[Peace] Islam, religion of peace? yup!

[sara zainab bokhari]

In regards to Robert's email:

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KORAN MUST BE READ IN CONTEXT
Letter to the Editor by SALEH A. MUBARAK, Tampa, Fla.
The Washington Times, 10/6/2001
http://www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20011006-97304731.htm

Commentary columnist Cal Thomas was unsurprisingly
selective in quoting the
Koran ("Can we be fooled twice?" Oct. 3). Not only
does he take certain
verses out of context but he quotes half or incomplete
verses. For example:

* Sura 5:82 (not 85), which Mr. Thomas quotes as:
"strongest among men in
enmity to the Believers wilt thou find Jews and
Pagans." He fails to quote
the rest of the verse, however, which says, "and
nearest among them in love
to the Believers wilt thou find those who say 'We are
Christians'; because
amongst these are men devoted to learning. And men who
have renounced the
world, and they are not arrogant."

* Sura 9:5, which Mr. Thomas begins quoting midverse:
"Then fight and slay
the Pagans wherever find them, and seize them,
beleaguer them, and lie in
wait for them in every stratagem of war." The full
meaning of this passage
cannot be understood, however, unless you read from
verse 1 through the end
of verse 5.

These verses were talking exclusively about the
non-Muslim Arabs of Mecca
who fought and persecuted the Muslims, prevented them
from performing
pilgrimage and violated the sacred rules that all
Arabs respected - not
fighting during the forbidden months. Muslims didn't
even defend themselves
during this time for fear of the sin of fighting
during the forbidden
months. Mr. Thomas' quote indicates when they may
again do so...*

* ...The Bible has been misused, as well. Take, for
instance, the teachings
of David Koresh, Jim Jones and other Christian
extremists. How about Barukh
Goldstein, who killed 29 Muslim worshippers while
praying in Hebron and
later became a hero to many extremist Jews? Do I blame
or blaspheme
Christianity or Judaism for the actions of a few? Of
course not...

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