In the Name of the Kind and Beautiful Precious Beloved

Recently, I have been blessed to be added as one of the new bloggers on the “Chicago Now” website. It is a great platform for Chicago-based bloggers to share their thoughts with the world. My blog, “Midwestern Muslim” is there.

I have moved most of my newest writing there. You can check out all of my old writings/posts here, but please be sure to check out my writings on my Chicago Now blog: “Midwestern Muslim.”

Thanks very much for all of your support, prayers, and thoughts. I look forward to engaging with you on “Midwestern Muslim.”

In the Name of the Kind and Beautiful Precious Beloved

This was published on my Patheos column, "An American Islam."

President Obama aims to live by the Christian principle that a person who is blessed with much must give back to the community. That seems to be the underlying sentiment of his remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast in early February, where the President framedhistaxpolicieswithinbiblicalprinciples: "But for me as a Christian, it also coincides with Jesus’ teaching that ‘for unto whom much is given, much shall be required.’"

Here, the president is quoting Luke 12:48: "For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required." Indeed, Jesus Christ did stress the importance of helping the poor, saying once: "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me (Mt. 25:40)."

The President then added, "It mirrors the Islamic belief that those who’ve been blessed have an obligation to use those blessings to help others, or the Jewish doctrine of moderation and consideration for others." Here, he is absolutely correct: In Islam, there definitely is the principle that "unto whom much is given, much shall be required."

That is, in fact, is the entire purpose of zakah, which is the "fourth pillar" of Islam. Zakah is a wealth tax; Muslims must annually give 2.5 percent on unused wealth accumulated over the course of the year to the poor and needy. The word zakah, in fact, means "purifying dues," because such a tax "purifies" the person from greed and miserliness. (Interestingly, some professors and directors of economic think tanks have recentlycalledforasimilartypeoftax.)

In the Quran, this concept is explicitly explained:

Verily, the human being is born with a restless disposition. [As a rule], whenever misfortune touches him, he is filled with self-pity; and whenever good fortune comes to him, he selfishly withholds it [from others]. Not so, however, those who consciously turn toward God in prayer. [And] who incessantly persevere in their prayer; and in whose possessions there is a due share, acknowledged [by them] for such as ask [for help] and such as are deprived [of what is good in life] (70:19-25).

Another passage in the Quran reads:

[But,] behold, the God-conscious will find themselves amid gardens and springs, enjoying all that their Sustainer will have granted them [because], verily, they were doers of good in the past: they would lie asleep during but a small part of the night and would pray for forgiveness from their innermost hearts; and [would assign] in all that they possessed a due share unto such as might ask [for help] and such as might suffer privation (51:15-19).

President Obama, in fact, is asking less of the rich than Jesus did. When a man came to Jesus asking how he can attain eternal life, he told him: "Go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me" (Mk. 10:21) and "How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!" (Mk. 10:23)

The President is only asking the rich to pay a few percentage points more than what they are paying now. In his latest budget, Obama proposed a 30 percent tax on those with incomes above $1,000,000. Conservative Christian leader Ralph Reed of the Faith and Freedom Coalition criticizedthisconcept, saying that tying this tax policy to Jesus’ teachings was "theologically threadbare and straining credulity." But it is Reed’s response that strains credulity.

The wealthy should pay their fair share of taxes. The obligation of those who are doing well to help those that are less fortunate is deeply rooted in the Judeo-Christian (and Islamic) traditions. This is because the ultimate source of this concept is the God of Abraham Himself who, despitethecontentionofsome, is worshipped by Muslims, Christians and Jews alike.

You would think that this common belief in a common Lord would bring people together on an issue such as this. But, this is the 2012 election season. Very little, it seems, makes sense.

In the Name of the Kind and Beautiful Precious Beloved

This was published in the Washington Post’s "On Faith" blog.

I was walking through my hospital one recent morning, and I looked out the window and beheld the American flag billowing in the breeze. It was truly beautiful, stirring my heart with love of country. When I see that flag, waving so proudly over the medical center’s campus, I think of the wondrous nature of my country: its beautiful blue skies, its amber waves of grain, its scenic ocean vistas, and its majestic mountain ranges. I think of the equally beautiful nature of her people – my people – who are kind and gentle, who welcome strangers into their hearts and neighborhoods, and who rally to help each other when in need. I think of the freedom for which that glorious symbol stands: the freedom to be who I want and worship the Lord however I see fit.

