Love for all, hatred for none is not the first six words that pop into most people’s minds when they see the many merciless acts committed throughout the world in the name of Islam.
Source/Credit: Cumberland News Now
By Dave Mathieson | February 10, 2015
AMHERST – Love for all, hatred for none.
Those were the six words uttered by Fazal Malik to sum up the teachings of Islam.
Malik, a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, recently led a discussion about Islam entitled “Is Islam a Threat to Cananda?” at the Four Fathers Library in Amherst.
Love for all, hatred for none is not the first six words that pop into most people’s minds when they see the many merciless acts committed throughout the world in the name of Islam.
Whether it’s planes flying into the World Trade Centre in New York City, Boko Haram kidnapping 276 schoolgirls in Nigeria, the Taliban shooting 14-year-old human right’s advocate Malala Yousafzai in the head in Pakistan or the beheadings, live burnings and mass executions perpetrated by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, a person would be forgiven for thinking new depths of depravity are plumbed every day in the name of Islam.
“I assure you a Muslim can never be a terrorist and a terrorist can never be called Muslim. Islam has no room for terrorism,” said Malik. “The concept of terrorism is entirely alien to the teachings of the holy prophet, to the teachings of Islam.”
Malik said people who commit acts of terrorism in the name of Islam are misguided.
“They shed blood in the name of God. They betray themselves and betray their own faith,” he said. “They are not to be taken as ambassadors, they are not to be taken as champions of Allah.”
Malik said a misinterpretation of the scriptures in the Holy Qur’an lead people astray.
“As far as Islam is concerned, it categorically rejects and condemns every form of terrorism. It does not provide any cover or justification for any act of violence, be it committed by an individual, group or government,” said Malik. “I most strongly condemn all acts and forms of terrorism because it is my deeply rooted belief that, not only Islam, but no true religion, whatever its name, can sanction violence and bloodshed of innocent men, women and children.”
– Jihad
Close to 20 people came out to the event, and Malik was asked to define the word Jihad.
“Jihad is an Arabic word which means to strive and to struggle. A struggle to establish peace is what Jihad really means.”
He said Jihad has become synonymous with war but says Jihad is really about controlling selfish desires.
“The biggest Jihad that is incumbent upon every Muslim in every second of the day is to control your selfish desires, such as greed and lust. This is the Jihad,” said Malik. “You have to look at yourself and you have to control your desires.”
Malik then asked if everyone was familiar with the Boy Scouts?
“Boy Scouts carry out Jihad as part of their mandate because another form of Jihad is to help humanity regardless of religion, regardless of colour, regardless of creed, regardless of any association, you cannot discriminate.”
Malik says Muslims can take up arms in defence of their faith.
“It is important to know that Islam cannot be offensive, it can only be defensive,” said Malik.
No matter what faith is followed, Malik said it is the right of believers to protect their churches, synogogues, temples and the mosques.
“If we didn’t grant that permission then the places where the name of god is remembered would be destroyed,” said Malik.
There are rules of engagement that must be followed when taking up arms to defend ones religion.
“You cannot fight women, children, elderly, any person no matter how capable, as long as they are not direct combatants with you,” said Malik. “So much for weapons of mass destruction.”
– Sharia Law
For most people, sharia law conjures up images of oppression, of women not being able to show their face in public.
Malik says sharia law is a very misunderstood concept.
“All sharia means is pathway to life. That’s the literal translation.”
One woman at the meeting asked why women in Islamic countries have less rights than men, and that led to a conversation about how Muslim women dress.
Malik said the idea is for the woman to not draw attention to herself but it works both ways. Women who cover themselves too much in Western society also draw undo attention.
“If my wife was to wear the hijab from head to toe down a main street in Amherst would that help her deter attention or would that draw attention to her?” asked Malik. “That means you’re going against a very basic teaching because the teaching is not to draw attention.”
– Honour killings
Another topic discussed was what some refer to as honour killings. Malik says killing is never honourable.
“Honour killing could be a cultural issue. It is definitely not an Islamic issue,” said Malik.
“Taking a life of a human being is not something done easily because life is a precious gift, life is a precious commodity, a trust that is given to you,” he added. “It is not yours to destroy, it’s yours to safeguard, protect and nurture.”
Malik said it’s not up to humans to be the judge, jury and executioner.
“The prophet Muhammad said, ‘You are not the gatekeeper, you are simply the messenger, it is up to me to figure out what happens to that person,’”
Read original post here: Canada: Islamic radicals follow false prophet
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