The distortion of the image of Islam P 3

Factsdemonstrate that nothing in the Qur'an permits terrorism.

Only two groups in Islamic society promote the “Qur'an teaches terrorism” Anti Muslims and Isis extremists, both are wrong. 

 The extremistsignores the international arms trade from powerful western nations that wholly disregard human rights and has caused the death of thousands of innocent people including women and children . And Western media virtually ignores it too.

Until we adhere to justice. Blaming the Qur'an for terrorism is not only false, it wastes resources that could be spent on stopping war and extremism. 

Now, it is the time to demonstrate some facts that nothing in the Qur'an permits terrorism. And while Islamophobes and Isis will both go on ignoring these facts, intentionally or ignorance of  the Qur'anic teachings.

{ أَفَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِبَعْضِ الْكِتَابِ وَتَكْفُرُونَ بِبَعْضٍ } (سورة البقرة 85)

The Qur'an requires that you read it in full. No " cherry picking ". As  3:7says:

3:7 "....Those firmly grounded in knowledge say, ‘We believe in it: it is all from our Lord’–only those with real perception will take heed."

Isis and Islamophobes instead cherry pick:3:7 "The perverse at heart eagerly pursue the ambiguities in their attempt to make trouble and to pin down a specific meaning of their own."

Example of cherry pickingused by Isis and terrorists in general while the Qur'an requires that you read it in full.

Example:  2:191 “kill them where you find them?”

                            وَاقْتُلُوهُمْ حَيْثُ ثَقِفْتُمُوهُمْ } (البقرة 191)

أَفَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِبَعْضِ الْكِتَابِ وَتَكْفُرُونَ بِبَعْضٍ} (سورة البقرة 85)

2:85 ".....Do you believe in some of the Scripture and disbelieve in some? The punishment for those amongst you who do so is humiliation in this worldly life, and on the Day of Resurrection they will be returned to the most severe retribution."

Islam is a practical faith that permits self-defense in certain strict situations.

Yet the extremists trying to kill Muslims in Mecca pursued the Muslims to kill them in Medina. And now, finally the Qur'an addressed fighting for the first time, permitting Muslims to fight in self-defense. The permission given in chapter 22:39-40: 

أُذِنَ لِلَّذِينَ يُقَاتَلُونَ بِأَنَّهُمْ ظُلِمُوا وَإِنَّ اللهَ عَلَى نَصْرِهِمْ لَقَدِيرٌ (39) الَّذِينَ أُخْرِجُوا مِنْ دِيَارِهِمْ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ إِلَّا أَنْ يَقُولُوا رَبُّنَا اللهُ وَلَوْلَا دَفْعُ اللهِ النَّاسَ بَعْضَهُمْ بِبَعْضٍ لَهُدِّمَتْ صَوَامِعُ وَبِيَعٌ وَصَلَوَاتٌ وَمَسَاجِدُ يُذْكَرُ فِيهَا اسْمُ اللهِ كَثِيرًا وَلَيَنْصُرَنَّ اللهُ مَنْ يَنْصُرُهُ إِنَّ اللهَ لَقَوِيٌّ عَزِيزٌ (40) (سورة الحج 39 - 40

22:39."It is permitted for those who have been persecuted to fight. And God is able to give them victory.40 The ones who were driven out of their homes without justice, except that they said: “Our Lord is God!” And if it were not for God defending mankind against themselves, then many places of gathering, and markets, and support centers, and temples where the name of God is frequently mentioned, would have been destroyed. God will give victory to those who support Him. God is Powerful, Noble."

The permission given in Quran 22:39-40 to fight in self-defense was not only granted to defend Muslims from persecution, but to defend Christians, Jews and people of all faiths from acts of terror like those committed by Isis today.

Otherwise, it’s cherry picking, something the Qur'an forbids as perverse. Additionally,the Qur'an declares that Muslims may only fight active combatants. Meaning, even if during battle an enemy combatant asks forpeace you must grant it. In Islam, there’s no such thing as “collateral damage,” mutilation, or torture.

وَقَاتِلُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ الَّذِينَ يُقَاتِلُونَكُمْ وَلَا تَعْتَدُوا إِنَّ اللهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُعْتَدِينَ (190) وَاقْتُلُوهُمْ حَيْثُ ثَقِفْتُمُوهُمْ وَأَخْرِجُوهُمْ مِنْ حَيْثُ أَخْرَجُوكُمْ وَالْفِتْنَةُ أَشَدُّ مِنَ الْقَتْلِ وَلَا تُقَاتِلُوهُمْ عِنْدَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ حَتَّى يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ فِيهِ فَإِنْ قَاتَلُوكُمْ فَاقْتُلُوهُمْ كَذَلِكَ جَزَاءُ الْكَافِرِينَ (191) فَإِنِ انْتَهَوْا فَإِنَّ اللهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ (192) وَقَاتِلُوهُمْ حَتَّى لَا تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ وَيَكُونَ الدِّينُ لِلَّهِ فَإِنِ انْتَهَوْا فَلَا عُدْوَانَ إِلَّا عَلَى الظَّالِمِينَ (193) الشَّهْرُ الْحَرَامُ بِالشَّهْرِ الْحَرَامِ وَالْحُرُمَاتُ قِصَاصٌ فَمَنِ اعْتَدَى عَلَيْكُمْ فَاعْتَدُوا عَلَيْهِ بِمِثْلِ مَا اعْتَدَى عَلَيْكُمْ وَاتَّقُوا اللهَ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللهَ مَعَ الْمُتَّقِينَ (194) } (سورة البقرة 190 - 194)

2:190-194 "Fight in God’s cause against those who fight you, but do not overstep the limits:c God does not love those who overstep the limits. 191 Kill themwherever you encounter them, and drive them out from where they drove you out, for persecution is more serious than killing. Do not fight them at the Sacred Mosque unless they disbelievers deserve– 192but if they stop, then God is most forgiving and merciful. 193 Fight them until there is no more persecution, andworship is devoted to God. If they cease hostilities, there can be no [further] hostility, except towards aggressors. 194 A sacred month for a sacred month: violation of sanctity [calls for] fair retribution. So if anyone commits aggression against you, attack him as he attacked you, but be mindful of God, and know that He is with those who are mindful of Him.

You might now understand who the Qur'an refers to when it says “kill them where you find them”. The “them” are those terrorists who persecuted people for their faith, exiled them from their homes and then pursued to kill innocent people in their new homes.

In other words, “them” is close to a modern day Isis. The Qur'an permits killing terrorists in self-defense because they have waged pre-emptive war against you, or against Christians, Jews, or people of any faith. Yet, even then, if terrorists desist, the Quran forbids aggression against them. This teaching is not mere theory, it’s Islamic history.

Prophet Muhammad did something remarkable when he returned to Mecca after 20 years. Having suffered brutal persecution and murder of even his own children, he offered blanket forgiveness, with the one condition that the Meccans accept universal freedom of conscience. He did not force Islam. He did not wage war. He did not imprison the city. He forgave.

As non-Muslim historian Stanley Lane-Poole attests: “The day of Mohammad's greatest triumph over his enemies was also the day of his grandest victory over himself. He freely forgave the Meccans all the years of sorrow and cruel scorn in which they had afflicted him and gave an amnesty to the whole population of Mecca.”

Misconceptions about Islam creep in because people learn about the faith from headline news rather than from the Qur'an.

Will meet again God willing with part 4. Alsalamu Alikum.