Islam's, other religions' and modern civilization's position with war (Part 4)

Although it is useless to discuss whether Islam allows terror, since our consciousness and minds are manipulated for years to make us believe that Islamic belief causes terror, we should saw a few words on this topic. But before Islam’s stand against terror, we should remind that this topic is a new one introduced after 1991 in order to create a new enemy front against the Western hegemony in the world. It is Muslims in the world who have been terrorized for centuries, not who have terrorized others. Those who employ some figures from the Muslim world whom they have trained as terrorists are the same powers that accuse Islam of allowing terror.

Any terrorist activity, no matter who does it and for what purpose, is the greatest blow to all religious and humanistic values For this reason, no one—and certainly no Muslims—can approve of any terrorist activity. Terror has no place in one’s quest to achieve independence or salvation. It costs the lives of innocent people.

Even though at first sight such acts seem to harm the target, all terrorist activities eventually do more harm to the terrorists and their supporters. Although there may always be some who exploit any religion for their interests, Islam does not approve of terrorism in any form. Terrorism cannot be used to achieve any Islamic

goal. No terrorist can be a Muslim, and no true Muslim can be a terrorist. Islam orders peace, and the Qur’an demands from each true Muslim that he or she be a symbol of peace and support the maintenance of basic human rights. If a ship is carrying nine criminals and one innocent person, Islam does not allow the ship to be sunk to punish the nine criminals, for doing so would violate the innocent person’s rights.

Islam respects all individual rights and states clearly that none of them can be violated, even if doing so would be in the community’s interest. The Qur’an declares that one who takes a life unjustly has, in effect, taken the lives of humanity as a whole, and that one who saves a life has, in effect, saved the lives of humanity as a whole. Also, our Prophet Muhammad says that a Muslim is one who does no harm with either his or her hand or tongue.

Islam's, other religions' and modern civilization's position with war (Part 3)

We should also point out here that people have embraced Islam in throngs during centuries while few have left it to accept another faith. Partly because of the complex this has caused and partly because of the prejudices coming from ignorance and dogmatic adherence to their faith, some Westerners have claimed that Islam is a religion of sword and has spread by the force of sword. However, this claim has been refuted even by unbiased Western writers and researchers. The main dynamics of the spread of Islam has already been explained in the 10th chapter of this study. We can only mention the main religious qualities which attracted people to Islam have been:

• the clarity of the theological doctrines of Islam based on the Divine Unity;

• rationalism of the Islamic teachings;

• the complete harmony of the Islamic ideals and values with human conscience;

• the inclusiveness and comprehensiveness of Islam covering all aspects of physical, mental, and spiritual life of individuals and societies, hence the harmony of religion and life which it has established;

• the lack of formalism and mediation;

• the vividness, dynamism and resilience of the Islamic theology, and its creativity and universality, and its compatibility with established scientific facts;

• the cohesion and harmony of the Islamic principles, and

• the shortcomings of other theological systems.

To sum up:

• The purpose for war is never killing people. Just to the contary, Islam, which attaches great value to life and regards killing an innocent person as if killing the whole humankind and saving a life as if saving the lives of all humankind, aims at the survival of humanity and their finding the truth through education.

• Even in warfare, Islam is ready to make peace and agreement with the opposing side.

• A Muslim government remains faithful to the treaty it has made until the end of its term.

• If the opposing side betrays the agreement, The Muslim government publicly and officially declares to that side that the agreement is no longer valid. Even though it can declare war as soon as the agreement loses its validity, it tends to grant them respite to make a new evalutaion.

• If the opposing side continues their hostilities and do not change their attitude even after the end of the term granted to them, this means that there is a state of war.

• In order to force the enemy to give up hostilities or defeat them in war, the Muslims must bet powerful enough and remain steadfast. However, the Muslims must always observe the rules of war mentioned above.

• It should be borne in mind that the expressions in some verses of the Qur’an are aimed at violent peoples who, as it can easily be inferred from the verses themselves, do recognize no rules and laws and do not understand any language other than war. Like some commandments of the Islamic Penal Law, they are also of a deterrent character. These same verses also mention repentance and God’s being All-Forgiving and All-Compassionate, which explains Islam’s purpose for war.

• Islam never aims by war at killing people and conquering lands. So, when the enemy side inclines to peace and agreement, the Muslims should also incline to them. They should also give asylum to those who seek it and, without giving the least harm to their wealth and souls, convey to them to their place of safety. These are the rules of war openly commanded by the Qur’an and practiced by the Muslims during history.

