6 Things About ISLAM (Please share With Your Non-Muslim Friends). In the words of Swiss journalist and author, Dr Roger Du Pasquier … ‘ The West, whether christian or dechristianised, has never really known Islam. Ever since they watched it appear on the world stage, Christian never ceased to insult and slander it, in order to find JUSTIFICATION for waging WAR on it. It has been subjected to GROTESQUE DISTORTIONS, the traces of which still ENDURE in the European mind. Even today there are many Westeners for whom Islam can be reduced into 3 ideas. FANATICISM, FATALISME and POLYGAMY. Of course there DOES exist the more cultivated public whose ideas about ISLAM are less deformed. There are still precious few who know that the word ISLAM signifies nothing other than ‘submission to GOD’. Symptom of the ignorance is the fact, that to the IMAGINATION of most Europeans, ALLAH refers to the Divinity of the Muslims, not the god of the Christians and Jew. They are all surprised to hear when one takes the trouble to explain things to them, that Allah means GOD and that even Arab Christians know him by no other name’. SIX – MUSLIM and JESUS. (Misconception – ‘Muslim HATE Jesus’.) There are many similarities between the historical references of Christianity & Islam. Many people are amazed to find out, that according to Muslim belief, Jesus is one of the GREATEST messengers of GOD. One cannot be a muslim without believing the VIRGIN BIRTH and the many miracles of JESUS. Jesus is also mentioned in many verses of the Quran and is often used as an example of GOOD VIRTUE and CHARACTER. However, the main differnce between Christianity and Islam is that the Muslim DO NOT believe that Jesus was God. FIVE – ISLAMIC JIHAD. (Misconception- ‘ Jihad means to fight for the sake of God) The true Arabic meaning of the word JIHAD, is struggle. However, in Islam it is often used to described the STRIVING in the way of God. There are many forms of Jihad but the most important one are Jihad Al-Nafs (Jihad against oneself). Jihad bil-lisan (jihad by being vocal), Jihad bil-yad (jihad by using action), Jihad bis-saif (jihad by using the sword). Each Jihad is ranked differently and it was reported that Muhammad returned from a battle and said “ We have returned from the lesser jihad (going into battle) to the greater jihad (the struggle of the soul). This means that a Muslim is struggling against HIMSELF AND HIS SOUL is more important than the jihad of going into war. Another misconception is that only when a person dies in war does that person becomes a MARTYR. This is however FALSE and it is believed that ANYONE doing ANYTHING for the sake of God and is killed, becomes a martyr. A person who dies while performing pilgrimage in Mecca, a woman who dies while giving birth or even someone who dies in a car crash while he was on his way to the mosque, are all considered MARTYRS. FOUR – MUSLIM SAVAGES. (Misconception – ‘Muslim are SAVAGES and BARBARIC during war’) Quite the contrary, when it comes to the conduct of war, there are EIGHT rules that every Muslim army MUST obey. 1. Do not commit treachery 2. Do Not deviate from the right path. 3. Do Not mutilate dead bodies. 4. Do Not kill children 5. Do Not kill women 6. Do Not kill aged man 7. Do Not harm or burn trees 8. Do Not destroyed buildings. During the crusades when Saladin defeated the Franks, he HONOURED the defeated Franskis army and supplied them with food. And during the third crusade when Saladin enemy King Richard fell sick, Saladin sent him a GIFT of fruits and horses. THREE – WOMENSS RIGHTS. (Misconception - ‘Women’s have no rights’) The image of a woman wearing a veil from head to toe are a woman who gets UNFAIR JUSTICE or a woman who is not allowed to drive is an all familiar notion when it comes to women treatment in ISLAM. And while there are Muslim countries in the world that do implement many HARSH rulings against women, this should not be portrayed as an ISLAMIC LAW. Many of these countries have cultural differences that go against the teaching of Islam. It should be noted that during pre-Islam Arabia, women were used for fornification only and had no independence. The birth of a daughter in a family was considered humiliating and the practice of female INFANTICIDE was uncontrolled. When Islam came back to being, verses in the Quran CONDEMNED the practice of female Infanticide. Islam GAVE BACK many human rights to women and Muhammad was even reported saying that... ‘Women are the twin halves of men’. A muslim woman is ALLOWED to REJECT and ACCEPT any suitor for marriage and has the RIGHT to seek divorce. There is nothing in Islam that FORBIDS a Muslim woman from exiting her house and is allowed to drive. Also in regards to EDUCATION a woman is obligated to seek knowledge and is considered a SIN if she REFUSES. TWO – BY THE SWORD. (Misconception - ‘ Islam was spread by the sword’) Historians De Lacy O’ Leary states...; “History makes it clear however, that the legend of fanatical Muslims sweeping through the world and forcing Islam at the point of the sword upon conquerred races, is the most fantastically absurd myths that historians have ever repeated” There is no record in history that shows people forced by sword point to convert to Islam. When Islam spread through countries they would set up a private churches and synagogues for the non – Muslim there were governing. And because of the GOOD treatment they had received, they themselves would convert . If one consider the small number of Muslims who initially spread Islam to the West, all the way from Spain and Morocco and into the East from India and China, one would realize that such a small group of people could not force others to be members of a religion against their will. It is also interesting to note that when the Mongols INVADED and conquerred large portions of the Islamic Empire, instead of DESTROYING the religion, they ADOPTED IT! ONE - ISLAMIC TERRORISM. (Misconception – “ Muslims are terrorist”) This is BY FAR the biggest misconception of ISLAM, given unfairly by stereotyping and the public image that the media gives. Has anyone noticed how when a specific group of people ATTACK another group of people it is labeled as a ‘HATE CRIME’. But when a Muslim opens fire on anybody it is quickly regarded as ‘TERRORISM’?. Many political dictators and officials or EXTREMIST GROUPS use the name of Islam as a STRATEGY to garner FOLLOWERS and ATTENTION when many of their practices GO AGAINST the true basis of Islam. The media has also portrayed Islam a cult or a club, where if you join you become a TERRORIST and that is now part of your agenda. HOWEVER, all over the world people practice Islam in the TRUE FORM and use it as a WAY OF LIFE. There are many verses in the Quran that go AGAINST the idea of terrorism. Some of these verses include.. “Fight the way of Allah those that fight you but do not transgress limits for god DOES NOT LOVE transgressor”. These basically means DO NOT FIGHT except in SELF DEFENCE and even in doing so DO NOT go beyond defence. Another verse states...; “ If they seek peace then you seek peace” Which means DO NOT attack people for no reason or kill innocent people. There is NOWHERE IN Islam, whether it be in the Quran or the teachings of Muhammad, that promotes the killing of innocent people. P/s...terjemahan dalam Bahasa Melayu akan menyusul.
Posted on: Mon, 20 Oct 2014 03:10:13 +0000
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