Mani, Modi, and Radi are still interested in Qur’an verses that appear to be warlike or violent and are again discussing them at Modi’s house. Hayat has just served coffee.
Radi(Radical): The first one, verse 2:191-193, seems fine to me. I see no problems with it, but Mani does.
“And slay them wherever ye find them, and drive them out of the places whence they drove you out, for persecution [of Muslims] is worse than slaughter [of non-believers]...and fight them until persecution is no more, and religion is for Allah.”
Modi (Moderate): Well, Radi, at the time, Muhammad was reciting for the new Muslims the revelation he received that, like the Ten Commandments, were actions that were expected of Muslims and actions that they should avoid. It started with excoriating the Jews for several verses for not living up to their scriptures and then turned to ensuring that the new Muslims understand the oneness of Allah and the importance of Judgment Day. And with 2:181, Allah lets the Muslims know that they must prepare for death by ensuring that their parents and other relatives are cared for in their wills. He reminds them of the importance of fasting in 2:183, discourages them from taking advantage of their neighbor’s largess during Ramadan, and explains the meaning of true piety in 2:189.
Mani: All of this is leading up to 2:191?
Modi: Actually, it starts with 2:190, “And fight in God’s cause against those who wage war against you, but do not commit aggression–for, verily, God does not love aggressors.” So, what Allah is really saying is that the Muslims should not start any wars unless aggression has begun against them, for which there is no alternative but to fight. According to Muhammad Asad (who quotes Razi),[1 “Slay them wherever you may come upon them” applies only in the context of hostilities already in progress and the non-Muslims started it. Generally, Muslims agree that the verses that begin with 2:190 are valid beyond the period of the revelation.[2]
Radi: Does that not mean that we could attack an American garrison for attacks their navy made on us during the Barbary Wars?
Modi: Long memories do not count any more, Radi. This is a new world, and we follow new rules whether we want to or not. The UN Charter, Chapter 1, Article 2, paragraphs 3 and 4, prohibits the use or threat of force to resolve disputes.
Radi: But fighters from Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and other Muslim countries have attacked American targets overseas without UN sanctions against them.
Mani: You are right, Radi. But you must remember that Europe is bound not to assist the US in any disputes involving Arab states. Of course, the Arab states in the General Assembly are never going to vote with the Americans, nor is China or Russia.
Radi: What binds Europe to not assisting the US in US-Arab disputes?
Mani: The Euro-Arab Dialogues. They are not treaties, but they are treated as such. Modi, what about verse 2:216?
“Fighting is prescribed for you, and ye dislike it. But it is possible that ye dislike a thing which is good for you, and that ye love a thing which is bad for you. But Allah knoweth, and ye know not.”
Modi: This verse really follows on what was begun with verse 2:190. Allah was referring to the fight with the Meccans. They disallowed Muslims from worshiping in Mecca, which caused them to emigrate to Yathrib. Allah said in the next verse following, 2:191, “They will ask thee about fighting on the sacred month. Say: ‘Fighting in it is an awesome thing; but turning men away from the path of God and denying Him, and [turning them away from] the inviolable House of Worship and expelling its people therefrom—[all this] is yet more awesome in the sight of God, since oppression is more awesome than killing.’”
Radi: So, what you are saying is that since the Meccans oppressed the Muslims by cutting off their access to their house of worship, the Muslims may have to fight the Meccans to restore their rights. Allah is saying that if someone oppresses you, you can fight.
Modi: It depends just how someone oppresses you. If you are told by the UN that you must destroy your nuclear and biological weapons and you do not, it is not oppression if another nation warns you that they will come in and take them if you continue to disobey the world body.
Radi: But Europe and Muslim nations all said that it was against the law for the US to attack Iraq, especially when they found no such weapons.
Modi: Saddam purposely made everyone think he had those weapons. But he did have them until 1995 and if left alone, would have continued with them. It was a good defense against a few other nations. He also thought that at the last second, before the Americans attacked, France, Germany, Russia, and China would rush in and stop the Americans. Isn’t that what he was paying them for?
Radi: Nonetheless, Modi, Allah says that if someone oppresses us, we can attack.
Modi: Not in every case. We must be very cautious about attacking other nations, especially the US.
Radi: Ha! The US can’t even stop the Mexicans from pouring into their borders, and more and more Muslims are settling there, and the Americans can’t stop them.
Mani: The Americans are a divided country, Radi. There are many people there who do not even like their country and always want to see it lose whatever they try for. They talk against it, work against it, and tell one lie after another to get the people stirred up against their own government.
Radi: Why does the government put up with it?
Modi: I don’t really know. Either the party of Bush is too stupid to know what the other party is doing or is just too timid to lay it out for the people to understand. The people themselves could use a little backbone to learn what is going on without the newspapers and some dopey commentators telling them what they want them to think. Hell, if the Democratic Party ran Louis Farrakhan, and the New York Times and a few others endorsed him, he would get millions of votes.
