204. Zakat is an attraction towards hearts and minds.

There is a group of people among Muslims who are ineligible to receive the Zakat contribution.This verse 9:60 of the Quran says to spend the Zakat money on non Muslims who are not against Islam and Muslims .

This is to attract the hearts and minds of non Muslims.If the non Muslims who would not encourage enmity against Islam and create an atmosphere of good will towards muslims, Zakat money can be used on them.People with attraction in their hearts and minds will fall in this category.

Zakat is a form of Islamic worship, and Islam has allowed a part of the contribution of that to be given to Non Muslims, showing an exceptional example in Islamic laws towards non Muslims.

203. Is war a mandatory duty even with less strength of force?

This verse of the Quran 9:41 says it is mandatory to wage a war even if with less strength on one’s side. 

But verse 8:66 of the Quran says a war is mandatory only when the strength of the enemy is half of the other side, making it look like self contradictory

In verse 8:66 of the Quran Allah says ‘ Allah has made it easier for you now, and then goes on to mention the required strength to wage a war.Hence it can be known the initial stance has been changed

The responsibility of protecting the subjects rests with the rulers, only venturing into the battlefield to save the people from invaders would protect the people. But at times when the strength of the enemy is high, it would spell disaster.

At such times it is wiser on the part of the rulers to selectively ,by their decesion protect the subjects as it suits them,.Allah makes it clear in these verses the ways and means to protect people by their rulers.

We come to understand war is mandatory from theses verses, only when the strength of the enemies is half of the other side, and when conditions and requirements are not good enough for a war better to avoid one and save the people from its ill effects.Please refer to points 53, 54, 55, 76, 89, 197, 198, 199, 359 to know more about war, terrorism, JIhad etc

202. Is it sworn in the name of dawn or the roaring stars?

In this verse 86:1 of the Quran it swears in the name of stars. The meaning of the word star is mentioned in the next verse. we come to know it as a light -emitting star.

A star which glows with high luminescence in the early morning is known as the dawn star.The same is being referred to as one in the dictionaries, which cannot be seen whole through the night only to be visible all of a sudden in the early dawn,with significant light being emitted by it.

This verse conveys in general terms to an object that is visible to and known to others.And does not allude to anything other than a light emitting star.

But people at present times tend to give a distorted meaning for this word saying it refers to a set of roaring stars which are in existing in great numbers close to two hundred thousand.They give a meaning to the word by saying it refers to a set of stars in the skies making roaring sounds and number about two hundred thousands.

There are many scientific truths revealed in the Quran, but the explanations offered by these people are in no way acceptable. Tariq is just a name of the star and nothing more ,and anything else attributed to this is just convoluted untruths.

Adding to it the scientists have made it clear this word does not refer to anything else other than stars that are normally visible to human eyes.This can be seen in the verse that follows suit.

This is the reason we avoided making use of the word roaring stars.The word ‘Tariq’ has different meanings like knocking at the door,knocking with a sledge hammer, appearing from nowhere, appearing all of a sudden etc.But the word roaring star does not anywhere fit the meaning as alluded by these people.

Moreover unless and until there is a medium to pass on light or sound they never get transmitted and never get recorded. Since there is no air in the surroundings of the sun or the stars the emission of sound from either source is not possible.And whatever the sounds have been recorded by NASA scientists, they are imaginary taking into account the resultant consequences had there been air in the surroundings.

The scientists from NASA have constructed an imaginary sound simulation that replaces had there been a medium to carry the sound effects in the surroundings of the sun and stars. This is just an imaginary simulation to get an idea of the measurement of sound in its surroundings and not a real one. 

And hence there is no sound existing in the stars, and painting them with imaginary scientific terms is wrong.

201. The need for imposition of Jizya tax on people of other faiths.

Verse (9:29) of the Quran orders Muslim governments to impose Jizya tax on non -Muslims.

