PLEASE HELP - islamaphobia: I need help about Islam from Muslims

[mu1999]

Hi,

my name is jack and i'm currently doing a project in school about Islamaphobia and the causes of it, I'm officially a Christian but often refer to parts of the Quran and Hadith in day to day life as well. I'm really intersted in things like counter radicalisation and how Muslims in U.K. Feel about the current crisis going on in the Islamic world.

A few few questions to my fellow Muslims:

- bearing in mind that Islam means finding peace by submitting to Allah, what do you do when you cross parts of the Quran such as Surah 4:89 and Surah 47:4 in which it is quite blatant that violence exists, do you just ignore it or do you have an explanation on how you interpret it? (For example I choose not to follow some violent bits of the bible because I accept that times were different when it was written and doesn't fit today's society)

- do you think more could be done by Muslims in the UK to counter radicalisation for terror groups such as so called Islamic State? Such as working with the government?

- do you feel in anyway discriminated against by non Muslims? How do you feel about it?

- have you ever been approached by or told anything in an Islamic gathering where you felt uneasy about what was being said? E.g. Slightly radical ideas being taught?

- do you think the violent verses of the Quran should be removed to stop radicals using the scripture to justify themselves?


any answers would be appreciated massively and I hope you all understand not everybody is against you guys, i think Islam is a beautiful religion and I fully stand by you peaceful Muslims in this time of atrocities being blamed on you!

Thank you

Jack

 

[Serinity]

hey,

Firstly: Verses should be understood in the rightful context, and shouldn't be read out of context. Secondly: I think by educating them on Islam, is the better option.
Thirdly: No verse can be removed, and no Muslim would ever agree to such an erronous thing.

The Qur'aan is safeguarded, it will never be changed - rather we should educate the youth on the ethics and ettiquettes of Islam, and teach people about the rules of Jihad, when it is applicable, etc.

Rather than shy away from topics such as Jihad, etc. we should educate people, so they do not fall for groups such as ISIS.

Sorry for not bringing much to the table, as I am not too knowledgable.

But what I can say is this: The Qur'aan will never change - rather it is the cure for the problems we encounter. And the solution is to understand the verses, that appear to be "violent" in its rightful context.

To make excuses for the Qur'aan or try to apologize for the Qur'aan, is disbelief.

Any scholar can correct me, and rightfully so, if I said anything wrong or something.

And Allah :swt: knows best.

 

[mu1999]

Thank you!

 

[Futuwwa]

Various quote-mined out-of-context verses from the Quran prove nothing, so there's no need to "address" anything. They don't exist in isolation, but as part of larger contexts that often assume premises that need to apply for the verse to be applicable. Premises that are ignored by those who post quote-mined verses in an attempt to prove a point. So no, I ignore absolutely no verses, and no Muslim needs to, nor should do. Taken together, all such kinds of verses with their proper contexts for a coherent doctrine of just war, and need to be understood as a whole.

Legolas, at the assault on Helm's Deep: Show them no mercy, for you will get none!
Reasonable person: Legolas is talking about an actual combat situation, about killing the guys assaulting the fortification he stands on.
Quote miner: Legolas is demonizing orcs and calling for orc genocide!

 

[Search]

:bism: (In the Name of God, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful)

Hi Jack! Thank you for coming to IB and asking us these questions; we hope we can do justice to them with our answers.

And best wishes for your project, Jack! Hope you bring the best grade in this school project! Work hard and do your best always!

So, for Muslims, it is imperative that the Seerah (biography) of Prophet Muhammad :saws: (peace and blessings be upon him) as specific verses of the Revelation came down at specific points in time, sometimes in dreams, sometimes in meditation, sometimes in public. A good Seerah that I highly recommend is Martin Lings's Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources and I also recommend Hajjah Amina Adil's Muhammad :saws: The Messenger of Islam: His Life & Prophecy. They're both really great works in their own right, and I like both of them.

