IS ISLAM A "TRUE" OR "FALSE" RELIGION? a discussion with an isolated Christian

In a Christian discussion forum that I belong to, I have had some rather interesting exchanges with a fellow South African. This seeker-after-truth seems to be sincere in his quest, but his understanding of Islam is fundamentally flawed. In addition, he, like so many other Christians I know, take every effort to discredit Islam and Muslims, no doubt because of a deep-seated and spiritually nebulous prejudice that blinds their eyes to the simple truth of the revelation of Allah in Islam.

In one exchange between us, he remarked the following:

I wonder if our debates on this forum shall continue to be selectively utilised on a certain Muslim blog where the whole truth is not being disclosed?

I responded to this:

The "whole truth" is that which is revealed in the Holy Qur'an, not in the Bible. And this Truth warns me explicitly against Christians like you who pretend to have "the truth", and yet your only motive is to turn me and other Muslims away from the real truth. In fact, the Truth also tells me what your motives are: "envy from their ownselves". You are, actually, envious of the truth that Muslims have, and hence you seek to destroy it because you don't have it. Kinda like: "If I can't have it, you can't have it either." No problem, XXX, as the Truth instructs me: I forgive you, and I overlook this diabolical attempt of yours to deceive me with your untruths, until Allah brings His Command.

“Many of the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) wish that if they could turn you away as disbelievers after you have believed, out of envy from their ownselves, even after the truth (that Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم is Allah's Messenger) has become manifest unto them. But forgive and overlook, till Allah brings His Command. Verily, Allah is Able to do all things” ( سورة البقرة , Al-Baqara, Chapter 2, Verse 109).

He responded:

The only problem for you is that nobody wishes to utilise your blogs because they are able to see that there is no truth in your assertions. All of your statements have zero responses. Furthermore, you reserve the right to edit or refuse any posts which contradict your theology. Are these perhaps the only responses which you have received? Why do you not offer the freedoms of this forum? This seems to be normal Muslim practice.

Notice some of the gems he produces above. Evidently, “there is no truth” in my “assertions”. In other words – Islam has no truth. Moreover, my counterpart feels that because my statements on this blog “have zero responses”, therefore this endorses his own take on “truth”. It seems to fail my dear friend that my blog is a photo blog, with a scattering of thoughts here and there, and that the place to discuss my ideas, as a Muslim, with me would naturally be in the very forum where he has every opportunity to engage with me. My blog is not a discussion forum with subversive lone-wolf Christians such as this person [who has distanced himself from any formal grouping of Christians due to the singular uniqueness of his personal views]. Seems, however, that he understands that I do, indeed, “reserve the right to edit or refuse any posts” that contradict my theology. Right on! That is why blogs have edit functions, friend. Which part of this is disagreeable to you? He then asks why I don’t “offer the freedoms” of the discussion forum where he and I often lock horns. Simple! The one is a discussion forum; the other is a photo blog! But, we have actually been over this point before. See – on the discussion forum, there are no pictures. On my blog, there are pictures. So, the one is for discussion; the other is for pictures. I’m not sure how many times more I would have to repeat this idea before boytjie understands it, though. Then, of course, the prejudice just has to rear its apocalyptic and monstrous head with the comment: “This seems to be normal Muslim practice.” Ah well – these words are record of who he is, not of who Muslims are.

An interesting addition to this discussion was the following comment:

You shall blatantly attack Christians on their open forums. This is the strategy of Muslims wherever they perceive the weakness offered by secular society against traditional Christian beliefs. You shall utilise the freedoms offered by the West to critisise and ensure religious parity, yet, once a state is declared Muslim, completely restrict and inhibit any other religion. Could this be considered as the ultimate truth? Absolutely not.