What I put out of my mind are the images of those four American Marines urinating on the corpses of dead Taliban fighters, which surfaced on a YouTube video last week; or the picture of an American soldier next to a dead Afghan civilian, showing off his “trophy” kill. More than just because they are repugnant images, I refuse to dwell on such stains on the national character because I know – in my heart – that those pictures and video clips do not represent the truth of America. I know that America is not what those images portray. That flag, which is also printed on the arms of those soldiers, does not symbolize the horrific nature of those sad incidents.

Sadly, however, there are many around the world who do not go through a similar exercise. When they see the very same image of the American flag, they will only think of these horrible videos and pictures. They will only see the bad that our nation has done, never knowing that true nature of our goodness and purity, the one that I see each and every day. And if anyone – following a sick and criminal mindset – were to attack an innocent American anywhere in the world, or right here at home, seeking to “avenge” the terrible images on the video, it would be a horrible travesty, worthy of the strongest condemnation. We Americans are not those Marines in that video. The truth about America is different than what that video portrays.

The same thing goes with American Muslims. The actions of extremists and terrorists, acting in the name of Islam, do not reflect the truth about our faith and our people. Those terrorists are depraved and Satanic criminals, twisting the beautiful and universal principles of our faith to seek a depraved and evil end. Just as we Americans are not responsible for those Marines urinating on those corpses, we American Muslims are not responsible for the actions of criminal extremists who act in our name. Just as it is wrong to attack Americans anywhere in the world in “revenge,” it is equally wrong to attack Muslims, or their houses of worship, in “revenge” for the crimes of extremists, which, sadly, occurs ever too frequently here in America.

If anything good can come out of this terrible incident, it is perhaps that more people can understand that the whole should never be blamed or symbolized by the crimes of the very few. A Muslim woman, who is courageous enough to wear a headscarf in deference to her faith and love for God, does not symbolize terrorism any more than the American flag symbolizes the crimes of those American Marines urinating on those corpses. If more can understand this, we will be all the better, both as a people and as a nation at large.

In the Name of the Kind and Beautiful Precious Beloved

I am no fan of the Taliban. I hate their barbaric distortion of Islam and their barbaric practices and tactics. They are as much my enemy as they are the enemy of the Afghan people. Also, I – like most Americans – grow weary of the war in Afghanistan, and I look forward to our troops finally coming home from that conflict.

Nevertheless, there is no excuse for what those Marines allegedly did on that video. Yes, the Taliban are our enemy. But, we don’t urinate on their corpses. That is not what Americans should do. Ever.

Imagine, for a moment, if Taliban fighters killed our soldiers, urinated on their corpses, and then posted that footage online. How would that make us feel? How outraged – totally rightly – would we be in this country? Just hypothesizing such a thing incenses me to an infinite degree. Thus, we cannot think that what these Marines allegedly did was excusable. We cannot praise what they did, not even for one second.

It reminds me of this verse of the Qur’an: “Never let your hatred move you to commit injustice…” (5:8). No matter how much those soldiers hated the Taliban, that should never give them justification to urinate on those dead bodies. The same is true with Muslim extremists. No matter what America or “the West” has done wrong (in their minds), this never makes attacking innocent American civilians justifiable. It never allows killing the innocent to be right.

Yet, there is another issue at work here. The actions of American soldiers around the world, right or wrong, reflect upon America as a whole. But everyone in America knows that this video is not the accurate reflection of America. This video does not represent the truth of who we are as a people and what our nation is all about. People cannot look use that video and judge all Americans by that truly repugnant footage. We Americans are not those soldiers on the video who acted in our name.

The same goes with extremists who act in Islam’s name. Their actions do not speak for all Muslims. Their crimes do not represent the overwhelming majority of Muslims. We Muslims are not those extremists who act in our name.

If there can be any good that comes out of this terrible episode, it is that perhaps people can understand that the whole can never be judged by the crimes of the few. Just as it would be terribly wrong to attack an innocent American tourist in London because of this video, it is terribly wrong to firebomb a mosque in NY because of the action of Muslim terrorists around the world. The whole is never like the crimes of the few. Never.

