Rules of engagement in war of ideas against Jihadists

Part one: Roots of war of ideas In Muslim World

Chapter 2: The Holy Quran as the Book of war of ideas

  (B) The Holy Quran waging war of ideas debating their faith to worship Allah alone

1-Quraysh made mosques for worshipping Allah and idols

Mellat Ebrahim (The religion of Abraham) or the real Islam is to believe in One God, Allah alone, without any idols, son, or wife. This was violated by worshipping saints and sacred statues and sacred tombs. According to Mellat Ebrahim, mosques should be devoted to worshipping Allah alone, without calling upon any one with Allah. Quraysh violated it by using mosques in worshipping idols. Allah says: ( 072.018   And that the mosques are Allah's, therefore call not upon any one with Allah: ). The next verses give us a brief account about the Prophet Mohamed when he said it publicly to purify mosques to worshipping Allah alone: (072.019   And that when the servant of Allah stood up calling upon Him, they well nigh crowded him (to death). 072.020    Say: I only call upon my Lord, and I do not associate any one with Him. 072.021
 Say: I do not control for you evil or good.)

 Muslims now – by the Qurayshi influence – use mosques in worshipping saints and Imams.

2- Worshiping Allah and idols

Quraysh did not deny Allah as the super God. Moreover, they worshipped Him as the one who creates all the worlds. As they believed in Allah, Allah ordered Mohamed: ((006.019 Say: What thing is the weightiest in testimony? Say: Allah is witness between you and me; and this Quran has been revealed to me that with it I may warn you and whomsoever it reaches. Do you really bear witness that there are other gods with Allah? Say: I do not bear witness. Say: He is only one Allah, and surely I am clear of that which you set up (with Him). )

But they believed in other gods beside Allah that they may bring them nearer to Allah. It is the same faith that most of Muslims now still have. So, Allah is addressing generally humans to worship Him alone, saying:(039.002  Surely We have revealed to you the Book with the truth, therefore serve Allah, being sincere to Him in obedience.039.003  Now, surely, sincere religion is due to Allah (alone) and (as for) those who take guardians besides Him, (saying), We worship them only that they may bring us near unto Allah, surely Allah will judge between them in that in which they differ; surely Allah does not guide him aright who is a liar, ungrateful. 039.004  If Allah desire to take a son to Himself, He will surely choose those He pleases from what He has created. Glory be to Him: He is Allah, the One, theIrresistible.) 

Aspects of the Quranic argument

Allah is the only One who creates the humans and the universe

This is the basic fact in the Quranic argument. Allah says to all humans : (035.001  Praise be to Allah, Who created (out of nothing) the heavens and the earth, Who made the angels, messengers with wings,- two, or three, or four (pairs): He adds to Creation as He pleases: for Allah has power over all things. )(035.003: O men! call to mind the favor of Allah on you; is there any creator besides Allah who gives you sustenance from the heaven and the earth? There is no god but He; whence are you then turned away?)

Allah, the Originator of the heavens and the earth controls them, while the idols have nothing

This is clear in these two verses :(035.013  : He merges Night into Day, and he merges Day into Night, and he has subjected the sun and the moon (to his Law): each one runs its course for a term appointed. Such is Allah your Lord: to Him belongs all Dominion; and those whom you call upon besides Him do not control a straw. 035.014   If you invoke them, they will not listen to your call, and if they were to listen, they cannot answer your (prayer). On the Day of Judgment they will reject your "Partnership", and none, (O man!) can tell thee (the Truth) like the One Who is acquainted with all things. )
Quran has many different kind of this argument to confirm that there is no god but Him:

For example:

( 006.012   Say: To whom belongs what is in the heavens and the earth? Say: To Allah; He has ordained mercy on Himself; most certainly He will gather you on the resurrection day-- there is no doubt about it. (As for) those who have lost their souls, they will not believe. 006.013  And to Him belongs whatever dwells in the night and the day; and He is the Hearing, the Knowing. 006.014   Say: Shall I take a guardian besides Allah, the Originator of the heavens and the earth, and He feeds (others) and is not (Himself) fed. Say: I am commanded to be the first who submits himself, and you should not be of the polytheists. )

