Islamophobia : The rise of the extreme right and xenophobic movements fuel radicalism
Although the fear known as “Islamophobia” emerged across the globe in the wake of the September 11, 2001, attacks, its roots go back to the Crusades, or even earlier. Islam has now spread across the world: Muslims represent 6 percent of the population of Europe, more than 45 million. By 2050, Muslims are estimated to […]
Why do they join the radical terrorist organisations?
Experts on terrorism, intelligence agents, writers, editors and analysts in the West are constantly seeking the answer to one question: Why do people join radical organisations? They come up with numerous theories; they talk about poor kids from city suburbs, about uneducated and ignorant people and about bored young people looking for adventure. Some describe […]
Some Examples of Speaking Pleasant Words in the Qur’an
There are a few other examples to show Muslims how to behave in the dialogue between the Prophet Jethro (pbuh) and the deniers. This dialogue is related in the Qur’an in this way: And to Madyan their brother Jethro. He said, “My people, worship God! You have no deity apart from Him. Do not give […]
Who Desires War?
The armaments sector is always kept alive by certain groups. It is also the only sector not affected by economic crises. It is a vibrant sector in which supply and demand never end and in which novelties are always being offered to the market. The way of keeping this sector alive is no doubt “wars.” […]
War Cannot Be Waged to Enforce Conversion to Islam
Those who employ war, force or coercion to impose Islam on someone are betraying the Qur’an. One of the most explicit statements in the Qur’an is that “there is no compulsion in the religion”: There is no compulsion where the religion is concerned…. (Qur’an, 2:256) This is an explicit commandment of the Qur’an. No Muslim […]
Verses about War and the Interpretation Thereof
After seeing the definition of war in the Qur’an, let us now examine the verses about war that are misused by some radicals and used for criticism of Islam by some opponents of Islam: Examination of Verse 191 of Surat al-Baqara: Kill them wherever you come across them and expel them from where they expelled […]
The Constitution of Medina
With the Constitution of Medina, the first constitution of the state of Medina, our Prophet (pbuh) brought a democratic and peaceful order never before seen on the Arabian Peninsula to an urban community composed of various races, religions and tribes. Under this constitution, all the communities in Medina were to live together in peace, arrange […]
Polytheists with Whom Agreements Were Made
Although, according to some commentaries of the time, the word polytheist simply means “those ascribing equals to God,” the term really refers to pagans who worship idols, who explicitly ascribe equals to God and who believe in countless deities and who are not Muslim, Jewish, Sabaean, Christian or Magian. While the Qur’an refers to the […]
The Description of War in the Qur’an
The Qur’an is quite explicit on when and how war is to be waged: Fight in the Way of God against those who fight you, but do not go beyond the limits. God does not love those who go beyond the limits. (Qur’an, 2:190) War can only be waged against those who attack Muslims; it […]
A Muslim Can’t Be Anti-Semitic
One important point that needs to be remembered regarding the battles described in the Qur’an is “the other side” in the fighting. Some religious and historical sources say that the battles fought in the time of our Prophet (pbuh) were against the Jews. Some people who read those sources then go on to look for […]