Response To A Non-Muslim's Doubts (From Al Haramain Site)

RESPONSE TO
A NON-MUSLIM'S DOUBTS
About Seeming Contradictions In Islam

The following are responses to the pointed charges and questions of a non-Muslim that were triggered by objections to the contents of the book This Is The Truth (which can be found on the World Wide web at www.it-is-truth.org). It is a book featuring facts found in the Qur'aan and the authentic Sunnah that coincide with modern scientific findings. The reader was obviously affected by the contents and proceeded to pose several questions that we believe are on the minds of others like him. Therefore, we publish this response perchance that others may benefit. We will put the reader's comments and questions first and the response follows. The name of the writer of the questions has been removed.

He writes in a letter entitled Contradictions about Islam:

One thing I really really cannot understand though, is this:

If Islam is truly the complete word of God, as Muslims always insist on saying, why does it preach so much fear, punishment, intolerance and discrimination. Perhaps my understanding of the Quran may not be correct, but it seems to me that in every Sura of the Quran, it is mentioned repeatedly that JUST BECAUSE a person is not a Muslim, he will go to Hell forever and suffer there eternally?????!!!!

This is very strange , isn't it ?

Isn't God All-Merciful, All-Forgiving, All-Compassionte and All-Good? So does it make sense that that God will condemn a person to Hell forever, JUST BECAUSE he is not a Muslim or does not want to be?? There are so many many good, kind-hearted people in the world who are not Muslims and will not die as Muslims. There are many many good people in the world who lead good, clean lives, SINCERELY doing everthing that God wants them to do (except become Muslims, as what Muslims allege), who are not Muslims and will not die as Muslims. Does that mean that God will sent them to Hell forever, JUST BECAUSE they are not Muslims??!...

Another truth you have to admit is: Muslims aren't better people than non-Muslims. Have you read about the hostage crisis in southern Philippines? Have you read about the Muslim extremists situation that happened in Malaysia some time ago? Have you read about all those sadistic terrorist attacks in different parts of the world by Muslim extremists? I can go on and on, on these examples. And you know what, all these sadists claim that their actions, which cause nothing but hurt and harm, are for the glory of Allah??! Are Muslims better people than non-Muslims? Obviously, the answer is NO.

Besides, God, being All-Mighty, should have everything. Shouldn't He be more concerned about people doing good , being good and living in peace, rather than people worshipping him or not? The type of God that Islam seems to preach, who is so overly-concerned about people worshipping him, who punishes people like hell JUST BECAUSE they don't worship him, sounds exactly like Adolf Hitler. Is Islam trying to say that our God is like Adolf Hitler???

Please answer all my questions and doubts. Thank you. Please don't give me evasive answers like 'Only Allah will know '...

The Non-Muslim again writes in a follow-up letter:

At first, it seemed convincing to me, but as I viewed it again and again, I realised one thing: There are hardly enough verses you quoted from the Quran to support your claim that the Quran contains scientific facts. Also, I have realised that many of the things you say and claim in this web page are just personal opinions and interpretations. Show me more convincing quotes from the Quran if you think you can prove me wrong . And you really should spend more time addressing the flaws and faults of Islam, like extremism, intolerance etc., rather than spend your time trying to make the Quran (the Teachings of Mohammed) seem superior to the Bible (the Word of God). Amen .

**The Response **

Dear Writer,

Thank you for writing. We will attempt to answer your questions and comments in both your posts to us as clearly as possible. Islam is not a religion that expects you to blindly follow it just because we say so. We however must acknowledge our limitations and there are indeed times when 'Only Allah will know' thus we are never intentionally trying to be evasive.

Many of the questions you raise perhaps cannot be done full justice in a single email and unfortunately yours is one of many but we did not want to ignore it as your questions, although pointed, are important and we hope, sincere. You clearly hold a viewpoint that the Bible is the true Word of God and this you must admit - as you stated regarding the statements on the It-Is-Truth Website - is your opinion and perhaps that attitude also taints your perspective.

You stated: If Islam is truly the complete word of God, as Muslims always insist on saying, why does it preach so much fear, punishment, intolerance and discrimination.

First your judgment and conclusions are very subjective and may largely depend on your point of view and limited experience. Our point of reference is the Qur'aan and the authenticated statements of Muhammad (peace be upon him). We do accept as a principle of belief that God (Allah) has the right to decide what He wishes for His creation and subjects. It is explicitly stated in these two sources (i.e. the Qur'aan and the Sunnah) that we have much to fear of punishment and anger of Allah if we reject His guidance and commit evils and injustices.

