The Sanctity and Protection of Life in Islam

By Justin Elias

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Peace and blessings be upon Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his followers altogether.

Islam is being widely misrepresented by both anti-Muslim activists and misguided Muslims themselves. Ammunition for use against Islam is given to anti-Muslim activists by Muslim extremists who have continued to say on national television, without any scriptural or legal proof, that Muslims are allowed to kill civilians even when authoritative fatwa prohibit them from doing so. Therefore, it is essential for Muslims to remember the following points so that we are not misled by either camp.

The Holy Quran strongly forbids murder.

Allah Almighty commands the believers, “…do not take the life Allah has made sacred, except by right. This is what He commands you to do, that perhaps you will use your reason.”

(Surat al-An’am 6:151)

Allah Almighty describes the believers as, “…those who never invoke any other deity beside Allah, nor take a life, which Allah has made sacred, except in the pursuit of justice, nor commit adultery.”

(Surat al-Furqan 25:68)

Allah Almighty says, “If anyone kills a believer deliberately, the punishment for him is Hell, and there he will remain. Allah is angry with him, and rejects him, and has prepared a tremendous punishment for him.”

(Surat an-Nisa 4:93)

The Highest Objectives of Islamic Law (Maqasid al-Sharia) are the protection of life, property, mind, family, and honor.

Imam Abu Hamid al-Ghazali states that, “it is known with certainty that preservation of human life, the faculty of reason, chastity, and material possession are the intent of the Law.”

(Shifa al-Ghalil, as quoted in Imam Al-Shatibi’s Theory of the Higher Objectives and Intents of Islamic Law by Ahmad al-Raysuni, International Institute of Islamic Thought, p. 19)

He who kills a single person unlawfully is as if he sanctioned murder against all people.

Allah Almighty says, “On account of [Cain’s deed], We decreed for the Children of Israel that if anyone kills a person—unless in retribution for murder or spreading corruption in the land—it is as if he kills all mankind, while if any saves a life it is as if he saves the lives of all mankind.”

(Surat al-Maidah 5:32)

It is strictly forbidden to kill women, children, and non-combatant civilians.

Allah Almighty says, “Fight in Allah’s cause against those who fight you, but do not transgress. Allah does not love those who transgress.”

(Surat al-Baqarah 2:190)

Ibn Abbas said: “Do not kill women, children, old men, or anyone who meets you with peace restraining his hand from fighting. If you did that, then indeed you would have committed transgression.”

(Tafsir al-Tabari, verse 2:190)

Al-Hasan Al-Basri said that transgression, "includes mutilating the dead, theft, killing women, children and old people who do not participate in warfare, killing priests and residents of houses of worship, burning down trees and killing animals without real benefit.''

(Tafsir Ibn Kathir, verse 2:190)

Narrated Abdullah Ibn Umar: “During some of the battles of Allah's Messenger a woman was found killed, so Allah's Messenger forbade the killing of women and children.”

(Sahih Bukhari, Volume 4 Book 52 Number 258)

The sin of murder is a form of disbelief in Allah.

Narrated Abdullah bin Umar: The Prophet said, “After me, do not become disbelievers by striking the necks of one another.”

(Sahih Bukhari, Volume 9 Book 83 Number 7)

He who murders loses his religion.

Narrated Ibn Umar: Allah's Messenger said, “A faithful believer remains at liberty regarding his religion unless he kills somebody unlawfully.”

(Sahih Bukhari, Volume 9 Book 83 Number 2)

The sin of murder is a snare from which no one can escape.

Narrated Abdullah Ibn Umar: “Certainly, among the most troublesome matters from which there is no escape for the one involved is to shed sacred blood without a lawful mandate.”

(Sahih Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 83, Number 3)

The first cases to be judged on the Day of Resurrection are murders.

Narrated Abdullah: The Prophet said, “The first cases to be decided among the people will be those of murder.”

(Sahih Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 83, Number 4)

Betrayal of peace treaties and treacherous assassinations are strictly forbidden.

Allah Almighty says, “Honor your pledges: you will be questioned about your pledges.”

(Surat al-Isra 17:34)

Narrated Abu Sa'id: the Messenger of Allah said: “On the Day of Judgment there will be a flag for every person guilty of the breach of covenant. It will be raised in proportion to the extent of his guilt; and there is no guilt of treachery more serious than the one committed by the ruler of men.”

