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Sitaram · Site Admin Joined: 14 Sep 2005 Posts: 1079

(Posted at http://www.progressiveislam.org in response to a post regarding the war between Lebanon and Israel)

In the 1960s, when I was in high school, there was a popular song on the radio "It's my part and I'll cry if I want to."

(warning, movie spoiler)

I watched a German movie with English subtitles, "Zentropa". About a young, idealistic German-American, with relatives in German, who returns to Germany right after the surrender, in the early days of the occupation, as a gesture of peace.

He meets a Roman Catholic priest, and asks him "Since both sides, the Allies, and the Germans, prayed to God for victory, then how can God decide, since both sides cannot be in the right?"

The priest quotes the New Testament verse about those who are "neither hot nor cold". God spews such from His mouth (the verse says.)

Actually, it is Revelation 3: 16

"To the angel of the assembly in Laodicea write: "The Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Head of God's creation, says these things:

15 "I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot.

16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth.

I am reminded of "the party of Satan" and "the party of Allah." I can't find now the exact source where I read of these two camps. The closest I can come right now is

58:19 Shaitan (Satan) has overtaken them (the Jews). So he has made them forget the remembrance of Allah. They are the party of Shaitan (Satan). Verily, it is the party of Shaitan (Satan) that will be the losers!

4:76 Those who believe, fight in the Cause of Allah, and those who disbelieve, fight in the cause of Taghut (Satan, etc.). So fight you against the friends of Shaitan (Satan); Ever feeble indeed is the plot of Shaitan (Satan).

Supposedly, Abraham Lincoln once said, "In time of war, we should pray, not that God is on our side, but rather that we are on God's side."

Sitaram · Site Admin Joined: 14 Sep 2005 Posts: 1079

A Muslim Myspace friend posted these verses from the Qur'an as a response to this post.

"to each among you We have prescibed a law and an open path. If Allah had so willed, He would have made you one community, but His plan is to test you in what He has given you, so strive as in a race in all virtues. The goal of you all is to God. It is He who will show you the truth of the matters in which you differ.

Q 5:48

And if they incline to peace,

you too incline to it,

and put your trust in G-d.

He is the All-hearing, the All-knowing

and

if they intend to decieve you

G-d suffices you

al-Anfal 8:61-2

Permission to fight

is given to those against whom war is waged,

because they are wronged

-truly G-d has the power to come to their aid

those who were expelled from their homes without any right,

just for saying

"Our Lord is G-d"

if G-d had not driven some people back by means of others,

monestaries, churches, synagogues, and mosques,

where the name of G-d is often mentioned

would have been pulled down and destroyed.

G-d will certainly help those who help him.

G-d is All-strong, All mighty.

al-Hajj 22:31-32

Oh people of the Book

(let us) come to an agreement between us and you

that we shall worship none but Allah and ascribe no partner to Him

and none of us shall take as lords other than Allah

Al 'Imran 3:64

Who is better in religion than the one

who surrenders his entire purpose to G-d, and does his best,

and follows the creed of Abraham

who turned away from all that was false?

And G-d took Abraham as a friend.

an-Nisa'a 4:125

And do not argue with the people of the Book except in the kindest manner, save those of them who oppress (themselves and others), and say, "We believe in that which has been sent down to us and that which has been sent down to you, and our God and your God are one (God), and to Him we are surrendered (muslimun)."

29 al-'Ankabut 46

He is with you wherever you are.

(57:4)

ALLAHU NURU-S-SAMAWATI WA-L-'ARD

Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth.

(24:35)

To each of you We have prescribed a law and an open path. If Allah had so willed, He would have made you one community, but His plan is to test you in what he has given you, so strive as in a race in all the virtues, the goal of you all is to God. It is He who will show the truth of the matters in which you differ.

(5:48)

Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.

Those with him are hard on the unbelievers (and) mercy full amongst themselves.

You see them bowing and prostrating~

seeking bounty from Allah and His Acceptance.

Their mark is on their faces ~ the mark of prostration.

That is their likeness in the Torah~ and their likeness in the Gospel;

(is) as a seed that puts forth its shoot and strengthens~

as it grows full and rises straight upon its stalk, pleasing the sowers, that through them He may enrage the disbelievers.

Allah has promised those of them who believe and do good deeds of righteousness, forgiveness and an immense reward.

(48:29)

If your Lord had willed, all the people on the earth would have believed. Do you think you can

force people to be believers?

(10:99)

... if someone kills another person - unless it is in retaliation for someone else or for causing corruption in the earth - it is as if he had murdered all mankind. And if anyone gives life to another person, it is as if he had given life to all mankind. Our Messengers came to them with Clear Signs, but even after that many of them committed outrages in the earth.

(Qur'an, 5:32)

Those of you possessing affluence and ample wealth should not make oaths that they will not give to their relatives and the very poor and those who have made emigration in the way of God. They should rather pardon and overlook. Would you not love God to forgive you? God is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

(Qur'an, 24:22)

Those who were already settled in the abode and in faith before they came, love those who have migrated to them and do not find in their hearts any need for what they have been given and prefer them to themselves even if they themselves are needy. It is the people who are safe-guarded from the avarice of their own selves who are successful.

(Qur'an, 59:9)

... those who have given refuge and help, they are the true believers. They will have forgiveness and generous provision.

(Qur'an, 8:74)

Be good to your parents and relatives and to orphans and the very poor, and to neighbours who are related to you and neighbours who are not related to you, and to companions and travellers and your slaves. God does not love anyone vain or boastful.

(Qur'an, 4:36)

Charity (zakat) is for: the poor, the destitute, those who collect it, reconciling people's hearts, freeing slaves, those in debt, spending in the Way of God, and travellers. It is a legal obligation from God. God is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

(Qur'an, 9:60)

God is All-Gentle, Most Merciful to mankind.

(Qur'an, 2:143)

Each time they kindle the fire of war, Allah extinguishes it. They rush about the earth corrupting it. Allah does not love corrupters.

(Surat al-Ma'ida: 64)

You who believe! Show integrity for the sake of God, bearing witness with justice. Do not let hatred for a people incite you into not being just. Be just. That is closer to heedfulness. Heed God (alone). God is aware of what you do.

(Surat al-Ma'ida: 8)"

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