Islam is the religion of compassion far removed from force and compulsion
By Harun Yahya Recently it has become clear that some circles have an inaccurate impression about the morality of Islam. No doubt this situation arises from inadequate information about the morality of Islam or erroneous briefing. People having such impressions do not properly recognize the beauties brought by this superior morality to a society, because they are wrongly indoctrinated that “a society living by the morality of religion lives under pressure.” However contrary to this erroneous reasoning, the morality our All-Mighty Lord commands in the Qur’an is based on love, respect, compassion and justice and is far removed from force and compulsion. As a consequence of this, the history of Islam abounds with the examples of tolerance our Prophet (saas) and other Islamic scholars showed to people from all ideologies and faiths. The morality revealed in the Qur’an, which is the basis of Islam and is revealed as an admonition and guidance to all Muslims, is based on the concepts of love, compassion, mercy, modesty, self-sacrifice, and peace. Consequently Islam is the deterrent to all forms of force, compulsion and unrest, and is the sole solution. However due to erroneous thoughts arising from a lack of knowledge about the morality of the Qur’an, some people ignore this fact and try to present the morality of Islam as a so-called threat to the society’s well-being. However, in a society living by the morality of Islam: •
Pressure does not exist; on the contrary, peace, compassion and mutual love and respect reign.
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Extremely gentle, tactful, modest, just, reliable, compatible individuals develop, who spread peace and happiness.
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People from different faiths and thoughts are embraced, as long as they do not pose a threat to the integrity of the state and peace in the society. These people are treated kindly. People meticulously avoid acts of tension that source from exclusion and segregation, which are acts of ignorance. The Source of Peace and Safety: The Morality of Islam The Qur’an is a Book revealed to people as a guide to the true path and in this Book, God commands man to adopt good morals. This morality is based upon
concepts such as love, compassion, and mercy. The word “Islam” is derived from the word meaning “peace” in Arabic. Islam is a religion revealed to mankind with the intention of producing a peaceable life through which the infinite compassion and mercy of God manifests on earth. God calls all people to Islamic morals through which compassion, mercy, and peace can be experienced all over the world. In Surat al-Baqara, verse 208, God addresses believers as follows: O You who believe! Enter absolutely into peace (Islam). Do not follow in the footsteps of satan. He is an outright enemy to you. (Surat al-Baqara, 208) In the Qur’an, our Lord relates that “security” of people and “peace” among them can only be established by living by the morality of the Qur’an. Whether Muslim or non-Muslim, a person who is devout according to the measure of the morality of the Qur’an, is responsible for treating other people with justice, protecting the poor and the innocent, and preventing corruption on the Earth. Corruption is all sorts of circumstances that remove security and peace on Earth. Putting pressure upon people who have free will, thought and faith for some reason is something incompatible with the morality of Islam and it causes corruption within the society. Consequently, as a requisite of the provision “God does not love corruption.” (Surat al-Baqara, 205), Muslims meticulously avoid such an erroneous act. On the contrary, Muslims are responsible for preventing people and activities disrupting the society’s peace through ideological means, enjoining the good and forbidding evil, removing corruption on Earth and providing a peaceful environment for all people. It is evident that a person having fear of God could never be responsible for causing the slightest harm to his state, nation or humanity, or for showing no compassion to them. The writer has authored more than 300 books translated in 73 languages on politics, religion and science. He may be followed at @Harun_Yahya and www.harunyahya.com.