Inspirerande citat
Verser, synnerligen lugnande, genomsyrade av kärlek, tolerans, fred, intelligens och andlig upphöjelse
Grundarna av denna nystart av den abrahamitiska sagan förstod en sak: det köttsliga och det materiella säljer bättre än det andliga. Därav ett paradis som är betydligt bättre försett än det kristna, där de uppståndna ”varken gifter sig eller blir bortgifta” (Matteus 22:30). Svårsålt. Den islamiska versionen erbjuder floder av vin (47:15) och framför allt jungfrur:
”I båda trädgårdarna finns jungfrur med blyg blick, som ingen människa eller jinn någonsin har rört tidigare.”— Koranen 55:56
Koranen anger inget antal: de berömda 72 jungfrurna kommer från en hadith, som en bonus för martyrer (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 1663). Ett lockande perspektiv, det medger jag, även om jag personligen föredrar erfarna kvinnor. Konkurrensen är hård på marknaden för livet efter detta, så det finns ingen anledning att snåla med löftena. Ingen kund har ju någonsin kommit tillbaka och begärt pengarna åter.
Till skillnad från de andra abrahamitiska religionerna nöjer sig islam inte med att utnyttja våra existentiella ångester: den spelar även på våra hormoner. Fullvärdiga människors hormoner, förstås. Inte deras underordnades, kvinnornas, som enligt Profeten utgör majoriteten av helvetets invånare (Sahih al-Bukhari 29).
Deras intelligens är dessutom bristfällig, och på den punkten är Allah och Hans sändebud överens. Allah kräver två kvinnor i stället för ett manligt vittne, ifall den ena av dem skulle glömma (2:282), och beskriver dem som ”inte slagkraftiga i tvister” (43:18). Profeten drar slutsatsen: ”Detta är bristen i hennes intelligens” (Sahih al-Bukhari 304). Och av alla prövningar han lämnade efter sig är ingen ”svårare för män än kvinnor” (Sahih al-Bukhari 5096).
Jag rekommenderar att läsa dessa verser vid flera tillfällen, utspritt över en ganska lång period. Att svälja så mycket gudomlig visdom och poesi på en gång kan vara farligt: din hjärna kanske inte överlever chocken.
Djärva islamkritiker kommer att invända att många andra slående verser hade förtjänat en plats här. Utan tvivel. Men syftet är inte att skriva av hela Koranen: denna antologi med instruktioner från allt skapats Skapare är kryddstark och omfångsrik nog som den är. Den kommer att växa med tiden.
För att spara dig tid har jag satt de viktigaste passagerna i varje vers i fetstil.
Den engelska översättningen av betydelsen av koranverserna nedan gjordes av Dr. Mustafa Khattab. Andra översättningar av verserna nedan hittar du på quran.com.
Det bör noteras att vissa förespråkare för Allah hävdar att alla översättningar i grunden förändrar versernas betydelse. Enligt flera arabisktalande ex-muslimer är översättningarna i regel tillrättalagda och förskönade jämfört med den arabiska originalversionen. Originalversionen är, verkar det, ofta mörkare än översättningarna.
Nog pratat: nu sätter vi igång.
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“They have taken their rabbis and monks as well as the Messiah, son of Mary, as lords besides Allah, even though they were commanded to worship none but One God. There is no god worthy of worship except Him. Glorified is He above what they associate with Him!”
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“Allah has indeed purchased from the believers their lives and wealth in exchange for Paradise. They fight in the cause of Allah and kill or are killed. This is a true promise binding on Him in the Torah, the Gospel, and the Quran. And whose promise is truer than Allah’s? So rejoice in the exchange you have made with Him. That is truly the ultimate triumph.”
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“Whoever disbelieves in Allah after their belief—not those who are forced while their hearts are firm in faith, but those who embrace disbelief wholeheartedly—they will be condemned by Allah and suffer a tremendous punishment.”
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So they proceeded until they came across a boy, and the man killed him. Moses protested, “Have you killed an innocent soul, who killed no one? You have certainly done a horrible thing.” And as for the boy, his parents were true believers, and we feared that he would pressure them into defiance and disbelief. So we hoped that their Lord would give them another, more virtuous and caring in his place.
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Until he reached the setting point of the sun, which appeared to him to be setting in a spring of murky water, where he found some people. We said, “O Dhul-Qarnain! Either punish them or treat them kindly.” He responded, “Whoever does wrong will be punished by us, then will be returned to their Lord, Who will punish them with a horrible torment.
