Sorry for responding late. I fell asleep after my post (it was 2AM where I live)
I think there is one fatal flaw in your logic here...
Well, that's true for any religious debate
While Christians (and most sentient beings) almost universally denounce, decry, and despise the actions of Adolf Hitler, just the opposite seems to be true among Muslims with their praise for Osama bin Laden. Bin Laden is held in a position of reverence and respect by the majority of Muslims. Hitler is regarded by Christians as a genocidal maniac.
I absolutely agree with you here. I'm an Indian muslim and not once have I ever been a victim of any kind of hate crime or religious/racial prejudice. I'll graduate in 2007 with a Bachelor's degree in Software Engineering. I come from an upper-middle-class family where education is top priority. All muslims that I know personally (people like me) share my exact views. You know what we say, whenever the OBL/UBL discussion pops up - "Moron has it all wrong. If he had any brains, he would've bombed Israeli/US military bases. Asshole added about another million to the world's problems."
The people who dance in the streets are the ones who, in some way, were directly affected by the conflict in the Middle-East. They don't understand how the world works. Sure, they feel for their Ummah (community/brotherhood)...but their hatred for the West is so strong that they have chosen to forget about the peace.
I'll quote some passages from the Quran.
"So obey not the disbelievers, but make a great jihad (effort) against them (by preaching) with it (the Qur'an)" (Surah Al-Furqan 25:52)
"...If anyone killed a person not in retaliation for murder or to spread mischief in the land, it would be as if he killed the whole of mankind. And (likewise) if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the whole of mankind" (Surah Al-Maaida 5:32)
"There is no compulsion in religion. The right path has indeed become distinct from the wrong. So whoever rejects false worship and believes in Allah, then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break. And Allah is All Hearing, All Knowing" (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:256)
"Allah does not forbid you to deal justly and kindly with those who fought not against you on account of religion, nor drove you out of your homes. Indeed, Allah loves those who deal with equity" (Surah Al-Mumtahinah 60:8)
"And fight in the way of Allah those who fight you. But do not transgress the limits. Truly Allah loves not the transgressors" (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:190)
"For had it not been that Allah checks one set of people by means of another, monasteries, churches, synagogues and mosques, wherein the name of Allah is mentioned much, would surely have been pulled down. Indeed Allah will help those who help His (cause). Truly Allah is All strong, All mighty" (Surah Al-Hajj 22:40)
The following is a quote that is often misused to portray Islam as a religion of hatred.
"And what is the matter with you that you do not fight in the cause of Allah and for those weak, ill treated and oppressed among men, women and children whose only cry is; 'Our Lord, rescue us from this town whose people are oppressors and raise for us from you one who will protect and raise for us from you one who will help" (Surah An-Nisa 4:75)
I personally don't see what's wrong with it. It commands muslims to protect their own people from oppressors. That sounds fair, doesn't it?
This is what the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) said about suicide: ""He who kills himself with anything, Allah will torment him with that in the fire of Hell"
So, suicide isn't justified with anything. Even a suicide bombing act. A warrior is one who walks into battle with the objective of destroying the enemy, and going back home (alive) to his family and nation. Suicide is out of the question. Suicide attacks are an act of cowardice, and Allah doesn't reward cowards.
I still maintain (sadly) that most muslims have forgotten (or chosen to forget) some of the most basic principles of Islam, because of the circumstances they live in. I have spent my whole life, learning about my religion from my parents and the Imam from my neighborhood madrasa. I always thought I belonged to a religion of great peace, love and great acts of forgiveness and bravery in the hardest of circumstances. I still believe that. It just bums me out that all believing muslims are so pre-occupied with dispelling myths and anti-muslim propaganda, that there is no time to actually be vocal about the merits of the religion.
To address some of the questions Frackal asked:
1)
But what Bin Laden has called for is defensive Jihad. Is it not the duty of every Muslim to provide whatever support they are capable of if they determine that the conditions for a defensive Jihad are met? (ie, Muslim people, land, wealth, religion under assault)
Yes, Bin Laden has called for defensive Jihad. But Bin Laden lost all credibility when he chose to crash airliners with innocent people onboard into the WTC. Are the Palestinians being driven out of their homes? Yes. Are they being brutally massacred? Yes. Do they have the right to strike back at Israel? Yes. They have every right to strike back at the soldiers who are out to kill them. What is Jihad exactly? Literally, it means struggle. In the context of war, it means "A Struggle to uphold your right to practice your religion. It can be peaceful, in the case of a propaganda or Cold War...it can be violent in the case of full-blown war."
Blowing up buses and supermarkets in Israel is not Jihad. A full-on offensive against the Israeli Army that keeps enroaching into Palestinian lands would be Jihad. Killing civilians, women & children is a transgression against the Islamic Laws of War. Bin Laden knows this...if he knows anything about Islam, he knows this. But he chose a different, unislamic route to draw attention to his cause.
2)
I do think it is acceptable for Muslims to live their own way in their own traditional lands. The sticky part comes from the mixing of our two cultures. When "we" are in "your" lands and vice versa.
You are right again. The only solution is for both parties to be sensitive towards one another. Figure out what is unacceptable to the other, and refrain from it. This is actually in effect in India - sure, there are a few communal riots every now and then, but nothing that has ever affected the stability of this entire country. A mosque was bombed just a week ago...a temple 2 weeks before that. A railway station not too long ago. But people have stopped feeling animosity towards one another. They understand who orchestrates these attacks...and their motives behind them.
The Quran does advocate no separation of State & Religion. If implemented well, it can actually be a good thing. A good example would be Saudi Arabia (one of the lowest crime rates worldwide)...an example gone horrid would be the Pakistan/Taliban/the Saddam Hussein government. Power corrupted all these dictators. The Quran advocates building a civil society based on it's teachings that serves as a benchmark for other nations to marvel at. Of course, nobody has come close to this in over a thousand years.
There needs to be a tremendous reform in the Islamic World because we have all, collectively, managed to convince the world we are crazy, murderous psychos who have no regard for fellow man. It's one thing to feel for your Ummah. To be moved by news reports of massive civilian casualties. It's absolutely right to demand justice. But the Quran does support terrorism. Maybe if all the war & destruction would cease, the leaders were rational men with socio-economic development as top priority, the schools weren't all piles of rubble and there wasn't a funeral in the neighborhood every other day, the people of my community would actually consider trying to live a normal 21st century life. And consider the true Islamic Way of Life.
Sorry if I didn't address some of the questions you asked. Ask me if I'm leaving something out.
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