My Rebuttal to Sam Shamoun’s article

Can One Be A Believer in God And Oppose Muhammad At The Same Time?

 

You can find this article here

 

http://www.answering-islam.de/Main/Quran/Contra/believers_resist.html

 

 

Shamoun Wrote: 

The Quran makes the following claim:

Thou wilt not find any people who believe in God and the Last Day, loving those who resist God and His Apostle, even though they were their fathers or their sons, or their brothers, or their kindred. For such He has written Faith in their hearts, and strengthened them with a spirit from Himself. And He will admit them to Gardens beneath which Rivers flow, to dwell therein (for ever). God will be well pleased with them, and they with Him. They are the Party of God. Truly it is the Party of God that will achieve Felicity. Sura 58:22 Yusuf Ali

You will not find any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day, making friendship with those who oppose Allah and His Messenger even though they were their fathers, or their sons, or their brothers, or their kindred (people). … Al-Hilali & Khan

Note that this first sentence in this verse is not a command but it is formulated as a statement of fact. A command is not invalidated by the existence of some or even many people who disobey it. But a general claim stating something as a certain fact can easily be proven wrong by providing counterexamples.

The first statement in the above quoted verse is wrong for several reasons.

I find it hard to imagine that there do not exist converts to Islam (whether former Christians, agnostics, atheists, pagans, or else), i.e. people who now sincerely believe in Allah and the Last Day but who still love their fathers or sons and brothers despite their disbelief in Islam and rejection of Muhammad as a messenger from God. Taken as a statement of fact about all Muslims this claim in Sura 58:22 was certainly as wrong in Muhammad’s time as it is wrong today. As fierce and harsh as some Muslims can be, most Muslims are quite normal people, and the above statement cannot possibly be true of all Muslims in the way it is stated.

 

My Response: 

Let us analyze the verse

 

“You shall not find a people who believe in Allah and the latter day befriending those who act in opposition to Allah and His Apostle, even though they were their (own) fathers, or their sons, or their brothers, or their kinsfolk; these are they into whose hearts He has impressed faith, and whom He has strengthened with an inspiration from Him: and He will cause them to enter gardens beneath which rivers flow, abiding therein; Allah is well-pleased with them and they are well-pleased with Him these are Allah's party: now surely the party of Allah are the successful ones.” (Shakir’s Translation. 58:22)

 

First “Man Hadda” is referring to those who have hostility against Allah and his messenger. The behavior towards the normal non-Muslims who are not hostile against Allah and his messengers if described in these verses.

 

“Allah forbids you not, with regard to those who fight you not for (your) Faith nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them: for Allah loveth those who are just.” (Quran 60:8)

The next verse says

“Allah only forbids you, with regard to those who fight you for (your) Faith, and drive you out of your homes, and support (others) in driving you out, from turning to them (for friendship and protection). It is such as turn to them (in these circumstances), that do wrong.” (Quran 60:9)

The Quran does not stop us from being friendly towards the non-Muslims as long as they are not against Islam.

 

Anyone who has little bit of common sense will realize what is Allah (SWT) talking about in this verse. Allah (SWT) in this verse is not talking about those who simply say there is One God and believe in last day but he is talking about the True Believers as the verse says “these are they into whose hearts he has impressed faith.” Many Muslims are merely name sake Muslims who are born in a Muslim family where as they do not practice anything of Islam. The Quran says

“O ye who believe! Believe in God and His Apostle..” (Quran 4:136)

I want to know which Muslim does not believe in Allah and his apostle Muhammad (pbuh)??Allah (SWT) in this verse is talking about those namesake Muslims who profess faith but in reality, they do not present anything of Islam.

 

Shamoun Wrote: 

Anyone who knows the Christian faith knows that Christians believe in God and in the Last Day.

Moreover, there are plenty of Christians (i.e. people who believe in God and the Last Day) who love other Christians who also resist and oppose Islam. To be specific: My father is a devout Christian who loves me, the author of this article, and I obviously resist and oppose Muhammad and his message. And there are plenty of other Christians around me, who love me and have made friendship with me. Thus, Sura 58:22 is objectively wrong.

