The Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement Blog

Issue 4

Issue 4 [@ 6:13]: Abdullah Al-Araby, Director, The Pen vs. The Sword Publications insinuates – “I believe that those terrorists that want to do harm to others are applying the true Islam that was practiced by Muhammad and his followers in the early stage of Islam.”

Rebuttal 4: Al-Araby’s enlightened opinion can be read in two steps:

Step 1 – “ I believe that those terrorists that want to do harm to others” – The emphasis is on terrorists i.e. someone who terrorize the innocent. There are no two opinions about this scrooge of humanity that is recorded from early Jewish history of Joshua killing every man, woman, child, animal and tree in Jericho to Romans and their conspirators crucifying the prophet of God, to repeat attackers of Medina, to Crusaders eliminating city after city, to Spanish inquisition of monotheists, to the Genocide of Jews in Germany, to bombers of Dresden and London, to rape of Nanking, to nuclear bombing of cities, to napalm bombing of Vietnam, to massacre of Sabra and Shatila, to Rawandan Genocide, to Genocide of Srebrenica, to 9/11 of US, to 7/7 of UK, to shock and awe of Baghdad, to destruction and siege of Gaza, to 26/11 of Mumbai etc. etc. They are all morally debased killings of humanity en-mass and perpetrator could be either an individual, a group or a state. Ruthless killing, collective punishment or mass murders cannot be sugar coated in any shape or form. It is terrorism, pure and simple.

Step 2: “I believe that those terrorists that want to do harm to others are applying the true Islam that was practiced by Muhammad and his followers in the early stage of Islam.” If this is view of Al-Araby of history, then one cannot feel but sorry about the “Director” of ignorance who cannot only lie but believe in it too. With this statement he himself declares his pitiful knowledge of history. Scores of western and non-Muslim scholars could be quoted to rebut Al-Araby, but the followings words should suffice:

“I become more than ever convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days in the scheme for life. It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the Prophet, the scrupulous regard for his pledges, his intense devotion to his friends and followers, his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and his own mission. These and not the sword, carried everything before them and surmounted every trouble. The sayings of Muhammad are a treasure of wisdom not only for Muslims but for all mankind. — Mahatma Gandhi”

Muhammad is singularly that person who ever was, about whom the more one knows, the more one admires him. This cannot be said about anyone else, including Al-Araby, who I dare say, will not be able to hold such opinion about his “father.” Look no far than the articles of Al-Araby, an Arab by name and language, to determine his unlettered mind who would possibly translate and believe in “Richard the Lion-Heart” as someone who had a human body and an actual lion’s heart, if only so that it can give him some scholarly limelight, no matter how pseudo. One has to hold one’s nose to his pathetic out-of-context references and quotes of Quran.

Take for example Al-Araby’s understanding of verses:

Surah 2:106, “None of Our revelations do We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, but We substitute something better or similar: Knowest thou not that Allah Hath power over all things?” Also, in Surah 16:101 “When We substitute one revelation for another, and Allah knows best what He reveals (in stages), they say, “Thou art but a forger”: but most of them understand not.” [unknown translator]

He then quotes “”al-Nasikh wal-Mansoukh” (The Abrogator and the Abrogated) by Abil-Kasim Hibat-Allah Ibn-Salama Abi-Nasr.” [Abil-Kasim who?] and gives the following example of abrogation:

An example of the abrogation: there are 124 versus [sic] that call for tolerance and patience which have been canceled and replaced by this one single verse: “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)…..” Surah 9:5 [unknown translator]

What he fails to read himself or hide from the readers is the following full context:

9:1. (This is) a declaration of complete absolution on the part of Allâh and His Messenger (from all obligations) to those of the polytheists with whom you had entered into a treaty (but they broke it repeatedly).

9:2. So you may go about (freely O you breakers of the treaties!) in the land for four months (since the date of this declaration), and know that you cannot frustrate (the will of) Allâh, and (know) that Allâh will humiliate the disbelievers.

9:3. And this is a proclamation from Allâh and His Messenger to the people on the occasion of the Greater Pilgrimage (on the day of Sacrifice) that Allâh and His Messenger owe no obligation to these polytheists. If you (O polytheists!) turn to Him in repentance it is better for you. But if you turn away then know that you cannot frustrate (the will of) Allâh. And proclaim (O Prophet!) the news of a grievous punishment to these disbelievers;

9:4. Excepting those of the polytheists with whom you have entered into a treaty (and) who subsequently did not fail you in any manner, nor did they back up anyone against you. So abide by the treaty you had entered with them to the end of the term you have fixed with them. Allâh, surely loves those who keep their duty.

