>>>> Continued from Part 1

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Response by Shah Abdul Halim

I am extremely sorry for being late in answering your review of my article "Islam: Pluralism and Interfaith Dialogue". Due to various obligations at my end I am late in responding to the various issues you have raised.

Anyway, you quoted mostly part of verses of the Quran which has confused matter further. In any case there is no contradiction in the Quran (as you have claimed) if you look to these verses in the context and time of revelations. Some of these verses are guidance's when the war is in progress or war is about to start, for example 9:73, 8:39, 9:29, 47:4, 4:89, 9:111, 2:216, 8:12, 9:5 and 9:39.

These verses are not in conflict with the verses related to peace time. If you kindly take the trouble of looking into a few commentaries of the Quran you will find answers of most of the questions you have raised.

There is no disagreement even among the non-Muslim scholars that Islam rejects forced conversion. If non-Muslim populations in some countries have shrunk because of their migration or conversion to Islam, how Islam can be blamed? Should Islam close its door for others and become tribal, racial or non-universal religion?

Here I shall respond to your query regarding a few verses only. The rest you may see such monumental commentaries as Muhammad Asad's The Message of the Quran, Abdullah Yusuf Ali's The Holy Quran: English Translation of the Meanings and Commentary, Dr. Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din Al-Hilali and Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan's The Noble Quran, Abul Kalam Azad's The Tarjuman Al-Quran, Mufti Muhammad Shafi's Tafsir-e-Mareful Quran and Moulana Sayyid Abul Ala Mawdudi's Towards Understanding the Quran.

Firstly, you quoted verse 9: 28 - pagans are unclean. Muhammad Asad translated verse 9: 28 thus: O you who have attained faith! Those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God are nothing but impure: and so they shall not approach the Inviolable House of Worship… . Explaining the verse Muhammad Asad commented: "The term najas ("impure") occurs in the Quran only in this one instance, and carries an exclusively spiritual meaning (see Manar X, 322 ff.).To this day, the Bedouin of Central and Eastern Arabia – who, contrary to the modern town-dwellers, have preserved the purity of the Arabic idiom to a high degree – describe a person who is immoral, faithless or wicked as najas. [Muhammad Asad, The Message of the Quran, Dar-Al-Andalus, Gibraltar, 1980, Footnote 37, p 261].

Dr. Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din Al-Hilali and Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan in their joint commentary of the Quran explained this verse 9: 28: "The word Najasun is used only for those persons who have spiritual impurity e.g., Al-Mushrikum [Dr. Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din Al-Hilali and Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan, The Noble Quran, Dar-us-Salam Publications, Saudi Arabia, December 1995, Footnote 2, p 281].

Moulana Abul Kalam Azad explaining verse 9:28 commented: "In this verse the reference to the uncleanliness of the polytheists is not to their physical condition but to the uncleanliness of their hearts. Islam does not regard the person or the body of anyone as unclean. Every man as man stands on the same footing as every other human being. It is why it has prohibited untouchability and does not single out any section of humanity as untouchable. In fact, it is clear from the recorded history of the Prophet that the Prophet maintained social relationships with not only the People of the Book, the Jews, but with the polytheists of his time. He used to dine with them and accept their invitations and also offer invitations to them. History has even recorded he at times had allowed them to stay in his own mosque at Madina" [Moulana Abul Kalam Azad, The Tarjuman Al-Quran, Kitab Bhavan, New Delhi, India, 1990, Volume-3, pp 17-18].

Mufti Muhammad Shafi explaining verse 9:28 in his commentary of the Quran stated: "At the time of the conquest of Makkah a delegation of the tribe of Shaqiq came to meet Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Prophet asked them to wait in the Masjid al Haram. These people were still then non-Muslims. The Companions of the Prophet raised objection to this saying that these tribesmen are unclean to which the Prophet replied: The mosque shall not become dirty by their impurity (Jassas).