( 027.059   Say: Praise be to Allah and peace on His servants whom He has chosen: is Allah better, or what they associate (with Him)? 027.060   Nay, He Who created the heavens and the earth, and sent down for you water from the cloud; then We cause to grow thereby beautiful gardens; it is not possible for you that you should make the trees thereof to grow. Is there a god with Allah? Nay! they are people who deviate. 027.061   Or, Who made the earth a resting place, and made in it rivers, and raised on it mountains and placed between the two seas a barrier. Is there a god with Allah? Nay! most of them do not know! 027.062   Or, Who answers the distressed one when he calls upon Him and removes the evil, and He will make you successors in the earth. Is there a god with Allah? Little is it that you mind! 027.063  Or, Who guides you in utter darkness of the land and the sea, and Who sends the winds as good news before His mercy. Is there a god with Allah? Exalted by Allah above what they associate (with Him).027.064   Or, Who originates the creation, then reproduces it and Who gives you sustenance from the heaven and the earth. Is there a god With Allah? Say: Bring your proof if you are truthful. 027.065   Say: No one in the heavens and the earth knows the unseen but Allah; and they do not know when they shall be raised. )

(010.031  : Say: Who gives you sustenance from the heaven and the earth? Or Who controls the hearing and the sight? And Who brings forth the living from the dead, and brings forth the dead from the living? And Who regulates the affairs? Then they will say: Allah. Say then: Will you not then guard (against evil)? 010.032  This then is Allah, your true Lord; and what is there after the truth but error; how are you then turned back? 010.033 Thus does the word of your Lord prove true against those who transgress that they do not believe? 010.034   Say: Is there any one among your associates who can bring into existence the creation in the first instance, then reproduce it? Say: Allah brings the creation into existence, then He reproduces it; how are you then turned away? 010.035 Say: Is there any of your associates who guides to the truth? Say: Allah guides to the truth. Is He then Who guides to the truth more worthy to be followed, or he who himself does not go aright unless he is guided? What then is the matter with you; how do you judge?

 Asking them who is the creator, Allah or idols

As they believed in Allah, the creator of the universe, the Quranic argument used it against them, asking them who is the creator? The only answer they had is Allah. ( 029.061   And if you ask them, Who created the heavens and the earth and made the sun and the moon subservient, they will certainly say, Allah. Whence are they then turned away? ) ( 031.025   And if you ask them who created the heavens and the earth, they will certainly say: Allah. Say: (All) praise is due to Allah; nay! most of them do not know. )

 (023.084   Say: Whose is the earth, and whoever is therein, if you know? (023.085   They will say: Allah's. Say: Will you not then mind? 023.086   Say: Who is the Lord of the seven heavens and the Lord of the mighty dominion? 023.087 They will say: (This is) Allah's. Say: Will you not then guard (against evil)? 023.088   Say: Who is it in Whose hand is the kingdom of all things and Who gives succor, but against Him Succor is not given, if you do but know? 023.089   They will say: (This is) Allah's. Say: From whence are you then deceived? 023.090   Nay! We have brought to them the truth, and most surely they are liars. )

The very question: why do you worship those idols which cannot harm or benefit themselves or other: (039.038   And should you ask them, Who created the heavens and the earth? They would most certainly say: Allah. Say: Have you then considered that what you call upon besides Allah, would they, if Allah desire to afflict me with harm, be the removers of His harm, or (would they), if Allah desire to show me mercy, be the withholders of His mercy? Say: Allah is sufficient for me; on Him do the reliant rely. )

The idols are not the creators; they are created

The idols used to be (and still) sacred saints and their sacred tombs and statues, besides fabricating stories about their miracles and superstitions. All of them are created. Allah says: (007.191   what! they associate (with Him) that which does not create anything, while they are themselves created!) (016.020 And those whom they call on besides Allah have not created anything while they are themselves created; 016.021   Dead (are they), not living, and they know not when they shall be raised.016.022:Your Allah is one Allah: as to those who believe not in the Hereafter, their hearts refuse to know, and they are arrogant.  016.023Truly Allah knows what they hide and what they manifest; surely He does not love the arrogant.)

