Revealed scriptures other than Quran suppress reason can bring no good to mankind

“Having abandoned the gifts of reflection and deliberation and having stifled their innate capabilities, they have become worse than non-rational beasts.

Bidding farewell to the path of thought and reason—which is the essence of humanity—they descend to a level that can hardly be called human, for they no longer have the ability to distinguish between right and wrong. How aptly does the holy Quran describe such people in the verse?

[7:180] those who blindly follow their forefathers have minds but they do not use them, they have eyes but do not see with them, and have ears but do not hear with them. They are like cattle, indeed they are worse off. (Surah al-A‘raf, Part 9)*

In short, the most important task of a revealed book would be to teach man the most appropriate use of the faculties inherent in his nature, so that none of the powers that God has wisely invested in him are wasted or used excessively or insufficiently.

One of these—the very crown of humanity-is the power of reason, the correct use of which makes a man truly human and opens for him the door to excellence and limitless progress.

It is obvious that if a revealed book does not uphold and protect man’s faculty of reason, but rather discourages its use, such a book, instead of cultivating human faculties, would become an impediment in their balanced use. Instead of helping and supporting human faculties, it would stultify and misdirect them. It would not deserve to be called knowledge or wisdom, for it would only be a collection of myths, irrational beliefs and naive expectations. Anyone who follows such scriptures is like a daydreamer who hopes to reap what he has not sown. Obviously, a book that can only flourish by suppressing reason can bring no good to mankind.” Unquote

http://www.alislam.org/quran/search2/showChapter.php?submitCh=Read+from+verse%3A&ch=17&verse=73
**
[7:180] —————————————- They have hearts but they understand not therewith, and they have eyes but they see not therewith, and they have ears but they hear not therewith. They are like cattle; nay, they are even more astray. They are indeed quite heedless.
http://www.alislam.org/quran/search2/showChapter.php?submitCh=Read+from+verse%3A&ch=7&verse=180

Brahin-e-Ahmadiyya Pages 108-109: Footnote Number 5:By Mirza Ghulam Ahmad- The Promised Messiah

Click to access Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya-Parts1-2.pdf

Does everybody get converted to another religion irrationally without a proper principled approach?

Richard Carrier a world renowned, author of several books as well as numerous articles online and in print with a Ph.D. in ancient history from Columbia University, he specializes in the modern philosophy of naturalism and humanism, the origins of Christianity, and the intellectual history of Greece and Rome, with particular expertise in ancient philosophy, science and technology. His parents were freethinking Methodists (mother was church secretary). He went to Sunday School and to church on holy days. He got converted to Philosophical Taoist at the tender age of 15 and then got converted Atheist (Secular Humanist) at the age of 21. He is reported to have done Extensive study of philosophy and world religions, formal and informal.

I wanted to inquire about this phenomenon and hence asked him the following question:

“I understand that you were born a Methodist Christian and decided to convert to Taoism at a very tender age of 15 years and then converted to Atheism at the age of 21 years.Under what principled approach you did that on both occasions?”

He replied and I quote from him:

“Taoism, I was converted the same irrational way all religious people are. Leaving Taoism? Reading, study, experience, and application of scientific knowledge and logical reasoning.”
A discussion ensued which could be viewed by accessing the following link.

http://freethoughtblogs.com/carrier/archives/4458#comment-219534

paarsurrey
April 30, 2014 at 2:36 pm (awaiting moderation)

@Richard Carrier : April 30, 2014 at 8:45 am

I don’t agree with you that everybody gets converted to another religion without a proper principled approach, irrationally.

I understand your observation, “There are thousands of false beliefs. We cannot read all their holy books nor should we.”
One could be born in any religion or even without a religion. It is beyond one to decide where to be born. Wherever one is born; that starts one’s journey towards truth.

The tools make easy for one to do a job. It is therefore important for one first to find a tool that gives equal opportunity to every religion to search.

