Is Islam peaceful?

Why don't you allow this thread to continue?  It is closed.  It is a great way to allow some dialog on the subject, and to learn to understand each other.  We need better understanding in this world and acceptance of each other instead of just blaming, getting fed up and closing the thread.

This is just a suggestion in the interest of better understanding and peace.  PLEASE.

Since Muslims created the disaster during 9/11/01 in New York, what would have been a better response than going into Afghanistan?  I am open on this and would appreciate Muslim opinions.

Peacemaker, you closed the old thread and I had a question about your answer.

Why are you so hostile with me?  You really do not sound like a peacemaker.

The Q verse applied to Children of Israel.  Am I right?  Are Children of Israel defined in the Qur'an?  Could you tell me where please?  Also what is "mischief on earth" that justifies killing of another person?  Is that defined in the Qur'an or Sunna somewhere?

I replied to questions addressed to me.  I always reply.  If you can show me which one I did not reply to, I apologize and will do it immediately.  It is my questions that were not answered yet on the thread that you closed.  I also did not place random questions to spam.  That is not true.  If you think I did, you tell me which ones you considered random and spam.  You are not putting yourself and Islam into a light it should be with such accusations.  If you do not want to answer someone's questions, just say so.

The people who flew air planes into the twin towers and the Pentagon were yelling Allah Akhbar in the cockpit recordings which I personally heard coming off the cockpit recorder, and not in the TV news, they had passports that identified them as Muslim.  Most from Saudi Arabia as I recall. They were then identified having been trained in Al Qaida camps in Afghanistan.

So please tell me, what should the US response have been?  We think that they were Islamic terrorists.  Do you think that the US forged all this evidence?

What should we have done that would have been acceptable to you?  In other words, what should we do if this kind of thing is done by Muslim Terrorists again?

I would like to ask you not to be hostile to me in your response.  Just please have some understanding in your heart, unless you believe that I am a piece of trash because I am not a Muslim.  So far you treated me like trash.

We need to make peace among us.  DO YOU AGREE? I would like to know what you think about how it should be done?  What steps by each side.  What should we do on the US side non-Muslims, and what should you do on your side so that we can have peace and mutual respect without any hostile feelings.  Is that possible?  And friendly tone please; this is serious.

Best regards,

Vic

Salaam,

Brother Peaemaker what does this mean in the following: But, you can't bomb the entire world for that. What if there is a terrorist in your neighbourhood? Would you bomb that entire area? 

From what I read the poster did not refer to any bombing of other individuals and/countries so why the references to bombing? I'm curious.

Concerning the verse in Surah Al-Maidah, it is important to note the context in which it was revealed.  Ibn Kathir wrote the following concerning the verse:

"Allah says, because the son of Adam (Cain) killed his brother (Abel) in transgression and aggression, (We ordained for the Children of Israel...) meaning, We legislated for them and informed them, (that if anyone killed a person not in retaliation of murder, or (and) to spread mischief in the land - it would be as if he killed all mankind, and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind.) The Ayah states, whoever kills a soul without justification -- such as in retaliation for murder or for causing mischief on earth -- will be as if he has killed all mankind, because there is no difference between one life and another.  (and if anyone saved a life...) by preventing its blood from being shed and believing in its sanctity, then all people will have been saved from him, so, (it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind.) Al-A`mash and others said that Abu Salih said that Abu Hurayrah said, "I entered on `Uthman when he was under siege in his house and said, `I came to give you my support. Now, it is good to fight (defending you) O Leader of the Faithful!' He said, `O Abu Hurayrah! Does it please you that you kill all people, including me' I said, `No.' He said, `If you kill one man, it is as if you killed all people. Therefore, go back with my permission for you to leave. May you receive your reward and be saved from burden.' So I went back and did not fight.''' `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "It is as Allah has stated, (if anyone killed a person not in retaliation of murder, or (and) to spread mischief in the land - it would be as if he killed all mankind, and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind.) Saving life in this case occurs by not killing a soul that Allah has forbidden. So this is the meaning of saving the life of all mankind, for whoever forbids killing a soul without justification, the lives of all people will be saved from him.''

The verse is linked to the story of Cain and Abel, and how Cain murdered his brother.  The idea is that, as Ibn Kathir stated, "there is no difference between one life and another."

Concerning what "mischief" is defined as, once again, Ibn Kathir's commentary offers some clues:

"(The recompense of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and do mischief in the land is only that they shall be killed or crucified or their hands and their feet be cut off on the opposite sides, or be exiled from the land.) `Wage war' mentioned here means, oppose and contradict, and it includes disbelief, blocking roads and spreading fear in the fairways. Mischief in the land refers to various types of evil. Ibn Jarir recorded that `Ikrimah and Al-Hasan Al-Basri said that the Ayat, The recompense of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger) until, (Allah is Of-Forgiving, Most Merciful,) "Were revealed about the idolators. Therefore, the Ayah decrees that, whoever among them repents before you apprehend them, then you have no right to punish them. This Ayah does not save a Muslim from punishment if he kills, causes mischief in the land or wages war against Allah and His Messenger and then joins rank with the disbelievers, before the Muslims are able to catch him. He will still be liable for punishment for the crimes he committed.'' Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i recorded that `Ikrimah said that Ibn `Abbas said that the Ayah, (The recompense of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and do mischief in the land...) "Was revealed concerning the idolators, those among them who repent before being apprehended, they will still be liable for punishment for the crimes they committed.'' The correct opinion is that this Ayah is general in meaning and includes the idolators and all others who commit the types of crimes the Ayah mentioned."

As an example of what "mischief" can mean, the story of 8 members of the 'Ukl tribe is mentioned.  These 8 people visited the Prophet and became sick because of the weather.  The Prophet advised them to drink some milk mixed with camel urine, and they got better.  However, after they did get better, they killed the shepherd and stole his camels.  After they were captured, they were executed for their crime, as the verse indicated.