To some this may appear like atrocities committed on people of other faiths. Once the misgivings are cleared about this particular type of taxation by Muslim governments it gives a clear picture and understanding about the intentions and the the objective of this kind of taxation. We need to understand the basis on which taxes are levied under the Islamic rule.

Let’s understand this first, Islam has made a compulsory tax known as Zakat to be paid by Muslims to the government . Muslims are required as a duty to pay a certain amount called Zakat based on their income, and holding of gold, silver, cash, commercial goods, cattle, goat ,sheep, camel, agricultural produce like grains, pulses etc.

The rate of Zakat is 2.5% of the value of gold, silver, cash held by the individual, 5% on the value of irrigated agricultural products, and 10% of the value of products from rain fed lands. We need to appreciate the considerate rate of the tax known as Zakat.

Zakat is the kind of tax that has to be compulsorily collected by the Islamic government on auditing the accounts of individuals. The Muslim society is duty bound to pay huge sums as Zakat to the Islamic governments.

This tax money is utilized by the government on the poor, on people who are in dire need,on people who are in debts, on slaves, on military forces dedicated to fight in the way of truth , and on nomads. In short all the good works carried out by the government are done with this tax money.

When the whole government is run with the Zakat money, non payment of any type of tax by non Muslims stands unjustified.

When only Muslims keep paying all the taxes, a stand needs to be taken to regulate the role of non Muslims in any one of the following ways:

1. By not imposing any tax on Muslims.

2.By making Zakat compulsory for non -Muslims.

3.By imposing a different type of tax on non Muslims.

Let’s look into the consequences of putting into practice the first option.

When Muslims alone are taxpayers under a rule their expectations would be much higher in demanding more rights from the government; that in turn may give rise to a voice against people benefit-ting from the govt;without paying any form of tax.

The non-Muslims themselves would hesitate to demand their rights from the govts;without paying their taxes. And would start believing themselves as second class citizens..

When tax is collected from a particular section of the people and refraining from doing the same from others would result in an ill feeling from a section of the society. Non-collection of taxes from a section of the community would automatically lead to denying indirectly their rights.Hence when implementing this option would result in objections from both sides.

Muslims would generally oppose any kind of collection of taxes from them, while exempting others from it. And the Non -Muslims would also would come to believe non taxation by the Muslim governments would deny them their rightful place and dignity in the society and would oppose it. Making the first option not feasible.

Now let’s look into the implementation of the second option.

For Muslims Zakat is a mandatory duty of taxation in addition to being a religious obligation.

When this kind of taxation is imposed upon others of different faiths, they would see a forceful implementation of an alien custom and culture, in their way of life. And would start suspecting all other types of customs and traditions of Muslims would entail.They will not be in a position to accept the same.

Islamic govt; cannot interfere in the individual rights of persons belonging to other faiths and impose Islamic taxation on them.

Zakat is a form of Islamic taxation levied based on the individual Muslim’s capacity and liability..And a Muslim’s complete cooperation in auditing his accounts is the only way to collect the Zakat Tax by the govt;in all its earnestness. For Muslims Zakat being a religious obligation they are expected to fear God in fulfilling their religious duties.

.As far as non-Muslims are concerned, Zakat is just another form of tax. Being a religious duty of an alien faith would not evince much interest and try to seek perfection in implementing the same. And would try to evade as much tax as possible, making it impossible to implement Zakat.

The position of an Islamic ruler is pushed to a stage where he can neither stay without taxing non Muslims nor tax them..

A Muslim govt;can avoid being hit with bad precedents by not imposing a baseless tax called Zakat on non Muslims,This is the reason Jizya Tax has been imposed on Non-Muslims.And Muslims under Islamic rule pay considerable amount as taxes to the govt;.

In an Islamic govt; Muslims were vulnerable to paying more tax than Non-Muslims, and people who are unaware of such facts tend to pass uncharitable remarks about Jizya Tax. The word disgraced in these verses refers to those vanquished in the wars.

