Fundamentalist Islam

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Ali Afifi on November 24, 2008 at 10:43pm

Dear Seth Lefferts,

Thank u very much for this question which irritated all of us Muslims and non-Muslims.
The misunderstanding of some verses in Quran leaded to this fundamentalist faction of Islam, the war between Israel and the Palestinian and the policy of USA toward the Muslims leaded to this fundamentalist faction of Islam. I am not a political man to speak in politics.

All of us must know on theological basis that there are major differences between Christianity and Islam although the 3 main religions are from the same God and all are considered monotheistic religions and we as a Muslims are ordered to respect all the religions and faiths and live in peace with them as regard the other faiths do not fight us.

Any argument about religions, however, is only on the theological level; it has nothing to do with the kind and just treatment of any person or any other faith community who coexist peacefully with Muslims. This might be similar to the truth claims made by fellow Christians who believe that trinity is the "theological truth" for them.

Our duty as Muslims is to express our belief without animosity and let God judge all on the Day of Judgment.

One of the Quranic verses which is misunderstood
" (b) And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers" (3:81-85)
As for this verse, it seems to be categorical and as such the word Islam may be interpreted legitimately in more than one way. It could mean generic Islam, literally achieving peace through submission to God, which applies to any follower of any legitimate prophet throughout history. Secondly, even if it refers to accepting Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), then it is up to Allah, not us, to accept or reject those rejected Islam. This means that we are not allowed as Muslims to mistreat them in any way as the one who accepts or rejects is Allah and not us.

(7) Allâh does not forbid you to deal justly and kindly with those who fought not against you on account of religion nor drove you out of your homes. Verily, you should show them kindness and deal justly with them. Lo! Allah loves the just dealers and Allâh loves those who deal with equity. (8) It is only as regards those who fought against you on account of religion, and have driven you out of your homes, and helped to drive you out, that Allâh forbids you to befriend them. And whosoever will befriend them, then such are the Zâlimûn (wrong-doers those who disobey Allâh). (9)

The percentage of believers of the fundamentalist faction of Islam is very small not exceeding one million from all the 1200 millions of Muslims and concentrated now in Afghanistan. Please do not consider the Muslims with chins are fundamentalists because it is an external appearance of some Muslims and not of terrorism or fundamentalist.

Please take care of what mess told u about the Muslims. We are not taught to dislike the others in Islam study and on the contrary we are taught the life and the mercy of the prophet.

Permalink Reply by Seth Lefferts on November 24, 2008 at 11:06pm

Ali,

Thank you so much for your words. I do understand what can happen when great words are twisted to justify actions of violence. It is done politically and is also in the name of God. Yes, history has shown us that we have a long way to go. The USA foreign policy, as is true with some other governmental bodies on this planet, has been harsh and misguided in many efforts, for some time, which has resulted in resentment around the world. That is understandable. The Quranic verses that you quote show that the intention is for forgiveness, not retribution. That is great. I have faith in mankind as a whole that we want to live together peacefully. It seems that the ones who have power are usually the ones who have forgotten the essence of their teachings, regardless of which of their religions is speaking to them. I do not believe that it is 'too late', really more like 'getting started'.

I, myself, am a very spiritual person, but have not landed within any religion. This is due to the fallacies in the teachings of Christianity, Judaism, Mormonism, Hinduism and Buddhism that I have found to be too hard to embrace. Also, the behaviour of the 'leaders' has often been suspect or extreme, although Buddhism has come closest for me to a truly peaceful religion. I have not studied the Quran and will be the first to admit that I have a pre-disposition based on my exposure to the media. From what you are saying in your discussion I would like to study 'the book' and learn more. I feel quite fortunate to live in a land where I am free to do my discovery and will begin the process.

Thank you again for making this forum possible. I will visit often and participate when it feel right.