• War is a legal matter between nations. Islam is, first of all, a religion arranging the relation between God and humanity and is based on sincere belief. So its main adherents are the sincere believers. However, Islam also orders human individual and social life as a requirement of its basic mission. This relates to its legal aspect and includes the matter of citizenship. The main citizens of an Islamic state are the Muslims. In legal terms, a Muslim is one who professes belief and, as a type of worship demonstrating one’s being a Muslim in order to legally treat him or her as a Muslim citizen, establishing the Prescribed Prayer, and, as the financial duty of a Muslim citizen, paying the Prescribed Alms. Such a one may not be a sincere believer as well; instead, he or she may be a hypocrite. But one

who professes belief and establishes the Prayer and paying the Prescribed Alms is legally regarded as a Muslim. So, when an individual or a group of persons at war with Muslims profess belief and establish the Prescribed Prayer and pay the Prescribed Alms, the state of war ends. No one is compelled to believe. One who professes believe and lives in a Muslim society is expected to see the truth and become a sincere believer. This is why even if we know that one who professes belief is in fact a hypocrite, he or she is treated as a Muslim so long as he or she does not declare unbelief and establishes the Prescribed Prayer and pay the Prescribed Alms.

• Islam is never to apologize to any other religion or ideology or system for its permission to fight. On the contrary, all other religions, ideologies and systems have a debt of apology and thanking to Islam. Islam aims at the universal peace and, as a reality of human history, realizing this peace sometime requires fighting. As declared in the Qur’anic statements that (For though killing is something you feel aversion to,) disorder (coming from rebellion to God and recognizing no laws) is even worse than killing (2:191) and disorder (coming from rebellion to God and recognizing no laws) is even more graver and sinful than killing (2:217), the conditions giving rise to war and disorder are more griveous than killing itself and therefore war is permissible to remove those conditions although it is not something good.

Islam's, other religions' and modern civilization's position with war (Part 2)

As for other religions such as those in the south, east and south-eastern Asia, since they lack in the rules to govern the social and economic life of people, they

resemble more esoteric philosophies, and yet their followers have not withdrawn from waging wars.

As for modern civilization, it is not Islam which is responsible for the millions of deaths in the Soviet Union and communist China; it is not Islam which caused the Soviet/Russian massacres in Afghanistan and Chechnia and the brutal suppression of freedom movements in Hungary and Czechoslovakia. It is not Islam which is responsible for the killing of more than one million people during France’s war to deny Algeria its freedom. It is not Islam which urged America to its adventure in Vietnam, which cost more than a million lives during the war and many more indirectly since. It is not Islam which caused the death of more than 60 million people, mainly civilians, and forced countless millions more to remain homeless, widowed and orphaned, during and after the two world wars. It is not Islam which is responsible for using scientific knowledge to make nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction with which to intimidate poor and weak nations, and maintain the global hegemony. It is not Islam which is responsible for extermination of natives in the Ameircan Continent and Australia. It is not Islam which is responsible for mass massacres in Africa. Islam is neither responsible for world-wide colonialism which lasted centuries and is still continuing in disguise. Nor is Islam responsible for slave trades which cost the lives of tens of millions of people. It is not Islam which is responsible for raising war-mongers like Hitler, Stalin, and Mussolini. They were not brought up by Muslims. Likewise, it is not Islam, nor Muslims, that are responsible for the establishment of despotic kings and presidents over the Muslim countries and their oppression, injustices and massacres. It is not Islam which is responsible for modern terrorism, mafia organizations, and world-wide smuggle of weapons and drugs, despite all opposing claims and plots staged to make us believe that it is so.

Islam, which declares, “Peace is what is the best,” aims at establishing peace throughout the world. However, war is a reality of human history. It is a manifestation in the social life of humanity of the inner world of those who have not been able to attain the human perfection in intellect, spirit and morality. Or it is a manifestation of the war between the spirit and the carnal soul, or Satan and the human values of perfection. What is important and necessary is, rather than overlooking a reality in a meaningless idealistic manner, to bring rules to make war just and for the benefit of people in general. It must be like disciplining and training a person or performing, when necessary, an operation on him/her to restore him/her to health after illness or giving the due punishment to a criminal. This is what Islam has done.

