A little response to "How Did the Apostles Die?"

errancy@infidels.org errancy@infidels.org
Sun, 25 Jul 1999 15:51:24 EDT (00932950284, ad02ff16.24ccc4bc@aol.com) 

In a message dated 7/25/99 3:50:08 AM Pacific Daylight Time, balboa19@idt.net 
writes:

<< ADNAN
 Yusuf Ali translates it like this:
 
 "[an-Nisa' 4:47] O ye People of the Book! believe in what We have (now)
 revealed, confirming what was (already) with you, before We change the face 
and
 fame of some (of you) beyond all recognition, and turn them hindwards, or 
curse
 them as We cursed the Sabbath-breakers, for the decision of God Must be 
carried
 out."
 
 "O ye People of the Book!" refers to Jews and Christians (this is a typical
 expression that the Qur'an uses for Jews and Christians).  However, the verse
 is asking Jews and Christians to belive in the Qur'an. 
 
 The Qur'an does have the problem that some verses say that the Qur'an 
confirms
 the previous scriptures given to Jews and Christians, but then it goes on to
 contradict the Bible in other places. Muslim "response" to this is that it
 confirms only original revelation given to previous prophets, not everything 
in
 the modern Bible. Some Muslims (a minority) claim that the Bible can be
 harmonized with the Qur'an and only Christian interpretation is wrong.
 
 I think there is a problem here, but Muslims (like Christians) can find ways 
to
 rationalize it. Like Christians, Muslims have "answers" to all problems (but
 these "answers" in many cases are only as "good" as Christian answers). >>

THEO:
Yusuf Ali is one of the only ones who puts the past tense (i.e. "was with 
you") in Sura 4:47:  Most of the other translators use the present tense 
(i.e. "is with you" "that you have", etc.), indicating that this verse is 
speaking of what the Christians and Jews in Muhammad's time had as far as 
Scriptures.  Yusuf Ali is known for his mistranslation of the Qur'an whenever 
it will cover up an apparent inconsistency.