Hey,
If this is so, then why is it necessary to have interpretors,
Many Arabic words are homophones and synonyms, which is why it is
sometimes difficult to get the
exact meaning whether translated or through an attept to retrieve explicit description (which is how some opinions may incur).
Also, the Quran's verses aren't based just on the past and present events, but there are verses based on futuristic events and scientific advances that we still have not yet discovered because of our own lack of advancement in the scientific fields or simply because the time has not been perfected enough for them to be revealed yet. The same goes for some ahadith.
For every message is a limit of time, and soon shall ye know it." [6:67]
As far as I know, ahadith are really comprehendable.
Scholars of Islam with the intention of using their time and every ounce of potency they have to increase their own faith and knowledge of their religion to teach and call to others who may be astray, confused, or simply on the path of knowledge themselves are better than those who speak out of ignorance or societal logic, because that is what corrupts the soul. Not everyone wants to dedicate the time to become a scholar, so just because there are those who are willing to do so, doesn't mean the religion is confusing at all, it just means there are people who seek the guidance of those who are learned because they can't derive that knowledge by themselves for some reason.
You can use the same logic with a child learning something in school. Just because he doesn't get it, doesn't mean its not clear or that the answer isn't right...it just means the child needs to learn it through a different approach, or maybe the kid has some sort of inability to learn.
Muslims aren't just educated Arabs or experts in Arabic, therefore scholars are necessary to help those who are incapable or disadvantaged to learn about the practices of Islam purely...otherwise, how would some practices be preserved through all these years and practiced the same way or closely similar all around the world? They would have all been diminshed by now if it weren't for a few individuals.
and others who serve the role of helping people to understand what is obviously unclear to many.
Like what?
Islam is easy, if there was something that was unclear to
many as you say, then its clarity is insufficent to the the people of this time and in no way should it corrupt their faith. If it does, then the frailty is from them.
If it were clear, I would think that there would be no questions and certainly no differences.
We aren't perfect. The clarity is available for those who seek it and those who trouble themselves by continously asking questions beyond their comprehension of the answers will never find it. As far as I know, Islam is the only religion that is crystal clear in terms of every aspect of life and death. It answers the basic and most complex questions logically and chronologically. Just as long as the human being doesnt transgress the boundries, and believe me it would be obvious, then he should be alright. And if for some reason he transgresses out of ignorance, then it is forgiveable. So...I don't see a problem.
But we do see differences in Isalm, be it question about who is to be in authority after Muhammed's (pbuh) pasing, or the various schools of law, there isn't even agreement about the beginning and end of Ramadan.
Of course there will be differences
in the practice, and that was already foretold. You can't expect the people of a religion to remain on course in the exact same way when advancements (time, technology, society) are constantly changing around them, especially when the leader of the religion (peace be upon him) has died. That doesn't, by no means, mean that the religion of Islam has been separated through differences. It just means that the people have separated themselves with differences. Any madhab (school of thought) that is based on ahlul sunnah wa jama'ah is considered to be correct as long as the person doesn't transgress any of their teachings. The message of Islam is clear, some of its practices, however, are disputed when it comes to the point of reviving an action that hasn't been practiced for such a long time or hasen't been a practice at all in the first place because it wasn't necessary during sunnah times.
Opinion's come to the fore in Islam all the time. A recent thread on LI showed that just in discussing what was appropriate and not appropriate for a Muslim to do in relating to non-Muslim family members at Christmas time. And both were able to produce ahadeeth to back up their various opinions. So, how is it that one can say that Islam is not a religion of opinions?
There's nothing wrong with opinions. People learn better when different views are around. However if the answer is direct, there is no need for them, the answer is already there and indisputable by any opinions...and this is where you need the scholars. Anyone can take out a few ahadith and put them together to make them sound good and right, but only the knowledgable can refer them properly with evidence through chronological order and Quranic references.
When there are conflicting choices, some Muslims bend the rules to satisfy a part of their desire and with that they use some sort of evidence to justify their intentions, in which case they hope for forgiveness incase anything goes wrong; and others just stray away from their desires completely and do what is best for their deen and iman to the point where the the conflict is nonexistant, in fear that what they choose to do will add to their sins and prevent them from gaining deeds. And the latter are the people who make the religion easy upon themselves.
peace