole and what doesn't.
Men turned into apes...
...the Qur’an refers to those who have incurred the wrath of God as apes and swine, which is an old Arabic analogy for those who are lawless like apes and have succumbed to gluttony and sexual license like pigs.
Hi Kudra. Hope some of that helps. If not, feel free to ask me anything anytime. I may not read all the threads though, so pm me if I don't answer. Do have a look at that apologist link. And, oh dear, I've forgotten who started this thread, but hello I hope you continue researching and reading. If you think I can be of any assistance, please let me know.
If I have said anything wrong, may Allah ta'ala correct and forgive me.
~Merry
