Choose a section of the common questions about Islam:

Q1-What is Jihad?

The word "Jihad" means struggle, or to be specific, striving in the cause of God. Any struggle done in day-to-day life to please God can be considered Jihad. One of the highest levels of Jihad is to stand up to a tyrant and speak a word of truth. Control of the self from wrong doings is also a great Jihad. One of the forms of Jihad is to take up arms in defense of Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked. This kind of Jihad has to be declared by the religious leadership or by a Muslim head of state that is following the Qur’an and Sunnah.

Without proofs, it is easy for anybody to make the "CLAIM " that Islam was spread by force. We will share with you some PROOFS of our claim, that nothing other than the force of truth, reason and logic spread Islam as we share with you some of the facts and some history of Islam.

If you get to visit any of the Islamic centers or Mosques in the Western Hemisphere, especially in big cities, you will find a large number of westerners, both men and women worshipping there. These people had the chance to find out about the true Islam and decided to become Muslims.

How did Muslims force these converts in their own western world to accept Islam? What weapon did Muslims use against those who were born and raised in other faiths except the force of truth, reason and logic to force them to accept Islam?

An article in Reader’s Digest ‘Almanac’, yearbook 1986, gave the statistics of the increase of percentage of the major religions of the world in half a century from 1934 to 1984. This article also appeared in ‘The Plain Truth’ magazine. At THE TOP WAS ISLAM, WHICH INCREASED BY 235%, AND CHRISTIANITY HAD INCREASED ONLY BY 47%…!?

Indonesia and Malaysia provide another example supporting that Islam was not accepted by force. The number of Muslims in these two countries alone exceeds the Muslims in all the Arabic speaking countries combined, which leave us with a few questions, such as:

· How did Islam flourish there?

· How was Islam introduced to these non-Muslim lands, which were simply too far from any "military" reach?

Islam was introduced to that side of the world through MERCHANTS, who went there for business. They were exemplary in character in dealing with the non-Muslims they encountered, by treating them with respect and trading in commerce honestly (two core attributes of Muslim character). Muslims did not have the ability to cross all that land and sea from Arabia to spread in Indonesia by force. Rather, through those good and honest Muslim MERCHANTS, Islam was accepted there by way of example.

Muslims were the rules of the Arab world, a good portion of Asia Minor and all of North Africa for about 1400 years and that's how the official language have become the language of the Quran, the Arabic language. For a few years the British ruled, and for a few years the French ruled. Overall, the Muslims ruled the Arab world most of the time. Yet today, there is an estimated 14 million Arabs who are Coptic Christians, Christians, Catholics and also Jews. They have held their religion for all these generations through these 1400 years. If the Muslims had used the sword as many "CLAIM", there would have not been a single Arab who would have remained on his other religion. Especially when we consider that Muslims could have done with Non-Muslims as they please and did not have to worry about the Geneva Convention or the U.N at that time.

In countries where the dominant religion is Islam, there are many old churches and synagogues that are older than the inception of Islam -- more than 1400 years. If Islam does not teach tolerance and respect to other faiths, then why would Muslims keep those buildings with their monks, priests and even their own scriptures, long before any of today's modern human rights and other world organizations such as the U.N?

It is very clear in (2:256): "Let there be no compulsion in religion. Truth stands out clear from Error, whoever rejects Taghut (anything other than the real God, false deities, Satan, idols and so on) and believes in God, hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And God heareth and knoweth all things".

Again we find: "Say: The truth is from your Lord; Let him who will believe, and let him who will, reject". (18:29)

The Holy Quran also warned Muhammad (pbuh) and Muslims against HYPOCRISY and THE HYPOCRITES. The Quran describes the hypocrites as:

"Of the people there are some who say: "We believe in God and the Last Day, but they do not (really) believe". (2:8)

In fact there is a whole chapter (63) that is entitled The Hypocrites. Any rational mind will find it extremely difficult to believe that Islam teaches forcing others to accept it even if they were not convinced with it, only to create more HYPOCRITES.

• That religion, whichever it is, because realistically, any religion is responsible only for what it teaches.
• All religions, because there will always be somebody who is doing something wrong.
• Ourselves, when we have to consider that all religions to be evil or bad.

