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September 2, 2007
The Koran and Non-Muslims—Facts Versus Myths
[Originally published in Turkish Daily News]
Many years ago, I came across a book, which claimed to explain “Israeli terrorism” in the light of the Hebrew Scriptures. It was full of photos showing Israeli soldiers attacking and harassing Palestinians, and presented huge captions that included verses from the Old Testament, and especially the Book of Joshua. If the Israelis were breaking the bones of a Palestinian youngster — a globally notorious scene from the ‘80s — then the caption would include a verse with something like “Thou shall break their bones.” The book's argument was blunt and simple: The Israelis were torturing a nation because that was what their religion ordered them to do.
The more I learned about the Old Testament and the politics of the Middle East, the more I realized that what the book presented was not analysis but anti-Semitic propaganda. It is true that Israel's 40-year-long occupation is a pretty brutal one, and that the Old Testament included some belligerent passages, but the reality was much more complex. I noticed that Jewish religious sources also include many words of wisdom and compassion, and that there are so many Jews who are willing to have peace with their Arab neighbors. Indeed the militants who advocate and even practice violence in the name of Judaism — as CNN's Christian Amanpour recently exposed in her superb documentary, “God's Warriors” — are pretty marginal. Moreover, the source of their hatred is actually not the confrontational passages of the Torah, but the political and social situation that they are in.
In other words, they go angry and violent not because they read their religious texts, but because they focus on the harsher parts of those texts since they are already angry and violent for a myriad of reasons.
The Sloganization of Scripture
In recent years, I often recall my experience with that anti-Semitic book and the way it misread the Hebrew Scriptures, because I see that more and more people are doing the same thing with the Koran. When Islamic terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda bomb innocents, or when some fringe imam in a radical mosque preaches hatred toward non-Muslims, these greenhorn “Islam experts” find some passages in the Koran, which apparently justify such extremists. No wonder that these extremists themselves refer to similar passages in the Koran or other Islamic sources. The situation is very similar to the strange agreement between the anti-Semites and the Jewish terrorists on the wrong notion that Judaism justifies carnage.
One common problem in all such misreading of the scriptures is the “sloganization” of certain verses or passages. This is done by taking a part of the holy text out of its textual and historical context, and turning into a slogan that will justify a mundane political agenda. For example, some Islamic revolutionaries, especially the ones who are inspired by the Iranian Revolution of 1979, used to find a political message in this verse: “Those who do wrong will come to know by what a great reverse they will be overturned!” (26:227) But in fact the verse speaks about the punishment that God will hand down to unbelievers on judgment day.
The crucial mistake here is to overlook Islam's scholarly tradition called “tafseer,” which is the study of the meaning of the Koran. Tafseer has a basic rule: A single verse or passage can't be understood in itself; it has to be evaluated according to the other parts of the Koran, the general goals and principles of the holy text, and the way it was implemented by the prophet. Yet most radicals — whether they be Islamist or anti-Islamist — don't have the time to waste with tafseer. They rather copy-paste the divine words to make powerful slogans.
Enter non-Muslims
All of these came to my mind when I read the latest piece by fellow columnist Burak Bekdil. He was expressing his suspicions about the AKP government, and Turkey's “intellectual Muslims,” and the way that they have become friends with the West. This was weird, and perhaps “a tactical cooperation with the condemned,” according to Mr. Bekdil, because he was pretty sure that the Koran condemned non-Muslims. He confidently quoted some verses such as the one, which read, “O (Muslim) believers! Don't make friends with the Jews or Christians.” (5:51)
Interestingly some marginal anti-EU Islamic groups in Turkey — such as the one led by “Professor” Haydar Baş — use the same verses to make the case for an anti-Western Muslim agenda. Yet, like Mr. Bekdil, they overlook the traditional tools of tafseer, and especially other passages of the Koran, such as this crucial one:
“(Muslims!) God does not forbid you from being good to those who have not fought you in religion or driven you from your homes, or from being just towards them. God loves those who are just. God merely forbids you from taking as friends those who have fought you in religion and driven you from your homes and who supported your expulsion. Any who take them as friends are wrongdoers.” (60:8-9)One should also note the Koranic verse which tells that “all who have faith in God and the Last Day and act rightly” including “those who are Jews, and the Christians” will be rewarded by God in afterlife. (2:62) In other words, the Koran does not denounce Jewish and Christians an “unbelievers,” as it is often thought. It actually says that the existence of different religions on earth is in accordance with the divine will: “Had God willed,” the Koran reminds, “He could have made you one community.” (5:48)
That's why Mr. Bekdil doesn't need to suspect the authenticity of the friendship between Turkey's Muslims and non-Muslims including the Christians. Although the EU process and the westward-looking policy of the AKP is mostly an issue of political, social and economic realities, it does not bear the theological inconsistency he presumes.
