Source: Observer, by Shaukat M Zafar.
God has given us free will to choose our own belief system. I am a strong believer in freedom of religion, and condemn no-one for believing something other than what I myself believe. Muslimsare expected to invite non-Muslims of the truth of Islam with words of wisdom, sound arguments and a pleasant manner. Tolerance is the basic teaching of Islam. There is no teaching of Holy Qur’an directing that Muslims should kill others just because they are not Muslim. The HolyQur’an emphasizes peace and reconciliation as basic to all social and even international relations.
Today, many non-Muslims regard Islam as a religion that promotesterrorism and war. A common misconception is being spread by the west that Islam is a religion of Violence. They forget Islam is the latest version of the same message already sent by God through various other Messengers including Hadrat Moses and Jesus. The series of prophets and messengers coming from God throughout the ages is to call the people again towards their innate identity of love and friendship. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) was sent finally to convey God’s message to the whole world. It is, “To convey the message of Islam to all people, to deliver it freely, to ensure the freedom of religious beliefs, and to establish justice on earth within the system of Islam.”
Categories: Asia, ISLAM, Islam: A Religion of Peace, Pakistan
I just copy my answer from another post:
Sharia:
– killing of apostates while conversion to islam is very easy (even on telephone)
– extra tax on infidels and additional social discrimination and persecution to make them convert
– stoning, cutting off arms, cruxification etc.
– ban on christians marrying muslim women while the opposite is allowed
– ban on critizing islam even if just citing islamic sources (blasphemy => penalty) while the opposite is allowed
– depending on historical times and mood: die or convert
– ban on prosetylizing while dawa is allowed
– ban on constructing new churches or maintaining old ones
That is not peace at all and leads to a constant conflict and hostility to other belief systems. How is it possible that ahmadiyya who are almost as persecuted as the “normal” infidels such as atheists, hindus, christians defend something that is responsible for your persecution? And dont get me wrong im not attacking muslims per se as people because many have liberal attitudes. I could no longer live with that obvious contradiction of what i found good and thought was islam, and then found out what islam really is. Just by repeating islam is peace without giving arguments what specifically is peaceful wont convince the people. If muslims would say that part of their religion or what their prophet did is wrong then that would be a start for a peaceful future.
Tarkan: Please read The Muslim Times a bit more in depth and you will see that we do not agree with many of your assumptions. Just to mention one: I live in Amman, Jordan. Mosques and Churches co-exist peacefully for hundred of years and even now. Only last year (and this one) several new churches have been constructed (peacefully). The last one being the Syrian Orthodox Cathedral in Sweifie district, Amman. (etc.etc.etc.)
Hello Rafiq, thanks for your reply.
I know that there are some new churches constructed in muslim countries even if this often takes a very long time and is often opposed by the local population. But isnt it the case that the government contradicts with this allowance the sharia law? That is my point. Why not simply say openly that aspects of sharia law are bad, outdated, discriminating and never should be allowed again. This especially if some aspects are not applied everywhere anyway, such as stonings. The last consequent step is missing, by also saying this is bad. There again comes the obstacle in muslim minds never to criticize anything in islam even when in fact they do so by not doing everything they “should” do.
What do you personally or the ahmadiyya in general say to the other sharia aspects? Do you agree to them or also not, for example the dawa and marriage discrepancy?
Tarkan: There is absolutely no delay and no opposition in construction of the Churches in Jordan. And, no, it is not in contradiction to sharia law. Study the Ottoman Empire: Churches were free to exist. In Kosovo for instance you find (found) Mosques, Catholic Churches, Orthodox Churches all have survived the Ottoman Empire. Some Orthodox Churches were destroyed during and after the Serb/Kosovo war, nothing to do with religion, but with politics. The Qur’an says: “There is no compulsion in religion”. – Stoning to death? Sharia says that a slave committing adultery should have half of the punishment of a free person. Half a ‘stoning to death’? How would that work? – Dawa? With the verse quoted above ‘no compulsion in religion’ we believe in freedom for everyone to express their views. – Marriage discrepancy? The Qur’an states that a Muslim man can marry Muslim, Christian and Jewish ladies while a Muslim lady should only marry a Muslim man. We adhere to this rule, although prefer Muslim men to marry Muslim ladies, for the benefit of the next generation.