Unveiling Islam: An Insider’s Look at Muslim Life and Beliefs

Commenting on their strained relation with their father, on page 19 they state, “Acar (the authors deceased father) disowned his sons, although it could have been worse: according to hadith (9.57 ), all three of us brothers should have been killed.” This shows a blatant disregard for honest intellectual criticism. First a reference is given from the hadith without referring to the precise text. In addition no support for this offensive position is provided from the Holy Quran, which all Muslims regard as the ultimate authority. We would briefly like to discuss this subject of apostasy to point out the invalidity of the authors view.
The Holy Qur’an, which is the paramount authority of Islamic law is quite clear on the question of religious freedom:
” There is no compulsion in religion” (2:256).
” Say, the truth is from your Lord; then whosoever wants to, let him believe; and whosoever wants to, let him disbelieve”(18:30).
” wilt thou then force men against their will until they become believers? (10:99). If a person outside Islam is not to be compelled to become a Muslim, why should a person who is a believer be compelled to stay in Islam? But a rejector of Islam whether from outside or from inside does render himself liable to Divine displeasure, because he rejects the truth after having seen it. Then he has to be punished to cure him of his spiritual revolt against submission to His creator. But the Holy Quran is quite clear that this would be in the life hereafter only. Before we quote the Holy Quran on that point, we would like to quote a fair-minded non-Muslim European, Heffening, who begins his article on murtadd (apostate) in the Encyclopedia of Islam with the remarks: “In the Kuran the apostate is threatened with punishment in the next world only.”
Let us quote the Quran itself:
” How should Allah guide a people who disbelieved after their believing and after they had become a witness (i.e., after they had seen) that the Messenger was true, and clear arguments had come to them. And Allah guides not the unjust people. As for these, their reward is that on them is the curse of Allah, and of the angels, and of men, all together __ abiding therein. Their chastisement shall not be lightened, nor shall they be respited, except those who repent after that and amend, for surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. Those who disbelieve after their believing, then increase in disbelief, their repentance is not accepted, and these are they who go astray” (3:86-89).
These verses speak of an apostate even getting the latitude to increase in his disbelief, and no immediate punishment is mentioned except the curse of Allah and the angels, etc., which means his being thrown away from Divine pleasure and from virtue, but there will be punishment in the Hereafter to curb the animal within him which revolted and persisted in revolt against his Creator. This is made clear in the following verses. ” Those who believe, then disbelieve, again believe and again disbelieve, then increase in disbelief, Allah will never forgive them nor guide them on the (right) way.” (4:137).
“He who disbelieves in Allah after having believed, not he who is compelled while his heart is at rest on account of faith, but he who opens his breast for disbelief __ on these is the wrath of Allah, and they shall have a grievous punishment” (16:106).
” And they ( the enemies) will not cease fighting with you until they turn you back from your religion, then he dies while an unbeliever, these it is whose works go for nothing in this world and the Hereafter, and they are the inmates of fire: therein they abide”(2:217. Here, the apostate is clearly spoken of as dying his natural death. That the killing of the apostate was not in vogue in Madinah while the Holy Prophet was the ruler of the place is clear from the following verse:
” And a party of the People of the Book say, Express belief in that which has been revealed, in the first part of the day, and disbelieve at the end of it” (3:72).How could people living under Muslim government conceive of such a plan to discredit the religion of the rulers if apostasy was punishable with death?
The only case of the punishment of apostates, mentioned in trustworthy traditions, isthat of a party of the tribe of `Ukul, who accepted Islam and came to Madinah. They found that the climate of the town did not agree with them, and the Prophet sent them to a place outside Madinah where the state milk-camels were kept, so that they might live in open air and drink of milk. They got well and then killed the keeper of the camels and drove away the animals. This being brought to the knowledge of the Prophet, a party was sent in pursuit of them and they were put to death (Bu. 56:152). The report is clear on the point that they were put to death, not because of their apostasy but because they had killed the keeper of the camels. For readers to get a clear picture of Islam, I advise them not to form an opinion on basis of the tragedy of 911, or the biased opinion of the Caner brothers. I suggest the Works of Maulana Muhammad Ali available on Amazon.com.
Rating: 1 / 5
Unveiling Islam: An Insider’s Look at Muslim Life and Beliefs

This is one of the books Ann Coulter lists on her website under the link “Reading for Right-Wingers”.

That should be enought for anyone to know what this book is all about..
Rating: 1 / 5
Unveiling Islam: An Insider’s Look at Muslim Life and Beliefs

Go to http://www.anncoulter.org…you‘ll find out that the Nazi femme fatale of the Republican party (who calls liberals traitors) is endorsing this book on her links page.

THAT should tell you how objective this book is in depicting Islam.

Don’t but this book…rather contact various scholars in Islam near you, and ask them what they would recommend. Take their recommendations, and read them.
Rating: 1 / 5
Unveiling Islam: An Insider’s Look at Muslim Life and Beliefs