Nor the religious militants have the theological justification they presume that they have. But to expose that, we need to go beyond slogans and try to understand what God has really said — whether His words be in Hebrew, Greek or Arabic.
Posted by Mustafa Akyol at September 2, 2007 9:31 AM
"CNN's Christian Amanpour recently superb documentary, “God's Warriors”"....!!!!!!!!!!!! gulp!!!...
yes I see thousands/millions of jews and christians on a killing spree chanting "YHW is the greatest" or "Jesus Christ is the greatest" while beheading tourturing non practicing jews/christians and muslims!!!! You liked it bcs it fits your propaganda
bye the way have you ever heard of the surah Fatiha? it is the most important Surah of the Qur'an and no muslim prayer is complete without it according to the following hadith of Muhammad "Ubada b. as-Samit reported God's messenger as saying, "He who does not recite Fatihat al-Kitab (Surah Faatihah) is not credited with having observed prayer."...Please go and give a look at what Q 1:7 say: ...Not (the path) of those who earn Thine anger nor of those who go astray. (1:7)...(ie Jews and Christians)
No machiavellic interpretation will help you, anyway you can find whatever you want in the Qur'an, so actually yours was an easy shot
Posted by: echnaton at September 2, 2007 4:00 PM
an excellent article with a real scholarly approach...mustafa akyol is a true moderate and that how true enlightment should be..mr bekdil should take heed and work for inter-faith harmony rather tha intra-faith chaos..
thanx for such an inspiring article
Posted by: drshamsafridi at September 2, 2007 6:19 PM
There seems to be a logical jump in this article. You say that Allah does not forbid you from being just to those who are enemies etc., he only forbids you from being friends with them. Yet you then tell Mr. Bekdil not to question the sincerity of friendship between "Turkey's Muslims and non-Muslims including the Christians," who, thanks to this Muslim "friendship" (Malatya, Trabzon priest, attempt on the Pope, Hrant Dink, bombings of Patriarchate etc. etc.), are in Turkey about as rare as unicorns nowadays.
And, as a sidenote, Amanpour's show was as biasedly pro-Muslim as all her stuff is. To attempt an equivalency between Muslim fanatics and other religious extremists is really a stretch.
Posted by: LR at September 3, 2007 4:34 PM
."...Please go and give a look at what Q 1:7 say: ...Not (the path) of those who earn Thine anger nor of those who go astray. (1:7)...(ie Jews and Christians)/////////
)...(ie Jews and Christians) is not part of surah fatiha.it is not there in the original arabic.some translators have written this but it does not make it the part of Quran..
Now look honestly to the entire sura and its exact translation taken from a great scholar of classic arabic with masters in english javed ahmed ghamidi:
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ (Gratitude is for Allah),
الرَّحْمَانِ الرَّحِيمِ(The Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful),
مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ (Master of the Day of Judgement),
إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ (You alone we worship, and You alone we call upon for help),
اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ (Set us firm on the straight path. The path of those you have blessed, not of those who have earned your wrath, nor of those who have gone astray)..
i hope it is clear now what mr akyol wanted to convey.
thanx
Posted by: drshamsafridi at September 3, 2007 9:19 PM
drs....
who ever said that it was part of the Qur'an? The () was added by myself but is based on solid ground. For example, take the Qur'an that is most widespread in KSA...the Hilali-Khan one, where you can find : "The Way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger (such as the Jews), nor of those who went astray (such as the Christians)"
In other words (not mine, but I couldn't have writte int better):
The classic Qur’anic commentator Ibn Kathir explains that “the two paths He described here are both misguided,” and that those “two paths are the paths of the Christians and Jews, a fact that the believer should beware of so that he avoids them. The path of the believers is knowledge of the truth and abiding by it. In comparison, the Jews abandoned practicing the religion, while the Christians lost the true knowledge. This is why ‘anger’ descended upon the Jews, while being described as ‘led astray’ is more appropriate of the Christians.”
