em-bypass-1
31
edits
To You Your Religion and To Me Mine: Difference between revisions
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
To You Your Religion and To Me Mine (view source)
Revision as of 10:58, 14 March 2015
, 14 March 2015Archived every altafsir links.
| [checked revision] | [checked revision] |
m (→Scholars) |
(Archived every altafsir links.) |
||
| (33 intermediate revisions by 4 users not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
[[File:Al-Kafirun.png|290px|right|thumb]] | |||
This article analyzes the apologetic claim that [[The Holy Qur'an: Al-Kafiroon (The Disbelievers)|Surat al-Kafiroon]] (the [[Non-Muslims|Disbelievers]], [[Atheists]]) advocates religious tolerance, freedom and pluralism. | |||
==Qur'an== | ==Qur'an== | ||
| Line 18: | Line 17: | ||
==Analysis== | ==Analysis== | ||
=== | ===Context=== | ||
This [[surah]] was revealed in Mecca before Prophet [[Muhammad]] became a military leader. [[Islam|Islamic]] historian al-Zuhri writes that during this period “the unbelievers of the Quraysh did not oppose what he [Muhammad] said. If he passed the place where they sat together, they pointed to him and said: 'This young man of the tribe of Abd al-Muttalib proclaims a message from heaven!'” However, “this they continued to do until Allah began to attack their gods…, and until He proclaimed that their fathers who died in unbelief were lost [to hellfire]. Then they began to hate the Prophet and show their enmity to him.”<ref>Sharma SS (2004), Caliphs and Sultans: Religious Ideology and Political Praxis, Rupa & Co, New Delhi, p. 63; Muir, p.63</ref> | |||
Muslim chronicler al-Baihaqi further records (in The Signs of Prophethood) Muhammad’s disciple Amru ibn al-Aas’ testimony of Quraysh leaders’ discussion concerning Muhammad's verbal attacks on them and their religious beliefs: “Never have we had to tolerate from anyone what we have had to tolerate from this man. He slanders our fathers, criticizes our religions and divides our people, and blasphemes our gods. Such grievous things have we tolerated from this man…” Muhammad, who was nearby and heard this conversation, responded with, “Men of Quraysh! I will surely repay you for this with interest.”<ref>Baihaqi, Dala'il al-Nubuwwah, coc. Tornberg 232, fol. 85a</ref> The rest of the details are covered by the [[tafsir]] literature: | |||
====Maududi==== | |||
{{Quote|[{{Reference archive|1=http://www.islamicity.com/mosque/quran/maududi/mau109.html|2=2013-05-06}} Surah 109 Ayah 1-6]<BR>Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, Tafhim al-Qur'an|'''Historical Background''' | |||
There was a time in Makkah when although a storm of opposition had arisen in the pagan society of Quraish against the message of Islam preached by the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace), yet the Quraish chiefs hall not yet lost hope that they would reach some sort of a compromise with him. Therefore, from time to time they would visit him with different proposals of compromise so that he accepted one of them and the dispute between them was brought to an end. In this connection, different traditions have been related in the Hadith. | |||
According to Hadrat Abdullah bin Abbas, the Quraish proposed to the Holy Prophet; "We shall give you so much of wealth that you will become the richest man of Makkah; we shall give you whichever woman you like in marriage; we are prepared to follow and obey you as our leader, only on the condition that you will not speak ill of our gods. If you do not agree to this, we present another proposal which is to your as well as to our advantage."When the Holy Prophet asked what it was, they said that if he would worship their gods, Lat and Uzza, for a year, they would worship his God for the same space of time. The Holy Prophet said: "Wait awhile; let me see what my Lord commands in this regard."Thereupon the revelation came down: Qul ya-ayyuhal- kafirun... and: Qul afa-ghair Allahi... (Az-Zumar: 64): "Say to them: ignorant people do you bid me to worship others than Allah?" (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Abi Hatim, Tabarani). According to another tradition from Ibn Abbas, the Quraish said to the Holy Prophet: "O Muhammad, if you kiss our gods, the idols, we shall worship your God."Thereupon, this Surah was sent down. (Abd bin Humaid). | |||
