For the Islamophobe Yeh Cheez:
Critics/Extremists: Islam tells Muslims to fight non-believers
“And fight them until there is no persecution, and religion is freely professed for Allah. But if they desist, then remember that no hostility is allowed except against the aggressors.”
— Surah Al-Baqarah 194
This verse refers to the time of when this verse was revealed when Islam was in its infancy and Muslims were fighting were their lives. The fight them is only a defensive reaction to an aggressive action and it also refers to defending yourself with the pen and not just defend yourself physically. It also clearly states UNTIL there is no persecution whereby the defending should stop and good relations should continue and be established the moment aggression against you stops. This is reiterated again when it says if those attacking you verbally or physically stop attacking you, any Muslim should never become the aggressor. This is proven also if you expand the context using the verse before this.
“And fight in the cause of Allah against those who fight against you, but do not transgress. Surely, Allah loves not the transgressors”
— Surah Al-Baqarah 191
The ultimate goal thus is to attain peace and never be the aggressor. If everyone avoids being transgressions, there would never be war.
Now lets discuss how some critics of Islam purposely manipulate the sequence of the Quranic verses to create the false impression that Islam promotes Murder of non-believers. Take the verse below:
“And kill them wherever you meet them and drive them out from where they have driven you out; for persecution is worse than killing. And fight them not in, and near, the Sacred Mosque until they fight you therein. But if they fight you, then fight them: such is the requital for the disbelievers.”
— Surah Al-Baqarah 192
The word Fitnah in this verse does not believe a person's basic disbelief. it refers to persecution in the form of forcing a person to disbelieve by oppressing people or forcing people to change their view about their faith. Quran here mentions that forcing a view against their belief is worse than the aggressor killing the oppressed as it is akin to persecution and torture. This also proves the impression that Quran is against forced change or removal of a belief of a person against his or her will. by singling out this verse the critics of Islam try (and fail) to create the impression that Quran is saying disbelief (single tense) is worse than killing.
Here is the sequence of verses from Surah Al-Baqarah
verse 191 says fight those who fight against you but dont be aggressors. clearly stating a fight should ONLY be defensive
verse 192 continues from 191 and says fight them because their persecution is worse than killing and then it repeats the message of 191 again by saying if they fight you, then fight them.
verse 193 continues and says if they stop fighting you then God is merciful, this is a hint that you should lay your weapons down at that point
verse 194 continues and says:
“And fight them until there is no persecution, and religion is freely professed for Allah. But if they desist, then remember that no hostility is allowed except against the aggressors.”
— Surah Al-Baqarah 194
Notice the Quran says fight them until there is no persecution and religion is FREELY professed for God which is a tie in to the fact that any religion can only be FREELY practiced if there is no persecution against it. and then it repeats the peaceful message again, that if they stop persecuting you or fighting against you, that NO hostility is allowed against anyone except those who are aggressors against your free right to practice your faith.
And then verse 195 continues and says
“The violation of a Sacred Month should be retaliated in the Sacred Month; and for all sacred things there is the law of retaliation. So, whoso transgresses against you, punish him for his transgression to the extent to which he has transgressed against you. And fear Allah and know that Allah is with those who fear Him.”
— Surah Al Baqarah 195
Clearly stating that if someone tries to persecute you, do not exceed the bounds of the limits of retaliation which means if a person mocks you or ridicules you or takes the Quran away from you, No Muslim has the right to physically assault him as it clearly says, punish him for his transgression TO THE EXTENT to which he has transgressed against you. If someone writes against you, you defend your faith by writing defense of your faith against the aggressors.
Another verse the critics and extremists prove that Islam tells Muslims to fight and kill disbelievers as a blanket statement is the following verse
“They wish that you should disbelieve as they have disbelieved, so that you may become all alike. Take not, therefore, friends from among them, until they emigrate in the way of Allah. And if they turn away, then seize them and kill them wherever you find them; and take no friend nor helper from among them”
— Surah Al-Nisa 90
however if you read the very next verse...
“Except those who are connected with a people between whom and you there is a pact, or those who come to you, while their hearts shrink from fighting you or fighting their own people. And if Allah had so pleased, He would have given them power over you, then they would have surely fought you. So, if they keep aloof from you and fight you not, and make you an offer of peace, then remember that Allah has allowed you no way of aggression against them.”
— Surah Al-Nisa 91
Yet another proof is provided that Muslims are not allowed to be aggressive against any party of people who want peace.
Critics: Non Muslims have a lesser status than Muslims according to Quran:
The first verse the critics and extremists often cite is the following which they contend means Islam views brotherhood as Islamic and not Universal
“Surely all believers are brothers. So make peace between your brothers, and fear Allah, that mercy may be shown on you”
— Surah Al-Hujurat 11
What these critics and extremists will not cite from the Quran is something which comes two verses later which shows Muslims as an Islamic Brotherhood are a part of a Universal brotherhood.
