The anti-Muslim base in America is no stranger to promoting misinformation about Islam, Muslims and even President Obama. During Franklin Graham's Feb. 21 "Morning Joe" appearance, nothing changed.
Graham reiterated the oft-repeated claim that Muslims are persecuting Christians because "Under shariah law, a Muslim can take a Christian's property without restriction and subject Christian women against their will." Mind you, no evidence or references are offered to support such a claim, but for those who prefer clear evidence to the contrary, here it is: The Quran is the first and only religious scripture that commands its adherents -- Muslims -- to protect churches, synagogues and temples from attack and to do so in preference to protecting mosques (22:40-41). Accordingly, in a letter to St. Catherine's Monastery in Sinai, Prophet Muhammad gave his written oath that Muslims must protect Christian churches and properties until the end of time. He added that should anyone take anything belonging to a Christian, he would break his covenant with God and Prophet Muhammad. Under sharia (Islamic law), taking another's property -- regardless of the other person's faith -- is theft, a violation of the other's rights and honor, and severely punishable.
Likewise, any belief that sharia "allows" Muslim men to subject women against their will -- Christian or not -- is baseless. The Quran explicitly declares, "O ye who believe! It is not lawful for you to inherit women against their will..." (4:20). The Quran protects all women, regardless of faith. Those Muslims who persecute Christians and harm women are to be categorically condemned. Those so-called Muslims perform these atrocious acts in spite of Islam, not because of it.
Graham also alleged that the "Muslim world considers Obama a son of Islam because his father, grandfather and great grandfathers were Muslim -- that's sharia -- that's just the way it is." Ignoring for the moment how one would know what the Muslim world is thinking, such an assertion is, again, patently false. Islam -- like Christianity -- rejects the notion of inherited faith, requiring Muslims to actively affirm their faith by reciting the Shahadah if they claim to be Muslim. The Shahadah, which declares, "There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is His messenger," serves a role for Muslims similar to that of baptism for Christians. Whatever the Muslim world thinks, sharia is clear: a person is a Muslim if he or she claims to be, and not a Muslim if he does not claim to be. President Obama has been forced -- most unfortunately -- more than any President in American history to perpetually reaffirm his Christian faith and belief in Jesus as his Savior. For some, however, this is just not enough. Perhaps in misrepresenting President Obama's faith, critics glossed over Matthew 7:1, "Judge not lest ye be judged."
Frankly speaking, such critics should stop speaking on anything related to Islam, others' faith, or foreign policy if they are not willing to support their assertions with facts and objective reasoning. Such discrimination against Muslims and those not "Christian enough" is frighteningly similar to evangelist Muslim clerics who express intense bigotry to Christians and those not "Muslim enough." Instead, as American Muslims, we invite people of all faiths -- and certainly evangelical Christians -- to open and candid dialogues based on pluralism and conflict resolution. In fact, when Christians from Najran traveled to Mecca to see about Prophet Muhammad's claim, this is exactly what history records. The Christian travelers became Prophet Muhammad's honored guests, even offering their worship services -- unhindered -- in his personal mosque at his invitation.
Enough of misinformation and discrimination. Muslims and Christians must actively work together to achieve what both peoples want -- peace. As the Quran says, "Surely, those who have believed, and the Jews, and the Sabians, and the Christians -- whoso believes in God and the Last Day and does good deeds, on them shall come no fear, nor shall they grieve." As Muslims who believe in the messiah, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, we believe peace means developing a bond between man and the Creator, and letting the judgment be His and His alone.
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Paul Brandeis Raushenbush: Rick Santorum's Political and Biblical Mistake
http://www.truechristianityevangelism.org/hell.html
Here is a place where a Muslim may find some information that can help them get on to a right thinking process.
http://www.truechristianityevangelism.org/koranhell.html
http://www.truechristianityevangelism.org/hell.html
http://www.truechristianityevangelism.org/koranhell.html
You say, "I respect Christians as a people who believe in God. Hypocrites deserve no respect at all." and I have heard Muslims say they respect Jesus, but Jesus said at John 8:44 that those who lie are working for the Devil. Do you think lying is OK, Jesus also indicated at John 8:44 that those people were also killers, do you believe your Muslim killer brothers are OK people? Do you think it is OK for the Qur'an to tell Muslims to pour boiling water on people, or put them fire?
How many people actually saw Rev. Graham's interview before posting your comment?
How many people are aware Rev. Graham's comment on Morning Joe has been taken out of context and this misinformation has spread like wildfire?
Really? You have come to this conclusion because I disagree with an article? What swift judgement.
---"Franklin Graham is a person of no integrity"
Truly? Do you know him personally? No integrity? That's a strong statement.
---"His words should not be listened to, nor should the words of his apologists.""
It's clear you didn't listen to his words, or you would see the flaws in the article and be aware that he never called the President a Muslim, but speaking to "perception". But you're probably not listening to my apologist's words, so best of luck to you.
Do I think he handled the interview well? Not particularly, but if I was surrounded by people pressing me to answer questions that don't have any good answer, I'm not sure I'd do any better. Frankly, he should not have answered that line of questioning. My point in speaking up was to clarify the one statement he DIDN'T make.
And as to another comment you made, I COMPLETELY agree with you about certain types of Christians being the most hateful, mean spirited people. For example (off topic a bit) I think Santorum is demonstrating the very type of Christian that is frightening. If more Christians behaved as Christ demonstrated (love and compassion and letting people exercise free will), we wouldn't all be so divided.
There is no God but God....and surely that god is God far above Allah.
However, the only point we differ in is that we do not depict him as a "reflection of man" or "in the image" of man. God is the Unseen, the Supreme, the Most High. He begets not, nor is He begotten. We do not worship moons, nor suns, earth, animals, humans etc. We only, and solely worship God (not Muhammad, nor moons), and we do not depict God with any drawing or shape and limit Him to that. We do not depict Him so that so we do not fall into paganism, by worshiping an idol rather than Him truly.
Muhammad was a messenger of God, but a man. The moon you see on top of our domes is only a decoration...we usually follow the lunar calendar, but that's all :/
In fact, if we actually READ Qur'an 22:40-41, we find (not surprisingly) that it contains nothing whatever about giving preference to protecting churches, synagogues and temples over mosques.
in America that tolerates his violent religion Plain and Simple! he has been instructed by the quran
to be harmless and loving when he is one of the few in the land of infidels ( I read and understood
what is exactly written in the quran and Rashid ,as all the moslems, can no longer fool us!)
Surah 9:30:
"The Jews call Ezra a son
Of God, and the Christians
Call Christ the Son of God.
That is a saying from their mouths:
(In this) they but imitate
What the unbelievers of old
Used to say. Allah's curse
Be on them: how they are deluded
Away from the Truth!"
Surah 5.73:
"They do blaspheme who say
Allah is one of three
In a Trinity: for there is
No god except One God."
Surah 3:56:
"As for those disbelieving infidels, I will punish them with a terrible agony in this world and the next. They have no one to help or save them."
Surah 4: 150-151:
"Those who deny Allah
And His Messengers, and (those
Who) wish to separate
Allah from His Messengers,
Saying: 'We believe in some
But reject others':
And (those who) wish
To take a course midway -
They are in truth
(Equally) Unbelievers.
And we have prepared
For Unbelievers a humiliating
Punishment."