Ibn Kathir’s understanding of this passage is not a lone “extremist” interpretation. In fact, most Muslim commentators believe that the Jews are those who have earned Allah’s wrath and the Christians are those who have gone astray. This is the view of Tabari, Zamakhshari, the Tafsir al-Jalalayn, the Tanwir al-Miqbas min Tafsir Ibn Abbas, and Ibn Arabi, as well as Ibn Kathir. Wahhabis drew criticism a few years back for adding “such as the Jews” and “such as the Christians” into parenthetical glosses on this passage in Qur’ans printed in Saudi Arabia. Some Western commentators imagined that the Saudis originated this interpretation, and indeed the whole idea of Qur’anic hostility toward Jews and Christians. Muslims all over the world learn as a matter of course that the central prayer of their faith anathematizes Jews and Christians.
But unfortunately, this interpretation is venerable and mainstream in Islamic theology. The printing of the interpretation in parenthetical glosses into a translation would be unlikely to affect Muslim attitudes, since the Arabic text is always and everywhere normative in any case, and since so many mainstream commentaries contain the idea that the Jews and Christians are being criticized here. Seventeen times a day, by the pious.
Posted by: echnaton at September 4, 2007 11:06 AM
Can you recommend a good commentary which addresses these and other issues of Quranic interpretation? Much appreciated. Most of us have no idea where to start.
Posted by: Dale Price at September 4, 2007 8:39 PM
OH, so it so simple. So when are Muslims going to treat non-Muslims like human beings where they dominate? Since everything is so clear in the Quran. When are they going to respect human rights and dignity?
No, the fact is that everywhere Islam dominates, other religions, jews, gays, women are treated like dirt - or worse. You can write a million pretty essays like this with with all the selected cute quotes you want, but until Muslims change their ways, this is just empty words and Muslims cannot be believed.
How about that for a fact? The only myth here is that Islam is tolerant and benevolent. In fact, ask those poor people who were tortured to death by Muslims in Turkey "for Islam" a couple of months ago about how wonderful Islam is. I am sure they would have been surprised.
I have read the hadith, and also Hisham, Kathir and even the 30+ volumes of Tabari, and I found them full of violence and hate against non-Muslims. Sure there were some good stories, some funny stuff, lots of petty politics and the usual mundane things that life is all about (including domestics conflicts and wealth). The only time good things were said about non-Muslims is when it served Mohammad's interests.
Until Muslims change, I see no reason to believe anything they say. If they were to change and treat people better, they wouldn't have to write all these stupid, biased, distorted articles about how wonderful Islam is. Duhhhh. But no, they do what Muslims do, and when infidels speak up against the hate and violence, they tell we don't understand and write another article about how peaceful the 'real' Islam is. And so on...
This is more of a case of the Islamic tradition known as "taquiyya" then that of “tafseer"
Kactuz
Posted by: J. Kactuz at September 4, 2007 9:17 PM
@echnaton
How can it be considered a correct view that while Qur’an is praising the people of the Book on the one hand and yet is desiring its followers to call all of them "led astray" and people who earned His wrath ?
when you read Qur'an, you find that the Almighty wants humans to come close to one another as a family. If there is any differentiation in the eyes of God it is on the basis of piety. Qur'an says: "O mankind! We created you from a single pair of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes that you might get to know one another. Surely the noblest of you in the sight of God is he who is the most righteous. God is All-Knowledgeable, All-Aware." (49:13)
It is on the basis of the high status Islam attaches to piety and God-consciousness that Qur'an praises non-Muslims in several verses. For instance, Qur'an says:
“Among the people of the Book (Jews and Christians) there are those who if you trust them with a treasure, will return it to you; and among them there are those who, if you trust them with a dinar, will not return it to you, unless you keep standing over them.” (3:75)
“They are not all alike. Among the people of the Book there is a party who stand by their covenant; they recite the Word of God in the hours of night and prostrate themselves before Him. They believe in God and the Last Day, and enjoin good and forbid evil, and hasten to vie with one another in good works. And these are among the righteous.” (3:113)
moreover,not all the people of the book are astray and not all the muslims are guided.
