Hello. My name is Eric, and I am a Christian. While I do have questions concerning the religion of Islam, I have no desire to convert. I come only to understand, to see your views instead of only those brought forth by contemporary, anti-Islamic media.
1) What is your religion's stance on Christianity and Christians? Will Allah forgive those who believe that Jesus is his son? Or does he condemn Christians (and likewise Jews) to hell for their beliefs?
2) Many Qur'anic verses I have read promote aggression, slavery, and taking advantage of subdued peoples, sexually and violently. Are these verses contemporary issues that no longer hold precedence in the world we live in now, or are they to be held true today? And if neither, is there some sort of context I am missing?
3) I am curious as to what the general Islamic feeling for groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and al-Qaeda is. Some Muslims I have spoken to openly praise them in all their violent ways, and others speak out against them. What is the majority feeling towards them?
I may have more questions as I continue in my research, but these are all the questions I have come up with.
Peace Eric, hopefully you will find answers to your questions here. You asked quite a few at one time. In order to prevent overlap and confusion, may I suggest we begin with just one specific question and as each is answered proceed from there.
Many Qur'anic verses I have read promote aggression, slavery, and taking advantage of subdued peoples, sexually and violently
Huh? Where? At the time, it was the muslims who encouraged slaves to be treated fairly and well - when it was the custom to do whatever with them! Not sure what book you've been reading. Maybe you can enlighten us with some quotes?
Fight in the way of God, against those who fight against you, drive them out of the places they have drove you out, for persecution is worse than slaughter. Fight them, until persecution is no more, and Religion is for God. But if they stop, let there be no war.
Eric, one thing you will find is history books are very selective about what "facts" are preserved as "truth". To find the whole story you need to read from more then one source and from different perspectives. for example my ancestors the Taters of Lithuania (The Golden Horde of the Mongols) are viewed as blood thirsty Muslims who conquered eastern Europe to spread Islam. But the facts are my ancestors were blood thirsty pagans who conquered out of self greed and not in the name of Islam, it was after they had conquered Eastern Europe that they found Islam and became a peaceful and welcome presence in those countries. It was vicious crusades from england and Germany that came and attacked forcing my ancestors into Christianity. all of the stories you have heard about Muslim conquests, you will hear my people telling about the Christian Crusaders and what they did to the Lietuva Lipka.
1)What is your religion's stance on Christianity and Christians? Will Allah forgive those who believe that Jesus is his son? Or does he condemn Christians (and likewise Jews) to hell for their beliefs?
For Muslims, Christians are MISS GUIDED by other humans from the real true path which Amazingly and Ironically found in the bible in clear way.
who will go to Hell and who are not is Only Allah (swt) decision and after all we enter Paradise only with HIS MERCY, but what Allah (swt) said in Quran is that Only ISLAM religion will be accepted,
and Islam is the religion that all Prophets including Jesus and Moses may peace be upon them all called for it!
as ISLAM means Submit to the WILL of ALLAH (swt), you will not find in bible Jesus saying your religion is Christianity even Judaism is coming from the name of tribe!
2) Many Qur'anic verses I have read promote aggression, slavery, and taking advantage of subdued peoples, sexually and violently. Are these verses contemporary issues that no longer hold precedence in the world we live in now, or are they to be held true today? And if neither, is there some sort of context I am missing?
All verses in Quran apply till today, Islam covers all aspects of life, which means during Peace and also during war, Islam is religion of Peace, and all verses that used in anti Islamic web sites taken out of context and without mentioning when and why and were this or that verse where said!
You can find Quran is the only book that gives right to slaves, beside giving gradual solution to this social problem at that time!
And I dont know what you mean by sexualy!?
3) I am curious as to what the general Islamic feeling for groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and al-Qaeda is. Some Muslims I have spoken to openly praise them in all their violent ways, and others speak out against them. What is the majority feeling towards them?
Islam is fought now days and actually from long time, but we can say enemies of Islam were busy with soviet union before, anyway it is all about Power, OIL, Gas, weapons and Israel etc...!
Each group from what you mentioned facing different enemy and different situation, so we cannot give one opinion on all of them, when there will be Islamic Caliphate then we will have one Opinion that expresses the opinion of all Muslims!
May Allah (swt) guide us all!
Peace
Last edited by tarek29; 10-02-2007 at 02:22 AM.
Invite (all) to the Way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious: for thy Lord knoweth best, who have strayed from His Path, and who receive guidance.
Holy Qur'an 16:125
I don't know why I find myself losing my enthusiasm to replying to some of these Q's.. I suppose simply because the easiest thing to do is pick up a Quran and read it? Some doubts would be reconciled in the least by chapter two?
[Yusufali 2:177] It is not righteousness that ye turn your faces Towards east or West; but it is righteousness- to believe in Allah and the Last Day, and the Angels, and the Book, and the Messengers; to spend of your substance, out of love for Him, for your kin, for orphans, for the needy, for the wayfarer, for those who ask, and for the ransom of slaves; to be steadfast in prayer, and practice regular charity; to fulfil the contracts which ye have made; and to be firm and patient, in pain (or suffering) and adversity, and throughout all periods of panic. Such are the people of truth, the Allah-fearing.
