Rebuttal to Sam Shamoun’s article “Should Muslims Accept Peace or Not?”

Islam and Warfare

 

Shamoun wrote:

Muhammad is reported to have said that war is deceit:

Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Prophet said, "Khosrau will be ruined, and there will be no Khosrau after him, and Caesar will surely be ruined and there will be no Caesar after him, and you will spend their treasures in Allah's Cause." He called, "War is deceit". (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 52, Number 267)

Narrated Jabir bin 'Abdullah:
The Prophet said, "War is deceit." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 52, Number 269)

This basically means that Muslims can use lies and deception when they feel that they are in war against the unbelievers.

 

My response:

What an unbelievable interpretation you made from this statement that war is deceit. I don’t know how you get such ideas.

 

Shamoun wrote:

There is no greater proof for this than what we find in the Quran.

For example, the Quran permits Muslims to accept a peace treaty from the unbelievers whom they are fighting:

But if they incline to peace, you also incline to it, and (put your) trust in God. Verily, He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower. S. 8:61

 

 

 

My response:

The "reason to fear treachery" must not, of course, be based on mere surmise but on clear, objective evidence (Tabari, Baghawi, Razi; also Mandr X, 58).

 

Sam Sgamoun then goes on to give more verses and commentaries similar to the one given above. They have not been listed as the point is made but then he quotes a verse to make an allegation which is listed below.

 

Shamoun wrote:

This is expressly contradicted by the following text:

So be not weak and ask not for peace (from the enemies of Islâm), while you are having the upper hand. God is with you, and will never decrease the reward of your good deeds. S. 47:35 Hilali-Khan

 

 

My response:

Shamoun criticizes that the Quran says to not have peace when you are winning.

I think that Shamoun needs to learn some English before making such comments. The verse above orders the Muslims to not ask for peace and the previous verses talked about the enemies asking for peace. 

47:35

AND SO, [when you fight in a just cause,] do not lose heart and [never] beg for peace: for, seeing that God is with you, you are bound to rise high [in the end]; [I.e., even if the fortunes of war go against them, the consciousness of having fought in the cause of truth and justice is bound to enhance the inner strength of the believers and, thus, to become a source of their future greatness and never will He let your [good] deeds go to waste.

The remaining article of Shamoun is a total waste of time as he shows that he lacks basic English skills. He cannot differentiate between them asking for peace and the believers asking for peace.