Using a tool and then making a comparative study of religions to find which one, at a given period of time, is the most truthful religion is therefore most reasonable and rational.

I give here one such principle of comparative study of religions which was suggested by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad- the Promised Messiah 1835-1908 in the beginning of an essay that was read in a Conference of Great Religions held at Lahore in 1896; and was later published in a book form titled “The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam” translated in many languages of the world.

I give below the principle in precisely his words:

“It is necessary that a claim and the reasons in support of it must be set forth from a revealed book”.
“I consider it essential that everyone who follows a book, believing it to be revealed, should base his exposition upon that book and should not so extend the scope of his advocacy of his faith as if he is compiling a new book.”

Since one changed one’s religion two times without a principled approach; I think one should check again the truthfulness of one’s worldview from the start.

Regards

Most Christians jump to Atheism without considering strength of evidence of the Atheism

The viewers should access the following link to know the context of the discussion; and only then one should form one’s own sincere and independent opinion.

http://jerichobrisance.com/2014/04/02/snapthought-wrested-from-my-hands-by-god/comment-page-1/#comment-6741
paarsurrey says:
April 8, 2014 at :

@ (Matt) Brisancian says:April 7, 2014 at :

“A proper analysis must consider the strength of evidence for *and against* the claims made, and then one must adjudicate the question of reality per some criteria.” Unquote

Sorry; I could not understand you well.

What I observed from your journey is that your journey had been mostly remained within the limited circle of Christianity of Paul; not even what Jesus said or did; and to some extent to the OT Bible of Judaism.

This only required reformation of where you were previously in; instead of attending to that aspect you opted to jumped to Atheism without considering a proper analysis or strength of evidence for and against the claims made by the Atheists, and or then adjudicating the question of reality per some equal opportunity criteria.

I think it was a blind leap and uncalled for.

I think you will agree to my point.

Regards

Criterion of finding truth in religions and non-religions

The viewers should access the following link to know the context of the discussion; and only then one should form one’s own sincere and independent opinion.

http://jerichobrisance.com/2014/04/02/snapthought-wrested-from-my-hands-by-god/comment-page-1/#comment-6620

paarsurrey says:
April 7, 2014 at :
@(Matt) Brisancian :April 6, 2014

“If you would, please give your criterion for falsifiability of religious texts as either divinely inspired or merely human in origin. However, the criterion cannot be circularly dependent upon the text itself or the author(s).
Your answer will be the beginning of my response.” Unquote

One could be born in any religion or without a religion. It is beyond one to decide where to be born. Wherever one is born; that starts one’s journey to find the truth.

The tools make easy for one to do a job. It is therefore important for one first to find a tool that gives equal opportunity to every religion to search.

Using a tool and then making a comparative study of religions to find which one is the most truthful religion is therefore most reasonable and rational.

I give here a principle of comparative study of religions which was suggested by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad- the Promised Messiah 1835-1908 in an essay that was read in a Conference of Great Religions held at Lahore in 1896; and was later published in a book form titled “The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam” translated in many languages of the world.

I give below the principle and its explanation in precisely his words:

“It is necessary that a claim and the reasons in support of it must be set forth from a revealed book”
“I consider it essential that everyone who follows a book, believing it to be revealed, should base his exposition upon that book and should not so extend the scope of his advocacy of his faith as if he is compiling a new book.

As it is my purpose today to establish the merits of the Holy Quran and to demonstrate its excellence, it is incumbent upon me not to state anything which is not comprehended in the Quran and to set forth everything on the basis of its verses and in accord with their meaning and that which might be inferred from them, so that those attending the Conference should encounter no difficulty in carrying out a comparison between the teachings of different religions.”

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad adhered to this principle and answered the five important questions set by the moderators of the Conference:

1. The physical, moral and spiritual states of man
2. The state of man after death.
3. The object of man’s life and the means to its attainment.
4. The operation of the practical ordinances of the Law in this life and the next.
5. Sources of Divine knowledge.