(Sahih Muslim, Book 19 Number 4310)

Narrated Abu Hurairah: The Prophet said: “Faith prevented assassination. A believer does not assassinate.”

(Sunan Abu Dawud, Book 14 Number 2763)

The one who violates treaties, visas, or other contracted security laws will not even smell Paradise.

Narrated Abdullah bin Amr: The Prophet said: “Whoever killed a person protected by a treaty shall not smell the fragrance of Paradise though its fragrance can be found at a distance of forty years (of traveling).”

(Sahih Bukhari, Volume 9 Book 83 Number 49)

Narrated Abu Bakrah: The Prophet said: “If anyone kills a man whom he grants protection prematurely, Allah will forbid him to enter Paradise.”

(Sunan Abu Dawud, Book 14 Number 2754)

Conclusion

We ask Allah the Almighty to protect us from the deception of Satan whether it is spoken through the mouth of a disbeliever or a Muslim.

We ask Allah to relieve our brothers and sisters who are suffering in many parts of the world.

We ask Allah to give us the wisdom and patience to overcome our afflictions.  

We ask Allah for us to remain steadfast upon his religion and commandments.

We ask Allah to send peace and blessings upon Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his followers altogether.

“Our Lord, do not let our hearts deviate after You have guided us. Grant us Your mercy. You are the Ever Giving.” (Surat Ali Imran 3:8)

Ameen

Religious Extremists – From Ohio to Guyana

Religious extremists – From Ohio to Guyana

Posted on May 2, 2010 by Wendy Phillips

Sangeeta Persaud

It seems as though no religion is exempt from the fringe in its own membership who are referred to as fanatics.  We tend to feel at ease when we hear of extremists in “other” religions.  However, there are some who say that extremists are embedded in all religions.

Take the case of Fathima Rifqa Bary, the Ohio girl who ran away to Orlando because she said her family threatened to kill her for converting to Christianity and rejecting her family’s Muslim faith. “They have to kill me, because I’m a Christian, it’s an honor. If they love me more than God then they have to kill me,” she said.  So Rifqa hitched-hiked then got on a bus to Orlando where she was welcomed into the home of the family of Pastor Blake Lorenz of the Global Revolution Church, who Rifqa befriended on Facebook.

Lorenz called the state to investigate.  Rifqa was placed in foster care with the Department of Children and Families (DCF).  On August 21, 2009 a Florida judge ordered Fathima Rifqa Bary to stay in Florida as the Florida Department of Law Enforcement launched an investigation into her family and the Muslim community in Ohio where she lives.

When Rafqa’s father, Mohamed Bary, traveled to Florida to try to bring his daughter home, he denied the allegations. “Did you threaten to kill your daughter because she converted to Christianity?” he was asked.  “No, no,” responded Mohamed Bary.

However, Rifqa Bary insists that’s not the case. “This is not just threats this is reality. This is truth,” she said.  “If I had stayed in Ohio, I wouldn’t be alive,” she said. “In 150 generations . . . no one has known Jesus. I am the first — imagine the honor in killing me.”  Rifqa said that she had to hide her Bible for years and she repeatedly snuck out to attend Christian prayer meetings. She referred to previous victims of so-called honor killings, in which young Muslim women were murdered for bringing dishonor to their families.  “I want to worship Jesus freely,” said Rifqa.  “That’s what I want. I don’t want to die.”

The case has put Muslim groups on the defensive. Islam condones no such killings, said Babak Darvish, executive director of the Columbus chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.  Darvish accused some conservative Christians and politicians of using the story to stoke anti-Muslim sentiment. “They’re trying to use this case to further this extremist political, religious agenda,” he said.

Rifqa returned to Ohio, but lives in a foster care home.  She is currently engaged in a battle to stay in the United States. Her parents are seeking deportation back to Sri Lanka for the entire family (including Rifqa).  However, Rifqua is trying to stay in the US.  She says that she does not want to be returned to her native Sri Lanka because she fears being harmed or killed by Muslim extremists.