ANSWER 1.
Muslims have exegesis of the Quran which is how Muslims understand what verse was revealed within what context and why and how it should be interpreted, which is known as tafseer in Arabic. So, Muslims accept the Quran as the literal Divine Revelation of God forwarded through Angel Gabriel (peace be upon him) onto the heart of Prophet Muhammad :saws: (peace and blessings be upon him) to proclaim to humanity, the Message which is Oneness of God or monotheism.

The verse 4:89 was revealed in Medina and needs to be read in the context of other verses, which are:

"So, what is the matter with you that you have become two groups about the hypocrites, while Allah has upturned them because of what they did. Do you want to guide the one whom Allah has let go astray? And the one whom Allah lets go astray, for him you shall never find a way. [4:88] They wish that you should disbelieve, as they have disbelieved, and thus you become all alike. So, do not take friends from among them unless they migrate in the way of Allah. Then, if they turn away, seize them,and kill them wherever you find them, and do not takefrom among them a friend or a helper. [4:89] Except those who join a group between whom and you there is a treaty, or who come to you their hearts declining to fight you or to fight their people -- And if Allah had so willed, He would have given them power over you,then they would have fought you -- so, if they stay away from you and do not fight you and offer you peace, then Allah has not given you a way against them. [4:90]You will find others who want to be secure from you,and secure from their own people. Whenever they are called back to the mischief, they are thrown into it. So,if they do not stay away from you and do not offer peace to you, and do not restrain their hands, then seize them, and kill them wherever you find them, and against these we have given you an open authority."

Commentary of Maariful Quran: The verses quoted above describe three groups of people aboutwhom two injunctions have been given. The following narrationsclarify events surrounding these groups:1. 'Abdullah ibn Hamid has narrated from. Mujahid that some disbelievers of Makkah came to Madinah. They pretended to havebecome Muslims and claimed to have come there as emigrants. Later,they turned into apostates. They went to the Holy Prophet :saws:, toldhim about their plan to go to Makkah to buy merchandise from there.Having made their false excuse, they departed for Makkah and neverreturned. There arose a difference of opinion about their behavioramong the Muslims of Madinah. Some said that they were believers. It was in verse 88 (So what is the matter with you that you have become two groups about the hypocrites) where AllahAlmighty declared that they were disbelievers and should be killed.)