Read more: http://blog.beliefnet.com/commonwordcommonlord/2012/01/never-let-your-hatred-move-you-to-commit-injustice.html#ixzz1jJoTfz00

In the Name of the Kind and Beautiful Precious Beloved

The song "Without You," by David Guetta and featuring Usher is truly moving and inspirational. It is probably about a lover talking about his beloved, but what makes great art (and song) is its transcendent nature. If a song can be extrapolated to many instances, it is truly great. Such is the case with this one:

I can’t win, I can’t reign

I will never win this game
Without you, without you

I am lost, I am vain,
I will never be the same
Without you, without you

I won’t run, I won’t fly
I will never make it by
Without you, without you

I can’t rest, I can’t fight
All I need is you and I,
Without you, without…. You!

Can’t erase, so I’ll take blame
But I can’t accept that we’re Estranged
Without you, without you

I can’t quit now, this can’t be right
I can’t take one more sleepless night
Without you, without you

I won’t soar, I won’t climb
If you’re not here I’m paralyzed without you, without you

I can’t look, I’m so blind
Lost my heart, I lost my mind without you without… You!

I am lost, I am vain,
I will never be the same
Without you, without you, without you

When I heard this song, all I could do is look up to the sky and say, "I am dead, without You, my Beloved." He was there for me from the very beginning of my life. He gave me life when I was dead. He blessed me with a wonderful set of parents, who loved me deeply and stopped at nothing to give me, and my siblings, a great life. He gave me the strength to live as good a life as I could, helping me navigate the difficulties of growing up as both a child of immigrants and a Muslim in America.

He blessed me with a career in medicine, for which I am grateful each and every day. He blessed me with a love and passion for writing, for which I am grateful each and every day. He blessed me with my wife, without whom I would be forever lost and not the person I am today. He blessed me with four beautiful daughters, which fill me heart with warmth, and love, and grace.

One has already gone back to Him, and my heart cries out in pain every day for her loss. But, He has shown me nothing but love and comfort and grace ever since that day. There is not one step I take on this earth, which He has blessed me to be on, where I am not enveloped by His love and mercy. Indeed, I am dead without Him.

It is truly just as the song says: "Can’t erase/So I’ll take blame/But I can’t accept that we’re Estranged." Whenever I sin against Him, I estrange myself from Him. I fall from grace and place a barrier between His Beautiful Countenance and my ugly existence. And when that happens, I can’t erase what I did. I can’t take back my choice to take a different path, outside of His blessed one.

But, when I am alone on that path, and it is truly a lonely one, I simply can’t take it. It is cold, dark, damp, and horrific. I can’t breathe when I am there. I "can’t accept that we’re estranged," and so I must make my hijrah, my spiritual migration, back to the Precious Beloved. And when I set out, He comes with his Beautiful Touch and Soothing Mercy to help me along the way. He takes me by the hand and helps me along the path. And when I get back to His domain, I am greeted with a Grace unlike any other.

Indeed, I am dead without Him.

I could write on and on about the Precious Beloved and His Beauty and Wonder. I could write on and on about His Love, and Grace, and Mercy, and Blessing, and Light, and Warmth. Reflecting upon Him and all that He is could take a lifetime, and it would still fall far short of giving Him any semblance of justice. But, my entire life is my journey to get back to Him and His presence: "To Him we belong, and to Him we shall return," as the saying goes. I pray that He blesses me with the strength to be as best a servant as I can be, despite my ugly flaws and weaknesses.

That is because, indeed, I am truly dead without Him.

When I first heard Coldplay’s song, Paradise, I thought it was interesting, with a nice melody and theme. But, as I always do with the songs I place in my iPod and iPhone, I listened and reflected upon the lyrics of the song. And I found them to be quite profound:

When she was just a girl
She expected the world
But if flew away from her reach
So she ran away in her sleep
And dreamed of Paradise
Every time she closed her eyes

I understand the feeling of this girl (or even woman): she was hoping for so much from the world, but its ugly reality came crashing down, and it was difficult to bear. And so, her escape was to close her eyes and dream of Paradise, a truly wonderful place of felicity and peace. And it seems, when hearing the next stanza of the song, that her life was quite difficult and ugly indeed:

When she was just a girl
She expected the world
But it flew away from her reach
And the bullets catch in her teeth

Life goes on, it gets so heavy
The wheel breaks the butterfly
Every tear a waterfall

My God: her every tear is a waterfall. And so, it is natural that she would dream of Paradise, where she would at least be happy for a short time, "every time she closed her eyes." It makes me think of these hard times, when so many people are suffering from deprivation, hunger, war, famine: it is hard – nay, impossible – to endlessly endure such difficulty without having an escape of some kind. For this girl or woman, it was closing her eyes and dreaming of Paradise.

