Mistakes a few Muslims make

Mistakes a few Muslims make
Arrogance based comparisons
Mike Ghouse, Jan 31, 2008

http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2008/01/mistakes-few-muslims-make.html

The following articles (listed below) disingeniously compare Christianity with Islam , presenting Christianity in a negative way. I am posting here to share another point of view knowing well that these kind of articles are not important to an overwhelming majority of Muslims, these issues are not in their day to day life nor do they care. These articles are not part of any majority of people regardless of their faith. They focus on their family and work and being good human beings.

These articles, just as the ones bent on Islam bashing are the domain of the Neocons, i.e., those who are bent on creating chaos. These Necons are in every faith; be it Christiandom, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam or others.

Please think about this, and if it makes sense to you, speak out against any articles by any group that prey on deriding others, that is contrary to what their faith advoactes - peace, harmony and co-existence.

1. First of all, I want to affirm that I am a Muslim and practicing Islam works for me and the values of Islam run in my veins. Just as it is natural for a Christian, Hindu or Sikh to follow his or her faith, my faith is natural to me.

2. Religion came into being to bring peace to an individual within, and what surrounds him or her; life and matter. It is God's creation to keep the world and his diverse creation in some order or equilibrium.

3. Religion is simply faith - believing in God, Angels, Prophets, Heavens, Hell and the Day of reckoning etc. Each faith has its own list to complete that particular faith.

4. What one believes is how one is conditioned (Faith by birth) and how one feels comfortable with the ideas and subscribes to it (Faith by conversion).

5. It is hard to imagine the following scenario; During the ethnic cleansing in Bosnia or war torn Iraq or any other conflict - many a children were rendered homeless and thank God, there were good people around the globe whose kindness allowed them to adopt those children. Imagine a family with 5 kids, all their relatives were wiped out and each one of the kids was adopted when they were from one to five in age... by a Hindu, Christian, Muslim, Buddhist and a Jewish family.

6. Let's say you are the Muslim kid who was adopted and your brothers or sisters are following other faiths. Do you believe that your siblings; who were raised as a Hindu, Christian, Jew or Buddhist will not believe in what they were raised? Would they not claim that their belief is the right one? As you claim yours is the right one? Who is right?

7. What is the difference then? Is it what we are conditioned to believe? You can experiment with your own kids and you can witness the result twenty years from now. Religion is faith, what you believe.

8. A majority of Muslims, like majority of any religious group is not in the business of selling religion like a product; putting down competition to sell their own. Religion is not for sale and it does not have to be sold by putting other faiths down. If you enjoy the fruits of peace and happiness that your faith gives you, share it with others, and if they can feel the same, let them make that call. If you do the mud slinging, you are inviting mudslinging back and that is not religion in any form or shape.

9. The following two articles are not only flawed in comparisons but downright breeders of conflict. Your faith does not strengthen by creating low points for other faiths. You ask the believers, they see it in a different way.

This perhaps is the reason God has cautioned us so many times " to you is your faith as mine is to me"; If he had chosen, all of us would have followed the same faith, he would have made us all exactly 6' tall, 200 pounds, blue skin color.... and Mount Everest and Mt. St Helens and all other mountains would have been 30,000' tall, 10 Miles wide... and all oceans to go from 1 foot to 7 miles deep at the same distance...

But God chose to make us all different, let's honor God's wish. He said I want to see all of you get along with all the uniqueness I have endowed you with, look at the planets, stars and universe, each one has its own space and trajectory, you need to figure it out to live in peace.

Qur'an, Al-Hujurat, Surah 49:13: "O mankind! We have created you male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that ye may know one another. The noblest of you, in sight of Allah, is the best in conduct. Allah Knows and is Aware."

Please think about this, and if it makes sense to you, avoid circulating these articles and instead work on creating peace.

Qur'aan - 109:6 "Unto you, your moral law, and unto me, mine."

To be a Muslim is to be a peace maker; one who constantly seeks to mitigate conflicts and nurtures goodwill for harmonious co-existence and world peace - God wants his creation to be in peace that is the chief purpose of religion.

As Muslims we should not resort to this disgusting activity, we are the ones who are hit every day with Quranic verses misquoted to denigrate the faith that we believe in, and we should not be doing the same to others, no matter how much they hit us below the belt. Our goodness should not be dependent on how others treat us.

Jazak Allah Khair

Mike Ghouse
www.WorldMuslimCongress.com

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How Islam improves on Christianity?

1. In Islam men and women are equal in the eyes of God (Qur’aan 4:1; 4:124; 16:97; 40:40; 33:35; 3:195; 49:13; etc.); in Christianity men and women are not equal (Genesis 2:22; 1 Corinthians 11:8-9; 1 Timothy 2:13; Ephesians 5:22; 1 Corinthians 14:34-35; Leviticus 27:3-4; 1 Timothy 2:14; etc.).

