The Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement Blog

Archive for February, 2012

Issue 45 [@ 44:11]: Video clip is shown of an unknown panel discussion with audience conversing in Arabic and a ticker tape at the bottom of the screen stating – [Person A, dressed in a suit] I have a son. I am already preparing him for martyrdom either mine or his. I tell him that Allah made a vast paradise and that in it are all things that the eyes has not seen and the ear has not heard, things that a man could not even imagine He ask me if I carry out an operation and blow myself up will Allah give me car, a rifle to shoot with, toys? I answer him You will get everything you ask for. [Question asked of Person A] This really happened between you and your son? [Person A answers] This really happened. [Panelist dressed in traditional Arab dress] Hold the microphone together and we will ask what is the right answer to give a child who asks ‘Where is my father or where is my mother after one or both of them has carried out a martyrdom operation?’ [Another person] The answer in brief is that when Sa’d died a martyr’s death we said he is martyr. Do not consider those who died for the sake of Allah dead but alive and sustained by their God and we calmed the children. When they came from the television channel, the Abu Dhabi channel I think or another channel we told them ‘We are willing to sacrifice our four children.’ then the smallest (fifth) child said ‘Why can’t I?’ [Child] I wish to be a martyr for the sake of Allah and to kill some of the Jews and infidels who worshiped other gods next to Allah and his Prophet and followed a religion that Allah did not permit and which is not mentioned in the Koran. I am 12 years old and I memorize the Koran. [Panelist] May Allah protect you and make you a Jihad fighter for the sake of Allah.

Rebuttal 45: This is a video clip of unknown people, location and purpose. One can only guess that these are the personal opinions of some who reek of hopelessness and exhibit generational deprivation of their past, present or future. This reaction of theirs seems to be have been transformed into a religious cause under the garb of Jihad to gain independence if not on the map, at least in their minds. They seem oblivious of loss, either of self or others. If these people belong to Palestine, then let the Israelis make the apology on their behalf for its over six decades of occupation, apartheid, deprivation and displacement. If they are Iraqi, then America has to justify their hopelessness which emerged from an unwarranted occupation and destruction of a country that never attacked it. If these people belong to some Arab land, then let the West share the responsibility of such kind of Jihad which is equated with violence, because it is the West in general and America in particular that roused, raked, indoctrinated and paid for such a Jihad from all over Arab world. Then this twisted Jihad was fully exploited for a decade to make a Vietnam out of the Soviet “infidels” occupying Afghanistan in 1980s. West never complained when this Jihad was to their favor against the communists, but now they cry foul when it turned against themselves. Wisdom tells us that if you find yourself in a hole, first stop digging. The solution for this Jihad in Middle East is in the Clintonian phraseology – It is the occupation stupid! Stop occupying other peoples and lands. Start with Palestine first then move eastward.

This video clip brings to fore the issues of Jihad, Suicide, Martyrdom, Terrorism, Inter-faith relationship in Islam, Heaven and memorizing Quran which are addressed below:

The meaning, spirit and purpose of Jihad was fully dealt with from different angles in Issues before – Muhammad Ali (Issue 27), Pickthall (Issue 27) , Zahid Aziz (Issue 33), Nooruddin (Issue 36) and G.W. Leitner (Issue 37).

Suicide has no support in Quran. On the reverse, self-preservation is a duty. See Rebuttal 33.

Martyrdom is not equivalent to suicide. See Rebuttal 34.

Precedence setting terrorism in Palestine by founders and Prime Ministers of Israel based upon Torah, is addressed in Rebuttal 39b.

Unlike Christianity (Issue 28), Islam respects other faiths and validates their Divine origins and emphasizes peaceful coexistence with their followers, see Issue 29a.

Heaven in Quran is an allegorical construct. In Quran there is no physical or geographical heaven, which is factually supported by astronomical truths as known to us by secular science. Its allegorical dimensions of time and space are limitless:

3:133. And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a Garden, as wide as the heavens and the earth; it is prepared for those who keep their duty:

…we have a reliable tradition on record that a messenger of Heracleus (Byzantine Emperor, born c. 575 – died February 11, 641) asked the Prophet, “If the paradise were as extensive as the heavens and the earth, where would be hell?” “He replied, “Glory be to Allah, where is the night when the day comes?” The verse and the incident recorded clearly show that heaven and hell are not the names of two places, but actually two conditions, because if paradise were the name of a particular place, hell could not exist, as paradise would then extend over the whole of the space. This conclusively gives us a rational view of “heaven,” and is confirmed fully by the trend of modern thought which rejects the conception of the “geographical heaven” as primitive and irrational. Is not Modernism then indebted to the Qur’ân?

– Dean Inge’s Homage to Muhammad, by S. Hamid Raza B.A. (Alig), p. 322, Sept & Dec, 1934, The Muslim Revival, Ahmadiyya Buildings Lahore (India)

The very next verse possibly excludes any suicide bombers as candidates for heaven who neither restrain their anger nor pardon people, nor are the doers of good to others:

3:134. Those who spend in ease as well as in adversity and those who restrain (their) anger and pardon people. And Allah loves the doers of good (to others).

As to whatever that Heaven, heavenly state or heavenly award is, according to Quran it is assuredly sampled in this life:

2:25. And give good news to those who believe and do good deeds, that for them are Gardens in which rivers flow. Whenever they are given a portion of the fruit of these (Gardens), they will say: This is what was given to us before; and they are given the like of it…

[Footnote: Whenever the faithful are made to taste of a portion of the fruits of their good deeds in the life to come, they will find those fruits much resembling the fruits which they tasted spiritually in this life. The like of it may signify that the fruits of their deeds will be similar to those deeds…All the blessings of heavenly life are, according to a saying of the Holy Prophet, “things which no eye has seen and no ear has heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man to conceive of them” (Bukhari, 59:8). The words in which these blessings are depicted in the Holy Quran, therefore, should not be taken literally.]

The video clip makes a reference to memorizing Quran, but in doing so apparently without following its meaning, purpose and spirit. Quran mocks such meaningless efforts:

2:78. And (some) among them are illiterate, who do not know the Scripture except cramming it up, and are doing nothing but making conjectures. [Nooruddin]

Similar to Jews cramming up their sacred books without deriving any moral purpose, Quran further mocks such peoples who are merely cramming the Quran and making conjectures from it:

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]

Quran thus addresses both Muslims and Islam haters alike who misuse Quran for its Message: Wretched is the case of the people who cry lies to the Message of Allâh.
 