One could access the following link to read the book available online, freely:

Click to access Philosophy-of-Teachings-of-Islam.pdf

The Atheists/Agnostics/Skeptics don’t have a book to follow. They extol science to find answers to all the questions in the world. Although the questions don’t fall within the scope of science and would overburden it; yet they are open to answer with the condition that they quote some standards text book of science for the claims to answers as also to the reasons given specifying the discipline of science that legitimately deals with it.

Please take your time for your journey of search and as to how the criterion is to be applied. Please read the small book mentioned above; that will provide ready-made solution to many questions that arise.

Wish you good-luck.

Thanks and regards

How to make a comparative study of Religion?

Please click the following link to get the context of the discussion.

http://www.is-there-a-god.info/blog/comments/belief/#comment-8876

paarsurrey
MAR 25, 2014 @ 23:05:55

@unkleE :MAR 21, 2014 @ 03:22:18
Quote : “Hi paarsurrey, how are you going?
You have built this comment around the statement that to know God, we need a revealed book. What you say raises three questions in my mind:
1. Must God reveal himself through a book? Could he ever do it some other way?
2. How do we know which book is the truest revelation of God?
3. How would you propose to discuss these things? If, for example, you simply quoted the Koran and I quoted the Bible, we would get nowhere. So how else can we discuss?
Thanks.” Unquote

Paarsurrey says:

Hi friend
I am fine.

“The statement that to know God, we need a revealed book”

I think I did not literally make that statement. Well, I don’t object if one has got that understanding from the post.

unkleE : “to know God, we need a revealed book”
Paarsurrey: To know God and as to how his attributes work; His Word is most useful for that purpose.

I think you also agree with me on this point.

Don’t you?

I try to answer to your other questions below:

1. unkleE :“Must God reveal himself through a book?

Paarsurrey: I think you agree that God revealed Himself on Moses and Jesus; and a Jew or Christian cannot deny that.

Perhaps you want to know from me as to why He did manifest in this way.

Since the One-True-God (Allah Yahweh Ahura-Mazda Parmeshawara Eshawara) is only attributive; He is not a physical or spiritual being that we could see Him with our physical eyes; though we can see his attributes working behind everything in Nature, in silence.

Yet it has always been primarily His communication or Converse through which He had manifested to human beings. Hence the importance of the spoken Word of Revelation which is verbal when revealed and also secured in writing, in the book form, is the most important source of guidance that leads to Him; it can never be over-emphasized.

Nature manifests Him silently but the Word speaks of Him loudly.

unkleE : “Could he ever do it some other way?”

Paarsurrey: Yes; He could manifest Himself in diverse ways; and nobody could limit the ways of his manifestations; yet He cannot be limited by anybody or forced by anybody to change His ways:

[35:44] …………………………….. But thou wilt never find any change in the way of Allah; nor wilt thou ever find any alteration in the way of Allah.

http://www.alislam.org/quran/search2/showChapter.php?submitCh=Read+from+verse%3A&ch=35&verse=43

For one; all truthful revelation from the One-True-God is to be believed; be it of the past, present and or future; be it on Buddha, Krishna, Zoroaster, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad etc; all is to be believed; being from the same source of one God.

2. unkleE: How do we know which book is the truest revelation of God?

Paarsurrey:
a. By comparative study

b. And the reasonable inner-evidence of the Word Revealed according to the attributes of the One-True-God. We could do that; not at all difficult to discern.

3. unkleE: How would you propose to discuss these things? If, for example, you simply quoted the Koran and I quoted the Bible, we would get nowhere.

Paarsurrey: I think you have observed me quoting from the revelations of Moses, Jesus and Muhammad in this connection; I don’t think it will pose a problem even now.

These quotes should not depict simply the authority of God; but the reason/wisdom content in the same must reflect the attribute of God being All-Wise. The quotes must therefore be full of evident reason and wisdom. The gist of the reason must exist there.

It is not a perfect Book if it needs external reasons to be provided; that portion which is devoid of reason must not be from Him.

