"But unfortunately not everyone does it that way, and it's these Muslims who alienate Islam and create a bad name for the rest of you."
Yes dear friend, this is unfortunately true. The problem is that there is a wide schism between the Practical and Theoretical Islam. There are many reasons for this, among them is that there is no real Islamic leadership in power to lead the Muslim communities. The Muslim ruler is vital for he is the role model to be followed and the power to amend the mistakes and adjust the behaviour. If you have a look at the Islamic history, you will find that when Muslims were united in a well-led state, with the rulers being real embodiment of the teachings, they dominated a vast area of the world within a short period.
1- Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, had a Jewish neighbour who used to throw rubbish and dirt in front of the Prophet's house, as a sign for hatred. Every time the man threw the dirt, the Prophet just removed them...Until a day came when the Prophet didn't see any rubbish outside his door..
He asked the neighbourhood about the Jewish man, and they told him he was sick...
The prophet simply went to his house to check him out!
2- When Prophet Muhammad, peace be be upon him, recaptured Makkah, he just forgave every person there...These people killed many Muslims before, enslaved many others, and hurt the prophet a lot in the past...and he just forgave them!
Through out the Islamic history, Jews and Christians as well as other minorities used to live peacefully side by side with Muslims...
3- The Southeast Asia and large area of Africa embraced Islam because of the good conduct of the Arab Muslim traders who were honest, trustworthy and kind in their commercial dealings? This refutes the claim that Islam spead at the edge of the sword.
And I think you agree with me that to judge any religion or ideology, it is the teachings and principles which should be probed, not the misbehaviour of the followers.
Only silly and biased Muslims or any non-Christians in general would say, for instance, that the some 40 millions of people who were killed during the first and second world wars were a real manifestation of how cruel the Christian teachings are!
"But unfortunately not everyone does it that way, and it's these Muslims who alienate Islam and create a bad name for the rest of you."
Yes dear friend, this is unfortunately true. The problem is that there is a wide schism between the Practical and Theoretical Islam. There are many reasons for this, among them is that there is no real Islamic leadership in power to lead the Muslim communities. The Muslim ruler is vital for he is the role model to be followed and the power to amend the mistakes and adjust the behaviour. If you have a look at the Islamic history, you will find that when Muslims were united in a well-led state, with the rulers being real embodiment of the teachings, they dominated a vast area of the world within a short period.
If you excuse me to give you just 3 examples of the practical Islam and how it attracts other to it (I will copy the first two examples with some linguistic corrections from: http://www.religiousforums.com/forum/religious-debates/59867-what-do-you...):
1- Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, had a Jewish neighbour who used to throw rubbish and dirt in front of the Prophet's house, as a sign for hatred. Every time the man threw the dirt, the Prophet just removed them...Until a day came when the Prophet didn't see any rubbish outside his door..
He asked the neighbourhood about the Jewish man, and they told him he was sick...
The prophet simply went to his house to check him out!
2- When Prophet Muhammad, peace be be upon him, recaptured Makkah, he just forgave every person there...These people killed many Muslims before, enslaved many others, and hurt the prophet a lot in the past...and he just forgave them!
Through out the Islamic history, Jews and Christians as well as other minorities used to live peacefully side by side with Muslims...
3- The Southeast Asia and large area of Africa embraced Islam because of the good conduct of the Arab Muslim traders who were honest, trustworthy and kind in their commercial dealings? This refutes the claim that Islam spead at the edge of the sword.
And I think you agree with me that to judge any religion or ideology, it is the teachings and principles which should be probed, not the misbehaviour of the followers.
Only silly and biased Muslims or any non-Christians in general would say, for instance, that the some 40 millions of people who were killed during the first and second world wars were a real manifestation of how cruel the Christian teachings are!