Question of Muhammad

[kajolishot]

Those of you who are actually knowledgable about Islam please reply. Otherwise shallow and hateful comments about Islam please keep to yourself.

Muhammad's life created one of the largest religions today. It's no doubt still one of the fastest growing faith. For this fact I feel it is stupid to label Islam as 'evil' or 'bad'.

My question is this, do you feel Muhammad used violence and invasion for good? ('good' being defined by the Muslim 'God') Was most of the Muslim conquests unnecessary during his time? Would it have been a good thing if his assassination plot worked?

Had the assassination plot against him in 621 succeeded, his religious career would have been similar in broad outline to that of Jesus.

In his defense,

Other revelations and rulings during this period concerned the proper treatment of prisoners of war and non-combatants, the sanction against killing innocent civilians, and the respectful treatment of enemy corpses (in contrast to the custom of the time, which was mutilation.)
The wanton destruction of property or agricultural resources was put off limits too. Even words of consolation for prisoners of war are found in the Qur'an:
"Prophet, tell the captives you have taken: 'If God finds some good in your hearts, He will reward you with something better than was taken away from you, and forgive your sins, for God is forgiving and kind." (Qur'an 8:70)

Why, then, has Islam fallen to corrupt greedy men who wage false wars to further their grip on power & wealth?

I conclude by the following, and I understand this as saying Muslims are to be a people of moderation and tolerance. Is the translation correct?

And thus have We made you a group in the middle, so that you be an ultimate witness [of God’s guidance] on [other] people and the Messenger be an ultimate witness [of God’s guidance] on you.
Qur'an 2:143

 

[Pakman]

Originally posted by kajolishot
My question is this, do you feel Muhammad used violence and invasion for good? ('good' being defined by the Muslim 'God') Was most of the Muslim conquests unnecessary during his time? Would it have been a good thing if his assassination plot worked?

Mohammad(pbuh) did not use violence nor invasion. It was the other tribes who declared war on Islam and Mohammad(pbuh). They offered him women, money, and power if he would stop preaching about Islam, but Mohammad(pbuh) refused. Islam says to avoid war if possible. But if the enemy declares war on you, then war it is that they will get.

Why, then, has Islam fallen to corrupt greedy men who wage false wars to further their grip on power & wealth?

Just as there are decent, honorable man in the world, there are also corrupt and greedy men. They hide in the name of Islam. They will pay the consequences and a more horrible afterlife will await them. One for eternity. Also, what are you referring to?

 

[kajolishot]

Also, what are you referring to?

I think I was referring to the oil producing nations mainly. The US has done a great job at making sure that pro-US leaders stay in power there, and to do such the US offered power & wealth.

Surely that would anger the religious leaders.

Ofcourse I have no concrete proof for the above speculation, but how else is it possible that we Americans pay less for petrol than for a bottle of water?


But I digress...

 

[Pakman]

Originally posted by kajolishot
Also, what are you referring to?

I think I was referring to the oil producing nations mainly. The US has done a great job at making sure that pro-US leaders stay in power there, and to do such the US offered power & wealth.

Surely that would anger the religious leaders.

Ofcourse I have no concrete proof for the above speculation, but how else is it possible that we Americans pay less for petrol than for a bottle of water?


But I digress...

The Muslim nations work independently. That is their greatest weakest and it is what causes them to be vulnerable. They're like fingers on a hand which are wide spread from each other. If you were to punch someone with your hand open, you wouldn't hurt them at all.

But if the nations were to come together, like a fist when the fingers come together, they would accomplish a lot and be hard to break. This is what a Muslim wants. They want to be united. They await to become united under a Caliph.

However, I don't think it has pro-US leaders there. America has it's way of controlling the government. America is, afterall, the richest and powerfulest country in the world. One that everyone wants to trade with. So it kinda has its fingers in a pie.

 

[Proud_Syrian]

Very well said PAK..

I just want to add that Islam came in the middle of very hostile environment, the prophet (pbuh) was attacked, tortured and even stoned...this grave hostility forced the prophet to leave Mecca to Medina ( after the Pagans took all his belongings and those who followed him, the early muslims )...when the prophet(pbuh) came to medina, the people there were very hospitable and they embraced islam in their masses...later and after so much harrassments by the pagans, the prophet led an army of new muslims to take back mecca and re-claim the stolen properties of those early muslims....Mecca fell without fight, and the pagan people of Mecca were so scared when the prophet (pbuh) entered mecca, at that time norms, the victorious army used to wipe out the defeated army and its city and its inhabitants, but when our great merciful prophet was in centre of the city and despite all the harm he faced from the people of mecca, he looked at the masses and told them: GO, YOU ARE FREE...!!!!! this attitude of sheer mercy and compassion made the people of mecca to embrace Islam willingly.....

These accounts of the great Prophet( pbuh) life is not reported in the western media, the anti muslim haters cover up such stories although it is very well documented.

Islam was under constant attack in its early years and that is why these wars that the prophet(pbuh) made was necessary as self-defence...otherwise no muslim could have survived.

Islam is logical realistic religion, we dont turn the other cheeck if someone hit us, Islam DOES NOT reward aggression, we repel aggressors otherwise the world will be composed of those who oppress and get away with it and those who are oppressed and cant do anything about it.