 

My Response:

First, we shall analyze here whether the Christians are really considered the ones who have faith or not. Allah in this verse as I proved above is talking about the True believers. Let’s see whether the Christians are believers or not.

 

The Quran says

 

“They do blaspheme who say: "God is Christ the son of Mary." But said Christ: "O Children of Israel! worship God, my Lord and your Lord." Whoever joins other gods with God,- God will forbid him the garden, and the Fire will be his abode. There will for the wrong-doers be no one to help.” (Quran 5:72)

” They do blaspheme who say: God is one of three in a Trinity: for there is no god except One God. If they desist not from their word (of blasphemy), verily a grievous penalty will befall the blasphemers among them.” (Quran 5:73)

 

So how can Shamoun count himself among those who have faith? All those Christians who believe Jesus as God or believe in Trinity or commit other blasphemies do not have faith. They are referred to as unbelievers.

 

 

 

Shamoun Wrote:

However, this statement is not only factually wrong, it also creates a logical contradiction in the Quran because the Quran itself states explicitly that Christians are among those who believe in God and in the Last Day:

Those who believe (in the Qur'an), and those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), and the Christians and the Sabians,- any who believe in God and the Last Day, and work righteousness, shall have their reward with their Lord; on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. S. 2:62

Those who believe (in the Qur'an), those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), and the Sabians and the Christians,- any who believe in God and the Last Day, and work righteousness,- on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. S. 5:69

And the Quran is adamant in its claim that Christians and Muslims believe in the same one God:

 

My Response:

The Quran again in the above verses is speaking about those Christians who do not blaspheme. Those who believe in Allah and the last day. Anyone who blasphemes against Allah and his messenger is not a believer.

 

Allah in this verse is talking about those who follow their scripture. If they do follow their own scripture, they have to believe in Muhammad (pbuh). The Quran says

 

“Those who follow the apostle, the unlettered Prophet, whom they find mentioned in their own (scriptures),- in the law and the Gospel;”  (Quran 7:157)

 

 

Shamoun Wrote:

And argue not with the People of the Scripture unless it be in (a way) that is better, save with such of them as do wrong; and say: We believe in that which hath been revealed unto us and revealed unto you; our God and your God is One, and unto Him we surrender. S. 29:46

Without question, according to the Quran, Christians belong to the "people who believe in God and the Last Day", thus they are part of the people referred to in Sura 58:22, with all the detrimental consequences outlined above.

 

My Response: 

The Christians do not believe that. They say Yahweh is different God and Allah is different God. Shamoun does not believe that either. This is what he says in one of his rebuttals to Shabir Ally.

 

http://www../Responses/Shabir-Ally/onetruegod_ss.htm

 

“There are many problems with trying to pass off the god of Islam as the true God of the Holy Bible, one of which being the fact that Muhammad's Allah is not a father to anyone. Allah is a lord who demands all creatures to come to him as slaves, no more and no less:”

 

So how can Shamoun say that he believes in the same one God in which Muslims believe?

 

 

Shamoun Wrote:

To summarize, Sura 58:22, contains not only an objective error, but is also in contradiction to other statements in the Quran:

• Jews and Christians believe in God and the Last Day (S. 2:62, 5:69, 29:46).
• Jews and Christians reject Muhammad as a messenger from God.
• Jews and Christians are friends to each other (S. 5:51)
  
   

My Response:

Firstly, Quran 2:62 and 5:69 is NOT at all talking about the blasphemous Christians. Its talking about those Christians who are believers and follow their scripture. If they follow their scripture, they have to come to Islam because the mention of Muhammad (pbuh) is there in their scriptures. Quran 7:157. The Quran differentiates between the believing Christians and non-Believing Christians.

 

“…If only the People of the Book had faith, it were best for them: among them are some who have faith, but most of them are perverted transgressors.” (Quran 3:110)

 

The Jews and Christians reject Muhammad (pbuh) and they are friends to each other. No disagreement on that.

 

This is enough to prove that the verse of the Quran 58:22 which says “those who believe in Allah and the last day” does NOT include Christians.