Peace of God and His mercy to you.
Most of you have at least heard about the anti-Islam short film called "Fitna". This film has based its conclusion that Islam equals terrorism by picking up some Quranic verses and correlating them to some recent events. Unfortunately, the producer of the film had a long time producing it, he could at least have spent the time to understand the verses he mentioned as well as understand them in context in the Quran.
Terrorism
I am not here to debunk the film. I have not watched it. And I have mentioned many evidences in previous posts that Islam is a peaceful religion. And I, as a true Muslim, am not proud, but ashamed at what some outlaw Muslims are doing. God says:
This verse describes the punishment of those who scare the people with weapons and kill them, kidnap them or steal their belongings. A way that God and His messenger see wrong and punishable. It relates well what we have seen Al Qaeda doing: scaring the people with weapons and bombs, kidnapping people and killing them, not differentiating between Muslims and non-Muslims and killing innocent people, as well as bombing and assassinations in many Muslim countries, especially Saudi Arabia. They deviated from the right way! The Prophet, Peace Be Upon Him, said:
Repentance
All people should repent and pray to God, the only One. If those who do not believe in God live alongside the Muslims, they are expected to agree not to fight against the Muslims and against their faith, and the Muslims should ensure their safety on their land. But, if some non-believers decided to break the peace treaty and fight against the Muslims, Muslims should first ask them to repent, if they refuse they have to fight them. God loves justice, and He is a great Judge!
God says in Repentance 9:1-13:
The first seven verses are about the idolers who went to pilgrim around the Ka'bah naked, and this contradicted what God taught Muhammad in worshiping Him: to wear white textiles in pilgrimage. And the Messenger, Peace Be Upon Him, asked them to repent from worshiping the idols and to worship the only God in the correct way, and they were given four months to repent or to escape. But those who had already established a limited treaty are not included with them and they were allowed to live with the Muslims peacefully until the deadline unless they started a fight.
My reference was the Arabic Tafsir by Ibn Al Jawzy. The other verses have backgrounds too. To know about them check the English Tafsir page of Repent here.
So, as I said in the introduction, Quranic verses have backgrounds. The Quran is a storybook, a guidance and a revelation. God says:
In the end...
In Islam, Muslims are not allowed to start any fight or be hostile. They must seek peace with other nations, tell them about their faith, and have a treaty with them to not fight. Muslims are just allowed to fight those who fight them.
Islam is a religion of peace. It fights those who do not wish peace with it and be hostile against it and against its people. We all want to protect ourselves, and the faithful should protect their faith from attacks. It is justice. But, some Muslims are too emotional that they do not be patient and do not reason with those who did wrong to them, by speech, with wisdom. People tend to be angry if someone they love is taunted in the way they deem disrespectful. Is not it right? It is the human nature and many of us have no enough control over it.
Most of you have at least heard about the anti-Islam short film called "Fitna". This film has based its conclusion that Islam equals terrorism by picking up some Quranic verses and correlating them to some recent events. Unfortunately, the producer of the film had a long time producing it, he could at least have spent the time to understand the verses he mentioned as well as understand them in context in the Quran.
Terrorism
I am not here to debunk the film. I have not watched it. And I have mentioned many evidences in previous posts that Islam is a peaceful religion. And I, as a true Muslim, am not proud, but ashamed at what some outlaw Muslims are doing. God says:
The only reward of those who make war upon Allah and His messenger and strive after corruption in the land will be that they will be killed or crucified, or have their hands and feet on alternate sides cut off, or will be expelled out of the land. Such will be their degradation in the world, and in the Hereafter theirs will be an awful doom; (33) Save those who repent before ye overpower them. For know that Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. (34) The Table 5:33-34
This verse describes the punishment of those who scare the people with weapons and kill them, kidnap them or steal their belongings. A way that God and His messenger see wrong and punishable. It relates well what we have seen Al Qaeda doing: scaring the people with weapons and bombs, kidnapping people and killing them, not differentiating between Muslims and non-Muslims and killing innocent people, as well as bombing and assassinations in many Muslim countries, especially Saudi Arabia. They deviated from the right way! The Prophet, Peace Be Upon Him, said:
Every Muslim is a brother of every Muslim and he should not betray him, lie to him, or fail him, and the Muslim's body, money and blood are not to be violated, and piety is right here (pointed to his heart) and it is evil to scorn your brother Muslim. Arabic Source: al-islamFighting innocent people who did not refuse peace with the Muslims (by not fighting the Muslims) and they did not hurt or harm any Muslim is just wrong and unfair. God says:
Fight in the way of Allah against those who fight against you, but begin not hostilities. Lo! Allah loveth not aggressors. The Cow 2:190And He says:
Excepting those of the idolaters with whom ye (Muslims) have a treaty, and who have since abated nothing of your right nor have supported anyone against you. (As for these), fulfil their treaty to them till their term. Lo! Allah loveth those who keep their duty (unto Him). Repent 9:4Such outlaws terrorizing the whole world should be killed or asked to repent. If they refuse, Muslims should kill them.
