Politics > Politics-USA > Prosecution Of Christian Convert Abdul Rahman In Afghanistan Violates The Qur'an, Islam's Highest Written Authority, Which Says There Must Be "No Compulsion In Religion."
| Topic: |
Politics > Politics-USA |
| User: |
"explorerthedog" |
| Date: |
25 Mar 2006 01:46:39 PM |
| Object: |
Prosecution Of Christian Convert Abdul Rahman In Afghanistan Violates The Qur'an, Islam's Highest Written Authority, Which Says There Must Be "No Compulsion In Religion." |
The best outcome, with benefit for all people, would be for a high
Islamic court to rule that the case should be dismissed because true
Islamic law permits freedom of religion.
Qur'an 2.256 plainly says, "There is no compulsion in religion; truly
the right way has become clearly distinct from error; therefore,
whoever disbelieves in the Shaitan (note: Satan) and believes in Allah
he indeed has laid hold on the firmest handle, which shall not break
off, and Allah is Hearing, Knowing."
Source: Qur'an (Koran) as shown at http://www.hti.umich.edu/k/koran/
and elsewhere.
The theological basis for the prosecution of Rahman apparently comes
from a misreading of Qur'an 16.106, which says, "He who disbelieves in
Allah after his having believed, not he who is compelled while his
heart is at rest on account of faith, but he who opens (his) breast to
disbelief-- on these is the wrath of Allah, and they shall have a
grievous chastisement."
Immediately we can see two theological errors in prosecuting Rahman on
this basis: First, he is not "disbelieving in Allah." Allah is the
creator of the universe, and there is only one Allah. We Christians
call Him, "God," or "Heavenly Father." But we are talking about the
same One Creator, who has revealed Himself to different people in
slightly different ways, for His own good reasons. As a Christian,
Rahman still believes in Allah, as do I myself. And second, the
"grievous punishment" is supposed to come from Allah Himself, on
Judgment Day, not from fallible humans today. Furthermore, everyone
should keep in mind that all punishments specified in the Qur'an may be
moderated and reduced by applying the oft-stated principle that "Allah
is forgiving, merciful," as stated in Qur'an 2.173 and seventy-six
other places in the Qur'an. Allah knows your heart. In Islam, if you
have a really good reason, Allah will overlook or forgive almost
anything.
(Also note that this verse confirms the invalidity of compulsion in
religion, when it says, "not he who is compelled.")
So we see that the prosecution of Abdul Rahman in Afghanistan for
converting from Islam to Christianity, in supposed violation of
"Islamic law," is itself a violation of Islamic law, the highest
written authority in which is the Qur'an.
In Islam, there are some secondary written authorities called the
"hadith," or "sayings," attributed to the prophet Muhammad, some of
which were reportedly heard by his followers, then told to others who
then told them to others who then wrote them down. But the various
hadith differ widely among themselves, and many are believed by some
Muslims but not by others. But even the most authoritative hadith is
never strong enough to contradict the words of the Qur'an, all of which
were reportedly given by Allah to the Prophet Muhammad and immediately
written down under his direct supervision.
Most of the harshest, most troublesome parts of Islamic law are based
on the hadith, or on judicial misinterpretations of the Qur'an, not on
a correct understanding of the Qur'an itself.
So what is the best outcome of the current situation, in which our
shiny new Showcase of Democracy, Afghanistan, seems ready to convict
and execute a citizen simply because he converted from Islam to
Christianity? Are we happy that we worked so hard, with many deaths and
much expense, to establish such a "Democracy" as this? Will we perhaps
be so fortunate as to help establish another one just like it in Iraq?
Is that why we are in Iraq, to promote Democracies such as this?
The only good outcome is for the Islamic courts, themselves, to
consider all the evidence then come to the correct Islamic verdict,
which is: "Case dismissed," because the Qur'an itself does not prohibit
such conversions, but in fact permits them under the rule in Qur'an
2.256, as shown above.
If the government of Afghanistan merely yields to Western pressure in
this one case, that doesn't solve anything. The problem will come back
again in future cases. And if they make up some phony excuse for not
having the trial, like "mental incompetence," that is even worse. The
fact is that Abdul Rahman is perfectly competent to stand trial, but
the case against him is not justified under true Islamic law.
PROPOSAL FOR SOLUTION, WITH BENEFIT FOR ALL
I propose that a high-level team of Islamic scholars study this case,
and defend Rahman, and win the legal victory they deserve: "Case
dismissed." This would establish the Islamic legal precedent, on the
international level, that true Islam permits freedom of religion. This
might very well be as important a case for the entire world today as
Brown v Board of Education was for the United States in 1956. And it
could be the foundation of true Christian-Muslim understanding and
peaceful co-existence, as described below.
