In the name of Allah Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

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1.         Every Muslim since a child is taught to begin with the utterance of bismillah hirrahman nirrahim before he does anything. It means "In the name of Allah Most Gracious, Most Merciful".

2.         This is a constant reminder of the grace and mercy of Allah on his creations. It is a statement of His infinite compassion and forgiveness. In fact Allah describes Himself as “one who forgives again and again" (see Quran 20:82)

3.         A true mukmin or believer of Allah will have compassion, grace and mercy within him when he deals with the creations of Allah which includes his dealings with fellow human beings - whether believers or otherwise.  A true believer does not insult the gods of others or poke fun at their beliefs degradingly . Can a person who goes around with his skull cap on his head, projects himself to be a Muslim political leader be anything more than a hypocrite when he consistently and deliberately goes against the following commandment from Allah?;

“Revile not you those whom they call upon besides God, lest they out of spite revile Allah in their ignorance. Thus have We made alluring to each people its own doings. In the end will they return to their Lord, and We shall then tell them the truth of all that they did”. (Q 6:108)

4.         Believers are taught by Allah to debate, argue or discuss with others with differing views in the most intelligent, wise and polite ways possible. There is nothing in the Quran at all where believers are ever enjoined to be harsh with others in matters of faith or to exercise oppression or compulsion to bring others to the path of Allah.

“Invite (all) to the Way of your  Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious: for your Lord knows best, who have strayed from His Path, and who receive guidance”. (Q 16:125)

5.         Today we witness persons speaking in the name of Allah with total arrogance, impunity, harshness towards fellow human beings and completely without compassion even to fellow believers who may have differing views. Some of these persons are termed as "scholars" simply by virtue of the fact that they were fortunate to obtain papers of qualifications from Universities.  They either forget or do not want to remember that any sincere ordinary Muslim with differing views from them may ask them the following question taught by Allah in the Quran:

“068.036  What is the matter with you? How judge you?

068.037  Or have you a book through which you learn-

068.038  That you shall have, through it whatever you choose?

068.039  Or have you Covenants with Us to oath, reaching to the Day of Judgment,

(providing) that you shall have whatever you shall demand?

068.040  Ask you of them, which of them will stand surety for that!

068.041  Or have they some "Partners" (in Godhead)? Then let them produce their

"partners", if they are truthful!”

6          But they lack compassion, politeness, mercy and forgiveness in their speech and their actions - all these being virtues of a true Muslim as explained in the Quran, the revelation from Allah. Lacking all these, they exhibit "pharaonic" characteristics of oppression by compelling others to submit to their views of what the teachings of Allah are.  No one is allowed to hold a different view or interpretation of how to submit to Allah without their approval and consent. Does this not remind those who believe in the Quran of the meeting between Firaun and  Prophet Moses:

 a) “Said Pharaoh: "Believe you in Him before I give you permission? Surely this is a trick which ye have planned in the city to drive out its people: but soon shall you know (the consequences). ( Q: 7:123) 

"Be sure I will cut off your hands and your feet on apposite sides, and I will

cause you all to die on the cross." (Q: 7:124) 

b) “Said Pharaoh: "Leave me to slay Moses; and let him call on his Lord! What I fear is lest he should change your religion, or lest he should cause mischief to appear in the land!" )          (Q  40.026) 

                   
7.                 Efforts to be on the straight path ordained by Allah is being hindered by people who lack compassion, arrogant and who place themselves as the sole interpreter of Allah's verses in the Quran. They have absolutely no shame or fear of Allah in compelling on you their version of religion that you must follow completely unmindful of the following verses from the Quran:

“Say: "What! Will you instruct God about your religion? But God knows all

that is in the heavens and on earth: He has full knowledge of all things”. (Q49:16) 

Can those who are oppressive, unforgiving, arrogant and totally lack compassion be servants of Allah or true believers (mukmin) ? Or are they hypocrites out to cause mischief and hinder human beings from the path of Allah for self-glory and wealth?

I leave that question for you to ponder.

Peace !

NOTE: The above views are entirely my understanding and no one is required to agree with them. Kindly check with your own copy of the Quran and make up your own minds and thoughts. If I have erred in my facts, kindly highlight to me.