The biggest problem we are facing today as Muslims are our closed minds. We are encouraged to follow mullah of our choice and they make us believe it will be very difficult to understand anything about religion on your own. They discourage you to make your own study and think logically, question critically, and tolerate patiently. Their approach is my way or highway….
After listening to a lot of these so called champions of Islam I decided to study myself and read different versions about any topic even anti Islam and the more I read and researched, the more I started to understand…
One of the biggest accusation the critics of Islam have against Islam is it can not be reformed. In present status I regret to inform you it is true. If we don’t free ourselves from the shackles of theses brainless mullahs I am afraid it is true. However if we start using our brains ourselves we’ll find out it is absolutely possible to reform Islam according to our present times…
The biggest proof of reformation is slavery. The world has evolved out of slavery. We can not reimpose slavery to enforce Islamic laws of treatment with slaves. This proves that there is nothing called fundamental Islam and we must reform according to our times.
Let’s define some laws which can give us guidelines for all our present and future actions:
- We should evalute our actions with a litmus test if whatever we are doing is for betterment of Islam or will go against it.
- If by doing some actions we become better human beings.
- Whatever we believe in is logical.
To understand Quran we have to know Ilmul Nazool ( the sequence of nazool). This can easily be done by reffering to different tafaseer. If you study carefully you can divide the message of quran in to three different phases. The first is Mecca phase and in this phase fighting was prohibited. Most of Quran refers to this phase. Some of the verses from this phase are:
Meccan Verses
2:256
There is no compulsion in religion
73:10
Be patient with what they say, and part from them courteously
109:6
To you be your religion, and to me my religion"
20:103
Therefore be patient with what they say, and celebrate (constantly) the praises of thy Lord,
2:83
Speak good to men…
10:99
If it had been thy Lord’s Will, they would all have believed, all who are on earth! Wilt thou then compel mankind against their will to believe!
50:45
We well know what the infidels say: but you are not to compel them
29:45
Argue with people of the book, other than evil doers, only by means of what are better! and say, we believe in what has been sent down to us and sent down to you. Our God is the same as your God, and we are surrendered to Him.
2:62
Those who believe (in the Qur’an), and those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), and the Christians and the Sabeans,- any who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and work righteousness, shall have their reward with their Lord; on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.
7:199
Hold to forgiveness; command what is right; But turn away from the ignorant.
15:85
Pardon thou, with a gracious pardoning…
6:108
and insult not (Revile not) those whom they call upon besides Allah, lest they out of spite revile Allah in their ignorance. Thus we made alluring to each people its own doings. In the end they return to their Lord, and we shall then tell them the truth of all that they did
43:88,89
O Lord, these are people who do not believe,’ Bear with them and wish them ‘peace.’ In the end they shall know their folly.
50:45
We know best what they say; and thou art not one to overawe them by force.
16:90
Allah commands justice, the doing of good, and liberality to kith and kin, and He forbids all shameful deeds, and injustice and rebellion: He instructs you, that ye may receive admonition.
The second phase is early Medina phase when fighting was allowed aginst operession and injustice, and third and final stage refers to later medina days when it was made obligatory for the spreading of Islam.
Medinan verses
9:123
Oh ye who believe! Murder those of the disbelievers and let them find harshness in you.
8:12
I will instill terror into the hearts of the unbelievers: smite ye above their necks and smite all their finger-tips off.
3:85
Whoso desires another religion than Islam, it shall not be accepted of him; in the next world he shall be among the losers."
2:191
kill them wherever you find them, and drive them out from wherever they drove you out
9:5
Slay the idolaters wherever you find them
2:193
Fight them on until there is no more tumult and religion becomes that of Allah
9:14
Fight them, and Allah will punish them by your hands, cover them with shame, help you (to victory) over them, heal the breasts of Believers
9:29
Fight those who do not believe in God and the last day… and fight People of the Book, who do not accept the religion of truth (Islam) until they pay tribute by hand, being inferior"
9:30
The Jews call 'Uzair a son of Allah, and the Christians call Christ the son of Allah. That is a saying from their mouth; (in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. Allah’s curse be on them: how they are deluded away from the Truth!
9:28
O you who believe! Verily, the Mushrikûn (unbeleivers) are Najasun (impure). So let them not come near Al-Masjid-al-Harâm (at Makkah) after this year, …
14:17
Before him is Hell; and he shall be made to drink boiling water.
3:61
If any one disputes in this matter with thee, now after (full) knowledge Hath come to thee, say: “Come! let us gather together,- our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves: Then let us earnestly pray, and invoke the curse of Allah on those who lie!”
47:4
When you meet the unbelievers, strike off their heads; then when you have made wide slaughter among them, carefully tie up the remaining captives.
8:65,
O Prophet! rouse the Believers to the fight. If there are twenty amongst you, patient and persevering, they will vanquish two hundred: if a hundred, they will vanquish a thousand of the Unbelievers
3:28
Let not the believers take for friends or helpers unbelievers rather than believers: if any do that, in nothing will there be help from Allah. except by way of precaution, that ye may guard yourselves from them. But Allah cautions you (to fear) Himself; for the final goal is to Allah.
8:60
Against them make ready your strength to the utmost of your power, including steeds of war, to strike terror into (the hearts of) the enemies, of Allah and your enemies.
