Islam proclaims that we are all born equal (II)
(This installment is a continuation of the previous one: "ISLAM PROCLAIMS THAT WE ARE ALL BORN EQUAL (I)".
Thus, I have quoted some passages from the Holy Quran that entirely reject the notion that Islam, God forgive us, is a religion that takes advantage of the rights of non-Muslims or is a means for the destruction of peace and social welfare. In this regard, Chapter 28, Verse 58 of the Holy Quran highlights the fact that true Islam has always been propagated peacefully, and this is not something new that we are propagating now. The verse refers to the people who received the message of Islam at the time of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) but chose to reject it. It states that their aims were material rather than spiritual, so they themselves admitted that the reason they rejected Islam was that they feared being banished from their lands and boycotted by their people. They feared, not the Muslims, for they had witnessed the benevolent teachings of Islam at first hand, but rather they were consumed by fear of their own rulers and their own people. Thus, the fact that the Founder of Islam (lpbD) and his companions simply sought to convey the message of Islam peacefully and never resorted to any form of aggression or intimidation to spread their faith is demonstrated. This proves that the Islam taught and practised by the Holy Prophet (lpbD) was not an extremist or violent teaching and that non-Muslims were free to reject his teachings, without fear of any punishment. If there was anyone they feared, it was the non-Muslim tribes and leaders, who would not tolerate their acceptance of Islam's teachings of peace.
Likewise, let me share with you the incomparable example of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (lpbD) at the time of the conquest of Makkah, the hometown of the Prophet of Islam (lpbD). After his proclamation of prophethood, he and his companions were subjected to thirteen years of merciless persecution and injustice by their own people. Muslims were killed, as well as their loved ones, and finally they were driven from their homes and had to emigrate. Yet, when he returned victorious to Mecca and the entire city was under his command, his first pronouncement was that no revenge would be taken against those who brutally persecuted Muslims in previous years. At that moment of triumph, the Holy Prophet (lpbD) showed extreme humility and patience, declaring that, in accordance with the peaceful teachings of Islam, all those who had tormented the Muslims were immediately forgiven.
In view of all that I have presented, it is my ardent wish and prayer that, instead of making impulsive judgements, based on hearsay, and branding Islam as a violent and cruel religion, people will use reason, look at the facts and reflect honestly on all that Islam stands for. Only then will you appreciate for yourselves that the acts of hatred carried out in the name of Islam in recent years have nothing to do with its original teachings. It is totally unfair to blame Islam, or any other religion, for the sins of those who act against the true teachings of their religion. For example, the vast majority of weapons manufactured in the world today are produced by predominantly Christian countries, and these weapons are being used to murder and maim innocent people in different parts of the world and are fuelling brutal conflicts. Does this mean that Christianity is inherently evil and is to be blamed for the horrendous arms race? Certainly not.
Still on the subject, I mentioned at the beginning that I do not believe that Muslims are the only ones who have contributed to the disorder prevailing in the world; let me expand on this a little. We are all well aware of the horrific consequences of the two world wars that occurred throughout the 20th century, where millions of people were killed and the lives of countless others were shattered. Those world wars proved to be a dark stain on the history of the world, and yet it is a cause of great regret that the world has not learned from its past mistakes and, once again, humanity is sinking further into a terrifying abyss. Instead of striving for peace through dialogue, understanding and mutual respect, the great world powers have sought peace through intimidation and fear, developing weapons capable of destroying the world. Despite witnessing the unprecedented torment and utter devastation resulting from the nuclear weapons used by the United States against Japan during World War II, several countries, including the United States, have continued to develop ever more powerful atomic weapons without pausing to reflect on the chilling consequences. Of the nine countries that have acquired nuclear weapons, only one, Pakistan, is a Muslim nation. Thus, it cannot be said that the Muslim world is at the centre of these deadly weapons that pose the greatest threat to the well-being of mankind. Moreover, as I mentioned earlier, most of the weapons present in Muslim countries have been produced in the non-Muslim world.
