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Message: <blockquote data-quote="sirajstc" data-source="post: 12718659" data-attributes="member: 91140">1. Introduction: Today,  many non-Muslims regard Islam as a religion that promotes violence,  terrorism and war. Unfortunately, they rely in their view of Islam on  the general media, which is not always accurate in reporting the news.  Many media outlets, such as TV, radio, newspapers and magazines, are  influenced by their investors or owners who have certain agendas and who  want to promote certain values and points of view. Other media outlets  are simply after the "big story", in order to make more money and more  profits. Others are simply "followers", who only gather news from other  sources, re-package it and try to sell it again purely as a business.In  all these cases, the news reporting is not accurate, but is driven by  ulterior motives or simply by profits. Only very few media organizations  are committed to providing accurate and true information, regardless of  financial gain. Therefore, people today should be very careful in what  they take from the media.Before  blindly accepting what the TV, radio or newspaper is reporting, one  should think critically about what is being reported. Is this being  reported accurately, or is it being exaggerated or even completely  fabricated? Who are these people reporting the news, and do they have  vested interests to report the story in a certain way, or are they  completely objective and fair? Critical thinking is very important in  all aspects of life, especially when it comes to accepting the media  reports about important and controversial issues.Islam  is in fact a religion that promotes peace and understanding among  people of all faiths, and it strongly prohibits all forms of violence  and aggression against all people regardless of their faith or race.2. Islam Prohibits Violence and Aggression, and stands for Peace and Justice.Islam  clearly prohibits all kinds and forms of aggression and violence  against anyone, except in self-defense. Islam is a practical religion,  meant to be implemented in every aspect of our life. Therefore, it  realizes the fact that a person who commits aggression and violence  against others will not cease these actions unless they are deterred by  similar actions taken against them.Islam  also places very high importance on justice, and allows for aggressors  and unjust people be punished accordingly, unless they repent before  they are brought to justice. At the same time, Islam encourages people  to forgive those who have wronged them whenever possible.Evidence  of these ideals can be found in the Holy Qur'an, which is the word of  God revealed to the messenger of God, Mohammad peace be upon him. It can  also be found in the Hadeeth, the sayings of Mohammad peace be upon  him, and in his teachings to Muslims. A few examples of this are shown  below from the Holy Qur'an:"Fight  in the cause of Allah those who fight you, and do not transgress; for  Allah loveth not transgressors." (Surah 2, Verse 190)."But if they cease (fighting you), Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (Surah 2, Verse 192)."But  if the enemy incline towards peace, do thou (also) incline towards  peace, and trust in Allah: for He is the One that Heareth and Knoweth  (all things)." (Surah 8, Verse 61)."The  prohibited month, for the prohibited month, and so for all things  prohibited, there is the law of equality. If then any one transgresses  the prohibition against you, transgress ye likewise against him. But  fear Allah, and know that Allah is with those who restrain themselves."  (Surah 2, Verse 194)."  ... and let not the hatred of some people in (once) shutting you out of  the Sacred Mosque lead you to transgression (and hostility on your  part). Help ye one another in righteousness and piety, but help ye not  one another in sin and rancour: fear Allah: for Allah is strict in  punishment." (Surah 5, Verse 2)."Nor  can Goodness and Evil be equal. Repel (Evil) with what is better: then  will he between whom and thee was hatred become as it were thy friend  and intimate!" (Surah 41, Verse 34)."O  ye who believe! stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah,  even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it  be (against) rich or poor: for Allah can best protect both. Follow not  the lusts (of your hearts), lest ye swerve, and if ye distort (justice)  or decline to do justice, verily Allah is well-acquainted with all that  ye do." (Surah 4, Verse 135)."God  advocates justice, charity, and regarding the relatives. And He forbids  evil, vice, and transgression. He enlightens you, that you may take  heed." (Surah 16, Verse 90)."And  if ye do punish them, punish them no worse than they punished you: but  if ye show patience, that is indeed the best (course) for those who are  patient." (Surah 16, Verse 126).The  first three verses above instruct Muslims to fight those who fight  them, and not to commit aggression first, as God does not like  transgressors. They also instruct Muslims to stop fighting those who  wish to cease fighting them, and to accept peace with the enemy who  becomes inclined towards peace.The  fourth verse mentioned above instructs Muslims that if someone  transgresses against them, they should respond to them likewise, and it  reminds Muslims to fear God and to restrain themselves to this limit.The  fifth verse reminds Muslims not to let hatred of some people for past  reasons to lead them to transgress against those people or be hostile  towards them. It also instructs us to help each