[Pickthal 2:177] It is not righteousness that ye turn your faces to the East and the West; but righteous is he who believeth in Allah and the Last Day and the angels and the Scripture and the prophets; and giveth wealth, for love of Him, to kinsfolk and to orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and to those who ask, and to set slaves free; and observeth proper worship and payeth the poor-due. And those who keep their treaty when they make one, and the patient in tribulation and adversity and time of stress. Such are they who are sincere. Such are the Allah-fearing.
in turn makes me wonder which Quran people are reading for this in depth analytical comparison-- funniest portion is a look at 'Christian history will give you a clear look at who still in parts of the south burns people at the stake.. who not just 50 years ago asked a black woman by the name of Rosa Parks to get up for a white man.. while nearly 15 centuries ago, Islam elected a Black man to be their leader
BILAL THE ABYSSINIAN One of the earliest converts to Islam was an Abyssinian slave named Bilal. Traditionally, black Africans were a lowly people in the sight of Arabs who thought them to be of little use beyond entertainment and slavery. When Bilal converted to Islam, his pagan master had him brutally tortured in the scorching desert heat until Abu Bakr, the Prophet's closest friend, rescued Bilal by buying his freedom. Muhammad appointed Bilal as his muezzin and the call to prayer announced from minarets in every comer of the world today echoes the exact same words proclaimed by Bilal. Thus, a onetime despised slave achieved one of the highest positions of honour in becoming Islam’s first muezzin. Although ancient Greece is accredited with being the birthplace of democracy, it was a democracy only for its Free citizens - the majority of its population, being slaves, were denied the right to elect their ruler. Yet Islam ordained that a slave could himself be ruler! The Prophet ordered: 'Stick to obedience (i.e. 'Obey your ruler) even if he be an Abyssinian slave.' (Ahmad)
I will not write more than this, since I bore easy.. Hope my brothers and sisters have more patience than me this Ramadan insha'Allah
Text without context is pretext If your opponent is of choleric temperament, seek to irritate him
Your questions are varied but there is just one I want to address and that is slavery in Islam. I read an article on it months ago that was absolutely excellent but unfortunately I can't find it. I did however find this http://www.---------------/islam/slavery.html which is a good article but not as in depth as the one i wanted to give you.
Anyway ,with regard to slavery, slaves are mentioned here and there in the Quran, but rather as servants than slaves.
Slavery was prevalent in society before Islam was revealed.
One thing I want you to think about really is that if Allah swt had decided to forbid people to have slaves/servants then what would have happened to all those people? They would have been out of work , homeless , etc etc. This always brings to mind to me the war in America to free the slaves, I remember studying it in school and how unhappy a lot of the slaves were to be 'freed'. An awful lot of them didnt want to be 'freed' as their home and livelihood and welfare was provided for by their 'masters'. So in light of the fact that it may have caused more immediate harm than good to forbid slavery in one foul swoop instead Allah swt in His wisdom devised many roads to freeing slaves or treating them kindly if they were to be kept.
Islam encouraged Muslims to treat servants as equals, to not expect of them what you would not be prepared to do yourself, to eat with them, to treat them as brothers.
And here is another simple example of the way the people were asked to treat servants:
Volume 7, Book 65, Number 370:
Narrated .Abu Huraira:
The Prophet said, "When your servant brings your food to you, if you do not ask him to join you, then at least ask him to take one or two handfuls, for he has suffered from its heat (while cooking it) and has taken pains to cook it nicely." Do you know of any other society where a slave was allowed to eat from the meal of the master of the house? Islam revolutionised the way slaves were to be treated.
1) Allah does mention in the Quran that Christians and Jews are people of the book (Gospel and Torah). Allah sent these books with Jesus and Moses(pbut) respectively. These two prophets had a clear message to tell their people to worship and obey God and ONLY God. Nothing else. To worship Him directly and to associate no partners with Him (that inlcudes a son) because God is all mighty and doesn't need anyone to be His partner. He can control the whole universe and everything in it by Himself. Associating partners with Him is a grave sin and those who do so are on the path to eternal demise. Allah knows best.
2) The verses of aggression you speak of apply only in times of war where the Muslims have to fight in SELF DEFENSE and as a last resort. Even so, Allah has set certain limits on fighting and warns us about transgressing these limits. Also if the enemy ceases to fight, then we as Muslims must bring peace to them and end all fighting. As for slavery, I have not seen a verse that says to treat slaves badly or those that are subdued. On the contrary, the Quran promotes uplifting their stature and treating them well. Many verses of the Quran are misinterpreted by the uneducated and its our job as Muslims to tell them the right thing.
3) These extremists groups you speak of are just that: extremists. They have their own political motives and unfortunately they use their own misinterpreted views of the Quran to promote their agenda. Nobody should judge the ways of Islam by these people. The best way to learn about Islam is to look at source, which is the Quran and the sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
I hope brother that you gained some insight to my brief responses.
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