Believe it or Not: The Purpose of Islam is Peace

Last updated on: September 29, 2016 at 1:04 am by Muqtedar Khan

Believe it or Not: The Purpose of Islam is Peace 2016-09-29T01:04:12-05:00 Muqtedar Khan

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Believe it or Not: The Purpose of Islam is Peace | Quran 2:208

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ادْخُلُوا فِي السِّلْمِ كَافَّةً
O You who believe, enter peace completely

This reflection on Quran 2:208 is about how being a believer implies a commitment to peace in a very comprehensive sense.

QURAN: TAKING A SINGLE LIFE IS LIKE KILLING ALL OF HUMANITY
Reflecting on the Quran: An Ayah at a Time | 5:32

This is the profoundest statement on the sanctity of life in the Abrahamic tradition. This verse not only describes how serious the crime of taking a life is in Islam but also excludes only a murderer and a terrorist from the concept of innocent. This verse also reminds Muslims that they cannot kill anyone for blasphemy or apostasy or for having alternate lifestyles.

مِنۡ اَجۡلِ ذٰ لِكَ ۛ ۚ كَتَبۡنَا عَلٰى بَنِىۡۤ اِسۡرَآءِيۡلَ اَنَّهٗ مَنۡ قَتَلَ نَفۡسًۢا بِغَيۡرِ نَفۡسٍ اَوۡ فَسَادٍ فِى الۡاَرۡضِ فَكَاَنَّمَا قَتَلَ النَّاسَ جَمِيۡعًا ؕ وَمَنۡ اَحۡيَاهَا فَكَاَنَّمَاۤ اَحۡيَا النَّاسَ جَمِيۡعًا ؕ وَلَـقَدۡ جَآءَتۡهُمۡ رُسُلُنَا بِالۡبَيِّنٰتِ ثُمَّ اِنَّ كَثِيۡرًا مِّنۡهُمۡ بَعۡدَ ذٰ لِكَ فِى الۡاَرۡضِ لَمُسۡرِفُوۡنَ‏

DO NOT TURN THE OTHER CHEEK

In this post I discuss the contemporary implications of the Quran verse 41:34. The verse reminds Muslims that good deeds and bad deeds are not the same and encourages them to respond to evil with good. This is to me an extraordinary statement of interpersonal ethics. It goes far beyond the idea of turning the other cheek. It teaches Muslims to act in a way that is other-regarding.

وَلَا تَسْتَوِي الْحَسَنَةُ وَلَا السَّيِّئَةُ ادْفَعْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ فَإِذَا الَّذِي بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهُ عَدَاوَةٌ كَأَنَّهُ وَلِيٌّ حَمِيمٌ

ISLAM AND PLURALISM?
Does the Ayah Lakum Deenukum convey an Islamic principle of pluralism?

Reflections on the Quran: One Ayah at a Time | Quran 109:6
Dear friends, this is the first of the reflections on the Quran: An Ayah at a Time. The ayah discussed here is Quran 109:6 Lakum Deenukum Waliya Deen. In this conversation I explore the historical and textual context of the verse and try to make the case for a transcendental reading of the Quran in general and this ayah in particular.

لَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ وَلِيَ دِينِ

REFLECTIONS ON THE QURAN: AN AYAH AT A TIME

This Ramadan I begin a new conversation about the Quran, one Ayah at a time. The goal is to advance the most thoughtful and compassionate interpretation of the Quran. The Quran suggests that those who listen to the Quran and act on the best interpretation of it are those who Allah has guided and they are the ones who truly understand the divine message. In this video I make the case to eschew ideological and political interpretations in favor of normative ones.

الَّذِينَ يَسْتَمِعُونَ الْقَوْلَ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ أَحْسَنَهُ ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ هَدَاهُمُ اللَّهُ ۖ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمْ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ
Who listen to the Word and follow the best of it. Those are the ones Allah has guided, and those are people of understanding.

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