In the Name of Allah
All praise due to Allah.
Once again, I was sitting in the Masjid after Maghrib, and across the room, "Jamat" members were busy convincing people to join their group. I know that their intentions are sincere, but It never attracted me to visit random masajid and stay overnight. I chose to stay in my masjid and talk to people here as I know them better.
Anyways, thats a topic for another day. While I was sitting there reading Quran, one of the brothers I enjoy talking to, came over and start discussing on how "They" (Christians, USA, Jews, or some other group that I didn't follow) have conspired to create flood in Pakistan by using microwave laser by melting a glacier.
First, I thought he was joking, then I realized that he was sincere. Now, I didn't have any knowledge on this, so I only asked for evidence, which he pointed to some newspaper in 1970 talking about an invention. Now, he may be right, but it is not easy to believe.
During our long conversation, something came across to me that was very disturbing. There was a genuin disdain towards Non-Muslim in general. I tried to quote him the ayahs where Allah has instructed us to try to keep peace with Non-Muslim, unless they attack.
In the light of that event, I would like to share two letters beloved Rasool (PBUH) wrote to calrify the rules of engagement for us with Christian in particular. Please read them, and apply them as you see them fit.
Prophet Muhammad’s Letter to Christians
In 628 C.E. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) granted a Charter of Privileges to the monks of St. Catherine Monastery in Mt.Sinai. It consisted of several clauses covering all aspects of human rights including such topics as the protection of Christians, freedom of worship and movement, freedom to appoint their own judges and to own and maintain their property, exemption from military service, and the right to protection in war.
An English translation of that document is presented here:
Letter to the Monks of St. Catherine Monastery
“This is a message from Muhammad ibn Abdullah, as a covenant to those who adopt Christianity, near and far, we are with them.
Verily I, the servants, the helpers, and my followers defend them, because Christians are my citizens; and by Allah! I hold out against anything that displeases them. No compulsion is to be on them. Neither are their judges to be removed from their jobs nor their monks from their monasteries. No one is to destroy a house of their religion, to damage it, or to carry anything from it to the Muslims’ houses. Should anyone take any of these, he would spoil God’s covenant and disobey His Prophet. Verily, they are my allies and have my secure charter against all that they hate. No one is to force them to travel or to oblige them to fight. The Muslims are to fight for them. If a female Christian is married to a Muslim, it is not to take place without her approval. She is not to be prevented from visiting her church to pray. Their churches are to be respected. They are neither to be prevented from repairing them nor the sacredness of their covenants. No one of the nation (Muslims) is to disobey the covenant till the Last Day (end of the world).”
A Letter from the Prophet Muhammad To The Assyrian Christians
“God has told me in a vision what to do, and I confirm His command by giving my solemn promise to keep this agreement.
To the followers of the Islam I say: Carry out my command, protect and help the Nazarene nation in this country of ours in their own land. Leave their places of worship in peace; help and assist their chief and their priests when in need of help, be it in the mountains, in the desert, on the sea, or at home. Leave all their possessions alone, be it houses or other property, do not destroy anything of their belongings, the followers of Islam shall not harm or molest any of this nation, because the Nazarenes are my subjects, pay tribute to me and will help the Muslims. No tribute, but what is agreed upon, shall be collected from them, their church buildings shall be left as they are, they shall not be altered, their priests shall be permitted to teach and worship in their own way-the Nazarenes have full liberty of worship in their churches and homes. None of their churches shall be torn down, or altered into a mosque, except by the consent and free will of the Nazarenes. If any one disobeys this command, the anger of God and His Prophet shall be upon him.
“The tribute paid the Nazarenes shall be used to promote the teachings of Islam and shall be deposited at the treasury of Beth
Almal. A common man shall pay one denar (piece of money), but the merchants and people who own mines of gold and silver and are rich shall pay twelve denars. Strangers and people who have no houses or other settled property shall not have taxes levied upon them. If a man inherits property he shall pay a settled sum to the Baitulmal treasury. The Christians are not obliged to make war on the enemies of Islam, but if an enemy attacks the Christians, the Muslims shall not deny their help, but give them horses and weapons, if they need them, and protect them from evils from outside and keep the peace with them. The Christians are not obliged to turn Muslims, until God’s will makes them believers.
“The Muslims shall not force Christian women to accept Islam, but if they themselves wish to embrace it, the Muslims shall be kind to them.