 
Note: [comments in square brackets above are the footnotes from the Translation and Commentary of Holy Quran – Muhammad Ali, edited by Dr. Zahid Aziz]

Unless indicated otherwise, all verses above are from the translation and commentary of Holy Quran – Muhammad Ali, edited by Dr. Zahid Aziz.

References:

The Muslim Revival – Ahmadiyya Anjuman Ishaat Islam, Lahore
The Holy Quran – Muhammad Ali, edited by Dr. Zahid Aziz
Holy Quran – Nooruddin

Submitted by Ikram.

An ongoing project on this site is the Project Rebuttal, which is a rebuttal of the documentary “Islam: What the West needs to know.” This documentary is primarily based upon theological distortions of Islam both from within and without Islam. The Islam haters of the said documentary frequently quote the translation of Quran by Mushin and Hilali to make their case for a violent Islam. Dr. Aziz in his comments on a previous thread has pointed out the short comings of these translators. Obviously, these translators instead of using Quran as the starting point of discussion, make it the end point of a discussion originated elsewhere and then parenthetically use Quran to prove their theological view.

One such angle is their belief of a mythical advent of a violent Jesus/Mehdi etc. Since their belief is already jaded, they will never be able to bring out the purpose and message of Quran and the secular peaceful principles (beside moral and spiritual spheres) that made Prophet Muhammad PBUH, the most successful secular figure in history.

The world view of Mr. A.S. Shaikh and these translators is to begin with mythological and repugnant to human reason, so is their translations, interpretations and reading of Quran. The Islam hating vultures such as Robert Spencer, Serge Tifkovic and others hover around such carcasses of ideas to swoop down on every morsel of conjecture. They then quite successfully make a case to the ignorant and vulnerable about Islam as a carrion of a religion.

Such interpretations of Quran from Muhsin/Hilali that Dr. Zahid Aziz points out, create contradictions within Quran. How can these translators and the HMGA hating protagonists reconcile their violent Jesus and his mission with the following excerpted verses of Quran, taken from Issue 29b of the Rebuttal?

“God Consciousness” is mandated for a Muslim at any given time. There is no right of superiority for a Muslim over any other race for the mere fact that – “And (all) people are but a single nation…” (10:19). No Muslim can ridicule anyone, be it a non-Muslim because – “O you who believe, do not let a people laugh at (another) people, perhaps they may be better than they…(49:11). Quran even goes further, it forbids aggression based upon hate – “And do not let hatred of a people … incite you to transgress. And help one another in righteousness and piety, and do not help one another in sin and aggression, and keep your duty to Allah. Surely Allah is Severe in retribution.” (5:2).

Difference in faiths is not a basis for aggression because for a Muslim the same Allah is source spring of all religions, books and prophets – “The Messenger believes in what has been revealed to him from his Lord, and (so do) the believers. They all believe in Allah and His angels and His Books and His messengers. We make no distinction between any of His messengers…”(2:285). No wonder, there are no caricatures of Moses and Jesus nor Torah or Bible burnings in Muslims communities.

Even idols are to be respected – “And do not abuse those whom they call upon besides Allah, in case, exceeding the limits, they abuse Allah through ignorance.”(6:108) To cap it all, a Muslim does not monopolize the concept of God for his own faith because for him Allah is – “…the Lord of mankind, the King of mankind, the God of mankind” (114:1-3).

Quran thus brings the whole humanity under one God and leaves no room for anyone to be children of a lesser God. Quran thus identifies the sources of hate, which are race, religion, Books, prophets, deities and obliterates the instigating tendencies, one by one, and eliminates them altogether by inculcating God Consciousness in Muslims – “Verily, the noblest of you in the sight of God is the one who is most deeply conscious of Him.” (49:13 – Asad)

Muhammad said – “Help and not fight, assimilation and not destruction, harmony and peace and not dissension.” In his final Hajj sermon he left for the world the magna charta of world peace “”Remember you are all brothers. All men are equal in the eye of God, and your honours, your lives and your properties are all sacred and in no case should you attack each other’s life and property. Today I trample under my feet all distinctions of caste, colour and nationality. All men are sons of Adam and Adam was of dust.” [Islam’s Contribution to Peace of the World, by S.A. Haq, p.52, p.20]

It behoves Muhsin/Hilali and others to ponder on the following verse when they interject their violent view on Quran and Islam:

4:82. Will they not then meditate on the Quran? And if it were from any other than Allah, they would have found in it many a discrepancy.

Footnote: The Quran was not written out and given on one occasion, but it continued to be delivered in small portions during twenty-three years under the most varying circumstances. But what is striking throughout the entire revelation is that it keeps up one and the same strain — absolute submission to Allah, entire trust in Him, perfect confidence of future success, a liberal view of humanity, an attitude of charity towards all nations and religions, and goodness to all alike. The spirit of the revelations to the solitary, persecuted, and rejected preacher of Makkah does not differ in these and a hundred other particulars from the spirit of the revelations to the sole temporal and spiritual monarch of Arabia.

The key word in above verses is discrepancy that these translators inevitably create in their interpretation of Quran. While Quran emphasizes till the Day of Judgment “2:256. There is no compulsion in religion”, Muhsin/Hilali preach “8:39. And fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and polytheism, i.e. worshipping others besides Allah) and the religion (worship) will all be for Allah alone [in the whole world]. But if they cease (worshipping others besides Allah), then certainly Allah is All-Seer of what they do.”

With Muhsin and Hilali among our midst who need Spencer and Trifkovic?
 

 
While trying to tarnish HMGA’s view of Jihad which is congruent to the Message of Quran, Tahir states:

“However, when it comes to the writings on Jihad they put a certain twist on it and trick the reader or researcher. The truth of the matter is that Jihad or fighting in the name of Allah is incumbent on all Muslims. However, certain conditions must be met…”

Obviously, Tahir seems to have identified one of the obligations of Muslims, that is, to engage in “Jihad or fighting in the name of Allah” and makes the Jihad “incumbent on all Muslims.”

Let us, try to see through the lens of Quran as to how and when is a Muslim obligated to strive and/or fight “in the name of Allah”, Thus:

29:69. And those who strive hard for Us, We shall certainly guide them in Our ways. And Allah is surely with the doers of good.

