Is Islam truly a peaceful religion?

Question

If you believe it is, do you really know it's history? Muhammad would have anyone killed or assinated that spoke poorly of him. He killed his uncle and his brother killed his own wife because she did not agree with Muhammad. Muhammad has said "Allah's apostle said 'Know that paradise is under the shades of swords" - Al-Bukhari, the Translation of the Meaning of Sahih Al-Bukhari. Alos "It is not fitting for a prophet that he should have prisoners of war [and free them with ransom] until he has made a great slaughter [among his enemies in the land." -Ibid 9:45 And the list goes on and on.....
I know muslims that are peaceful and fun loving but my research doesn't show that it is actually true of their religion. Any insite anyone?

Sorry, it was not his brother I was thinking of a different murder. A woman named Asma showed disapproval of the murder of Abu Afak (Ibid 675) and wrote a poem about it critizing him for his actions. "when the Apostle heard what she had said, he said, 'Who will rid me of Marwan's daughter?' Umayr......who was with him heard him, and that very night he went to her house and killed her. In the morning he came to the apostle and told him what he had done, and he said, 'You have helped God and His Apostle, O Umayr.'" -(Ibid 676, Muhammad Huisayn Haykal, The Life of Muhammad)

Answer 1

Well said!

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Answer 2

Just about all of the major religion groups will report some violence in their histories. For examples, thousands died in the Crusades.There are several references to violence befalling others listed in the bible. Remember, most religious books were written by people of long ago and sometimes translations get (sometimes deliberately) lost. Sometimes it's the meaning behind the stories that is trying to convey an idea. Disobedience equals slaughter and/or punishment. In order for change to happens, it must undergo transformation. Such transformation is more often than not symbolized by a violent upheaval, slaughter, an earthquake, etc. Very good question, though.

Answer 3

It's as "peaceful" as Christianity and Judaism. I am still waiting to find a religion that IS peaceful and against all harm to God's creatures.
To the "eye for an eye" guy--that was not a Christian crime solution--it came during the reign of Hammurabi, the great law-giver. Until that time, a man could lose his life, or several (or all) of his limbs for an infraction. The "Great H" said that the punishment could NOT be more than the "value" of the crime: therefore, an eye for an eye, a pound of meat for a pound of meat, etc. It was a peaceful law/retribution scheme compared to what preceded it. So, I suppose Christians wouldn't mind taking credit for it. (But they can't---read your history books!!!!)

PPS Oh yeah, Zen Buddahism: Now THERE'S a peaceful religion...everybody say "Ommmmmmm"........

Answer 4

It is a religion which advocated for peace among the warring groups in Mecca and Medina. His Hadis also says so. But it is misunderstood to-day due to its misuse by the fundamentalists. I as a Muslim derive lot of peace of mind while reading the stanzas from the Holy Quran.

Answer 5

I dont really know the history of Islam, but I do believe all religions are peaceful and that includes Islam. But when the radicals are using the religions as a tool to bash other believes, thats when they become bad. Since they were born, they were told that Israel is bad, America is bad, Christians are bad. If you kill yourself while killing those bad people you will get 7 or 10 virgins and $10,000.00 will be given to your family. I guess they start thinking...hmmmm will I be able to get 7 0r 10 virgins in my life times and earn $10,000.00 ?

Answer 6

Uh, from what I witnessed first hand from being in the Middle East, and observing Muslims Stateside, I'll have to go with my opinion and say NO.

I saw women beaten down in the streets for looking at male soldiers in Saudi.

I had a male Iraqi suspected of being armed refuse to listen to me (just because I am a female) when I told him to stop at our checkpoint. He continued to advance, and didn't respect my "gangsta" until I fired a warning shot and he fell on his knees in surrender. He later told an interpreter "He was dishonored and ashamed to be detained by an infidel female". I was just doing my job.

Here in the states, I see Black Muslims use the religion to diminish the rights of women that they are entitled to as US citizens. Why? How is that peace, taking rights from another?

Haven't Muslims been fighting not only against Jews and Christians, but THEMSELVES for thousands of years?

I'm sorry, I respect this religion, and the people who follow it, but peaceful? Not by what I have seen. But we have to respect them to respect ourselves. Yet, I wonder many, many things about this religion.

Answer 7

I think it would be more important to understand what Islam means by "peace". For many of us we only think in terms of absence of physical conflict or war or nonviolence, i.e. tolerating of differences in beliefs and practices, live and let live etc. If Islam's idea of peace is different from what non-Muslims think, then we may be talking pass each other while assuming we are talking about the same thing!

Answer 8

I lived in Saudi Arabia for 12 years and have lots of Muslim
friends and have never heard this. It seems to me that most are
just like everybody else, but a few extremists are the ones that
cause all the trouble.

Answer 9

hello??? mohamed peace be upon him had no brother, and in no way killed his uncle. and verse 9:45 actually says this (interpretation of the meaning):

009.045
YUSUFALI: Only those ask thee for exemption who believe not in Allah and the Last Day, and whose hearts are in doubt, so that they are tossed in their doubts to and fro.
PICKTHAL: They alone ask leave of thee who believe not in Allah and the Last Day, and whose hearts feel doubt, so in their doubt they waver.
SHAKIR: They only ask leave of you who do not believe in Allah and the latter day and their hearts are in doubt, so in their doubt do they waver.


also, do not take out things out of context.

so, either you have been looking at sites with the wrong information, like hate sites who always twist things or you want to make it look bad.

why dont you read all of the Quran and the Hadiths yourself with an open mind ad then come to us and tell us what you think!

and here is a biography of Mohamed peace be upon him if you want to read more on him.
http://mohammad.islamway.com/

have a good day.

Answer 10

Is there any religion that caused peace ?
Crusades, 6 million (?) Jews, Indians of America, guillotines, witch hunts, Zionism, anti-Zionism, 2 world wars, colonizations, black slaves, Iraq invasion, Palestine, Bosnia Herzegovina....were not done by Muslims ..

Answer 11

The only peaceful religion is the buddist and the hindu's.
After that, remember:

"There were more people tortured and killed in the name of religion than any other causes combined in the history of humankind".

good night and good luck (with that)

tom

(and people wonder why there are athiests)