Saudi Arabia has come up with a new law which states atheist = terrorist and anyone calling into question the fundamentals of the Islamic religion on which this country is based, is out-lawed. This includes if you swear allegiance to any party, organization, current of thought, group or individual inside or outside the kingdom for example The Muslim Brotherhood and various Al Qaeda factions. Basically if you are not a Wahhabi, you are illegal! I.e. I myself can be considered illegal. First of all let us understand where this new law is coming from. It is largely been brought in to combat the growing number of Saudis travelling to Syria to take part in the civil war. They come back with newfound training and ideas about overthrowing the monarchy. This has the Saudi government very worried. So to combat this – they come-up with their own newfound laws that completely ignores all teachings of Islam. First of all, it is very wrong to call atheists terrorists. Allah does not say that atheists are terrorist or commit illegal acts. An atheist may not believe. He says so openly: “I do not believe,” he says; he first may have believed and then changed, and now does not believe. He may enter various states of mind as a believer. There may be communists in a country, and fascists, and Satanists. We cannot interfere in their beliefs. Someone may be a Satanist. That is what he believes, and he likes it. He may be a Christian, a Jew, a Buddhist or a worshiper of idols. It is absolutely wrong for us to speak of atheists in an insulting way, let alone call them a terrorists! On the contrary, if insults and laws are used like this, then people may get the impression that is what Muslims think of atheists. Many people do not know the Quran. According to the Quran, everyone can espouse his own beliefs. In addition, atheists behave honestly. They do not hide their beliefs and are not hypocritical. An atheist openly states, “I do not believe.” In other words, it poses no danger. You know what he believes and you behave accordingly. The other is more dangerous, isn’t it? Someone says, “I am a Muslim,” and he enters in among your friends and family and conceals his true self. Which is better, that or being honest? Even if that person insults believers, there is still no need to respond in kind. One must call the person to Islam and the Qur’an with kind words. Allah reveals in the Qur’an how Muslims should treat polytheists (those who ascribe partners to Him). “If any of the polytheists ask you for protection, give them protection until they have heard the words of Allah. Then convey them to a place where they are safe”, says Allah. ‘Protect their lives, possessions, honor and decency. Withdraw after you convey them to a safe place’, He says. He tells Muslims to protect unbelievers even at the cost of their own lives. We must all espouse the peaceful side of Islam. The Saudi government in introducing these new laws misrepresent Islam. In fact, by Allah’s leave, Islam defends itself. The Qur’an will defend itself: But we need to win everyone over right away and we cannot get anywhere by excluding and despising people who are misinformed.
Posted on: Wed, 02 Apr 2014 22:01:21 +0000