Mani: What about verse 3:56? “As to those who reject faith, I will punish them with terrible agony in this world and in the Hereafter, nor will they have anyone to help.”
Modi: You know who Allah was talking about. The Meccans were the ones bent on denying the truth. What was addressed here was that if the Meccans kept Allah’s message from the people—stifling Muhammad’s message—they would “get theirs” and not only in the afterlife. He continued in the next verse, 3:57, which completed the sentence: “...whereas unto those who attain to faith and do good works, He will grant their reward in full: for God does not love evildoers.”
Radi: Why did Allah use the third person “He” in that verse?
Modi: I have no idea, Radi. That happens from time to time in al Kitab.
Radi: I have one, Modi, verse 3:151, “Soon shall We cast terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers, for that they joined companions with Allah, for which He had sent no authority.”
Modi: Oh, I forgot about that one. That is a little troublesome. Muhammad Asad translates it a little differently. Now you must remember that Muhammad kept hammering on the idea of the “Trinity,” which meant that in God there are three divine persons, Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. The only Christians around were the heretical Christians, who had a view different from that of the mainstream. Khadija, Muhammad’s beloved wife, had been a Christian, but we do not know the extent of her knowledge in that regard. Muhammad did not understand what was meant by the “Trinity,” and apparently no one else helped. What Allah seems to be saying is that the “Trinity” is adding two other gods to Allah.
Mani: Here is Asad’s translation: “Into the hearts of those who are bent on denying the truth We shall cast dread in return for their ascribing divinity, side by side with God, to other beings—[something] for which He has never bestowed any warrant from on high; and their goal is the fire—and how evil that abode of evildoers.”
Radi: Hm. I noticed that Allah switched from first person plural to third person and another third person singular. I do not understand why He would do that.
Mani: I would not make too much out of that, Radi. Your friends might say that you are on the verge of blasphemy.
Radi: Oops!
Modi: Muhammad always had a thing about the “Trinity,” but Allah, as understanding and as merciful as He is, I would think, would not be as concerned about it. Remember, the idea of the Trinity does not violate the one-God concept, according to the Christians. God just has three natures to Him. If Muslims cannot understand the concept of the Trinity, why should they expect Christians to understand that Allah himself was the author of the Qur’an?
Radi: Why didn’t Allah explain His position to Muhammad, so that Muhammad could in turn explain it to the Christians? If I had made a mistake like that, I would not consider roasting in hell a fitting punishment for such a petty error in identity.
Mani: Did you hear what I just heard? Radi disapproved of a punishment?
Modi: Well, look at the situation. The Christians said there are three divine persons in one God. They do not understand it themselves, so they call it a “divine mystery.” Well, there are things I do not understand about Islam, and I know better than to ask. The Christians can ask questions and get answers. We ask questions and someone hacks us to pieces. And poor Radi had problems with Allah switching identities in one verse. It does not make us evildoers or bad Muslims; it means only that we have questions. I believe that our Allah knows what is in our hearts. I am not sure what is in the hearts of our imams.
Radi: But you do not believe he authored...
Modi: Don’t you dare say that! I would never say such a thing. That is suicide.
Mani: Be more careful, Radi. If someone heard you say that, you would die as well as Modi and I.
Radi: Now you have me all nervous.
Modi: I will have Hayat bring you some Saudi coffee.
Mani: Me too?
Modi: Saudi coffee; the only good thing that ever came out of the Najd.[3]
HJS
_________________________
1 Note 168, Message of the Qur’an, Muhammad Asad, page 51
2 Note 169, ibid
3 Region in Saudi Arabia where the al Saud clan originated. An old Arab saying is, “Nothing good ever came out of the Najd.” “Saudi coffee is coffee “spiked” with something stronger. Muslims are not allowed to drink alcohol, but if nobody identifies the ingredients besides coffee, then Muslims “assume” it is not alcohol. It is another version of “don’t ask-don’t tell”.
Modi: This verse really follows on what was begun with verse 2:190. Allah was referring to the fight with the Meccans. They disallowed Muslims from worshiping in Mecca, which caused them to emigrate to Yathrib. Allah said in the next verse following, 2:191, “They will ask thee about fighting on the sacred month. Say: ‘Fighting in it is an awesome thing; but turning men away from the path of God and denying Him, and [turning them away from] the inviolable House of Worship and expelling its people therefrom—[all this] is yet more awesome in the sight of God, since oppression is more awesome than killing.’”
Radi: So, what you are saying is that since the Meccans oppressed the Muslims by cutting off their access to their house of worship, the Muslims may have to fight the Meccans to restore their rights. Allah is saying that if someone oppresses you, you can fight.
Modi: It depends just how someone oppresses you. If you are told by the UN that you must destroy your nuclear and biological weapons and you do not, it is not oppression if another nation warns you that they will come in and take them if you continue to disobey the world body.
Radi: But Europe and Muslim nations all said that it was against the law for the US to attack Iraq, especially when they found no such weapons.