We should all try to do the same: try to find a place, whether in our mind, or in a park, or on a beach, or in our house, where we can escape the madness of this world and be in a sort of "Paradise." For me, this escape should be in my daily prayer: where I leave this world and enter into the presence of the Lord and have a conversation with Him. Yet, sadly, I am too weak for this to happen for me. My faith is not strong enough for me to go to Paradise five times daily. I am truly sorry for this, but I am what I am.

Yet, my own "waterfall tears" fell when I heard this part of the song:

In the night, the stormy night, she’ll close her eyes
In the night, the stormy night, away she’d fly
And dreams of Paradise

I thought of my eldest daughter, who passed away on June 7, 2009. On the last night of her life, she was suffocated under the crushing weight of a "stormy night." The infection ravaged her poor, defenseless body, and she had no chance. And thus, later that morning, she "flew away" to her Lord. And I – along with my wife – was left crying out in unbearable pain at her loss. It has been more than two years, but it is still so hard. And when I heard these words in the song, I couldn’t help but cry. This feeling is especially raw because her birthday is today: December 30. I miss her so much, and it is going to be quite hard working today, having to write 12/30 over and over again in my patients’ hospital charts. Lord help me.

Yet, despite the darkness, there is always hope. Yes, every single day, my wife and I endure the pain of the loss of our daughter. But, the Lord has also blessed us, as His word states: "Verily, with every hardship comes ease. Verily, with every hardship comes ease." (94:6-7) He has comforted us a lot ever since that dark, dark day in June 2009. And thus, all of us, should never lose hope. There can always be a better day. It is just as the song says:

And so lying underneath those stormy skies
She’d say, "I know the sun must set to rise."
This could be Paradise

While I don’t think this world – as a whole – "could be Paradise," still, there is always hope. We must always hold on to hope, because without hope, it is quite hard to keep going in the midst of the darkness of this world and, in fact, the human condition. Without hope, there is no way I can endure working today, my late daughter’s birthday. Indeed, the "sun must set to rise," and just as, God willing, I will make it through this terrible date, we shall, God willing, make it in the end. That is because, the Lord our God is an Awesome God.

In the Name of the Kind and Beautiful Precious Beloved Lord

Today was always a special day for me, ever since my university days. For three years of my life, I would have this day off, in fact. I would do nothing special on this day, but it was still nice not to have to attend any classes. Before I attended Marquette University, I had no idea that this special day even existed. Nevertheless, ever since that time, there is a special place in my heart for this day: the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

Now, naturally, I had thought this day was about Christ (pbuh). Yet, I was surprised to learn that the Feast of the Immaculate Conception was not about Christ, but rather his mother, Mary (pbuh). Her story is especially beautiful, as it is recounted in Scripture:

when a woman of [the House of] `Imran prayed: “O my Sustainer! Behold, unto Thee do I vow [the child] that is in, my womb, to be devoted to Thy service. Accept it, then, from me: verily, Thou alone art all-hearing, all-knowing!” But when she had given birth to the child, she said: “O my Sustainer! Behold, I have given birth to a female” – the while God had been fully aware of what she would give birth to, and the male is not like the female – “and I have named her Mary. And, verily, I seek Thy protection for her and her offspring against Satan, the accursed. And thereupon her Sustainer accepted the girl-child with goodly acceptance, and caused her to grow up in goodly growth…

It may surprise you that this story is not from the Bible, but rather the Qur’an (3:35-37). Indeed, the story of Jesus and his mother (peace be upon them) is in several places in the Qur’an, and the Virgin Mary, in fact, is the only woman mentioned by name in the Qur’an. She is also the only woman to have an entire chapter of the Qur’an named after her.

