Lactantius Jr "Do Islam's most authoritative documents say Muhammad was a terrorist?"

Submitted by abdul muiiz (United Kingdom), Jan 17, 2008 at 19:22

To Lactantius Jr

i am impressed by the energy you burn on misconceptions, but i still maintain my request for an apology. and i hope, pride shall give way to truth, with ypu.

on your claim on terrorism, i shall paste ths article, for you to pick and learn bits and pieces, as you so wish

BY

DR. ZAKIR NAIK

Every Muslim should be a terrorist. A terrorist is a person who causes terror. The moment a robber sees a policeman he is terrified. A policeman is a terrorist for the robber. Similarly every Muslim should be a terrorist for the antisocial elements of society, such as thieves, dacoits and rapists. Whenever such an anti-social element sees a Muslim, he should be terrified. It is true that the word 'terrorist' is generally used for a person who causes terror among the common people. But a true Muslim should only be a terrorist to selective people i.e. anti-social elements, and not to the common innocent people. In fact a Muslim should be a source of peace for innocent people.

6. Different labels given to the same individual for the same action, i.e. 'terrorist' and 'patriot'

Before India achieved independence from British rule, some freedom fighters of India who did not subscribe to non-violence were labeled as terrorists by the British government. The same individuals have been lauded by Indians for the same activities and hailed as 'patriots'. Thus two different labels have been given to the same people for the same set of actions. One is calling him a terrorist while the other is calling him a patriot. Those who believed that Britain had a right to rule over India called these people terrorists, while those who were of the view that Britain had no right to rule India called them patriots and freedom fighters.

It is therefore important that before a person is judged, he is given a fair hearing. Both sides of the argument should be heard, the situation should be analyzed, and the reason and the intention of the person should be taken into account, and then the person can be judged accordingly.

7. Islam means peace

Islam is derived from the word 'salaam' which means peace. It is a religion of peace whose fundamentals teach its followers to maintain and promote peace throughout the world.

Thus every Muslim should be a fundamentalist i.e. he should follow the fundamentals of the Religion of Peace: Islam. He should be a terrorist only towards the antisocial elements in order to promote peace and justice in the society.

WAS ISLAM SPREAD BY THE SWORD?

It is a common complaint among some non-Muslims that Islam would not have millions of adherents all over the world, if it had not been spread by the use of force. The following points will make it clear, that far from being spread by the sword, it was the inherent force of truth, reason and logic that was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam.

1. Islam means peace.

Islam comes from the root word 'salaam', which means peace. It also means submitting one's will to Allah (swt). Thus Islam is a religion of peace, which is acquired by submitting one's will to the will of the Supreme Creator, Allah (swt).

2. Sometimes force has to be used to maintain peace.

Each and every human being in this world is not in favour of maintaining peace and harmony. There are many, who would disrupt it for their own vested interests. Sometimes force has to be used to maintain peace. It is precisely for this reason that we have the police who use force against criminals and anti-social elements to maintain peace in the country. Islam promotes peace. At the same time, Islam exhorts it followers to fight where there is oppression. The fight against oppression may, at times, require the use of force. In Islam force can only be used to promote peace and justice.

3. Opinion of historian De Lacy O'Leary.

The best reply to the misconception that Islam was spread by the sword is given by the noted historian De Lacy O'Leary in the book 'Islam at the cross road' (Page 8):

'History makes it clear however, that the legend of fanatical Muslims sweeping through the world and forcing Islam at the point of the sword upon conquered races is one of the most fantastically absurd myth that historians have ever repeated.'

4. Muslims ruled Spain for 800 years.

Muslims ruled Spain for about 800 years. The Muslims in Spain never used the sword to force the people to convert. Later the Christian Crusaders came to Spain and wiped out the Muslims. There was not a single Muslim in Spain who could openly give the adhan, that is the call for prayers.

5. 14 million Arabs are Coptic Christians.

Muslims were the lords of Arabia for 1400 years. For a few years the British ruled, and for a few years the French ruled. Overall, the Muslims ruled Arabia for 1400 years. Yet today, there are 14 million Arabs who are Coptic Christians i.e. Christians since generations. If the Muslims had used the sword there would not have been a single Arab who would have remained a Christian.

6. More than 80% non-Muslims in India.

The Muslims ruled India for about a thousand years. If they wanted, they had the power of converting each and every non-Muslim of India to Islam. Today more than 80% of the population of India are non-Muslims. All these non-Muslim Indians are bearing witness today that Islam was not spread by the sword.