Nobody is entitled to put words into God’s mouth; He is all-knowing.

Does it help?

What is your thinking on your three questions?

Regards

http://www.is-there-a-god.info/blog/comments/belief/#comment-8878

paarsurrey
MAR 26, 2014 @ 11:53:30
@unkleE: MAR 26, 2014 @ 06:54:25

“if we discuss the revelations we each believe in, how can we draw any conclusions? ”

I think I said that I believe all truthful Word revealed from the One-True-God on His prophets messengers; I even mentioned names of some of them.

I don’t see any problem.

“unless we already have some truth outside the books by which to judge their truth”

If the revelation is truthful; it would have inner truthful evidences also.

“We would need some criteria by which to make our comparisons”

I mentioned reasonable criteria.

“I was using historical and scientific learning”

People write history differently; it is not 100% correct. There was a period when there existed no written history; Truth existed even then.

Science is only a child of the yesterday and works in the things physical and material; Religion guides in ethical, moral and spiritual realms; both work in different spheres. Science cannot prove or disprove important subjects of religion like existence of God.

This is what I think; others could think differently

Regard

Finding claims and reasons for Truth: Atheists would first be on the run

http://www.is-there-a-god.info/blog/comments/belief/#comment-8857

paarsurrey
MAR 20, 2014 @ 21:43:36

Hi everybody

One could be born in any religion or without a religion. It is beyond one to decide where to be born. Wherever one is born; that starts one’s journey to find the truth. The tools make easy for one to do a job. It is therefore important for one first to find a tool that gives equal opportunity to every religion to search.

Using a tool and then making a comparative study of religions to find which one is the most truthful religion is therefore most reasonable and rational.

I give here a principle of comparative study of religions which was suggested by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad- the Promised Messiah 1835-1908 in an essay that was read in a Conference of Great Religions held at Lahore in 1896; and was later published in a book form titled “The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam” translated in many languages of the world. I give below the principle and its explanation in his words:

“It is necessary that a claim and the reasons in support of it must be set forth from a revealed book”

“I consider it essential that everyone who follows a book, believing it to be revealed, should base his exposition upon that book and should not so extend the scope of his advocacy of his faith as if he is compiling a new book.

As it is my purpose today to establish the merits of the Holy Quran and to demonstrate its excellence, it is incumbent upon me not to state anything which is not comprehended in the Quran and to set forth everything on the basis of its verses and in accord with their meaning and that which might be inferred from them, so that those attending the Conference should encounter no difficulty in carrying out a comparison between the teachings of different religions.”

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad adhered to this principle and answered the five important questions set by the moderators of the Conference:

1. The physical, moral and spiritual states of man
2. The state of man after death.
3. The object of man’s life and the means to its attainment.
4. The operation of the practical ordinances of the Law in this life and the next.
5. Sources of Divine knowledge.

One could access the following link to read the book available online freely:

Click to access Philosophy-of-Teachings-of-Islam.pdf

The Atheists/Agnostics/Skeptics don’t have a book to follow. They extol science to find answers to all the questions in the world. Although the questions don’t fall within the scope of science and would overburden it; yet they are open to answer with the condition that they quote some standard text book of science for the claims to the answers as also to the reasons given specifying the relative discipline of science that legitimately deals with it.

Islam fulfills the above Criteria; other revealed religions would find either claims or reasons in their books; not both of them, I think.

The Atheists/Agnostics/Skeptics would find none.

The true religion invites comparison

I wrote posts on <http://www.religiousforums.com/forum/> under the topic < The true religion invites comparison >. I did not start the thread. The posts are given below for the viewers of this blog.

#31 #41 #47 #71 #72 #74  #75 #119 #120

(To see the context of a post, please, click the post #; that will take you to the full single view of the post in the forum, and then click the thread topic on the right upper corner, that will take you to the discussion that ensued in the forum.)