One thing is obvious from Quran that Our ways can only be tread by doers of good, e.g. the Christian rule of Nijashi in Ethopia where Muslims first migrated to. Can Tahir quote us any significant example where a Mullah or a jagirdar, or a nawab or a king in India was more doer of good than the British rule? Start with Punjab University, King Edwards Medical College, all the colleges, schools, hospitals, courts, railway stations, post offices, telegraph, phone exchanges, roads etc. etc. at province, division, district and tehsil level, to name a few of the goods done by British, that has yet to be matched qualitatively by any government since creation of Pakistan. Even in hindsight, these zealot Jihadists blurred by the cataract of imaginative grandiosity, might prefer Sikh rule over the Muslims when a simple call to prayer (Azan) was punishable and the Badshahi Mosque Lahore was turned into a stable for the Sikh army. They forget that it was the British that restored the religious freedom to Muslims and they were finally able to even secure a separate homeland for themselves.

One of the ways and acts of goodness can be seen in the following verses:

22:39 Permission (to fight) is given to those on whom war is made, because they are oppressed. And surely Allah is Able to assist them —

22:40. Those who are driven from their homes without a just cause except that they say: Our Lord is Allah. And if Allah did not repel some people by others, surely cloisters and churches and synagogues, and mosques in which Allah’s name is much remembered, would have been pulled down. And surely Allah will help him who helps Him. Surely Allah is Strong, Mighty.

Footnote: The religious freedom established by Islam has not yet been surpassed by the most civilized and tolerant of nations. It deserves to be noted that the lives of Muslims are to be sacrificed not only to stop their own persecution by their opponents and to save their own mosques, but to save churches, synagogues and cloisters as well — in fact, to establish perfect religious freedom. Mosques, though they are the places where the name of Allah is remembered most of all, are mentioned after churches and synagogues. Early Muslims closely followed these directions, and every commander of an army had express orders to respect all houses of worship, and even the cloisters of monks, along with their inmates.

Thus, it is incumbent on Tahir to pick up a “sword” in his Jihad when he obligatorily stands guard for the sanctity of the churches, synagogues, cloisters, imambargah’s, Ismaili Jamaat Khanas, mosques of Ahmedis (both Qadiani and Lahoris) in whichever land and country he dwells in. With such a rightful act, he will be someone who helps Him. Did any government before or after British guarantee the sanctity of the houses of of worship in which Allah’s name is much remembered? Answer is plain no. It was only the British that guaranteed the safety of worshipers and the houses of worship.

Further, it is incumbent on him to come to defense of a non-subversive minority point of view in Muslim countries no matter how hateful it may be to him:

5:3. … And do not let hatred of a people — because they hindered you from the Sacred Mosque — incite you to transgress

[Footnote: The principle laid down here requires from Muslims equal treatment for all nations, for those whom we hate as well as for those whom we love. Only this principle of Islam can serve as the basis for an international code for the modern world and an international law.].

And help one another in righteousness and piety, and do not help one another in sin and aggression, and keep your duty to Allah

[Editor’s note: Muslims ought only to cooperate with one another in matters of goodness, and are forbidden to help each other in wrongdoing against others. This injunction prohibits the evils of blind patriotism and unconditional support for one’s own people even when they commit injustices against others.].

Surely Allah is Severe in retribution.

Finally, he is expected to standup for the weak among the men and the women, with Asia Bibi as case in point :

4:75. And what reason have you not to fight in the way of Allah, and of the weak among the men and the women and the children, who say: Our Lord, take us out of this town, whose people are oppressors, and grant us from Yourself a friend, and grant us from Yourself a helper!

4:76. Those who believe fight in the way of Allah, and those who disbelieve fight in the way of the devil. So fight against the friends of the devil; surely the struggle of the devil is ever weak.

The above are some of the examples of true Jihad where one acts as a friend and helper of Allah in His cause. I am not sure if Mr. Shaikh or Mr. Tahir will do some of these acts in the way of Allah, but history of India tells us that British government did each of the good things that these verses enjoin on Muslims to do. Contrary to what Mr. Shaikh and Mr. Tahir expect one to depreciate, any person with sense of reason and fairness cannot but appreciate those doers and guarantors of good, namely the British Government in India.
 

 
Note: Unless indicated otherwise, all verses above are from the translation and commentary of Holy Quran – Muhammad Ali, edited by Dr. Zahid Aziz.

Note by Rashid Jahangiri:

Opponent of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad sahib, and of Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement and hero, sweetheart of Khatam-e-Nabuwat-Academy-UK, creator, owner of www.ahmedi.org Ahmad Karim Shaikh of Mississauga, Canada has written an article under the the above title on his website. Article is translated into English, and has even mentioned ‘Lahori-Group’ name in it. I am copy pasting his article here. Let’s have some discussion on his article. This will provide opportunity to him and everyone to learn some thing.

Link to article:
http://ahmedi.org/general/jihad-wordings-of-divine-revelation#more-782

(Note: Per my information A.S. Khan is the same person A. K. Shaikh i.e. Ahmad Karim Shaikh — Rashid Jahangiri)
 

 
Wording of The Divine Revelation?
By A.K. Shaikh

The commandment of Allah is: “Jihad (fighting in the cause of Allah) is ordained for you (Muslims) though you dislike it, and it may be that you dislike a thing, which is actually good for you and that you like a thing, which is actually bad for you. Only Allah has the absolute knowledge but you do not know.” [2:216]

This commandment of Allah is obligatory on every Muslim and is valid for all times – just like none of the commandments of Prayer, Fasting, Hajj and Zakat (obligatory alms) are temporary. There are certain conditions, however, like Hajj will only be performed during the days of Hajj; fasting will be in Ramadan; prayers during prescribed timings and Jihad (Qitaal) [fighting by sword] when it becomes obligatory etc.

Now, Mirza Sahib’s declaration is:

“But this commandment (i.e. Jihad) was temporary and time-specific – it (Jihad) wasn’t meant for all times.” [Collection of Advertisements, vol. 3, page 223]

“We have written time and again that the Noble Qur’an absolutely does not teach Jihad.”
[Collection of Advertisements, vol. 3, page 250]

The following words of Mirza Mahmood Sahib, the 2nd Gaddi Nasheen [hereditary successor] of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Sahib, would not be without much interest:

“I am not denying that some of the directives were changed during the time of the Prophethood (of Muhammad s.a.w.), but I do not find any proof with regard to any of the Qur’anic commandments that originally it was something else but it was changed later on. In my opinion, all those commandments that were temporary in nature were sent through non-Qur’anic revelations and did not get inscribed in the Noble Qur’an. That is why it was not required to alter the Qur’an.” [by Mirza Mahmood – reference preserved (available upon request)]

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Sahib has repeatedly written in his books that he used to receive Wahi [Divine Revelation]. And he has also written samples of his Ilhamat [inspirations] and Wahi in his books with which his mental and intellectual level can be ascertained. But some of his claims in his books are such that they clearly repeal the basic tenets of the Qur’an. And Mirza Sahib presents these claims as the Divine Commandments of God.