Your friend,

Seth

Permalink Reply by David Gould on March 24, 2009 at 3:29am

Ali, Greetings and Salam.
I am very interested in your diplomatic reply to this question of Fundamentalism. As you may know my step-daughter was a victim of 7/7 which was blamed upon Fundamentalists...I also note that when another religion apart from Islam is blamed for a Fundamental act the religion is frequently not specified...hence the attacks on Gaza were not we are told carried out by Jewish Fundamentalists...the attacks on Iraq were not carried out by christian Fundamentalists (in spite of a President who claimed to talk to God) but 9/11 and 7/7 were the work of 'Islamic' Fundamentalists we are told...no wonder the Islamic community within Britain feels so isolated. It has taken three and a half years for me to be invited to join our local Islamic study group which I am enjoying greatly.

In my former life I studied theology as a Church of England Clergyman. My understanding has always been that Islam respects the faith of others provided it shows due respect for the faith of Muslims. There can only be one God and I have had the privilege of serving Him for some fifty eight years...my studies of Islam have actually strengthened my faith as a Christian as it has revealed more about the nature of God. I found the 99 names so useful for a basis of meditation...indeed as Surah 93 states so clearly we do not go searching God...He comes and finds us as an orphan and adopts us...I just love these early revelations...but to return to this subject; Surah 109 regarding those that reject faith...it is clear that it is faith in God that these people were rejecting, and not those that were rejecting Islam. i have not rejected Islam but embraced it and allowed it to enrich my own faith in God.

I say all this first because a fundamentalist of whatever religion has become obsessed not with the faith but by only parts of that faith and are unable to embrace the whole faith as we are invited to do...if you take verses of any scripture out of context you end up unbalanced...and in English i have always noted that the word 'mental' appears in the middle of fundamentalist. An unbalanced faith leads to unbalanced people with a distorted view of what the religion requires of them...to go from saying "In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful." to "I will kill in his name" is such a big leap of dis-logic as to boggle the mind. It is the sin of pride to say that only I am right..I only have the right to kill those I judge to be wrong...It is putting oneself in the place of Allah...only He can make such judgements...and He will on the day of judgement when the book of our lives is opened and we face all that we have been...thank God that His is Merciful and often forgiving.

The great shame is that these hatred boil up in peoples' hearts and consume them till they want to hit back and thereby risk so much more and miss the great things that learning about forgiveness can offer.

Celebrate the Praises of they Lord, and pray for His Forgiveness: for He is Oft-Returning (in forgiveness) (110:3)

Permalink Reply by Ali Afifi on March 24, 2009 at 3:37pm

Dear brother David,
Human kind that wages useless wars and the innocent are hurt and killed...God is Gracious and Merciful, a Cherisher and Sustainer...His are the first tears to fall when ever one of his creations are destroyed by wicked people."

U will find that in my discussions here on ipeace. Islam as the complementary religion from the God to Judaism and Christianity does not invite to kill the innocents or transgress on the others. Quran said
" (31) Because of that We ordained for the Children of Israel that if anyone killed a person not in retaliation of murder, or (and) to spread mischief in the land - it would be as if he killed all mankind, and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind. "

We consider all the laws in the Quran to previous religions are also laws for us.

Quran did not say about the Christians and Jews that they are infidels but always said about them "the people of the book. God ordered the prophet Mohamed to invite with wisdom saying to him:

“Invite (mankind, O Muhammad) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islâm) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'ân) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.” (Quran, Ch 16, Verse 125)

“And argue not with the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), unless it be in (a way) that is better (with good words and in good manner, inviting them to Islâmic Monotheism with His Verses), except with such of them as do wrong, and say (to them): "We believe in that which has been revealed to us and revealed to you; our Ilâh (God) and your Ilâh (God) is One (i.e. Allâh), and to Him we have submitted (as Muslims)." (Quran Ch 29, Verse 46)

And if the people reject, then the Muslim is not required to force Islam upon them. God said in Quran

" let there be no compulsion in religion "
And let not the hatred of others make you avoid justice. Be just: that is nearer to piety.... (Quran, 5:8)
“But if they turn away, your duty is only to convey the Message” (Quran Ch 3, Verse 20)

