Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi, of 12th century Muslim Spain (may God have mercy on him, and may God be well pleased with him) is one of the most famous Muslim scholars, revered all over the Muslim world; and extremely famous and extensively studied in the Western world. He says about Jesus (peace be upon him), in his book Seals of Wisdom:
He was manifested from the water of Mary
And the breath of Gabriel in the form of man existing from clay.
The spirit was in an essence purified of nature which it called prison.
For that reason, the spirit stayed in it for more a thousand years in the designation of time.
A spirit from God, no other.
For that reason, he revived the dead and formed the bird from clay.
Since his relation with his Lord is proven,
By it he has effective action in both the higher and lower worlds.
God purified his body, and made his spirit pure,
And He made him a model of taking-form.
This is the kind of teachings we Muslims are taught in Islam. By "we Muslims", I mean the majority, and the overwhelming majority of Muslims. There are of course some intentionally distorted teachings. Unfortunately, that is natural. Natural, just as when the mafia infiltrates the Police in Mexico, or,to a lesser extent, the government in Italy. No one ever holds the Mexican Police institution, or the Italian constitution, responsible for it. No one expects that the Mexican government members speak out to and/or against these corrupt cops. No one expects that the Italian government members speak out to and/or against the corrupt politicians. No one even expects that the Pope and the Vatican speak out against the corruption within it. So you are not, likewise, to hold Muslims responsible for ISIS's doings, nor to expect that they will speak to them. There are laws for criminals in every Muslim country, and these are criminals, and vicious liars held in much contempt.
So these are the kind of teachings we are taught in Islam. We are never taught "kill the unbelievers" or "kill the non Muslims" or so on. If that is in the Qur'an, what difference does it make ? The Qur'an is a book from God Almighty. It is a holy scripture. Holy scriptures from God are not meant to be obeyed to the word. They are meant to be interpreted and taught about. Islam goes by the books of its endless scholars. Imam Ghazali, perhaps the greatest of all scholars, of 12th century Iran, (may God have mercy on him) says in his arch famous book and masterpiece, Ihya Ulum Al Din:
"whatever the teacher knows should not all be communicated to the students at the same time. Jesus Christ said : Don't hang pearls around the neck of a swine. Wisome is better than pearls. He who knows it as bad is worse than swine."
He (Imam Ghazali) also says:
"Jesus Christ said: Blessed is he who has given up his present greed in hope of getting future promised reward."
He also says:
"Jesus Christ was once asked: What thing is difficult? He said: God's wrath. Prophet John The Baptist then said: What thing takes near the wrath of God? He said: Anger. John The Baptist asked him: What thing grows and increases anger? Jesus Christ said: Pride, prestige, hope for honour and haughtiness."
He also says:
"Jesus Christ said: Crop grows in soft earth. It does not grow in hard ground. Similarly wisdom arises in modest or soft mind. It does not arise in hard heart. Don't you see that the head of one who lifts it up to the roof is crushed and the head of one who keeps low is saved."
He also says:
"Jesus Christ got revelation: He who dies after repentance for his back-biting will enter last of all in Paradise. He who dies without such repentance, will enter hell first of all." (back biting is to talk bad about someone behind his back; if not behind his back it's slandering).
He also says:
"Jesus Christ said: 0 worshippers of the world, your renunciation of the world is a more meritorious work in search of virtues. He said: In doing good by wealth, a little drifting from the remembrance of God is bad. The remembrance of God is greatest and best."
He also says:
"Jesus Christ said: Love of both this world and the next cannot remain united in the heart of a believer just as water and fire cannot remain united."
He also says:
"Jesus Christ said: The beauty of one goes away who speaks too much falsehood. The gentle manners of one goes away who disputes with the people. He whose thoughts are many is attacked with illness. He whose conduct is bad punishes his soul."
This is the kind of things Islam teaches. This is the kind of things Muslims spend a lifetime learning and putting into practice. Islam is a religion of the noblest and greatest type, not a political movement, or ideologies of war.
He was manifested from the water of Mary
And the breath of Gabriel in the form of man existing from clay.
The spirit was in an essence purified of nature which it called prison.
For that reason, the spirit stayed in it for more a thousand years in the designation of time.
A spirit from God, no other.
For that reason, he revived the dead and formed the bird from clay.
Since his relation with his Lord is proven,
By it he has effective action in both the higher and lower worlds.
God purified his body, and made his spirit pure,
And He made him a model of taking-form.
This is the kind of teachings we Muslims are taught in Islam. By "we Muslims", I mean the majority, and the overwhelming majority of Muslims. There are of course some intentionally distorted teachings. Unfortunately, that is natural. Natural, just as when the mafia infiltrates the Police in Mexico, or,to a lesser extent, the government in Italy. No one ever holds the Mexican Police institution, or the Italian constitution, responsible for it. No one expects that the Mexican government members speak out to and/or against these corrupt cops. No one expects that the Italian government members speak out to and/or against the corrupt politicians. No one even expects that the Pope and the Vatican speak out against the corruption within it. So you are not, likewise, to hold Muslims responsible for ISIS's doings, nor to expect that they will speak to them. There are laws for criminals in every Muslim country, and these are criminals, and vicious liars held in much contempt.
So these are the kind of teachings we are taught in Islam. We are never taught "kill the unbelievers" or "kill the non Muslims" or so on. If that is in the Qur'an, what difference does it make ? The Qur'an is a book from God Almighty. It is a holy scripture. Holy scriptures from God are not meant to be obeyed to the word. They are meant to be interpreted and taught about. Islam goes by the books of its endless scholars. Imam Ghazali, perhaps the greatest of all scholars, of 12th century Iran, (may God have mercy on him) says in his arch famous book and masterpiece, Ihya Ulum Al Din:
"whatever the teacher knows should not all be communicated to the students at the same time. Jesus Christ said : Don't hang pearls around the neck of a swine. Wisome is better than pearls. He who knows it as bad is worse than swine."
He (Imam Ghazali) also says:
"Jesus Christ said: Blessed is he who has given up his present greed in hope of getting future promised reward."
He also says:
"Jesus Christ was once asked: What thing is difficult? He said: God's wrath. Prophet John The Baptist then said: What thing takes near the wrath of God? He said: Anger. John The Baptist asked him: What thing grows and increases anger? Jesus Christ said: Pride, prestige, hope for honour and haughtiness."
He also says:
"Jesus Christ said: Crop grows in soft earth. It does not grow in hard ground. Similarly wisdom arises in modest or soft mind. It does not arise in hard heart. Don't you see that the head of one who lifts it up to the roof is crushed and the head of one who keeps low is saved."
He also says:
"Jesus Christ got revelation: He who dies after repentance for his back-biting will enter last of all in Paradise. He who dies without such repentance, will enter hell first of all." (back biting is to talk bad about someone behind his back; if not behind his back it's slandering).
He also says:
"Jesus Christ said: 0 worshippers of the world, your renunciation of the world is a more meritorious work in search of virtues. He said: In doing good by wealth, a little drifting from the remembrance of God is bad. The remembrance of God is greatest and best."
He also says:
"Jesus Christ said: Love of both this world and the next cannot remain united in the heart of a believer just as water and fire cannot remain united."
He also says:
"Jesus Christ said: The beauty of one goes away who speaks too much falsehood. The gentle manners of one goes away who disputes with the people. He whose thoughts are many is attacked with illness. He whose conduct is bad punishes his soul."
This is the kind of things Islam teaches. This is the kind of things Muslims spend a lifetime learning and putting into practice. Islam is a religion of the noblest and greatest type, not a political movement, or ideologies of war.
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