If you want to judge how good is the latest model of the "Mercedes" car and a person who does not know how to drive sits at the steering wheel and bangs up the car, who will you blame? The car or the driver? But naturally, the driver. To analyze how good the car is, a person should not look at the driver but see the ability and features of the car. How fast is it, what is its average fuel consumption, what are the safety measures, etc. Even if I agree for the sake of argument that the Muslims are bad, we can’t judge Islam by its followers? If you want to judge how good Islam is then judge it according to its authentic sources, i.e. the Glorious Qur'ân and the Hadeeth.

If you practically want to check how good a car is put an expert driver behind the steering wheel. Similarly the best and the most exemplary follower of Islam by whom you can check how good Islam is, is the last and final messenger of God, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Besides Muslims, there are several honest and unbiased non-Muslim historians who have acclaimed that prophet Muhammad was the best human being. According to Michael H. Hart who wrote the book, ‘The Hundred Most Influential Men in History’, the topmost position, i.e. the number one position goes to the beloved prophet of Islam, Muhammad (pbuh). There are several such examples of non-Muslims paying great tributes to the prophet, like Thomas Carlyle, La-Martine, etc.

In spite of all the black sheep in the Muslim community, Muslims taken on the whole, yet form the best community in the world. We are the biggest community of tea-totallers as a whole, i.e. those who don’t imbibe alcohol. Collectively, we are a community that gives the maximum charity in the world. There is not a single person in the world who can even show a candle to the Muslims where modesty is concerned.

• That religion, whichever it is, because realistically, any religion is responsible only for what it teaches.
• All religions, because there will always be somebody who is doing something wrong.
• Ourselves, when we have to consider that all religions to be evil or bad.

The ruling for killing an innocent in Islam is similar to the ruling that was given to the children of Israel (i.e. in the Old Testament):

"If any one slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people". (5:32)

it is unrealistic to say that Islam encourages Muslims to kill innocent people Just because they are Non-Muslims, when it makes killing an innocent as much of a crime as to killing all people.

A fundamentalist is a person who follows and adheres to the fundamentals of the doctrine or theory he is following. For a person to be a good doctor, he should know, follow, and practice the fundamentals of medicine. In other words, he should be a fundamentalist in the field of medicine. For a person to be a good mathematician, he should know, follow and practice the fundamentals of mathematics. He should be a fundamentalist in the field of mathematics.

One cannot paint all fundamentalists with the same brush. One cannot categorize all fundamentalists as either good or bad. Such a categorization of any fundamentalist will depend upon the field or activity in which he is a fundamentalist. A fundamentalist robber or thief causes harm to society and is therefore undesirable. A fundamentalist doctor, on the other hand, benefits society and earns much respect.

It will be understandable then, why you would always hear negative news about Islam if your information about Islam were going to be through the "negative" media.

If one asked you where to find a source to learn about your own religion for example, would you tell him to watch the news to find out about your own religion?

Would you tell him to read the newspaper and that will be enough?

Or, would advice to read your scriptures or to read for a recognized scholar about your religion?

If you would like to know the truth about Islam, you need to consider the appropriate source, this is a logical and reasonable notion that no two would differ about.

In spite of all the black sheep in the Muslim community, Muslims taken on the whole, yet form the best community in the world. We are the biggest community of tea-totallers as a whole, i.e. those who don’t imbibe alcohol. Collectively, we are a community that gives the maximum charity in the world. There is not a single person in the world that can even show a candle to the Muslims where modesty is concerned.

As a very basic right in any civilized community, Muslims as well as all other people are entitled to defend themselves. However, when the Revelation of the Quran first commenced, Muslims were not even allowed to fight back in self-defense.

The tribe of Quraish in Mecca saw their position as guardians for the "house of Abraham" threatened. They kept idols for different (gods), those idols were worshipped by many tribes in the area, while Muhammad (peace be upon him) called for belief in One God. Blinded by ignorance, the tribe of Quraish thought it must dismantle this new religion that called for submission to One God to replace their many Gods that were under their guardianship. 

During the first few years of Islam, Muslims were persecuted in Mecca, where Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him) started calling for Islam. Many were killed and others suffered persecution and humiliation. It was ten long years before Muhammad (pbuh) was commanded to migrate with whoever survived of his followers to Medina, which is about 260 miles North of Mecca. The powerful tribe of Quraish in Mecca, trying to finish off Islam and Muslims, was unable to stop the successful departure of Muslims from Mecca. For those still residing in Mecca, the Quraish decided to finish them all for good and they increased their hold on the city. They started by taking all the properties that belonged to Muslims, thus trying to prevent them from leaving Mecca on foot for the arduous 260 miles trip through in the desert.

