Ghizlane Zerzkhane | Staff Writer
Featured image: The talk, hosted by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Student Association, dispelled associations between violence and Islam. | Gabriel Edeoghon
At a time when Muslims are facing increasing pressure to confront the association of terrorism with Islam, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Student Association, or AMSA, at York organized a discussion on Islam and the New World Order.
The March 16 event saw Imam Farhan Iqbal and Imam Usman Shahid, members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at community in Canada, speak about the conflicts within Islam, the misconceptions surrounding the religion and the place it has in the modern world.
According to Iqbal, the concept of the New World Order was introduced after the First World War at a time of economic and political reform.
It signified a reform of universal values and morals that correlate with Islamic teaching.
Iqbal also introduced the negative connotations associated with Islam, including the approach towards war and terrorism, gender inequality and Christianity.
Iqbal stated that Islam does not take the issue of terrorism lightly.
“In the Qur’an, God condemns terrorism. God said if someone kills one person, it is ‘as if he has killed all of humanity.’ Islam is a religion of peace and does not tolerate unnecessary wars and any forms of terrorism,” he said.
He also added that Western powers should also face condemnation for creating the foundations for radicalization.
“Nations manufacturing lethal weapons and trading with Muslim states must also take their share of responsibility.”
The issue of Muslims assimilating to democratic states was also confronted by Iqbal and Shahid in a discussion on the tolerance Islam has for secularism.
According to Iqbal and Shahid, Islam has minimal religious rulings on how to govern and create political parties. It encourages Muslims to assimilate to foreign societies and to obey authority.
While the issue of whether Islam is a religion of tolerance remains an argument in the West, Iqbal provided a reminder of human rights crises inflicted upon Muslim-majority countries through wars and human rights violations.
“It seems as if not a day goes by where we are don’t hear of Muslims dying,” said Iqbal.
“Force can win territories, but not hearts. Swords can bend heads, but not minds.”
The event’s purpose was to deconstruct the misconceptions of Islam due to the increasing levels of intolerance towards immigration and refugee crises and the misrepresentation of its followers in Western media outlets.
Lets deal with some of the B.S. in this article.
““In the Qur’an, God condemns terrorism. God said if someone kills one person, it is ‘as if he has killed all of humanity.’ Islam is a religion of peace and does not tolerate unnecessary wars and any forms of terrorism,” he said.”
Picking one verse like this in no war makes Islam a religion of peace. When you look at the religion as a whole, it is clear it is a brutal ideology that promotes the subjugation of women, gays and non-Muslims. People often pick one verse such as “there is no compulsion in religion” and say this makes it peaceful. Here are some others;
Quran (2:191-193) – “And kill them wherever you find them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out.”
Quran (2:244) – “Then fight in the cause of Allah, and know that Allah Heareth and knoweth all things.”
Quran (3:151) – “Soon shall We cast terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers, for that they joined companions with Allah, for which He had sent no authority”. This speaks directly of polytheists, yet it also includes Christians, since they believe in the Trinity (ie. what Muhammad incorrectly believed to be ‘joining companions to Allah’).
Quran (4:76) – “Those who believe fight in the cause of Allah…”
Quran (4:104) – “And be not weak hearted in pursuit of the enemy; if you suffer pain, then surely they (too) suffer pain as you suffer pain…” Is pursuing an injured and retreating enemy really an act of self-defense?
Quran (8:12) – “I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them” No reasonable person would interpret this to mean a spiritual struggle. The targets of violence are “those who disbelieve” – further defined in the next verse (13) as “defy and disobey Allah.” Nothing is said about self-defense. In fact, the verses in sura 8 were narrated shortly after a battle provoked by Muhammad, who had been trying to attack a lightly-armed caravan to steal goods belonging to other people.
Quran (8:39) – “And fight with them until there is no more fitna (disorder, unbelief) and religion is all for Allah”
Quran (9:29) – “Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.”
Quran (9:38-39) – “O ye who believe! what is the matter with you, that, when ye are asked to go forth in the cause of Allah, ye cling heavily to the earth? Do ye prefer the life of this world to the Hereafter? But little is the comfort of this life, as compared with the Hereafter. Unless ye go forth, He will punish you with a grievous penalty, and put others in your place.” This is a warning to those who refuse to fight, that they will be punished with Hell.
