I have a few questions about Islam

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

So I was just watching a program called "God's Warriors" on CNN, and the reporter referred to some followers of Islam as "Moslims", something I've heard many times before. So why is it that when referring to followers of Islam I hear the terms "Moslim", "Muslim", and "Islamic"? Is there a difference between the three?

Also I was curious if anybody knows the Qur'an's official policy on Jihad, smiting infidels, who qualifies as an "infidel", and treatment of women. I once heard a quote from Muhammad that went "to kill one muslim is to kill us all", but it might have been "to kill one person is to kill us all", I can't remember.

Any knowledgeable religious scholars with some info?

Gandalf_The_Grey Reviewed by Gandalf_The_Grey on 08-23-2007. I have a few questions about Islam So I was just watching a program called "God's Warriors" on CNN, and the reporter referred to some followers of Islam as "Moslims", something I've heard many times before. So why is it that when referring to followers of Islam I hear the terms "Moslim", "Muslim", and "Islamic"? Is there a difference between the three? Also I was curious if anybody knows the Qur'an's official policy on Jihad, smiting infidels, who qualifies as an "infidel", and treatment of women. I once heard a quote from Rating: 5

[Hardcore Newbie]

I only have details of the religion I grew up in. Religions are kind of interesting to know, but one is really enough lol.

I hope someone can answer tho, as I am quite curious as well.

[asadkahloon]

To answer your first question. the correct way to address someone who follows Islam is called a Muslim. Some people misspell it and put the O instead of the U. Islamic is said to be a synonym of Muslim.

For the second part of your question. The official policy and definition of Jihad, is any time someone struggles for God. For example declaring Jihad against something that God has forbidden. Killing innocent people is not allowed, and even attacking the so called "Infidels" for no reason is forbidden.

People who qualify as Infidels are those who do not believe in the God of Abraham, any one other than what is commonly referred to as "people of the book" who are part of the Jewish, Christian, or Islamic faith.

As for the treatment of women, here is some information on that:


In history Men have always dominated women. This is not something that Islam agrees with and as you mentioned yourself the

bible tells the men to be protectors of the women.
The Quran has a chapter devoted to the women, but furthermore Islam is the only religion in which the rules of rights and

treatment of women are laid bare.
This is a very important subject and people are often mislead bythe media into thinking that Islam oppresses women. So once

again I thankyou for bringing this subject up.
Islam teaches that men and women are equal. Equal but with different roles.
A man must work and provide for his wife and children while a woman must manage the house and children.
This does not mean the that the woman must slave at home.
In fact the prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was a great example of how a man must treat his women.
He (PBUH) while handling all the affairs of the Muslims in every respect from teaching Islam, to helping the needy, to

commanding the Muslim army and leading in the prayers would still find time to help his wives do the cleaning and cooking. He

would play a role in raising not only his own children but the children of others also.
Islam asks its men to protect the honour of its women.

The idea of a man and womans roles being different is not something sexist. If we put logic and reason to the issue we can see

that it is the logical way to run a family since there are some roles that women cannot carry out and some that the men cant

carry out.
Can a man give birth or breast feed a child? No the role of raising the child is naturally the womans. She has the ability gifted to her. Her body provides the nutrients for its infant while in the womb and outside. The man cannot do this and so cannot fit the

bill.
Therefor a man must earn for the family and provide in that sense.


In direct response to your question I believe that Islam offers women the opportunity to live with pride and honour. It does not

oppress women and gives women rights that in modern socities they may not yet achieve.
There maybe people in the Muslim world that do not understand the way they should treat women but that is the same with

people that do not understand in the west also.
These are men that never knew how to respect their mothers and sisters and so when it comes to their wives they dont know

how to act. You will find this in every part of the world.
Women are an unrespected object all over the world from Mexico, to the UK to Morrocco. But Islam is not the source of this mistreatment but is the opposite.

A women journalist that had visited the ottoman empire once mentioned that she thought the Muslim women were the most free women on the planet. They were not judged on appearance but character.
Is this not what women want? Do women really want to be judged on the size of their breasts and beauty of their hair?
I think it was quoted in a book called lords of the horizons. A good book.