Many Muslims still had the courage to leave the city on foot for the sake of God, so the Quraish plotted to kill everyone who left the city for Medina by intercepting them in the desert. After Muhammad (pbuh) made sure that every one of his followers had left the city, he too fled the city of Mecca with his closest friend, Abou Baker after miraculously surviving the assassination plot the tribe of Quraish had planned for him. Three years later, after a total of thirteen years of persecution, humiliation and killing, God allowed Muslims the right for self-defense by declaring to them the following verse: "Fight in the cause of God those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for God loveth not transgressors". (2:190)

Unfortunately, this self-defense has been generally misinterpreted and maliciously misconstrued by many, in an attempt to show that the commandments were a declaration of war for Muslims against everybody else. You might have heard this quotation from chapter 9, which states: "slay the Non-believers (infidels) wherever ye find them", which has been quoted repeatedly out of context. Let's take a closer look at this verse and its meaning:

Chapter 9 starts by clearly pointing out to whom the commandment apply. Specifically, these commandments were concerning:"…those of the pagans (Non-believers or infidels) with whom ye have contracted mutual alliances" (9:1). More specifically, those who did not honor the treaty and committed aggression towards Muslims, as we will see in (9:4), yet Muslims were still unable to dissolve their treaty until Allah (God in Arabic) had commanded Muslims to dissolve their part of the " treaty " too.

(9:2) "Go ye, then, for four months, (as ye will), throughout the land…" The Prophet was directed to give his enemies a four-month grace period, a cessation of hostilities, during which they could review their attitude and plans towards Islam and Muslims. Had the commandment been just to "storm them all and kill them all" there would be no need to allow such long period for warning.

Some also have misunderstood the word " people" in verse (9:3) which says: " This is a proclamation from God and His Messenger to the people on the day of the greater pilgrimage…" to refer to all humankind. Or to make the verse sounds as if it is a command for Muslims to wage war against all people, overlooking the exception found immediately in the next verse. In (9:4), the exceptions are:

" … Those idolaters who have honored their treaties with you in every detail and have not aided anyone else against you"

• THE MEANING COULD NOT BE CLEARER OR MORE UNEQUIVOCAL, IT ONLY CONCERNS THOSE WHO HAVE COMMITTED AGGRESSION AGAINST MUSLIMS AND VIOLATED THEIR RIGHTS, EVEN THOUGH MUSLIMS HAD SIGNED A PEACE TREATY WITH THEM AND HONORED IT PEACEFULLY.

In (9:5) God commanded Muslims to fight back after they exercised patience for years, losing many lives and masses of properties. At that time The unbelievers (infidels) were the enemy who committed all forms of aggression against the Muslims, that's why God commanded Muslims at that time to fight back: "Slay the Pagans (Non-believers or infidels) wherever ye find them". With the exception found in (9:4): " … Those idolaters who have honored their treaties with you in every detail and have not aided anyone else against you"

In every conflict there are innocent people who have no inclination to support either of the fighting sides. The prophet was instructed to guarantee such people safety and security and secure for them right of passage until they reached their safe lands. God said:

Now that you have seen for yourself the context and the situation in its reality as to when were these verses revealed, not as some misquoted it. How could these verses be simply an advocacy of aggression or warmongering? As you have seen, a careful examination of the above verses reveals the following critical points:

1. Muslims, as well as others in any civilized community, are entitled to SELF-DEFENSE.
2. The enemy who Muslims had to defend themselves against -at the time- happened to be A CERTAIN GROUP of infidels (Non-believers).
3. It could have not been simply a declaration of war against all the Non-Muslims or infidels because of:

1. The exception of those who did not violate Muslims rights or committed aggression towards them in (9:4).
2. The commandment of offering protection of those caught in the middle in (9:6).

