Yeah, the second part is a tough one. While it is anti-Quranic to take such an outlook (you're not supposed to judge people based on their religion, ethnicity, etc.) on people who don't follow Islam, there are controversial verses that reference the other Abrahamic religions. But this is where not only is historical context important (in other words, the verses can't be nitpicked just like that), but also to note that it's referring to the wicked amongst the non-Muslims rather than all of them as a whole.

Hey wait a second I never said I threw it at the ground. Its just I have no room on my shelves and stuff is all over my apartment (Fairly messy) I tend to loose my Bible often. So I set it on the ground by my bed so that I know where it is at all times. I didn't think it would offend anyone especially a Muslim because I couldn't understand how the Bible is seen as a Holy text.

Its still hard for me to understand. But I guess if Muslim's believe the Bible was the word of God and was tampered with and such maybe it could still be a holy text in their eyes.

Sorta confusing for a Christian to understand. Especially since my friend quotes the Bible.

Another funny thing I don't get is. He at least believes this, that the Quran shouldn't be translated. As such he has never actually read the Quran as he only knows english. He also believes in praying in arabic despite not knowing arabic, he memorises prayers his Imam teaches him and prays them.

I can't see how someone could believe in a Holy Book they can't read. Theirs english versions availible but he thinks that its blasphemy to read them. He believes anything his Imam says. I find that weird, as even I have read parts of the Quran. I just can't see how anyone can have faith based on a holy text they themselves have not read or know much about.

I guess thats why some extremists Imam's can so easily brainwash some believers. If they can't read the Quran themselves and believe what ever their Imam tells them. Thats sorta dangerous.

Do all Muslim's believe you can't translate the Quran? Or is it a belief only shared by certain sects?

Well he says some scary shit like

1. I was talking to him about how Christian's and other religious groups were being forced to convert in some countries in Africa. He then said that it was Islamic and that all Infidel need to convert whether by choice or by force. I was like "Umm I'm Christian dude" and he was like "yah you'll convert if you need to , I have faith you will see the errors of your ways".

2. He also said shit like the creators of South Park or anybody who depicts the prophet Mohamed should be killed. I then asked about the guy who wrote about how Islam mistreats women. He said anyone who said anything contradictory to the teachings of Allah must die.

Long story short I was amazing friends with this guy. But recently statements like these creep me out. He also every time I see him says I'm going to convert and be saved.

The fact that he has not actually read the Quran combined with extremist statements really concerns me. To the point I don't really talk to the guy anymore.

3. I can't see the Quran promoting slaughtering everyone who doesn't believe or anyone who disagrees with the Quran. I've had conversations with Imam's who have told me contrary.

I talked with one Imam at the World Religion Conference. He told me that Muslims and the Quran have high respect for Christians and Jews. The people of the book he called Christians. He then told me how Christians and Jews were the descendants of Isaac and Muslims from Ishmael and said that Islam holds Christians and such in high regard.

4. He also told me that the Quran taught to help those being persecuted and that Muslims in the early days used to rebuild church's and help Christian's being persecuted by Rome.

So yah I've read a bit of the Quran. I also have talked to Islamic Imam's and his views seem alittle out of line. However on the other hand their are so many extremist Muslim's preaching what my friend says that its hard to understand where to truth lies.

My friend continues to say he's my friend. But it got pretty scary when he said Christian's should be killed if they don't convert and that I will convert if I need too. I wasn't sure whether to take that as a threat or not.

But the guy also seems like everyone else, plays video games, watches alotta movies and listens to secular music. He claims to be more liberal.

But to be honest talk like that does scare me. I don't think its based on the Quran, but I'm not 100% sure it isn't. Its hard to know what to believe when many Muslim's say it is and others that it isn't!

Agreed with everything you said except the last part. The Hadiths aren't the reason the Sunni-Shia split occured (followed by the many offshoots of Shia Islam).

I would send you a link that explains the roots of the divide, but it's in Arabic (unless you can read Arabic).

Personally, although I live in Saudi Arabia at the moment, a country that follows the Hanbali way, my thoughts are more closely aligned to the Hanafi school. The Hanbali math'hab is too extreme for me.

Well he says some scary shit like

I was talking to him about how Christian's and other religious groups were being forced to convert in some countries in Africa. He then said that it was Islamic and that all Infidel need to convert whether by choice or by force. I was like "Umm I'm Christian dude" and he was like "yah you'll convert if you need to , I have faith you will see the errors of your ways".

