Friday, March 14, 2008

Muslim or Kafir?

When I wrote 'I Hate You' post, the main idea behind it was the visible and disseminated hatred that various sects of Islam have for each other. It also related to the inter-religious acrimony in general. People of a certain faith always believe that they are the 'correct ones' and they will be ones holding the victory flag on the day of judgment. As the Quran states...

2:111 - And they say: "None shall enter Paradise unless he be a Jew or a Christian." Those are their (vain) desires. Say: "Produce your proof if ye are truthful."

Our multiple-sect-muslim-brethren repeat the same mantra. Why cant they learn from Quran? Do they have the evidence that only they will enter paradise and no one else?

2:112 - Nay,-whoever submits His whole self to Allah and is a doer of good,- He will get his reward with his Lord; on such shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.

Sunnis and Shias (and their sub-sects) all out do each other in claiming that they are the best! for what? We keep branding other sects as 'kafir',that they are not 'muslims'. Do we know what a muslim is? Why would only '1 sect out of 72 sects' will enter paradise?

Quran is very clear when it comes to judgment criteria.

2:62 - Surely those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the Christians, and the Sabians, whoever believes in Allah and the Last day and does good, they shall have their reward from their Lord, and there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve.

Where did it state that a person has to have a certain tag of sunni, shia, ahmadi, deobandi, jew, christian on his/ her head to be rewarded exclusively on judgment day? Of course this is not the case. The whole debate is not about who believes in which Prophet.. its about whether you believe in God as the Only God.

31:13 - Behold, Luqman said to his son by way of instruction: "O my son! join not in worship (others) with Allah: for false worship is indeed the highest wrong-doing."

So if you keep trying your level best to declare everyone non-muslim (ahmadi/ qadiyani as the case in point) ... I am sorry but this does not matter at all. Prophet Muhammad was the last Prophet. He was not the 'first muslim'. He did not found Islam. Prophet Abraham is considered to be the first Muslim...

22:78 - And strive in His cause as ye ought to strive, (with sincerity and under discipline). He has chosen you, and has imposed no difficulties on you in religion; it is the cult of your father Abraham. It is He Who has named you Muslims

And we are advised to follow religion of Prophet Abraham.

2:130 - And who forsakes the religion of Ibrahim but he who makes himself a fool, and most certainly We chose him in this world, and in the hereafter he is most surely among the righteous.

So we should all strive to be better muslims, do good deeds. Direct our energies to make muslims a better member of societies instead of focusing who is a an infidel.

Peace.

Check Out My Other Posts:

1. 'I Hate You'
2. 5 Pillars of Islam Given to Prophet Abraham

2 comments:

dhoop kinara said...

It is refreshing to reach your post among the rather judgmental religious discourse of our times. you are indeed right in pointing out that we are no one to judge anyone's faith and it is certainly not upon us to determine who is or is not a Muslim.

NB said...

I would second Cling and Clatters comment. And I'd add that you might want check out the discussions that many Iraqis are having with respect to AQ 'takfiris' and the the Sunni Awakening councils.