Is Islam a Religion of Mercy and Peace?

Is Islam a Religion of Mercy and Peace?

Islam is based on the tenets of Holy Quran and Muslims are confined by the teachings therein.

The word “Islam” is derived from the Arabic root word “salaama”, meaning peace, obedience, purity and submission. Islam means abiding peace and unconditional obedience to the will of God and His divine law.

The message of Islam came to Muhammad for the first time through the angel Gabriel, when he was 40 years old, in the year 610 AD, on Mount Hira, near Jabal alNur, the Mountain of Light, in a cave, where he usually used to meditate. He continued to receive the revelations for the rest of his life, which were compiled into the Qu'ran, the chief holy book of Islam.

The word Qu'ran means something that is read or recited. For the Muslims, it is the inviolable and unchangeable law of God. Every word in it is believed to be the "actual and literal" word of God that cannot be interpreted other than what it is. Hence followers of Islam refer themselves as Muslims.

As Muslims are forbidden to question any statement in Holy Quran, they are left with no option but simply to adhere to every word, sentence, order and command. Hence if Holy Quran under Islam is found to be preaching violence, terrorism, annihilation of other faiths whatever may the reasons, it becomes a world problem threatening the peace and mercy around the entire humanity.

Divided into 114 chapters (surahs), containing 6000 verses (ayats) and composed in beautiful poetic Arabic, it is recited in every household of the Islamic world and memorized by many by heart.

The second most important text of Islam is Hadith, which contains the sayings and deeds of Muhammad, known popularly as Sunnah (the well trodden path).

While the Qu'ran is indisputable, the statements of the Hadith often pose problems to the Muslim scholars with regard to their interpretation.

Another important source of Islamic practice is Sharia, the Muslim law, which is derived from both the Qu'ran and the Hadith.

In Quran, every twelfth verse either speaks to Allah’s hatred for non-Muslims or calls for their death, forced conversion, or subjugation. Hence it is little wonder that sympathy for terrorism – Jihad runs deeply into their mental outlook of Muslims in general. Jihad – the holy war or war against non-Muslims and jihad being one of the ten Practices of the Religion is being considered as a religious duty enjoining upon devout Muslims to convert everybody to Islam either by persuasion or force.

Before examining the statement that this violent extremism stem from Islam’s sacred texts, it’s worth first drawing the important distinction between Islam as a set of ideas and Muslims as adherents.

We can distinguish three different groups of Muslims in the world today based on how they envision and practice their faith.

•Medina Muslims or Mad Muslims (Jihad Muslims)

•Mecca Muslims or Mild Muslims

•Reformer Muslims or Modern Muslims

The first group is the most problematic – the fundamentalists who envision a regime based on sharia, Islamic religious law. Sharia law is a divine code for them and takes precedence over civil laws and they expect all Muslims to fall in line. They have laid the foundation for Jihad movement.

The second group — and the clear majority throughout the Muslim world — consist of Muslims who are loyal to the core creed and worship devoutly but are not inclined to practice violence or even intolerance towards non-Muslims. The fundamental problem is that the majority of otherwise peaceful and law-abiding Muslims are unwilling to acknowledge, much less to repudiate, the theological warrant for intolerance and violence embedded in their own religious texts.

More recently, and corresponding with the rise of Islamic terrorism, a third group is emerging within Islam — Muslim reformers or, as we call them, “modifying Muslims” or “modern Muslims” — who promote the separation of religion from politics and other reforms.

The future of Islam and the world’s relationship with Muslims will be decided by which of the two minority groups — the Medina Muslims and the modern reformers — wins the support of the Meccan majority. That is why focusing on “violent extremism” is to focus on a symptom of a much more profound ideological epidemic that has its root causes in Islamic doctrine.

