DataPacRat
03-04-08, 05:43 AM
A bit of a preamble, if I may.
I'm about as much an unbeliever as it's possible to get. After carefully considering the evidence, such as the failure of even a single demonstration of a supernatural event to claim Randi's million-dollar prize, and the various logical arguments for or against the existence of Allah (or God), I find the evidence... lacking. It's my own personal experience that given all that the universe displays when examined, it's entirely reasonable to proceed through life without assuming the existence of any supernatural or divine entity. I could be wrong; it's entirely possible that one or another claim on the topic is true, and should I ever encounter sufficient evidence to support such a claim, I will go wherever the evidence takes me. However, from your religion's point of view, it would seem that Allah wishes to have matters arranged so that the best answers that I am able to arrive at using my mortal mind lead me to disbelieve in His existence. :)
And now, the actual question.
What do the various denominations of Islam teach about how to deal with unbelievers? Specifically, not just people who follow His teachings via a previous revelation, such as the various other Abrahamic faiths, or those who follow non-monotheistic religions; but those who entirely disbelieve in jinn, angels, demons, and Allah Himself?
For example, I've read that Muslims categorize some non-Muslims as "People of the Book", who receive certain legal privileges that other unbelievers do not. If I can produce a Book that progresses from certain fundamental philosophical assumptions (ie, avoiding solipsism and similar useless by-paths), and proceeds via simple logic through metaphysics and epistemology to arrive at an ethical system that's at least as good for dealing with modern society as any religion's texts - but happens to entirely ignore God's existence in the development of that ethical system - would that suffice to be a "Person of the Book", or are there additional aspects to that state that I'm currently unaware of? (And yes, I /do/ have a specific such ethical system in mind, and if you wish, can run through the highlights.)
Verse 2:256 starts with 'no compulsion in religion' - does that include not compelling people to have /any/ religion?
43:88 and 89 also seem relevant - to those who disbelieve, bear with (or turn away, or pardon, or ignore, or etc) them, and say 'peace', and they will come to know, presumably in their own time. The whole of 109 also seems worth mentioning, especially the last verse: "For you is your religion, and for me is my religion."
Thank you for your time,
--
DataPacRat
"Produce your proof, if you should be truthful." -- part of Qur'an 2:111, Hilali/Khan Saheeh revision
I'm about as much an unbeliever as it's possible to get. After carefully considering the evidence, such as the failure of even a single demonstration of a supernatural event to claim Randi's million-dollar prize, and the various logical arguments for or against the existence of Allah (or God), I find the evidence... lacking. It's my own personal experience that given all that the universe displays when examined, it's entirely reasonable to proceed through life without assuming the existence of any supernatural or divine entity. I could be wrong; it's entirely possible that one or another claim on the topic is true, and should I ever encounter sufficient evidence to support such a claim, I will go wherever the evidence takes me. However, from your religion's point of view, it would seem that Allah wishes to have matters arranged so that the best answers that I am able to arrive at using my mortal mind lead me to disbelieve in His existence. :)
And now, the actual question.
What do the various denominations of Islam teach about how to deal with unbelievers? Specifically, not just people who follow His teachings via a previous revelation, such as the various other Abrahamic faiths, or those who follow non-monotheistic religions; but those who entirely disbelieve in jinn, angels, demons, and Allah Himself?
For example, I've read that Muslims categorize some non-Muslims as "People of the Book", who receive certain legal privileges that other unbelievers do not. If I can produce a Book that progresses from certain fundamental philosophical assumptions (ie, avoiding solipsism and similar useless by-paths), and proceeds via simple logic through metaphysics and epistemology to arrive at an ethical system that's at least as good for dealing with modern society as any religion's texts - but happens to entirely ignore God's existence in the development of that ethical system - would that suffice to be a "Person of the Book", or are there additional aspects to that state that I'm currently unaware of? (And yes, I /do/ have a specific such ethical system in mind, and if you wish, can run through the highlights.)
Verse 2:256 starts with 'no compulsion in religion' - does that include not compelling people to have /any/ religion?
43:88 and 89 also seem relevant - to those who disbelieve, bear with (or turn away, or pardon, or ignore, or etc) them, and say 'peace', and they will come to know, presumably in their own time. The whole of 109 also seems worth mentioning, especially the last verse: "For you is your religion, and for me is my religion."
Thank you for your time,
--
DataPacRat
"Produce your proof, if you should be truthful." -- part of Qur'an 2:111, Hilali/Khan Saheeh revision