In defense of the Quran

[Abid Ali Hussain]

asalam alaikum

What do we say to defend ourselves against kafirs who quote ayats from the Quran like ;

73. O Communicator of the hidden news, (Prophet) fight against the infidels and the hypocrites and be strict to them Their destination is Hell and what an evil place of return. [From Surah Towbah]

These ayats and other similar ones have appeared in some websites who attack Islam. I am worried because some weak people wont know what to say in defence.

[Imam]

Bismillahir Rahmaanir Rahim

Wa'laykum as Salaam,



A very good question given the events that are taking place in this day and age.


First of all we must remember that when the Qur'an al kareem was revealed to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon Him), it was done so a little at a time. It was revealed to the beloved Prophet (peace be upon Him), according to the circumstances that He was in, at that particular instance.

One may object that was the Qur'an al kareem revealed continuously, as events occurred? Then the answer to this would be that it did, although there were gaps where revelation had stopped, and the beloved Messenger of Allah (peace be upon Him) awaited revelation.

Because Islam begun from one person to the next, there were many contemporary non- believers who opposed Islam. The misbelievers of Makkah had promised the Messenger many goods, in terms of money, wealth, and security, yet this was only because the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon Him) brought down the Message that there was only one God, and He alone should be worshipped, and that He Himself was the final Messenger.

The misbelievers, did not want to accept this religion at first, and wanted to keep there ancient ways of worshipping idols, murdering, cheating in business, lying, backbiting, cheating, and drinking. These were known as the days of the 'jahilliyyah', the days of ignorance.

Praise be to Allah! That Muslims do not nowadays conform to any of the above, thanks due to the beloved Messenger of Allah (peace be upon Him), yet He did have to defend Himself as well as his religion, from such evils. It was during the fight over such evils, that verses such as the above were revealed, for what was it that the misbelievers did to the early Muslims, save give them hardship?

They would stone the Muslims, yet the sanction for stoning does not even exist in any country of the world today. They would put believers lives at risk, by weighing them down to the ground with huge stones, on burning hot sand although they still had wounds on their bodies. Islam gives no such punishment to anyone who holds a religion of their own, yet the new Muslims would only say "One God- One God". They would starve the Muslims by cutting off all food supplies, all business relations, and access to water. In Islam however, you must fast for thirty/twenty-nine days, so that you may tame the ego of its desires, and you must give one fourtieth of you wealth to those who are in need, regardless of who they are.

They would prevent Muslims from practising their own religion, in the form of recitation of the Qur'an, and praying salaah, so that those who were nearby would not be affected by the word of God. Today the word of God has spread so far and wide, that Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world. They would throw rubbish on the Muslims, and cast thorns in the path that they walked, so that they could be misdirected, yet in Islam to remove and obstacle from the road is a form of charity.

Hence there were harsh treatment for new Muslims at that time by the misbelievers, and at times treatment was not so harsh. It was during the peak times of harsh treatment that such verses were revealed in the Qur'an, that applied to them at that time. It would therefore be very unfair to say that such verses applied to all people who were not of the religion of Islam in todays day and age, as Islam teaches us to live together, as neighbours, as friends, keeping in good relation to one another, and not living in such contravention of the law of the land that would give the Muslims or Islam a negative image.

Islam means submission, peace, praise, amongst other good qualities. It would be wrong to say that this religion is tyrranical, oppressive, or unjust. In the Qur'an there have been such verses, then they were descended to the Prophet, depending on the circumstances of revelation, at the time. It was in answer from God, to the atrocities that were committed against the Noble Prophet (peace be upon Him) and His Companions. So that the misbelievers could carry on practicing their old evil ways, without the need for a new religion.


It is Allah, who guides whom He wills. May He keep us all firm upon thereligion of peace, also known as Islam. (ameen)


M. Waseem Ashrafi

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