Freedom should be valued and guarded.
Truth and goodness triumphs.
A majority of Muslims see the value of freedom, and we hope, we can get the 1/10th of 1% of Muslims to see this as well. If those boys can follow the examples of prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and not react to teasing, like the cartoons and other non-sense, then there is no excitement for the teasors to tease anymore.
During the cartoon controversy I had advocated that Muslims should say a prayer for the well being of those who intentionally offend that 1/10th of 1% of Muslims, and many a Imam have done that.
In the long haul one has to stand up for freedom of speech, efforts by the Organization of Islamic Countries to bar the defamation of religions, must be appreciated, but we have to look at the long term effects of restricting the speech; the knowledge does not exapand.
Caution: Please note that the word Hell is a metaphor to denote pain, anguish, guilt, anxiety, pangs of conscience or whatever form of punishment you can relate with. The verses were pulled together by my friend Mohammad Irtaza, to which I have added my notes, and have made a point to state it as my notes, it is important to preserve the text as is, and let it be known that it is my understanding, to differentiate that some one may have a different understanding, that is the freedom we have to cherish and not to perpetuate that my version is the right one or the truthful one.
The religion of Islam goes by free will, not by compulsion.
[2:256] There shall be no compulsion in religion: the right way is now distinct from the wrong way. Anyone who denounces the devil and believes in GOD has grasped the strongest bond; one that never breaks. GOD is Hearer, Omniscient. (devil broadly means evilness, God broadly means Goodness, balance and Harmony)
[18:29] Proclaim: "This is the truth from your Lord," then whoever wills let him believe, and whoever wills let him disbelieve.. (its about choices)
[6:104] Enlightenments have come to you from your Lord. As for those who can see, they do so for their own good, and those who turn blind, do so to their own detriment. I am not your guardian. (emphasis on taking responsbility for one's own happiness or state of freedom from guilt or anxiety)
[10:108] Proclaim: "O people, the truth has come to you herein from your Lord. Whoever is guided is guided for his own good. And whoever goes astray, goes astray to his own detriment. I am not a guardian over you." (Responsibility again)
[2:148] Each of you chooses the direction to follow; you shall race towards righteousness. Wherever you may be, GOD will summon you all. GOD is Omnipotent.
[10:99] Had your Lord willed, all the people on earth would have believed. Do you want to force the people to become believers?
No one has the right to take away ones God gifted freedom of choice!
[33:72] We have offered the responsibility (freedom of choice) to the heavens and the earth, and the mountains, but they refused to bear it, and were afraid of it. But the human being accepted it; he was transgressing, ignorant
We need to understand very clearly that God Almighty never even gave any guardianship power to the Prophet over religious issue. It is a powerful statment to reflect that you are responsbile for your own deeds, your own karma and you reap what you sow.
[33:40] Muhammad was not the father of any man among you. He was a messenger of GOD and the final prophet. GOD is fully aware of all things.
[4:80] Whoever obeys the messenger is obeying GOD. As for those who turn away, we did not send you as their guardian.
[6:66] Your people have rejected this, even though it is the truth. Say, "I am not a guardian over you."
[6:104] Enlightenments have come to you from your Lord. As for those who can see, they do so for their own good, and those who turn blind, do so to their own detriment. I am not your guardian.
[6:107] Had GOD willed, they would not have worshiped idols. We did not appoint you as their guardian, nor are you their advocate.
[10:108] Proclaim: "O people, the truth has come to you herein from your Lord. Whoever is guided is guided for his own good. And whoever goes astray, goes astray to his own detriment. I am not a guardian over you."
[11:86] "Whatever GOD provides for you, no matter how small, is far better for you, if you are really believers. I am not a guardian over you."
[42:48] If they turn away, we did not send you as their guardian. Your sole mission is delivering the message. When we shower the human beings with mercy, they become proud, and when adversity afflicts them, as a consequence of their own deeds, the human beings turn into disbelievers
[7:3] You shall all follow what is revealed to you from your Lord; do not follow any idols besides Him. Rarely do you take heed. (My notes: Idols are broadly meant to be your own personal God or your altar ego that gives the idea of my God versus your God, that conflicts with others versus an abstract creator sans-ego that takes away that conflict and paves the way to harmony, peace and good living)
Quraan has innumerable verses that support freedom:
These are the guidelines from Quraan to deal with some one whol ridicules one's faith, any faith;
[4:140] He has instructed you in the scripture that: if you hear GOD's revelations being mocked and ridiculed, you shall not sit with them, unless they delve into another subject. Otherwise, you will be as guilty as they are. GOD will gather the hypocrites and the disbelievers together in Hell.(The idea is to avoid get into a ridiculing match - it's an unproductive dialogue, save your time)
[5:57] O you who believe, do not befriend those among the recipients of previous scripture who mock and ridicule your religion, nor shall you befriend the disbelievers. You shall reverence GOD, if you are really believers.
[6:68] If you see those who mock our revelations, you shall avoid them until they delve into another subject. If the devil causes you to forget, then, as soon as you remember, do not sit with such evil people. (The role of a Muslim is to mitigate conflicts and not aggravate)
[18:106] Their just requital is Hell, in return for their disbelief, and for mocking My revelations and My messengers. ( if some one is ridiculing you, your reaction to them will conflate the ridiculing, avoidance of unwanted ridiculing on your part, may possibly make the ridiculer to regret or get frustrated - that is another version of Hell)
[39:48] The sinful works they had earned will be shown to them, and the very things they used to mock will come back to haunt them.
[45:33] The evils of their works will become evident to them, and the very things they mocked will come back and haunt them.
To all the Neocons, please read the caution again before your become judgmental.
NEOCONS defined: http://hatesermons.blogspot.com/2008/03/neocons.html
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