With the (false) idea that Muslims are out there to fight and kill all those who are Non-Muslims, one should expect that Muslims would not grant captives their lives, especially those who are warriors who could return to fight again later. This would be the only logical action against the P.O.W, if Muslims goal were to kill the infidels. Yet, according to the "Shari'a", Muslims cannot kill children, women, elders, Monks or the enemy warriors who surrender or those who were injured and their injuries prevent them from causing harm to Muslims. As the Holy Quran teaches:

"…When ye have thoroughly subdued them, bind (the captives) firmly: Thereafter (is the time for) either generosity (i.e. free them without ransom) or ransom". (4:8)

"If any one slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people". (5:32)

Muslims were the rules of the Arab world, a good portion of Asia Minor and all of North Africa for about 1400 years and that's how the official language have become the language of the Quran, the Arabic language. For a few years the British ruled, and for a few years the French ruled. Overall, the Muslims ruled the Arab world most of the time. Yet today, there is an estimated 14 million Arabs who are Coptic Christians, Christians, Catholics and also Jews. They have held their religion for all these generations through these 1400 years. If the Muslims had used the sword as many "CLAIM", there would have not been a single Arab who would have remained on his other religion. Especially when we consider that Muslims could have done with Non-Muslims as they please and did not have to worry about the Geneva Convention or the U.N at that time.

In countries where the dominant religion is Islam, there are many old churches and synagogues that are older than the inception of Islam -- more than 1400 years. If Islam does not teach tolerance and respect to other faiths, then why would Muslims keep those buildings with their monks, priests and even their own scriptures, long before any of today's modern human rights and other world organizations such as the U.N?

The Holy Quran also warned Muhammad (pbuh) and Muslims against HYPOCRISY and THE HYPOCRITES. The Quran describes the hypocrites as:

"Of the people there are some who say: "We believe in God and the Last Day, but they do not (really) believe". (2:8)

In fact there is a whole chapter (63) that is entitled The Hypocrites. Any rational mind will find it extremely difficult to believe that Islam teaches forcing others to accept it even if they were not convinced with it, only to create more HYPOCRITES.

It is very clear in (2:256): "Let there be no compulsion in religion. Truth stands out clear from Error, whoever rejects Taghut (anything other than the real God, false deities, Satan, idols and so on) and believes in God, hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And God heareth and knoweth all things".

Again we find: "Say: The truth is from your Lord; Let him who will believe, and let him who will, reject". (18:29)

A few hundred years ago, Jews were welcomed and flourished in Muslim Spain even when they were persecuted in the rest of Europe. They consider that part of their history as the Golden Era. In Muslim countries, Christians live in prosperity, hold government positions and attend their church. However, the same religious tolerance is not always available to Muslim minorities as seen in the past during Spanish inquisition and the crusades, or as seen now by the events in Bosnia, Israel and India. Muslims do recognize that sometimes the actions of a ruler do not reflect the teachings of his religion

Almost anywhere in the world, there are governments or rulers who are doing something that is against the teachings of the major religion in their countries. In the west where the major religion teach "don't kill", governments allow the killing of the unborn children. There are other example you probably are already aware of where governments do what they like, and in many cases what they do is against the teachings of the major religion. If we are to consider that Islam is a bad or evil religion because some Muslims people or governments do something wrong or evil in its name. Then how should we regard other religions when countries with the majority of its people believe in that religion, yet the governments allow the killing of the unborn children.

• That religion, whichever it is, because realistically, any religion is responsible only for what it teaches.
• All religions, because there will always be somebody who is doing something wrong.
• Ourselves, when we have to consider that all religions to be evil or bad.

(2:256): "Let there be no compulsion in religion. Truth stands out clear from Error, whoever rejects Taghut (anything other than the real God, false deities, Satan, idols and so on) and believes in God, hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And God heareth and knoweth all things".

(18:29): "Say: The truth is from your Lord; Let him who will believe, and let him who will, reject".

(109:6): "You shall have your religion and I shall have my religion".

Of course the Quran does not encourage one to leave Islam, but it offers him the freedom to be convinced with what it teaches. This way one do not become a Muslim just because his father, mother or somebody always told him so, but after being convinced with Islam without any doubts in his mind, so that a Muslim accepts Islam with conviction and devotion. This is also the reason why it will be very hard to find one who converts from Islam to another religion. I can not say it is impossible, I can only say that under the normal conditions, it will be very hard to find somebody who would convert from Islam.

"If any one slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people". (5:32)

Choose a section of the common questions about Islam: