Understanding Islam: Islam, religion of terrorism?!!!

For this week’s column, I had another topic in mind but the recent events have forced me to discuss an age-old issue. There are too many questions to answer with a few words. My answers may not please everybody. But this should be something to begin with nonetheless.

I have to tell you to read this article with open heart and mind. Read it like a normal human being who wants the truth and not what he wants to hear or believe in. I will not answer the questions such as why are Muslims terrorists because you already know they’re not and terrorism is never a Muslim monopoly.

These are the top four questions that will make you understand Islam and Muslims better.

DOES ISLAM TEACH KILLING AND VIOLENCE?

1. Allah said in the Quran,

“Allah does not prohibit you from dealing kindly and justly with those who neither fight you on account of your religion nor drive you out of your homes.” Quran 60:8

“Whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land – it is as if he had slain mankind entirely.  And whoever saves one – it is as if he had saved mankind entirely.” Quran 5:32

Simply put, Allah has explicitly allowed the Muslims to be at peace with others including those from other faiths and has prohibited injustice even in times of war.

Prophet Muhammad clearly stressed upon his soldiers to be humane even to the enemy soldier. He has forbidden the mutilation of dead bodies or punishing them by fire. He even made sure that shelter, food and medical aid are given to the captives. He ordered them not to kill, women, children, elderly or non-combatants such as monks and others. He has forbidden all unnecessary destruction of natural resources and property especially the churches. Even animals are safe as Muslim soldiers are not allowed to even disturb a dog and her puppies.

All these have been ordered to the Muslim Military since the beginning long before the Geneva Convention, Magna Carta or any human rights advocacies or standardization of the rules of engagement.

Islam has made it a point that a Muslim should be courteous to others that he should not disturb their peace or privacy. Thus, Islam prohibits, kidnapping, bombing and every kind of damage to life, property, honor and intellect of others including non-Muslims even more.

ARE MUSLIMS INTOLERANT OF OTHER RELIGIONS?

1. In fact, Allah said in the Quran.

“You will find the nearest of them in affection to the believers those who say, ‘We are Christians.’ That is because among them are priests and monks and because they are not arrogant.” Quran 5:82.

Islam has protected the rights of Non-Muslims who are under their authority in so many ways than one could imagine. Muslim lands have been models of religious tolerance since the beginning. Moorish Spain tolerated their Jewish citizens while the Ottoman Empire rescued and sheltered Jews during the Inquisition. Christians were also free to remain as Christians in Damascus and Palestine during the Muslim rule.

There’s only one exception in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States where the open and public practice of other religions is prohibited as a form of respect for it being the land where Makkah, the holiest city in Islam, is located. There aren’t any mosques in Rome, right? Other than this, they are safe there as Christians nonetheless.

ARE TERRORISTS TARGETING OTHER RELIGIONS ONLY?

1. It only looks like that the terrorists only kidnap, bomb and behead Christians or Americans because this is what you will find sensationalized on the news, movies and video games but the truth is far stranger than all these. According to the Global Terrorism Database, almost 97% of all the victims of terrorists from 2004-2013 are in fact Muslims.

Do you remember Staff Sergeant Anni Siraji? He came from the same tribe, spoke the same language and practiced the same religion as his murderers. He’s a Muslim who was a victim of terrorism. Terrorism has no religion, race or creed.

WAS ISLAM SPREAD BY THE SWORD?

1. Undeniably, there were lands conquered by Muslims and the people embraced Islam as a result. This is what happened to most of the Middle East, Mesopotamia, North Africa and the Indian Sub-continent.

Historically also, many Muslim countries especially our ASEAN neighbors like Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei and some folks there in Thailand, Myanmar and here in Mindanao became Muslims without seeing a single Muslim soldier entering their lands brandishing his sword and forcing people to become Muslims. As we all know, Mindanao was Islamized by Arab traders and Malay migrants from the South. Islam was spread as well to the Visayas and Luzon by these traders. There was no Muslim military unit who came and conquered the Moro lands. They did not even bother militarizing their colonies too much when they came to Visayas and Luzon which was the reason why early Muslims including the late Rajah Sulayman, the Muslim king of Manila did not stand much chance to resist the invasion of the Spaniards.

Going back to those lands that were conquered and became Muslims; if the people were forced to become Muslims, they should have abandoned Islam upon the collapse of their Muslim rulers. They would have seen their colonizers from England, Germany, France, etc. as liberators who will free them from the shackles of an oppressive religion. But the opposite happened. All these Muslim lands stood against colonization not only to protect their freedom but to protect their religion most of all.

Also, until now, there is a huge population of Arab Christians in many Muslim countries. If they were forced to become Muslims, there would be no one left from the Christians today whose Christian lineage goes back to the time of Prophet Muhammad. This means that Islam was never spread by the sword.

I hope that this column made your day. If you need clarifications you may send your questions, comments, and suggestions to mensahetv@gmail.com.

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