Modi: Saddam purposely made everyone think he had those weapons. But he did have them until 1995 and if left alone, would have continued with them. It was a good defense against a few other nations. He also thought that at the last second, before the Americans attacked, France, Germany, Russia, and China would rush in and stop the Americans. Isn’t that what he was paying them for?
Radi: Nonetheless, Modi, Allah says that if someone oppresses us, we can attack.
Modi: Not in every case. We must be very cautious about attacking other nations, especially the US.
Radi: Ha! The US can’t even stop the Mexicans from pouring into their borders, and more and more Muslims are settling there, and the Americans can’t stop them.
Mani: The Americans are a divided country, Radi. There are many people there who do not even like their country and always want to see it lose whatever they try for. They talk against it, work against it, and tell one lie after another to get the people stirred up against their own government.
Radi: Why does the government put up with it?
Modi: I don’t really know. Either the party of Bush is too stupid to know what the other party is doing or is just too timid to lay it out for the people to understand. The people themselves could use a little backbone to learn what is going on without the newspapers and some dopey commentators telling them what they want them to think. Hell, if the Democratic Party ran Louis Farrakhan, and the New York Times and a few others endorsed him, he would get millions of votes.
Mani: What about verse 3:56? “As to those who reject faith, I will punish them with terrible agony in this world and in the Hereafter, nor will they have anyone to help.”
Modi: You know who Allah was talking about. The Meccans were the ones bent on denying the truth. What was addressed here was that if the Meccans kept Allah’s message from the people—stifling Muhammad’s message—they would “get theirs” and not only in the afterlife. He continued in the next verse, 3:57, which completed the sentence: “...whereas unto those who attain to faith and do good works, He will grant their reward in full: for God does not love evildoers.”
Radi: Why did Allah use the third person “He” in that verse?
Modi: I have no idea, Radi. That happens from time to time in al Kitab.
Radi: I have one, Modi, verse 3:151, “Soon shall We cast terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers, for that they joined companions with Allah, for which He had sent no authority.”
Modi: Oh, I forgot about that one. That is a little troublesome. Muhammad Asad translates it a little differently. Now you must remember that Muhammad kept hammering on the idea of the “Trinity,” which meant that in God there are three divine persons, Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. The only Christians around were the heretical Christians, who had a view different from that of the mainstream. Khadija, Muhammad’s beloved wife, had been a Christian, but we do not know the extent of her knowledge in that regard. Muhammad did not understand what was meant by the “Trinity,” and apparently no one else helped. What Allah seems to be saying is that the “Trinity” is adding two other gods to Allah.
Mani: Here is Asad’s translation: “Into the hearts of those who are bent on denying the truth We shall cast dread in return for their ascribing divinity, side by side with God, to other beings—[something] for which He has never bestowed any warrant from on high; and their goal is the fire—and how evil that abode of evildoers.”
Radi: Hm. I noticed that Allah switched from first person plural to third person and another third person singular. I do not understand why He would do that.
Mani: I would not make too much out of that, Radi. Your friends might say that you are on the verge of blasphemy.
Radi: Oops!
Modi: Muhammad always had a thing about the “Trinity,” but Allah, as understanding and as merciful as He is, I would think, would not be as concerned about it. Remember, the idea of the Trinity does not violate the one-God concept, according to the Christians. God just has three natures to Him. If Muslims cannot understand the concept of the Trinity, why should they expect Christians to understand that Allah himself was the author of the Qur’an?
Radi: Why didn’t Allah explain His position to Muhammad, so that Muhammad could in turn explain it to the Christians? If I had made a mistake like that, I would not consider roasting in hell a fitting punishment for such a petty error in identity.
Mani: Did you hear what I just heard? Radi disapproved of a punishment?
Modi: Well, look at the situation. The Christians said there are three divine persons in one God. They do not understand it themselves, so they call it a “divine mystery.” Well, there are things I do not understand about Islam, and I know better than to ask. The Christians can ask questions and get answers. We ask questions and someone hacks us to pieces. And poor Radi had problems with Allah switching identities in one verse. It does not make us evildoers or bad Muslims; it means only that we have questions. I believe that our Allah knows what is in our hearts. I am not sure what is in the hearts of our imams.
Radi: But you do not believe he authored...
Modi: Don’t you dare say that! I would never say such a thing. That is suicide.
Mani: Be more careful, Radi. If someone heard you say that, you would die as well as Modi and I.
Radi: Now you have me all nervous.
Modi: I will have Hayat bring you some Saudi coffee.
Mani: Me too?
Modi: Saudi coffee; the only good thing that ever came out of the Najd.[3]
HJS
_________________________
1 Note 168, Message of the Qur’an, Muhammad Asad, page 51
2 Note 169, ibid
3 Region in Saudi Arabia where the al Saud clan originated. An old Arab saying is, “Nothing good ever came out of the Najd.” “Saudi coffee is coffee “spiked” with something stronger. Muslims are not allowed to drink alcohol, but if nobody identifies the ingredients besides coffee, then Muslims “assume” it is not alcohol. It is another version of “don’t ask-don’t tell”.
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