That is why this day, December 8, is special for me. No, it is not a religious holiday for me. It is not a “Holy Day of Obligation” for me as a Muslim. Yet, that does not mean that the subject of this day, the Holy Virgin, is not very special to me. Indeed she is. In fact, the Qur’an sets up the example of the Virgin Mary as the model of what a true believer should be:

And [We have propounded yet another parable of God-consciousness in the story of] Mary, the daughter of Imran, who guarded her chastity, whereupon We breathed of Our spirit into that [which was in her womb], and who accepted the truth of her Sustainer’s words – and [thus,] of His revelations – and was one of the truly devout. (66:12)

Indeed, I will be truly successful if I am just a fraction as good as the Virgin Mary. What’s more, in the verses I quoted above from Chapter 3, there is an alternative interpretation of the literal phrase, “and the male is not like the female.” According to the classical commentator Zamakshari, whose interpretation I share, this phrase actually means:

The male [child] which she had prayed for could not have been like the female which she was granted” – which implies that Mary’s excellence would go far beyond any hopes which her mother had ever entertained.

I like this meaning much more. I have said before, and I say again, that I pray the Lord God on High that I may enter His garden and be admitted into the company of the Prophets. And then, I hope to seek out the Virgin Mary, greet her emphatically, and kiss her hand. It would be the best gift the Lord could ever bestow.

Read more: http://blog.beliefnet.com/commonwordcommonlord/#ixzz1g0XTokoe

In the Name of the Kind and Beautiful Precious Beloved

I was listening to one of my favorite programs, NPR’s Fresh Air, and the show was about the Nobel Prize in Physics, which was awarded to two teams of scientists who showed that the expansion of the Universe is actually accelerating. It is quite fascinating, and I encourage you to listen to the show.

Astrophysicist Saul Perlmutter, who was interviewed in the show, said:

When we started getting results that showed that it was not slowing … [that] in fact it wasn’t slowing at all — it was speeding up — it was a pretty big shock. At the time, when you first get those results, it doesn’t worry you too much … because you know you haven’t finished doing the calibration. The more we did the calibration, the more the results didn’t go away.

He explained it this way:

It would be a little like throwing an apple up in the air and you would expect that it would be pulled back down due to gravity. What we were seeing was a little bit like throwing the apple up in the air and seeing it blast off into space.

These findings have led scientists to hypothesize that “empty space” is not empty at all:

The results of Perlmutter, Riess and Schmidt’s research may suggest that the empty space in the universe isn’t really empty — that it might be filled with what scientists called dark energy. The dark energy, spread throughout the universe, is thought to be associated with all empty space and is somehow working against gravity to push the universe apart faster and faster.

You know, there has been so much that has been said and written about the conflict between religion and science. In the minds of many, I suspect, religion and science are polar opposites. I see it quite differently.

In the wonders of science, I see the wonders of God and His creative powers. When I was listening to the show, I could not help but remember this verse of the Qur’an:

AND IT IS We [God] who have built the universe with [Our creative] power; and, verily, it is We who are steadily expanding it. (51:47)

In that expanding Universe, in “them thar hills,” I see the Lord Our God.

Read more: http://blog.beliefnet.com/commonwordcommonlord/2011/11/in-them-thar-hills-i-see-god.html#ixzz1dqhY5Gq7

In the Name of the Kind and Beautiful Precious Beloved

I first heard it while waiting for my eye exam in the mall. My eldest daughter and I both liked it, and I used my Shazam App to identify the song: "Go on, girl.", by Ne-Yo. The song begins with a beautiful, serene melody which is quite soothing. The narrator speaks of his resilience in the face of the infidelity of his girlfriend/wife:

I can’t get it back, but
I don’t want it back, I
Realized that,
She don’t know how to act
Never been a dumb dude
No I’m not dense
I Just had a slight lack
Of common sense
I was the good guy
She was the bad girl
I’m thinking one girl
She thinking me, earl James and jimmy
Yep she had plenty
But love for me, she didn’t have any

He continues speaking about the misdeeds of his (former) woman:

I can’t get it back, but
I don’t want it back, I
Realized that,
She don’t know how to act
Tried to settle down and look what I get
Thought it was my time, but I guess not yet
She at the bar getting drinks from many men
I’m in the house, thinking shes with her girlfriends
Just not knowing, truly not knowing
I look back now like, man, I was open

I am so very blessed that I have never been faced with such betrayal. And I pray that neither I, nor anyone else, is ever faced with the betrayal of the person he or she loves. Yet, when I heard this part of the song, it made me think of someone very special to me:

