Researching Islam: from curiosity to dismay

Submitted by Prashant (United States), Apr 7, 2022 at 13:30

Dear Dr Pipes: Many times my research into Islam out of curiosity leads to dismay and disappointment. And, I end up wondering if many thought patterns entertained by some Muslims can be let go unopposed or they must be resisted.

Luckily, while freedom of thought must protect every thinker, the thought itself need not be protected. Thus, this message.

While investigating Vladimir Putin's misdeeds, I stumbled upon Alexander Litvinenko's alleged murder in the UK by Russian agents. I discovered that Alexander Litvinenko, who was a spy against Russian interests, genuinely decided to convert to Islam when he was on his death bed. This kind of news must indeed bring a feeling of (bated) joy and satisfaction to Muslims. It should not cause any significant controversy. But let us not forget that we are talking about Islam and controversies come for free with Islam.

It so happened that a muslim clergy who visited Litvinenko in the hospital advised him (my paraphrase), "we all pray to the same God and converting to Islam will be his (Litvinenko's) personal decision".

To cut the long story short per Islamic scholarship 'we all pray to the same God' is wrong and Islam is the only answer. And, the clergy who made the above statement was wrong and acted as a Kaffir himself.

Not just that, in this context, I discovered that Islam also says that if a person who is properly introduced to Islam but refuses to convert to Islam, will rot in hell. (
Ref
https://turntoislam.com/community/threads/alexander-litvinenko-conversion-to-islam.4575/page-2)

I did not invent this line of thinking. I just read it. Someone else wrote it and this thought is available to the 7 billion humans of the planet and such thoughts are, often times, advertised by 1 billion Muslims of the world. It is my duty to resist the propagation of these thoughts.

I have been introduced to Islam quite well and I decline to accept it as any kind of truth. I also have no intention to rot in hell despite the threat.

Likewise, I know that Mahatma Gandhi was a well educated man who studied both Islam and Christianity. He died as a (so called) kuffar. I am certain that Gandhi is not rotting in hell either.

So much for the matters of Islamic scholarship and matters of spiritual debates in Islam!

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