Islam does not order war, but allows it on condition that it should be in God’s way and for the defensive purposes. It also enjoins that the limits set by God must not be exceeded. Those limits are related to both the intention and exercise. For

example, Islam does not allow any war for ultra motives such as conquering lands or plundering or quenching any thirst for revenge or obtaining any material advantage or satisfying racist inclinations. It does not force anyone to change his/her faith. Rather it wants there to be a social atmosphere of freedom where everyone will be able to use his/her free will to accept any faith he/she desires. It has also set up limitations in exercising it, such as those that follow:

• Do not betray the agreements you have made.

• Do not make any plundering.

• Wrong no one and exercise no torture.

• Do not touch the children, women and the old.

• Do not destroy fruit-trees and fertile lands.

• Do not kill sheep and cattle.

• Respect all religious persons who live in hermitages or convents and spare their edifices. (Ibn al-Athir, al-Kami fi al-Tarikh, Vol.3, p.227.)

Islam's, other religions' and modern civilization's position with war(Part 1)

Bismillahirrahmanirraheem..

 Islam's, other religions' and modern civilization's position with war

Some have tended to criticize Islam for it allows war and even orders it to put an end to the domination of injustice and oppression, help the oppressed and establish a social atmosphere of freedom where the truth can be preached. This critics is completely unjust, for first of all it is not Islam that introduced the war into the human history. Second, if this critics comes from the Christians, Matthew (10: 34-36) records Jesus to have said: “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have to turn a main against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—a man’n enemies will be the members of hiw own household.” Since Christianity has brought no rules for war, the wars in the Christendom have been much more bloody and ruthless. It can also be said that, apart from the Crusades, Christianity provided a means for the merciless colonization of two third of the world by the Western powers in previous centuries. Graham Fuller and Lesser (Graham E. Fuller, Ian O. Lesser, Kuşatılanlar-Islam ve Batı’nin Jeopolitiği, trans. Ö. Arikan, Istanbul, 1996, pp. 41-42) records that the Christians killed by Muslims during Islam’s history of 14 centuries are less in number than the Muslims killed by Christians in only the 20th century. Christianity began its assaults on Islam when the latter was a still a bud in Madina. The first generation of Muslims had to encounter a Byzantine army of 100.000 soldiers in Mu’ta with only 3.000 warriors in the 8th year of Hijra. One year later, the Messenger had to muster all his power against them, which was recorded by history as the Campaign to Tabuk; and three years later, the Muslim and Byzantine forces encuntered once more in Yarmuk, which ended in a decisive defeat of the Byzantines.

As for the Judaism, a few quotations from the Bible are enough to see its position with war and compare this position with that of Islam: “When Sihon and all his army came out to meet us in battle at Jahaz, the Lord our God delivered him over to us and we struck him down, together with his sons and his whole army. At that time we took all his towns and completelydestroyed them – men, women and children. We left no survivors. But the livestock and the plunder from the towns we had captured we carried off for ourselves... So the Lord our God also gave into our lands Og king of Bashan and all his army. We struck them down, leaving no survivors. At that time we took all his cities. There was not one of the sixty cities that we did not take from them... We completely destroyed them, as we had done with Sihon king of Heshbon, destroying every city – men, women and children.” (Deuteronomy, 2:32-35; 3:3-4, 6) The crimes that have been committed for years by modern Israel are known to everybody in the world.

