For every world religion, tolerance is a core fundamental when it comes to dealing with your fellow believers and people who have faiths other than yours, even those who lack one. While talk on the subject of "tolerance" itself is lengthy, I would like to leave that for another topic. Right now, I have to settle this little score.
An Islamophobic argument which has only recently come out, but is becoming popular, is that there is a single verse in the Koran that actually abrogates all forms of societal tolerance, in times of both peace and war. Sadly, many extremist Muslims condone the idea. The verse is in Surat-ul-Baqara ("the Heifer"), and in it, God has said,
Furthermore, to ascertain this, just take it from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). In his farewell sermon, he said these golden phrases:
Back to the verse. It is noted sometimes that some verses are supposedly "more important" than others. Never mind that the Koran is a book that should be read in its entirety, and applied correctly. What makes the Koran a unique book in my opinion is that it is first not written in chronological order, and second is that it's not a book to be taken heavily. While some verses may affect one's heart more than others, one should realize that a repition of a verse that preaches tolerance stresses the importance of tolerance, although tolerance has little effect on the hearts of Islamophobes, who are intolerant of Islam and, for many of them, Muslims. But is that the case? I mean, did the Koran actually and explicilty abrogate tolerance? Mahdi Puya tells me otherwise:
People, if you want to read the Koran, I suggest you do so with extreme caution. All religious books, whether you like it or not, are like that: they can be interpreted in many ways, but through careful study and consideration, you might be able to find the correct and most suitable interpretation. If you think the Koran is a "violent" or "militant" book, wait till you take a look at the Bible, and even the Talmud. They have some nasty verses there, by the way, but the context of a verse is everything. After all, who knows the Koran better than a Muslim sheik, or the Torah better than a Jewish Rabbi or Hakham? It is in essence that all world religions call for tolerance, and it would make no sense for such an abrogation to come about.
Salaam, from
Saracen
An Islamophobic argument which has only recently come out, but is becoming popular, is that there is a single verse in the Koran that actually abrogates all forms of societal tolerance, in times of both peace and war. Sadly, many extremist Muslims condone the idea. The verse is in Surat-ul-Baqara ("the Heifer"), and in it, God has said,
[2:106] None of Our revelations do We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, but We substitute something better or similar: Knowest thou not that Allah Hath power over all things?Take a look at the verse. It strictly says that there is no verse ("revelation") in the Koran that has been abrogated, or cancelled, but that some verses are substituted with "similar" or "better" revelations. Islam, at its core, is a peaceful religion, and whatever God has taught us, it is for our betterness and for the benefit of mankind.
Furthermore, to ascertain this, just take it from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). In his farewell sermon, he said these golden phrases:
"All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action. You know that every Muslim is the brother of another Muslim. Remember, one day you will appear before Allah and answer for your deeds. So beware, do not astray from the path of righteousness after I am gone.While the first part may be associated with intra-Islamic relationships (between Muslims), the second is obviously between human beings, and, being the last of his words to the people of Mecca, had more of an effect on their later actions after the death of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Taking a look at the rest of the Prophet Muhammad's (peace be upon him) Hadith present in the same (Wikiquote) source I presented, it is obvious that tolerance is more of a core to Islam than anything else.
Even as the fingers of the two hands are equal, so are human beings equal to one another. No one has any right, nor any preference to claim over another. You are brothers.
Back to the verse. It is noted sometimes that some verses are supposedly "more important" than others. Never mind that the Koran is a book that should be read in its entirety, and applied correctly. What makes the Koran a unique book in my opinion is that it is first not written in chronological order, and second is that it's not a book to be taken heavily. While some verses may affect one's heart more than others, one should realize that a repition of a verse that preaches tolerance stresses the importance of tolerance, although tolerance has little effect on the hearts of Islamophobes, who are intolerant of Islam and, for many of them, Muslims. But is that the case? I mean, did the Koran actually and explicilty abrogate tolerance? Mahdi Puya tells me otherwise:
A careful study of the Quran with a thorough knowledge of the conclusively proved laws of the faith, passed on to us by the Holy Ahl ul Bayt, the divinely chosen purified custodians of the word of Allah, makes clear the view and proves that there are very few, not exceeding five, abrogations; and even those cannot be described as real or actual naskh.Well, this guy knows more than I do. "Naskh" means "abrogation", and the examples provided regard economy and society. The first was about paying an alms to see Muhammad (peace be upon him). Such a notion is not plausible in present-day society. This therefore raises the context of the setting (zaman) of the revelation. The second example involves Abraham's failed sacrifice of his son Ishmael (that's what we believe; Judaism dictates that Isaac was the "sacrificial lamb"). Instead of sacrificing his son, Abraham received a goat (or was it a sheep?) from God in order to sacrifice it.
People, if you want to read the Koran, I suggest you do so with extreme caution. All religious books, whether you like it or not, are like that: they can be interpreted in many ways, but through careful study and consideration, you might be able to find the correct and most suitable interpretation. If you think the Koran is a "violent" or "militant" book, wait till you take a look at the Bible, and even the Talmud. They have some nasty verses there, by the way, but the context of a verse is everything. After all, who knows the Koran better than a Muslim sheik, or the Torah better than a Jewish Rabbi or Hakham? It is in essence that all world religions call for tolerance, and it would make no sense for such an abrogation to come about.
Salaam, from
Saracen
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