Repentance
All people should repent and pray to God, the only One. If those who do not believe in God live alongside the Muslims, they are expected to agree not to fight against the Muslims and against their faith, and the Muslims should ensure their safety on their land. But, if some non-believers decided to break the peace treaty and fight against the Muslims, Muslims should first ask them to repent, if they refuse they have to fight them. God loves justice, and He is a great Judge!
God says in Repentance 9:1-13:
A (declaration) of immunity from Allah and His Messenger to those of the pagans with whom ye have contracted mutual alliances.― (1) Go ye, then for four months, backwards and forwards, (as ye will), throughout the land, but know ye that ye cannot frustrate Allah (by your falsehood) but that Allah will cover with shame those who reject Him. (2) And an announcement from Allah and His Messenger, to the people (assembled) on the day of the Great Pilgrimage― that Allah and His Messenger 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 Allah. And proclaim a grievous penalty to those who reject Faith. (3) (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 anyone against you. So fulfil your engagements with them to the end of their term: for Allah loveth the righteous. (4) But when the forbidden months are past, then fight and slay the pagans wherever ye find them, and 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 Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (5) If one amongst the pagans ask thee for asylum, grant it to him, so that he may hear the word of Allah; and then escort him to where he can be secure: That is because they are men without knowledge. (6) How can there be a league before Allah and His Messenger, 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 Allah doth love the righteous. (7) How (can there be such a league), seeing that if they get an advantage over you, they respect not in you the ties either of kinship or of covenant? With (fair words from) their mouths they entice you, but their hearts are averse from you; and most of them are rebellious and wicked. (8) The signs of Allah have they sold for a miserable price, and (many) have they hindered from His way: evil indeed are the deeds they have done. (9) In a Believer they respect not the ties either of kinship or of covenant! It is they who have transgressed all bounds. (10) But (even so) if they repent, establish regular prayers, and practise regular charity― they are your brethren in Faith: (thus) do We explain signs in detail, for those who understand. (11) But if they violate their oaths after their covenant, and attack for your Faith― fight ye the chiefs of Unfaith: for their oaths are nothing to them: that thus they may be restrained. (12) Will ye not fight people who violated their oaths, plotted to expel the Messenger and took the aggressive by being the first (to assault) you? Do ye fear them? Nay it is Allah whom ye should more justly fear, if ye believe! (13)
The first seven verses are about the idolers who went to pilgrim around the Ka'bah naked, and this contradicted what God taught Muhammad in worshiping Him: to wear white textiles in pilgrimage. And the Messenger, Peace Be Upon Him, asked them to repent from worshiping the idols and to worship the only God in the correct way, and they were given four months to repent or to escape. But those who had already established a limited treaty are not included with them and they were allowed to live with the Muslims peacefully until the deadline unless they started a fight.
My reference was the Arabic Tafsir by Ibn Al Jawzy. The other verses have backgrounds too. To know about them check the English Tafsir page of Repent here.
So, as I said in the introduction, Quranic verses have backgrounds. The Quran is a storybook, a guidance and a revelation. God says:
We do relate unto thee the most beautiful of stories, in that We reveal to thee this (portion of the) Qur'an: before this, thou too wast among those who knew it not. (3) Joseph 12:3
In the end...
In Islam, Muslims are not allowed to start any fight or be hostile. They must seek peace with other nations, tell them about their faith, and have a treaty with them to not fight. Muslims are just allowed to fight those who fight them.
Islam is a religion of peace. It fights those who do not wish peace with it and be hostile against it and against its people. We all want to protect ourselves, and the faithful should protect their faith from attacks. It is justice. But, some Muslims are too emotional that they do not be patient and do not reason with those who did wrong to them, by speech, with wisdom. People tend to be angry if someone they love is taunted in the way they deem disrespectful. Is not it right? It is the human nature and many of us have no enough control over it.