"From this Hadith it becomes clear that Quranic description of polytheists (Mushrik) as unclean is linked with denial of Allah (Kufr) and spiritual impurity related to associating partners with Allah (Shirk)" [Mufti Muhammad Shafi, Quranaul Kareem (Bengali tr. of Tafsir-e-Mareful Quran- abridge), Khademul Haramine King Fahd Quran Printing Complex, Madina, Saudi Arabia, p265].This quotation is free English rendering from Bangla. The original Tafsir of Mufti Muhammad Shafi is in Urdu.

Moulana Sayyid Abul Ala Mawdudi explaining verse 9:28 commented: "That 'the polytheists are unclean' does not imply bodily impurity; rather it is their beliefs, morals, deeds, practices and customs which are unclean." [Moulana Sayyid Abul Ala Mawdudi, Towards Understanding the Quran, The Islamic Foundation, U.K, 1990, Vol. III, p200].

Some scholars explaining verse 9:28 commented that the polytheists were unclean for they went naked around Kabah and indulge in evil practices and devil works like gambling, offering sacrifice to stones, divination by arrows and consuming intoxicants.

Secondly, you quoted verse 98:6 - worst of creatures. Abdullah Yusuf Ali translated verse 98:6 thus: Those who disbelieve, among the People of the Book and among the Polytheists, will be in hell-fire, to dwell therein (for aye). They are the worst of creatures. Explaining the verse Abdullah Yusuf Ali commented: "To be given the faculty of discrimination between right and wrong, and then to reject truth and right, is the worst folly which a creature endowed with will can commit. It must necessarily bring its own punishment, whether the creature calls himself one of the children of Abraham or one of the redeemed of Christ, or whether he goes by the mere light of nature and reason as a Pagan. Honor in the sight of Allah is not due to race or color, but to sincere and righteous conduct (xIix. 13) [Abdullah Yusuf Ali, ' The Holy Quran: English Translation of the Meanings and Commentary", Revised & Edited by The Presidency of Islamic Research, IFTA, Call and Guidance, King Fahd Holy Quran Printing Complex, Saudi Arabia, Footnote 6231, p 1988].

I hope you will realize that your way is not proper for understanding a Great Book or a Great Religion or Civilization. I would most humbly request you to kindly read Dr. AbdulHamid A. AbuSulayman's 'Towards an Islamic Theory of International Relations: New Directions for Methodology and Thought' and 'Crisis in the Muslim Mind' both published by The International Institute of Islamic Thought, Virginia, U.S.A. These books will explain the issue of time and space in understanding the Quran and Sunnah. Dr. Hammudah Abdalati's book 'Islam in Focus' published by Islamic Teaching Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia will also be helpful in understanding the points you have raised.

I once again apologize for being late in responding you.

Thank you.

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Rebuttal by Syed Kamran Mirza

 

“One man’s faith is another man’s delusion” — By Dr. Anthony Storr (1920-2001).

 

This is my reply to Mr. A.H. Halim, Bangladesh, to his response posted in NFB on February 12, 2007.  Many thanks for your kind response to my critiques of your article on

Islamic pluralism. I must appreciate your desperate quest of convincing me that Qur’an is not a book of contradictions and inconsistencies! With full respect to your opinion I beg to differ with you 100%, but at this response I will not highlight my disagreements about Quranic contradictions; I will leave it for our future discourse. In this response, I will rebut very selectively some of your points/comments that you have presented to my attention. I will name your points as “Issue” which will follow my response.

 

Issue: “Qur’an says anybody who does not believe in Islam (Jews, Christians, Hindus, Pagans, and non-believers) are spiritually unclean and not necessarily bodily un-clean”!!! 

My response:  According to you—Qur’an or Allah speaks not about bodily un-cleanness, rather Allah speaks about so called spiritual un-cleanness.  That is, anybody who disbelief “Islam” is bound to be unclean and worst creatures and destined to go to hell! What an incredible symbol of Islamic tolerance and pluralism! Anybody who disbeliefs Islamic theory of God and religion is “Unclean and worst creatures”! This is, of course, as per your choice of interpretations by famous Islamic scholars! 