We are not sure what you deem as intolerance. In general, other than limited circumstances, non-Muslims are afforded rights in the Islamic state and are protected. No one is forced to accept Islam but that does not at all mean Islam is not crystal clear about stating whether any particular doctrine is in accord with what is understood to be the way and guidance of Allah. We insist upon having the right to uphold that view and the law in Islamic lands just as any culture or nation may have bounds and limits that cannot be crossed. There is no space or time to go into detail, but no law in Islam is there just for the sake of it and there is an underlying wisdom or rationale that may be lost on you or any individual if they have not had or taken the time or gained the education to deeply analyze it.

As far as your specific question in your second post, there is no doubt that the presentation of the ideas in the book showing evidence to there being a precedent in the Qur'aan and the hadeeth that coincides with, corroborates and even predates what is now confirmed scientific knowledge, is an absolute fact that cannot be denied no matter what religion you believe or don't believe in. As Muslims, we surely view these facts from the perspective of believers and as affirming the truths we already know are contained within the Qur'aan. We aimed to share that view with the world. It was not our initial concern to show the Qur'aan's superiority over the Bible but the main issue was to demonstrate to the thinking and objective person that they need to give great consideration to the Qur'aan and look at its truths.

Any conclusion you or anyone else comes to with regards to the superiority of its texts is up to you after objective and honest study. All that is asked is that one tries not to let preconceptions or predispositions blur their sight. That indeed is one of the main points of the book. Namely, to show how objective scientists with no reason to find anything in favor of the Qur'aan or hadeeth (and in some cases were predisposed against it) made clear statements confirming the science related matters alluded to therein and indeed interpreted from the Muslim viewpoint. The fundamental meanings and interpretation of the verses have nothing to do with scientific findings at all and this point was clearly made in the book's preface. If Muslims were to change and alter the meaning of the verses based upon every scientific theory or finding that comes along, it would give no meaning to the guidance and statements of the Prophet of Islam himself or the promise of Allah in the Qur'aan to preserve the Qur'aan in meaning and word as it would be open to all and sundry interpretation.

We hope you take the time to read the remainder of this reply. It is a letter written to you by a member of our staff as a general answer to the other matters you raised and we apologize for its length in advance. After completion of reading this reply, I strongly urge you to order and get a copy of the book Dialogue Between Islam and Christianity - Discussion of Religious Dogma Between Intellectuals from the Two Religions, published by the Institute of Islamic and Arabic Sciences in America. They can be reached at 8500 Hilltop Road, Fairfax, Virginia 22031, USA Tel. (703) 641-4890 Fax (703) 64-4899 and to visit www.plaintruth.org.

- Abu Abdullah

Dear Writer,

You cannot make a judgment about Islam except after thorough and extensive study. It must be study based on fairness, impartiality, absence of any particular ideological prejudice or methodology contrary to that of Islam.

Allah has uniquely distinguished humankind by providing them with the faculty of reasoning. If they live only to eat, drink, and procreate would there be any difference between them and the animals? It is then necessary for every human to acknowledge the great favor that has been granted to him by Allah above all other creatures, namely, the faculty of reasoning. Thereafter, it is necessary to act according to that reasoning and reflect upon everything around him in this spacious universe. How does the creation function, and how does existence follow such a precise system that is untarnished by faults nor change. We must reflect upon the night and day, the sun and moon, winter and summer, the oceans and sea, and that which comprises them of the creations, the stars and planets, especially the Earth and that which it is comprised of, the people of different colors, languages and types, the animals of different species and sizes, the plants and their varieties which are uncountable. Is there not a Creator of all of these creations that act in accord with this detailed system? Then surely this Magnificent Creator must be known.

Ask yourself, "Why have I been created? What is the cause of my existence? Have I been created to live for an unknown period and then just die? What is it that distinguishes me from all other creatures? There must be a purpose for my existence and none can answer my questions except the Creator. It is then incumbent upon me to know about this Great Creator."

How will you know about Him without searching and deep study? If you were to look to religious scriptures that speak about this Mighty Creator and that are easy for us to look into, we find the Qur'aan, the Injeel (the Islamic term for the revelation to Jesus but considered by others as the Gospels of the Bible), and the Torah (Jewish scripture). If you were to look with a clear view you would not find a book among them that has not undergone textual revision except the Noble Qur'aan. Likewise, it is the only book that calls you to know the Almighty Creator with clarity and rationality, so I advise you not to rush to the criticism of Islam and the Muslims before knowing the Qur'aan and attempting to study all these scriptures deeply and meticulously and without prejudice and with impartiality to facilitate the attainment of the truth and faith in Allah the Great Creator and His Book which He has pledged to safeguard and preserve from alteration or deception. Indeed this book is the Noble Qur'aan.

