[Tariqas] Article: Afghans struggle over Christian convert issue

[frank gaude']

"International pressure on Afghanistan to respect Rahman’s religious 
freedom and release him from jail has been met in Afghanistan by calls 
for him to be tried under Islamic law and executed, and a threat of 
rebellion if the government frees him." -- Reuters News Agency, 25 March 
2006

Thank you, Siraj, for reminding us of what Islam is. For many years, and 
still do sometimes, I've read al Qur'an for 20 minutes a day. I can't 
recall any place therein where there is "force in religion", and when 
you think of it how could there be? Allah is God no matter how we wish 
to call Such, and there is nothing that is not Allah (Light-Love).

Would you say Sharia Law follows not the spirit and letter of al Qur'an? 
Or are we to understand that such Law has come about by the leaders of 
the Islamic Religion?

My studies of the origins of Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and 
Hinduism lead me to feel that the followers of the followers of the 
followers mostly don't follow the teachings of the Master of such 
religions. Though it seems that ever prophet, Master points clearly to 
the view that opposing theories, opinions, views, are aspects of one 
eternal Truth, and really, we can know that Truth while in the body. I 
guess it is the same old human fear and greed, the thrust to control 
masses of people (starting at the physical family level), that leaders 
do what they do: indoctrinate, intimidate. <sigh>

But all is of Allah, is Allah, no separation, when viewed, sensed at a 
sufficiently high level of state and station.

Thank you dear Lord, for all Thy bounty and blessings.

Love, only love,
tanzen

Elschot, W.B. wrote:
> Dear Tanzen,
>
> Islam is a moderate religion. Afghani people are moderate
> people. Sufism is important in Afghanistan. There are
> Naqshbandiyya of the silent type and Chishtiyya of the
> musical type. Afghani people in general have a sense of
> humour. 
>
> The Qur'an is quite clear in the second sura that there is
> no force in religion. Islam is a religion of tolerance. It
> respects other points of view. It is a balanced religion
> containing legalistic points of view and issues dealing
> with inner development. Some people stress one point over
> the other and thus the balance gets lost.
>
> Afghani people are in general not fanatical. Their point of
> view is one of live and let live. I'm not speaking from a
> theoretical point of view. I've been in Afghanistan and
> thus have started to like this country in all its
> diversity. Recently I have even translated a book from Dari
> into Dutch dealing with the Sufi path. 
>
> Shaykh Abdullah Ansari, who wrote the original about a
> thousand years ago was not an easy going man. He called a
> pade a spade when it concerned things of importance. The
> book I've translated however ends with some beautiful words
> about love. He was not only a scholar but also a lover. He
> loved God and thus loved His creatures. 
>
> The Afghani man who became a Christian appears to be a real
> Christian. He is not a weakling who changes his opinion
> under pressure. When we meet a true believer it doesn't
> matter what his religion is. A true believer is one who has
> received a blessing from God, belief. When Mansur al-Hallaj
> was under pressure he prayed for the common people of
> Baghdad and asked God to forgive them as they did not know
> what they did.
>
> God is greater than we can imagine. His mercy is stronger
> than His wrath. Why are we all so slow in learning and
> practicing the real thing. May God help the poor man who is
> mentioned by Tanzen.
>
> Mohammed Siraj Elschot
>
>
>
>
> On Sat, 25 Mar 2006 10:34:50 -0800
>  Tanzen Two-feather <tanzen at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>   
>> Afghans struggle over Christian convert issue
>> Afghan officials, trying to resolve a crisis over an
>> Afghan who may face 
>> the death penalty for converting to Christianity,
>> struggled on Saturday 
>> to satisfy conflicting international and domestic
>> demands:
>>
>>      http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12009717/from/ET/
>>
>> May we have a quiet discussion about this matter?
>>
>> Does not holy Qur'an state in several places that
>> "freedom of religion" 
>> is required? Where does Muhammad state that a person
>> should be executed 
>> if he/she converts from one religion to another?
>>
>> Having "faith in our beliefs" can drive us to doing
>> things that are 
>> alien to love, only love,
>> tanzen
>>
>>
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>
>
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