"Is Islam peaceful and peaceloving. What do Islams most authoritative documents say?"

Submitted by Lactantius Jr. (United Kingdom), Mar 5, 2007 at 18:19

To Omar

"Dropping bombs" rhetorical or otherwise, is not my style Omar, choosing instead to critique Islam from its own (to Muslims), most authoritative sources, the Qur'an, the Sahi Hadith of Bukhari and Muslim, the Sirat and the Tarikh literature, and if my critique causes ‘explosions,' please don't blame me Omar, I didn't write it.

You have clearly put considerable time into your response, no wonder your "Internet's about to burn out," and it would take me a considerable amount of time which I cannot spare, to critique and undercut your "analyses," so whilst believing all the issues to be important and worthy of considered responses, I have to concentrate on what I perceive to be the issues most important and germane to whether, as Abdul Muuiz claimed, "Islam is a perfect way of life,"http://www.danielpipes.org/comments/35295

To which I replied with "Some examples why Islam is not a perfect way of life" at:- http://www.danielpipes.org/comments/77839 and to which you responded with your posting at:- http://www.danielpipes.org/comments/79398 concluding by saying, "By the way, we are talking about Valentine's Day? Not religion?" and truth to tell Omar, I'm not interested in discussing the silliness of Valentine's Day, being much more interested in challenging Abdul Muuiz' (and any other Muslim) assertion, that "Islam is a perfect way of life," believing as I do, that Islam is unable to peacefully co-exist with Western Democracies, evidenced by Islamic violence, wherever Muslims exist in sufficient numbers in the West, for Deobandi Islam and its associated violence, to dominate over the "softly, softly, catchee monkey," Barelwi non-violent approach.

Islam's most authoritative documents show that violence was foundational to Islam, being authorized by the Qur'an, and practiced by Muhammad, who was in fact the archetypal Islamic terrorist, held up by the Qur'an to be the exemplar, the model to be followed.

"Ye have indeed in the Apostle of Allah a beautiful pattern (of conduct) for any one whose hope is in Allah and the Final Day, and who engages much in the Praise of Allah."

Surah 33:21 (Abdullah Yusuf Ali)

"And verily, you (O Muhammad SAW) are on an exalted standard of character."

Surah 68:4 (Hilali-Khan)

the Qur'an claiming that Muhammad is a mercy for all creatures:-

"We sent thee not, but as a Mercy for all creatures."

Surah 21:107

With Muhammad speaking the following words during his last sermon, on 7^th.March 632AD in Mecca:-

"I am leaving you with the Book of Allah (the QUR'AN), and my SUNNAH (the life style and the behavioural mode of the Prophet), if you follow them you will never go astray."

And what was "the lifestyle and behavioural mode" of Muhammad? what did he say and do?

"I have been made victorious with terror" (Sahi Bukhari V4B52N220)

"I shall terrorise the infidels. So wound their bodies and incapacitate them, because they oppose Allah and his apostle." (Qur'an 8:12)

"Killing unbelievers is a small matter to us" ( al-Tabari IX:69)

"Paradise lies under the shade of swords" (Sahi Bukhari V4B5N73)

"The believers fight in Allah's cause, they slay and are slain, kill and are killed" (Qur'an 9:111)

"Muhammad said, ‘You are commanded to carry out jihad against the unbelieving infidels until they submit to Islam' " (Qur'an 47:4)

"But when the forbidden months are past, then fight and slay the Pagans wherever ye find them, and seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem (of war); but if they repent, and establish regular prayers and practise regular charity, then open the way for them: for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful." (Qur'an 9:5)

This sure don't sound peaceful and peaceloving to me Omar, and present-day Islamic terrorism shows that violence remains deeply embedded in Islam

If that's the prescription for "infidels," how did Muhammad and his companions treat their women? What does the Qur'an say about wife-beating?

The Qur'an on beating wives

Translations of Sura 4:34

These three Muslim translations of Surah 4:34 should be read carefully.

Egyptian-born M.A.S. Abdel Haleem, educated at Al-Azhar University, Cairo, and Cambridge University and now professor of Islamic Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, translates for Oxford University Press (2004), as follows:

"Husbands should take full care of their wives, with [the bounties] Allah has given to some more than others and with what they spend out of their own money. Righteous wives are devout and guard what Allah would have them guard in the husbands' absence. If you fear high-handedness from your wives, remind them [of the teaching of Allah], then ignore them when you go to bed, then hit them. If they obey you, you have no right to act against them Allah is most high and great."

Abdullah Yusuf Ali, a scholar working out of Lahore, Punjab, East Pakistan, began his translation in 1934 and revised it a third time by 1938. He notes in parenthesis, not original to the Arabic, the sequence of steps and the implied soft meaning of "beat them (lightly)":

" ... As to those women on whose part ye fear disloyalty and ill-conduct, admonish them (first), (next), refuse to share their beds, (and last) beat them (lightly) ..."

Ahmed Ali was an author of fiction, and he translates the relevant line for Princeton University Press (1984, rev. 1986), adding parenthetic glosses not originally found in Arabic:

"As for women you feel are averse, talk to them suasively; then leave them alone in bed (without molesting them) and go to bed with them (when they are willing)."