The key question is not whether Islam is a religion of peace, but rather, whether Muslims follow the Mohammed of Medina, regardless of whether they are Sunni or Shiite. Though the problem is not bad people, but bad ideology, Muslims will never dare to subscribe to this view – as Muslims hold their scripture supreme and unfaultable.   Above all, unfortunately, there are very few verses of tolerance and peace in Quran to balance out those calling for non-believers to be fought and subdued until they either accept humiliation, convert to Islam or are killed. Here, Islam accepts and preaches the theory of ‘One World One God and One Religion’ – Allah must have no rivals and Allah has instructed them to make Islam superior over all religions (Verse 9.33).

Belief in Allah and Jihad in His cause – is their ultimate aim for which Muslims are ordained to achieve it be waging a war against non-Muslims.

The Holy Quran contains 164 Jihad verses directly speaking about Jihad and most of the passages mention a military expedition, fighting, or distributing war spoils.

The Holy Quran again contains at least 109 verses that speak of war with non-believers. Some are quite graphic, with commands to chop off heads and fingers and kill infidels wherever they may be hiding. Muslims who do not join the fight are called ‘Hypocrites’ and warned that Allah will send them to Hell if they do not join the slaughter.  Holy Quran has declared in many verses that killing non-believers and idolaters is not a sin but it is a virtue and a religious duty which will be rewarded here with wealth, women, slaves and hereafter with heavenly abode.

"As to those who reject faith, I will punish them with terrible agony in this world and in the Hereafter, nor will they have anyone to help." (Quran (3:56).

All able bodied Muslims are commanded to join in the violence of humiliating and hurting non-believers. Hence this critizes ‘peaceful’ Muslims who do not join in the violence but goes further to let them know that they are less worthy in Allah’s eyes. Such acts of violence by Muslims not only has the blessings of Allah, but it is said that it even heals the hearts of Muslims. In short, unbelievers are merely firewood for Hell, makes it easier to justify slaughter.

It is stated that much of the religious justification of violence against non-beliverers (Dar ul Kufr) by promoters of Jihad is based on the Quranic ‘sword verses’ – Refer: Quran 2.191, 193 & 216, 8.12, 39, 9.5 & 73, 47. 3/4,  etc.

Sword verses are more visible and forthright than Peace Verses in Quran thereby portraying Islam in poor light and even questioning its declared principle of ‘Mercy and Peace Tag.’

Some Sample of such verses preaching violence and unmerciful acts are given here:

Quran (2.191)  And kill them wherever you find them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out. And Al-Fitnah is worse than killing. And fight not with them at Al-Masjid-al-Haram (the sanctuary at Makkah), unless they (first) fight you there. But if they attack you, then kill them. Such is the recompense of the disbelievers.

Quran (2.193) And fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and worshipping of others along with Allah) and (all and every kind of) worship is for Allah (Alone). But if they cease, let there be no transgression except against Az-Zalimun (the polytheists, and wrong-doers, etc.)

Quran (2:216) - "Fighting is prescribed for you, and ye dislike it. But it is possible that ye dislike a thing which is good for you, and that ye love a thing which is bad for you. But Allah knoweth, and ye know not." 

Quran (8:12) - "I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them“

Quran (8:39) - "And fight with them until there is no more fitna (disorder, unbelief) and religion is all for Allah" 

Quran (9:5) - "So when the sacred months have passed away, then slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them captive and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush, then if they repent and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, leave their way free to them.“

Quran (9:73) - "O Prophet! strive hard against the unbelievers and the hypocrites and be unyielding to them; and their abode is hell, and evil is the destination.“

Quran (9:123) - "O you who believe! fight those of the unbelievers who are near to you and let them find in you hardness." 

Quran (47:3-4) - "Those who disbelieve follow falsehood, while those who believe follow the truth from their Lord... So, when you meet (fighting Jihad in Allah's Cause), those who disbelieve smite at their necks till when you have killed and wounded many of them, then bind a bond firmly (on them, i.e. take them as captives)... If it had been Allah's Will, He Himself could certainly have punished them (without you). But (He lets you fight), in order to test you, some with others. But those who are killed in the Way of Allah, He will never let their deeds be lost.

