Misrepresentations of Islamic Scripture: Difference between revisions

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Evangelical Islamic discourse makes frequent use of verses and hadiths which when viewed in their full formulation and original context often present a message partially or wholly different than the purpose for which they were employed. While critics of Islam have been known to similarly misrepresent Islamic scripture, such misrepresentation where conducted by those advocating Islam generally goes unnoticed and uncriticized.
Evangelical Islamic discourse makes frequent use of verses and hadiths which when viewed in their full formulation and original context often present a message partially or wholly different than the purpose for which they were employed. While critics of Islam have been known to similarly misrepresent Islamic scripture, such misrepresentation where conducted by those advocating Islam generally goes unnoticed and uncriticized.
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:''Main Article: [[Christians Jews and Muslims in Heaven|Christians, Jews and Muslims in Heaven]]''
:''Main Article: [[Christians Jews and Muslims in Heaven|Christians, Jews and Muslims in Heaven]]''
====Verse====


{{Quote|{{Quran|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.}}
{{Quote|{{Quran|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.}}


====Meaning of Verse====
{{Quran|2|62}} is often referenced as evidence for the idea that Islam teaches religious pluralism and grants salvation to persons of diverse faiths. While modern historians such Fred Donner have taken hold to the idea, considering that the early Islamic movement was likely far more cosmopolitan in nature than is believed to be the case by the later Islamic tradition itself, classical scholars have been and remain entirely uncompromising in their non-pluralistic interpretation of this verse. Classical scholars either hold the verse to be describing the salvation of those who were Christian or Jewish in the past or hold the verse to have been abrogated by other verses such as {{Quran|3|85}}.
 
This verse is often quoted by Muslims in an effort to prove Islam is tolerant and inclusive of other faiths. After all, how much more tolerant can a faith be than to allow the followers of other faiths into its vision of heaven?
 
However, this is in direct conflict with the following:


{{Quote|{{Quran|48|13}}|And if any believe not in Allah '''and His Messenger''', We have prepared, for those who reject Allah, a Blazing Fire!}}
{{Quote|{{Quran|48|13}}|And if any believe not in Allah '''and His Messenger''', We have prepared, for those who reject Allah, a Blazing Fire!}}
As most Muslims will already be aware, this is not a contradiction per se, when you take abrogation into consideration. Verse 2:62 has been abrogated by verse 3:85.


{{Quote|{{Quran|3|85}}|And whoever desires a religion other than Islam, it shall not be accepted from him, and in the hereafter he shall be one of the losers.}}
{{Quote|{{Quran|3|85}}|And whoever desires a religion other than Islam, it shall not be accepted from him, and in the hereafter he shall be one of the losers.}}


====Conclusion====
Other hadiths affirm the classical interpretation, with a set of narrations describing how Muslims will be spared hell-fire on the Day of Resurrection by having Christians and Jews take their places hell.  
 
Heaven in Islam is exclusive to Muslims. Christians and Jews may believe in God, but they do not believe in "His Messenger". Thus they are destined for the "Blazing Fire".
 
The only way a Christian or Jew can make it into heaven is by accepting Muhammad as a prophet, but then they would no longer be Christians or Jews, they would be Muslims.
 
In fact, Muslims will be spared hell-fire by Allah on the Day of Resurrection by making innocent Christians and Jews take their place and be thrown into hell.


{{Quote|{{Muslim|37|6665}}, See also: {{Muslim|37|6666}}, {{Muslim|37|6667}}, and {{Muslim|37|6668}}|Abu Musa' reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: When it will be the Day of Resurrection Allah would deliver to every Muslim a Jew or a Christian and say: That is your rescue from Hell-Fire.}}
{{Quote|{{Muslim|37|6665}}, See also: {{Muslim|37|6666}}, {{Muslim|37|6667}}, and {{Muslim|37|6668}}|Abu Musa' reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: When it will be the Day of Resurrection Allah would deliver to every Muslim a Jew or a Christian and say: That is your rescue from Hell-Fire.}}


===To you be your way, and to me mine (109:1-6)===
===(109:1-6) To you be your way, and to me mine===
{{Main|To You Your Religion and To Me Mine}}
{{Main|To You Your Religion and To Me Mine}}''Surah Kafiroon'' (literally the chapter about "unbelievers") is frequently cited as an example of the Islamic scriptures endorsing religious pluralism. A focused reading of the chapter along with a glance at any of the scholarly commentary on the chapter, by contrast, paints an entirely different picture.{{Quote|{{Quran|109|1-6}}|Say: O ye that reject Faith! <BR>I worship not that which ye worship,<BR>Nor will ye worship that which I worship. <BR>And I will not worship that which ye have been wont to worship, <BR>Nor will ye worship that which I worship. <BR>To you be your Way, and to me mine.}}
 
====Verse====
 
{{Quote|{{Quran|109|1-6}}|Say: O ye that reject Faith! <BR>I worship not that which ye worship,<BR>Nor will ye worship that which I worship. <BR>And I will not worship that which ye have been wont to worship, <BR>Nor will ye worship that which I worship. <BR>To you be your Way, and to me mine.}}
 
====Meaning of Verse====


{{Quote|1=[http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.islamicity.com%2Fmosque%2Fquran%2Fmaududi%2Fmau109.html&date=2015-03-14 Commentary on Qur'an Chapter 109:1-6]<BR>Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, Tafhim al-Qur'an|2=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.<BR>. . .<BR>
{{Quote|1=[http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.islamicity.com%2Fmosque%2Fquran%2Fmaududi%2Fmau109.html&date=2015-03-14 Commentary on Qur'an Chapter 109:1-6]<BR>Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, Tafhim al-Qur'an|2=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.<BR>. . .<BR>
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.}}
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.}}


====Conclusion====
==Hadith==


When read in context, like many other 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.
=== Killing animals for 'good reason' is acceptable ===
 
{{Quote|{{cite web quotebox|url=https://sunnah.com/nasai/43/86 |title=Sunan An-Nasai 43:86 |publisher= |author= |date= |archiveurl= |deadurl=no}}|It was narrated that 'Amr bin Sharid said: "I heard Sharid say: 'I heard the Messenger of Allah say: Whoever kills a small bird for no reason, it will beseech Allah on the Day of Resurrection saying: O Lord, so and so killed me for no reason. '''And he did not kill me for any beneficial purpose.'''" (Hasan)}}The above hadith is often cited incompletely, with the bold portion being excluded, presumably because that final clause suggests that it is ok to kill [[animals]] and that animals do not mind being killed for 'beneficial' purposes.
==Hadith==
{{Quote|{{cite web quotebox|url=https://sunnah.com/nasai/43/86 |title=Sunan An-Nasai 43:86 |publisher= |author= |date= |archiveurl= |deadurl=no}}|It was narrated that 'Amr bin Sharid said: "I heard Sharid say: 'I heard the Messenger of Allah say: Whoever kills a small bird for no reason, it will beseech Allah on the Day of Resurrection saying: O Lord, so and so killed me for no reason. '''And he did not kill me for any beneficial purpose.'''" (Hasan)}}Muslim propagandists and even Sufis quote this hadith without the highlighted part, obviously because it may imply that birds don't mind getting killed for some beneficial purpose.


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