Paarsurrey wrote:

#31

Originally Posted by Gram28I believe that the one true religion will embrace the spirit of freedom of religion and freedom to choose, confident that it will win out. Those of a false religion will tend to erect laws forbidding the free exchange of literature and freedom to practice it- thus indicating their falsity. Now look at the countries of particular concern and decide for yourself which religion(s) is subconsciously proclaiming itself false while claiming that it’s true and will take over the world.

Paarsurrey wrote: The sentence in the bolds describes Islam.

#41

Originally Posted by paarsurreyThe sentence in the bolds describes Islam.

dyanaprajna2011Zen; wrote:This is incorrect. The Quran says that those who believe in God, the angels, the messengers, and the last day, will have their reward with god. This does away with a lot of eastern religion. The Quran also states that god hates the unbelievers. This does away with every religion but Islam. The Hadith separates man into two camps, the believers, or Ummah, and the unbelievers, the kafir. So how exactly does Islam foster the spirit of religious tolerance, and the freedom to choose one’s religion? Even though the Quran says that Jews and Christians are basically the same as Muslims, they are highly persecuted in predominantly Islamic nations. So please explain how your statement is true.

#47

Muffled Religion: Christian

Originally Posted by dyanaprajna2011This is incorrect. The Quran says that those who believe in God, the angels, the messengers, and the last day, will have their reward with god. This does away with alot of eastern religion.The Quran also states that god hates the unbelievers. This does away with every religion but Islam. The Hadith separates man into two camps, the believers, or Ummah, and the unbelievers,the kafir. So how exactly does Islam foster the spirit of religious tolerance, and the freedom to choose one’s religion? Even though the Quran says that Jews and Christians are basically the same as Muslims, they are highly persecuted in predominantly Islamic nations. So please explain how your statement is true.

I believe that is a narrow interpretation. There are many religions that believe in God.

Hadiths are not the word of God and therfore not dependable for doctrine.

Obviously there is a difference between what the scripture says and the beliefs of the adherents.

#71

Originally Posted by Gram28I believe that the one true religion will embrace the spirit of freedom of religion and freedom to choose, confident that it will win out. Those of a false religion will tend to erect laws forbidding the free exchange of literature and freedom to practice it- thus indicating their falsity.

Paarsurrey wrote: I agree with you; it is a reasonable proposition.

#72

Originally Posted by dyanaprajna2011This is incorrect. The Quran says that those who believe in God, the angels, the messengers, and the last day, will have their reward with god. This does away with alot of eastern religion. The Quran also states that god hates the unbelievers. This does away with every religion but Islam. The Hadith separates man into two camps, the believers, or Ummah, and the unbelievers, the kafir. So how exactly does Islam foster the spirit of religious tolerance, and the freedom to choose one’s religion? Even though the Quran says that Jews and Christians are basically the same as Muslims, they are highly persecuted in predominantly Islamic nations. So please explain how your statement is true.

Paarsurrey wrote: Please quote the specific verse of Quran; that may clarify your point.

#74

Originally Posted by paarsurreyPlease quote the specific verse of Quran; that may clarify your point.

dyanaprajna2011  Zen: wrote:

4:136, 2:62, 5:69. Those are the ones off the top of my head. But why do you ask what verses I spoke of-surely you know your own book better than I do.

#75

Originally Posted by dyanaprajna20114:136, 2:62, 5:69. Those are the ones off the top of my head. But why do you ask what verses I spoke of-surely you know your own book better than I do.

Paarsurrey wrote: I take the first reference mentioned by you and give it here with one verse preceding and one verse following for the context:

[4:136] O ye who believe! be strict in observing justice, and be witnesses for Allah, even though it be against yourselves or against parents and kindred. Whether he be rich or poor, Allah is more regardful of them both than you are. Therefore follow not low desires so that you may be able to act equitably. And if you conceal the truth or evade it, then remember that Allah is well aware of what you do.
[4:137] O ye who believe! believe in Allah and His Messenger, and in the Book which He has revealed to His Messenger, and the Book which He revealed before it. And whoso disbelieves in Allah and His angels, and His Books, and His Messengers, and the Last Day, has surely strayed far away.
[4:138] Those who believe, then disbelieve, then again believe, then disbelieve, and then increase in disbelief, Allah will never forgive them nor will He guide them to the way.