Now these are the verses where critics of Islam quote and our champions of Islam (referring to mullahs) give twisted logics. Read as follows:
Dr. M. Khan the translator of Sahih Bukhari and the Quran into English writes:
"Allah revealed in Sura Bara’at (Repentance, IX) [the order to discard (all) obligations (covenants, etc), and commanded the Muslims to fight against all the Pagans as well as against the people of the Scriptures (Jews and Christians) if they do not embrace Islam, till they pay the Jizia (a tax levied on the Jews and Christians) with willing submission and feel themselves subdued (as it is revealed in 9:29). So the Muslims were not permitted to abandon “the fighting” against them (Pagans, Jews and Christians) and to reconcile with them and to suspend hostilities against them for an unlimited period while they are STRONG and have the ability to fight against them. So at first “the fighting” was forbidden, then it was permitted, and after that it was made obligatory "[Introduction to English translation of Sahih Bukhari, p.xxiv.]
Q 9:5 reads: “Slay the idolaters wherever you find them”
So according to Dr. M. Khan in Q. 9:5 Allah ordered Mohammad to cancel all covenants and to fight the pagans, the Jews even the Christians. This is in contrast to what Muhammad wrote earlier.
“Thou wilt find the nearest of them in love to the believers [Muslims} are those who say ‘We are Christians’” (Q. 5:82)
Dr. Khan continues:
The “Mujahideen who fight against the enemies of Allah in order that the worship should be all for Allah (alone and not for any other deity) and that the word is Allah’s (ie. none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and His religion Islam) should be upper most.”
So first it was “There is no compulsion in religion” (Q. 2:265) and then
“O who believe! shall I direct you to a commerce that which will save you from a painful torment? That you believe in Allah and His Apostle (Mohammad), and that you strive hard and fight in the cause of Allah with your wealth and your lives. That will be better for you, if you but knew. If you do so He will forgive you your sins, and admit you into gardens of Eternity - that is the great success” (Q. 61:10-12)
Dr. Sobhy as-Saleh, a contemporary academic, does not see in Q. 2:256 and Q. 9:73 a case of abrogation but a case of delaying or postponing the command to fight the infidels. To support his view he quoted Imam Suyuti the author of Itqan Fi 'Ulum al- Qur’an who wrote:
“The command to fight the infidels was DELAYED UNTIL THE MUSLIMS BECOME STRONG, but when they were weak they were commanded to endure and be patient. [ Sobhy as_Saleh, Mabaheth Fi 'Ulum al- Qur’an, Dar al-'Ilm Lel-Malayeen, Beirut , 1983, p. 269.]
Dr. Sobhy, in a footnote, commends the opinion of a scholar named Zarkashi who said:
“Allah the most high and wise revealed to Mohammad in his weak condition what suited the situation, because of his mercy to him and his followers. For if He gave them the command to fight while they were weak it would have been embarrassing and most difficult, but when the most high made Islam victorious He commanded him with what suited the situation, that is asking the people of the Book to become Muslims or to pay the levied tax, and the infidels to become Muslims or face death. These two options, to fight or to have peace return according to the strength or the weakness of the Muslims.”[ibid p. 270]
And Nahas writes:
“the scholars differed concerning Q. 2:256. (There is no compulsion if religion) Some said: 'It has been abrogated [cancelled] for the Prophet compelled the Arabs to embrace Islam and fought them and did not accept any alternative but their surrender to Islam. The abrogating verse is Q. 9:73 ‘O Prophet, struggle with the unbelievers and hypocrites, and be thou harsh with them.’ Mohammad asked Allah the permission to fight them and it was granted. Other scholars said Q. 2:256 has not been abrogated, but it had a special application. It was revealed concerning the people of the Book [the Jews and the Christians]; they can not be compelled to embrace Islam if they pay the Jizia (that is head tax on free non-Muslims under Muslim rule). It is only the idol worshippers who are compelled to embrace Islam and upon them Q. 9:73 applies. This is the opinion of Ibn 'Abbas which is the best opinion due to the authenticity of its chain of authority.” al-Nahas, An-Nasikh wal-Mansukh, p.80. See also Ibn Hazm al-Andalusi, A-Nnasikh wal-Mansukh, Dar al-Kotob al-'Elmeyah, birute, 1986, p.42.]
Ibn Hazm al-Andalusi writes:
“Fight in the way of God with those who fight with you, but aggress not: God loves not the aggressors (2:190)” On the authority of Ga’far ar-Razi from Rabi’ Ibn 'Ons, from 'Abil-'Aliyah who said: This is the first verse that was revealed in the Qur’an about fighting in the Madina. When it was revealed the prophet used to fight those who fight with him and avoid those who avoid him, until Sura 9 was revealed. And so is the opinion of 'Abd ar-Rahman Ibn Zayd Ibn 'Aslam who said this verse was cancelled by 9:5 “Slay the idolaters wherever you find them” bn Hazm al-Andalusi, An-Nasikh wal- Mansukh, Dar al-Kotob al-'Elmeyah, birute, 1986, P.27]
According to a vast majority of mullahs these verses just order you to fight as the tolerant message of Islam is abborogated and later verses command muslims to fight non muslims. Our own clergy has distorted Islam more than non muslims by giving this impression to the world. They teach followers of Islam that Jihad is obligatory and to kill non muslims is a noble deed. I’ll explain the concepts of Jihad in my next post in the light of Ilmul Nazool…