Islam neither forgets nor forgives

Submitted by Prashant (United States), Jul 12, 2022 at 11:02

Dear Dr Pipes,

I am not educated enough in the entire history of the relations between Muslims and the Jews but I have heard enough about disparaging reference about Jews in the Quran. I also know enough about the Iranian threats against Israel. I know that Muslims as far away as in India and Pakistan make hateful statements about Israel. Islamic hate for the Jews is palpable.

It is unbelievable that this hate comes out of the religious doctrines of Islam. Otherwise, when Muslims have captured huge land masses throughout the planet (mostly through force, allurement and deception), it would have been easy for them to give up their claim on 10,000 sq miles of Israel.

When we sit down and talk of virtues and shortcomings of the world religions, we should not set aside the religion of Islam as protected and untouchable. Critiquing Islam should be a worldwide intellectual endeavor. It should be commonplace. We should never stop from telling ourselves that a religion as loveless and as unforgiving as Islam exists among us and over a billion adherents subscribe to it nevertheless. And, this religion neither forgets nor forgives.

As always, I would love to be corrected by Islamic scholarship about examples of permanent forgiveness toward non-Muslims by Muslims.

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