I fail to understand one thing. Wherever we look these days, people are fonder of giving vent to expressions of hate ,rather than love. This is specially true of the so called religious leaders, who are, sadly, very unreligious in this respect. The point is, what are we coming to? Why have we forgotten the beautiful gestures of Prophet Muhammad and the Caliphs and all the good Muslims before us? Why do we and the West of course remember all the brutality and cruelty that has been carried out in the name of Islam? Isn't struggle against your own "nafs" the better jihad?
The only sliver lining is the recent awakening in the youth. Our youth is being attracted more towards religion, but I fear we are being divided in to two classes. One, a strict narrow-sighted mullah and the other a religious but moderate youth. Its a battle between the two and I hope, for all our sakes, that the spirit of Islam wins and not mere ritual?
P.S I feel more and more why there are so few soothing voices from India and Pakistan after the Mumbai blasts and why the stage is dominated by the war-mongerers? WE surely love more to hateather than to love!
Nice, thought provoking. Will visit yr blog more often.
ReplyDeletePS - I have a plan to write my analysis of terrorism, war, hate politics in subcontinent ...but not getting time...so 'pereshaan' with works. pls comment when i write.
@ zakir
ReplyDeletesure, I will comment..This is a topic closely related to us people of the sub-continent and if we dont talk about it, then who will?
Your views are interesting, though I hardly agree. You seem view the world through the lenses of religion. I believe in humanism - not in any particular religion. My frequencies match more with Zakir.
ReplyDeleteWill visit your blog more often. You appear to have an open mind.
@ Dipankar
ReplyDeleteThanks for the appreciation. I had trouble finding the post on which you commented as it is my oldest post. Yes, I view life through the lens of religion but I also believe that the best quality of any religion is humanism and compassion. It is the essence of any faith.
I appreciate your honesty.
ReplyDeleteI am aware that you are a young researcher in Chemistry at Islamabad. I had/have two friends in the earth science faculty there.
I had doubts if you would still monitor your old posts. I'm happy to see your response.
I saw your group photograph at 2009 Nobel meet. I spotted my two old acquaintances (Prof Butt and Mr. Butt) and one my Indian colleague in that. I, as the Indian science counselor in Germany, met them there for four consecutive years 2004-2008.
I sincerely feel that Muslims are just like us, but I have many unanswered questions in mind. I find my Muslim friends are not ready to debate the religious issues beyond a point.
I'm hopeful you will be an exception.
Great. So how did you find out I was a Chemistry researcher at QAU, Islamabad? It's a pity you didn't meet the Pakistani group in 2009 as I had attended that meeting. DR N M Butt and Dr Butt are nice people, both of them.
ReplyDeleteI'll try to satisfy you on most of your queries, though I don't think I qualify for a just answer. I find it good that you are interested in such debates
PL DON'T GET UPSET. I'M ONLY TRYING TO CLEAR MY CONFUSIONS
ReplyDeleteVery often Muslims claim that, Islam is a religion of peace and there is no compulsion.(Quran 02: 256 There is no Compulsion in religion….)
Yet punishment of an apostate in Islam is death penalty!
(Quran 9: 29 Fight those who do not profess the true faith(Islam) till they pay the poll tax (jiziya) with the hand of humility.
Quran 9: 5 Then, when the sacred months have passed, slay the idolaters wherever ye find them and take them captive, and besiege them and prepare for them each ambush….
Quran 47: 4 When you meet the unbelievers in the Jihad strike off their heads….
Quran 2: 191 And slay (kill) them wherever ye catch them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out such is the reward of those who suppress faith.
Quran 8: 65 O Apostle ! rouse the believers to the fight of…unbelievers.)
Misunderstanding? Out of context? Wrong translation? Can you substantiate?
It is claimed that, Allah has given this Quran in the easy and clear language so that, it will not be difficult to understand by the ordinary people.
(Quran 44: 58 Verily, We have made This Quran easy in the tongue, in order that they may give heed.)