other in good and  righteous actions, and not to cooperate in aggression and sin, and it  reminds them finally of the strict punishment of God to encourage them  to abide by these principles.The  sixth verse reminds us that goodness and evil are never equal, and that  we should repel evil with good actions. This means that when someone is  unjust to us or commits evil against us, we are encouraged to respond  with kind and good actions, so that the hatred between us and that  person will evaporate and will become an intimate friendship!The  seventh verse mentioned reminds us to stand up for justice, even if it  is against ourselves or our family, and even if it is against those who  are rich or powerful, because justice applies to everyone. It also  reminds us that God knows everything we do, and so if we act unjustly  even in our hearts, God knows what we did and we will be accountable for  that.The  eighth verse informs us that God enjoins us to follow justice, and that  God forbids us from committing evil, vice and transgression.The  ninth and final verse reminds Muslims that if they are punished, that  they may only respond with the same punishment and not to go over this  limit. However, they are reminded that forgiveness and patience is the  best course of action.These are the wonderful ideals of Islam:To  pursue peace with everyone including past enemies, except when they  fight the Muslims and refuse peace, then Muslims are allowed to fight in  self-defense.To ensure that we always apply justice and never transgress against others even if they are our enemies.To repel evil actions with good actions, in order to replace hatred with an intimate friendship.To respond to punishment with the same punishment, but that forgiveness and patience is even better than retaliation.3. Islamic Principle: Living Peacefully with All Nations and Peoples.The  verse mentioned below informs us that we were created and made into  various nations and tribes so that we may get to know each other, and  not so that we may despise and hate each other. Then we are reminded of  the the fact that the best of us in God's eyes are those who are most  righteous."O  mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female,  and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not  that ye may despise each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the  sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has  full Knowledge and is well-acquainted (with all things)." (Surah 49,  Verse 13).This  wonderful principle of Islam makes it clear that there is no single  people, race, or nation that is better than others. God created us all  equal. In God's eyes, the best of us are the most righteous and most  kind.God  created mankind as different races and nations although He could have  created us all with as one nation, with one language and one religion.  However, as stated in the verse mentioned above, God created these  different nations and tribes so that we get to know other each other,  and not to hate each other because we are different. This tells us that  we should celebrate our differences and not hate each other based on  them. Islam also teaches us to realize that no single race or people  have supremacy over others, and that we are judged solely based on our  actions.This  verse also teaches us that we should live peacefully with other nations  and tribes and we should respect each other and our differences. We  should learn to live together and to get to know each other, and to  engage in dialogue amongst all nations and treat every human being as  being equal.4. Islamic Principle: There is no Compulsion in ReligionThe verse from the Qur'an which states this principle of no compulsion in religion is the following:"Let  there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error:  whoever rejects Evil and believes in Allah hath grasped the most  trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And Allah heareth and knoweth  all things." (Surah 2, Verse 256).The  holy Qur'an reminds us that there must not be compulsion in religion.  It states that the truth stands out clear from error, and that those who  reject error and believe in God are the saved ones.This  means that Muslims are not allowed to force people to convert to Islam.  Muslims should only seek to make the truth clear to others, and talk to  them about Islam, then let them decide for themselves. In fact, most  people who study Islam without having made a decision to hate it first  come to love its message and convert to Islam after learning about it's  values and principles.Another verse that also states this principle is the following:"If  one amongst the Pagans ask thee for asylum, grant it to him, so that he  may hear the word of Allah; and then escort him to where he can be  secure. That is because they are men without knowledge." (Surah 9, Verse  6).This  wonderful verse instructs Muslims to grant asylum to non-believers, and  make them safe, and allow them to hear the word of Allah. Then they are  to be escorted to whatever place they will be safe and secure in. This  is because these non-believers simply have no knowledge of Islam, and no  knowledge of the word of Allah.What  a wonderful religion Islam is! How can this be compared with the way  that Christians spread their religion? They spread it by genocide, mass  murder, kidnapping of children and wiping out of entire nations and  civilizations! Ask the natives of the Americas, Australia and Africa  about it!</blockquote>

Verification: Dahaya deken beduwama keeyada?

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