“O mankind, We have created you from a male and a female; and We have made you into tribes and sub-tribes that you may recognize one another. Verily, the most honourable among you, in the sight of Allah, is he who is the most righteous among you. Surely, Allah is All-knowing, All-Aware.”
— Surah Al-Hujurat 14
you can already sense that critics of Islam and extremists try their utmost to pick and chose the verses out of context for their own agenda. It is the purpose of Quran to be used as a whole, rather than picking and choosing certain points.
At this moment of desperation the critics of Islam and extremists will try and show other verses to say Non-Muslims are worthless in the eyes of Allah
such as Are those who know equal to those who know not? (39:10)
What they don't show is the full verse
“Is he who prays devoutly to God in the hours of the night, prostrating himself and standing, and fears the Hereafter and hopes for the mercy of his Lord, like him who does not do so? Say, ‘Are those who know equal to those who know not?’ Verily, only those endowed with understanding will take heed.”
— Surah Al-Zumar 10
Showcasing the spiritual status of man who worships God and does good deeds and is righteous is higher than someone who on his own account isn't even spiritual on the same level. Take a moment and think about this simple question. Who would be closer to God, one who worships him in accordance to what is suggested to him or one who doesn't believe himself. The equality of man as a person is one thing, the equality in terms of spirituality is a different thing entirely.
Critics/Extremists: Islam says the punishment for Apostasy is death
Let us look at what the Holy Quran says:
“Admonish, therefore, for thou art but an admonisher;
Thou hast no authority to compel them.
But whoever turns away and disbelieves,
Allah will punish him with the greatest punishment (Hell)
Unto Us surely is their return,
Then, surely, it is for Us to call them to account.”
— Surah Al-Ghashiya 22-27
Does this suggest that anyone who disbelieves after believing will go to hell? That is not entirely the case. Here is how this is explained by the Quran:
“Those who believe, then disbelieve, then again believe, then disbelieve, and then increase in disbelief, Allah will never forgive them nor will He guide them to the way.”
— Surah Al-Nisa 138
“Whoso disbelieves in Allah after he has believed — save him who is forced thereto while his heart finds peace in the faith — but such as open their breasts to disbelief, on them is Allah’s wrath; and they shall have a severe punishment.”
— Surah Al-Nahl 107
The message to Muslims is that the punishment of Apostasy is not be applied by man, but by God himself. Here is what the Quran says in this respect:
“We know best what they say; and thou hast not been appointed to compel them in any way. So admonish, by means of the Qur’an, him who fears My warning.”
— Surah Al-Qaf 46
“And as for those who take for themselves protectors beside Him, Allah watches over them; and thou art not a guardian over them.”
— Surah Al-Shura 7
“But if they turn away, We have not sent thee as a guardian over them. Thy duty is only to convey the Message. And truly when We cause man to taste of mercy from Us, he rejoices therein. But if an evil befalls them because of what their hands have sent forth, then lo! man is ungrateful.”
— Surah Al-Shura 49
“Say, ‘Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger.’ But if you turn away, then upon him is his burden, and upon you is your burden. And if you obey him, you will be rightly guided. And the messenger is not responsible but for the plain delivery of the Message.”
— Surah Al-Nur 55
“And say, ‘It is the truth from your Lord; wherefore let him who will, believe, and let him who will, disbelieve.’ Verily, We have prepared for the wrongdoers a fire whose flaming canopy shall enclose them. And if they cry for help, they will be helped with water like molten lead which will burn the faces. How dreadful the drink, and how evil is the Fire as a resting place!”
— Surah Al-Kahf 30
“But if they turn away, then thou art responsible only for the plain delivery of the Message.”
— Surah Al-Nahl 83
These are just the few of the many examples proving that anyone who disbelieves is doing it on their own detriment in the eyes of God but the purpose for Muslims is only to deliver the message of God. One of the biggest and clearest verses of Man only following Islam and God being the punisher (not Man) is in the following verse
“ And whether We make thee see the fulfilment of some of the things with which We threaten them or whether We make thee die, it makes little difference, for on thee lies only the delivery of the Message, and on Us the reckoning.”
— Surah Al-Ra'd 41
At this point the question you ask yourself, If Quran is this clear about how to treat apostates, where is the criticism coming from. The extremists who defy Allah, by choosing to follow suspect hadith over the word of God are the ones who set the example incorrectly. Ask yourself the question looking at it logically, from a Muslim perspective, Quran is the word of God and authentic Ahadith are a collection of words and actions of the Holy Prophet (saw), which takes precedent. The primary source of the incorrect tradition from Ahadith is explained here by Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad Khalifatul Masih IV in his book "Murder in the name of Allah":
http://www.alislam.org/library/books/mna/chapter_7.html
An Authentic ahadith is that which does not contradict the Quran especially considering that Ahadith were compiled 200-300 after the death of the Holy Prophet (saw)
Here is a Powerpoint of how to distinguish between Authentic Ahadeeth and those which might be suspect
http://www.alislam.org/holyprophet/Authenticity-of-Hadith.pptx