This translation flatly contradicts the two others cited here and many others: "beat" (Fakhry); "scourge" (Pickthall); "beat" (Dawood); "beat (lightly)" (Hilali and Khan); "chastise" (Maulana); "chastise" (Khan); "beat" (Maududi); "beat" (Salahi and Shamis, Muslim translators of Sayyid Qutb); "beat" (Committee of Muslim translators of Ibn Kathir); "beat" (Shakir); "chastise" (Khalifa); "beat" (Sher Ali); and "beat" (Asad, whom Hathout quotes in her article).* "beat" (Arberry) "beat" (Palmer) "scourge" (Rodwell) "chastise" (Sale)

Muhammad and Aisha bint Abu Bakr

The following report is narrated by Aisha, Muhammad's favourite young wife, whom he married when he was in his fifties and she was around nine or ten years old (they were betrothed when she was six, and the marriage was sexually consummated when she was a 9 years old child.

Sahi hadith narrated by Aisha about wife beating

"Rifa'a divorced his wife whereupon 'AbdurRahman bin Az-Zubair Al-Qurazi married her. 'Aisha said that the lady (came), wearing a green veil (and complained to her (Aisha) of her husband and showed her a green spot on her skin caused by beating). It was the habit of ladies to support each other, so when Allah's Apostle came, 'Aisha said, "I have not seen any woman suffering as much as the believing women. Look! Her skin is greener than her clothes!"

Bukhari Volume 7, Book 72, Number 715:

The following report is narrated by Aisha, Muhammad's favourite young wife, it showing Muhammad sneaking out of the house to visit a graveyard and pray over the dead. Aisha followed him. She returned just before he did, but he noticed she was out of breath and asked her why. She told him, and apparently fearing for his life as he saw her in the shadows, he punished her. Says Aisha: "He struck me on the chest which caused me pain" (Muslim, vol. 2, no. 2127).

So Omar, Aisha had not seen any women suffering physical violence as much as the believing women, and being Muhammad's favourite wife, did not stop Muhammad committing domestic violence on his young wife, with him striking her on the chest, "causing me pain."

Islam and slavery

The Quran allows slavery, and Muhammad himself traded in slaves.

Surah 47:4 saying:-

So, when you meet (in fight—Jihad in Allah's cause) those who disbelieve, smite (their)necks till when you have killed or wounded many of them, then bind a bond firmly (on them, i.e. take them as captives). Thereafter (is the time) either for generosity (i.e. free them without ransom), or ransom (according to what benefits Islam), until war lays down its burden . . . . (Hilali and Khan, The Noble Qur'an, Riyadh: Darussalam, 2002; all insertions are theirs)

These two conservative translators accurately catch the essence and spirit of early historical Islam in battle and in taking prisoners of war. The Muslim victor has two options for prisoners: free release or ransom—according to what benefits Islam, add Hilali and Khan. The third option in other passages is for the raider to keep prisoners for himself, especially women with whom he may have sex .

Surah 4:24 saying:-

And forbidden to you are wedded wives of other people except those who have fallen in your hands (as prisoners of war) . . .

The following Sahi hadith shows a sad snapshot of abuse in original Islam. The passage matter-of-factly talks about disrobing a recently captured female prisoner of a Muslim raid. Salamah the Muslim raider was "fascinated" by her. But Muhammad wants her for himself. Why?

So we [Salamah and his captured girl] arrived in Medina. I had not yet disrobed her when the Messenger of Allah . . . met me in the street and said: Give me that girl, O Salamah. I said: Messenger of Allah, she has fascinated me. I had not yet disrobed her. When on the next day, the Messenger of Allah . . . again met me in the street, he said: O Salama, give me that girl, may God bless your father. I said: she is for you, Messenger of Allah . . . By Allah, I have not yet disrobed her. The Messenger of Allah . . . sent her to the people of Mecca, and surrendered her as ransom for a number of Muslims who had been kept as prisoners in Mecca. (Muslim no. 4345)

Though Muhammad freed some slaves, he did not in this case. He did not give her family the option of ransoming her. He did not give her back freely, as an example for the world to stop the slave trade. "I hereby give the girl back as an example that all Arabs must stop this trade! I do this especially as an example to the new community of Muslims I'm founding!" Instead, he is depicted here as ravenously wanting the hapless girl. "Give me that girl!" And he trades her for some Muslims who had been kept as prisoners in Mecca, which was not involved in the raid, or in her life. So trade or exchange is a fourth option for a slave-owner, even if this means selling a slave far away from her family.

Muhammad was a slave trader. How does this establish exemplary justice for humanity?

Early Islam—the one that Muhammad founded—trafficked in slavery and allowed sex with women prisoners of war, in their most helpless condition, and slavery continues, being "a part of Islam" according to Sheikh Saleh Al-Fawzan, a leading Saudi government cleric,and author of that country's religious curriculum, who believes, and forcibly says so, that Islam advocates slavery.

