Obedient Angel
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Join date : 2011-04-30
Posts : 2448
 | Subject: Muslims and the People of the Book  Mon Jun 20, 2011 9:09 am | |
| Muslims and the People of the BookMuslims are enjoined to deal charitably with the People of the Book. Though Allah in the Qur'an blames the People of the Book for certain things, this is a God-Man relationship. There is always a stress that Allah will handle this on the Day of Judgment. On the other hand, we Muslims in our Man-Man relationship with the People of the Book, should deal with them kindly, especially Christains. Following are some of the relevant Qur'anic ayat and hadiths:
[5:82]
You will truly find the most hostile of people to those who believe to be the Jews and the idolaters; and you will truly find the nearest of them in love to those who believe to be those who say 'Verily, we are Christians'; that because some of them are priests and monks, and because they are not disdainful.
[5:83]
And when they hear what has been revealed to the Messenger, you see their eyes overflow with tears because of what they recognise of the truth. They say, 'Our Lord, we believe, so inscribe us among the witnesses.
[60:8]
God does not forbid you in regard to those who did not wage war against you on account of religion and did not expel you from your homes, that you should treat them kindly and deal with them justly. Assuredly God loves the just.
[60:9]
God only forbids you in regard to those who waged war against you on account of religion and expelled you from your homes and supported [others] in your expulsion, that you should make friends with them. And whoever makes friends with them, those — they are the wrongdoers.
We are enjoined to call to the path of Allah, but upon disagreement we should end the discussion peacefully:
"And do not argue with the followers of earlier revelations except in the most gentle manner."[29:46 ]
"…To each community among you, We have prescribed a [divine] Law and a way of life. If God had so willed, He would have made you a single people, but His plan is to test you in what He has given you: so strive as in a race in all virtues. To God, you will be all returned, and He will then inform you of that wherein you disputed" [Qur'an 5.]
"For every nation, We have appointed rites that they observe. So let them not dispute the matter with you [Prophet]. And call [people] to your Lord for you are indeed following a straight guidance. And if they argue with you, say, 'God knows best what you are doing' "[Qur'an 22-68].
The Prophet, pbuh, said,
“He who Harms a peaceful/contracted non‐Muslim, then I will be His opponent.” [al-Tabarani, with a chain that is sound/hassan]
And he said,
“He who Harms a peaceful/contracted non‐Muslim, then I will be His opponent.” [al-Khateeb, with a chain that is sound/hassan]
The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: “He who harms a person under covenant, or charged him more than he can, I will argue against him on the Day of Judgement.”
The Messenger of Allah stood during the funeral procession of a Jew until he was buried, and when he was alerted to it being the funeral of a Jew "(As Jews were very hostile to him then), he said,
“Isn’t it a soul?” [Reported by Al‐Bukhari and Muslim].
Attacking worshipers, places and symbols of worship are totally prohibited in Islam
The Prophet, pbuh, said that war should involve:
• No killing of women, children, and innocents― these might
include hermits, monks, or other religious leaders who were deemed
noncombatants;
• No wanton killing of livestock and animals;
• No burning or destruction of trees and orchards; and,
• No destruction of wells.
Abu Bakr, the first caliph after Prophet Muhammad’s death, formulated a detailed set of rules for Islamic conduct during war. He gave the following instructions to a Muslim army setting out for Syria, which was then governed by the Byzantine Empire:
"Stop, O people, that I may give you rules for your guidance in the battlefield:
- Do not commit treachery or deviate from the right path.
- You must not mutilate dead bodies.
- Neither kill a child, nor a woman, nor an aged man.
- Bring no harm to the trees, nor burn them with fire, especially those which are
fruitful.
- Slay not any of the enemy’s flock, save for your food.
- You are likely to pass by people who have devoted their lives to monastic
services; leave them alone.". | |
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