Dear Editor,
While most would agree with your commendation of the Canadian Government's defiance in your editorial of October 28, many, including some Muslims, would question your blanket assertion that Islam preaches "peace, tolerance and respect for life".
Your statement could be questioned on three grounds. Firstly, the identity of the people who carried out the World Trade Center bombings, the bombings at embassies and nightclubs across the world, and the mayhem and violence in Iraq and Syria run counter to your assertion. Admittedly, though, one could rebut by differentiating the actions of believers from the teachings of the faith.
Secondly, the pronouncements of leaders of that religion: The Grand Mufti of Egypt Dr Ali Gomaa is quoted as saying in 2008 that "Muslims must kill non-believers, wherever they are, unless they convert to Islam". Thankfully most Muslims do not currently follow the Grand Mufti's dictates, and one could again retort that the Mufti does not necessarily represent the true face of Islam.
Finally we could examine the writings of the Quran, which command the killing of "mischief makers"(5:33); and writings of the Hadith which command the killing of apostates (Sahih Bukhari 9.84.57-58, 64, 72).
The word Islam is said to be derived from the root word "Saleema" which means peace, purity, submission and obedience. These words mean very little by themselves; one must also discover the conditions for peace and the nature of the demands to which submission and obedience are required.
Claire Edwards-Darby
Mona
daviddaughter57@gmail.com
All Muslims must discover the conditions for peace
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While most would agree with your commendation of the Canadian Government's defiance in your editorial of October 28, many, including some Muslims, would question your blanket assertion that Islam preaches "peace, tolerance and respect for life".
Your statement could be questioned on three grounds. Firstly, the identity of the people who carried out the World Trade Center bombings, the bombings at embassies and nightclubs across the world, and the mayhem and violence in Iraq and Syria run counter to your assertion. Admittedly, though, one could rebut by differentiating the actions of believers from the teachings of the faith.
Secondly, the pronouncements of leaders of that religion: The Grand Mufti of Egypt Dr Ali Gomaa is quoted as saying in 2008 that "Muslims must kill non-believers, wherever they are, unless they convert to Islam". Thankfully most Muslims do not currently follow the Grand Mufti's dictates, and one could again retort that the Mufti does not necessarily represent the true face of Islam.
Finally we could examine the writings of the Quran, which command the killing of "mischief makers"(5:33); and writings of the Hadith which command the killing of apostates (Sahih Bukhari 9.84.57-58, 64, 72).
The word Islam is said to be derived from the root word "Saleema" which means peace, purity, submission and obedience. These words mean very little by themselves; one must also discover the conditions for peace and the nature of the demands to which submission and obedience are required.
Claire Edwards-Darby
Mona
daviddaughter57@gmail.com
All Muslims must discover the conditions for peace
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