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on 16-07-2002 17:48
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“They desire to put out the light of Allah with their mouths but Allah will perfect His light, though the disbelievers may be averse.”
By Khalil Abdel Alim
Jewish, Christian, and secular scholars have studied the Quran for centuries. Some of them know it better than some Muslims. It is said that Pope John Paul II reads it daily. In interfaith work I have known many Christian leaders who know the Quran, some study it in Arabic and use it in their religious teachings.
The current spates of ignorant ranting about Islam being violent is obviously politically motivated even those that come from so-called Christian religious leaders. These modern day crusaders are doing a disservice to Jews, Christians, and Muslims and are seeking to retard world peace. No ideology or political force can subdue the more than 1 billion Muslims strategically located around the world, occupying key geo-political locations as well as possessing some of the most essential natural resources. Islam has proven to be the most powerful spiritual, intellectual, and moral force since the time of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
The great religious scholar and historian, Dr. Karen Armstrong, author of many books on Islam including an excellent biography of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), recently spoke in Washington DC at a program sponsored by the Eygptian embassy. She challenged the Muslim world and the West to study Islam and for the West not to tolerate it but to see the benefit that the West could once again derive from Islam. She also challenged the Muslims to study their religion and return to its authentic roots.
This contemporary cabal of ignorant ill informed unread charlatans say more about the state of some Christian leaders than they do about Islam. One leader of a large Christian organization said that he prayed that Muslims would become good Christians by the end of Ramadan. I said that I prayed that he and those who thought like him would become good Christians by the end of Ramadan. Which received an enthusiastic Amen among local Christian leaders with whom I associate.
It is unfortunate that too many Muslims who have attempted to respond to these critics of Islam have been more politicians than Muslims knowledgeable of Islam or the Quran. I have heard several preface their remarks with a disclaimer of not being a theologian. Since the questions being raised are not political but are theological, they should decline to comment and refer to those who have the knowledge to properly respond and to defend the Holy Book of God. These Muslim political commentators should confine themselves to address the political conflicts in the world if they do not have the knowledge to see the hand of God in the current and historical events of the world.
Those who claim to quote from the Quran to support their charges that Islam is violent and that the Quran orders Muslims to murder disbelievers should study the record of deaths of Christians by Muslims and the death of Muslims by Christians and Jews.
Christians do and have historically lived peacefully and productively among Muslim since the days of the leadership of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in Madina. Christians and Jews point to the period of Muslim rule of Spain as an intellectual watershed of progress for all three faiths. Palestinians are portrayed as Muslims but many of them are Christians often in the same family. Some of the strongest most well spoken of Palestinians leaders today are Christian. Christians live at peace with Muslims today in Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, and many parts of the Muslim world. During the 1967 war with Israel Saudi Arabia was represented by an ambassador who was Christian. The Foreign Minister of Iraq, Tariq Aziz is a Christian.
During the early history of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), when he and the Muslims were persecuted in Mecca, he allowed some of his followers to flee to Christian Ethiopia for refuge. The Christian ruler granted them asylum after study of what they preached, practiced, and recited from the Quran.
The Holy Quran has been recited in the U.S. Senate, state houses, and other governmental bodies throughout America and is depicted in the Supreme Court as a source of law.
Those verses in the Quran that refer to fighting enemies of truth are no more violent than those in the Bible that speak of the killing of God’s enemies. Even the reference to Jesus returning to shed so much blood that his garments would be drenched. Violence against the wicked is dramatically depicted in scripture as being the work of God. Those Muslims who choose violence are going against God. He says in the Bible that vengeance is His. Even though Christian crusaders in 12th century used the Bible to inspire their assault on Muslims: Leviticus 26:7 “And ye shall chase your enemies and they shall fall before you by the sword.”
The specific verses of the Quran cited by critics today are in reference to pagan idolaters who opposed Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and sought to slay him and his followers and destroy the religion: These verse are from the Surah (Chapter) of the Quran -The Immunity:9:3. “And an announcement from Allah and His Messenger to the people on the day of their greater pilgrimage that Allah is free from liability to the idolaters, and so is His Messenger. So if you repent, it will be better for you; then know if you turn away, you will not escape Allah. And announce painful chastisement to those who disbelieve.
4. Except those of the idolaters with whom you made an agreement, then they have not failed you in you in anything and have not backed up any one against you, so fulfill your agreement to the end of their term. Surely Allah loves those who keep their duty.
5. So when the sacred months have passed, slay the idolaters, wherever you find them, and take them captive and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush. But if they repent and keep up prayer and pay the poor rate, leave their way free. Surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.”
6. And if anyone of the idolaters seek thy protection, protect them until he hears the word of God, then convey him to his place of safety. That is because they are a people who know not.” These divine instructions on how to wage war against an enemy are far more civilized and humane than a warfare that allows thousand pound bombs to be indiscriminately dropped -that suck the air out of the atmosphere killing everything in range. And the transportation of prisoners of war thousands of miles from their homes and families blindfolded and shackled like animals.
Far from teaching violence against Christians, Jews, and others, the Quran includes them in the blessings of God. Holy Quran: "Surely those who believe and those who are Jews and the Sabeans and the Christians-whoever believes in God and the Last Day and does good-they shall have no fear nor shall they grieve.” (5:69) And further the Quran says, “Thou will find the nearest in friendship to the believers to be those who call themselves Christians.” (5:82)
Last update : 16-07-2002 17:48
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