To defy the superstitions around the idols:

As they insisted to worship these idols, Allah defied them saying: (031.011 .This is Allah's creation, but show Me what those besides Him have created. Nay, the unjust are in manifest error)

They believe in these idols that could harm or benefit them. They tried to scare Mohamed himself, terrorizing him by the anger of their idols. Allah said to His messenger: (039. Is not Allah sufficient for His servant? And they seek to frighten you with those besides Him)

 To assure that they are unable to harm or to benefit any one:

This came as statement :( 007.192  And they have no power to give them help, nor can they help themselves.)

It came also as a practical challenge, saying about those dead saints inside tombs :( 007.194  Surely those whom you call on besides Allah are servants like yourselves; therefore call on them, then let them answer you if you are truthful. 007.195   Have they feet with which they walk, or have they hands with which they hit , or have they eyes with which they see, or have they ears with which they hear? Say: Call your associates, then make a struggle (to prevail) against me and give me no respite. 007.196   Surely my guardian is Allah, Who revealed the Book, and He defends the righteous. 007.197 And those whom you call upon besides Him are not able to help you, nor can they help themselves)

Logic argument

 Quran uses simple but compelling logic argument in refuting the idol worshippers of Quraysh. For example:

(017.042   Say: If there were with Him gods as they say, then certainly they would have been able to seek a way to the Lord of power.017.043   Glory be to Him and exalted be He in high exaltation above what they say.)

(023.091   Never did Allah take to Himself a son, and never was there with him any (other) god-- in that case would each god have certainly taken away what he created, and some of them would certainly have overpowered others; glory be to Allah above what they describe! )

( 021.021   Or have they taken gods from the earth who raise (the dead).021.022  If there had been in them any gods except Allah, they would both have certainly been in a state of disorder; therefore glory be to Allah, the Lord of the dominion, above what they attribute (to Him).

(016.017   Is He then Who creates like him who does not create? Do you not then mind? )

(052.035  : Were they created of nothing, or were they themselves the creators? (052.036   Or did they create the heavens and the earth? Nay! they have no certainty.)

(013.016   Say: Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?-- Say: Allah. Say: Do you take then besides Him guardians who do not control any profit or harm for themselves? Say: Are the blind and the seeing alike? Or can the darkness and the light be equal? Or have they set up with Allah associates who have created creation like His, so that what is created became confused to them? Say: Allah is the Creator of all things, and He is the One, the Supreme. )

They worship Allah alone in the difficulties

The pure nature inside human is to believe in Allah alone without any partners. Allah has created man that way, and reminded us to keep that pure nature, or ( Al Fitrah) inside us. It is the real Islam, or the  (Mellat Ebraheem): (030.030   Then set your face upright for religion in the right state-- the nature made by Allah in which He has made men.).

Humans usually forget this pure nature (Al Fitrah) in their struggle for the vanities of this life, but they remember it in the time of difficulties, when their lives in real danger. Allah reminds all humans saying :(039.008  : And when distress afflicts a man he calls upon his Lord turning to Him frequently; then when He makes him possess a favor from Him, he forgets that for which he called upon Him before, and sets up rivals to Allah that he may cause (men) to stray off from His path. Say: Enjoy yourself in your ungratefulness a little, surely you are of the inmates of the fire. )(039.049
  So when harm afflicts a man he calls upon Us; then, when We give him a favor from Us, he says: I have been given it only by means of knowledge. Nay, it is a trial, but most of them do not know.)

Drowning in the sea is a big disaster and big test in which people in ship repent crying for Allah for help, going back to their pure nature inside them. After saving them they forget. (031.032   And when a wave like mountains covers them they call upon Allah, being sincere to Him in obedience, but when He brings them safe to the land, some of them follow the middle course; and none denies Our signs but every perfidious, ungrateful one.) .

This includes Pharaoh of Moses himself when he was drowning (010.090 And We made the children of Israel to pass through the sea, then Pharaoh and his hosts followed them for oppression and tyranny; until when drowning overtook him, he said: I believe that there is no god but He in Whom the children of Israel believe and I am of those who submit.)