Said bin Mina (the freed slave of Abul Bakhtari) has related that Walid bin Mughirah, As bin Wail, Aswad bin al-Muttalib and Umayyah bin Khalaf met the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) and said to him:"O Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace and blessings), let us agree that we would worship your God and you would worship our gods, and we would make you a partner in all our works. If what you have brought was better than what we possess, we would be partners in it with You, and have our share in it, and if what we possess is better than what you have brought, you would be partner in it with us and have your share of it."At this Allah sent down: Qul ya-ayyuhal-kafirun (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Abi Hatim, Ibn Hisham also has related this incident in the Sirah). | |||
Wahb bin Munabbih has related that the people of Quraish said to Allah's' Messenger: "If you like we would enter your faith for a year and you would enter our faith for a year."(Abd bin Humaid, Ibn Abi Hatim). | |||
These traditions show that the Quraish had proposed such things to the Holy Prophet not once, in one sitting, but at different times and on different occasions; and there was need that they should be given a definite, decisive reply so that their hope that he would come to terms with them on the principle of "give and take" was frustrated for ever. | |||
'''Theme and Subject Matter''' | |||
If the Surah is read with this background in mind, one finds that it was not revealed to preach religious tolerance as some people of today seem to think, but it was revealed in order to exonerate the Muslims from the disbelievers religion, their rites of worship, and their gods, and to express their total disgust and unconcern with them and to tell them that Islam and kufr (unbelief) had nothing in common and there was no possibility of their being combined and mixed into one entity. Although it was addressed in the beginning to the disbelieving Quraish in response to their proposals of compromise, yet it is not confined to them only, but having made it a part of the Quran, Allah gave the Muslims the eternal teaching that they should exonerate themselves by word and deed from the creed of kufr wherever and in whatever form it be, and should declare without any reservation that they cannot make any compromise with the disbelievers in the matter of Faith. That is why this Surah continued to be recited when the people to whom it was addressed as a rejoinder, had died and been forgotten, and those Muslims also continued to recite it who were disbelievers at the time it was revealed, and the Muslims still recite it centuries after they have passed away, for expression of disgust with and dissociation from kufr and its rites is a perpetual demand of Faith. | |||
As for the esteem in which the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) held this Surah, it can be judged from the following few ahadith: | |||
Hadrat Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) has related that on many an occasion he heard the Holy Prophet recite Surahs Qul Ya- ayyuhal- kafirun and Qul Huwu-Allahu ahad in the two rakahs before the Fajr obligatory Prayer and in the two rakahs after the Maghrib obligatory Prayer. Several traditions on this subject with a little variation in wording have been related by Imam Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Nasai, Ibn Majah, Ibn Hibban, Ibn Marduyah from Ibn Umar. | |||
Hadrat Khabbab says: "The Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) said to me: when you lie down in bed to sleep, recite Qul ya-ayyuhal kafirun, and this was the Holy Prophet's own practice also; when he lay down to sleep, he recited this Surah." (Bazzar, Tabarani, Ibn Marduyah). | |||
According to Ibn Abbas, the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) said to the people: "Should I tell you the word which will protect you from polytheism?It is that you should recite Qul ya-ayyuhal kafirun when you go to bed."(Abu Ya'la, Tabarani). | |||
Hadrat Anas says that the Holy Prophet said to Hadrat Mu'adh bin Jabal; "Recite Qul ya-ayyuhal-kafirun at the time you go to bed, for this is immunity from polytheism." (Baihaqi in Ash-Shu'ab). | |||
Both Fardah bin Naufal and Abdur Rahman bin Naufal have stated that their father, Naufal bin Muawiyah al-Ashjai, said to the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace):"Teach me something which I may recite at the time I go to bed."The Holy Prophet replied: "Recite Qul ya-ayyuhal kafirun to the end and then sleep, for this is immunity from polytheism." (Musnad Ahmad, Aba Da'ud, Tirmidhi, Nasai, Ibn Abi Shaibah, Hakim, Ibn Marduyah, Baihaqi in Ash-Shuab). A similar request was made by Hadrat Jabalah bin Harithah, brother of Hadrat Said bin Harithah, to the Holy Prophet and to him also he gave the same reply. (Musnad Ahmad, Tabarani).}} | |||