You can't force people to convert ("No compulsion in religion"). Africa is a lost region, all impoverished countries thanks to the colonies and wars they suffered.

He also said shit like the creators of South Park or anybody who depicts the prophet Mohamed should be killed. I then asked about the guy who wrote about how Islam mistreats women. He said anyone who said anything contradictory to the teachings of Allah must die.

No, that's not our judgement to pass on, but God's. He'll deal with people justly who insult Islam or mistreat followers of any other religion for that matter. And if the by the guy who wrote about how Islam mistreats women, you mean Theo Van Gogh and that Somalian lady (Ayaan Hirsi Ali I think her name is), then once again, no. We go by "An eye for an eye"...in other words, we can't transgress limits, and having mercy is more virtuous too.

That said, I don't feel sorry for Theo (A Moroccan-Dutch citizen associated with Hofstad assassinated him). He played with fire, and got burned. No man/woman who tries to promote ignorance and hatred towards other groups deserves my pity or anyone else's for that matter, even though I don't support the murder. But at the same time, if the Western authorities would take more steps towards censorship of such ignorant, offensive material, like they do with anything that is even slightly antisemitic, things wouldn't have gotten so ugly. I support freedom of speech, but there has to be limits too.

Long story short I was amazing friends with this guy. But recently statements like these creep me out. He also every time I see him says I'm going to convert and be saved.

The fact that he has not actually read the Quran combined with extremist statements really concerns me. To the point I don't really talk to the guy anymore.

I can't see the Quran promoting slaughtering everyone who doesn't believe or anyone who disagrees with the Quran. I've had conversations with Imam's who have told me contrary.

Yeah, he's just talking rubbish.

I talked with one Imam at the World Religion Conference. He told me that Muslims and the Quran have high respect for Christians and Jews. The people of the book he called Christians. He then told me how Christians and Jews were the descendants of Isaac and Muslims from Ishmael and said that Islam holds Christians and such in high regard.

He also told me that the Quran taught to help those being persecuted and that Muslims in the early days used to rebuild church's and help Christian's being persecuted by Rome.

Correct, though specifically both Christians and Jews are considered people of the book.

So yah I've read a bit of the Quran. I also have talked to Islamic Imam's and his views seem alittle out of line. However on the other hand their are so many extremist Muslim's preaching what my friend says that its hard to understand where to truth lies.

My friend continues to say he's my friend. But it got pretty scary when he said Christian's should be killed if they don't convert and that I will convert if I need too. I wasn't sure whether to take that as a threat or not.

But the guy also seems like everyone else, plays video games, watches alotta movies and listens to secular music. He claims to be more liberal.

But to be honest talk like that does scare me. I don't think its based on the Quran, but I'm not 100% sure it isn't. Its hard to know what to believe when many Muslim's say it is and others that it isn't!

Us Muslims today are lost. We have no real leader who preaches Islam correctly (though I personally think Mahathir Mohamad, Erdogan, and the current Emir of Qatar have the right idea), not many Muslims today take their faith seriously, or have ambitions in life. And in fact, we were warned of an era when this would happen.

http://www.inter-islam.org/faith/Signs-Of-Qiyaamah.htm

I know why they originally split due to a disagreement on who should be the Caliph and what each side based their arguments on.

However, many decades later they developed their own set of Hadiths and now these hadiths form a more religious gap between the sects. These need to be removed as the Qur'an forbade any other book before it and the Prophet even forced his followers to not keep records of anything that he didn't claim was from God to try and prevent Islam from becoming like Christianity. However, people will be people and disobeyed these guidelines. Now we have Hadiths full of factual issues, historical issues, contradictions to each other and the Qur'an, men's personal vendettas, etc. They should be abolished.

See, that's the thing. It's not as simple as just a disagreement regarding who should be the Caliph or the sort. Can you read Arabic? If so, I have to send you a link (assuming I can find it), and see what you make of it.

As for the Hadiths: I can't really answer that at the moment, as I have yet to completely go through them, but from what I know, Islamic scholars worked hard to document the Hadiths, and lies within them were spaded and removed. And even today, the more controversial ones are disputed. It's really a study, moreso than a thing to live by.

It all goes back to my original issue with Muslims today: They do NOT educate themselves. This is the bane of us contemporary Muslims.

The origins of the Shia are from the phrase Shiatu ali or parties of Ali or faction of ali. The majority of Muslims wanted to follow more traditional tribal ways of accepting a leader by essentially voting among the men of the community. Whereas a minority group wanted it to be Ali who was the closest thing to a direct male descendant of Muhammad.