The Holy Quran Arabic text with Translation in English text and Search Engine – Al Islam Online

I don’t think the verse is in any way against other religions; to me, other religions are not even remotely mentioned in the verse or in the verses in the context.

Will one kindly justify one’s viewpoint from the verse 4:136/137?

#119

Paarsurrey wrote:

I think for comparison of revealed religion; the believers of revealed scriptures should strictly mention their claims and reason from the scriptures they believe in; if they cannot do that then it is understood that they don’t believe their scriptures in their present form to be complete or that they have lost the original light they once had.

Of course others could differ with me with brilliant arguments.

#120

Paarsurrey wrote:

The claims and its reasons both are must to be given for an eternal truthful scripture

 

Note:

If one likes one is welcome to discuss on the topic in this blog even if one differs with me.

Discerning a Living Religion from the Dead Religions

 

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad

The advent of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad was an epoch making event towards the end of the nineteenth century in the history of comparative religions in the present era.

Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, The Guided One (1835-1908), made it convenient for the human beings be of any race, color or creed to make comparative study of the Revealed Religions of the world and to accept the truth wherever one finds it. He set out many unbiased, neutral and full of wisdom principles for that purpose, the foremost among these is “The claim of a Religion on any topic as well as the logical argumentation should be from its Revealed Book”.

There may be a religion whose followers claim (e.g. Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism, Zoroastrianism or any other religion) that their religion or its teachings are for the whole world. ( i.e. it is universal), but the others may demand the followers of that religion to prove if this claim is explicitly mentioned in your Revealed Book and that if that claim has been supported by divine arguments in your Revealed Book.

This could be easily checked by anyone sincerely searching for the truth or guidance. If a religion on any of the important topics or human problems does not contain the relevant claim or argumentation / reasoning then that religion could be pronounced as a Dead Religion for all practical purposes. (One may remember here that all revealed religions in its origin were truthful; this fact has been highlighted by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad many a times and with great emphases).

We are more concerned with the present era – a dynamic scientific era; where we live in. The humanity is facing very complex problems which must be addressed by the Living Religion of the world if there is any utility in the religion worth the name; any denomination. The religion is for the common as also for the highly literate and since it is claimed to be divine, it should satisfy the common man as also the very literate special man.

The followers of a religion might be very clever and cunning that they could advocate for their religion and could attribute claims to a religion which re not explicitly found in its Revealed Book or they could provide arguments in its favor which are only man-made and not provided by the Divine.

In that case such a religion could be pronounced on its merit, at the most, to be a man-made religion, definitely not sent by God. This could be a litmus test. Verify your religion of your choice on these two simple but wise counts; you might be stunned to realize that many a religion are just myths and its followers are following it only blindfolded.

On his own part Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad set out this epoch making principle in an Inter-Religions Conference in the year 1896 and then he proved that the religion of his choice has claim and arguments on the five basic questions facing by humanity:

• The Physical, Moral, and SpiritualStates of Man.
• What is the State of Man After Death?
• The Object of Man’s Life and the Means of its Attainment.
• The Operation of the Practical Ordinances of the Law in This Life and the Next.
• Sources of Divine Knowledge.

The conference had given these questions on which the participant speakers had to speak.

I leave the solutions to the respected readers. Try for the Religion of your choice. Best of luck!

Thanks

I am an Ahmadi peaceful Muslim

Life is not a function of scientific method

Hi friends

Life and creation and its Creator existed already. Science is a very limited phenomenon of life, though it is useful, yet it does not end with it. A scientist in his own field is beneficial for humanity but out of it he is just a layman and should be considered as such. Out of his specific field he may play havoc with life as a priest would.

