The Qur'an Institute, Inc.

[Wakas]

bottom line: i prefer doing than talking.
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www.studyQuran.org

[Liaquat Ali]

[quranist]

Sure, why not. Why don't you start off, helping us understand what organizations and movements have given you your negative view of organization and movements.

Godbless,
Anwar
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"God's loyalists!! . . . God loves those of you who fight in His cause, organized, and like a structure whose parts hold tight and strong." 61:2-4

[Liaquat Ali]

Anwar, I am not against movements or organizations. However, TQI is not a movement, it is a perpetual enlightenment, educational effort that I hope to grow into a full-fledge, globally-distributed Qur'an-focused university or at least into a reputable research institute. If people want to spin movements out of TQI's work, then fine. Our work will be free for people to use.

Conversely, if Harvard University is a movement then TQI is also a movement.

I think that I will leave it at that for right now.

Thanks
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No statement I make...should be interpreted as final and definitive. One or two of them may sound final and definitive...but I won't regard them as such tomorrow, and I wouldn't like you to do so today. ~ Harold Pinter.

[quranist]

Good on you. I'm not one for convincing.

Godbless,
Anwar
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"God's loyalists!! . . . God loves those of you who fight in His cause, organized, and like a structure whose parts hold tight and strong." 61:2-4

[Damon]

Salaam 'Alaiykum,

I realize that this thread is as old as dirt, but I thought that I'd air out some views/conclusions I have only recently come to concerning the issue(s) expressed in this thread.

I believe that all who believes in and tries his/her best to follow The Quran will agree with me that the quran speaks sooooooo much on social justice, being witnesses for truth, standing up for what's right, showing strong will when it comes to standing up against oppressors, etc. It is my humble opinion that we do not necessarily need an ideology or any "Version of Truth" in order to uphold these Basic and very Essential quranic principles.

Basically what I am trying to say is that, while I firmly agree that we are charged with exposing the quran to everyone willing to lend an ear and doing all we can to aid them in their efforts to study and understand its message (without imposing our respective understandings on them) I also believe that their is absolutely nothing wrong with a movement of quran minded muslims who break down the walls of sectarianism, hold together to the rope of Allah (the quran) as per 3:103 and fight against any and all forms of oppression against Allah's creations.

One brother from the U.K. had once said to me that if I wish to attract people to the quran and its message, then expose to them the fact that the quran pushes an agenda of Justice. And that's what the masses are yearning for now...Justice!!

I have no problem supporting a movement that calls people to the quran as long as the ideology of this movement does not involve a "set in stone" understanding or interpretation of the quran's message.

Here is how I see it:

I call the people's attention to the fact that there is no justice in the world. Racism, sexism, corporate agendas are running rampant. People are being politically, economically and culturally exploited with normal attitudes of discrimination, unjustifiable hate of a people and spirit of greed (backed by the 'might makes right' mindset and abilities).

I then present the quran to these people and tell them that they should embark upon a journey to intimately study it, extract its wisdom, collaborate with others who are embarking upon the same journey and eventually a Quranic Counter System will emerge to confront the ills and woes we are facing today. This certainly will not happen overnight. But the prophet did not accomplish his mission overnight and the problems we are faced with today did not come about overnight either. However, I do believe that the mere journey of embarking upon an intimate study and relationship with the quran takes away the needed people power necessary for the maintenance of the present unjust system and places them into the position of being the necessary people power needed for the establishment, expansion, maintenance and refinement of the Quranic Counter System.

I believe this is how the prophet was able to accomplish his mission in the first place.

Allah Hafiz,
Damon.
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"A person's worst enemy is found deep within the center of his spirit"

Kazuya Mishima in Tekken: The Motion Picture

[Liaquat Ali]

Damon,

Salams and Ramadan Karim!

Please allow me to attempt to respond to your extremely important post.

Launching movements and organizations is relatively easy, especially in the United States. The problem with movements is that all of a sudden you have a "leadership" of some sort which has to do a lot of things to develop the organization and keep it going.

What needs to happen is that the Qur'an is linguistically and openly discussed for a period of time WITHOUT harassment from those who currently consider themselves to be the authority to interpret the Qur'an for us.

Once the Qur'an is discussed and debated openly for a period of time, organizations and movements will start which will take guidance from the Qur'an but will not insist to interpret it for the rest of us. More power to those organizations and movements.

Note: Due to business challenges, I am not very active in the Qur'an Institute activities so I apologize for the delay in responding. And as Wakas suggested, I need to walk rather than talk.
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No statement I make...should be interpreted as final and definitive. One or two of them may sound final and definitive...but I won't regard them as such tomorrow, and I wouldn't like you to do so today. ~ Harold Pinter.

[Damon]

Salamun 'Alaiyk Liaquat,

I do see your point, thank you for sharing that.

Damon.
_________________
"A person's worst enemy is found deep within the center of his spirit"

Kazuya Mishima in Tekken: The Motion Picture

[Wakas]