I was inviting, her into my heart
But she was out riding in some other man’s car
She was my night time, thought I was her star
Guess I was wrong, but see I’m strong
Wont take long for me to move on

I thought to myself, "Who – besides my wife – did I invite into my heart?" And it was unmistakable: the daughter I lost to lymphoma in 2009. Actually, I didn’t invite her in; she just leapt right in there from the very minute she was born, and I was forever enthralled. As I listened to the song and Ne-Yo’s awesome voice, I kept thinking about my daughter and how much I loved her (and still do). I kept thinking about her beauty of spirit and soul; her kindness as well as gentle and angelic nature.

She never, ever betrayed me like this woman did to the song’s narrator. Not only was she my "night time," but she was also my "star," the brightest, most illustrious star in my night time sky. I cherished every single moment we ever had together, even when it was in the hospital during my "shift" to stay with her, after my wife did the same.

Towards the end of her life, she was totally unable to walk, and thus I would frequently have to carry her inside people’s houses and the like. I could tell that people would look at me carrying her and feel sorry for me. But, I swear before the Beautiful Face of the Lord, I was the happiest man on earth. Inside, my heart was singing because I was enjoying the company of my beautiful daughter. She was so special to me, the most beautiful gift of the Most Beautiful in the universe.

You know, I am really impressed by this man’s strength and fortitude in the face of betrayal:

Please don’t worry bout me I’m fine
Only gonna play the fool one time
Trust me when I say
That I’ll be OK
Go on girl
Go on girl
Go on girl

The mistake I made is clear
(we never should’ve been together)
Thats the reason you’re not here
(I know that I can do much better)
Not a single salty tear
Not a feeling in my chest
Baby I’m feeling no stress
I’m too fly to be depressed

Yet, I am not "too fly" to admit that I have shed so many a "salty tear" since my girl "went on" to her Lord. I am not "too fly" to admit that I have had a lot of pain in my chest, unlike the narrator, since she passed away. Sometimes, the pain is so severe that I can hardly breathe. Even though it has been over two years, it still really, really hurts. I miss her so very much. When she moved into my heart and then left, the empty space she left behind will never be filled again. I will never be the same person ever again. I am not "too fly" to admit that I am still in a lot of pain, Lord, and I really, really miss my baby.

When I reflect over these things, while listening to the soothing and beautiful melody of the song, I can’t help but cry. But, just like the song’s narrator says:

Trust me when I say
That I’ll be OK

because I have the Lord my God with me. I know that "I can’t get [my daughter] back." She is gone. Yes, my Lord can do such things, but such miracles are not of this age.

But, "I’ll be OK" because my Beloved is walking with me, comforting me as I "go on" in my life on this earth. Yes, on so many days, the pain in my chest gets so sharp; my chest becomes tight and heavy with the grief of her loss; my eyes are flooded with many a "salty tear." But, when it gets bad, my Precious Beloved is right there, sending down His Sweet Comfort so that I can keep on going without completely breaking down.

My Beloved gave me such a beautiful gift when he let my daughter come into my heart and set up shop there. And when she went back to Him, despite my "salty tears" and pains in my chest, He told me that "I’ll be OK," and that I will see her once again. So, I will try to live the best life I can so that, by the grace of the Healer of Hearts, I will see her standing at the gates of my Lord’s Paradise, waiting for me and my wife, so that we can all walk in together, hand in hand. I pray that it happens, because then, "Trust me when I say/That I’ll be OK."

Here we go again: an Iranian Pastor, Youcef Nadarkhani, faces execution if he does not recant his conversion to Christianity. Last year, Mr. Nadarkhani was found guilty of “apostasy” last year, which was upheld by the Iranian Supreme Court. Now, if he does not recant, he could be executed.

Why? Why should he be executed? Because he left Islam? That is totally his choice.

