Well, you do seem to be choosing any interpretation that suits your contradiction claims in the same way that they are choosing an interpretation (not necessarily unique) to suit their miracle claims.Jon Corby wrote:Well I'm working in English, that's all I have. I don't think my offerings are any more tenuous than most of the crap on that website. And I'm certainly not employing that "exact mechanism" - I'm not offering one interpretation as a correct one You confuse me.
Again, there are some explanations, not that I necessarily agree with them, to explain the 6-stage process in which the universe was created, starting with the Big Bang (which by the way, is very much supported by the Qur'an). Yes, my interpretaion accepts any period of time. I believe that God exists out of time and space and so when there is mention of 6 stages, or even days if you wish, in the context of creating the universe, it can be relative to just about anything. Cop-out: sure. Contradiction: nuh-uh. Your last point: I'm not entirely sure so I'll get back to you but even supposing not, since when is omission a contradiction?Jon Corby wrote:I'll respond with: cop-out. Your interpretation accepts any period of time. There's no relevance to the "six ages" is there? Is there any implication that Earth was created (some considerable time) after the universe too? Can't recall seeing any yet.Junaid Mubeen wrote:Since I'm short on time I'll just say this: Relativity.
Well, since the revelations came within the Prophet's (pbuh) lifetime (obviously) it's fair to assume that any short term prediction would be a huge gamble if made up. To make a prediction that precise for an event to occur in the next 3-9 years is setting yourself up for an epic fail, especially given the odds. Since this is now in the context of present time (well, 1400 years ago now), there is no discrepancy over the meaning of 'years'. Not least because the Arabic word for 'year' as used here is unambiguous.Jon Corby wrote:That's pretty good, but I don't see the "time frame that could easily refute his authenticity" that you mention. If victory hadn't followed within 9 years of that defeat, presumably this would be left on the "prophecies yet to be fulfilled" pile. Also it's nice that 3-9 years literally means 3-9 years in this caseJunaid Mubeen wrote:For now I refer you to [30:1-4]. Choose whichever translation you wish; I think the meaning will be clear. I find it inconceivable that someone trying to convince the world his words are divine would put something like this out there, in a time frame that could easily refute his authenticity within a matter of years. So was he just incredibly lucky, or perhaps a fortune teller?
My last post for a while...off home for a while. Thanks for the chat and back soon I hope