Al-Fawzan is a member of the Council of Religious Edicts and Research, the Imam of Prince Mitaeb Mosque in Riyadh, and a professor at Imam Mohamed Bin Saud Islamic University, Saudi Arabia's main center of learning for the strict Wahhabi interpretation of Islam.

"Slavery is a part of Islam," says Sheik Saleh Al-Fawzan, according to the independent Saudi Information Agency, or SIA. In a lecture recorded on tape by SIA, Al-Fawzan said, "Slavery is part of jihad, and jihad will remain as long as there is Islam."

Al Fawzan – a member of the Council of Senior Clerics, Saudi Arabia's highest religious body – says Muslims who contend Islam is against slavery "are ignorant, not scholars." "They are merely writers," he said, according to SIA. "Whoever says such things is an infidel." Al-Fawzan's best-known textbook, "Al-Tawheed – Monotheism," says most Muslims are polytheists, and their blood and money are therefore free for the taking by "true Muslims."

Saudi sheik: 'Slavery is a part of Islam'
Leading government cleric, author of country's religious curriculum

WORLDNETDAILY

Posted: November 10, 2003
5:00 p.m. Eastern

© 2003 WorldNetDaily.com

http://www.worldnetdaily.com:80/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=35518

So Omar, where does this put you, if Al-Fawzan is correct in his judgement that those denying slavery is a part of Islam are "infidels?" what's the Islamic prescription for "infidels?"

To draw to a close on a personal basis, because I have known many Muslims over the last 15-20 years, the saddest thing for them, and the most frightening thing for non-Muslims, is that no Muslim can have any assurance of being admitted to Al-Janna ("the Muslim Paradise"), unless they die as shahids ("martyrs"sic), that is, unless they kill and are killed "in Allah's service," which explains why homicide bombing is so attractive to young Muslim men, looking forward to an eternity copulating with their ever-virgin houris, "with swelling breasts" Surah 78:33 (Arberry) "with swelling breasts" Surah 78:33 (Rodwell) "full-breasted" Surah 78:33 (Al-Hilali and Khan), surrounded with ‘rivers of wine' and other carnal ‘delights.'

Surah's 61:10-12, 4:74, and 9:111 guarantee al-janna to Islamic shahids in an economic bargain. Indeed, these three references explicitly use words that connote buying and selling and signing a contract of sale, and the currency behind the deals is death by "martyrdom."

For multiple translations of the above Surah, and for the "virgin verses" and other sensuous descriptions of Al-Janna, go to http://www.quranbrowser.com/ and type in the references: 44:51-56; 52:17-29; 55:46-78.

I close by quoting just two examples demonstrating that the Muslims concerned, understood very well, the deal on the table from Allah, should they kill and be killed in his service. The first would-be shahid I mention is Sajid Badaat, the wanabe passenger airliner bomber from Gloucester, England, until he mercifully got cold feet and chickened-out. Badaat went to jihadi training camps in Pakistan and Afghanistan, from where he he wrote to his family, "I have a sincere desire to sell my soul to Allah in return for paradise," showing he clearly understood the promises of Allah described in Surah's 61:10-12, 4:74, and 9:111. In another e-mail, in May 2001, he added: "If the enemy comes, then either we gain victory or we gain martyrdom." (sic)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/gloucestershire/4305161.stm

Last Updated: Friday, 22 April, 2005, 21:13 GMT 22:13 UK

Badat "a religious teacher," was jailed for 13 years http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4474307.stm

The other would-be shahid I mention, is Mohammed Taheri-azar, who drove an SUV into a group of people at the University of North Carolina, and who wrote to a local TV station saying Allah approves of such attacks. Taheri-azar wrote:- "Allah gives permission in the Qur'an for the followers of Allah to attack those who have waged war against them, with the expectation of eternal paradise in case of martyrdom…………………" also writing, "I did not act out of hatred for Americans, but out of love for Allah instead."

Again, Taheri-azar like Saajid Badat, shows his expectation of admission to Al-Janna, with its carnal "rewards" for jihadis.

WORLDNETDAILY.COM

Posted: March 15, 2006
5:00 p.m. Eastern

© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=49276

So what's it to be for you Omar, you have a choice to make. No assurance of admission to Al-Janna unless you kill and are killed in Allah's service, or commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ, Who is indeed the Prince of Peace, Who will deal with your past, work in your present and guarantee your future, no ifs, no buts, no maybes, no, if I do enough good works. Are you going to remain a Muslim, unsure of your eternal destiny, following the example and teaching of Muhammad who brought death destruction and enslavement, or are you going to turn to the Lord Jesus Christ, Who brought life, liberation and the promise of life in all its fullness now, leading to eternal life after this earthly life is over, as one day it will be.

Hear the Word of the living God:-

"The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord"

Romans 6:23

You're not worth it, you don't deserve it and you can't earn it, do you want it Omar? a free gift from the God of Grace, and somebody has said that mercy is not being given what you deserve, whilst Grace is being given what you don't deserve, no wonder that John Newton wrote, "Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me, I once was lost but now I'm found, was blind but now I see."

With all good wishes

Lactantius Jr.

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