Tuesday, March 21, 2006

In Search of the Infidel (Kuffar)

The wonderful folks over at AltMuslim just posted an article on the deeper, perhaps truer meaning of "kuffar" — a word that many outside of the Muslim world (and altogether too many within) translate as "un-believer":

"Time and again, I have heard - from Muslims and non-Muslims alike - that Islam calls on Muslims are to hate non-Muslims (Jews, Christians, Hindus, etc). I have even seen scripture being quoted to that effect, and I have even listened as Muslims — deeply devout ones — have said to me, while keeping a straight face, that I am supposed to hate all those who are not Muslim.

I do not buy it one bit."


It's a beautiful article that poses more questions than it answers... but in the process feeds my hope for improved muslim/non-muslim relations. The author not only speaks from a place of faith, but a place that looks very familiar to those of us who inhabit the political center.

( PS... I wish I knew the story the author alludes to when he brings up the fall of Noah's wife... anyone have details? )

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I Googled "fall of Noah's wife" and this is the clearest answer I found:

The argument between Noah and his wife does not appear in Genesis. The dramatic tradition of Noah's wife's "disobedience was rooted in Eastern legend, which told that, as had been the case with Eve, her violation of the natural order was due to the temptations of Satan, who sought once again to thwart God's plan through the agency of a woman" (Beadle amd King, 21).

(Found it here.)

Silus Grok said...

Fascinating!

And the little I've read on it, implies that some read that Ham's uncovering of Noah's nakedness was a euphamism for sleeping with Noah's wife (his "nakedness", his beloved) — though Mormon theology would seem to contradict such an interpretation.