As far as your first question: "If Islam is truly the complete word of God, as Muslims always insist on saying , why does it preach so much fear, punishment, intolerance and discrimination. Perhaps my understanding of the Quran may not be correct , but it seems to me that in every Sura of the Quran , it is mentioned repeatedly that JUST BECAUSE a person is not a Muslim , he will go to Hell forever and suffer there eternally?????!!!! This is very strange, isn't it ?"

First of all, as a comment to your words "as Muslims are always insist on saying" we remind you again not to rush to judgment of Muslims before meticulous examination and this is what rationale, justice and logic demand. Please take a look at the following simile:

What if there was a wealthy man possessing more money than he could count who then purchased an immense plot of land, enough for a city, and then went about constructing the city and putting in all that was necessary in it for housing, industry, educational facilities, and farmland sufficient to provide all the needs of its inhabitants? In short, it was a complete city having everything it needed, let's call it the City of Peace. The owner, builder and founder of this city sets about writing the following declaration:

To all who wish to live in this city - absolutely free - just come to me and we will provide them with everything they need in life. They will have a place to live, work and provision. Every man will get the wife he wants and every woman will get the husband she wants. Despite this I ask for nothing for this service nor do I look for any benefit or profit from anyone who comes to this city. However I have laid down a Constitution and a system for this city that I desire that all who come to it to abide by and not violate. I have made this Constitution as a system of living in this city and so that every individual living there understands the limits and their rights and obligations. If all who live there adhere to this Constitution and its instructions, they will live in happiness without the least problem. Additionally, a prize has been prepared for whoever adheres to this constitution, follows its instructions and respects the owner of the city and they will have the ability to respect and obey. The owner of this city desires not the following of these instructions and obedience to his orders except for the benefit and happiness of all who live there. Likewise, punishments will be put in place for whoever defies the teachings of the Constitution and who disrespects the city's owner.

I will now speak about this Constitution and its instructions:

Firstly: Every inhabitant of the city is requested to purify and cleanse themselves five times every day and take time - approximately five minutes - to thank the owner of the city for the many services that he has freely provided.

Secondly: If any inhabitant infringes upon the rights of another by committing murder then the punishment of the murderer will be death likewise so that no one else will dare to commit the same crime upon another.

Thirdly: If any inhabitant infringes upon the other by committing theft, then the punishment of the thief will be the amputation of their hand so that all others will be driven away from thievery. Why should there be any theft when the owner of the city will give anyone whatever they ask for he possesses all they could want? And if any inhabitant commits adultery or fornication with any woman, even if she is a willing partner, his punishment will be harsh. If the parties are already married then their punishment is death so that none will spread such a deed which is a grave infringement upon other's rights and the cause of the spread of infectious diseases that harm everyone. If they are not married, then they will be beaten with 100 lashes until everyone is deterred from committing such a vile deed. Indeed why would people fall into such a crime when we will provide any man who wants a wife with one, two or three if he wants?

If the members of the city preserve this constitution and follow these instructions they will live happily, enjoying peace and security and an honorable life.

Now I ask you a fair question: If a group of needy people were offered this proposal could you see any of them hesitating to accept it with the utmost swiftness? Do you think they would raise any objection to anything laid before them regarding adhering to the instructions of the city's owner since there is nothing of their needs that he hasn't provided for in abundance? If any person was to come to that city and enjoyed carefree living there and security only to turn their heads and give no respect or deference to its owner and violated its instructions and constitution - in spite of the owner's benevolent heart and not seeking to harm anyone - is there any justice or wisdom in the person enjoying all that accommodation, food, drink, spouses etc. and after all that gives no respect to the owner and rejects following the Constitution and its instructions; does such a person deserve to live in such a city? If the owner was to punish them for their disobedience in any manner he saw fit as a check and deterrent upon them and any like them, would it not be fitting and just treatment? I call you to consider well the aforementioned scenario.

