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This article first appeared in the Turkish mainstream daily Hürriyet on November 3 2001.The article was translated by the Bridge.

Today we continue with theology professor Beyza Bilgin's interpretations of matters which have recently sparked off fierce controversy, thanks in part to Yasar Nuri Ozturk.

Is it necessary to perform sacrifice?

Sacrifice is not a compulsory duty under Islam; it is generally performed within the context of pilgrimage.

Feeding other people - infaq - is the prime act of worship. There is no doubt that feeding people, starting with one's own family, and particularly during religious festivals, is a way of becoming close to God. If there is no need for sacrifice, it isn't necessary to cause suffering to animals. The requirement is to perform the sacrifice where there is a need for meat or take steps to have the sacrifice performed there.

In your view, can a Muslim woman marry a Christian man? Where does our religion stand on this? Mention is made of Muslim men marrying Christian women, so why is there no reference to the position for women in the Quran?

The parties themselves will decide whether a Muslim woman is to marry a Christian man, they do so anyway. This is not forbidden from a religious standpoint, there is simply no comment in the Quran as to whether it is allowed. While the Quran contains advice relating to marriages between Muslim men and Christian women, the fact that it makes no reference to the reverse state of affairs has led lawmakers to the interpretation that it is not allowed. The important thing is to create the necessary environment for the education and worship of all parties, in which each other's freedom of conscience and that of their future children is respected.

Can women perform Friday prayers?

Women may if they wish perform any prayers, they may also perform Friday prayers.

Including funeral prayers?

Yes.

What is your interpretation of the verse "Your women are a tillage for you, so go to your tillage as you will?"

Women as tillage means that they have an organ not possessed by men, the womb. Women have the womb, but I think men and women should jointly decide how it is to be used. Because men do not have wombs they are only able to have children by means of using women's wombs, and this may take the form of marriage or agreement.

OK, in your view can all sins be forgiven?

Yes, apart from denying the existence of God. However, pardon must be sought from the person against whom the sin was committed and compensation must be made for any harm caused. Otherwise God has let it be known that he will not of his own will forgive those who cause harm to others.

What does the Quran have to say about the nature of sexual relations within marriage?

There is no verse about the nature of sexual relations within marriage. However, it does make reference to the ablution of the body (gusul) as a form of cleanliness afterwards. Sexual intercourse is forbidden during fasting and whilst in the state of ihram for pilgramage, that's all. A connection is made between pleasing the other partner and sexual relations; the exalted Prophet reproached men who have sex with their wives after they have given them a sound beating.

Because Islam permits polygamy there are those with more than one wife …

Polygamy is not an institution that was brought into being by Islam. Amongst those for whom war was a way of life, the exploitation of every channel for producing many births, male births, was tolerated so as to replenish the male stock that was constantly being depleted. There are still those today who choose this way of life and believe that it will earn them the grace of God.

What about war? Is war an acceptable way of earning the grace of God?

War can never be an appropriate way of life for earning the grace of God. God created man in the best possible form and gave him his soul by breathing his spirit into him. But war involves slaughtering bodies imbued with the spirit of God. The human body is more precious than the Kaaba, the object of reverential circumambulation during pilgrimage, it is the greatest Kaaba. Why? The Kaaba is said to be the House of God. God, however, does not reside within the Kaaba. Instead, the spirit of God is present within the human body. It is because the human body holds the spirit of God like a jewel case that it is the greatest Kaaba. People and their bodies should be protected. More humane ways should be found for solving differences in preference to war. Everybody should think about this matter and search for a remedy.

Elif ERGU