PS. A Google search for Faroha gave me your researcher identity
I am not upset but will try to answer your questions to the best of my ability. Though the answer is long and it's better that we exchange on emails. However, the answers are:
ReplyDelete1. (Quran 02: 256 There is no Compulsion in religion….)
Yet punishment of an apostate in Islam is death penalty!
Ans: Yes, there is no compulsion in religion. The Quran also says in Surah Al-Kafirun that "For you your religion and for me mine". This is to explain that you cannot compel a Muslim to pray or not to pray, to give alms or not to, to fast or not to, etc. You cannot compel someone to do something forcefully IN RELIGION i.e. fellow Muslims. Also, no forced conversions. In the first century of islam, in the caliphates, conversions were even banned in most of Muslim empire (check Karen Armstrong's Islam". However, some Muslims tend to issue fatwas that there is death penalty to apostates. It's a fatwa, not an Islamic injunction. I prefer to believe that God is the judge so let Him judge one who has turned away from HIM.
2.Your second question relates to Jihad and you have made the same mistake that the Taliban make to use verses of the Quran to explain their position. They are out of context. Let me explain.
The first verses you quote are from Surah Tauba and relate top the time when the Prophet(pbuh) had made a covenant with the Quresh in Mecca and their allies.Some of the tribes were with the Muslims of Medina and some were with the Quresh. One of the clauses of the covenant were that the allied tribes will not fight eachother, neither will the Quresh and Muslims help them. Attacking anyone will be equal to violating the peace pact and will be a declaration of war on the other party. It was a political pact and was dealt at such. When one of the tribes allied to Quresh broke the pact after one year of Sulah Hudaibiya and the Quresh supported them in war, the tribe related to Muslims appealed for help. The agreement was thus broken by the Quresh and war was a necessity, to help the allies. These verses are of that era. if you read them from start, they are:
009.001 A (declaration) of immunity from God and His Apostle, to those of the Pagans with whom ye have contracted mutual alliances:-
009.002 Go ye, then, for four months, backwards and forwards, (as ye will), throughout the land, but know ye that ye cannot frustrate God (by your falsehood) but that God will cover with shame those who reject Him.
009.003 And an announcement from God and His Apostle, to the people (assembled) on the day of the Great Pilgrimage,- that God and His Apostle dissolve (treaty) obligations with the Pagans. If then, ye repent, it were best for you; but if ye turn away, know ye that ye cannot frustrate God. And proclaim a grievous penalty to those who reject Faith.
009.004 (But the treaties are) not dissolved with those Pagans with whom ye have entered into alliance and who have not subsequently failed you in aught, nor aided any one against you. So fulfil your engagements with them to the end of their term: for God loveth the righteous.
009.005 But when the forbidden months are past, then fight and slay the Pagans wherever ye find them, an seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem (of war); but if they repent, and establish regular prayers and practise regular charity, then open the way for them: for God is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.
009.006 If one amongst the Pagans ask thee for asylum, grant it to him, so that he may hear the word of God; and then escort him to where he can be secure. That is because they are men without knowledge.
009.007 How can there be a league, before God and His Apostle, with the Pagans, except those with whom ye made a treaty near the sacred Mosque? As long as these stand true to you, stand ye true to them: for God doth love the righteous.
As far as your other refernces, you should know that any Muslim cannot wage Jihad on his own. Jihad has to be declared by the Muslim head of state for a valid reason against the infidels.The same logic is also given to nullify the arguments given by the Taliban in Pakistan for fighting against the state.If the Muslim head of state declares Jihad under conditions (i.e. infidels have declared war upon your country or for the expansion of Islamic empire in early years of Isllam when it was the only way to form an empire), then Jihad is compulsory and requires fighting the infidels. But if they give up arms or want peace and agree for Jizya ( another requirement in history), Muslims were COMPELLED to stop fighting and accept their terms.
ReplyDelete(The answer was too long and couldn't submit it, so sending in two parts)