====Ibn Kathir==== | ====Ibn Kathir==== | ||
| Line 36: | Line 67: | ||
Abu 'Abdillah ash-Shafi'i says that the verse "To you your religion and to me mine" shows that the disbelievers are one people ... because disbelief in all its many manifestations has one thing in common – that is, falsity.}} | Abu 'Abdillah ash-Shafi'i says that the verse "To you your religion and to me mine" shows that the disbelievers are one people ... because disbelief in all its many manifestations has one thing in common – that is, falsity.}} | ||
==== | ====Al Wahidi==== | ||
{{Quote|1=[http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.altafsir.com%2Fasbabalnuzol.asp%3Fsoraname%3D109%26ayah%3D0%26search%3Dyes%26img%3Da%26languageid%3D2&date=2015-03-14 Surah 109 Ayah 1-6]<BR>Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi, trans. Mokrane Guezzou, 2011 Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought|2=(Say: O disbelievers! …) [109:1-6]. These verses was revealed about a group of people from the Quraysh who said to the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace: “Come follow our religion and we will follow yours. You worship our idols for a year and we worship you Allah the following year. In this way, if what you have brought us is better than what we have, we would partake of it and take our share of goodness from it; and if what we have is better than what you have brought, you would partake of it and take your share of goodness from it”. He said: “Allah forbid that I associate anything with Him”, and so Allah, exalted is He, revealed (Say: O disbelievers!) up to the end of the Surah. The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, then went to the Sacred Sanctuary, which was full of people, and recited to them the Surah. It was at that point that they despaired of him.}} | |||
====Al Jalalayn==== | |||
{{Quote|1=[http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.altafsir.com%2FTafasir.asp%3FtMadhNo%3D0%26tTafsirNo%3D74%26tSoraNo%3D109%26tAyahNo%3D6%26tDisplay%3Dyes%26UserProfile%3D0%26LanguageId%3D2&date=2015-03-14 Surah 109 Ayah 1-6]<BR>Tafsir al-Jalalayn, trans. Feras Hamza, 2012 Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought|2=Say: ‘O disbelievers! I do not worship, at present, what you worship, of idols, and you do not worship, at present, what I worship, and that is God, exalted be He, alone, nor will I worship, in the future, what you have worshipped, nor will you worship, in the future, what I worship: God knew that they would never become believers (the use of [the inanimate] mā, ‘what’, to refer to God is meant to counter [the reference to ‘what thing’ they worship]). You have your religion, idolatry, and I have a religion’, Islam: this was [revealed] before he was commanded to wage war [against the idolaters] (all seven Qur’ānic readers omit the yā’ of the genitive possessive construction [in wa-liya dīni] whether with a pause or without; Ya‘qūb, however, retains it in both cases).}} | |||
====Ibn Abbas==== | |||
{{Quote|1=[http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.altafsir.com%2FTafasir.asp%3FtMadhNo%3D0%26tTafsirNo%3D73%26tSoraNo%3D109%26tAyahNo%3D6%26tDisplay%3Dyes%26UserProfile%3D0%26LanguageId%3D2&date=2015-03-14 Surah 109 Ayah 1-6]<BR>Tafsir Ibn 'Abbas, trans. Mokrane Guezzou, 2012 Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought|2=And from his narration on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas that he said regarding the interpretation of Allah's saying (Say: O disbelievers!): '(Say: O disbelievers!) a group of people who derided the Prophet (pbuh) among whom were al-'As Ibn Wa'il al-Sahmi and al-Walid Ibn al-Mughirah, said to the Prophet: “O Muhammad! Surrender to our deity so that we worship the God you worship”. And so Allah said addressing his Prophet: Say, O Muhammad, to these deriders, O disbelievers who mock Allah and the Qur'an. | |||
(I worship not that which ye worship) of idols beside Allah; | |||
(Nor worship ye that which I worship) that which I will worship in the future. | |||
(And I shall not worship that which ye worship) beside Allah. | |||
(Nor will ye worship that which I worship) that which I worshipped in the past; it is also said this means: I do not believe in the divinity in which you believe nor will I believe in the divinity which you believe in beside Allah nor will you believe in the divine Oneness of Allah which I believe in. | |||