“If a Christian woman is married to a Muslim and does not want to embrace Islam, she has liberty to worship at her own church according to her own religious belief, and her husband must not treat her unkindly on account of her religion. If any one disobeys this command, he disobeys God and his prophet and will be guilty of a great offense.
“If the Nazarenes wish to build a church, their Muslim neighbors shall help them. This shall be done, because the Christians have obeyed us and have come to us and pleaded for peace and mercy.
“If there be among the Christians a great and learned man the Muslims shall honor him and not be envious of his greatness.
“If any one is unjust and unkind to the Christians he will be guilty of disobeying the Prophet of God.
“The Christians should not shelter an enemy of Islam or give him horse, weapon or any other help. If a Muslim is in need the Christian shall for three days and nights be his host and shelter him from his enemies. The Christians shall, furthermore, protect the Mohammedan women and children and not deliver them up to the enemy or expose them to view. If the Nazarenes fail to fulfil these conditions, they have forfeited their right to protection, and the agreement is null and void.
“This document shall be entrusted to the Christian chief and head of their church for safe keeping.”
The peace of God be over them all! This agreement is written by Moavijah Ben Sofian, according to the dictates of Muhammad, the Messenger of God, in the 4th year of the Hegira in the city of Medina.
And the quran says:
Al Qur`an says: “And abuse not those whom they call upon besides
Allah, lest exceeding the limits, they abuse Allah through ignorance.
Thus to every people have We made their deeds fair-seeming; then to
their Lord is their return so he will inform them of what they did”
(6:109)
Al Qur’an says: “Those who restrain their anger and pardon men. And Allah loves the doer of good (to others)” (3: 133)
Please don't fall into the trap of Shaitan and treat the peaceful Non-Muslims with harshness.
And Allah knows best!
JazakAllah
AbuArman
A struggling Muslim
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Friday, September 17, 2010
Apostasy, and Compulsion in Religion
In the Name of Allah,
All praise due to Allah, in whose hands is my life, the Creator, the Sustainer.
I was sitting down in the Masjid after Maghrib yesterday absorbing the peace. Then, I saw one of my dear brother coming towards me. We greeted each other. I was talking to him about the benefits of reading tafsir instead of just reading the meaning of Quran.
All of a sudden, he asked me a string of questions that caught me off gaurd.
He said, "I was reading Surah Buqra, and Allah says that there is no compulsion in Religion, but yet I hear the scholars give fatwa of death for people leaving Islam. Why?"
I had researched that topic, and had the answer in the back of my head, but it did not come to me at that time, so I tried to give him explaination, but I saw that he wasn't satisfied with the answer. I told him that, if this is an order of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) then we don't have to understand before we follow it.
I would like to give him the correct answer, and others may be interested in it.
Islam can not be forced upon anyone, as everyone knows that. Similarly, if someone has decided to walk away from Islam, threatning him with punishment is same as compelling him towards Islam. We are not allowed to force, threaten, black mail, peer pressure anyone to become or stay muslim.
"Let there be no compulsion in religion" (Quran 2:256)
What is Apostasy?
In common terms, it means some one who denies after accepting. So, if a Muslim denies the oneness of God, and message brought by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH, that person is a Murtid (Apostate).
Once a person become becomes a Non-Muslim, we must treat him like one. Islam forbid us from killing Non-Muslim, unless they are threat to our existence, meaning as a self defence. Following hadith makes it very clear the Prophet (PBUH) didn't kill people who rejected his message.
Narrated Jabir bin 'Abdullah:
A bedouin gave the Pledge of allegiance to Allah's Apostle for Islam. Then the bedouin got fever at Medina, came to Allah's Apostle and said, "O Allah's Apostle! Cancel my Pledge," But Allah's Apostle refused. Then he came to him (again) and said, "O Allah's Apostle! Cancel my Pledge." But the Prophet refused Then he came to him (again) and said, "O Allah's Apostle! Cancel my Pledge." But the Prophet refused. The bedouin finally went out (of Medina) whereupon Allah's Apostle said, "Medina is like a pair of bellows (furnace): It expels its impurities and brightens and clears its good. (Book 89 #318)
Following ahadith are usually quoted in support for death penalty.