Maulana Ashraf 'Ali Thanavi has explained the Qur'anic word,'munafiq' (hypocrite) by saying that they were hypocrites when theyclaimed to have become Muslims - they had never believed in theirhearts. The fact was that hypocrites were not killed because theyconcealed their inner disbelief. But, the case of these people wasdifferent as their apostasy had come out in the open. As for those whotook them to be Muslims, they may have, perhaps, taken a benignview of their action under some interpretation. However, this interpretationwas based on sheer opinion not supported by any proof from theShari'ah. That is why no reliance was placed on it.2. Ibn Abi Shaybah has narrated from Hasan that Suraqah ibnMalik al-Mudlaji visited the Holy Prophet :saws: after the events of Badr and Uhud and requested him to make peace with his tribe,Bani Mudlaj. Thereupon, he sent Sayyidna Khalid to them to conclude a peace treaty. The terms of the treaty were as follows:"We will not support anyone against the Holy Prophet :saws:. If the Quraysh become Muslims, We too shall become Muslims.All tribes who enter into alliance with us, they too shall become a party with us in this treaty." Thereupon, this verse (They wish thatyou disbelieve like they have disbelieved) was revealed.3. It has been narrated from Sayyidna Ibn 'Abbis that thepeople mentioned in the verse: (You will find others who want to be secure from you) are those belonging to the tribes of Asad and Ghitfan who, when they came to Madinah, professed Islamoutwardly, but to their own people they would confide that they had really believed in monkeys and scorpions while before Muslims theywould piously declare that they were followers of their faith.However, Dahhik ascribes this conduct to the tribe of 'Abd al-Daraccording to a report from Sayyidne Ibn 'Abbes. The first and the second narration appears in Ruh al-Ma'ani, while the third narration can be seen in Ma'elim. Maulana Ashraf 'Ali Thanavi likens the state of those mentioned in the third narration as that of the first one since it proves that they were no Muslims to begin with, therefore, they fall under the injunction governing disbelievers in general, that is, 'do not fight them in the presence of a peace treaty - otherwise, do.' Thus, regarding those mentioned in the first narration, the second verse (89,: (then if they turn away, seize them and kill them) carries the injunction that they be arrested and killed, while the statement in the third verse (90): (except those who join a group with whom you have a treaty) gives them a clear exemption in the event of peace,a situation which finds mention in the second narration. This exemption has been emphasised once again in (if they stay away from you) later in the same verse (90).Regarding those mentioned in the third narration, it has been saidin the fourth verse (91) ; you will find others ....I which meansthat should these people refuse to leave you alone and insist onfighting, then do fight against them. From this, it can be deduced thatin the event they make peace, there should be no fighting against them. (Bayan al-Qur'Zn)In short, the three groups mentioned here are:1. Those who do not emigrate despite their ability to do so in a period of time when emigration was a pre-requisite of faith in Islam.Or, after having emigrated, they go out of the new abode of Islam (Darr-al-Islam) and return to the abode of disbelief (Darr al-Kufr).2. Those who themselves enter a no-war pact with Muslims or those who join hands with those entering into such a pact.3. Those who make peace to buy time and once there comes anoccasion to fight a war against Muslims, they would readily join theenemy camp throwing all treaty obligations to winds. The injunction governing the first group is similar to that whichgoverns the disbelievers in general. The second groups is exempted from being arrested and killed. The third group deserves the samepunishment as fixed for the first. These verses yield a total of two injunctions, that is, fighting in the absence of peace; and not fightingin the event of peace.

Quran verse 47:4 was revealed in the context of warfare wherein hostilities have already been initiated which reads in Yusuf Ali translation as the following:

"Therefore, when ye meet the Unbelievers (in fight), smite at their necks; At length, when ye have thoroughly subdued them, bind a bond firmly (on them): thereafter (is the time for) either generosity or ransom: Until the war lays down its burdens. Thus (are ye commanded): but if it had been Allah's Will, He could certainly have exacted retribution from them (Himself); but (He lets you fight) in order to test you, some with others. But those who are slain in the Way of Allah,- He will never let their deeds be lost."

For example, General Patton in WWII is quoted to have said the following: “I don't give a damn about the color of your skin, just kill as many sons of *****es wearing green as you can.” Now, this does not mean that General Patton was promoting extrajudicial violence or killing if you're wearing green pants or shirt or just any other person in the normal everyday life but definitely only persons on the battleground wearing the green-colored uniform whom he and his fellow army men knew to be meeting in the specific context of warfare. The same is true for that verse in the context of Quran.

ANSWER 2.
I think Muslims have already been doing a lot to counter radicalization and spreading the understanding that Daesh is a terrorist organization that is an enemy of Muslims and Islam. However, I'd say that no matter how much, there's always room to improve. I don't think working with the government is necessarily the best answer because any open association with the government tends to make some extremist Muslims believe that the mosques are complicit in the slaughter of Muslims with drone strikes in the Middle East; so, I think while government groups should be invited to speak on the issues facing the country in an objective way in Islamic centers, mosques should necessarily be limited to being only places of worship and should not host such politically charged discussions except in forums that are conducive to such.

ANSWER 3.
No, Alhamdhullilah (praise, credit, and thanks is to God) that I myself have never seen or experienced anything in any Islamic gathering about which I would have been uneasy or thought that any radical ideas were being taught.

