Translation by MEMRI, the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), an
independent, non-profit organization that translates and analyzes the media of
the Middle East.
November 1, 2001
Khaled Muhammad Batrafi, a Saudi columnist for the London daily Al-Hayat,
recently published an article headlined “Why do we hate the People of the
Book?” (namely – Christians and Jews) in which he tells of a religious argument
he had with a friend regarding the annihilation of Christians and Jews.
The argument took place following a sermon at a mosque that called for their
annihilation. In sermons of this kind, said Batrafi, the preachers usually cite
Koranic verses and selected interpretations of the scriptures to incite believers
against Christians and Jews.
Batrafi, who is strongly opposed to such incitement, based his arguments on
religious Islamic premises in order to convince his friend that the legacy of the
Prophet Muhammad does not require Muslims to hate Christians and Jews,
contrary to the sermon the two had just heard. The following are excerpts from
the article:(1)
“The preacher called for the death and annihilation of Christians
and Jews; he called to make their children orphans and their wives widows.
After prayers, I told my friend: ‘These are words of heresy.'”
“My friend replied: ‘Do you support ? If so, the words
of Allah apply to you: ‘Whoever supports them – belongs to them.'”
“I answered: ‘The Prophet did not call for the annihilation of the
“People of the Book,” but for their righteous behavior. He called to
hold a dialogue with them: ‘Say to the People of the Book: Let us agree upon
what we share, namely, that we worship none but Allah, and that we associate
no partner with Him’ (3:64). He also said: ‘Allah does not
forbid you to be kind and just towards those who have not fought you because
of your religion, and who have not driven you from your homes (60:8).'”
“My friend said: ‘But the People of the Book of our day are not the People of
the Book of the days of the Prophet. Because those of our day have associated
other gods with Allah and
have introduced into their religion things that Allah has not commanded . In addition, they fought us and drove us out of our
homes.'”
“I said: ‘But they were like that in the days of the Prophet too. Did the Prophet
not say: ‘They are indeed infidels who say: God is the Messiah, son of Mary’
(5:17, 5:72). Despite that, he called for a dialogue with them, because they
belong to the People of the Book…”
“ the those who fought us and drove us out of our
homes does not refer to Christians and Jews, visiting us as our
guests, and who are protected by the pacts we give them, guarantee their
safety… , the Prophet’s recommendation to his armies (regarding the
“People of the Book) was: ‘Do not kill an infant, an old man, a woman, or a
priest in his place of solitude; do not uproot a tree and do not dry up a well.'”
“My friend said: ‘But the civilians pay taxes and support
the policies of their governments against the Muslims.'”
“I said: ‘Do you think that any citizen living in the West, even the Muslims
among them, can avoid paying taxes? Besides, who told you that everyone who
pays taxes automatically supports his government’s policy? Can make
claims against people because of their intentions and feelings?
If this were true, the Prophet would have made claims against the
relatives of those who fought against him because of their support of their
kinsmen and would have ordered them killed. Did the Prophet
punish the sister of the polytheist Al-Nadhr bin Al-Harith? Did he say that her
blood was permissible, because of the poem she wrote…?'”
“My friend said: ‘But did not the Prophet decree… one month for the
annihilation of the infidels of the Qureish , because they captured and
tortured some Muslims?'”
“I said: ‘The answer is in your own question. Why did He call for their
annihilation in that month alone, and not call for their annihilation on other
occasions? This was a limited response to a specific act, or, in the words of
Allah: ‘No blame attaches to those who exact due retribution after they have
been wronged (42:41),’ and also ‘If you desire to exact retribution, then adjust
the penalty to the wrong you have suffered (16:126)…'”
“My friend said: ‘Had the Christians and Jews not been impure, Allah would not
have ordered them driven out of the Arabian Peninsula, that was
carried out by Caliph Omar Ibn Al-Khattab when he drove the Jews out of
Khaybar?'”
“I said: ‘Once again, the answer is in your question. Why didn’t the Prophet
and Abu Bakr drive them out?
why did Omar Ibn Al-Khattab not drive the Jews out of Najran and Yemen?'”
“Regarding the Jews of Khaybar: the Prophet waged war against them and
expelled them from Al-Madina to Khaybar. They persisted in their enmity
towards the Muslims and could not feel safe about them. Reason
dictated that they be driven from the fortified Khaybar to Wadi Al-Qara near
Tabouk, that is, in the Arabian Peninsula.”
“, the Prophet died with his shield being guarded by a Jew. The
Prophet customarily responded to the calls and visited their
sick. He visited a Jew who was on his deathbed, and called on him to convert
to Islam. The young man turned his eyes to his father, who said to him: ‘Obey,
Abu Qassem. He converted to Islam and died as a Muslim.'”
“Could such a thing have happened unless the relations with the other side
were humane and natural? Can a preacher with a heart full of animosity
towards the believers of other religions speak with enthusiasm to persuade
them is a religion of mercy and tolerance? Allah, do not punish us
for the deeds of these idiots.”
Endnote:
(1) Al-Hayat (London), October 21, 2001.
