04-10-2007, 06:41 AM
Bismillah: Assalamo Alikum:
Quote:That's right! But if you use physical force in an attempt to make me a Muslim, I have a right to defend myself. Christianity is just, not passive.
The same thing I am trying to say long time ago, FHC, if anyone use physical force to destroy our faith, <b>we have full right to defend it.</b>
Quote:In regards to "No Compulsion in Islam", when I read this I automatically assume that it implies we all have the freedom to practice & preach the religion of our choice. But that's not the case. No compulsion in Islam has conditions attached. Either you submit out of your own free-will or heavy restrictions apply to your life-style. In places like Saudi Arabia, infidels/dhimmies are forced to look like Muslims, talk like Muslims, act like Muslims & live like Muslims. You can't even become a citizen unless you're a Muslim. There might be a lack of compulsion in Islam, but I'm afraid there's also a lack of "freedom". I guess we'll just take what we can get for the time being.
<b>You have no idea about the absolute freedom of religion which was described in Islam:</b>
The Qur’an says:
15:2-3 "Again and again will those who disbelieve, wish that they had bowed (to God's will) in Islam. <b>Leave them alone, to enjoy </b> (the good things of this life) and to please themselves: let (false) hope amuse them: soon will knowledge (undeceive them)."
10:99-100 "If it had been thy Lord's will, they would all have believed, all who are on earth! <b>wilt thou then compel mankind, against their will, to believe! No soul can believe, except by the will of God</b>, and He will place doubt (or obscurity) on those who will not understand."
18:29 "Say, 'The truth is from your Lord': <b>Let him who will believe, and let him who will, reject (it)</b>: for the wrong doers We have prepared a Fire whose (smoke and flames), like the walls and roof of a tent, will hem them in: if they implore relief they will be granted water like melted brass, that will scald their faces, how dreadful the drink! How uncomfortable a couch to recline on!"
27:92 "And to rehearse the Qur'an: <b>and if any accept guidance, they do it for the good of their own souls, and if any stray, say: 'I am only a Warner.'" </b>
10:99 "If it had been thy Lord's will, they would all have believed,- all who are on earth! wilt <b>thou then compel mankind, against their will, to believe!"</b>
God Almighty Himself doesn't like us to compel people into belief.
"Say: 'Behold all that is in the heavens and on earth'; but neither Signs nor Warners profit those who believe not. Do they then expect (any thing) but (what happened in) the days of the men who passed away before them? Say: <b>'Wait ye then: for I, too, will wait with you</b>.' Quran, 10:101-102"
Please note how Allah Almighty orders us to say "Wait" to those who reject Islam. <b>This clearly says that we can't force anyone into Islam, or punish anyone for leaving Islam. </b>
<b>10:108 "Say: 'O ye men! Now Truth hath reached you from your Lord! those who receive guidance, do so for the good of their own souls; those who stray, do so to their own loss: and I am not (set) over you to arrange your affairs.'" </b>
Whoever believes benefits his soul and whoever doesn't, harms it, and Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him is not in charge of people to arrange their affairs. Only Allah Almighty is.
"Say: 'Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger:<b> but if ye turn away, he is only responsible for the duty placed on him and ye for that placed on you. If ye obey him, ye shall be on right guidance. The Messenger's duty is only to preach the clear (Message). </b> Quran, 24:54"
Prophet Muhammad's duty was only to preach.
"Those who pervert the Truth in Our Signs are not hidden from Us. Which is better? he that is cast into the Fire, or he that comes safe through, on the Day of Judgement? Do what ye will: Verily He seeth (clearly) all that ye do. (The Noble Quran, 41:40)"
Here we clearly see Allah Almighty giving a freedom of choice for people to choose or refuse Islam.
<b>Compulsion is incompatible with religion because religion depends upon faith and will, and these would be meaningless by force. </b>
The Quran tells the Muslims to listen to every thing and follow only the best of what is said. it does not tell them to kill people if they say something that is not according to the cultural norm or your beliefs.
<b>Alhamdulelah, The Quran is very clear about providing freedom of religion and choice to all people, Muslims and non-Muslims. </b>
Quote:Is it a sin for Muslims to befriend non-Muslims? Is this a command or a recommendation in Islam?
<b>The Qur’an says that we cannot take CERTAIN disbelievers as friends but not ALL.</b>
Chapter 4:144, the word <i>AWLIYAA</i> which was translated as “<i>FRIENDS</i>” does not really mean ‘friends’, but it means "<i>supporter</i>" or "<i>patron</i>", so basically the Qur’anic verse is saying that the <b>Muslims should not patronize the disbelievers instead of the Muslims</b>.
Quote:And this is a prohibition of God on the believers that <b>they should not be like the hypocrites and take the disbelievers as allies besides the believers</b>. So they will become like them (the hypocrites) if they do what God forbid them, which is allying themselves with the disbelievers. (Tafsir of Tabari, Commentary on Surah 4:144)
So God is not warning the believers to act like the hypocrites because the hypocrites would secretly aid the disbelievers against the Muslims. It is clear in the context of the passage that it is referring to the hypocrites when you read the next verse...
<b>4:145 The Hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of the Fire: no helper wilt thou find for them;</b>
So the verse really means that we cannot aid the disbelievers against the Muslims.
In another commentery of Tafsir Tabari he says regarding Qur’an 3:28
Quote:this means that <b>we should not going supporting the disbelievers in their religion and that we should support ours</b>.
In another verse the Qur’an says:
5:57 O ye who believe! <b>take not for patrons those who take your religion for a jest or a sport</b>, from amongst those who have been given the Book before and the misbelievers; but fear God if ye be believers.
So we are not supposed to take CERTAIN people from the People of the Book (Jews and Christians) as friends and not ALL of them.
We are also not suppose to take those who are fighting against Islam as supporters.
So when the Quran says that we cannot be <i>awliyaa</i> of the disbelievers it just simply means that we cannot ally our selves and support them against the Muslims. We cannot be friends or supporters of those that mock our religion. There is absolutely nothing wrong with showing kindness to those who do not fight us and respect us.
for more information about this please visit this link: IslamOnline.Net
Salam
Wael.