Let something be clear: Muslims can’t tell Catholics, or other than them, what they believe based on our own beliefs. Similarly, Catholics cannot tell Muslims what they believe based on Catholic belief. One cannot impose his/her beliefs on another religion when trying to understand it. So if you want to understand a religion, it must be done so from within the context of thier belief system. You DO NOT have to agree with the belief system; but you cannot intelligently explain another religion’s beliefs using your own foundational belief system.
With regards to what can and cannot be used for evidence, this is HUGE difference between Muslims and Catholics. When a Muslim comes along and says something, we ask him, “where is your evidence?” Show us from the Quraan or the Sunnah where the evidence for this statement is. Then there is the ijtihaad of the scholars, where they, when presented with a question, make a fatwa based on the Quraan and the Sunnah, and their own interpretation of them. An example, which was briefly discussed on another thread, was smoking. There is no definitive statement in the Quraan or in the ahaadeeth that says smoking is haraam. However, the majority of scholars agree the smoking is haraam and this is based on various ayaat from the Quraan and statements of the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam, that lead them to this. However, in Islaam, we do NOT follow the words of any men. We follow the Quraan and the Sunnah.
Whereas, in Catholicism, you do not belief that your beliefs are limited to the Bible. Rather, as you know, perhaps better than I, that your beliefs come from a variety of sources, including each and every new pope. Muslims may disagree with this, FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE. We may think it is crazy. BUT, it is your belief! You may feel it is unthinkable to only follow the book of God and the statements of his messenger, from your perspective. But this is our belief.
When discussing whether or not to actually believe in Jesus, however, or whether or not to even believe in what the Scriptures say, we do not use Scripture as our primary support because we frankly don’t believe Scripture is capable of supporting those arguments on its own.
The explanation given above addresses your statement. You may not believe your scripture is “capable of supporting those arguments”. But we know that ours is. You will surely differ. We will have to agree to disagree.
The following is some nice text that I got from a website:
Ask For A Sign
What signs?? They mean some special kinds of signs or miracles such as their own foolish minds dictate. Everything is possible for God, but God is not going to humour the follies of men or listen to their false demands. He has sent his messenger to explain his signs clearly, and to warn them of the consequences of rejection. Is that not enough? The trend of their demand is generally as follows:
In specific terms they asked that he - Muhammad (pbuh) - ‘Put a ladder up to heaven an bring down a book from God in their very sight’ - “Then we would believe,” they said. Or "ye see the mountain yonder, turn it into gold’ - “then we would believe.” or ‘make streams to gush out in the desert’ - “then we would believe.”
Now listen to the soft, sweet reasoning of Muhammad (pbuh) against the unreasonable and sceptical demands of the mushriks - “Do I say to you, verily I am an angel? Do I say to you, verily in my hands are the treasures of God? Only, what is revealed to me do I follow.” Listen further to the most dignified reply he is commanded by his Lord to give the unbelievers.
“Say (O Muhammad): 'The signs (miracles) are indeed with Allah:
And most certainly I am only a clear warner!”
In the following ayah the holy prophet is made to point to the holy Qur’an itself as an answer to their hypocritical demand for some special kind of ‘sign’ of ‘miracle’ for which their foolish pagan mentality craved. For indeed all miracles are ‘signs’; and it is their disbelief, their scepticism, their lack of faith which motivates their request for a sign. They are asked to - ‘look at the Qur’an’ and again, ‘look at the Qur’an!’
It is not enough for them that we have sent down to thee (O Muhammad) the book (al-Qur’an) which is rehearsed to them? Verily, in it (this perspicuous book) is a mercy and reminder to those who believe. [Qur’an 29:51].
Allaah says in the Quraan:
“Verily, here (in Qur’an) are signs (miracles) self-evident in the hearts of those endowed with knowledge and none but the unjust shall reject our signs (miracles).”