The question obviously arises as to why non-Muslim nations, on the one hand, call for peace in the Muslim world but, on the other hand, fuel the wars and conflicts that they themselves condemn. Although they have occasionally adopted positive measures or policies taken by certain governments or institutions, which have had a beneficial outcome, these policies have unfortunately been stifled. Instead, the defining characteristic of the world's efforts to secure peace over the last seventy or more years has been intimidation and scare tactics, whereby nations have sought peace through the development of ever more deadly weapons. Whatever one may claim, the truth is that such measures cannot bring about lasting peace, and the chances are high that one day someone will push the button that will unleash carnage and misery the likes of which the world has never seen before. Therefore, instead of building peace on the so-called "deterrence model", we Ahmadi Muslims believe that only one path leads to lasting peace, and that is the path to God Almighty.
The time has come for humanity to recognise its Creator and accept that God Almighty is indeed the God of all worlds, the One who sustains us, provides for us and is our Supreme Creator. In return for His infinite favours, is it not His right that we turn to Him, bow before Him and seek His nearness? As long as the world continues to prioritise wealth and material power, we will not see true peace in the world. Indeed, it is the overriding desire to usurp the rights of others for one's own benefit that has fuelled the widespread conflicts around the world.
Recently, a well-known veteran American politician stated that it was not in the interests of the United States for the Daesh terrorist group to be completely eliminated from Syria, rather, it was in the interests of the West for some presence of this evil group to remain. This is the kind of logic that a wise and peaceful person can never understand or tolerate. On the one hand, the Western world urges Muslim nations to stop all forms of terrorism and embrace peace, but on the other hand there are those among themselves who fear that peace in the Muslim world will diminish their own power and dominance. This is hypocritical and these twisted ideologies only succeed in destabilising the world. Moreover, as I have already mentioned, Western countries and arms producers have a commercial interest in maintaining some degree of conflict in Muslim countries. Such biased policies and selfish motivations are utterly regrettable and are only a means to the destruction of world peace.
In stark contrast, the teachings of Islam seek to establish peace at all levels of society and our religion has also made it clear that the key to peace is true justice. Justice and fairness are the pillars of peace, insofar as Islam holds that a person or nation must be prepared to testify against itself in order to uphold the truth and make justice prevail. Thus, it is not possible to establish true peace, whether within the home, in the village or town, within a nation or internationally, until there is justice.
Moving on and in response to those who ask why wars were fought in the early days of Islam let me briefly explain that in Chapter 22, verses 40 and 41 of the Holy Quran, Al'lah Almighty grants permission to the early Muslims to fight a defensive war for the first time. However, these verses make it absolutely clear that such permission has not been granted for Islam to dominate or conquer territories, but rather Al'lah granted permission to appease disorder and cruelty and to enshrine forever the principle of universal freedom of belief. Thus, in verse 41, even before Muslims had been commanded to defend mosques, they are commanded to protect churches, temples, synagogues and places of worship of all religions. Furthermore, Chapter 2, verse 194, of the Holy Quran also makes it clear that even when defensive wars are permitted, they must be proportionate and their purpose must always be to put an end to cruelty, persecution and oppression. Once conditions have improved and life can be lived in peace, then war must be ended immediately. The verse also says that during wars, only the aggressors or prisoners are to be attacked, while innocent people are to be safeguarded and without any collateral damage, such as we tragically witness in today's wars. Wherever Islam has authorised force of any kind, it has been done in order to stay the hand of the oppressor and never as a means of conquest or aggression. The very idea of provoking others and inciting disorder is something that Islam takes very seriously and that is why the Holy Quran says that such incitement, which seeks to create and increase hatred between peoples and nations, is an even greater crime than murder.
The truth is that the teachings of Islam are those that seek to bridge the differences that exist between people and unite society under an umbrella of peace, love and harmony. Indeed, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (lpbD) taught us that a true Muslim is one from whose mouth and hands all other people are safe. Therefore, causing unnecessary pain and grief to others, regardless of what scale, is a sin and is opposed to Islam.
In conclusion, I reiterate that the teachings of Islam are completely peaceful and are a means of security for all people, from all walks of life. There is no need to fear true Islam. So I hope you will agree with me that those who label Islam as a violent or intolerant religion are guilty of a great injustice.
With these words, I thank you all for taking the time to attend our Yalsa Salana (Annual Convention) and listen to what I have said. Thank you very much.
(lpbD) - God's peace and blessings be upon him.
(lpd) - peace be upon him.