2. Islam calls for faith in One True God (Qur’aan 112:1-4); Christianity calls for faith in an absurd triune God (Father, Son and Holy Ghost).

3. Islam calls for faith and good works (Qur’aan 85:11; 4:122; 19:61; 32:19; 103:1-3; etc.); Christianity is all about faith only.

[In Islam it is a combination, you must have faith and you must also do good works. Both are combined together, and without one, the other is useless. This is absent from Christianity, in Christianity good works means absolutely nothing as the Christians always say, it's only about faith!]

4. Salvation in Islam is very pure and simple; submit to God and do good works (Qur’aan 85:11; 4:122; 19:61; 32:19; 2:112; 103:1-3; etc.); in Christianity Salvation rests on believing in torture and blood-shed of Jesus (God?)!

[One of the most disturbing things about Christianity is that to be saved, you have to believe that an innocent man died for you, an innocent man who did no wrong, paid for your crime! This innocent man was tortured, and given one of the most painful deaths, and basically you have to believe in such barbarity to be saved! This is nothing like the beauty of Islam, where you only have to submit your will to God and believe in Him. Why should you lay your Salvation on a man who was beaten, tortured, for a crime he did not commit! Christians are saved by the blood, torture and the brutal death of Jesus!]

5. Islam prohibits the killing of innocent people, women and children (Quran 5:32; Bukhari Vol. 4, Book 52, No. 257-8; etc.); Christianity advocates killing of innocent people, women and children (Deuteronomy 2:32-37; 3:1-7; 7:1-6; 13:6-18; 21:18-22; 22:25-29; 23:1-4; 25:1-3; 28:15-68; Numbers 31:17-18; Joshua 2:8-21; 8:23-29; 10:28-43; Judges 1:21-35; 21:10-24; etc.).

6. Islam is a non-racist religion (Quran 49:13; 17:70; etc.); Christianity is racist (Leviticus 25:44-46; Matthew 15: 21-28; etc.).

The Prophet's Farewell Sermon: "All Mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over a black nor a black has any superiority over a white - except by piety and good action."

7. In Islam slaves are equal to us and they must be set free (Quran 90:12-13; 2:177; Bukhari Vol. 1, Book 2, No. 29; Vol. 1, Book 2, No. 12; Vol. 7, Book 65, No. 286; Muslim Book 15, No. 4096; Book 15, No. 4074; etc.); in Christianity slaves are mere possessions (Exodus 21:20-21; Exodus 21:7; 1 Peter 2:18; etc.).

8. Islam condemns female infanticide (Quran 16:58-59; 81:8-9; 17:31); Christianity does not.

9. In Islam a lady is free to get a divorce (Muslim Book 11, No. 2091; Bukhari Vol. 7, Book 63, No. 197; Vol. 7, Book 63, No. 198); in Christianity a lady is like a prisoner and cannot get a divorce (Romans 7:2-3; 1 Corinthians 7:39; Matthew 5:32; Matthew 19:9).

10. In Islam women can inherit property and they can also earn money (Quran 4:7; 4:32); in Christianity women cannot inherit any property if there is a son (Numbers 27:8).

11. Islam forbids alcohol (Quran 5:90-91); Christianity does not.

12. Islam is for Mankind (Quran 21:107; 7:158; 34:28; etc.); Christianity is not.

13. Quran does not contain any clear-cut error or contradiction; Bible does contain many clear-cut errors, contradictions and unscientific statements. Please watch the debate between Dr. William Campbell and Dr. Zakir Naik on this issue:

http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=-6693125820690597622

In conclusion these are at least 13 ways in which Islam improves on Christianity. It must be said that there are many other ways in which Islam improves on Christianity.

PS: This write-up was composed based on Brother Sami's article:

http://www.answering-christianity.com/sami_zaatri/islam_improves_christianity.htm

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Women's Status in the Bible

Pregnancy and childbirth is a curse:

"Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee." (Genesis 3:16)

Man was created first, then woman (woman's inferior status):

"For Adam was first formed, then Eve." (1 Timothy 2:13)
Eve created from Adam's rib (woman's inferior status):

"And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man." (Genesis 2:22)

Wives should submit to their husbands (woman's inferior status):

"Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord." (Ephesians 5:22)

The head of woman is the man (woman's inferior status):

"But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God." (1 Corinthians 11:3)

Female birth gets penalty (woman's inferior status):

"If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days." (Leviticus 12:2)

"But if she bear a maid child, then she shall be unclean two weeks." (Leviticus 12:5)

Women should keep silence in the churches and they are not permitted to have authority over men (female subjugation):

"Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church." (1 Corinthians 14:34-35)

"Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence." (1 Timothy 2:11-12)

Eve was deceived, not Adam:

