Wednesday, May 23, 2012

12/28/10, Letter to Editor, USA Today



Muslims Should Become Writers, Not Fighters
By: Saad Karamat

Like Antonio Martinez, I am also a 21-year-old Muslim American. I don't care whether he was entrapped, but when I see him and other Muslim-American youth — such as the Portland, Ore., bomber — make statements like "We are not criminals; we are (holy warriors)," I cringe.

The founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, emphatically denounced the jihad of the sword in this age, "Religion is worth the name only so long as it is in consonance with reason. If it fails to satisfy that requisite, if it has to make up for its discomfiture in argument by handling the sword, it needs no other argument for its falsification. The sword it wields cuts its own throat before reaching others."

How could the jihad of the sword have any relevance today when we are engaged in a battle of ideas? Youth like Martinez should become writers, not fighters.



Comments (3)

That is one of my all time favorite quotes of the Promised Messiah (as). So beautifully put, it's like poetry without even trying. Well done on incorporating it into your letter, mash'allah.
Qasim Rashid - Richmond - January 08
wow.. I agree with Qasim bahi. Amazing quote.. truly blew me away..

Can anyone provide a reference?
asif - January 08
This is taken from sayings of the Promised Messiah as printed in Review of Religions 1902. Full article can be found here: www.alislam.org/jihad/sword.html
QamarAhmad - January 08

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