Until the advent of materialism and 19th c. dogma, Western Civilisation was superior to anything Islam had developed. Islam has not aided in the development of the modern world; in fact civilisation has only been created in spite of Islam. Proof of this resides in the 'modern' world and the unending political-economic and spiritual poverty of Muslim states and regions. Squatting on richer civilisations is not 'progress'. Islam is pagan, totalitarian, and irrational.
Running totals from Sura 2 to 16:
Total number of verses from Sura 2 to 16: 2022
Total number of verses which preach violence against non-Moslems: 432
Violent verses as a % of total from Sura 2 to 16: 21.4%
Sura 2 to 16 as a % of the Koran in pages: 42%
Sura 2 to 16 as a % of the 6346 verses in the Koran: 32%
[meaning still lots more violence to go....]
Sura 16 or the Bee [reviewed here], is not a verse about a Bee per-se, but about a Moslem's mandate to maintain his 'covenant' with the moon deity Allah. Allah or 'ilah' means 'the one' or 'the Lord' in Arabic. Archaeology and factual history reveal that 'the one' during the time of Muhammad was Hub'al[lah], the Assyro-Babylonian moon deity. There is a vigorous and coherent argument that in the Koran Allah is really Muhammad, since 'the one' is simply a naming convention and could mean almost anything.
In any event this Sura is about your duty to Allah or Muhammad and that whatever the cult demands you must provide. Whatever the cult says you must obey. Whatever the cult believes in you will submit to. Even if Muhammad's 'revelations' change that is the whim and fancy of Allah. You must never dispute either the revelation, the change to a rule or divinely uttered statement; or even question the sanity and reality of the revelations or its changes. The Allah and the Muhammad can abrogate whatever they want, whenever they want:
And when We change a Verse [of the Qur'an, i.e. cancel (abrogate) its order] in place of another, and Allah knows the best of what He sends down, they (the disbelievers) say: "You (O Muhammad SAW) are but a Muftari! (forger, liar)." Nay, but most of them know not. |
Why would a 'god' need to change its mind if it is the only free-will force in universal history and which according to the Koran 'knows all' and 'sees all'.
Certainly, Allah knows what they conceal and what they reveal. Truly, He likes not the proud. |
Moslems can't explain this obvious problem.
The 'Bee' is mentioned once in verse 68 as part of a long discourse on why Allah [or Muhammad] must rule. Allah is the only creative free-will force in the universe. Every single natural event, action, occasion and species is a 'sign' that Allah rules. Even the Bee is proof of Allah's existence:
“And your Lord taught the Bee to build its cells in hills, on trees, and in (men's) habitation.” [16:68].
The Bee is directed by Allah on how and where to build its hives. The Bee has no free-will or natural innate intelligence to engage in hive creation by itself. Only Allah allows it, and only Allah can teach the Bee what to do.
Man is also like the Bee. Man is dumb, sinful, and always rebelling against Allah. He is in need of help and guidance.
“He has created man from a sperm drop; and behold this same (man) becomes an open disputer!” [16:4]
His only hope is to follow and submit to Allah:
And upon Allah is the responsibility to explain the Straight Path (i.e. Islamic Monotheism for mankind i.e. to show them legal and illegal, good and evil things, etc. so, whosoever accepts the guidance, it will be for his own benefit and whosoever goes astray, it will be for his own destruction), but there are ways that turn aside (such as Paganism, Judaism, Christianity, etc.). And had He willed, He would have guided you all (mankind). |
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And fulfill the Covenant of Allah (Bai'a: pledge for Islam) when you have covenanted, and break not the oaths after you have confirmed them, and indeed you have appointed Allah your surety. Verily! Allah knows what you do. |
Man's only hope of salvation in this life and the next is simply to submit to Allah or Muhammad. There are two aspects to this submission. The first is that if you submit to the cult of Muhammad and later leave, you will be tormented in this life and the next. 'Torment' is Koranic speak for death or eternal punishment. The second fact is that anyone who rejects Allah and ignores the signs of his/its power such as Bee hives, the weather, stars, and vegetation will suffer torment in this life and the next.