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“Do the disbelievers think they can simply take My servants as lords instead of Me? We have surely prepared Hell as an accommodation for the disbelievers.”
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“Whoever turns away from the Coran will surely bear the burden of sin on the Day of Judgment, suffering its consequences forever. What an evil burden they will carry on Judgment Day!”
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“Bid your people to pray, and be diligent in observing it. We do not ask you to provide. It is We Who provide for you. And the ultimate outcome is only for the people of righteousness.”
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“Successful indeed are the believers: those who humble themselves in prayer; those who avoid idle talk; those who pay alms-tax; those who guard their chastity except with their wives or those bondwomen in their possession, for then they are free from blame.”
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“And indeed, We created humankind from an extract of clay, then placed each human as a sperm-drop in a secure place, then We developed the drop into a clinging clot, then developed the clot into a lump of flesh, then developed the lump into bones, then clothed the bones with flesh, then We brought it into being as a new creation. So Blessed is Allah, the Best of Creators.”
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“As for female and male fornicators, give each of them one hundred lashes, and do not let pity for them make you lenient in enforcing the law of Allah, if you truly believe in Allah and the Last Day. And let a number of believers witness their punishment.”
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“And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their chastity, and not to reveal their adornments except what normally appears. Let them draw their veils over their chests, and not reveal their hidden adornments except to their husbands, their fathers, their fathers-in-law, their sons, their stepsons, their brothers, their brothers’ sons or sisters’ sons, their fellow women, those bondwomen in their possession, male attendants with no desire, or children who are still unaware of women’s nakedness. Let them not stomp their feet, drawing attention to their hidden adornments. Turn to Allah in repentance all together, O believers, so that you may be successful.”
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“And let those who do not have the means to marry keep themselves chaste until Allah enriches them out of His bounty. And if any of those bondspeople in your possession desires a contract to buy their own freedom, make it possible for them, if you find goodness in them. And give them some of Allah’s wealth which He has granted you. Do not force your slave girls into prostitution for your own worldly gains while they wish to remain chaste. And if someone coerces them, then after such a coercion Allah is certainly All-Forgiving, Most Merciful to them.”
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The only response of the true believers, when they are called to Allah and His Messenger so he may judge between them, is to say, “We hear and obey.” It is they who will truly succeed. For whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger, and fears Allah and is mindful of Him, then it is they who will truly triumph.
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“I am truly a trustworthy messenger to you. So fear Allah, and obey me.”
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The people of Lot rejected the messengers when their brother Lot said to them, “Will you not fear Allah? I am truly a trustworthy messenger to you. So fear Allah, and obey me. I do not ask you for any reward for this message. My reward is only from the Lord of all worlds. Why do you men lust after fellow men, leaving the wives that your Lord has created for you? In fact, you are a transgressing people.” They threatened, “If you do not desist, O Lot, you will surely be expelled.” Lot responded, “I am truly one of those who despise your shameful practice. My Lord! Save me and my family from the consequences of what they do.” So We saved him and all of his family, except an old woman, who was one of the doomed. Then We utterly destroyed the rest, pouring upon them a rain of brimstone. How evil was the rain of those who had been warned!
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And remember when Lot rebuked the men of his people: “You certainly commit a shameful deed that no man has ever done before you. Do you really lust after other men, abuse the travellers, and practice immorality openly in your gatherings?” His people’s only response was to say mockingly: “Bring Allah’s punishment upon us, if what you say is true.” Lot prayed, “My Lord! Help me against the people of corruption.” When Our messenger-angels came to Abraham with the good news of the birth of Isaac, they said, “We are going to destroy the people of this city of Sodom, for its people have persisted in wrongdoing.” He said, “But Lot is there!” They responded, “We know best who is there. We will certainly save him and his family—except his wife, who is one of the doomed.” And when Our messenger-angels came to Lot, he was distressed and worried by their arrival. They reassured him, “Do not fear, nor grieve. We will surely deliver you and your family—except your wife, who is one of the doomed. We are certainly bringing down a punishment from heaven upon the people of this city for their rebelliousness.”
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“And He brought down those from the People of the Book who supported the enemy alliance from their own strongholds, and cast horror into their hearts. You believers killed some, and took others captive.”
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“Settle in your homes, and do not display yourselves as women did in the days of pre-Islamic ignorance. Establish prayer, pay alms-tax, and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah only intends to keep the causes of evil away from you and purify you completely, O members of the Prophet’s family!”
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“It is not for a believing man or woman—when Allah and His Messenger decree a matter—to have any other choice in that matter. Indeed, whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger has clearly gone far astray.”