Islam, a religion of mercy, does not permit terrorism. In the Quran, God has said:

God does not forbid you from showing kindness and dealing justly with those who have not fought you about religion and have not driven you out of your homes,that ye should show them kindness and deal justly with them. Lo! Allah loveth the just dealers. (Quran, 60:8)

Prophet Muhammad forbade harming non-Muslims and asked Muslims to treat them well:
The Prophet Muhammad said: {Whoever has killed a person having a treaty with the Muslims shall not smell the fragrance of Paradise, though its fragrance is found for a span of forty years.

The Prophet Muhammad said: {People, beware of injustice, for injustice shall be darkness on the Day of Judgment.
He once said, He who harms a Jew or a Christian will find me his opponent on the Day of Judgment.
And also says "Beware! Whoever is cruel and hard on a non-Muslim minority, or curtails their rights, or burdens them with more than they can bear, or takes anything from them against their free will; I (Prophet Muhammad) will complain against the person on the Day of Judgment." (Abu Dawud)

[Indeed, We (God) have conferred dignity on the children of Adam] (Al-Israa’ 17:70). It is noted that this verse is inclusive of all humans, irrespective of their religion or even their belief in God.

[O you who believe! Stand out for justice, as witnesses to Allah, and even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor.] (An-Nisaa’ 4:134)

[O you who believe! Stand out firmly for Allah, as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not the hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: that is next to piety and fear Allah, for Allah is well acquainted with all that you do.] (Al-Ma’idah 5:8)
[O humankind! We (Allah) have created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female and have made you into nations and tribes, so that you may come to know one another. Verily, the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous (or Allah-conscious) of you. Surely, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware.] (Al-Hujurat 49:13)

Lastly, I collected the verses of forgiveness in Quran and found them about 73 verses and I chose this one to u
(13) Say (O Muhammad SAW) to the believers to forgive those who (harm them and) hope not for the Days of Allâh (i.e. His Recompense), that He may recompense people according to what they have earned (i.e. to punish these disbelievers, who harm the believers).[] (14) Whosoever does a good deed, it is for his ownself, and whosoever does evil, it is against (his ownself). Then to your Lord you will be made to return. (15) (45-Al-Jathiya)


God says in the Holy Quran what means "Say ye: we believe in God, and the revelation given to us, and to Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob, and the tribes, and that given to Moses and Jesus, and that given to (all) prophets from their Lord: we make no difference between one and another of them: and we bow to God (in Islam)."


He once listed murder as the second of the major sins, and he even warned that on the Day of Judgment, {The first cases to be adjudicated between people on the Day of Judgment will be those of bloodshed.

Muslims are even encouraged to be kind to animals and are forbidden to hurt them. Once the Prophet Muhammad said: {A woman was punished because she imprisoned a cat until it died. On account of this, she was doomed to Hell. While she imprisoned it, she did not give the cat food or drink, nor did she free it to eat the insects of the earth.

He also said that a man gave a very thirsty dog a drink, so God forgave his sins for this action. The Prophet was asked, “Messenger of God, are we rewarded for kindness towards animals?” He said: {There is a reward for kindness to every living animal or human.

Additionally, while taking the life of an animal for food, Muslims are commanded to do so in a manner that causes the least amount of fright and suffering possible. The Prophet Muhammad said: {When you slaughter an animal, do so in the best way. One should sharpen his knife to reduce the suffering of the animal.

In light of these and other Islamic texts, the act of inciting terror in the hearts of defenseless civilians, the wholesale destruction of buildings and properties, the bombing and maiming of innocent men, women, and children are all forbidden and detestable acts according to Islam and the Muslims. Muslims follow a religion of peace, mercy, and forgiveness, and the vast majority have nothing to do with the violent events some have associated with Muslims. If an individual Muslim were to commit an act of terrorism, this person would be guilty of violating the laws of Islam.