Whereas, the Divine Decree is: “This day, I have perfected your religion for you” [5:3]

Mirza Sahib explains it in his own words as follows:

“And it is not worthy for Allah to send a Prophet after the Khatam-un-Nabiyyeen [The Seal of the Prophets], and it is not worthy for Him to revive the lineage of Prophethood in spite of having terminated it, and to abrogate some of the Qur’anic commandments or add to them.” [Roohani Khazain, vol. 5, page 377]

Dear Readers! We all know that Allah revealed the Qur’an to His Prophet, Muhammad (pbuh), and the Prophet also attests and vouches that he himself does not have any authority to amend, alter or transpose the Qur’an.

Now, Mirza Sahib says, “It was written in the Ahadith earlier that fighting in the name of religion would be made Haraam [unlawful] when Masih would come.” [Collection of Advertisements, vol. 3, page 284]. Here, Mirza Sahib has cited a very feeble thing to abrogate a tenet of Deen.

Now, the Divine Revelation is sent down to Mirza Sahib with which he declares the fighting for the religious cause as Haraam [unlawful].

“From today, the human “Jihad” that used to be performed with sword has been abolished by Allah’s orders”. (Majmooa Ishteharat, vol. 3, p. 295).

A Question to Ahmadiyya Movement!

The abovementioned Divine Injunction, which according to the advertisement of 28th May 1900, was sent down to Mirza Sahib. Then, what were the original words of that Divine Revelation or Injunction?

Does this (alleged) revelation of Mirza Sahib not repeal this Qur’anic commandment? “Jihad (fighting in Allah’s Cause) is ordained for you (Muslims) though you dislike it.” [2:216]

Does any human, even though he might be a Prophet, possess the authority to abolish the Words of Allah (Divine Commandments)?

The question to Ahmadiyya Movement is: what are the original words of the Wahi or Divine Injunction by which the Jihad with sword was abrogated (by Mirza Sahib)?

A. K.Shaikh

Note:

Ahmedi.org website’s challenge to Ahmadiyya Movement is: if the Movement provides the original wording of the Divine Revelation (about abolishment of Jihad) sent down to Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Sahib, then this website will give a reward of USD 50,000 (fifty thousand US Dollars) to the Gaddi Nasheen [hereditary successor] of the Movement. In this regard, the Movement may also seek assistance from its Non-Pledging Group, viz. Lahori Group.

Ahmedi.org announces unequivocally to both groups of Ahmadiyya Movement that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad never received any such Divine Injunction. Mirza Ghulam Ahmad stated lies and wrote lies – and he was also false in this claim (about the abrogation of Jihad).

A.S. Khan
Translated by: Bashir Ahmed

Issue 44 [43:26]: Walid Shoebat, Former member, PLO Fatah Brigade – “In the Muslim thinking, in the Muslim Sharia, the way the world is depicted is in two house. It is called Dar-ul-Islam or Dar-ul-Harb, the house of Islam or the house of war. So the whole world is under these two houses. If you are not a Muslim you are under the house of war. In the West Islamic apologists will say no it is not accurate. It is the house of peace and the house of Islam. In fact that is not accurate. If you look at the Hadith and what comes from the highest Jurisprudence in the Middle East that is what being taught.”

Rebuttal 44: This issue is broken down as follows:

Issue 44a: “In the Muslim thinking, in the Muslim Sharia, the way the world is depicted is in two house. It is called Dar-ul-Islam or Dar-ul-Harb, the house of Islam or the house of war. So the whole world is under these two houses. If you are not a Muslim you are under the house of war…”

Rebuttal 44a: Muhammad Ali in his book Religion of Islam [p. 426, pub. 1951] clarifies, rebuts and expunges the notions of Dar-ul-Islam and Dar-ul-Harb as follows:

Dar al-Harb and Dar al-Islam

With the new notion introduced into the word jihad, the jurists artificially divided the whole word into dar al-harb and dar al-Islam. Dar al-harb literally means the abode or seat of war, and dar al-Islam, the abode of Islam. These words are not used in the Holy Qur’an, nor are they traceable in any Hadith. Bukhari uses the word dar al-harb in the heading of one of his chapters: “When a people embrace Islam in dar al-harb” (Bu. 56:180). Two Hadith are mentioned under this heading, in neither of which do the words dar al-harb occur. The first speaks of Makkah, and its subject matter is that when, after the conquest of Makkah, the unbelieving Quraish accepted Islam; they were recognized as owners of property of which they had become masters, though it originally belonged to those Muslims who had fled to Madinah. The second speaks of Rabdhah, a place at a distance of about three day’s journey from Madinah, the lands near which were turned into pasture by ‘Umar and, on the owners’ protest, made over to them. Both Makkah and Rabdhah were at one time at war with the Muslims and on this account Bukhari speaks of them as dar al-harb. Dar al-Islam is evidently a place where the laws of Islam prevail and which is under a Muslim ruler. The use of dar al-harb in the sense of a place actually at war with the Muslims, is unobjectionable. But the jurists apply the word to all states and countries which are not dar al-Islam or under the Muslim rule, though they may not be at war with the Muslims, and thus look upon a Muslim state as being always in a state of war with the whole of the non-Muslim world. This position is not only inconsistent with the very basic principles of Islam but actually it has never been accepted by any Muslim state that has ever existed in the world. The difficulty has been met by some jurists by bringing a third class, called dar al-sulh or dar al-‘ahd, or a country which has an agreement with the Muslims. But even this does not exhaust the whole world. Many of the laws relating to war are based on this fictitious division of the world, for which there is not the least authority either in the Holy Qur’an or in Hadith.

Issue 44b: “…In the West Islamic apologists will say no it is not accurate. It is the house of peace and the house of Islam. In fact that is not accurate. If you look at the Hadith and what comes from the highest Jurisprudence in the Middle East that is what being taught.”

Issue 44b: Mr. Shoebat, this is one more instance of your being wrong. You equate “ highest Jurisprudence in the Middle East” as being what Islam is. Whether it is Far East, Middle East or Near East, Islam comes out of none of these Easts, but out of Quran. Following is what Quran has to say about the issue that you raised:

Firstly, for all intents and purposes the word “Islam” means peace, both in letter and in spirit, within the person and within the society:

10:25 And Allah invites to the abode of peace, and guides whom He pleases to the right path… [This is another description of the Muslim paradise, which is called dar al-salam, or the abode of peace. The word salam in dar al-salam is from the same root as Islam. Islam, in fact, makes even this world an abode of peace for a true Muslim; he makes his peace with his Lord, and he lives at peace with his fellow beings. The peace of the next life is, in fact, a continuation of the peace of mind which a Muslim finds in this very life.]