THE PROPER RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MUSLIMS AND CHRISTIANS
The world is well aware that a fundamental tension has long existed
between Islam and Christianity, Muslims and Christians. The underlying
theological reason for this tension is best understood by comparing two
verses from Scripture: Sura (chapter) 112 from the Qur'an (Islam's
highest written authority) and John 3:16 from the Bible (Christianity's
highest written authority.) Sura 112 is considered by many Muslims to
be the most important single statement in Islam, and John 3:16 is
considered by many Christians to be the most important single statement
in Christianity.
The fundamental conflict is that the Qur'an says Allah (God) did not
father any children in any way, and that no one is like Him; but the
Bible says that Jesus is God's Son and that anyone who believes in
Jesus will have eternal life. Islam accepts Jesus, but only as one of
the many prophets who came before Muhammed, not as the only-begotten
Son of God.
[112.1] Say: He, Allah, is One.
[112.2] Allah is He on Whom all depend.
[112.3] He begets not, nor is He begotten.
[112.4] And none is like Him.
Qur'an 112:1-4
(Shakir Translation)
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,
that whoever believes in him should not perish but
have eternal life.
Bible: John 3:16
(Revised Standard Version)
The Qur'an and Bible I am using here are the ones available online from
the University Of Michigan by following THIS LINK. The Revised Standard
translation of the Bible (RSV) and the M. H. Shakir translation of the
Qur'an are both widely available and widely accepted. If you want to
consult other translations, you can easily do so by searching for
"Bible online" and "Qur'an online" at Google.com.
To a Muslim, it is blasphemy to say that Jesus is the Son of God. To a
Christian, it is blasphemy to say that Jesus is not the Son of God.
This is the fundamental conflict between Islam and Christianity, and it
cannot be papered over with smiles and pleasant words.
Nevertheless, it is quite possible for both religions to live
side-by-side in peaceful, even brotherly, co-existence. In fact, the
Qur'an specifically instructs Muslims to accept and tolerate
Christians, and the Bible instructs Christians to live at peace with
all people, as we will show below.
The Way Christians Should Act Toward Muslims
The Bible instructs Christians to live at peace with all people, as
much as it is possible to do so. Further, Christians are instructed not
to seek revenge for personal offenses, but to leave vengeance to God.
"If possible, so far as it depends upon you,
live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge
yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God;
for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay,
says the Lord.'"
Bible: Romans 12:18-19
(Revised Standard Version)
The Way Muslims Should Act Toward Christians
The Qur'an instructs Muslims to give Christians nothing to fear and not
to cause Christians to grieve. Further, the Qur'an instructs Muslims
that there should be no compulsion in religion. Therefore Christians,
all of whom believe in Allah (God), believe in the Last day (Judgment
Day) and try to do good, should be allowed to live in peace, even if
they do not convert to Islam.
[2.62] Surely those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the
Christians, and the Sabians, whoever believes in Allah and the Last day
and does good, they shall have their reward from their Lord, and there
is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve.
[2.256] There is no compulsion in religion; truly the right way has
become clearly distinct from error; therefore, whoever disbelieves in
the
Shaitan
and believes in Allah he indeed has laid hold on the firmest handle,
which
shall not break off, and Allah is Hearing, Knowing.
Qur'an 2.62 and 2.256
(Shakir Translation)
Blessings to you. And may God bless us all.
Rev. Bill McGinnis, Director - LoveAllPeople.org
HTML version of this page at
http://www.loveallpeople.org/prosecutionviolatesquran.html
.
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| User: "TheSecularist" |
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| Title: Re: Prosecution Of Christian Convert Abdul Rahman In Afghanistan Violates The Qur'an, Islam's Highest Written Authority, Which Says There Must Be "No Compulsion In Religion." |
26 Mar 2006 08:28:28 AM |
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"explorerthedog" <exp1943@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1143315999.889476.11240@i39g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
Qur'an 2.256 plainly says, "There is no compulsion in religion; truly
We all know what really happens.
Yeah, there's no compulsion in religion, but if you're a non-Muslim or
murtad in a majority Islamic country (in some cases in a minority one as
well) you're at risk of being:
- executed
- lynched
- raped
- exiled
- ruined
- disowned by family
- automatic divorce and loss of children
- socially ostracized
- legally and fiscally discriminated against (can include loss of many
essential legal rights)
- overlooked for employment and promotion
And several other kinds of abuses.
We know what really happens, we can see it all around us in the world
everyday.
Islam is a bit like Hotel California, you can check in any time you like,
but you can never leave!
They'll label him insane, agree not to kill him and when the media circus
has died down and people in the West have forgotten about him, they'll hack
his head off.
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