There is no contradiction in Religion and Science; as both are modes of human virtual travel into the unseen realm in a sense; the later in the physical and secular realm only while the earlier goes deep in the meaning, purpose, characteristics, attributes, morals and spiritual. They are complementary not contradictory. One is the Word of GodAllahYHWH while the other is Work of Him. Both created by Him. If we fall short of at times understanding the Work of God, the same way we may misunderstand the other; the fault is always on our side as to err is human, and to shift it on the side of GodAllahYHWH would be naturally inhuman.

What is the cure to this scenario? Just to improve our understanding with the available appropriate tools in the relative realm. With more experiments and experiences we could improve and photo-finish our understanding.

Maybe what we consider as a scientific reality as laymen, is not a scientific reality in the eye of Real Scientists; it is an idea, an opinion, a hypothesis, or a theory not yet ripe enough to be a law on merit; so naturally it should not correspond with the Word of GodAllahYHWH.

Human error could play havoc with the Word also. A priest, the fake one of course, may not and must not be able to understand the Word correctly so it would not and must not match with the Scientific Laws, resulting into an apparent ambiguity, which is not there in reality, it is our own personal or collective illusion for the most part.

Thanks

I am an Ahmadi peaceful Muslim

Pages 30-31 from Message of Peace by Christ/Krishna Second Coming 1835-1908

Christ/Krishna Second Coming 1835-1908 says:

http://www.alislam.org/library/books/Message-of-Peace.pdf
Advice for Muslims:

It is essential however that you treat Hindus with sincerity
and kindness and let decent behaviour be your second nature.
Refrain from all such measures as would cause them pain,
except those that are essential or obligatory according to our
faith. Consequently if the Hindus sincerely accept the proposition
of testifying to the truth of our Holy Prophet (may
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and of having faith
in his truth, then what remains regarding the split on the issue
of cows can be done away with.

Remember if we are
permitted to eat something, it does not follow that we have to
eat it. Everything permissible is not obligatory. There are
many things which we know to be lawful yet we do not
necessarily practice them. To treat Hindus with decency and
kindness is one of the important Islamic injunctions—. If for
the sake of achieving a higher goal one forgoes a right, it will
not be against the spirit of the Divine law. To consider something
to be lawful is one thing, to utilise it is another.

The
spirit of piety requires that you abstain from whatever God has
forbidden. To actually pursue the path of gaining His favour
and to have the welfare of His creation at heart and to treat
others with goodness and sympathy and to respect all the holy
Prophets and Messengers from God, and to accept them as
reformers and to not discriminate between them and to serve
all mankind irrespective of denominations.

This is the essential
requirement of our faith. How can we ever be at peace
with such people who—without justification and without
regard for the fear of Allah—speak of our Holy Prophet,
Hadrat Muhammad (may peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him) with disrespect, and abuse him and refrain not
from the use of foul language? In truth, I declare that it is

MESSAGE OF PEACE 31
possible for us to make peace with the serpents fed on
brackish soil and the wolves of the wilderness, but not with
those who make wanton attacks on our Holy Prophet (may
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) who is dearer to us
than our lives, our mothers and our fathers. May Allah cause
us to die as Muslims. We are not willing to do anything at the
cost of our faith.

Here, I do not wish to censure any particular people nor
do I intend to hurt anyone’s feelings. But, with a deep sense of
mortification, I observe that Islam, being a religion of peace,
never attacked the founder of any religion. The Qur’an is that
revered book which laid the foundation of peace between
nations and acknowledged the truth of all Prophets belonging
to all the different nations.

It is the Holy Qur’an which enjoys
the unique distinction of teaching us with regards to the
Prophets of the entire world that:21
Therefore, O Muslims, you should declare: We believe in all the
Prophets of God belonging to this world and we do not discriminate
between them as to reject one and accept the others.

http://www.alislam.org/library/books/Message-of-Peace.pdf