Islam as a religion and Islam as a culture(sometimes hard to tell the difference) are two very different concepts. In Islam, or rather the Quran...we for the most part...read of a Merciful Loving God that is quick to forgive and overlook our weaknesses...yet Islam via culture apparently wants to harm us or put us to death for every percieved "unIslamic" action. I realize that there are specific punishments for crimes laid out clearly in the Quran...and that we as Muslims should follow them and avoid those crimes to protect ourselves from the punishment...but why is the Quran so often ignored in favour of culture...or even hadith when it comes to doling out the punishments?
Im specifically referring to apostacy here...or murtad. We all know there is no ayat in the Quran that even comes close to specifying death for apostacy...claims that death for apostacy are an Islamic requirement are "proved" by using outside sources...such as hadith. Muslims will be very firm in their belief that our Prophet was within his power to mandate death for someone that failed to view Islam as their path in life....despite the many many instances when God mentions that believers who come near to unbelief then again believe and again return to unbelief etc...will be the losers in the Hereafter. Putting someone to death for leaving Islam sounds like closing the barn door after the horse ran away...what is the purpose of it...their punishment is all ready ordained...why do Muslims feel the need to hurry them along towards that punishment?
Personally I do not care in the least if someone feels Islam is not for them for whatever reason...they are taking nothing from me...only from themselves. I dont understand why Muslims get so upset and paranoic about Muslims that no longer find Islam palatable and wish to find something else to take its place. There are many paths to God yes...or is a rigid "we will kill you if you dont believe what we believe" the only recommended path to God for some? Has any Muslim who faced a murtad...or apostate ever bothered to ask them why they decided to leave...have they sat down with them and tried to dialogue with them and discover the reason for the change of heart...I find it rather unlikely when all we generally see when it comes to Muslim reaction to apostates is rioting...and screams for death...yes...that will definitely bring that straying Muslim back into the "safe" folds of Islam. If the person had any doubts before taking the step to leave...Im sure Muslims foaming at the mouth and hell bent on getting the chance to throw some stones will not convince them that maybe they made a mistake...and decide to stick around and take another stab at it.
As I said, personally I am not bothered in the least by those that decide to leave...let them leave and find their own way without the guiding light of Islam...maybe they will come back..maybe they wont...but the choice is given to them by God...so leave them to it. I am more fearful of the Muslims that stay...stay and corrupt this beautiful deen into something worth fearing and running from. Why dont we cry for the death of Muslims that corrupt the very words of God and make it a fearful and oppressive religion for women...rather than a joyful spirtitual experience? Why dont we cry for the death of Muslims that prohibit other religions from being practiced even though God specifically allows that? Why dont we cry for the death of Muslims that believe forced marriages are Islamic...that do not allow women to divorce and keep then in bondage similar to prisoners...why dont we cry for the death of Muslims that consider beating wives and daughters Islamically mandated and that killing females for perceived shame is a deed worth feeling proud over...without fear of reprisal from either the community or from the authorities for the most part? Why dont we cry for the death of Muslims that make a complete mockery of this perfect and beautiful religion given to us by God...and yet turn it into something that gets displayed on the evening news like tabloid fodder that makes us all look like brainwashed backward women hating and oppressive sheep that will kill you if you choose to believe all this "do it our way or die" religious lifestlye is perfect and shouldnt be abondoned for something inferior like Christianity...which incidently hasnt stoned anyone to death in recent history far as Im aware.
In other words...lets kill the ones that stay and cause corruption, oppression, misinformation, and make this a religion solely for mans ego and pride...and let the ones that wish escape Go!
*violence doesnt solve anything...doesnt convince anyone...and definitely is not Islamically mandated by either God or the Prophet. My desire to "kill" is a play on words...in case anyone didnt catch that.
10 comments:
Your suggestions sound reasonable to me.
I am reminded of a book I saw on my Mom's bookshelf, entited, "Twelve Muslims Find Jesus Christ."
I paged through it. In every case, the Muslim who converted to Christianity had been ill-treated, sometimes injured, and forced to honor ancient tribal customs and superstitions that had been inserted into Islam.
I would have converted, too, had I been injured (either physically or emotionally) in the name of Islam.
Even when no injury occurs, and a person wishes to try another path, "There is no compulsion in religion."
If only all muslims can think like you, then only could Islam gain respect among non-believers.
I sometimes think some Muslims might be afraid that the choice they made is the wrong one...but dont want to admit it...so when someone else decides the same thing and wants to leave the faith...the need to kill him or her...or the need to kill the possibility that your "truth" is not necessarily THE truth...is very strong. What else would cause completely rational(one would hope and assume) people to suddenly be baying for blood just because a fellow believer no longer believes the same as you? I just dont get it.
ASA,
because they love man more than they love Allah SWT. Its the same thing with stoning people. Won't they just let it go? The Quran clearly says lash people for fornication or adultury yet they still want to toss stones at people. ok, answer me this... if the Quran says let not your feelings cloud your ablity to carry out the punishments for zina or fornication but leave them be and welcome them back after they have recieved their punishment. ok, how are we suppose to welcome them back and leave them be if we just busted his/her head to the white meat?
jihabisoverated
exactly my point...punishment is very clear and precise in the Quran...and yet so many muslims prefer to believe God is a bloodthirsty jealous God that wants blood shed for every infraction. One is left to wonder where is all the peace...all the mercy...all the forgiveness espoused so much throughout the Quran...it doesnt seem to go much further then the pages its written on for many Muslims.
Even by the use of hadith not one person was ever ordered to be killed by Muhammad pbuh for being an apostate. While there is some suggestion there was a few people (I can't recall the exact amount) by the use of the same critera, ahadith, one finds that their crimes went beyond being an apostate. While I do understand it from a political perspective right after the death of Muhammad pbuh I don't find it to have much religious basis as something we must do.
Much of this of course stems from the insecurity of followers and says to outsiders that Islam itself is insecure. A notion I strongly object to.
ciao da scorzè Venezia italy
peace and freedom
I understood that the killing of an apostate refers to those who in the time of mohammed's struggles, left Islam, ànd, and, collaborated with the enemies. So that wouldn't include people who decide in our time that they have to leave. Anyway, that is between them and God, and even then, some people think it over and decide to go back to Islam, and it is not up to humans to take that away from them.
I myself think there are many ways to God, and they all lead to the same end.
I agree that I'd consider changing religion to suit your own selfish means is a much greater offence, and danger, and will defenitely have a far greater and more evil impact on a very great number of people.
Amen! What a great post! I have often had many of the same thoughts, and I am SO glad to see them expressed here! THANK YOU!!!
"There is no compulsion in religion."
I hear that alot. I would like to understand why it is not followed as such.
Nzingha,
"Much of this of course stems from the insecurity of followers and says to outsiders that Islam itself is insecure. A notion I strongly object to."
I like how you expressed this. Is your statement a function of your Westernized background or your view of the Qur'an? Most Islamic majority countries would not think this way.
I am not being fasicious but very serious, from an anthropological pov.
anthrogeek10
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