In response to "Typical Moderate Muslim"

Submitted by Hayyah (United States), Jan 25, 2005 at 14:04

Assalamu'alaikum, I take great offense to your comment and it sounds extremely unusual to hear a Muslim write what you wrote. I suppose according to the non-Muslim world's labelling I am also called a "moderate Muslim," but I like ever other "moderate Muslim" I know HAS studied the Qur'an and ahadith and Sunnah in depth and attend prayers regularly and also conferences and weekend Islamic schools/classes.

Yes there is variation in faith amongst moderate Muslims, just as there is amongst Christians and Jews, so there are some who practice more than others, but your comment makes it sound as though "moderate" Muslims reject a part of their religion. This is not true at all... you perhaps might be better off calling yourself a secular Muslim. There is a large difference.

I am a moderate Muslim woman who wears a headscarf and entirely believes in the divine backing of the Qur'an and Prophet Muhammad sallialahu allayhi wa salaam and personal experience and intellectual inquiry has led me to have no doubts whatsoever. My point is that it is precisely the people who understand the Qur'an that do not believe it condones uncalled for violence. The ones we are told to "slay" are the ones who "spread mischief in the land"... those who oppress and attack first, who "drive you from your homes".... PLEASE PUT REFERENCES IN CONTEXT PEOPLE. We ARE NOT told to go and kill everyone else!! And I am not changing my religion by stating this! Those 'war verses' in the Qur'an justify killing deviant Muslims who kill innocent non-Muslims. They justify war against the likes of Nazi Germany and Japan after Pearl Harbor, they justify uprising against the oppression of the Taliban. They DO NOT justify 9/11 or suicide bombings or anything that kills women, the elderly, or children (we are explicitly told not to kill them, even if they're fighting us, but in that case to take them as prisoners of war and treat them well and release them once the war ends). We also are EXPLICITLY told not to kill by fire or to mutilate bodies.

It is the people who do these things that know nothing about Islam. Moderates are the true followers of the religion. Secular Muslims are moderates with less faith, but yes they are still Muslims as is anyone who believes in one supreme Creator and the prophets (peace be upon them) He has sent, including Mohammad (s). Anyone who believes this is Muslim, even if that person doesn't follow the 5 pillars of Islam.

Please don't make it sound like I don't follow my religion when I do. That is utterly disgraceful and disrespectful. I'm an intelligent human being with a great amount of Western styled education behind me and a great amount of education regarding Islam and Islamic history and the Sunnah. I think I deserve more respect than hearing people constantly tell me what I do or don't believe. What is more disrespectful than this? Islam does not condone uncalled-for violence and I have yet to meet (in real life, though I've seen them online and obviously on the news) any other religious Muslim who honestly thinks it does.


Allah hafiz

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