Islamic definitions of key words? (tolerance, peace, mercy...)

[icehorse]

Below are some key words that come up in many discussions of Islam:

- tolerance
- peace
- honor
- mercy
- justice

I have a sense that Muslims' definitions of these words are quite different than the western definitions. In the interest of mutual understanding, I'd like to ask Muslims if they would define these words?

I'll start with "peace" and share my understanding of how Muslims interpret this word, and I welcome corrections:

peace: Muslims will reign peacefully when the world is ruled by Islam. This definition allows the well known phrase "Islam is a religion of peace" to be spoken truthfully.

 

[McBell]

Below are some key words that come up in many discussions of Islam:

- tolerance
- peace
- honor
- mercy
- justice

I have a sense that Muslims' definitions of these words are quite different than the western definitions. In the interest of mutual understanding, I'd like to ask Muslims if they would define these words?

I'll start with "peace" and share my understanding of how Muslims interpret this word, and I welcome corrections:

peace: Muslims will reign peacefully when the world is ruled by Islam. This definition allows the well known phrase "Islam is a religion of peace" to be spoken truthfully.

I humbly request that the word "good" be added to your list

 

[YmirGF]

Perhaps the most telling definition would be for the world "innocent".
Runner up word would be "compulsion".

 

[icehorse]

requests for additional definitions are welcome.

 

[YmirGF]

requests for additional definitions are welcome.

I will say that this is something I've pointed out over the years is that the common "western" understanding of these terms is often in sharp contrast to the Islamic definitions. Muslims are smart enough to realize that we will read something and think, "Oh, how lovely!" without appreciating the nuances of what is being said or understanding the underlying implications.

 

[DawudTalut]

Below are some key words that come up in many discussions of Islam:

- tolerance
- peace
- honor
- mercy
- justice

I have a sense that Muslims' definitions of these words are quite different than the western definitions. In the interest of mutual understanding, I'd like to ask Muslims if they would define these words?

I'll start with "peace" and share my understanding of how Muslims interpret this word, and I welcome corrections:

peace: Muslims will reign peacefully when the world is ruled by Islam. This definition allows the well known phrase "Islam is a religion of peace" to be spoken truthfully.

Peace be on you.

Holy Quran
[6:83] Those who believe and mix not up their belief with injustice — it is they who shall have peace, and who are rightly guided.

[25:64] And the servants of the Gracious God are those who walk on the earth in a dignified manner, and when the ignorant address them, they say, ‘Peace!’

[43:89] I swear by his repeated cry ‘O my Lord!’ that these are a people who will not believe.
[43:90] Therefore, turn aside from them, and say, ‘Peace’; and soon shall they know.

So it is clear that even if Muslim did not gain rule as 43:90 shows, yet prayer of peace was said for everyone.
====

It is unfortunate that the actions of certain sections of Muslims, who work outside the Islamic code of conduct, have assisted the world to make objections. On the contrary, Islamic teaching, as expounded by the Holy Qur’an, repeatedly mentions the rights of non-Muslims, justice and freedom in matters of religion etc.Islam advocated fairness, equality and justice at all levels, even the majority of the world’s Muslims had forgotten these teachings.

“In the past several years I have learned a great deal about Islam from your Community – I have learned that Islam is built on the rights of life, equality, tolerance and justice.” Siobhain McDonagh, MP ... UK

Thus there are people who see same meaning of words you mentioned.

https://www.alislam.org/egazette/pr...-war-inevitable-unless-true-justice-prevails/
https://www.alislam.org/library/books/The-Concept-of-Justice-in-Islam.pdf

 

[LuisDantas]

requests for additional definitions are welcome.

Religion; God; Secularism.

It seems to me that Muslims tend to understand "religion" to have a subtly yet significantly exotic meaning. It is literally all about submission to God,

One of the consequences is that they have a hard time understanding other religions. Non-Abrahamics are almost beyond their understanding.

 

[YmirGF]

Religion; God; Secularism.

It seems to me that Muslims tend to understand "religion" to have a subtly yet significantly exotic meaning. It is literally all about submission to God,

One of the consequences is that they have a hard time understanding other religions. Non-Abrahamics are almost beyond their understanding.

Agree 100%... unless they can see something quasi-Islamic their blinders act as very powerful inhibitors.

 

[Godobeyer]

in Quran you will find many times these words , mercy , peace , forgive ,merciful , good deeds , ....many positve words, don't oppression the others ...etc

 

[Subhankar Zac]

Below are some key words that come up in many discussions of Islam:

- tolerance
- peace
- honor
- mercy
- justice

I have a sense that Muslims' definitions of these words are quite different than the western definitions. In the interest of mutual understanding, I'd like to ask Muslims if they would define these words?

I'll start with "peace" and share my understanding of how Muslims interpret this word, and I welcome corrections:

peace: Muslims will reign peacefully when the world is ruled by Islam. This definition allows the well known phrase "Islam is a religion of peace" to be spoken truthfully.