Then there is the case of Sangeeta Persaud, nicknamed “Sheena” age 14, who died at a hospital in Guyana, on March 28, 2010.  The girl died after neighbors and a local pastor tried to treat her convulsions with an exorcism at a church.  It is reported that when Sangeeta began to convulse, her mother and grandmother ruled out medical treatment and took her to a nearby Christian church to exorcise demon spirits they were convinced had possessed her.

Ewart Cummings, pastor of Christ Ambassadors Church, said he decided to take the girl to his small, concrete church, where he and several elders spent five hours praying for her as they pressed on her stomach and head.  They forced anointing oil and a mixture of lime juice and salt down her throat.  Then they gave her saline injections.

The girl’s grandmother, Chaitranie Ramotar, said that the girl was subjected to a physical ritual, which included prodding, squeezing and palming. Ramotar said that another Pastor at the church named Gulab “took his hand and put it by my granddaughter private part and the Amerindian woman put her hand on his hand and they both start applying pressure down there as though they were trying to get the demon out from her womb while calling out for Hindu spirits, Hanuman and Kali.”

The pastor’s efforts proved futile, and Sangeeta’s condition worsened.  At about 5 p.m., Cummings drove the girl to the hospital because she had calmed down.  She died at 10 p.m.

The first autopsy conducted on Sangeeta’s body was inconclusive and the body was released and buried the next day.  However, when they were unable to quell the controversy surrounding Sangeeta’s demise, Guyana’s officials announced the decision to have the body exhumed and have a second autopsy done by an “independent pathologist.”

Sangeeta, who had hailed from a predominantly sleepy Hindu farming community, had converted from Hinduism to Christianity several years ago.  Sangeeta’s death inflamed a bitter but old feud between Hindus and Christians in Guyana.  Some Christians believe that Sangeeta’s condition was caused by something she had to eat at a Hindu ceremony the day before, and that the spirits which possessed her entered her while she was a Hindu.  Hindu organizations, however, fought back calling for a thorough investigation and another autopsy.

The fact remains, however, that those who subjected Sangeeta to this ritual are Christians.  “I did nothing wrong,” Pastor, Ewart Cummings said.  “I just responded as pastor of the church. Ungodly people would not understand certain things like driving out spirits.”

When Juan Edghill, Chairman of Guyana’s Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC), was asked whether persons should have some sort of knowledge or qualifications to perform exorcisms, Edghill responded that “the Bible teaches these signs shall follow them that believe in my name you shall cast out devils. Casting out of evil spirits in Christianity is not just for pastors. It’s for every person who believes,” he asserted.

“What we are hearing is a young child on a Sunday morning is having certain manifestations, barking like a dog, going like a pig, crying out and screaming and yelling,” Edghill said adding that the family has received personal benefit from prayer and all they did was seek help for the child who unfortunately died at the hospital while receiving medical attention.

Religious extremists come in all colors, races and religions.

Time, a new poem based on Sura 103, Al Asr

As sure as days are numbered

By gloom are all encumbered

Save those who come to feel

The pure goodness of The Real

And in wonder do refrain

From taking errant gain

And in life’s cleansing fire

Together do conspire

To patiently endure

And in wisdom grow secure

Commonalities in Abrahamic faiths By Dr. Abdinur Mohamud

On September 17, 2010, Mayor Colman, accompanied by various religious leaders,  visited Abubakar Asiddiq Islamic Center, under construction on the  west side of Columbus. He then attended a Friday prayer  at the present location of Masjid Abubakar,   where Dr. Mohamud spoke and delivered the  Khutba.  Part of Dr. Mohamud's speech was later included in the Ohio Christian News Vol.83,Number 4, November 2010. a publication of Ohio Council of Churches.

Have you met my neighbor Bob?

The story below is true. It happened to a Muslim family in Central Ohio. I wanted to share it because I found it funny, while it reminds us of the value of our Islamic obligations toward our neighbors. I did some editing to conceal the identity of the people. It is narrated by the Muslim character.

Once I came home back in 2000 to find my porch lights being covered with thick pieces of green drapery! It reminded me of black out efforts in cities I saw during war time 40 years earlier in the Middle East. All the light bulbs were changed to green or blue.

"Why did you do that" I calmly asked Bob, my next door neighbor to the east. "Your lights are coming inside my bedroom," Bob angrily replied and he added, "Besides, you did not consult with me when you chose to change your front door from north to east, facing my bedroom!"