Yet another onslaught is made by Mr. Venkata Swamy
("Intellectual Massacre of Truth", India Post, October 2nd 1998 and
"If it is not Islamic then what is it?", ibid. October 9th 1998) to discredit
Islam. His attempt to assassinate the truth of Islam remains futile. He assembles straw
men with his remark, "Verse after verse in Koran, Hadis after Hadis in Hadith denote
so much unmitigated cruelty that just one quote that there is no compulsion in Islam
cannot wash it away". Look who is talking. I for one, have furnished numerous
quotations displaying the beauty and rationality of Islamic beliefs in several of my
letters, but Swamy fails to provide even a single quotation, in his two letters from,
either the Qur'an or the authentic Hadith Literature. Talking is cheap but
proving your point is something else. And so far, Swamy is replete on the former and empty
on the latter. Previous endeavours by several writers in quoting out of context verses
have been successfully refuted. Let me help Swamy, with a beautiful hadith of Prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon him), on the treatment of non-Muslims: "Their
property is like our property and their blood is like our blood" (Mishkat
al-Masabih, Chap. 15, Hadith # 55). What an awe inspiring model for all of humanity; and
gems likes are captivating and attracting millions unto the folds of Islam.
Swamy's citation of random occurrences in the history of Muslims to discredit Islam
accounts for nothing, and the readers realise his desperate attempts. For the sake of
argument let's assume that these incidence by Muslims do reflect the teachings of Islam.
With his logic then the actions of Hindus must also reflect Hinduism. Lets probe at the
recent news reports over the media relating to Hindus:
"At least six people were killed in police shooting and group clashes as Hindu caste violence erupted at the weekend in India's southern Tamil Nadu state, police said on Monday. More than 100 people have been killed in caste clashes in the past year in the southern districts of Tamil Nadu". (Reuters, Madras, India, Oct. 5, 1998).
With Swamy's logic, this would mean that it is HINDUISM which is fuelling the slaughtering of HINDUS BY HINDUS.
Another report mentions,
"Christians in India protest alleged rape of nuns. Hundreds of Christians wearing black bands marched in the Indian capital on Saturday protesting against what they called rising 'atrocities'' against their community in the giant Hindu-majority country". (Reuters, New Delhi, India, Oct. 3, 1998).
Again, we have to logically assume that it is HINDUISM which is
inviting the Hindus to rape innocent nuns and commit atrocities towards non-Hindus,
right?! Mr. Swamy, your logic has entrapped you in you own net!
Secular historian by the name of Will Durant in The Age of Faith truthfully
proclaims,
"The Moslem leaders were passionate disciples of Mohammad, prayed even more than they fought. The Arab troops were more rigorously disciplined and more ably led; they were inured to leadership... could fight on empty stomachs. 'Be Just' ran Abu Bakr's proclamation, 'Be Valiant'; die rather than yield; 'Be Merciful'; slay neither old men, nor women, nor children. Destroy no fruit trees, grain, or cattle. Keep your word, even to your enemies. Molest not those religious persons who live retired from the world".
Mr. Swamy, this is the portrayal of Islam, which remains unscratched and vibrant despite assassination attempts upon it!
Sabeel Ahmed
October 1998.
-----------------------------
[Currently, he is the co-chairman of the Da'wa Committee and Board of Director at the
Muslim Community Center, Illinois. A student of Ahmed Deedat and now works for the
1-800-662-islam hotline of ICNA. His main interest is in comparative religion.]