Bukhari (83:37) - "Allah's Apostle never killed anyone except in one of the following three situations: (1) A person who killed somebody unjustly, was killed (in Qisas,) (2) a married person who committed illegal sexual intercourse and (3) a man who fought against Allah and His Apostle and deserted Islam and became an apostate."
Narrated Ikrima:
Ali burnt some people and this news reached Ibn 'Abbas, who said, "Had I been in his place I would not have burnt them, as the Prophet said, 'Don't punish (anybody) with Allah's Punishment.' No doubt, I would have killed them, for the Prophet said, 'If somebody (a Muslim) discards his religion, kill him.' " (Bukhari 52:260)
Narrated 'Ikrima:
Some Zanadiqa (atheists) were brought to 'Ali and he burnt them. The news of this event, reached Ibn 'Abbas who said, "If I had been in his place, I would not have burnt them, as Allah's Apostle forbade it, saying, 'Do not punish anybody with Allah's punishment (fire).' I would have killed them according to the statement of Allah's Apostle, 'Whoever changed his Islamic religion, then kill him.'" (Bukhari 84:57)
Narrated Abu Musa:
A man embraced Islam and then reverted back to Judaism. Mu'adh bin Jabal came and saw the man with Abu Musa. Mu'adh asked, "What is wrong with this (man)?" Abu Musa replied, "He embraced Islam and then reverted back to Judaism." Mu'adh said, "I will not sit down unless you kill him (as it is) the verdict of Allah and His Apostle (Bukhari 89:271)
Narrated Abu Burda:
Abu Musa said, "I came to the Prophet along with two men (from the tribe) of Ash'ariyin, one on my right and the other on my left, while Allah's Apostle was brushing his teeth (with a Siwak), and both men asked him for some employment. The Prophet said, 'O Abu Musa (O 'Abdullah bin Qais!).' I said, 'By Him Who sent you with the Truth, these two men did not tell me what was in their hearts and I did not feel (realize) that they were seeking employment.' As if I were looking now at his Siwak being drawn to a corner under his lips, and he said, 'We never (or, we do not) appoint for our affairs anyone who seeks to be employed. But O Abu Musa! (or 'Abdullah bin Qais!) Go to Yemen.'" The Prophet then sent Mu'adh bin Jabal after him and when Mu'adh reached him, he spread out a cushion for him and requested him to get down (and sit on the cushion). Behold: There was a fettered man beside Abu Muisa. Mu'adh asked, "Who is this (man)?" Abu Muisa said, "He was a Jew and became a Muslim and then reverted back to Judaism." Then Abu Muisa requested Mu'adh to sit down but Mu'adh said, "I will not sit down till he has been killed. This is the judgment of Allah and His Apostle (for such cases) and repeated it thrice. Then Abu Musa ordered that the man be killed, and he was killed. Abu Musa added, "Then we discussed the night prayers and one of us said, 'I pray and sleep, and I hope that Allah will reward me for my sleep as well as for my prayers.'" (Bukhari 84:58)
If we read these ahadith translation by themselves, someone may get the idea that anyone who leaves Islam need to be killed, but these ahadith talking about apostates who got arrested opposing Islam. Quran and ahadith regarding Prophet (PBUH) have not a single reference for that. In fact, Quran is full of Ayahs where Allah has mentioned Hypocrates, apostates, etc with no worldly punishment, and hadith at the top clearly shows Prophet (PBUH) didn't apply death penalty for leaving Islam. For example, following verse of the Quran
"A section of the people of the Book urge some from among themselves: why not affirm, in the early part of the day, belief in that which has been revealed unto the believers and repudiate it in the latter part of the day, perchance they may turn away from their faith." (3.73)
The people of the Book mentioned in this verse are the Jews of Medina. Theirs was a Jewish tactic to create doubt among the Muslims in the hope that some of them might thereby by beguiled into repudiating Islam. How could it be possible for the Jews to have enacted this plan if death was a penalty for apostasy? Had anyone been executed for commuting this crime, that would have been a deterrent for others who would not follow in their footsteps.
What about the ahadith where Sahabah have killed many muslims turned non-muslim?