Now, let us judge by conventional logic. I hope you are an intelligent, educated, compassionate and tolerant human being to say the least. I am hoping that you will definitely agree with my analogy here. We all know and agree 100% that religions in general are sets of belief system (blind-faith) followed by X-numbers of humans. We have hundreds of various religions and cults. At least we can take some of these major organized religions (Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, and Islam) for our discussion here. We also know that, believers or followers of one religion do not believe the very theme of other religion or religions at all. Had it been untrue then there would have been only one religion exists in the whole world. The ultimate truth is—“one man’s faith is another man’s delusion” as said by Dr. Anthony Storr.  

You will also agree with me that devout Muslims do not believe what devout Christians do believe, and vice-versa. Same is the case with Buddhism, Hinduism and Judaism of course. Now, according to your ridiculous theory or, excuse of Quranic Tafsir by some renown Islamic scholars—a Muslim who does not believe Christianity is “unclean”; a Christian who does not believe in Islam is “unclean”; a Jew who does not believe in Hinduism is “unclean” and of course, a Hindu who does not believe in Islam is “unclean and worst creatures indeed, at least spiritually, as your scholars claimed! How would you like if a devout Hindu calls you “unclean and worst creature” for the same reason? 

What proof or proofs do you have that your religion is the only truth? Like all others, your belief system also standing on the ground of simple blind-faith having myriads of superstitions and logical absurdities and nothing else! Same is all other religions. Even, those so called “un-believers” also a believer in a sense that they believe that all those organized religions are false because they (organized religionists) believe in 100% unproven superstitious imaginary God. This is also a kind of ‘belief system’ civilized world should recognize and respect.  So, who can say who is unclean or clean? Could you tell me Mr. Halim?   

 

Issue: “Holy Quran must be read by the help of various Quranic interpretations by some famous Islamic scholars. And I have quoted mostly part of verses of the Quran which has confused matter further.” 

My response: So, according to you holy Qur’an can not be read and understood by the gullible Muslims unless he/she can first memorize Quranic interpretations done by all those so called Islamic scholars!  Is not Allah says in Quran that, “I made Qur’an very clear, simple and easy and written in Arabic (44:58, 54:22, 54:32, 54:40)  so that Muslims (Arabs of course) can understand very easily?” Please listen what Merciful Allah says in Qur’an: “But We have indeed made the Qur'an easy to understand and remember: then is there any that will receive admonition? (54:22); and “We have made it a Qur'an in Arabic, that ye may be able to understand and learn wisdom (43:3)”.  Allah emphatically declared that He made Quran very easy so that Muslims can understand very easily.

No where in the Quran Allah says that my words must be read with the help of Quranic interpretations and commentaries! Quranic Interpretations and Tafsirs have been invented by some wishful educated Mullahs only to hide Quranic absurdities and contradictions. In fact, Quranic verses are mostly simple to understand and any elementary student can understand very easily. Could you show us where in the Quran Allah instructed pukka Muslims to read Quran with the help of tafsirs or interpretations? In fact, Allah asked Muslims to believe Quran’s literal meaning and clearly forbade any interpretations of Allah’s eternal divine words. Quranic verse: 3:7—clearly prohibited to accept anybody’s interpretation of Allah’s eternal words. Please read this verse below: 

(Quran-3:7)— “He it is Who has revealed the Book to you; some of its verses are clear and decisive, they are the basis of the Book, and others are allegorical; then as for those in whose hearts there is perversity they follow the part of it which is allegorical, seeking to mislead and seeking to give it (their own) interpretation. but none knows its interpretation except Allah, and those who are firmly rooted in knowledge say: We believe in it, it is all from our Lord; and none do mind except those having understanding.”   Now, what you have to say to us about this above verse Mr. Halim?

