and mushrikeen is a term that has never
been applied as a title for the people
of the book
it has been used in this context to
refer to idolatrous herbs
mistake 2.
it differs in chapter 9 verse 5 is taken
totally out of context historical and
texturally
how historical I'll give you the
background
after the Muslims migrated to Medina
in about the six years
after migration
to Medina
Muslims wanted to go back for pilgrimage
and that might have been also intended
as a peaceful gesture towards the
meccans that they're coming for worship
not for fight
every sign and every precaution was made
that they appeared to be coming only for
pergaments they're not coming with arms
and you know all the Shields and so on
they were stopped intercepted and
stopped at the outskirts of Mecca
Muslims were irritated that they
preventing them from reaching the house
of their father Abraham the Kaaba
and we're ready to fight
and the prophet and that was his
characteristic by the way whenever it
was possible to have a just peace he
never opted for Battlefield he said no
by God
if they negotiate anything with me
that maintains the peace
and keep the kinship relationship I will
respond positively to that
the Pagan Arabs came with great
arrogance negotiation took place and
they showed a great deal of arrogance
and unfairness yet the prophet accepted
but some of the important Provisions in
this treaty is that they will be peace
for 10 years no fighting between either
side and that indeed was the major thing
that that Prophet was looking after
with looking at
there were other concession Muslims give
that sounded unfair to them but the main
thing the prophet was interested in
is to remove the barrier of
communication between human beings
and indeed it is very interesting to
note
that within nearly a year and a half a
year and a half
of peaceful relationship where people
can communicate without this hatred and
stereotypes
more people entered into the fold of
Islam than those who entered in the
previous 19 years
of conflict
more people in that Year and have than
19 years
and historically speaking Islam
spread much faster During the period of
Peace not conflict and hatred
right until this moment
when Muslims situation is pathetic in
every respect Islam continued to spread
so long as there is communication
between human beings no one that Prophet
Muhammad peace be upon Him used to say
please
please let me communicate with people
when he was in Bakka they tried to
prevent people even from listening to
him
the Quran quotes them said Don't listen
to this Quran and make noise to have the
upper hand
they intercept the pilgrims who are
coming
because Arabs also used to do Perkins in
spite of their paganistic ideas
they intercept them and warn them don't
talk to Muhammad he's a magician he's a
dangerous man and why they didn't want
people to listen to him
now when that
took place like I said the Islam spread
but apparently some elements did not
like that at all
and all of a sudden
unexpectedly
the aggression come against Muslims and
their allies and some people are killed
cold-bloodedly at night
who broke the treaty the other side not
the Prophet The Prophet respected every
iota
of his agreement
now these are murderers and what is the
punishment of cold-blooded murder on
that scale execution there's no question
I know people have differing feeling and
Views but even States today differ as to
whether the execution as a punishment is
inhuman or not the Earth countries that
accept that as well
now it is in the context of this event
that the Quran refers to the event and
what followed later on Investigation for
another battle even after Makkah was
opened
that the Quran speaks about those who
deserve to be killed because they are
like war criminals
they are like war criminals it is only
those that the Quran speak that in in
the battlefield you kill them wherever
you find them because they deserve it it
is a just punishment for them
and to show that this is the correct way
of understanding it you go and read not
only one part of an Ayah nine five the
famous One
but read the entire section from verse 1
to 13 or 15.
and you find the reason given number one
it excludes even among the Pagan Arabs
the American people it actually exclude
those who respected their treaty and
never betrayed the prophet
number two it gives the very reason why
Muslims were allowed to fight them
because they say
they started they were the ones who
started aggression against you in the
first place
number three the Quran itself says
that they never observe any kinship
relationship or even treaty that they
have signed so it is obvious it is not a
general statement about any non-muslim
it is not a statement about all
idolatres Arabs it is only against those
criminals who committed they're called
blooded murder
or further proof is found in the Quran
itself
the two verses that many scholars
considered the constitution of the
normal relationship between Muslims and
peacefully co-existing non-muslims they
appear in chapter 60
verses 89 that basically says any
non-muslim
Jew Christian you know you name it Pagan
even those who do not fight you because
of your religion as Muslims
or drive you out of your homes take away
your rights your basic rights and
oppress you you should deal with them
Injustice and Bear
is not just kindness because it is the
same term used in the Quran and Hadith
to designate the nature of one's
relationship with his or her hmm parents
and relationship with parents is not
only Justice and kindness but love and
respect even if you don't share certain
beliefs the basic love as a human being
and respect are included it is not by
chance that God chose that particular
term to designate how to relate to those
who mean no ill to you and not
oppressing you
moving on to the second issue of
marriage there are four basic issues
that arise
one
they say how could Prophet Muhammad
peace be upon and be accepted as a
prophet
if he married several women if he were
if he was a polygamous person that
exclude him from being a prophet just
somebody obsessed with women
but before I give any answer as John
Esposito and others point out that this
is indeed a sort of double standard
because some of those who raised those
objections believe in the Bible
and believe in various prophets in the
bible and most of the prophets in the
bible have more than one wife in fact
David is said to have had 100 wives
Solomon much more
and that's why according to Edward
westernmark this is a very interesting
reference about the history of human
marriage which is the title of his book
Western markets
w-e-s-t-e-r-m-a-c-k Edward westernmark
history of human marriage
and he makes a very powerful argument
that he says insofar as the text of the
Bible both Hebrew scripture and New
Testament there is no single positive
clear unequivocal statement that
prohibits the existing polygamy that was
accepted in Jewish law and accepted also
and practiced by many Israelite prophets
none not one
and then he quotes Martin Luther
and he says that Martin Luther says that
God did not forbid it he says even the
friend of God Abraham had more than one
wife had of course Sarah and Hagar of
course it is said also that he married
kitura after the death of sir
and he further refers to the fact that
Jews in the Middle East even for seven
centuries after Islam that's up to the
14th century
he used to practice polygamy furthermore
I was surprised to find that he says
there is evidence also that the church
in medieval times Christian Church did
officiate multiple marriages for some of
the kings of Europe at the time
basically the issue here boils to same
standards not more not less
if the fact that a prophet married more
than one wife disqualified him as a
prophet then all of them are
disqualified if it is not itself a
disqualification why pick on one
particular Prophet secondly
it is unfortunate that a lot of times
when you give people a list of words on
both sides to connect lines and he put
Islam on one side and polygamy on the
other automatically the lines are drawn
that as if Islam and polygamy are the
twin that shall never part
this is totally false it is known
historically
that polygamy was practiced or