Secondly, in this abode of peace, there is freedom of faiths for all:

2:256 There is no compulsion in religion…[To all the allegations that the Holy Prophet preached Islam by the sword, this verse is a sufficient answer. Being assured of success, Muslims are told that when they hold power in their hands their guiding principle should be that there should be no compulsion in the matter of religion. The claim that this passage was directed only to the early converts and that it was abrogated later on is utterly baseless.]

Thirdly, this freedom of religion has to be preserved for all:

22:40. …if Allah did not repel some people by others, surely cloisters and churches and synagogues, and mosques in which Allah’s name is much remembered, would have been pulled down. And surely Allah will help him who helps Him. Surely Allah is Strong, Mighty. [The religious freedom established by Islam has not yet been surpassed by the most civilized and tolerant of nations. It deserves to be noted that the lives of Muslims are to be sacrificed not only to stop their own persecution by their opponents and to save their own mosques, but to save churches, synagogues and cloisters as well — in fact, to establish perfect religious freedom. Mosques, though they are the places where the name of Allah is remembered most of all, are mentioned after churches and synagogues. Early Muslims closely followed these directions, and every commander of an army had express orders to respect all houses of worship, and even the cloisters of monks, along with their inmates.]

Of note is that one of His cause is, protection of cloisters and churches and synagogues besides mosques. While living among a multi-faith community, Muslims are deemed to follow the norms of fairness, which the spirit of the Quran:

5:3. … And do not let hatred of a people — because they hindered you from the Sacred Mosque — incite you to transgress [The principle laid down here requires from Muslims equal treatment for all nations, for those whom we hate as well as for those whom we love. Only this principle of Islam can serve as the basis for an international code for the modern world and an international law.]. And help one another in righteousness and piety, and do not help one another in sin and aggression, and keep your duty to Allah [Editor’s note: Muslims ought only to cooperate with one another in matters of goodness, and are forbidden to help each other in wrongdoing against others. This injunction prohibits the evils of blind patriotism and unconditional support for one’s own people even when they commit injustices against others.]. Surely Allah is Severe in retribution.

Note: [comments in square brackets above are the footnotes from the Translation and Commentary of Holy Quran – Muhammad Ali, edited by Dr. Zahid Aziz]

References:

Religion of Islam – Muhammad Ali
The Holy Quran – Muhammad Ali, edited by Dr. Zahid Aziz

Submitted by Rashid Jahangiri

Recently in the Pakistani English daily Dawn an article is written by Nilofar Ahmaed on age of Hazrat Aisha RA at time of her Nikah (solemnization) and Rukhsati (consummation) with Holy Prophet Muhammad SAWS. According to this article, Hazrat Aisha (RA) age at time of Nikah was 18 years and 21 years at time of consummation of marriage.

I am glad to read this article, as it gives me hope about bright future of Muslims, when I see scholars among Muslims other than members of Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement write in public what Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad sahib started and is continued by LAM. By this I mean clarifying misunderstandings about character and teachings of Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAWS). I sent the following email to the author. Her reply follows my email.

Dear Respected sister Nilofar Ahmad,
Asalam Alaikum,

Thank you for writing on such an important topic as ‘Age of Hazrat Aisha at time of Nikah and Consummation of her marriage with Holy Prophet Muhammad SAWS’. Your effort to correct misunderstanding about this often ridiculed incident by opponents of Islam will not only help clear this for these opponents but also for ‘Aishiqan-e-Rasool’ i.e. Muslims.

I would highly recommend you to please read the following links, and see how members of ‘Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement’ starting from Maulana Muhammad Ali are sacrificing their energies, time, and finances to clear a great misunderstanding on the blessed character of our beloved Holy Prophet Muhammad SAWS.

Please check following links:
Hazrat Aishah Siddiqah’s Age at Her Marriage:
[Proves that: The Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) Married Hazrat Aishah When She was 19 Years of Age and not When She Was 9.]
by Ghulam Nabi Muslim Sahib, M.A.
Translated by: Masud Akhtar, B.A., LL.B.
The Light (Sep 24, 1981, pp. 13-17).
http://aaiil.org/text/acus/islam/aishahage.shtml

Lady ‘A’ishah’s age at the time of the consummation of her marriage to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas) http://aaiil.org/text/books/others/ghulamnabimuslim/aishahagetimemarriageholyprophetmuhammad/aishahagetimemarriageholyprophetmuhammad.pdf

The Marriages of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh): Accusations answered
http://aaiil.org/text/acus/islam/marriagesholyprophetmuhammad.shtml
http://aaiil.org/usa/magazines/islamicsunrise/2008/islamicsunrise_200808.pdf
http://aaiil.org/text/articles/islamicreview/1941/05may/islamicreview_194105.pdf
http://aaiil.org/text/articles/hope/2010/hope201009_burnquranday.pdf

In Urdu:
Rukhsati kay Waqt Ummul Mu’mineen Sayyeda Ayesha Siddiqa kee ‘Umar:
by Ghulam Nabi Muslim
Hazrat Ayesha’s (rta) age at the time of her marriage http://aaiil.org/urdu/books/others/ghulamnabimuslim/rukhsatiwaqtayeshaumar/rukhsatiwaqtayeshaumar.shtml
I will appreciate if you kindly acknowledge my email. Thanks.
Allah Hafiz.
Yours sincerely,
Rashid Jahangiri, M.D.
Manhattan, NY.
P.S. I will post this email on LAM blog:
https://ahmadiyya.org/WordPress

Ms. Nilofar Ahmed’s reply:
Assalamu alaikum.
Thanks. In case you would like to read more than 25 of my articles,
1) Go to: www.dawn.com
2) In the search box type: By Nilofar Ahmed
Regards,
NA

LINK TO MS. NILOFAR ARTICLE IN DAWN:

Of Aisha’s age at marriage
http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/17/of-aishas-age-at-marriage.html

Our opponents either live in a fantasy world, or deliberately misrepresent the true situation, when they claim that all other sects of Muslims are living in peace and harmony with each other, tolerating their mutual differences in a brotherly spirit, and this was the situation in which Mirza Ghulam Ahmad arose and he ruined this atmosphere of unity by founding the Ahmadiyya movement, a group at loggerheads with all other Muslims.

