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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]
I think everybody should have to read the Quran (and the New Testament and key parts of the Old Testament). It's a very difficult task, though, because context is indeed vital, and this history is critical for interpreting various revelations in the Quran.

Many Quranic revelations occurred as a result of different events in the life of Mohammed and the growing Muslim community. Within Mohammed's own lifetime, Islam went from being the religion of a small group of his followers to a religion that conquered other cities and towns. This is reflected in the changing nature of the revelations. Islam gradually became more confident about challenging internal dissent and outsiders, and the later revelations are very different from the early revelations. Changes in Mohammed's own life were also accompanied by revelations (for example his first wife died and he subsequently took on additional wives, eventually going beyond the 4 wives allowed other Muslim men--historians often argue that these additional marriages were to build alliances). Thus, it's possible to pull from different parts of the Quran to support very, very different interpretations of issues. 
 
However, I think asking an Imam is going to result in interpretations that are just as biased as Muslima's posts here. Similarly, "Sheikh Wikipedia" will often lead you to the rabid anti-Muslim posters. There are some thoughtful exegesis via Google and books, but it would take a whole lot of work, and a wohole lot of reading, to sort the wheat from the chaff. It's not for the faint of heart![/quote]

If anyone does not wish to trust the word of one imam, then they should a few different imams. One great scholar that makes himself very accessible is Ahmad Sakr in CA.  Imam Mohammad Joban works in Redmond, WA and he graduated from Al Azhar University. It is possible to call reputable Imams and get a general consensus on major issues.[/quote]

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