CHAPTER 1 PROPHET ABRAHAM AND THE FIRST HOUSE OF ALLAH ON EARTH

CHAPTER 1 
PROPHET ABRAHAM AND THE FIRST HOUSE OF ALLAH ON EARTH

Prophet Abraham was born to honorable parents descended from Prophet Noah. He
was born in the city of Hara, Iraq during the reign of King Nimrod and is often referred to
as “The Friend of Allah” and "The Father of the Prophets". Before Abraham reached
maturity his father passed away, and as was the custom in those days, he would, out of
respect for his paternal uncle, refer to him as his father. There had been a void in
guidance since the death of Prophet Noah and the people of Hara reverted to idolatry.
Hara was renowned for its ornate, pagan temples and its citizens took great pride in the
idols housed within them. Offerings were sacrificed to the idols and ritual ceremonies,
wishfully invoking their favors performed before them. A lucrative commerce had grown
around the activities of the temples. Carved replicas of the idols were a much sought
after possession and it was to this profession that Azar, Abraham’s uncle, whom he now
called “father” directed his talents.
WHO IS MY LORD
Abraham was unlike his contemporaries, he grew to be an upright, caring, young man
repulsed by idol worship and sought the answer to a question that had consumed him for
many years −− who was his Lord? In the process of his guidance, Allah in His Mercy
caused Abraham to contemplate upon the kingdoms of the heavens and earth. One
evening, as he gazed up into the night sky, he saw a planet shinning more brightly than
the others and exclaimed, "This is surely my Lord!" but, as the morning light came the
planet set he rejected his thought saying, "I do not like the setting ones!" On another
occasion as he saw the moon rise he said once again, "This is my Lord!" But like the
planet as the light of the morning broke it disappeared whereupon he said, "If my Lord
does not guide me, I shall be amongst the astray nation!" Then, when he saw the sun
rise upon the horizon he said, "This must be my Lord, it is larger!" But as it set he turned
to his people saying, "O nation I am quit of what you associate (with Allah, the Creator) I
have turned my face to Him who created the heavens and the earth, uprightly, and I am
not among the idolaters!" Koran, Chapter 6 verses 76−79
ABRAHAM IS CHOSEN BY ALLAH AND BECOMES A PROPHET
Shortly after this Allah sent the Arch Angel Gabriel to inform Abraham that He had
chosen him to be His Messenger. Abraham was deeply humbled by the news and
Gabriel brought him, over a period of forty−two visits, ten Holy Scrolls. Prophet
Muhammad informed his companions later on that the contents of the Scrolls were
examples. Abraham's open rejection of idolatry caused a commotion, no one had ever
challenged the deity of the idols of Hara; to his fellow citizens the notion was deemed
blasphemous. However, Abraham was resolved, he had no doubt that Allah was the only
One to be worshipped because he was convinced that it was He alone who had created
everything.
THE LOGIC OF ABRAHAM
Abraham tried reasoning with those around him in the best manner, but they refused to
accept his logic even after he had drawn their attention to the obvious fact that their idols
had either been hewn from stone or carved from wood by people such as themselves.
Abraham never stopped challenging his people and asked if their idols could do anything
else other than just stand motionless, year after year, in the same place −− the place in
which they themselves had been positioned many years before! He reminded his people
that the idols neither ate nor drank from the offerings placed before them nor could they
harm or benefit anyone. But still the people refused to abandon their idolatry. Over the
course of time the idolaters became outraged and told Abraham that it was he who was
wrong and that he must fear their gods. Abraham shook his head and asked, "And how
should I fear what you have associated when you yourselves are not afraid that you
have associated with Allah that which He did not send down for it upon you an authority.”
Koran, Chapter 6 verse 81
ABRAHAM AND KING NIMROD
The news of Abraham's preaching reached King Nimrod who considered himself to be a
deity. Abraham feared no one except Allah, so when he was presented to the king he
challenged him saying, "My Lord is He who revives and causes to die." But the artful
king scoffed at Abraham and told him, "I revive and cause to die." The king knew exactly
what Abraham meant, but had tired to outwit him with his reply by referring to the power
he had as king to either spare the life of a guilty criminal, or put to death an innocent
person −− whichever suited his whim. Abraham challenged him yet again saying, "Allah
brings up the sun from the east, so you bring it from the west." This time the king knew
he had been revealed and the color drained from his face, and Abraham waited to see if
he would surrender to Allah but he did not and so Abraham returned home. Koran,
Chapter 2 verse 258
ABRAHAM AND THE MIRACLE OF THE FOUR BIRDS
One day, Abraham asked Allah to show him how He revived the dead. Allah asked
Abraham, "Haven't you believed?" Abraham told Him that it wasn't that, rather, it was
just to satisfy his heart. So Allah told him to take four birds, sacrifice them, then cut them
into pieces and mix their bits and pieces together then go to the neighboring hills and
place some of the mixed pieces on each of them. Allah told Abraham that after he had
done this to call the birds and their severed parts would reassemble and fly to him.
Abraham did exactly as he was told, he sacrificed a peacock, an eagle, a crow and a
rooster, then, after he had mixed their body parts together he placed them upon the
neighboring hills, keeping only their heads with him. Once this had been done he called
