Submitted by Geoffrey B Slater(Russian Federation), Oct 7, 2007 at 00:54
After reading the article concerning the authenticity of Mohamed I would offer readers to look at this website that details a study done by Sir William Muir. http://answering-islam.org/Books/Muir/index.htm
which details a study by, W. St. Clair-Tisdall, comparing the Koran with other extant literary sources predating Mohamed.
It seems reasonably clear from these documents and others that Mohamed's words were written down rather faithfully by his original following. I do not doubt the existence of Mohamed, nor of his ability to motivate or inspire people. He must have had a powerful charisma.
What I think is necessary for my Muslim, friends to do, if they want to achieve true understanding of God, is to read all books with an open mind and an open heart. It is too easy to say "this is the only book" by excluding the possibility of disagreement one can live in a world that doesn't exist quite happily. The problem is that in the end you must deal with the rest of the us who live in another reality.
I have also come across an extremely fascinating set of books by one Reginald Fessenden. In his books the Deluged Civilization of the Caucasus, circa 1923, he details a theory that in the Caucasus the original civilization spoken of in the Bible, and the history (mythology) of the Greeks, Phonecians, Egyptians, and Sumerians had its origins. It is necessary to read the entire set of books and further read the documents referenced in his work to gain a full understanding but the key point is that the earliest civilizations post dating the Flood obtained their understanding of God from the same original source.
Geoffrey B Slater
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