I therefore refer readers to the following two websites:

http://razakhanimazhab.com/home/ – Anti-Barelvi material produced by Deobandis.

http://www.deobandimazhab.tk/ – Anti-Deobandi material produced by Barelvis. (Note: You may need to try two or three times before this link opens the website.)

On the first website, Deobandis write about Barelvis:

“This movement arose for the purpose of entrapping the Muslim nation in a fabricated religion in order to serve the political aims of an enemy of Islam like the British”

“They are deceiving people by presenting their kufr and shirk under the name of Islam”.

On the second website, Barelvis write about Deobandis:

“The basic difference with Deobandis is not in secondary matters but in the essentials of faith. … The difference in principle is that the Deobandi leaders have written countless statements which are insolent and insulting to the high dignity of the Holy Prophet. On this basis, the leaders of Islam have declared them as kafir.”

Issue 43 [43:04]: Slide projected with voice – The Noble Koran 8:67. It is not for a Prophet that he should have prisoners of war (and free them with ransom) until he had made a great slaughter (among his enemies) in the land. You desire the good of this world (i.e. the money of ransom for freeing the captive), but Allah desires (for you) the Hereafter. And Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.

Comment 43: The documentary under review cleverly interjects a scary sounding translation of verse 8:67 with the intention to leave the word “slaughter” and pillage associated with Prophet Muhammad. Firstly, this verse has nothing to do with slaughter, it only draws attention of Muslims that they cannot take captives of peaceful civilians and non-combatants. Secondly, captives can only and only be taken after a defensive war. There is a historical connotation to the said verse, but if taken in full context, the message of Quran has everlasting moral fairness to it.

The above verse refers to moral principles that came out of the practical example of battle of Badr. Before we read the above verse lets take a look at the introductory note and the verses of Chapter 8 titled Al-Anfal by Muhammad Ali in his translation and commentary of Quran (edited by Zahid Aziz):

Al-Anfal – Voluntary Gifts [Chapter 8]

This chapter deals with the battle of Badr, the first battle which the Muslims had to fight, and it goes under the name of Anfal, literally voluntary gifts, because the Muslim State had at the time no treasury, nor any arsenal, nor an army and voluntary gifts were therefore called for. It was not only this battle but all the succeeding battles which Muslims had to fight were carried on only by voluntary gifts. Success in this battle, against all odds, provided proof of the truth of the Holy Prophet’s mission and thus this chapter occurs after a discussion of prophethood in the last chapter. Most of this chapter was revealed in 2 A.H. [including Section 10 to which the above verse belongs], while the concluding verses of sections 7 and 8 were revealed around the time of the conquest of Makkah in 8 A.H.

The above verse can be fully contextualized if whole of Chapter 8 is read, which is a quick read as the chapter is only 75 sentences (verses) long. For brevity sake, but without doing full justice, the following excerpted verses give the historical background and moral principles of the verse in reference above:

8:5. Even as your Lord caused you to go forth from your house with truth, though some of the believers were surely averse,

[Commentary] The circumstances of the battle of Badr have been misunderstood. It is alleged that the Holy Prophet had made preparations for attacking an unarmed caravan of the Quraish on its way back from Syria to Makkah, when Abu Sufyan, the caravan leader, sent word to Makkah and obtained an escort of nearly a thousand men. If the Holy Prophet had desired to plunder the caravan when it approached Madinah, he would have done so long before Abu Sufyan could obtain assistance from Makkah, as Madinah was thirteen days’ journey from Makkah. Badr lies at a distance of three days’ journey from Madinah. The enemy had marched forth for ten days and the Muslims only for three days when the two forces encountered each other at Badr, which shows clearly that the Muslims had turned out to take the defensive against an invading force. It is clearly stated here that some of the believers were averse to fighting. They could not have been averse if they had to encounter only an unarmed caravan. It is said in the next verse that they went forth as if they were being driven to death.They knew that they were going to meet an enemy treble in numbers and much more powerful and efficient.

8:6. disputing with you about the truth after it had become clear — as if they were being driven to death while they saw (it).

8:7. And when Allah promised you one of the two parties that it should be yours, and you loved that the one not armed [-the caravan of Abu Sufyan] should be yours,

[Commentary] The two parties referred to were the unarmed caravan of the Quraish going to Makkah and the armed force of the Quraish that was on its way to Madinah. Naturally, some of the Muslims desired that their encounter should take place with the unarmed Quraish caravan.

and Allah desired to establish the Truth by His words,

[Commentary] By His words is meant here the fulfilment of His words, because the Holy Prophet had declared at Makkah long before that an encounter would take place between the Muslims and the Quraish, in which the former would be victorious. The Holy Prophet himself repeated one of these prophecies aloud in the field when he prayed on the day of Badr: “Soon shall the armies be routed, and they will show their backs” (54:45).

and to cut off the root of the disbelievers —

8:8. that He might cause the Truth to triumph and bring falsehood to failure, though the guilty disliked.

The following verses from the same chapter outline the moral principles governing the Muslim conduct in the battles that were thrust upon the them in Medina:

8:38. Say to those who disbelieve, if they [-the enemies of Islam] cease (fighting), what is past will be forgiven them; and if they return (to it), then the example of those of old has already gone.

[Commentary] They [i.e. the Makkans] had gone away from Badr quite discomfited, and they were told that, if they ceased fighting, they would be forgiven. Otherwise, they could read their own doom in the doom of those with whom Allah had dealt previously in similar circumstances.

8:39. And fight with them until there is no more persecution, and all religions are for Allah. But if they cease, then surely Allah is Seer of what they do.

[Commentary] That is, if they cease fighting and put an end to their mischief, God’s decree of punishment will not be executed. The state of religious liberty which Islam aimed at is put tersely in the two opening statements — there is no more persecution and all religions are for Allah, everyone being at liberty to hold any belief he likes.

8:40. And if they turn back, then know that Allah is your Patron. Most excellent the Patron and most excellent the Helper!

The actual layout and outcome of battle of Badr is thus outlined:

8:42. When you were on the nearer side (of the valley) and they were on the farther side, while the caravan was in a lower place than you.

[Commentary] The Muslims were on the side nearer to Madinah, the main army of the Quraish [i.e. Makkan invaders] was on the side which was farther from Madinah, while the caravan [of Abu Sufyan of Makkah] was in a lower place, i.e. towards the sea-coast, and farther away from Madinah, on its way to Makkah.