7. Indonesia and Malaysia.

Indonesia is a country that has the maximum number of Muslims in the world. The majority of people in Malaysia are Muslims. May one ask, 'Which Muslim army went to Indonesia and Malaysia?'

8. East Coast of Africa.

Similarly, Islam has spread rapidly on the East Coast of Africa. One may again ask, if Islam was spread by the sword, 'Which Muslim army went to the East Coast of Africa?'

9. Thomas Carlyle.

The famous historian, Thomas Carlyle, in his book 'Heroes and Hero worship', refers to this misconception about the spread of Islam: 'The sword indeed, but where will you get your sword? Every new opinion, at its starting is precisely in a minority of one. In one man's head alone. There it dwells as yet. One man alone of the whole world believes it, there is one man against all men. That he takes a sword and try to propagate with that, will do little for him. You must get your sword! On the whole, a thing will propagate itself as it can.'

10. No compulsion in religion.

With which sword was Islam spread? Even if Muslims had it they could not use it to spread Islam because the Qur'an says in the following verse:

'Let there be no compulsion in religion:
Truth stands out clear from error'
[Al-Qur'an 2:256]

11. Sword of the Intellect.

It is the sword of intellect. The sword that conquers the hearts and minds of people. The Qur'an says in Surah Nahl, chapter 16 verse 125:

'Invite (all) to the way of thy Lord
with wisdom and beautiful preaching;
and argue with them in ways that are
best and most gracious.'
[Al-Qur'an 16:125]

12. Increase in the world religions from 1934 to 1984.

An article in Reader's Digest 'Almanac', year book 1986, gave the statistics of the increase of percentage of the major religions of the world in half a century from 1934 to 1984. This article also appeared in 'The Plain Truth' magazine. At the top was Islam, which increased by 235%, and Christianity had increased only by 47%. May one ask, which war took place in this century which converted millions of people to Islam?

13. Islam is the fastest growing religion in America and Europe.

Today the fastest growing religion in America is Islam. The fastest growing religion in Europe in Islam. Which sword is forcing people in the West to accept Islam in such large numbers?

14. Dr. Joseph Adam Pearson.

Dr. Joseph Adam Pearson rightly says, 'People who worry that nuclear weaponry will one day fall in the hands of the Arabs, fail to realize that the Islamic bomb has been dropped already, it fell the day MUHAMMED (pbuh) was born'

According to your quote "a fundamental difference btw christianity and islam is that the God of the bible sent His son to die for us, whilst the Quranic Allah requires muslim sons to die for him"

God did not send His son (He is beyond having a son, for thr cant be any like him) to die for u, as a matter of fact Jesus was not sent to most of us, except if u are "the lost sheep of isreal", thats what i dont understand about ppl in the west, laying claim to him, when the bible clearly said, "he was not sent, but to the lost sheep of isreal!

Allah does not require me, you or any living being to die for Him, He requires nothing but appreciation and thanks, in form of love and worship.......muslims die for thr Faith, not for thr God ( the creator of u, me and all that exist) .

but i will say the fundamental difference between christians and muslims is Pride, just like btw jews and christians.......but what i dont get is how a MAN can sit on his pride, instead of truth!.....why cant u just accept the fact that God chooses His prophets Has he alone wants?

swords

with regards to the sword and the nicknames, pls remember the Prophet (s.a.w ) was also the Commander of an army....... like i said at the beggining, am impressed by ur energy burnt misconceptions, a bit of more further research, will show u that the history of the swords and the names, thr a fundamental difference btw "death" and "deadly" as you so surgested. also "Having the vertebrae of the back." , that does not seem like a name to me, its more of a sentence, but if it is in regards to dhu al-faqar, then it is the plural of vertebrae, because the sword had notches or pitsons on its blade (get me!....lol)

Lactantius Jr!......................Lactantius jr.........what does your name mean by the way (just being curious).

what am not getting, is the fact that you quoted parts of the Quran, which contradicts your argument.....pls read the quotes again......i hope it helps.

so my friend, send the apology and i deal with your earlier coments as said. also by the way, when Allah cast terror in the hearts of unbeliever, its due to what thr hands had sent forth.........why were they scared of an army less in number to them? i think because they knew the army were ready to die for their faith and they weren't. could this be due to the fact that they were uncertain about the hereafter? or they just love this world the more? (these are not questions i need you to reply to, just ponder on the truth a bit).

pls also read a bit more about the various Prophets in history!

thanks for the time, anyone that read ths, and i hope you guys understand the purpose of the energy am burning.........to make us all understand, the purpose of our creation!

abdul muiiz...signing out (till i get a reply.....lol).......holllla

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