Some Clarifications...

Submitted by Ahmad Tariq (United States), Dec 30, 2006 at 08:31

Moshe,

No, these countries are not the strongholds of pure Islam. There is no such thing as an Islamic state. Islamic country or state are titles applied to these countries in accordance with modern political terms. On the other hand, according to the Qur'an there is no Islamic state that imposes its religious ideologies or beliefs on people when it says:

'there should be no compulsion in religion' (2:257)

according to Islam the religion cannot be forced upon people as a way of law or life. Muslims are forbidden from using force upon anyone to adopt their ways of life or their beliefs.

These countries have done the complete opposite. The pure Islam doesn't lie in any country, but rather in the Qur'an and the life of the Prophet Muhammad. It lives on today through its adherents; the ones who in face of opposition do not raise a finger but only preach the word of Islam in a peaceful manner, which is the required lifestyle of any follower of a religion that means 'peace'

The fact of the matter is, no religion preaches violence and hatred. We turn to religion for tranquility and piece of mind, not to be submerged in a chaotic world of who's right and who's wrong. We should celebrate our similarities and learn about our differences.

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