major props aradi
just saw this n read thru it... but just wanted to say few things
islam never forces anyone to convert to islam... it says in the qur'an "there is no compulsion in religion", and religious coexistance is evident throughout islamic history
people who say islam spread by the sword try to find an excuse to why islam spread so quick. but remember, muslim armies never reached many parts of africa and southeastern asia (such as indonesia and malasia), but those countries became muslim.
historically, any nation that spread by the sword did not last long because those who were forced under the rule soon rebeled.
jews used to flee to muslim lands during the middle ages due to oppresion in europe, and historians say that the jews had a golden age under the islamic rule in spain.
the qur'an does have discussions on war in it because war is a reality. what the qur'an does is put down guidelines for war, such as no harming of civilians, women, children, old people, destruction of property and livestock. it is also forbidden to be an aggressive force and wars can only be fought as defensive measures.
the only thing aradi i dont completely agree with you was the mary getting jesus into her through eating a date. from what i understood in the qur'an, gabriel told mary to eat the dates that were above her while she was giving birth due to the pain of the childbearing.
don't look to the muslim world for what islam is. there is no "islamic" country, 90% of them are run by dictators, most of which try to prohibit practicing islam because they see it as a threat to their power, and because of this many muslims are ignorant and follow culture because they confuse it with religion.

Great points Libihero.

The exact details of how Mary concieved of Jesus could vary due to different interpretations of the Arabic text. And I am not perfect in history, my Arabic being very limited to a vocabulary of a few words. I just know what I am taught and either I, or my teachers could be wrong.

Islam reached West Africans through Arabian merchants and was spread by our own West African people like Sheikh Uthman Bin Fodio. This further validates your point, Libihero.

You're right again about the matter of 'Islamic States'. Complete Islamic method of ruling, that of the Khilafa, is no longer practiced. And many countires with vast muslim poulation are run by people who wish for secular governments.

Nice to see Islam get a fair viewpoint -somewhere-.

One love.

quote:

Originally posted by Jstarlight1985:

ALL as ONE UNitED FOREVER

ok wtf first of all men can never be equal to women cuz man=woman never works and also many pple have made laws based on quran while they take it too far specially in mid east cuz they say they are muslim but they are kings and quran requires to have an elected leader