There is more than 100 verses like this…. This is clearly a brutal oppressive ideology. It is just spelled out again and again about fighting against the non-Muslims. We have to be honest about this ideology and the consequences of having people who believe in it. Just google verses of the Quran yourself. When you look at ISIS, it isn’t clear where they are getting it wrong.
“He also added that Western powers should also face condemnation for creating the foundations for radicalization.” The foundations of radicalization are in your texts.
“The issue of Muslims assimilating to democratic states was also confronted by Iqbal and Shahid in a discussion on the tolerance Islam has for secularism.” The religion promotes the domination and subjugation of others, not tolerance.
“According to Iqbal and Shahid, Islam has minimal religious rulings on how to govern and create political parties. It encourages Muslims to assimilate to foreign societies and to obey authority.” Just B.S. it encourages them to spread this ideology to the ends of the earth and wage jihad.
The fact that this is a brutal oppressive ideology is just that, a fact. It is not a misconception. If we are going to build a viable global civilization we need to reject the religions of our parents so we can make progress on this. Clinging to religion is not helping the situation. There are consequences to people believing that these books where written by the creator of the universe.
Lets deal with some of the B.S. in this article.
““In the Qur’an, God condemns terrorism. God said if someone kills one person, it is ‘as if he has killed all of humanity.’ Islam is a religion of peace and does not tolerate unnecessary wars and any forms of terrorism,” he said.”
Picking one verse like this in no war makes Islam a religion of peace. When you look at the religion as a whole, it is clear it is a brutal ideology that promotes the subjugation of women, gays and non-Muslims. People often pick one verse such as “there is no compulsion in religion” and say this makes it peaceful. Here are some others;
Quran (2:191-193) – “And kill them wherever you find them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out.”
Quran (2:244) – “Then fight in the cause of Allah, and know that Allah Heareth and knoweth all things.”
Quran (3:151) – “Soon shall We cast terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers, for that they joined companions with Allah, for which He had sent no authority”. This speaks directly of polytheists, yet it also includes Christians, since they believe in the Trinity (ie. what Muhammad incorrectly believed to be ‘joining companions to Allah’).
Quran (4:76) – “Those who believe fight in the cause of Allah…”
Quran (4:104) – “And be not weak hearted in pursuit of the enemy; if you suffer pain, then surely they (too) suffer pain as you suffer pain…” Is pursuing an injured and retreating enemy really an act of self-defense?
Quran (8:12) – “I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them” No reasonable person would interpret this to mean a spiritual struggle. The targets of violence are “those who disbelieve” – further defined in the next verse (13) as “defy and disobey Allah.” Nothing is said about self-defense. In fact, the verses in sura 8 were narrated shortly after a battle provoked by Muhammad, who had been trying to attack a lightly-armed caravan to steal goods belonging to other people.
Quran (8:39) – “And fight with them until there is no more fitna (disorder, unbelief) and religion is all for Allah”
Quran (9:29) – “Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.”
Quran (9:38-39) – “O ye who believe! what is the matter with you, that, when ye are asked to go forth in the cause of Allah, ye cling heavily to the earth? Do ye prefer the life of this world to the Hereafter? But little is the comfort of this life, as compared with the Hereafter. Unless ye go forth, He will punish you with a grievous penalty, and put others in your place.” This is a warning to those who refuse to fight, that they will be punished with Hell.
There is more than 100 verses like this…. This is clearly a brutal oppressive ideology. It is just spelled out again and again about fighting against the non-Muslims. We have to be honest about this ideology and the consequences of having people who believe in it. Just google verses of the Quran yourself. When you look at ISIS, it isn’t clear where they are getting it wrong.
“He also added that Western powers should also face condemnation for creating the foundations for radicalization.” The foundations of radicalization are in your texts.
“The issue of Muslims assimilating to democratic states was also confronted by Iqbal and Shahid in a discussion on the tolerance Islam has for secularism.” The religion promotes the domination and subjugation of others, not tolerance.
“According to Iqbal and Shahid, Islam has minimal religious rulings on how to govern and create political parties. It encourages Muslims to assimilate to foreign societies and to obey authority.” Just B.S. it encourages them to spread this ideology to the ends of the earth and wage jihad.
The fact that this is a brutal oppressive ideology is just that, a fact. It is not a misconception. If we are going to build a viable global civilization we need to reject the religions of our parents so we can make progress on this. Clinging to religion is not helping the situation. There are consequences to people believing that these books where written by the creator of the universe.