The Qur’an clarifies in another passage that such devious people are only a few and not all the people of the Book. The Qur’an says: “O believers! If you were to obey a group of those who were given the Book, they will turn you back from belief to unbelief.” (Qur’an; 3:100)
So like in all other issues, Islam wants its followers to deal with the question of favoured people too on the criterion of merit. A good Muslim can have friendship with all other good humans, whether Muslims or non-Muslims, so long as they respect his beliefs and not be a cause of threat to his spiritual and moral life. He must avoid the company of those Muslims ands non-Muslims who have dubious character and who make fun of his religion.
thanx
Posted by: drshamsafridi at September 5, 2007 2:37 AM
...
"How can it be considered a correct view that while Qur’an is praising the people of the Book on the one hand and yet is desiring its followers to call all of them "led astray" and people who earned His wrath ?"
drsh...very simple: how would you call someone that in the same sentence can say one thing and the opposite of it? Would you call it "the god"?
Just to give you (another) very "plain vanilla" example. Just compare 2:254 sith 2:255 (SAME SURA'H, with 2 contradicting sentences just ONE ayat away!!!!!!!)
"Had it been from other than Allah, they would surely have found therein much contradictions" 4:82. ....hahhahahah...prophetic!!!!
Posted by: echnaton at September 5, 2007 2:43 PM
2;254.. O you who believe! Spend of that with which We have provided for you, before a Day comes when there will be no bargaining, nor friendship, nor intercession. And it is the disbelievers who are the Zâlimûn (wrong-doers, etc.).
2:255, God! There is no god but He,-the Living, the Self-subsisting, Eternal. No slumber can seize Him nor sleep. His are all things in the heavens and on earth. Who is there can intercede in His presence except as He permitteth? He knoweth what (appeareth to His creatures as) before or after or behind them. Nor shall they compass aught of His knowledge except as He willeth. His Throne doth extend over the heavens and the earth, and He feeleth no fatigue in guarding and preserving them for He is the Most High, the Supreme (in glory).
........
“Who is he that can intercede with Him except with His permission?” makes clear the status of Lordship and worship. Every human being is a servant of Allah. He does not exceed the boundaries of that status and therefore cannot intercede with Allah without His permission. Our faith thus makes a clear distinction between the nature of the Supreme Creator and His worshippers. They neither mingle nor do they have a single characteristic in common. None can intercede except by Allah’s Permission: His Leave is universal.
here is the detailed and most convincing clarification to your doubt....Plz do go thru it..
http://www.understanding-islam.com/related/text.asp?type=question&qid=45
Posted by: drshamsafridi at September 6, 2007 3:41 AM
"there will be no bargaining, nor friendship, nor intercession" and 5 sentences later "Who is there can intercede in His presence except as He permitteth?"
here your explanation: "Our faith thus makes a clear distinction between the nature of the Supreme Creator and His worshippers (that's evident, it's simple logic, LAPALISSIAN).... None can intercede except by Allah’s Permission: His Leave is universal"
...ok, but it doesn't explain the sense and the contradiction of the previous sentence!!! You haven't answered or explained nothing, it's just hot air!
It seems that your god speakes out just for the fun of speaking (isn't al-ilah the best deceiver?). And anyway, if the Qur'an is so clear and evident, than why do I need to read tons of tafsirs?
Posted by: echnaton at September 6, 2007 1:37 PM
ech..
Just to join your find-the-contradiction game !Posted by: blue at September 10, 2007 2:32 PM
The English translation I have is by Abdullah Yusuf Ali.