Besides, if the Holy Quran (the ultimate guidance for Muslims) was so difficult to understand, then what was the purpose of giving such a difficult book by Allah?  Of course, non-Arab Muslims can not understand meanings of Qur’an simply because they don’t know Arabic and they are just parroting Qur’an without understanding a single word. One way it is good that because of the fact that gullible Muslims do not understand what they are reading, we have less numbers of Islamic terrorists (al-Qaeda jihadis) than the Arab nations.  My citation of Quranic verse was complete to give ultimate messages of those verses and was never confusing to the readers.  Any sane Quranic readers will agree with me that, each Quranic verse is independent and contains complete message, and normally has no connection to the next verse, with rare exception. Mostly the next verse deals with completely a separate issue.  What I cited was enough to give the ultimate message by the verse, and giving entire remaining verse will never change the meaning of “killing unbelievers” into “kissing unbelievers” isn’t it Mr. Halim? So, this is only a lame excuse!
 

Issue: Quran have “peace time verses” and “war time verses”!!! 

My response: Every devout Muslims and all gullible Muslims do believe the book of Quran as the “Eternal and infallible words of Allah” which are good and applicable until the judgment day (doom’s day). Where in the Quran Allah says that following verses are “peacetime or wartime” verses? Could you show us just one verse like that? I will not accept any tafsir or interpretation for this. You have to show us verse from Allah.  Where in the Quran Allah says—do not apply these verses now because I sent these when my favorite Prophet was busy killing and pillaging Pagans/ non-believers? Or, following verses are now “out of context”?  How your so called interpretation can change the Quranic word “to kill” into “to kiss”, could you show us the “mechanism” Mr. Halim?  Finally, please give us some clue why those pukka Muslims, I mean, those al-Qaeda jihadis of Osama-bin-laden (OBL) should believe your damage-control interpretation?  Finally, when Allah clearly and emphatically says, “Quranic words are easy to understand by any Muslims and do not interpret to misguide (Quran-3:7)” how and under what authority some educated hypocritical Muslims could say that, “Quran is very difficult and must be read with the help of interpretations?”  

Say, I buy your ridiculous logic of so called “peacetime” or “wartime” verses in Quran. Now, could you tell us why Muslims are parroting (reciting during prayers) these heinously hateful and cruel wartime verses, at least five times a day, around the globe?  What purpose these cruel verses accomplishing now and why innocent children of Madrasshas are routinely poisoned by these ill teachings? Why those heinous verses are not removed from the Qur’an?  We have past 1400 years with this book of Quran and still we do not understand this simple book. Only Allah knows when Muslims will understand this book of Qur’an clearly! 

Issue: “There is no disagreement even among the non-Muslim scholars that Islam rejects forced conversion.” 

My response: This is indeed an absurd claim by you. Historically, from the very inception, Islam was propagated by wars, intimidation and force conversion. Conversion of the entire mankind into Islam is the main slogan of Islam, period. This issue needs much elaboration and I don’t think I have that scope here now. I will leave it for our future discourse, if you agree. Only thing I will assure you that I can easily prove that you are dead wrong in this, and truth is Islam never rejects conversion; rather Islam loves conversion business. Do you know what is the main objective of Tablig-e-Jamat?  Ask any Tabligi Muslim about it. Here is the Allah’s decree for mankind which will tell all truth and nothing but the truth about the motive of peaceful Islam: Quran-3:85- “If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission to Allah), never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter He will be in the ranks of those who have lost (All spiritual good).” Mr. Halim, you please tell us what is real truth about Islam?  Can you give us real interpretation of the above Quranic gem for us?

Issue:  “If non-Muslim populations in some countries have shrunk because of their migration or conversion to Islam, how Islam can be blamed?” 

My response: This above quote by you is not only incorrect but it is cruelest in sense and adds salt in the wounds of non-Muslims. Mr. Halim, it is universal truth that mother land or land of birth is most favorite to any human being in the whole world. No human being wants to leave his/her motherland without any valid “reason” or “compulsion”.  ‘Reason’ is simply an economic factor because of which people migrate, such as, I myself left my mother land for better future, but still I greatly miss my motherland-Bangladesh.  ‘Compulsion’ is force expulsion, i.e. inhabitants have no alternative but to desert their homeland due to circumstances created by the fellow majority of their own countryman. You can not claim and justify that Hindus from Pakistan and Bangladesh left for India for better economy! Had they left for Europe or USA, you could claim that. 