And if you had tried to make a mutual appointment, you would certainly have broken away from the appointment,

[Commentary] There is a break here, the meaning being but an encounter was brought about without an appointment. The Muslims were so weak that they could not think of making an appointment with the enemy — they would have broken away from the appointment.

but — in order that Allah might bring about a matter which had to be done;

[Commentary] The matter referred to is the defeat of the opponents of Islam.

that he who perished by clear argument might perish, and he who lived by clear argument might live.

[Commentary] The disbelievers had seen clear arguments of the Holy Prophet’s truth, yet they rejected him and had thus perished in a spiritual sense; they were now vanquished in the battle and thus perished temporally.

And surely Allah is Hearing, Knowing:

The battle order for Muslims is thus:

8:45. O you who believe, when you meet an army, be firm, and remember Allah much, that you may be successful.

8:46. And obey Allah and His Messenger and do not dispute with one another so that you get weak-hearted and your power departs; and be steadfast. Surely Allah is with the steadfast.

The state of mind of invaders i.e. Makkans is spoken of as:

8:47. And do not be like those who came forth from their homes exultingly and to be seen by people, and they hinder (people) from the way of Allah.

[Commentary] This clearly refers to the army of the Quraish which had marched forth in great exultation to destroy Madinah.

And Allah encompasses what they do.

8:48. And when the devil made their works seem good to them, and said: No man can overcome you this day, and I am your protector. But when the two armies came in sight of one another, he turned upon his heels, and said: Surely I am clear of you, I see what you do not see; surely I fear Allah.

[Commentary] The person referred to here as the devil is said to have been Suraqa ibn Malik who gave the Quraish promise of help. However, what is stated here may only be the devil’s suggestion to the Quraish leaders.

And Allah is Severe in retribution.

In the state of war Quran gives guidelines for Muslims to handle the treacheries by the offenders:

8:55. Surely the vilest of beasts in Allah’s sight are those who disbelieve, then they would not believe —

8:56. those with whom you make an agreement, then they break their agreement every time, and they do not keep their duty.

[Commentary] It shows how the opponents of Islam disregarded their responsibility and violated their agreements. The use of the words every time shows clearly that the Muslims never hesitated in making a new agreement when one was violated, but the disbelievers did not even then respect their agreements; hence, as a last resort, Muslims were allowed to repudiate unrespected agreements (v. 58).

8:57. So if you overtake them in war, scatter by them those who are behind them, that they may be mindful.

[Commentary] That is, an exemplary punishment should be inflicted on them, so that a stop might be put to further fighting and bloodshed.

8:58. And if you fear treachery on the part of a people, throw back to them (their treaty) on terms of equality. Surely Allah does not love the treacherous.

[Commentary] If the other party does not remain faithful to the agreement of peace, Muslims may also repudiate it. The word fear does not indicate that a mere apprehension, unsupported by any action on the other side’s part, is sufficient for repudiation. Read it along with v. 62, and the meaning is clear.

Since offensive war is not part of Islamic doctrine, Quran gives guidelines to prevent a war by securing peace. Of note is that no where in Quran there is preventive war, which is frequent in recent world history. Preventive war is distinct from preemptive strike in a state of war:

8:59. And those who disbelieve should not think that they can outstrip (Us). Surely they cannot escape.

8:60. And make ready for them whatever force you can and horses tied at the frontier, to frighten thereby the enemy of Allah and your enemy and others besides them, whom you do not know — Allah knows them.

[Commentary] Muslims had won a victory at Badr, though they were not even well equipped and had made no preparation for the war. But they are told that they must in future keep themselves well prepared and avail themselves of all sources of strength, so that the enemy should by their very preparedness assume a peaceful attitude. It was evident that the weakness of the Muslims was a temptation for their opponents to attack them.

And whatever you spend in Allah’s way, it will be paid back to you fully and you will not be wronged.

In Islamic doctrine, peace is to be preferred over war. War may be undertaken, but only in self-defense as the last resort:

8:61. And if they incline to peace, you (must) incline to it also, and trust in Allah. Surely He is the Hearer, the Knower.

8:62. And if they intend to deceive you, then surely Allah is sufficient for you.

[Commentary] The deceit is in relation to what has been said in the previous verse, the meaning being that if they intend to deceive you under the cloak of peace, even in such a case peace is to be accepted.

He it is Who strengthened you with His help and with the believers,

Once due diligence is done by remaining united, steadfast and firm, securing peace, avoiding war, respecting the treaties, Muslims are assured Divine help in any aggression against them:

8:63. and He has united their hearts [of Muslims]. If you had spent all that is in the earth, you could not have united their hearts, but Allah united them. Surely He is Mighty, Wise.

8:64. O Prophet, Allah is sufficient for you and those who follow you from the believers.

8:65. O Prophet, urge the believers to fight [in self-defense as a last resort, after all the above conditions for peace and avoiding a fight have been met].

[Commentary] It should be noted that the war to which Muslims were to be urged was the defensive war which they had to fight to save themselves and to protect the religion of Islam. The sword had been taken up against them; see 2:190, 2:217,22:39, etc.

If there are of you twenty steadfast, they shall overcome two hundred; and if there are of you a hundred, they shall overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve, because they are a people who do not understand.

[Commentary] There is a clear prophecy here that, despite their fewer numbers, Muslims shall be victorious. After the battle of Badr came the battle of Uhud, in which Muslims were less than 1 to 4 against the enemy; this was followed by the battle of the Ahzab [a.k.a. Battle of Trench], in which they were 1 to 10, yet the enemy was routed.

8:66. Now Allah has lightened your burden and He knows that there is weakness in you. So if there are of you a hundred steadfast, they shall overcome two hundred; and if there are of you a thousand, they shall overcome two thousand by Allah’s permission. And Allah is with the steadfast.

[Commentary] The statements in verses 65 and 66 relate to two different states of the Muslims. At the time of the battle of Badr there was no Muslim army in existence. They had very few arms, and they had never been trained. This is referred to in the words: He knows that there is weakness in you [both of men and material]. So the Muslim forces as then constituted could at most be a match for double their numbers. But a time did come when they were a match for ten times their numbers. So both the statements in the Quran proved true.

With the above ground rules and background of wars in general and Badr in particular, now lets read the verse which is topic of the current Issue:

8:67. It is not fit for a prophet to take captives unless he has fought [in defensive battles] and triumphed in the land. [If you take captives [other than a defensive] warfare,*]You desire the frail goods of this world, while Allah desires (for you) the Hereafter.