200. The reason for ban on people of other faiths entering the precincts of Kaaba.

Verse (9:28) of the Quran says non -Muslims are not to be allowed to enter the Kaaba.

Islam does not prohibit any clean person from entering the precincts of its places of worship known as Masjids all around the world except Kaaba.

Prophet Muhammad’s masjid at Madina was the epicenter for all kinds administrative activities. Prisoners of war were used to be lodged in its precincts and adjudications for all kinds of misdemeanors were carried out there. The Prophet used to hear all cases of disputes and pass judgments seated there,

including disputes between Jews and Muslims. Many leaders and dignitaries from different countries met the Prophet in the precincts of this masjid, hence people from other faiths should be allowed within the precincts of all masjids in the world. 

Islam does not prohibit any clean person from entering its places of worship anywhere in the world, except the first place of worship built on earth.

This should not be misconstrued as an inhuman act, because the Almighty declares Kaaba as a ‘Place of Refuge’ This place of worship and its precincts are governed by certain special laws, no avenging within its premises and no plucking of any kind of plants, are the some of the conditions that need to followed while within the precincts of this “place of worship”.

The special laws governing this “place of refuge” and ‘special of place of worship’ can be maintained and respected only by people who have accepted Islam as their way of life, and not by those who reject it.And another reason for the ban on people of other faiths to enter is, this place has been declared as a ‘place of refuge‘ till the end of this world, and moreover it is not a spot of tourist attraction. It is place of worship exclusively for those who have accepted Almighty God and monotheism.

People of other faiths who do not believe in the Oneness of Allah , and the sacredness of Kaaba, its importance of being the first place of worship built on the face of earth, will want to visit it as a tourist spot is the reason the people of other faiths not being allowed inside its precincts.

The message that people of other faiths not allowed in Kaaba carries another fact, there is no ban on all other places of worship of Muslims in allowing the same people.

199. Destroying enemies completely.

When waging a war is unavoidable , capturing of defeated enemy prisoners of war and releasing them at later stage should not be carried out, so as to avoid mobilizing forces by them to wage a war again.At the same time defeating them completely to a stage they fear further war is the apt position to release them is the message conveyed in the verse (8:67) of the Quran.

Any country with an objective to guard itself from its enemies, following this procedure cannot be considered as following a violent path.

To know more about war, terrorism, Jihad, please refer to explanation points 53, 54, 55, 76, 89, 197, 198, 203, 359.

198. Waging a war not mandatory on weak governments.

Islam not only allows, but makes it a mandatory duty on Muslim countries to wage wars on reasonable causes

and lays the strengthening of military powers as a condition to fulfill this duty. Entering a battle field without proper strength equals to suicide.

In the initial stages war was made a mandatory duty because the strength of Muslims was 1/10 of that of the enemies. Later it was decreed war to be waged if the strength was half of that of the enemy, and is not mandatory if the strength is less than half of that of the enemy. This guidance can be seen in verses (8:65,66) of the Quran.

It could be understood from these verses, that when the strength of the Muslim forces is less than half of that of the enemies, either entering into a truce or abstaining from fighting cannot be considered a crime.

To know more about war, terrorism, Jihad please refer to explanation points 53, 54, 55, 76, 89, 197, 199, 203, 359 

197. The responsibility to strengthen military power rests with the state.

Verse (8:60) of the Quran talks about strengthening state’s military power.Mobilization of military power is a mandatory duty of the rulers of Muslim countries. This verse should not be misconstrued as a decree for minorities to mobilize their forces.

Muslims did not mobilize forces when they were in Makkah or when they took refuge in Abyssinia. They initiated it only on assuming ruling powers in Madina, a feasible act of the time.

Strengthening any country’s military power on assuming powers cannot be found fault with. It needs to be taken note this verse was revealed only after Prophet Muhammad installed a government at Madina and not when he underwent untold miseries while in Makkah.

To know more about war, terrorism, Jihad, please refer to explanation points 53, 54, 55, 76, 89, 198, 199, 203, 359