to them whereupon their mixed parts were brought back to life, reassembled, and flew to
join themselves to their respective head that Abraham still held in his hand. Koran.
ABRAHAM AND HIS “FATHER” PART COMPANY:
Now Azar was among those who refused to accept Allah as his Lord. Abraham asked
him why he was so devoted to the idols but Azar could offer no better reply than to say
that many people before him had worshipped them, and what was good enough for them
was good enough for him also. Azar became upset and embarrassed by his nephew’s
preaching and threatened to stone him if he persisted. Such was Abraham’s conviction
that he did not stop preaching and after a while, Azar realized that his threats were of no
use so he told his nephew he did not wish to see him again for sometime. As they parted
company, tender−hearted Abraham told Azar he would ask Allah to forgive him, and that
perhaps his Lord would accept his prayer. Abraham continued to preach against the
idols but the people continued to spurn what he had to say. After each refusal he would
ask them the same question he had asked his uncle −− what made them so devoted to
their idols −− but they replied in the same way, which was simply because their fathers
and ancestors had worshipped them. Some even accused Abraham of jesting with them,
but he swore that this was not so, and that without doubt their Lord and Creator is and
always had been the Lord of all that is in the heavens and earth, and that they should
abandon their useless idols.
ABRAHAM OUTWITS THE IDOLS
No matter how hard Abraham tried they would not accept the truth, so he told them, "By
Allah, I shall outwit your idols as soon as you have turned your backs and gone." No one
took Abraham seriously so they left and went about their business. Some time later,
Abraham, unseen with ax in hand, entered the temple in which the most revered idols
were housed, and smashed all except the largest into pieces then left unseen. It wasn't
long before the idolaters returned to the temple and saw their gods lying broken into
pieces on the floor. There was an outcry of horror and those who had heard Abraham's
challenge immediately suspected him, and so he was summoned before them.
"Abraham," they asked, "was it you who did this to our gods?" Abraham replied, "It was
their great one that did it. Ask them if they can speak." The idolaters huddled together in
a corner knowing well in their hearts the truth of the matter and that Abraham had at last
succeeded in exposing the worthlessness of their idols. Begrudgingly, they admitted,
"You know they do not speak." Thereupon Abraham challenged them saying, "Would
you then worship that which can neither benefit nor harm you, instead of Allah? Shame
on you and that you worship other than Allah! Have you no understanding?" Koran,
Chapter 21:68
THE BONFIRE
It was more than the idolaters could bear, their idols lay broken in pieces unable to do
anything for themselves. Outraged by the whole situation they cried out, "Burn him and
help your gods!" The idolaters hastened to build a huge bonfire with the intent of burning
Abraham to death, however, Abraham remained calm having complete trust in His Lord
and did not flinch. There was nothing that would tear him away from his belief in the
Oneness of Allah. Abraham was led to the bonfire and placed in its center, and the
kindling wood lit. It wasn't long until the flames leapt high into the air −− but not even a
single hair of Abraham's head was scorched. That was because Allah had caused a
miracle to occur. He commanded the flames to be cool and safe for Abraham and
eventually, when the fire had consumed itself, Abraham walked away unharmed praising
and thanking Allah for His mercy. Even though the idolaters had witness this great
miracle they continued in their arrogance and refused to abandon their idols. In their
hearts they knew that nothing they did would ever harm Abraham because he was
protected by Allah, so in desperation they banished him and his wife, Lady Sarah, from
their homeland.
ABRAHAM AND SARAH IN EGYPT
After a long, tiring journey, Prophet Abraham and Lady Sarah reached Egypt and it was
there they decided to make their home. During their time in Egypt, Haggar, one of the
noble ladies−in−waiting in the court of Pharaoh, came to live in Abraham's household as
a companion to Sarah. Haggar was a sweet natured lady, she loved Lady Sarah dearly
and a very special friendship bonded them together. Idolatry was also commonplace in
Egypt especially in the court of Pharaoh but when Haggar heard Abraham speak about
Allah she was quick to recognize the truth and accepted it. In those days it was common
place for a man to have more than one wife and Prophet Abraham and Lady Sarah, who
were now elderly remained childless. Lady Sarah had given up hope of ever bearing a
child so she suggested to Abraham that he might like to take Haggar to be her co−wife.
Both Abraham and Haggar accepted her suggestion and shortly after Haggar became
his lawful second wife. The family's wish was fulfilled when Lady Haggar conceived and
gave birth to a fine son whom they named Ishmael. Lady Sarah was delighted and
happy that Abraham had at long last been blessed with a son −− little did she know at
that time that she too would be blessed in later years for her patience with a son of her
own, Isaac.
DECEIT
Throughout the centuries nationalistic Jews and Orientalists have sort to distort the truth
about Prophet Abraham’s legal marriage to Lady Haggar and the very close relationship
between Ladies Sarah and Haggar. Their object has been and still is to undermine the
great event which had been promised and recorded in the original, unadulterated Holy
Scriptures that announced the coming of Islam with its protected revelation, the Holy
Koran and the seal of all the prophets, Prophet Muhammad (sa).