First of all, ahadith quoted above are not strong enough to override verse from Quran because they are showing interpretations of companions not narration of exact order of Prophet (PBUH), and they can only be used if there wasn't clear proof from Quran and direct actions of Prophet (PBUH). Also, there are other ahadith which contradict the claim. These people were threat to Islamic state, and their punishment is death. Interestingly, Most of the countries in the world have death penalty for treason, which is exactly what Islam has prescribed. Following document refute all claims in details.
http://www.alislam.org/library/books/mna/chapter_7.html
If there was a club, and the rule was that once you become member, you are not allowed to leave. If you try to leave, you will be killed. How many people would join that club willingly.
So, to apply the rule of apostasy, one have to have an Islamic State, and the person who is leaving Islam have to be working against Islam.
Prophet (PBUH) was sent as a mercy towards us, and not to establish a Mafia that has gang members running around looking for defectors to chop off their heads.
I would like to end with verse from the Quran. If these verses are not clear proof for someone, they are certainly misguided. May Allh show us the correct path, and save us from opressing fellow humans. And Allah Knows best!
[And so, [O Prophet,] exhort them; your task is only to exhort. You can not compel them [to believe].] (Al-Ghashiyah 88:21-22)
JazakAllah
AbuArman
A struggling Muslim
All praise due to Allah, in whose hands is my life, the Creator, the Sustainer.
I was sitting down in the Masjid after Maghrib yesterday absorbing the peace. Then, I saw one of my dear brother coming towards me. We greeted each other. I was talking to him about the benefits of reading tafsir instead of just reading the meaning of Quran.
All of a sudden, he asked me a string of questions that caught me off gaurd.
He said, "I was reading Surah Buqra, and Allah says that there is no compulsion in Religion, but yet I hear the scholars give fatwa of death for people leaving Islam. Why?"
I had researched that topic, and had the answer in the back of my head, but it did not come to me at that time, so I tried to give him explaination, but I saw that he wasn't satisfied with the answer. I told him that, if this is an order of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) then we don't have to understand before we follow it.
I would like to give him the correct answer, and others may be interested in it.
Islam can not be forced upon anyone, as everyone knows that. Similarly, if someone has decided to walk away from Islam, threatning him with punishment is same as compelling him towards Islam. We are not allowed to force, threaten, black mail, peer pressure anyone to become or stay muslim.
"Let there be no compulsion in religion" (Quran 2:256)
What is Apostasy?
In common terms, it means some one who denies after accepting. So, if a Muslim denies the oneness of God, and message brought by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH, that person is a Murtid (Apostate).
Once a person become becomes a Non-Muslim, we must treat him like one. Islam forbid us from killing Non-Muslim, unless they are threat to our existence, meaning as a self defence. Following hadith makes it very clear the Prophet (PBUH) didn't kill people who rejected his message.
Narrated Jabir bin 'Abdullah:
A bedouin gave the Pledge of allegiance to Allah's Apostle for Islam. Then the bedouin got fever at Medina, came to Allah's Apostle and said, "O Allah's Apostle! Cancel my Pledge," But Allah's Apostle refused. Then he came to him (again) and said, "O Allah's Apostle! Cancel my Pledge." But the Prophet refused Then he came to him (again) and said, "O Allah's Apostle! Cancel my Pledge." But the Prophet refused. The bedouin finally went out (of Medina) whereupon Allah's Apostle said, "Medina is like a pair of bellows (furnace): It expels its impurities and brightens and clears its good. (Book 89 #318)
Following ahadith are usually quoted in support for death penalty.
Bukhari (83:37) - "Allah's Apostle never killed anyone except in one of the following three situations: (1) A person who killed somebody unjustly, was killed (in Qisas,) (2) a married person who committed illegal sexual intercourse and (3) a man who fought against Allah and His Apostle and deserted Islam and became an apostate."
