""Perhaps, indeed, Don, you are in a position to do what Richard appears to be unwilling to do [& he accuses me of 'wriggling'!], and cite that version of the Sura we are discussing, alongside what you would consider 'a verbatim translation of the original words', so that we should at least have some genuine basis to pursue this [what seems to me not unimportant] point?""

No Mike, I do not have the ability to read the original in Arabic, or Aramaic, or whetever was the original. For taht you would need an Islamic theological scholar.

But if I cannot prove that the actual words have been misquoted, no one here can prove that they have NOT!

So to use that story without further inquiry, to make some anti Islam point, is at best specious and at worst, downright dishonest.

Given that the quote consists of a single sentence, taken from a passage which might say anything from "this is a hard and fast rule" to "genuine believers should not act in accordance with this heresy"........well, I'm sure you see where I'm coming from.

A lot more research is needed before we allow our eager beaver anti Muslims to start throwing bricks,.......and please don't ask Abu Qtadr!

Don T.