[natureisawesome]

I don't know about the first question but the second question:

Also I was curious if anybody knows the Qur'an's official policy on Jihad, smiting infidels, who qualifies as an "infidel", and treatment of women

I havn't read the koran but from the verses I have seen, it really depends which part of the koran you read.In one place it says be at peace and another says anyone who is not muslim should have thier heads cut off. It depends.

I think I want to read the koran for myself. I'm tired of people telling me what it says. I suggest if you want to know you do the same. Then you can inform others, and not take someone elses word for it. Or dig up dirt on islam and then search for the other side of the arguemtn and compare both sides. I think you'll find what I 've found. It depends.

[asadkahloon]

well the cutting people's heads off is only acceptable if there is war and you have the other side attacking, but it is still forbidden to kill women and children even if they are infidels or unbelievers.

[jamstigator]

I would agree that there are some roles men cannot do that women can (bearing children being the obvious). But the reverse isn't really true -- there are very few roles women cannot perform as well as men, with the exception, in some cases, of heavy lifting type gruntwork. (Although there are some very strong women, just as there are some physically weak men.) In other words, once the child's born and no longer breast feeding, there's no rational reason the woman can't go out and be the bread-winner while the man stays home with the kids, other than the fact that this particular religion doesn't agree with that scenario. That *is* sexist.

The only reason women need men is for their sperm, to create children, and scientists already figured out how to turn a stem cell from a *woman* into a sperm, so it won't be long before women don't even need us for that either. That doesn't work in reverse; even if we figure out how to create eggs from the stem cells of a male, we still don't have a uterus or birth canal. Women are very close to being sufficient unto themselves, and men are very close to being obsolete.

[Iambreathingin]

All we need is Arnold to bare all of our children.

[natureisawesome]

asadkaloon:

well the cutting people's heads off is only acceptable if there is war and you have the other side attacking, but it is still forbidden to kill women and children even if they are infidels or unbelievers.

That's makes no sense considering the muslim empires. They obviously found some scripture in the koran that told them to go out and conquer the infedels and kill anyone who resisted. It widely known that the koran teaches muslims to conquer the world. And I don't believe for a moment that they never slughtered women and children.

Not to mention the justification I remember the koran saying this, that it was every mans duty to kill an infedel and that Christians should have thier heads cut off. I'm pretty cetain about that, and that it never mentioned having to have been provoked.

For them to conquer the world and put everyone under shariah law it requires them to be the aggressors.

[imitator]

asadkaloon:



That's makes no sense considering the muslim empires. They obviously found some scripture in the koran that told them to go out and conquer the infedels and kill anyone who resisted. It widely known that the koran teaches muslims to conquer the world. And I don't believe for a moment that they never slughtered women and children.

Not to mention the justification I remember the koran saying this, that it was every mans duty to kill an infedel and that Christians should have thier heads cut off. I'm pretty cetain about that, and that it never mentioned having to have been provoked.

For them to conquer the world and put everyone under shariah law it requires them to be the aggressors.

Granted I have only breezed through it in a single class, but I am pretty sure what you state here is false. I cant say for certain, but it doesnt sound right... when I get home from work Ill take a look into my Qur'an and see if I can find what you are referencing to. Its possible it was just a poor translation, or misunderstanding.

[jamstigator]

BTW, I wouldn't judge all Muslim folks based on the bad actions of a few. I lived in Turkey for somewhat over a year, and by and large, it was a great experience. There were some bad Turks, but mostly they were very nice and kind and friendly. And unlike most U.S. soldiers there, who stay around other Americans and insulate themselves from the foreign culture in which they live, I did the opposite -- I embraced the language and the culture. I actually started thinking and dreaming in Turkish near the end of my time there, something I wouldn't even have thought possible before it happened, and I had a sign on my door that said (in Turkish) 'English forbidden'.

That said, I'm pretty much with Bill Maher: all religions suck. They divide us, cause friction and war and violence, and rely on a solid (*cough*) foundation of unproven assumptions. We could accomplish so much more, and live in so much more peace, without religions segregating us into artifically-created cliques based on myths and mysticism.