Page 38 - Bigotry: The Dark Danger
P. 38

Bigotry:
                                       The Dark Danger




                 An Examination of Verse 52 of Surat al-Furqan


                 So do not obey the unbelievers but use this [the Qur'an] to battle
                 against them with all your might. (Qur'an, 25:52)
                 This verse offers a guideline to Muslims in their struggle.
             According to the verse, Muslims are responsible for making an effort
             in line with the Qur'an; which is by explaining, telling and spreading
             the beautiful message of God. The provision of "not obeying the

             unbelievers" refers to the fact that Muslims should intellectually,
             spiritually and morally distance themselves from the loveless, incon-
             siderate, unbounded and cruel world of those who deny God. Cer-
             tainly, all Muslims are obliged to abide by the rules of the countries

             where they live, and to be sensible and levelheaded. However, this
             does not mean that in their private lives, they will submit to any
             impositions against their beliefs. Therefore, this provision of the
             Qur'an is about making an effort to invite people to the loving and
             warm world of the Qur'an by pointing out the loveless, unfair world
             created by irreligion so that the world becomes a better place.

                 Therefore, those who perpetrate slaughter under the name of

             "jihad" saying, "Our point of reference is the Qur'an" are either lying
             or misinformed.

                 According to the Qur'an, those who are now slaughtering peo-
             ple in the name of jihad, taking their own lives as suicide bombers,
             or inciting war are committing a grave sin, yet the great majority of
             these people are not even aware that they are contravening the
             Qur'an. That is because they have been led astray in the name of reli-

             gion. They have their own faith in which there is hatred instead of
             love, rage instead of affection, enmity instead of brotherhood, horror
             instead of beauty and ignorance instead of art, science and culture. It
             is frighteningly simple to put a gun in the hands of someone who






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