Islam normally reject offers of surrender from the besieged inhabitants and even butchered captives. The invading Muslim armies were allowed to rape traumatized women captured in battle, usually on the very day their husbands and family members were slaughtered and they referred these as ‘same day marriages’.

Islam does not apologize or take any real effort at moral progress. Quran’s verses of violence being given the weight of divine command is a major hurdle for any reform.

There is a school of thought in Islam that Quran justifies wars for self-defense to protect Islamic communities against internal or external aggression by non-Islamic populations and wards waged against those who violate their oaths by breaking a treaty.

But, by perusing a few verses, the theory of self-defence will be blown into pieces and one can easily surmise that verses from the Quran evidence that Islam is clearly and concisely evil, violent and intolerant.

Another strange argument was put forth to dilute the violent nature of Jihad as practiced by Muslims.

They quote: The Prophet, on his return from a battle, said: ‘We are finished with the lesser Jihad; now we are starting the greatest Jihad.’

He explained to his followers that fighting against an outer enemy is the lesser jihad and fighting against one’s self is the greater jihad (holy war).’

Hence some Modern writers claim that the main meaning of Jihad is the internal spiritual struggle which is being termed as greater Jihad as coined by Prophet Muhammed, but, this could not be convincingly proved by quoting relative verses from Quran.

Jihad is simply a military struggle and it is nothing to do with mental or spiritual thoughts as being forcefully argued.

 ‘Islam should be the only religion in the world; Quran should be the only Holy Religious Book in the world; Allah should be the only God for the world’ – are the main principle propagated by Muslims and to achieve this, they want all to convert to Islam or to get slaughtered. This oneness is revealed in Holy Quran in many places and all Muslims in chorus  will chant – Allahu  Akbar  meaning ‘Allah is the Greatest’ and all other religions and their Gods are very much inferior to Allah.

To maintain the superiority, their faith, their holy book, their God are all being protected with Sword and such acts are being fully praised in their scriptures.

If such being the case of Muslims’ Religious Fanaticism, Islam cannot be termed as a religion of Mercy or Peace.  

Four quotes about the status of Islam/Muslims from famous Indian Philosopher, Writer, Political Leader and Constituent Expert:

Swami Vivekananda: Every man going out of the Hindu pale is not only a man less, but an enemy the more. Prophet Muhammad was not a trained yogi and did not know the reason of what he was doing. Think of what good Muhammad did to the world and think of the great evil which has been done through his fanaticism. The Quran advises Muslims to kill the Non Muslims if they did not become Muslims.

 Poet Rabindranath Tagore: There are two religions on the Earth which have distinct enmity against all other religions. These two are Christianity and Islam. They are not satisfied with just observing their own religions but are determined to destroy all other religions. That’s why the only way to make peace with them is to embrace their religion.

Pandit Jawarhal Nehru: Islam had become a more rigid faith suited more to military conquests rather than the conquests of the mind. The Muslims who came to India from outside brought no new technique or political or economic structure. Inspite of religious belief in the brotherhood of Islam, they were class bound and feudal in outlook.

Dr. Ambedkar: To the Muslims, a Hindu (and any Non-Muslim) is a Kafir. A Kafir (Non-Believer in Islam) is not worthy of respect. He is a low born and without status. That is why a country ruled by the Kafir (Non-Muslim) is a ‘Dar ul Harb’ (i.e. the Land of War) to a Muslim, which must be conquered, by any means for the Muslims and turned into ‘Dar ul Islam’ (i.e., Land of Muslims alone). Given this, not further evidence seems necessary to prove that the Muslims will not obey a Hindu (or for that matter any Non-Muslim) government. Those who are outside the corporation (of Islam) there is nothing but contempt and enmity.