Did you not know who the owner of the city is? Did you not understand who the needy are who accept the proposal (i.e. Muslims which literally means those who submit to the will of Allah and obey Him)? Of course that is what is rational and befitting logic. Aren't all people in their make-up of multifarious colors, shapes and sizes, creations of God (Allah) the Mighty and Majestic? Has He not made them all? Has He not favored and blessed them with their existence after they were non-existent? Then also ask yourself is not this expansive creation, the land, the atmosphere, the sun and moon, the day and night, and the waters not the production of Allah the Mighty and Wise? Is it logical and reasonable to say to such a Magnificent Creator "Why have You done such and such and not this or that?"?! Who is it who would say that to Him? Is it other than the human who was created with weakness and dependence upon Allah for everything in his life and provision even down to his breathing?! Is not our very breathing in the hands of Allah Who if He so willed could stop it at any moment and the person will die and become again nothing as he was before? Does the rejecter possess the ability to restore life to himself? Then if you as a human being are so weak and dependent upon Allah the Mighty and Majestic for everything, even the most minute of things, how could you then protest and resist Allah and say "Why did He make a Hellfire and punishment for non-Muslims?" (i.e. those who refuse to submit)? Moreover is not the One Who Created all these wonders of the universe, including the wonderful and intricate composition of our own minds and bodies, which are very insignificant compared to the vastness of the universe, worthy of our utmot devotion, love and worship? Who else is deserving of that? No one.

Stay with me and let us consider just who are the non-Muslims including Christians, Jews, and Communists who do not believe in God or in anything at all. Look along with me at the beliefs of the Muslims regarding Allah (God) and those of the Jews and the Christians in particular.

The Muslims believe in the unicity of Allah and that He is the Only True deity Who alone is deserving of worship and indeed must be worshipped. He is the Almighty Creator Who created everything without the assistance or presence of any other creator and they believe in Him having Unique Names and Attributes which are unlike or far beyond the names and attributes of any created beings. Likewise they believe in all the Prophets and Messengers, among them Jesus son of Mary ('Iesa Ibn Maryum) peace be upon him and Moses (Musa Ibn 'Imran) peace be upon him. They believe that the Prophet Muhammad, may the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, was the last of those Prophets and Messengers and that the Noble Qur'aan is the last of the Divinely Revealed Books or Scriptures and that Islam is the one religion that will be accepted by Allah (God) along with no others. They also believe that every Prophet and Messenger came appointed by Allah with the message calling people to One Religion, namely Islam with the difference between them being that each of those messages had its own specific name but that each one stemmed from or was related to the original...Islam. For example, the message revealed to Jesus ('Iesa) was the Injeel (commonly known as the Gospels) and the message revealed to Moses (Musa) was the Torah and the message sent to David (Dawood) was the Psalms (Zaboor) and so on but that each one of them called to the Unity and Singularity (Tawheed) of Allah and that He has no partner and no equal, no son and no mate.

Therefore if you were to say to us, 'You hold the position that Allah revealed the Injeel and the Torah so why do they differ from what was revealed in the Noble Qur'aan if all of them came from Allah?' I say in response that if alteration and distortion had not occurred to the Torah or the Injeel you would not indeed find any contradiction between the three. If you were to do a comprehensive study of the Qur'aan you would see which of those three scriptures Allah has been preserved from any alteration or falsehood and it would become clearly evident to you that the Qur'aan is the singular Scripture about which Allah has stated: We have revealed it and We are its Protectors. (The 'We' here corresponds to the 'royal we' in English indicating authority and power and is not in any way an indication of a plurality of gods) This is a promise from Allah to preserve the Noble Qur'aan from every alteration and if you are not satisfied with my words then come along with me and we will consider the matter together.

Christians are basically divided into two groups, one group saying that the Messiah (Jesus) is God (far be He above what they claim) and the other saying he is the son of God (again He is far above that). Their statements are false and incorrect. For those who claim that he is Allah (God) we ask: Who then is Mary in relationship to him? If they say she is his mother, we respond that it is not possible that this could be God who lived for a time in the womb of a woman! What god could come out from the vagina of a woman? Who was it that controlled all the creation and what occurs therein while he was a fetus in his mother's womb? Is that concept not an obvious falsehood?!

As far as the second group claiming that the Messiah was the son of God we ask: We wonder who you would say was his mother? If you were to say it was Mary, you would then be attributing a wife to God as well as sexual desire and none of that is in any way befitting the Almighty God! If you were to say that Jesus was the son of God without any mother, as Adam had no mother, we would respond that Adam had neither a father nor a mother so where did he come from? Is not Allah the One who created him from nothing with no one before him? What need does Allah have of offspring?! Is that idea not also clearly falsehood? Isn't such a concept making Allah like His creation in fact a diminution of Him (and He is free and above that)? Why? Because it is the creation that is weak and in need of offspring and fulfillment of carnal desires so how can one attribute such characteristics to the God Who is the Great Creator?