This big test is well explained in these verses:010.022:  He it is Who makes you travel by land and sea; until when you are in the ships, and they sail on with them in a pleasant breeze, and they rejoice, a violent wind overtakes them and the billows surge in on them from all sides, and they become certain that they are encompassed about, they pray to Allah, being sincere to Him in obedience: If Thou dost deliver us from this, we will most certainly be of the grateful ones. 010.023   But when He delivers them, lo! they are unjustly rebellious in the earth. O men! your rebellion is against your own souls-- provision (only) of this world's life-- then to Us shall be your return, so We will inform you of what you did. )

Allah asks humans, not only Quraysh many questions in this regard:

( 017.066   Your Lord is He Who speeds the ships for you in the sea that you may seek of His grace; surely He is ever Merciful to you. 017.067   And when distress afflicts you in the sea, away go those whom you call on except He; but when He brings you safe to the land, you turn aside; and man is ever ungrateful. 017.068   What! Do you then feel secure that He will not cause a tract of land to engulf you or send on you a tornado? Then you shall not find a protector for yourselves. 017.069   Or, do you feel secure that He will (not) take you back into it another time, then send on you a fierce gale and thus drown you on account of your ungratefulness? Then you shall not find any aider against Us in the matter. )

He asks them also many similar questions to assure that there is no God but him :

(006.040   Say: Tell me if the chastisement of Allah should overtake you or the hour should come upon you, will you call (on others) besides Allah, if you are truthful? 006.041   Nay, Him you call upon, so He clears away that for which you pray if He pleases and you forget what you set up (with Him).

 (006.046  Say: Have you considered that if Allah takes away your hearing and your sight and sets a seal on your hearts, who is the god besides Allah that can bring it to you? See how We repeat the communications, yet they turn away. 006.047  Say: Have you considered if the chastisement of Allah should overtake you suddenly or openly, will any be destroyed but the unjust people?

(006.063   Say: Who is it that delivers you from the dangers of the land and the sea (when) you call upon Him (openly) humiliating yourselves, and in secret: If He delivers us from this, we should certainly be of the grateful ones. 006.064   Say: Allah delivers you from them and from every distress, but again you set up others (with Him). 006.065   Say: He has the power that He should send on you a chastisement from above you or from beneath your feet, or that He should throw you into confusion, (making you) of different parties; and make some of you taste the fighting of others. See how We repeat the communications that they may understand. 006.066
  And your people call it a lie and it is the very truth. Say: I am not placed in charge of you. 006.067   For every prophecy is a term, and you will come to know (it). )

Debating Quraysh in offering sacrifice for idols

Quraysh invented a Shareeah , or law for offering sacrifice for idols. This included animal sacrifice and human sacrifice. They also invented laws that forbade the food that it was made lawful by Allah.

Generally, they offered these sacrifices to idols which were created by superstitions, had nothing in reality. They offered sacrifices to idols that they did not know: ( 016.056   And they set apart for what they do not know a portion of what We have given them. By Allah, you shall most certainly be questioned about that which you forged.)

They attributed to Allah fabricated laws, giving new terms for these sacrifices and refused to follow the guidance of Allah:( 005.103  : It was not Allah who instituted (superstitions like those of) a slit-ear she-camel, or a she-camel let loose for free pasture, or idol sacrifices for twin-births in animals, or stallion-camels freed from work: It is blasphemers who invent a lie against Allah; but most of them lack wisdom. 005.104   And when it is said to them, Come to what Allah has revealed and to the Messenger, they say: That on which we found our fathers is sufficient for us. What! even though their fathers knew nothing and did not follow the right way. )

Some sacrifices were under the name of Allah, other were for idols, but all of them were given to idols, in reality were given to the elders of Quraysh who had these sacred tombs under their custody and control: ( 006.136   And they set apart a portion for Allah out of what He has created of tilth and cattle, and say: This is for Allah-- so they assert-- and this for our associates; then what is for their associates, it reaches not to Allah, and whatever is (set apart) for Allah, it reaches to their associates; evil is that which they judge.)

Moreover, they sacrificed their sons for their idols. Allah says:( 006.137   And thus their associates have made fair seeming to most of the polytheists the killing of their children that they may cause them to perish and obscure for them their religion; and if Allah had pleased, they would not have done it, therefore leave them and that which they forge.)