(Unto you your religion) of disbelief and ascribing partners to Allah, (and unto me my religion) Islam and faith in Allah. The verses of fighting then abrogated this and the Prophet (pbuh) did fight them'}} | |||
===Summary=== | |||
The authoritative and wholly [[Islam and Scripture|Islamic sources]] tell us that, following Muhammad's "shameful"<ref>Francis Edwards Peters, Muhammad and the Origins of Islam, SUNY Press, p.169</ref> verbal attacks on the native [[Paganism|pagan]] beliefs, the people of Quraysh still had hopes for reconciliation. In what appears to be history's first ever recorded attempt at inter-faith dialogue with the followers of Islam, they would visit Muhammad with different proposals of compromise so that he could accepted one of them and the dispute between them would be brought to a peaceful resolution.<ref name="Wahidi">[http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.altafsir.com%2Fasbabalnuzol.asp%3Fsoraname%3D109%26ayah%3D0%26search%3Dyes%26img%3Da%26languageid%3D2&date=2015-03-14 Surah 109 Ayah 1-6] - Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi, trans. Mokrane Guezzou, 2011 Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought</ref><ref name="kathir"></ref> They were even willing to part with their wealth and women, and follow and obey him as their leader, on the condition that he would not speak ill of their gods.<ref name="maududi">[{{Reference archive|1=http://www.islamicity.com/mosque/quran/maududi/mau109.html|2=2013-05-06}} Surah 109 Ayah 1-6] - Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, Tafhim al-Qur'an</ref> In response to their efforts at making peace, Muhammad recited surat al-Kafiroon, declaring his "rejection of all that which they worship" and showing that the disbelievers are all "one people ... because disbelief in all its many manifestations has one thing in common – that is, falsity".<ref name="kathir">[{{Reference archive|1=http://sunnahonline.com/library/the-majestic-quran/434-tasfir-of-chapter-109-surah-al-kafirun-the-disbelievers|2=2013-05-06}} Tafsir of Chapter 109: Surah Al-Kafirun (The Disbelievers)] - Tafsir Ibn Kathir (SunnahOnline)</ref> It was at this point that they finally "despaired of him."<ref name="Wahidi"></ref> The content of surat al-Kafiroon was then later [[Abrogation |abrogated]] by verses ordering Muslims to [[Jihad|physically attack]] disbelievers, and "the Prophet (pbuh) did fight them."<ref name="Abbas">[http://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=73&tSoraNo=109&tAyahNo=6&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=2 Surah 109 Ayah 1-6] - Tafsir Ibn 'Abbas, trans. Mokrane Guezzou, 2012 Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought</ref><ref name="Jalalayn">[http://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=74&tSoraNo=109&tAyahNo=6&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=2 Surah 109 Ayah 1-6] - Tafsir al-Jalalayn, trans. Feras Hamza, 2012 Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought</ref> | |||
==Conclusion== | ==Conclusion== | ||
When read in context, like many other [[Misinterpreted Verses|verses misinterpreted]] for apologetic purposes, surat al-Kafiroon advocates the opposite of what is sometimes claimed. This surah is not a proclamation on religious tolerance and freedom or a recognition of religious pluralism. In fact, this surah unequivocally forbids inter-faith dialogue, expresses Muslims' "total disgust" of non-Islamic beliefs<ref name="maududi">[{{Reference archive|1=http://www.islamicity.com/mosque/quran/maududi/mau109.html|2=2013-05-06}} Surah 109 Ayah 1-6] - Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, Tafhim al-Qur'an</ref> and advocates an "us versus them" mentality<ref name="kathir"></ref> between Muslims and disbelievers. This is how the surah is understood by mainstream Islam and the majority of its classical and contemporary scholars. Furthermore, if the historical context were to be ignored, it would still remain an abrogated verse superseded by "the verses of fighting".<ref name="Abbas"></ref><ref name="Jalalayn"></ref> | |||
==See Also== | ==See Also== | ||
{{Hub4|Misinterpreted Verses|Misinterpreted Verses}} | |||
==References== | |||
{{reflist}} | |||
[[Category:Qur'an]] | [[Category:Qur'an]] | ||
{{page_title|To You Your Religion and To Me Mine (Qur'an 109:1-6)}} | {{page_title|To You Your Religion and To Me Mine (Qur'an 109:1-6)}} | ||