There is no scope to discuss this issue in details but in short, I can assure you that, Hindus or any minority inhabitants from Muslim majority nations leave/desert their motherland due to horrific oppression of all kinds. In my own village there were 20% Hindus and neighboring 2/3 villages there were 30-40% Hindus, and local bazars, and schools were run by them, which I still remember. I have witnessed how these Hindus were systematically driven from their lands of their fore-fathers by horrific oppressions and intimidations. Even, very recently in 2001 after the 4-party Islamist alliance Govt. came to power—world witnessed horrendous oppression of Hindus, which we read hundreds of articles in the internet. Muslims not only can not tolerate any minority of other religions; they even can not live peacefully with Muslim minorities (Shiite and Qadyani), and clear evidences you can see what is going on in Pakistan and Iraq today. By the way, it is not just some countries (you said), in fact, it is the same picture in 100% of Muslim majority nations. But it is quite opposite in non-Muslim majority nations of the world. Look just in India where minority Muslim population is rather growing. Muslims can not integrate with the host nations of their migrating countries either. 

Islam is never a religion of pluralism and Qur’an speaks it very clearly. Mr. Halim I gave you many hateful verses in my first critique but you did not say anything about these verses. These verses (9: 73, 8: 39, 9: 29, 47: 4, 4: 89, 9:111, 2: 216, 8: 12, 9: 5 and 9: 39.) definitely and utterly contradicts verses Allah sent when Prophet Muhammad had only about 75 followers in Mecca and was very weak in power; and those few so called peaceful verses that you are trying to feed people (in order to erase myriads of hateful verses) are also out of context you are citing. All hateful verses came in Medina when Prophet Muhammad became mightier with his plenty of jihadis to plunder and pillage those hapless Pagans (Islam called them un-believers) who also were believers in their own Gods (Polytheists). But Islam did not respect or tolerated any other religions. Please read them again and tell us—do you still believe Islam is a religion of tolerance and pluralism? 

Quran-3:85- “If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission to Allah), never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter He will be in the ranks of those who have lost (All spiritual good).”

Quran-5:51- “O ye who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and protectors. They are but friends and protectors to each other…..” and also read the following (9: 73, 8: 39, 9: 29, 47: 4, 4: 89, 9:111, 2: 216, 8: 12, 9: 5 and 9: 39) verses and please tell us Islam is a religion of tolerance and pluralism!

Let me ask just 3 (three) questions to Mr. Halim: Could you tell us if you consider Osama-bin-laden (the al-Qaeda Guru) a pukka (pure) Muslim? If not, could you give us five points supporting why OBL is not a good Muslim? Could you tell us if any divine God should ask human to kill another fellow human?

My conclusion remains the same that Quran is replete with contradictions and absurdities which I would like to debate with you in future.  When Allah Himself teaching devout Muslims that Pagans are “unclean” (9:28); non-believers are the “worst creatures” (98:6); and abode of non-believers are in the hell fire—how in the world Mr. Halim can possibly claim that “Islam is a religion of pluralism”? Can you show us one single verse from Quran that says: “You respect other religions and also non-believers alike and live together peacefully?”  Mr. Halim, I hate to say that, educated and intelligent people like you have already submitted your intelligence and norms for the sake of your blind-faith in Allah and Muhammad, and that is why you fail to see the truth about Islam and Qur’an. Fact of the matter is the religion Islam is not only a religion of intolerance; rather it is the religion of isolation. Almost 100% of Islamic nations and Muslim majority countries today are having their minority populations either rapidly shrinking or even evaporating in numbers. Not only that—Muslims are unable to integrate as the immigrant in the host countries around the world indicating that Muslims by nature do not believe in Pluralism. 

 

Literature: 

1.       The Holy Qur’an, Translated by A. Yousuf Ali, Published by Amana Corporation, Brentwood, Maryland, 1983.

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>>>> Continued in Part 3