Space does not allow the dealing with all the false and altered concepts and beliefs present in the Bible and likewise the Torah. I advise you however, to study the Bible as a revealed scripture that necessarily must have come as guidance to people and likewise the New and Old Testament and you will see the most amazing things regarding the evils attributed to the Prophets such as the claim that Lot (peace be upon him) committed incest with his daughter on top of what we already mentioned of their claim regarding the divinity of Jesus or that he was the son of God! Thereafter look at the Qur'aan in-depth and it will become evident to you that it is the truth from God (Allah).

As far as those who died never having heard of Islam or learning of it or about it, then have no doubt that Allah will deal with such souls justly and their fate is surely up to Him.

As far as what you mentioned of some of the negative acts of some Muslims and those whom you describe as terrorists I say to you not to judge Islam and the Muslims based on an small group among them. It is not logical or rational to judge the skill of the physician and his success in treatment due to the conduct of some patients who don't follow the doctor's instructions. If you want to be equitable, then look at the deeds of that portion of Muslims who you describe as terrorists and compare them to the acts of the Christian Orthodox Serbians against the Muslims of Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosova, for example. They did things to Muslim men and women not recorded in the history of people past or present. The same people who called for human rights and tolerance between people, freedom and brotherhood yet factual reality refuted them and confirms to everyone who are the real criminals. I will mention just some statistics of what occurred in Bosnia-Herzegovina alone.

Serbian criminals murdered more than 200,000 Muslims in Bosnia and raped more than 60,000 Muslim women and girls and expelled more than 2 million from their homes. I will mention one summarized story from the thousands of stories from Muslim Sarajevo. Serbs held captive a man, his wife and nursing infant. They took the baby from the arms of its mother and threw him into the flames and then proceeded to rape the mother before her husband and the man and his wife collapsed due to what had been done to them. The Serbs awakened them and kicked them and presented some roasted meat to them and forced them to eat only to tell them that the meat they had eaten was the flesh of their murdered baby!!

Such horrendous and indescribable atrocities have been repeated in Indonesia recently and the murder of Muslim civilians is a daily occurrence in Chechnya. So who are the real terrorists Raymond and why do you not judge those respective religions harshly due to the acts committed by their adherents who the Muslims who commit acts of "terror" are in comparison far far fewer in number? Perhaps it is your perspective that must be adjusted and you must realize that a sensational and biased media and mis-education play a major role in distorting the true picture of Islam and Muslims. We pray you take the time to really study Islam, its tenets and practices and you will know the clear difference when judging the acts Muslims.

As far as your analogizing Allah the Mighty and Majestic with the criminal named Hitler you have made a disgusting and repugnant error. If Allah was to force all of mankind to worship Him you would neither see a disbeliever nor an atheist! Indeed you see for example the Jews who have committed crime after crime, such as their killing the prophets and shedding their blood yet you see them most influential in the world. They today kill Muslims with impunity! Is not Allah able to destroy them all in a moment? There are the atheists who don't believe in any God as a principle but you see them having the second greatest strength on the planet. Is not Allah capable of destroying them all?

Nevertheless, Allah - Blessed and Exalted is He - wants the person to come to him with a satisfied heart full of assurance that He is the Most Deserving of worship and there being no god for this universe other than Him and no Sustainer besides. Allah states in the Noble Qur'aan: Let there be no compulsion in religion for guidance is clear from falsehood. Meaning, that the truth is clear and every rational thinker is guided to it. Allah also states in His Noble Scripture: Perhaps you would kill yourself with grief that they are not believers. If We willed We could have sent a sign from the heavens that would have humiliated them. This was an address toward the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (peace be upon him) meaning: It is as though you would destroy yourself with anxiety Muhammad just because all the people are not believers. No Muhammad. If We wanted to send down a miracle or a punishment from the sky their heads would be forcibly bowed in humiliation however We want them to come with their hearts and freely by their own choice.

So please ponder these verses well and at the end of my letter I ask Allah the Mighty and Wise to guide you to Islam along with all people and I advise you to study and research Islam and compare it to other religions and I ask Allah to grant you success in finding the truth.

- Abu Umar

Editor's Note: The original writer of the letter eventually became a Muslim.