I fully agree with Harpreet that whole of Quran is contextual. When Prophet(pbuh)did not have water once for one day to do vazu, the verse suggesting alternative method"tayannum"(cleaning oneself with sand)was revealed. when one of his followers, Umar-Ibn,(subsequently the 2nd chaliph) expresseed his remorse about having killed his own daughter before he had converted,( female infanticide prevalent those days)female infanticide was banned in a verse subsequently. This is my own interpretation that Holy Quran was given by Prophet(pbuh) to cure the ills of the then existing arab society, and forge a unity among frequently quarreling tribes. this met with phenomenal success and later took the shape of arab emperialism. That this was the word of God is as true as christ was born to a virgin or Ganesha had an elephants head. But atleast Quran is the great word of a great man, who used it for social reforms and political unity, and I don't see why accepting it involves a loss of face for the muslim world.