9:5. But when the prohibited (four) months (when no attack on the breakers of the treaties was permissible) have expired, slay such polytheists (who broke their treaties) wherever you find them and capture them and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every place from which it is possible to perceive the enemy and watch their movements. But if they turn in repentance and keep up Prayer and go on presenting the Zakât, leave their path free. Indeed, Allâh is Great Protector, Ever Merciful.

9:6. And if any of the polytheists seeks your protection, grant him protection so that he may hear the word of Allâh, then conduct him to a place where he feels himself safe and secure. That (treatment) is (to be meted out to them) because they are a people who have no knowledge (of Islam).

9:7. There can be no treaty (on the part) of these Polytheists (after their repeated violations of the same) in the sight of Allâh and His Messenger. This, however, does not apply to those with whom you entered into a treaty near the Holy Mosque (at Makkah). So long as they keep true to (the treaty for) you, you should also keep true (in maintaining the treaty) for them. Allâh, surely, loves those who become secure (against the breach of trusts).

9:8. How (can there be a treaty with deliberate violators of agreements) while, if they get the better of you they would respect no bond, nor words of honour in dealing with you. They would try to please you with (mere words of) their mouths whereas their hearts dissent (from what they say), and most of them are perfidious.

9:9. They have preferred paltry gains (- this world) to the revelations of Allâh and thus have turned (people) away from His path. Surely, evil is what they do!

9:10. They observe no bond nor any word of honour while dealing with one who trusts (them). It is these who are the transgressors.

9:11. But if (even) such (sworn antagonists) turn in repentance and keep up Prayer and go on presenting the Zakât, they are your brethren in faith. And We explain the commandments in detail for a people who know.

9:12. If they break their oaths after (they have ratified) their pledge and revile and commit aggression against your Faith, then fight such leaders of disbelief that they may desist. Indeed, solemn (binding) oaths have no value with them.

9:13. Will you not fight a people who have broken their solemn oaths and proposed to turn out the Messenger and were the first to commence (the fight) against you. Are you afraid of them? Nay, Allâh is more worthy that you should stand in awe of Him if you be (true) believers.

9:14. Fight them, Allâh will punish them at your hands and humiliate them and will grant you victory over them, and He will heal (the agonies of) the minds of a believing people.

9:15. And He may take away the suppressed rage of their (- the disbeliever’s) hearts. And Allâh turns (with mercy) to him who wishes (Him to turn to him with grace). Verily, Allâh is All-Knowing, All-Wise. [Nooruddin]

With the above example, there is no telling that one day Al-Araby will state that Muslims do not believe in any God and for that he will quote half of the Kalima Shahada i.e.

There is no God [but Allah, and Muhammad is His messenger]

Lets re-quote Al-Araby’s abrogation theory of Quran i.e.

Surah 2:106, “None of Our revelations do We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, but We substitute something better or similar: Knowest thou not that Allah Hath power over all things?” Also, in Surah 16:101 “When We substitute one revelation for another, and Allah knows best what He reveals (in stages), they say, “Thou art but a forger”: but most of them understand not.” [unknown translator]

What Al-Araby failed to understand is that this abrogation in context of the treaty violation verses above is the abrogation of something following:

“And when the Lord, thy God, hath delivered it into thine hands, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword. But the woman and the little ones and the cattle and all that is in the city, even all the spoil thereof, shalt thou take in to thy self and thou shalt eat the spoils of thy enemies which the Lord thy God has given thee” (Deut., 20:13, 14).”

Mr. Al-Araby, we understand that you are trying to serve God, but you are serving out of ignorance and arrogance. Please self reflect in the following verse:

62:5. The case of those who were charged to observe (the law of) Torah but did not carry out (its commandments in its true spirit), is like the case of a donkey that carries (a load of) volumes (of Books; he neither understands them nor gathers any advantage from them). Wretched is the case of the people who cry lies to the Message of Allâh. And Allâh guides no unjust people to success.[Nooruddin]

With this, Quran rests its case.

References:

Aerial Bombing of Cities – Wikipedia
What Unbiased Thinkers Say About Holy Prophet
What Unbiased Thinkers Say About Holy Prophet – Part I
The Abrogator and Abrogated – Al-Araby
Holy Quran – Nooruddin

Buyer Beware: the articles of Al-Araby, Bat Ye’or, and others are deceitfully posted on a web site “Islam Review” which is grammatically incorrect to begin with. This should not be confused with “Islamic Review” magazine started by Khawaja Kamaluddin from Woking, England in 1913.