Allah has debated them saying :( 006.138   And they say: These are cattle and tilth prohibited, none shall eat them except such as We please-- so they assert-- and cattle whose backs are forbidden, and cattle on which they would not mention Allah's name-- forging a lie against Him; He shall requite them for what they forged. 006.139   And they say: What is in the wombs of these cattle is especially for our males, and forbidden to our wives, and if it be stillborn, then they are all partners in it; He will reward them for their attributing (falsehood to Allah); surely He is Wise, Knowing.( 006.140   They are lost indeed who kill their children foolishly without knowledge, and forbid what Allah has given to them forging a lie against Allah; they have indeed gone astray, and they are not the followers of the right course. 006.141 And He it is Who produces gardens (of vine), trellised and untrellised, and palms and seed-produce of which the fruits are of various sorts, and olives and pomegranates, like and unlike; eat of its fruit when it bears fruit, and pay the due of it on the day of its reaping, and do not act extravagantly; surely He does not love the extravagant. 006.142   And of cattle (He created) beasts of burden and those which are fit for slaughter only; eat of what Allah has given you and do not follow the footsteps of the Shaitan; surely he is your open enemy. 006.143  Eight in pairs-- two of sheep and two of goats. Say: Has He forbidden the two males or the two females or that which the wombs of the two females contain? Inform me with knowledge if you are truthful. 006.144  And two of camels and two of cows. Say: Has He forbidden the two males or the two females or that which the wombs of the two females contain? Or were you witnesses when Allah enjoined you this? Who, then, is more unjust than he who forges a lie against Allah that he should lead astray men without knowledge? Surely Allah does not guide the unjust people.) Finally, Allah gave the Islamic rule in the prohibited food :( 006.145  : Say: I do not find in that which has been revealed to me anything forbidden for an eater to eat of except that it be what has died of itself, or blood poured forth, or flesh of swine-- for that surely is unclean-- or that which is a transgression, other than (the name of) Allah having been invoked on it; but whoever is driven to necessity, not desiring nor exceeding the limit, then surely your Lord is Forgiving, Merciful. )

  Travel through the earth and see

According to Quran, many ancient people were destroyed because they rejected the Messengers of Allah, from the time of Noah until Moses and Pharaoh. 017.017 (: And how many of the generations did We destroy after Noah and your Lord is sufficient as Knowing and Seeing with regard to His servants' faults.)

Old Testament mentioned some of them but Quran add the ancient Arab mighty tribes and their Prophets like Hood and Saleh and Sho,aib. In its trade, Quraysh used to travel through the remains of those annihilated nations and the remains of their old civilizations: ( 020.128   Does it not then direct them aright how many of the generations In whose dwelling-places they go about We destroyed before them? Most surely there are signs in this for those endowed with understanding.)

The stories of those annihilated nations were repeated in the Quran. Allah called Quiraysh to travel through the earth to look at the ancient remains to consider the lesson from the past. This was repeated also in the Quran :( 006.011   Say: "Travel through the earth and see what the end of those who rejected Truth was”)

(003.137  Indeed there have been examples before you; therefore travel in the earth and see what was the end of the rejecters. )

(006.011  Say: "Travel through the earth and see what was the end of those who rejected Truth.")

 ( 016.036   And certainly We raised in every nation a messenger saying: Serve Allah and shun the Shaitan. So there were some of them whom Allah guided and there were others against whom error was due; therefore travel in the land, then see what was the end of the rejecters. ) (012.109  And We have not sent before you but men from (among) the people of the towns, to whom We sent revelations. Have they not then travelled in the land and seen what was the end of those before them? And certainly the abode of the hereafter is best for those who guard (against evil); do you not then understand?)

 (027.069    Say: Travel in the earth, then see how was the end of the guilty. )(030.042   Say: Travel in the land, then see how was the end of those before; most of them were polytheists.) (035.044   Have they not travelled in the land and seen how was the end of those before them while they were stronger than these in power? And Allah is not such that any thing in the heavens or in the earth should escape Him; surely He is Knowing, Powerful.)

 (040.021   Have they not travelled in the earth and seen how was the end of those who were before them? Mightier than these were they in strength-- and in fortifications in the land, but Allah destroyed them for their sins; and there was not for them any defender against Allah. ) (040.082  Have they not then journeyed in the land and seen how was the end of those before them? They were more (in numbers) than these and greater in strength and in fortifications in the land, but what they earned did not avail them.) (047.010 Have they not then journeyed in the land and seen how was the end of those before them: Allah brought down destruction upon them, and the unbelievers shall have the like of it.).