To me, this is one of the most fundamental and important lessons in Islam:
Qur'an (2:256) "There is no compulsion in religion, for the right way is clear from the wrong way. Whoever therefore rejects the forces of evil and believes in God, he has taken hold of a support most unfailing, which shall never give way, for God is All Hearing and Knowing."
Islam is NOT the "religion of the sword." In the verse above, God states that you cannot force someone to believe or force someone to practice. Again, the only thing you can do is lead by example. SHOW people the "right way" from the "wrong way" by your own actions and hopefully, other's watching you will say "I want to be like that." Is that not the only way to truly lead?
Power hungry people, whether that be Bin Laden, Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, Pat Buchanan, some "mufti", those people take the words of God, from whatever book and twist it to meet their own agenda.
One must educate and read these texts, themselves, and use their own brains to decide and interpret what God meant and then apply it to one's own life. I am not saying all religious leaders are evil, as those above are usually exceptions, but we as followers are responsible too. I think we've forgotten that.
Read, educate yourself, practice yourself, and then you'll educate others in society by your actions. Be the best you can be on all levels - that is all God asks of us and that's all I ask of myself.
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2 comments:
One must also differentiate between a Muslim and an extremist.
You are right. I will try to make that more clear as I write. There is an enormous difference between one who is Muslim (or Jewish or Christian) and an extremist!
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