"And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression." (1 Timothy 2:14)

Man was not created for the woman, but woman for the man (woman is worthless):

"For the man is not of the woman: but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man." (1 Corinthians 11:8-9)

Daughters inherit nothing when there is son:

"If a man die, and have no son, then ye shall cause his inheritance to pass unto his daughter." (Numbers 27:8)

Woman worth less than man:

"And thy estimation shall be of the male from twenty years old even unto sixty years old, even thy estimation shall be fifty shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary. And if it be a female, then thy estimation shall be thirty shekels." (Leviticus 27:3-4

Honor killing:
"For God said, 'Honor your father and mother' and 'Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.'" (Matthew 15:4)

"And the daughter of any priest, if she profane herself by playing the whore, she profaneth her father: she shall be burnt with fire." (Leviticus 21:9)

Kill all except virgins. Keep virgins for yourselves:

"Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him.But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves." (Numbers 31:17-18)

Women are viewed as possessions:

"Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour's wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour's house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbour's." (Deuteronomy 5:21)

Cut off her hand:

"When men strive together one with another, and the wife of the one draweth near for to deliver her husband out of the hand of him that smiteth him, and putteth forth her hand, and taketh him by the secrets. Then thou shalt cut off her hand, thine eye shall not pity her." (Deuteronomy 25:11-12)

Stoning to death:

"If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, then they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman: so shalt thou put away evil from Israel. If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her. Then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye shall stone them with stones that they die; the damsel, because she cried not, being in the city; and the man, because he hath humbled his neighbour's wife: so thou shalt put away evil from among you." (Deuteronomy 22:22-24)

Rape victim must marry the rapist (injustice against woman):

"If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, which is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found. Then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel's father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife; because he hath humbled her, he may not put her away all his days." (Deuteronomy 22:28-29)

Daughters are sold as slave:

"And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants do. If she please not her master, who hath betrothed her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed: to sell her unto a strange nation he shall have no power, seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her." (Exodus 21:7)

Women are spoils of war:

"Have they not sped? have they not divided the prey; to every man a damsel or two; to Sisera a prey of divers colours, a prey of divers colours of needlework, of divers colours of needlework on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil?" (Judges 5:30)

Divorced woman cannot remarry:

"But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery." (Matthew 5:32)

Witches must be put to death:

"Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death. He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed." (Exodus 22:18-20)

Father offering his daughter to mobs:

"Behold, here is my daughter a maiden, and his concubine; them I will bring out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth good unto you: but unto this man do not so vile a thing. But the men would not hearken to him: so the man took his concubine, and brought her forth unto them; and they knew her, and abused her all the night until the morning: and when the day began to spring, they let her go." (Judges 19:24-25)

Slaves submit to masters, even masters who are harsh:

"Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward." (1 Peter 2:18)

Solomon had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines:

"And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart." (1 Kings 11:3)

Woman is like sexual object:

"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." (Matthew 5:27-28)

Women's strict dress code:

"I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes." (1 Timothy 2:9)

"A woman must not wear men's clothing, nor a man wear women's clothing, for the LORD your God detests anyone who does this." (Deuteronomy 22:5)

Woman must use veil to cover her head:

"But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head - it is the same as having her head shaved. For if a woman does not cover her head, she might as well have her hair cut off; but if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then she should cover her head." (1 Corinthians 11:5-6)

The wicked Woman:

"Give me any plague, but the plague of the heart: and any wickedness, but the wickedness of a woman." (Eccles. 25:13)

"Of the woman came the beginning of sin, and through her we all die." (Eccles. 25:22)

"If she go not as thou wouldest have her, cut her off from thy flesh, and give her a bill of divorce, and let her go." (Eccles. 25: 26)

"The whoredom of a woman may be known in her haughty looks and eyelids. If thy daughter be shameless, keep her in straitly, lest she abuse herself through overmuch liberty." (Eccles. 26:9-10)

"A silent and loving woman is a gift of the Lord: and there is nothing so much worth as a mind well instructed. A shamefaced and faithful woman is a double grace, and her continent mind cannot be valued." (Eccles. 26:14-15)

"A shameless woman shall be counted as a dog; but she that is shamefaced will fear the Lord." (Eccles. 26:25)

"For from garments cometh a moth, and from women wickedness. Better is the churlishness of a man than a courteous woman, a woman, I say, which bringeth shame and reproach." (Eccles. 42:13-14)

The saints of Christianity view of women:

"Woman is a daughter of falsehood, a sentinel of Hell, the enemy of peace, through her Adam lost Paradise." (St. John Damascene)

"Woman is the fountain of the arm of the devil, her voice is the hissing of the serpent." (St. Anthony)

"The Bible and the church have been the greatest stumbling blocks in the way of woman's emancipation." (Elizabeth Cady Stanton