Apostasy:
Whoever disbelieved in Allah after his belief, except him who is forced thereto and whose heart is at rest with Faith but such as open their breasts to disbelief, on them is wrath from Allah, and theirs will be a great torment. |
Rejecting Allah means your destruction:
And upon Allah is the responsibility to explain the Straight Path (i.e. Islamic Monotheism for mankind i.e. to show them legal and illegal, good and evil things, etc. so, whosoever accepts the guidance, it will be for his own benefit and whosoever goes astray, it will be for his own destruction), but there are ways that turn aside (such as Paganism, Judaism, Christianity, etc.). And had He willed, He would have guided you all (mankind). |
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They will bear their own burdens in full on the Day of Resurrection, and also of the burdens of those whom they misled without knowledge. Evil indeed is that which they shall bear! |
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Those before them indeed plotted, but Allah struck at the foundation of their building, and then the roof fell down upon them, from above them, and the torment overtook them from directions they did not perceive. |
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Then, on the Day of Resurrection, He will disgrace them and will say: "Where are My (so called) 'partners' concerning whom you used to disagree and dispute (with the believers, by defying and disobeying Allah)?" Those who have been given the knowledge (about the Torment of Allah for the disbelievers) will say: "Verily! Disgrace this Day and misery are upon the disbelievers. |
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"So enter the gates of Hell, to abide therein and indeed, what an evil abode will be for the arrogant." |
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Then, the evil results of their deeds overtook them, and that at which they used to mock surrounded them. |
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And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): "Worship Allah (Alone), and avoid (or keep away from) Taghut (all false deities, etc. i.e. do not worship Taghut besides Allah)." Then of them were some whom Allah guided and of them were some upon whom the straying was justified. So travel through the land and see what was the end of those who denied (the truth). |
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Do then those who devise evil plots feel secure that Allah will not sink them into the earth, or that the torment will not seize them from directions they perceive not? |
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Or that He may catch them in the midst of their going to and fro (in their jobs), so that there be no escape for them (from Allah's Punishment)? |
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So (as a result of that) they deny (with ungratefulness) that (Allah's Favours) which We have bestowed on them! Then enjoy yourselves (your short stay), but you will come to know (with regrets). |
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And they assign a portion of that which We have provided them unto what they know not (false deities). By Allah, you shall certainly be questioned about (all) that you used to fabricate. |
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And if Allah were to seize mankind for their wrong-doing, He would not leave on it (the earth) a single moving (living) creature, but He postpones them for an appointed term and when their term comes, neither can they delay nor can they advance it an hour (or a moment). |
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They assign to Allah that which they dislike (for themselves), and their tongues assert the falsehood that the better things will be theirs. No doubt for them is the Fire, and they will be the first to be hastened on into it, and left there neglected. (Tafsir Al-Qurtubi, Vol.10, Page 121) |
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By Allah, We indeed sent (Messengers) to the nations before you (O Muhammad SAW), but Shaitan (Satan) made their deeds fair-seeming to them. So he (Satan) is their Wali (helper) today (i.e. in this world), and theirs will be a painful torment. |
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They recognise the Grace of Allah, yet they deny it (by worshipping others besides Allah) and most of them are disbelievers (deny the Prophethood of Muhammad SAW). |
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And (remember) the Day when We shall raise up from each nation a witness (their Messenger), then, those who have disbelieved will not be given leave (to put forward excuses), nor will they be allowed (to return to the world) to repent and ask for Allah's Forgiveness (of their sins, etc.). |
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And when those who did wrong (the disbelievers) will see the torment, then it will not be lightened unto them, nor will they be given respite. |
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And when those who associated partners with Allah see their (Allah's so-called) partners, they will say: "Our Lord! These are our partners whom we used to invoke besides you." But they will throw back their word at them (and say): "Surely! You indeed are liars!" |
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And they will offer (their full) submission to Allah (Alone) on that Day, and their invented false deities [all that they used to invoke besides Allah, e.g. idols, saints, priests, monks, angels, jinns, Jibrael (Gabriel), Messengers, etc.] will vanish from them. |
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And be not like her who undoes the thread which she has spun after it has become strong, by taking your oaths a means of deception among yourselves, lest a nation may be more numerous than another nation. Allah only tests you by this [i.e who obeys Allah and fulfills Allah's Covenant and who disobeys Allah and breaks Allah's Covenant]. And on the Day of Resurrection, He will certainly make clear to you that wherein you used to differ [i.e. a believer confesses and believes in the Oneness of Allah and in the Prophethood of Prophet Muhammad SAW which the disbeliever denies it and that was their difference amongst them in the life of this world]. |
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And had Allah willed, He could have made you (all) one nation, but He sends astray whom He wills and guides whom He wills. But you shall certainly be called to account for what you used to do. |
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And make not your oaths, a means of deception among yourselves, lest a foot may slip after being firmly planted, and you may have to taste the evil (punishment in this world) of having hindered (men) from the Path of Allah (i.e. Belief in the Oneness of Allah and His Messenger, Muhammad SAW), and yours will be a great torment (i.e. the Fire of Hell in the Hereafter). |
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No doubt, in the Hereafter, they will be the losers. |
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And Allah puts forward the example of a township (Makkah), that dwelt secure and well content; its provision coming to it in abundance from every place, but it (its people) denied the Favours of Allah (with ungratefulness). So Allah made it taste the extreme of hunger (famine) and fear, because of that (evil, i.e. denying Prophet Muhammad SAW) which they (its people) used to do. |
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And verily, there had come unto them a Messenger (Muhammad SAW) from among themselves, but they denied him, so the torment overtook them while they were Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers, etc.). |
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And endure you patiently (O Muhammad SAW), your patience is not but from Allah. And grieve not over them (polytheists and pagans, etc.), and be not distressed because of what they plot. |
As the above makes clear, disbelievers are thus condemned both in this world and the next. We can notice some palpable threads and themes from the above verses, which run throughout the Koran:
Allah and Muhammad are united. If you disobey Muhammad you are disobeying the divine power of the Allah thing. This is what verse 16 means by evil, bad deeds, or acting in bad faith.
To sin in Islam is to deny the Koran, Muhammad's rule, or Allah's revelations and teachings. Sinners are consigned to hellfire.
Allah's covenant means that a human's only role is to follow Koranic and Muhammadan law.
Anyone who attaches a false idol to Allah has also sinned [this targets Christianity].
Satan or Shaitun is always the allies of Unbelievers including Jews and Christians.
These 5 messages are repeated endlessly over the 6346 verses of the Koran. There is nothing here about free-will, intelligence, rationality or human worth. The cult ideal is simple. Obey, submit, follow and never doubt either the Allah thing, or Muhammad, both of whom are probably one and the same in the Koran.