In this blog (A middle community part one and part two) he doesn't precisely specify the verses he's talking about, but it seems to be roughly verses 2:142-150.
Madeleine Bunting draws our attention to verse 148. To each is a goal to which Allah turns him; then strive together (as in a race) Towards all that is good. Wheresoever ye are, Allah will bring you Together. For Allah Hath power over all things.
They both interpret this as a message of religious tolerance. It doesn't matter which religion you follow as long as you do good things, that kind of thing. Sardar justifies this on the basis that the preceding text (which he analysed last week) said exactly that, which might be reasonable if it actually said anything of the kind.
I poured scorn on that idea in a previous post (Diversity and difference), and one of his regular correspondents, David Pavett, dismembers his argument with admirable thoroughness. Pavett is to date unanswered, yet the assumption of Qur'anic diversity continues here.
The verses immediately preceding verse 148 don't help him much either. Let's summarise them.
- 142. Pray my way, not the Jewish way.
- 143. I've made you a middle people, without apparently feeling the need to explain that in any way, so there's something else for you to bicker about.
- 144. You've still got to pray my way, not the Jewish way.
- 145. If you turn into a Jew or Christian, you're a sinner.
- 146. Some of those Jews are a right bunch of liars, anyway.
- 147. There's no doubt I'm right.
What do you make of the verse now? When viewed in context, does it sound anything like a statement of religous tolerance? Does it even sound as if it's addressed to all monotheists? Or is it actually aimed specifically at Muslims, telling them Allah has different goals for each of them?
As Bunting points out, the next two verses appear to contradict the interpretation they are trying to put on verse 148.
2:149-150. From whencesoever Thou startest forth, turn Thy face in the direction of the sacred Mosque; that is indeed the truth from the Lord. And Allah is not unmindful of what ye do. So from whencesoever Thou startest forth, turn Thy face in the direction of the sacred Mosque; and wheresoever ye are, Turn your face thither: that there be no ground of dispute against you among the people, except those of them that are bent on wickedness; so fear them not, but fear Me; and that I may complete My favours on you, and ye May (consent to) be guided.
Oh look, we're back to the usual monotheism. God is great, do as he says, which means do as I say. There's nothing here that David Koresh would be nervous about.
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