Quran Does Not Support Destruction Of Places Of Worship Or Violence Against Non-Muslims
By S. Arshad, New Age
Islam
27 January
2021
During the
initial period of Islam, Muslims of Makkah had faced resistance and opposition
to their faith. As their opposition intensified with the growing popularity of
Islam among Makkans, the people of Makka started harassing, torturing and
persecuting the Muslims who were in minority and were weak.
During the
Madinan period, Muslims grew in strength and formed their own government led by
the prophet of Islam pbuh. The polytheists and Jews of Makkah and suburbs
united against the Muslims and fought battles against them. Muslims fought a
number of battles against the polytheists and Jews.
Even after
the victory of Makkah, the confrontation between the Muslims and the
polytheists-Jews continued. The nature of this confrontation was more political
than religious. Since the spread of Islam ran parallel to the growth of the
Islamic state, Muslims of the later ages got the impression that use of force
for propagation of Islam is supported by the Quran and hadith. This is the
belief which is held and practised by the extremist ulema and organisations of
the modern age. But the teachings of the Quran and precedents in Hadith negate
this belief.
The Quran
and Hadith support the use of force as a last resort and in self defence and it
is mostly in political situation when an enemy country threatens the security
and sovereignty of an Islamic country. But when it comes to the propagation of
the message of Islam, the Quran and Hadith preach non-violence and peace. Quran
does not support violence in the name of propagation of Islam or killing the
non-Muslims and destroying their places of worship or shrines. Attacks on
churches, temples, synagogues or monastries or other religious sites are not
supported by the Quran nor does the Quran enjoin on the Muslims to use force to
convert non-Muslims to Islam. The Quran famously says:
"There is no
compulsion in matters of faith"(Al Baqarah:256)
The Quran
advises Muslims only to convey its message to the non-Muslims peacefully and
then leave the matter to them. If they turn hostile, the Muslims are advised to
turn away from them. The Quran says:
"Show
forgiveness, enjoin equity and avoid the ignorant."(AlA'raf: 199)
"Had Allah willed
they would not have been polytheists. We have not appointed you their keeper
nor are you their maintainer."(Al An'am:107)
"Those
mindful of Allah will not be accountable for those who ridicule it whatsoever
---- their duty is to advise, so perhaps the ridiculers will abstain."(Al
An'am:69)
The above
qouted verses underline the basic principle of the propagation of Deen but
unfortunately the Muslims have formed a wrong idea of the propagation of Deen
in the light of the political confrontation between the Muslims and non-Muslims
of the initial period and that is the use of force in the propagation of Deen.
The Quran whenever
advises Muslims to spread the message of Islam, it asks Muslims to practice
perseverance, patience and tolerance and avoid confrontation.
The Quran
is also against destroying the places of worship of other religious communities
because in those places the name of Allah is chanted. And every community has
its own way of worship of God. Therefore, the Quran says that when people
resort to violence and try to demolish the places of worship, God repels them
and protects those places of worship. The verse is as follows:
"For had there
not been for Allah's repelling some people by others, certainly there would
have been pulled down cloisters and churches and synagogues and mosques in
which Allah's name is much remembered."(Al Hajj:40)
To God
every place where His name is remembered and chanted is dear and so He protects
it from those who want to destroy it.
There is a
Hadith that strengthens the belief that Islam does not support violence in the
name of propagation of Deen.
Hadhrat Abu
Hurairah narrated that Fudhail bin Amro ( Headman of Douss tribe) came to the
Prophet pbuh and said, "O Prophet of God pbuh! The people of Douss
disobeyed Allah and refused to be Muslims. Please curse them." People
thought that the prophet pbuh would now curse them. But he pbuh prayed, "O
God! Guide the people of Douss on the right path and bring them to
me."(Sahih Bukhari: Kitab ud Daawaat: 794)
This shows
that the holy Prophet pbuh did not even curse the polytheists of the Douss
tribe, leave aside fighting them in order to convert them to Islam.
The use of
violence against the followers of other religions by extremist groups of
Muslims and the destruction of their religious sites is, therefore, against the
teachings of the Quran and Hadith.
-------
S. Arshad is a
columnist with NewAgeIslam.com
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-sectarianism/quran-support-destruction-places-worship/d/124159
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