ANSWER 4.
I do not think there should be any verses of the Quran that are the problem because clearly reading the verses in their proper context makes easy to understand what the verses generally mean. More importantly, Muslims believe that the Quran has been preserved in its pristine form as a Revelation and is primarily that which is memorized word for word, which is why Muslims are able to easily spot and reject any Quran which does not match the actual Revelation. For example, two American companies following War of Terror had started distributing versions of the Quran which had omitted verses of jihad and other things as well in the Middle East and that book was completely rejected because Muslims knew that that was simply not the Quran.

I neither believe that Quran is the impetus for violence nor do I believe that Quran endorses such violence; the extremists who commit this type of violence even when confronted with Quran and Sunnah (prophetic foosteps) and ahadith (prophetic traditions) ignore the exhortations to peace or any other understanding contradicting that understanding because they're generally in modern day found to be following Salafist Islam, which necessarily provides the framework of using classical scholarly words of fiqh of jihad out of context and even the most fringe interpretation to allow and exist for means of political efficiency and expediency.

Wishing you the best for your project, and in your life, Jack,

Hi,

my name is jack and i'm currently doing a project in school about Islamaphobia and the causes of it, I'm officially a Christian but often refer to parts of the Quran and Hadith in day to day life as well. I'm really intersted in things like counter radicalisation and how Muslims in U.K. Feel about the current crisis going on in the Islamic world.

A few few questions to my fellow Muslims:

- bearing in mind that Islam means finding peace by submitting to Allah, what do you do when you cross parts of the Quran such as Surah 4:89 and Surah 47:4 in which it is quite blatant that violence exists, do you just ignore it or do you have an explanation on how you interpret it? (For example I choose not to follow some violent bits of the bible because I accept that times were different when it was written and doesn't fit today's society)

- do you think more could be done by Muslims in the UK to counter radicalisation for terror groups such as so called Islamic State? Such as working with the government?

- do you feel in anyway discriminated against by non Muslims? How do you feel about it?

- have you ever been approached by or told anything in an Islamic gathering where you felt uneasy about what was being said? E.g. Slightly radical ideas being taught?

- do you think the violent verses of the Quran should be removed to stop radicals using the scripture to justify themselves?


any answers would be appreciated massively and I hope you all understand not everybody is against you guys, i think Islam is a beautiful religion and I fully stand by you peaceful Muslims in this time of atrocities being blamed on you!

Thank you

Jack

 

[Mustafa16]

Various quote-mined out-of-context verses from the Quran prove nothing, so there's no need to "address" anything. They don't exist in isolation, but as part of larger contexts that often assume premises that need to apply for the verse to be applicable. Premises that are ignored by those who post quote-mined verses in an attempt to prove a point. So no, I ignore absolutely no verses, and no Muslim needs to, nor should do. Taken together, all such kinds of verses with their proper contexts for a coherent doctrine of just war, and need to be understood as a whole.

Legolas, at the assault on Helm's Deep: Show them no mercy, for you will get none!
Reasonable person: Legolas is talking about an actual combat situation, about killing the guys assaulting the fortification he stands on.
Quote miner: Legolas is demonizing orcs and calling for orc genocide!

I agree. The liberal "new" atheists, and conservatives take the Qur'an more literally than the so-called "Wahhabis" they hate so much....

 

[mu1999]

Bearing in mind that the Quran tells Muslims that Mohammed came to restore Islam and that Muslims are to emulate him to be successful in this life and the next, what do you do when Mohammed is spoken badly of, for example the Charlie Hebdo magazine in France?

Ibn Ishaq wrote that Mohammed encouraged somebody to "rid" Asma bint Marwan from him, and upon her assassination, he congratulated the assassin for "helping Allah and his apostle".
Could this be one of the reasons why there are radical violent Muslims doing attacks such as Charlie Hebdo as they are emulating the prophet as told?

 

[Mustafa16]

Bearing in mind that the Quran tells Muslims that Mohammed came to restore Islam and that Muslims are to emulate him to be successful in this life and the next, what do you do when Mohammed is spoken badly of, for example the Charlie Hebdo magazine in France?