[Commentary] The commentators are of opinion that this verse and the next refer to releasing the prisoners of war taken at Badr after taking ransom from them, which act, it is said, is here disapproved. But various considerations show that these verses refer to some other incidents. The reference is to the desire — not to an action already completed — of a party of the Muslims referred to in v. 7, and you loved that the one not armed should be yours. Some Muslims desired to attack and capture the unarmed caravan, but depredations like these, though committed by disbelievers upon Muslims, were not fit for a prophet. He must fight a hard fight in his defence first and then, if he overcomes the enemy, he may take prisoners. Thus this injunction also declares slavery to be illegal, and allows only the retaining of those who are taken prisoners in war. The frail goods of this world appropriately refer to the caravan and its merchandise, while the addition of the concluding words in v. 69, eat then of the lawful and good things which you have acquired in war, shows that the ransom received on account of the prisoners is among the lawful and good things.

And Allah is Mighty, Wise.

8:68. If an ordinance from Allah had not gone before,

[Commentary] That ordinance from Allah was to bring about an encounter with the main army of the Quraish at Badr. It is referred to in v. 7 and v. 42.

surely a great punishment would have befallen you for what you were going to do [by attacking the caravan of Quraish from Syria*].

8:69. Eat then of the lawful and good (things) which you have acquired in war, and keep your duty to Allah. Surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

As for the prisoners of war, Quran states the following:

8:70. O Prophet, say to those of the captives who are in your hands [i.e. Prisoners of War]: If Allah knows anything good in your hearts, He will give you better than what has been taken from you, and will forgive you. And Allah is Forgiving, Merciful [i.e. if Allah is forgiving and merciful, so too a Muslim captor has to be towards the captive, examples of which abound in Prophet Muhammad’s example].

8:71. And if they [i.e. the POWs] intend to be treacherous to you, so indeed they have been treacherous to Allah before, but He gave (you) mastery over them. And Allah is Knowing, Wise.

History is witness that whenever Muslims were faced with aggression and they followed the principles of defensive war as outlined above, they triumphed over the super-powers of their times. As a case in point, Muhammad over came the Makkans and his successors over came the Roman and Persian Empires. Ultimately, it is the Quran that came out true for its moral laws.

Note:

[comments in square brackets above are not part of the original quoted text]
[comments in square brackets with asterisk * above are inserted from Holy Quran translation by Nooruddin]

References:

The Holy Quran – Muhammad Ali, edited by Dr. Zahid Aziz

Submitted by Rashid Jahangiri.

I came across a video on topic of ‘Science and Muslim Civilization’. Symposium was held in Iqbal Academy, Lahore. On November 04, 2007.

Dr. Basit Koshul, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Lahore University of Management Sciences delivered speech in which he criticized atheist scientist such as Richard Dawkins and Pakistani Physicist Dr. Pervez Hoodbhoy. He criticizes sciences that they are based on presuppositions that that particular science cannot prove. Thus he justifies basic beliefs in a religion that cannot be proved. As he is talking in context of Islam, so instead of answering criticism by atheist scientists on religion, and virtually on Islam, he criticizes their sciences. In other words, he is answering questions by asking questions, and answer is nowhere. This is because Dr. Basit Koshul himself believes that Islam is based on presuppositions. Hollowness of Dr. Koshul arguments become evident in his reply to a question asked by audience member at exactly 43 minutes of video. Please must watch video at 43 minutes. I would like to read comments by readers, especially by Dr. Zahid Aziz.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efZVAoeMbdg&feature=plcp&context=C34339c4UDOEgsToPDskKnnafvPDkAVaHer1MqDPyy

Issue 42 [42:18]: Bat Ye’or, Author – The Dhimmi: Jews and Christians under Islam – The Muslims see the extension of Jihad as a war liberating the infidels from their infidelity and a privilege for them to enter in the religion of Islam and to abandon their wrong belief. So Jihad is seen as a favor which is given to the infidel population in order to change their ways and convert to the true religion: Islam.

Rebuttal 42: These are just hollow opinions of another so called “expert” in the documentary whose personal background and agenda was brought to light in Issue 3 before. Jihad means no more than striving. The documentary forces a synonymic view of Jihad and war, which has no place in Quran as shown in numerous Rebuttals before – Muhammad Ali (Issue 27), Pickthall (Issue 27) , Zahid Aziz (Issue 33), Nooruddin (Issue 36) and G.W. Leitner (Issue 37). Bat Ye’or is possibly right with slight amendment when she states:

So Jihad [by pen, argument and personal example] is seen as a favor which is given to the infidel [or anyone of the] population [including Muslims themselves] in order to change [and improve] their ways and convert [their thinking on merit] to the true religion: Islam [which means submission to and mastery of all physical and moral Laws while free of anxieties].

Bat Ye’or is ignorant of the following sample verses when she made her assertion without quoting an example. These verses from among many in Quran are a plain rebuttal to her statement:

“Whoever goes aright, goes aright only for the good of his own soul; and whoever goes astray, goes astray only to its detriment. And no bearer of a burden can bear the burden of another…” (17:15).

“If they accept Islam, then indeed they follow the right way; and if they turn back, your duty (O Prophet) is only to deliver the message.” (3:20)

Never for once Ye’or imagined that the West she is trying to educate and teach actually practices what she is trying to smear Islam with. Lets contextualize her own statement to her own lifetime:

The West see the extension of “Democracy” as a war liberating the “backwards” from their backwardness and a privilege for them to enter in the “modern democratic systems” and to abandon their wrong belief. So “Democracy” is seen as a favor which is given to the “backward” population in Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine in order to change their ways and subjugate to the true religion: “American and Israeli Hegemony a.k.a. Democracy.”

Oops! She forgot that it was the ‘heathens’ of Americas and the ‘savages’ of Africa and ‘opium smokers’ of Asia that Christianity and the West tried to ‘salvage’ either by the tip of the sword or slavery of their bodies and souls or exploitation of resources and labor or any combination thereof, all in last few centuries alone. A better title for her book might have been:

The Dhimmi: Africans, Asians, Indians, Middle Eastern (esp. Palestinians), Incas, Mayas, Aztecs, American Indians, Pacific and Australian Aborigines under Christianity, Judiasm and the West.

Note: [comments in square brackets above are not part of the original quoted text]

References:
The Holy Quran – Muhammad Ali, edited by Dr. Zahid Aziz

Submitted by Rashid Jahangiri.

HMGA photo on a billboard, in USA.

Qadianis website www.muslimsforpeace.org have put HMGA photo on a billboard on some cheap location in USA. I wonder if this is to preach HMGA message or some tactic to convince the poor Qadiani chanda payers that “Your Tax Dollars At Work”

http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/388465_326389120715093_100000320237847_1072463_1929363116_n.jpg