Narrated Ikrima:
Ali burnt some people and this news reached Ibn 'Abbas, who said, "Had I been in his place I would not have burnt them, as the Prophet said, 'Don't punish (anybody) with Allah's Punishment.' No doubt, I would have killed them, for the Prophet said, 'If somebody (a Muslim) discards his religion, kill him.' " (Bukhari 52:260)
Narrated 'Ikrima:
Some Zanadiqa (atheists) were brought to 'Ali and he burnt them. The news of this event, reached Ibn 'Abbas who said, "If I had been in his place, I would not have burnt them, as Allah's Apostle forbade it, saying, 'Do not punish anybody with Allah's punishment (fire).' I would have killed them according to the statement of Allah's Apostle, 'Whoever changed his Islamic religion, then kill him.'" (Bukhari 84:57)
Narrated Abu Musa:
A man embraced Islam and then reverted back to Judaism. Mu'adh bin Jabal came and saw the man with Abu Musa. Mu'adh asked, "What is wrong with this (man)?" Abu Musa replied, "He embraced Islam and then reverted back to Judaism." Mu'adh said, "I will not sit down unless you kill him (as it is) the verdict of Allah and His Apostle (Bukhari 89:271)
Narrated Abu Burda:
Abu Musa said, "I came to the Prophet along with two men (from the tribe) of Ash'ariyin, one on my right and the other on my left, while Allah's Apostle was brushing his teeth (with a Siwak), and both men asked him for some employment. The Prophet said, 'O Abu Musa (O 'Abdullah bin Qais!).' I said, 'By Him Who sent you with the Truth, these two men did not tell me what was in their hearts and I did not feel (realize) that they were seeking employment.' As if I were looking now at his Siwak being drawn to a corner under his lips, and he said, 'We never (or, we do not) appoint for our affairs anyone who seeks to be employed. But O Abu Musa! (or 'Abdullah bin Qais!) Go to Yemen.'" The Prophet then sent Mu'adh bin Jabal after him and when Mu'adh reached him, he spread out a cushion for him and requested him to get down (and sit on the cushion). Behold: There was a fettered man beside Abu Muisa. Mu'adh asked, "Who is this (man)?" Abu Muisa said, "He was a Jew and became a Muslim and then reverted back to Judaism." Then Abu Muisa requested Mu'adh to sit down but Mu'adh said, "I will not sit down till he has been killed. This is the judgment of Allah and His Apostle (for such cases) and repeated it thrice. Then Abu Musa ordered that the man be killed, and he was killed. Abu Musa added, "Then we discussed the night prayers and one of us said, 'I pray and sleep, and I hope that Allah will reward me for my sleep as well as for my prayers.'" (Bukhari 84:58)
If we read these ahadith translation by themselves, someone may get the idea that anyone who leaves Islam need to be killed, but these ahadith talking about apostates who got arrested opposing Islam. Quran and ahadith regarding Prophet (PBUH) have not a single reference for that. In fact, Quran is full of Ayahs where Allah has mentioned Hypocrates, apostates, etc with no worldly punishment, and hadith at the top clearly shows Prophet (PBUH) didn't apply death penalty for leaving Islam. For example, following verse of the Quran
"A section of the people of the Book urge some from among themselves: why not affirm, in the early part of the day, belief in that which has been revealed unto the believers and repudiate it in the latter part of the day, perchance they may turn away from their faith." (3.73)
The people of the Book mentioned in this verse are the Jews of Medina. Theirs was a Jewish tactic to create doubt among the Muslims in the hope that some of them might thereby by beguiled into repudiating Islam. How could it be possible for the Jews to have enacted this plan if death was a penalty for apostasy? Had anyone been executed for commuting this crime, that would have been a deterrent for others who would not follow in their footsteps.
What about the ahadith where Sahabah have killed many muslims turned non-muslim?
First of all, ahadith quoted above are not strong enough to override verse from Quran because they are showing interpretations of companions not narration of exact order of Prophet (PBUH), and they can only be used if there wasn't clear proof from Quran and direct actions of Prophet (PBUH). Also, there are other ahadith which contradict the claim. These people were threat to Islamic state, and their punishment is death. Interestingly, Most of the countries in the world have death penalty for treason, which is exactly what Islam has prescribed. Following document refute all claims in details.
http://www.alislam.org/library/books/mna/chapter_7.html
If there was a club, and the rule was that once you become member, you are not allowed to leave. If you try to leave, you will be killed. How many people would join that club willingly.
So, to apply the rule of apostasy, one have to have an Islamic State, and the person who is leaving Islam have to be working against Islam.
Prophet (PBUH) was sent as a mercy towards us, and not to establish a Mafia that has gang members running around looking for defectors to chop off their heads.
I would like to end with verse from the Quran. If these verses are not clear proof for someone, they are certainly misguided. May Allh show us the correct path, and save us from opressing fellow humans. And Allah Knows best!
[And so, [O Prophet,] exhort them; your task is only to exhort. You can not compel them [to believe].] (Al-Ghashiyah 88:21-22)
JazakAllah
AbuArman
A struggling Muslim
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