Prevalent Comments in the Community

1. Prevalent Comments in the Community • God Himself descends to the lowest heaven. God’s sits on his magnificent chair. God stomps on hell with his foot. It was preordained that you missed or received X. It was preordained (qadr) that you got in that car accident or faced X calamity. I understand that he murdered thousands of innocent people, but he died testifying his faith in God. I don’t know anything about ‘Alī’s caliphate. I did not know the grandsons of the Prophet were murdered, the reasons for which they were killed, or how they lived their adult lives. • Do any of these statements reflect your own beliefs or those of your community? Why?

2. Umayyad Contributions to Muslim Culture Anthropomorphism Fatalism The Salvation of criminals Anti-Alid sentiment Rationalist Responses in the First Century

3. The Quran and The Image of God • Tajsīm – Anthropomorphist literalism • Tafwīḍ - Abstaining from Interpretation • Tanzīh – Absolving God of physical characteristics • *Tashbīh – Likening God to man • How do you interpret the image of God in the Quran?

4. Moses and The Shephard This famous parable begins: On the path Moses came upon a shepherdHis prayers with God he overheard.Where are you so your needs I can serveMend your shoes, comb your hair, curl & curve.Wash your clothes, kill your lice, pick your nitsBring you milk, while your Majesty just sits.Kiss your lovely hands, and rub your tiny feetWhen it is time to sleep, sweep your room, make it neat.For you I will sacrifice all my goatsThinking of you I shout and sing my notes.

5. Moses and The Shephard • If you praise or say thanks in loud cries • Like the old shepherd, you will see your demise. • Even if all your praises are better Compared to God's mercy, they won't matter. • Say no more, cause when the veil is pulled aside Whatever they thought was, will not abide. • God accepts you praises from his grace • Permits you to pray, while a stone you face. [The Ka‘ba] • Is it possible to cherish the spirituality of other traditions and disagree with their theologies?

6. Being Reasonable & Kind:Am I diligent, comprehensive, and fair? • (a) Legal Theory & Certainty • (b) Awareness of Logical Fallacies • (c) Integrity in Research: • Respecting historic traditions (with which you disagree), • Providing well-reasoned proofs, (Abstaining from Fallacies). • (c) Accepting Agency & Self-Representation

7. Logical Fallacies Appealing to Authority Ad hominem attack Opposition Straw Man Circular Argument Appeal to Force

8. A Game of Proofs • In the following examples, my opponent is arguing why one should agree with him, but never logically, so that I must agree. • Find the fallacy in his argumentation. • 1. I know X is true b/c Ibn Taymiyya says so. • 2. I believe in the Quran because it is the word of God. • 3. Don't celebrate birthdays, because people of other faiths do this. • 4. Shias are wrong because they believe ‘Alī should've been the Messenger and Gabriel made a mistake • 5. This ḥadīth is false, because one of its transmitters is untrustworthy. • 6. Do not uphold minority/unpopular views, because your family or community will condemn and ostracize you. • Can any be amended to make them valid?

9. Logical Fallacies Ambiguity Appeal to the Crowd Appeal to Emotion Beside the Point Genetic Fallacy Appeal to Ignorance

10. A Game of Proofs • The Muslim community rejected Musaylama as a prophet, therefore we know there will be no prophet after Muhammad. • No ḥadīth specialist can prove sadl al-yadayn, so there is no proof. • People believe in God because it gives them peace of mind, therefore belief in God is false. • Most people believe Sura ‘Abasa was revealed in criticism of the Prophet, so this belief must be true. • It is Mutawatir that the Prophet said “Whosoever considers me his Mawla, then ‘Alī is his Mawla,” therefore ‘Alī is the rightful caliph after the Prophet. • Don't question the wisdom or authenticity of any sahih ḥadīth, doing so results in kufr. • Identify the logical fallacy, then amend the argument if possible.