Ibn Ishaq wrote that Mohammed encouraged somebody to "rid" Asma bint Marwan from him, and upon her assassination, he congratulated the assassin for "helping Allah and his apostle".
Could this be one of the reasons why there are radical violent Muslims doing attacks such as Charlie Hebdo as they are emulating the prophet as told?

it's one thing to apply sharia law, such as the death penalty for blasphemy, in a Muslim country that practices shariah law, AT THE DISCRETION OF A JUDGE.....it's another thing altogether to move to a non Muslim country with their own laws and then kill people who violate the rules of your religion.

 

[mu1999]

Thank you, this has helped me a lot!

Best wishes to you too

 

[Search]

:bism: (In the Name of God, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful)

Muslims have a way or science as they say to understand hadith (prophetic tradition) within Islam and that is scholarly grading and then if it matches scholarly grading a scholarly interpretation is given. Classical and post-classical hadith scholars (for more than a millennia) have unanimously rejected the story to which you're referencing, declaring it as fabrication (mawdu’), pointing out in their arguments against the factuality of the incident that the chains of transmission (isnads) by which the story was transmitted are all weak (daʻif) of the lowest degree (mawḍūʻ).

So, this is not the reason there are radical Muslims that did what they did; what the radical Muslims did is misunderstand the proscription against blasphemy in shariah (Islamic law) to operate even outside a theocratic state and this false understanding is not supported by shariah itself.

Bearing in mind that the Quran tells Muslims that Mohammed came to restore Islam and that Muslims are to emulate him to be successful in this life and the next, what do you do when Mohammed is spoken badly of, for example the Charlie Hebdo magazine in France?

Ibn Ishaq wrote that Mohammed encouraged somebody to "rid" Asma bint Marwan from him, and upon her assassination, he congratulated the assassin for "helping Allah and his apostle".
Could this be one of the reasons why there are radical violent Muslims doing attacks such as Charlie Hebdo as they are emulating the prophet as told?

 

[Little_Lion]

Hi,

my name is jack and i'm currently doing a project in school about Islamaphobia and the causes of it, I'm officially a Christian but often refer to parts of the Quran and Hadith in day to day life as well. I'm really intersted in things like counter radicalisation and how Muslims in U.K. Feel about the current crisis going on in the Islamic world.

A few few questions to my fellow Muslims:

- bearing in mind that Islam means finding peace by submitting to Allah, what do you do when you cross parts of the Quran such as Surah 4:89 and Surah 47:4 in which it is quite blatant that violence exists, do you just ignore it or do you have an explanation on how you interpret it? (For example I choose not to follow some violent bits of the bible because I accept that times were different when it was written and doesn't fit today's society)

- do you think more could be done by Muslims in the UK to counter radicalisation for terror groups such as so called Islamic State? Such as working with the government?

- do you feel in anyway discriminated against by non Muslims? How do you feel about it?

- have you ever been approached by or told anything in an Islamic gathering where you felt uneasy about what was being said? E.g. Slightly radical ideas being taught?

- do you think the violent verses of the Quran should be removed to stop radicals using the scripture to justify themselves?


any answers would be appreciated massively and I hope you all understand not everybody is against you guys, i think Islam is a beautiful religion and I fully stand by you peaceful Muslims in this time of atrocities being blamed on you!

Thank you

Jack

1.) The violent parts of the Qur'an were revealed during violent parts of the history of Islam. They were specifically revealed to address the challenges of the time and in that recognition, must be considered in the context in which they were intended.

2.) I can't answer for the UK, as I am in the US.

3.) I live in a small town in South Dakota, US. I am the only Muslim in my town, and very few people know I am one because I would be likely to be pulled behind a pickup truck by my neck if they knew. That being said, the only people in town who definitely know are the authorities. They go through my mail and if I get anything from an Islamic source, they open it. But other than that they have never bothered me.