I'll explain what it means for people who believe in modern values and assign living being who's life matters.

1. Peace- Destroying forests and killing animals for pleasure.
Destroying insects for the sake of hygiene.
Killing crocs for the sake of belts and shoes.
Killing cows for footballs.

Tolerance- limiting acceptance for new minorities after one minority is accepted after every 40-50 years.

Honor- supporting people to 've presidents who supported mass murders.

Mercy- thing that they refuse to show on a middle eastern family if pain is inflicted by a progressive.

Justice- Whosoever has cash, has power... Justice belongs to him.

 

[Augustus]

I have a sense that Muslims' definitions of these words are quite different than the western definitions.

Which Muslims? Arab Wahabbis? Iranian Shia? Secularised Turks? Malian Sufis? Indonesian Ahmadis? etc. etc. etc. etc.

I'll start with "peace" and share my understanding of how Muslims interpret this word, and I welcome corrections:

peace: Muslims will reign peacefully when the world is ruled by Islam. This definition allows the well known phrase "Islam is a religion of peace" to be spoken truthfully.

All of the Muslims I know interpret it to mean absence of war/violence. No doubt some others would agree with your definition, but why should they be considered to be the ones who represent all Muslims everywhere?

There are hundreds of millions of Muslims whose views are far closer to yours than they are to Wahabbis. You tend to assume that the only people who are 'real' Muslims are the Wahabbis and their ilk though, so all Muslims should be lumped together and defined by what the Wahabbis think.

You speak of 'Muslims' as if they have a hive mind and a singular worldview.

Starting a thread to clarify something and achieve 'mutual understanding' by resorting to sweeping generalisations and crude stereotypes devoid of nuance or critical insight is somewhat incongruent.

 

[icehorse]

Hey Augustus,

I'd be thrilled to hear what definitions are true for different *denominations* of Muslims. I'd also be thrilled to get definitions of denominations.

 

[icehorse]

I'll explain what it means for people who believe in modern values and assign living being who's life matters.

There are some (corrupt(?)), people who believe the things you list. But it's wildly inaccurate to call those "modern values"

 

[LuisDantas]

in Quran you will find many times these words , mercy , peace , forgive ,merciful , good deeds , ....many positve words, don't oppression the others ...etc

That was never in doubt. Islam is, after all, a belief that appeals to well over a billion well-meaning people. It has positive words aplenty.

 

[Subhankar Zac]

There are some (corrupt(?)), people who believe the things you list. But it's wildly inaccurate to call those "modern values"

No, they aren't.
Modern values simply dictates life to the life beings that we need but to those we as nuisance, they have no life.

 

[Godobeyer]

That was never in doubt. Islam is, after all, a belief that appeals to well over a billion well-meaning people. It has positive words aplenty.

Plus
it's also something you can check by your self (non-Muslims) in Quran and Hadith too

 

[LuisDantas]

That by no means invalidates the OP, though.

 

[icehorse]

No, they aren't.
Modern values simply dictates life to the life beings that we need but to those we as nuisance, they have no life.

I'm sorry, I'm having difficulty understanding this post, can you say this a different way? thanks!

 

[Augustus]

I'd be thrilled to hear what definitions are true for different *denominations* of Muslims. I'd also be thrilled to get definitions of denominations.

It's less about denominations and more about the people. Better to look at societies rather than theologies.

In many cases Muslims are defined more by their nationality than their madhab, like in America Christians were more defined by their race than the nominal theological underpinning of their Church's denomination. An Indonesian Muslim is probably on average closer in culture to an Indonesian Christian than they are to an Arab Muslim.

Sometimes people get carried away with essentialising Muslims based on some perception as to what they think Muslims should normatively believe.

Protestant is a denomination but covers borderline deist Anglicans to whackjob fundies. Southern Baptists were in the KKK and at the forefront of the civil rights movement.

Treating people with such diverse views as being part of the same religion makes about as much sense as treating social democrats as being part of the same ideology as Stalinists.

Islam is really multiple religions/ideologies that are often mutually incompatible, just as 'left wing' is multiple ideologies that are often mutually incompatible. Failing to acknowledge this makes it practically impossible to say anything meaningful about the issues you want to discuss.

 

[icehorse]

Failing to acknowledge this makes it practically impossible to say anything meaningful about the issues you want to discuss.

But I'm not failing to acknowledge that. I asked for definitions of denominations. That said, there must be some essential aspects of Islam that are close enough to being universal that we can - in fact - make some general statements. For example, can't we safely assume that the vast majority of Muslims hold that:

1 - The Quran is the word of god
2 - Muhammad is god's perfect messenger?

If you deny even that much then I'd say you're torturing definitions for the sake of being evasive.

== late addition

I have to say this argument of yours also seems weak because Muslims are often heard to complain that a certain action offends all 1.6 billion of them. So which is it? Do Muslims have some things in common or not?