Now, it seems, yet again, that boytjie does not understand that sensible, yet robust, discussions are not “attacks”, but serious engagement as we contend for the precious souls of people. Thing is – boytjie has not done well at all in public discussion with me, a humble Muslim, in a pseudo-Christian discussion forum, so I am not in the least surprised that he views my evaluations of his ideas with such impunity. Notice, once more, the anti-Islamic rhetoric and prejudice: “This is the strategy of Muslims…against traditional Christian beliefs.” I am a little gob-smacked by the reference to “tradition” and “Christian” in the same breath, especially from the pen of this self-ostracised member of the Christian community who seems to value only his personal opinions, in contradistinction to the tradition of the historical Christian faith. Seems a little counterproductive to offer an argument you don’t endorse in defence of your own position. And then, the clincher comparison between “the West” and the “Muslim state”. Another stale and insipid example of anti-Islamic prejudice! No, “the West” is no more the norm for Islamic values than Starbucks or Megamart are, and, yes, the “Islamic state” is governed by its own values, on its own terms, for the ultimate preservation and propagation of the only Religion that Allah has approved for humankind. How ironic that people like boytjie extol the virtues of the values of “the West”, and then when Muslims like myself practise these values, they cry foul! Having said all of this, I actually want to get to the point of this blog post. I guess my friend volunteers the best reason for me to shoot craters in his arguments by making the following statement:

If Islam cannot stand in an open society against other religions, but has to force it's belief system on it's own supposed adherents, then it can only be a false religion.

Now here is where the proverbial paw-paw strikes the fan for boytjie. He assumes that “Islam cannot stand in an open society against other religions”, and that Islam “has to force its belief system on its own supposed adherents”, and, he concludes: therefore Islam “can only be a false religion”. In other words, boytjie argues that Islam only demonstrates vitality and truthfulness by creating generation after generation of Muslims, in Muslim countries, and hence it cannot stand the crucible of free choice in what I can only assume he would refer to as “the West”, an abstract and byzantine epithet that smacks of racist and anti-Islamic prejudice. Hence, Islam is only propagated by forcing itself onto its “subjects” in a society that has no presumed freedom. Hmmm…I responded:

What rubbish you write sometimes. In a wonderful democarcy like the USA, where people have freedom of choice, and where Islam cannot possibly be "forced" onto people, it is one of the places on God's beautiful earth where Islam is flourishing and growing rapidly. I guess, using your argument above, this "proves" that Islam is, indeed, only a TRUE religion. Lookie here…

- “Islam is the fastest-growing religion in America, a guide and pillar of stability for many of our people...” (Hillary Rodham Clinton, Los Angeles Times).1

- “Moslems are the world’s fastest-growing group...” (The Population Reference Bureau, USA Today).2

“....Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the country.” (Geraldine Baum; Newsday Religion Writer, Newsday).3

“Islam, the fastest-growing religion in the United States...” (Ari L. Goldman, New York Times).4

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SOURCES:

(1) Larry B. Stammer, Times Religion Writer, “First Lady Breaks Ground With Muslims,” Los Angeles Times, Home Edition, Metro Section, Part B, May 31, 1996, p. 3.

(2) Timothy Kenny, “Elsewhere in the World,” USA Today, Final Edition, News Section, February 17, 1989, p. 4A.

(3) Geraldine Baum, “For Love of Allah,” Newsday, Nassau and Suffolk Edition, Part II, March 7, 1989, p. 4.

(4) Ari L. Goldman, “Mainstream Islam Rapidly Embraced By Black Americans,” New York Times, Late City Final Edition, February 21, 1989, p. 1.

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EULOGY TO AN IMPOTENT ARGUMENT

In summary, the very fact that Islam is the fastest growing religion in the USA kinda contradicts the impotent and barren argument of boytjie that Islam is an oppressive religion that survives only because it forces itself down the throats of unthinking people. Irony is, of course, that he is discussing this with an ex-Christian-turned-Muslim who chose Islam of his own perfectly free and informed choice, without a gun pointed to the head. Islam is growing organically in Muslim countries, but by far the greatest and most phenomenal growth is experienced in countries where people choose of their own volition to embrace the simple beauty of Islam. The Holy Qur’an truthfully proclaims:

“And this (submission to Allah, Islam) was enjoined by Ibrahim (Abraham) upon his sons and by Ya'qub (Jacob) (saying), "O my sons! Allah has chosen for you the (true) religion, then die not except in the Faith of Islam (as Muslims - Islamic Monotheism)" ( سورة البقرة , Al-Baqara, Chapter

2, Verse 132).