4.) I've never been to an Islamic gathering as it would be over a hundred miles away, at least, but in the online classes I take I have seen hints at radical ideas, such as disavowing any local government that does not follow Shari'ia law. I keep in mind that my classes are written in Qatar and are not a reflection of a call to rise against the US government or anything like that.

5.) The Qur'an should definitely not be changed. It CANNOT be changed; it is inviolate. That's pretty much the whole point of the Qur'an, that it is the final revelation WITHOUT CHANGE.

Good luck on your report!

 

[mu1999]

Wow, that's pretty bad that they do that to your mail, let's just hope that Trump doesn't get in, hope all goes well for you!

 

[Futuwwa]

Ibn Ishaq is a biographer and a historian, his account is not considered religiously canonical by anyone.

To understand the attack on Charlie Hebdo and other incidents like it, you should understand that the Muslims doing such things operate from a conviction that the world is against us. A conviction developed slowly and gradually by seeing (and often, experiencing first-hand) Muslims being oppressed around the world, and having seen that go on for a hundred years or so. When you operate on such a premise, you don't see a cartoon like that as just a bit of irreverent blasphemous fun, or as some kind of abstract, detached polemic on an idea in no way constituting an attack on people adhering to the idea. You see propaganda that's meant to justify and legitimize your oppression.

 

[Search]

:bism: (In the Name of God, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful)

Oh, I forgot to answer your one question about whether I have been discriminated against. Once when I was praying in the court house in a room that had been assigned to me by the liaison, two court officers barged in and did not believe that I worked for our government. Then there have been incidences which I would not necessarily term as discrimination but Islamophobic such as my one of law professors talking about my hijab making it sound like a male must have forced this on me when that is in fact completely untrue as it was completely my choice and free will to wear the hijab. Then there was another law professor that had talked about 9/11 while looking at me all the time in the class as I was the only Muslim in the class in a way that made me feel uncomfortable because he seemed to be blaming Muslims (maybe me?). There are times which I have received wary or surprised stares of people. However, I've also had nice incidents too with people being kind and smiling because they saw me as a human being and not as a Muslim woman who merited suspicion. So, it's been a mixed bag.

Wow, that's pretty bad that they do that to your mail, let's just hope that Trump doesn't get in, hope all goes well for you!

 

[LaSorcia]

:bism: (In the Name of God, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful)

However, I've also had nice incidents too with people being kind and smiling because they saw me as a human being and not as a Muslim woman who merited suspicion. So, it's been a mixed bag.

Oh I don't know. Maybe you merit a tad of suspicion? Despite your intelligence and amazing level of education... I think you have a bit of a rascal streak. ;D

Just teasing sis!

EDIT- Not teasing about the compliments.

 

[Mustafa16]

1.) The violent parts of the Qur'an were revealed during violent parts of the history of Islam. They were specifically revealed to address the challenges of the time and in that recognition, must be considered in the context in which they were intended.

2.) I can't answer for the UK, as I am in the US.

3.) I live in a small town in South Dakota, US. I am the only Muslim in my town, and very few people know I am one because I would be likely to be pulled behind a pickup truck by my neck if they knew. That being said, the only people in town who definitely know are the authorities. They go through my mail and if I get anything from an Islamic source, they open it. But other than that they have never bothered me.

4.) I've never been to an Islamic gathering as it would be over a hundred miles away, at least, but in the online classes I take I have seen hints at radical ideas, such as disavowing any local government that does not follow Shari'ia law. I keep in mind that my classes are written in Qatar and are not a reflection of a call to rise against the US government or anything like that.

5.) The Qur'an should definitely not be changed. It CANNOT be changed; it is inviolate. That's pretty much the whole point of the Qur'an, that it is the final revelation WITHOUT CHANGE.

Good luck on your report!

That sounds awful!!!! You should save up money and move to the city....I'm serious, wallah I don't want you getting hurt or abused, sister....and you need to be able to marry a Muslim man, and youre the only Muslim in your town....

