What is Islam’s attitude towards non Muslims?

[GURSIKH]

Originally Posted by Abu Rashid

Ohhh... how utterly evil of the Muslims!!! Too bad you forgot to mention (or were ignorant of the fact) that the Pagans were invading and waging war on the Muslims at the time this verse was revealed. ?

you mean Quran teachings are time dependent , not applicable today ,these were for 7th century


Aslaam ,

[Abu Rashid]

you mean Quran teachings are time dependent , not applicable today ,these were for 7th century

Not at all, that verse is just as applicable today if pagans are invading and waging war on Muslims, then of course they should be utterly destroying them.

The point is the command to fight is dependant upon fighting those who are hostile. Unlike your suggestion that it's just an unqualified incitement to fight anyone of a different religion.

[Sahar]

Originally Posted by GURSIKH

you mean Quran teachings are time dependent , not applicable today ,these were for 7th century


Aslaam ,

The Qur'an handle different situations and life aspects. Allah prescribed for us what to do when we are in a state of war and when we are in a state of treaty. How to treat those who are peaceful with us and those who attack us. So the Ayaat on fighting are a context and situation dependent.
And since the believers in the different times face hostility and enmity, the teachings regarding war, treaties and peace are very essential.

[GURSIKH]

HI Rashid

i disagree with your interpretation of verse , bcoz it nowwhere mention that MUSLIM should slay PAGAN in battle or when attacked by Pagan ,infact it says slay the Pagans wherever ye find them

[Abu Rashid]

The verse was revealed at a time when the Pagans were on their way to invade Madinah.

You need to read it in the context of which it was revealed I said.

You are free to interpret whatever you like, but if it's not taking into consideration the historical context, then it's nothing but folly. The Qur'an quite clearly instructs the Muslims NOT to begin hostilities, as God loves NOT the aggressors.

If you just had the minimum of patience and read a little further down into the surah, you'd see it quite clearly says:

Will ye not fight people who violated their oaths, plotted to expel the Apostle, and took the aggressive by being the first (to assault) you? Do ye fear them? Nay, it is Allah Whom ye should more justly fear, if ye believe!

The fact you failed to even read the context of the verse itself, let alone the historical context indicates you are not interested in what it says, but what you might be able to twist it to mean, to an audience who you figured would probably not investigate it much.

[GabrielWithoutWings]

Originally Posted by Abu Rashid

The verse was revealed at a time when the Pagans were on their way to invade Madinah.

You need to read it in the context of which it was revealed I said.

So a person without the benefit of early Islamic history would not get the full meaning of the Qur'an? It cannot be read and understood properly 'as is' without footnotes?

[Abu Rashid]

So a person without the benefit of early Islamic history would not get the full meaning of the Qur'an?

Didn't say that at all. But someone with a decent intention wouldn't rush off to claim the Qur'an incites Muslims to kill people for being from other faiths, would they? They'd investigate more thoroughly before making such wild claims. So what I said doesn't affect the average reader, it affects the ill-intentioned person, who hand picks quotes (usually from anti-Islamic websites) and tries to portray them out of their context.

Likewise one could grab some random quotes from the Bible or any other religious text, take them out of context, and then claim lots of things. Doesn't mean the Bible can't be read without footnotes.

[seraphim81]

Originally Posted by Abu Rashid

Pagans in Arabia were pretty fierce people, who oppressed and waged war on the Muslims incessantly. However, in today's anti-Islamic climate, the revisionist Islamophobes have re-cast them as poor unsuspecting innocents who were ravaged by the evil war-mongering Muslims.

Those who wish to pervert the truth will goto any length to complete their tainted image.

That's arrogant