How insane Waseem Rizwi must be to suggest that the Quran promotes terrorism. If an obsessive lover kills for the “sake of love”, you don’t brand love to be in “crisis”, even though people have been killing in the name of love for centuries. For the past several years the world has been fixated on Islam and is busy debating how, according to popular opinion, the terrorism ushered by Islamic tenets is menacing society. As a Muslim, I cannot accept this attitude.
There is one particular verse that the madman Waseem Rizwi points to, to brand Islam as a violent religion. In verse 191 Chapter 2 of the Holy Quran, Allah says: “And kill them wherever you encounter them and expel them from where they expelled you. Oppression is indeed worse than murder. Do not fight them at the Masjid Al-Haram (Ka’aba) unless they fight you therein. If they fight you, then kill them; such is the penalty of the disbelievers.” This verse was revealed when Muslims on the Hajj pilgrimage were attacked and killed by the Quraysh tribe who had signed a treaty with the Prophet to not attack the pilgrims. The Quran was revealed in parts over a period of 23 years to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). So, the verses are contextual. Every chapter in the Quran mentions the location where the verse was sent to the Prophet (PBUH). Also, the Quran is not compiled in a linear format. The same situation has been touched upon in an earlier chapter and part of it is anecdotally spoken about in a chapter much later because the Holy Quran isn’t a book of stories. It’s a book of lessons and morals. No one mentions the verses that follow because then the Islamophobic agenda would be hurt. In verse 193 of Chapter 2, Allah says: “And fight them until there is no more oppression and the religion is for God, but if they cease, then no aggression is permitted except against the transgressors.”
The teachings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and the Holy Quran are the basis of Islam. These two complete the religion. The Prophet (PBUH) taught us that we need to be better in confronting hate, rather than stooping to the same level as those who promote hate. We need to have a bigger heart and be better than those who spread negativity. Allah tells us in Surah Al-Fussilat verse 34 that we need to “Repel that which is evil with that which is better”. As the embodiment of the Quranic values, our beloved Prophet (PBUH) had shown, in many instances, how to rise above hate and enmity. He emphasised that forgiveness is greater than revenge, perseverance is larger than retaliation, and love is better than hate. We have to follow the Quran and Sunnah in order to defeat these negative forces. The Holy Quran is the foundation of Islam and Sunnah has given a shape to this building. In short, it is most important for the Muslim Ummah to follow the Quran and Sunnah.

The writer is a research scholar. [email protected]

Aufaid Ahmad Wani