 

[Little_Lion]

That sounds awful!!!! You should save up money and move to the city....I'm serious, wallah I don't want you getting hurt or abused, sister....and you need to be able to marry a Muslim man, and youre the only Muslim in your town....

I am okay, brother. I am happy being single for the time being, and I don't think any man would want to marry me in my current "happy widow" state anyway (I don't want to cook for anyone, I like cleaning the house when and if I feel like it, I don't have to entertain, chances are they would really hate my guard and therapy dogs, that sort of thing). Plus, I like the country. I would do badly in a large city. Insha'Allah after my social security settlement comes in and I can afford the gas and some nice modest clothes, I can begin visiting the masjid in Sioux Falls once a month or something so I can meet more Muslims and insha'Allah make some friends.

 

[Mustafa16]

I am okay, brother. I am happy being single for the time being, and I don't think any man would want to marry me in my current "happy widow" state anyway (I don't want to cook for anyone, I like cleaning the house when and if I feel like it, I don't have to entertain, chances are they would really hate my guard and therapy dogs, that sort of thing). Plus, I like the country. I would do badly in a large city. Insha'Allah after my social security settlement comes in and I can afford the gas and some nice modest clothes, I can begin visiting the masjid in Sioux Falls once a month or something so I can meet more Muslims and insha'Allah make some friends.

inshaAllah....I will make dua for you, sister...

 

[Search]

:bism: (In the Name of God, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful)

(Hugs.) Yay! Wonderful to see you posting, sis! Hope you're doing awesome!

I was afraid that you'd disappeared on me.

As to your assessment, lol, yes. You see, when I was growing up, my sibling was the "angel." And since I didn't think I could be the "angel," I decided to be a bit of the devil as a teen instead to my parents' helpless non-amusement.

Growing up and then growing into Islam, I'll say I've mended my ways. That said, there's still a irrepressible devilish streak in me which I see as not being abated any time soon. While I hope one day to be with the angels :statisfie, I think I'll leave the being an angel to the angels and only try to try to be a good person whatever it looks like in the best of ways as defined with submission to God and caring reserved for all sections of humanity.

Oh I don't know. Maybe you merit a tad of suspicion? Despite your intelligence and amazing level of education... I think you have a bit of a rascal streak. ;D

Just teasing sis!

EDIT- Not teasing about the compliments.

 

[kritikvernunft]

- do you think more could be done by Muslims in the UK to counter radicalisation for terror groups such as so called Islamic State? Such as working with the government?

No. Better to ignore it. Who cares anyway?

- have you ever been approached by or told anything in an Islamic gathering where you felt uneasy about what was being said? E.g. Slightly radical ideas being taught?

I usually like radical ideas. They are often funny. You see, if an idea does not make sense, it will crash and burn by itself anyway. If it doesn't, it was actually a good idea.

- do you think the violent verses of the Quran should be removed to stop radicals using the scripture to justify themselves?

In all practical terms, the original Quran has been copied and replicated one million-gazillion times all across the globe. Who could possibly ever be in a position to remove one single verse from it?

It would even be more impossible than modifying one single transaction in the bitcoin blockchain, replicated as it is, over hundreds of thousands of machines on the internet, and protected by a 2 million TH/s hash rate. There is nobody on the globe who could possibly ever overcome that kind of obstacle. You see, the blockchain was specifically designed to prevent adversaries, especially States and governments, from modifying or otherwise manipulating our ledgers. The purpose of that kind of systems is exactly to force governments on their knees, and to force them to recognize their own limitations. At the moment, we have only rolled out relatively peaceful mechanisms to teach the politicians where their place is, but there is absolutely no problem in using similar mechanisms to organize the use of force, where needed, to teach particular governments, who have been asking for receiving such lesson, where exactly the line is. Ultimately, the use of force rests to an important extent on technology, and it us who control technology, and not them.