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From: parrikar@csn.org (Rajan Parrikar)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.islam
Subject: Re: some questions...
Message-ID: <1991Jun4.131416.815@wpi.WPI.EDU>
Date: 4 Jun 91 13:14:16 GMT
References: <1991May29.144851.26150@wpi.WPI.EDU> <1991May30.150810.8589@wpi.WPI.EDU> <1991Jun2.200301.23724@wpi.WPI.EDU>
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In article <1991Jun2.200301.23724@wpi.WPI.EDU> azhar@cs.duke.edu (Salman Azhar) writes:
>
>In article <1991May30.150810.8589@wpi.WPI.EDU> parrikar@csn.org (Rajan Parrikar) writes:
>>In article <1991May29.144851.26150@wpi.WPI.EDU> azhar@cs.duke.edu (Salman Azhar) writes:
>>>
>>><deleted>
>>>	   According to my understanding, forgiveness is entirely God's
>>>(Allah's) decision, and we cannot anticipate, or predict whom He will
>>                                                               ^^
>>[other usage of He for God] omitted]
>>Is it stated in the Quran that Allah is male?? If not, why do people
>>keep on referring to "He"? If yes, isn't "He" or "She" an attribute
>>of mere mortals?
>>Rajan Parrikar
>
>	   The Holy Quran (and by natural consequence Islam) is very
>clear that God is One Entity. He is not a male or for that matter
>female. Unfortunetely, it is the shortcoming in our language that

One would have thought Islam to be a major motivation for changing
a few things in Arabic then!!

>forces us to clasify God as He/She when God is mentioned in third
>person. It says in the Book:
>	   		 "Say Allah is One! ..."
>
>	   In future I shall control my referencing God in third person
>for an all-together different reason: God is omni-present (hence never
>"third person").
>
>Salman [claims that God should not be referenced in "third person"] Azhar
>
>-- 
>For, Believers are those who, when God is mentioned, feel a tremor in
>their hearts. And, when they hear His signs rehearsed, find their
>faith strengthened. And, put all their trust in their Lord. 
>	-Spoils of War (8:2)

On a related matter:
Somehow God seems to have an unusual proclivity for sending out
*male* Prophets. Why is that? (Don't tell me, It's not ours to
question WHY??) 

Rajan Parrikar
==============
MIMICAD CENTRE
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
University of Colorado at Boulder

E-mail: parrikar@mimicad.colorado.edu
(O): 303-492-8719