Q 1:7 reads:
The way of those on whom
Thou hast bestowed Thy Grace,
Those whose (portion)
Is not wrath,
And who go not astray.
No parantheses, no mention of Jews or Christians. The reference refers to those who deliberately break God's laws and those who stray out of carelessness or negligence. God's grace will protect those who submit to His will from straying into paths of temptation or carelessness.
Posted by: Linda at October 28, 2007 8:01 PM
Peace be with you
as for 2:254 vs 2:255 , there is no contradiction. If you were to know the Arabic language you would probably understand that, but because you do not you make a very superficial assumption. Allah says that He has revealed the quran in arabic. Not in english and not in turkish, in arabic. Therefore the arabic standards of linguistics apply to it and not the english. Allah warns the people in vs 254 that there will be no intercession. And that is true. There will be no intercession. He is making a statement of warning. He is clearly stating the inability of humans to intercede.No one can do it, not even the prophet. All power and intercession belongs to Allah. So that does in no way contradict Him empowering and giving the ability of intercession on the day of judgement to anyone. If the verses would have said that Allah will not give the power of intercession, or will not teach intercession anyone, then I would agree with you. But it does not.
Also in the arabic language there are general statements and specific ones. This statement is a general statement, and there are exceptions to it. Let me give you another example
In sura jinn
72:23 "Unless I proclaim what I receive from Allah and His Messages: for any that disobey Allah and His Messenger,- for them is Hell: they shall dwell therein for ever."
This statement seems general but it is specific for the disbelievers. The exemption from this general statements are the believers who repent, or the disbelievers who come to Islam. Many believers disobey Allah and His messengers but they will not go to hell fire. Because Allah says in another place that those who repent and change will be forgiven.
If you were to take the quran as a whole and look at all the topics and get the gist of the message you would not be confused as such.
Had it been from other than Allah, they would surely have found therein much contradictions" 4:82
Read the Quran it will help you
peace be with you
Posted by: Gabriel Keresztes at February 4, 2008 12:27 PM
Regarding "intercession"...
It is believed that God WILLS intercession, and therefore, Muhammad has served in this capacity on the bequest of GODS WILL.
To say there is 'no intercession' is not fully honest.
It is believed that Muhammad intercedes, but only with GODS provision is this done:
Surah 34:23
"No intercession can avail in His Presence, except for those for whom He has granted permission. So far (is this the case) that, when terror is removed from their hearts (at the Day of Judgment, then) will they say, 'what is it that your Lord commanded?' they will say, 'That which is true and just; and He is the Most High Most Great'."
Surah 20:109
On that Day shall no intercession avail except for those for whom permission has been granted by (God) Most Gracious and whose word is acceptable to Him.
Surah 2:255
God! There is no god but He, - the Living, the Self-subsisting, Eternal. No slumber can seize Him nor sleep. His are all things in the heavens and on earth. Who is there can intercede in His presence except as He permitteth? He knoweth what (appeareth to His creatures as) before or after or behind them. Nor shall they compass aught of His knowledge except as He willeth. His Throne doth extend over the heavens and the earth, and He feeleth no fatigue in guarding and preserving them for He is the Most High, the Supreme (in glory).
Surah 21:28
He knows what is before them, and what is behind them, and they offer no intercession except for those who are acceptable, and they stand in awe and reverence of His (Glory).
Surah 53:26
How many-so-ever be the angels in the heavens, and that he is acceptable to Him. their intercession will avail nothing except after God has given leave for whom He pleases
So this shows that Muhammad's intercession really means nothing and is completely useless unless God willed it to be useful. God chooses whom Muhammad should give intercession to and this is the honor that the Prophet has. (And I would say ONLY JESUS was given this over all others by virtue of his authority as SAVIOR for mankind, given unto him by GOD and GOD alone)
Of course, in Jesus we believe that he intercedes, on the WILL OF GOD, but Islam rejects the idea of Jesus being an intercession for mankind, even though his status of being without sin truly qualfied him to perform on behalf of GOD, by GODS POWER.
In what way is the Quran clarifying, even when it IS read, it is full of contradictions.
Posted by: katherine at March 13, 2008 7:14 PM