What I do not understand is this claim, by many Muslims, that anyone who leaves the faith does so upon pain of death. From where did this come? Clearly not the Qur’an. A cursory reading of even a poor translation of the Qur’an would reveal that Islam places the sanctity of human life at the utmost of importance:

And do not take any human being’s life – [the life] which God has willed to be sacred – otherwise than in [the pursuit] of justice… (17:33)

And do not kill yourselves, for God has been merciful to you. (4:29)

Furthermore, the freedom to choose one’s own spiritual path is tantamount in the Qur’an; one only has to look, and it would not be hard to find:

Unto every one of you have We appointed a [different] law and way of life. And if God had so willed, He could surely have made you all one single community: but [He willed it otherwise] in order to test you by means of what He has vouchsafed unto you… (5:48)

For had God so willed, He could surely have made you all one single community; however, He lets go astray that wills [to go astray], and guides aright him that wills [to be guided]; and you will surely be called to account for all that you ever did! (16:93)

There shall be no coercion in matters of faith. Distinct has now become the right way from [the way of] error… (2:256)

Say [O Muhammad], ‘The truth is from your Lord:’ Let him who wills believe it, and let him who wills, reject (it). (18:29)

If it had been your Lord’s will, they all would have believed – all who are on earth. Will you, then, compel the people, against their will, to believe? (10:99)

Have, then, they who have attained to faith not yet come to know that, had God so willed, He would indeed have guided all mankind aright? (13:31) And [because He is your Creator], it rests with God alone to show you the right path: yet there is [many a one] who swerves from it. However, had He so willed, He would have guided you all aright. (16:9)

It is not required of thee (O Messenger), to set them on the right path, but God sets on the right path whom He pleases. (2:272)

The evidence is overwhelming: Islam firmly upholds freedom of choice in matters of faith. In fact, it is part of God’s plan to have different faiths and to allow the humans to choose their own path. What’s more, the Qur’an states that the reason war is sometimes necessary- as a last resort and in self-defense – is to preserve religious freedom:

If God had not enabled people to defend themselves against one another, [all] monasteries and churches and synagogues and mosques – in [all of] which Gods name is abundantly extolled – would surely have been destroyed. (22:40)

Moreover, the Qur’an is not silent about apostasy. There are numerous references to apostasy, but not one verse says the apostate is to be killed for his or her choice:

… [Your enemies] will not cease to fight against you till they have turned you away from your faith, if they can. But if any of you should turn away from his faith and die as a denier of the truth – these it is whose works will go for naught in this world and in the life to come; and these it is who are destined for the fire, therein to abide. (2:217)

Verily, as for those who are bent on denying the truth after having attained to faith, and then grow [ever more stubborn] in their refusal to acknowledge the truth, their repentance [of other sins] shall not be accepted: for it is they who have truly gone astray. (3:90)

O you who have attained to faith! If you ever abandon your faith, God will in time bring forth [in your stead] people whom He loves and who love Him – humble towards the believers, proud towards all who deny the truth: [people] who strive hard in God’s cause, and do not fear to be censured by anyone who might censure them: such is God’s favor, which He grants unto whom He wills. And God is infinite, all-knowing. (5:54)

Any one who, after accepting faith in God, utters unbelief – except under compulsion, his heart remaining firm in faith – but such as open their breast to unbelief, on them is wrath from Allah, and theirs will be a dreadful penalty. This because they love the life of this world better than the hereafter: and God will not guide those who reject faith. (16:106-107)

And even if someone were to leave Islam multiple times, there still is no death penalty imposed on him. The following verses are effective proof of this:

Behold, as for those who come to believe, and then deny the truth, and again come to believe, and again deny the truth, and thereafter grow stubborn in their denial of the truth, God will not forgive them, nor will He guide them in any way. (4:137)

Do the above Qur’anic verses warn of a severe chastisement for apostasy? Absolutely. In fact, these verses are akin to this passage in the Bible: “Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you; (For the Lord thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the Lord thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth.” (Deut. 6:14-15)

Apostasy is chastised to some degree by all the Abrahamic faiths. Yet, could it be any clearer that the punishment addressed in the Qur’an is in the hereafter and not the here and now?

Given this enormous and overwhelming evidence against a scriptural basis for the murder of apostates, how could any Muslim cleric claim that Islam calls for the murder of apostates? What sort of faith keeps its adherents in its fold by threatening death if one leaves?

If Islam claims that the humans have complete freedom of will – which they do – then how can an apostate be killed? What kind of faith is so threatened by the rebellion of some of its adherents that it mandates they be murdered? Contrary to the contention of many, Islam is not that kind of faith.

Let the Pastor Go Free.

This first appeared on my Beliefnet Blog: Common Word, Common Lord.