Dear Scribbler
How you came to the conclusion that the said verses are in the context of CONVERSION? Show me one verse in the Quran wherein Allah has imposed His will on His subject. The practice of imposition is an act of mankind and specially the traditional Muslims and not Allah. Allah gives you choice and not compulsion
Indeed, We created MAN from a sperm-drop mixture that We may try him; and We made him hearing and seeing 76:2
Indeed, We GUIDED him to the way, be he grateful or be he ungrateful 76:3
Every human being is GUIDED to the way, but it depends upon the individual to accept the way of the LORD or reject it.
Indeed, this is a reminder, so whoever WILLS may take to his Lord a way 73:19
It is the will of the individual to take a way to his Lord and not FORCE or COMPULSION
Even if We did send unto them angels, and the dead did speak unto them, and We gathered together all things before their very eyes, they are not the ones to believe, unless it is in Allah's plan. But most of them ignore (the truth). 6:111
On one side Allah says that the DISBELIEVERS will not BELIEVE even if the Angels were sent to them, the dead speak to them and all things gathered in front of them. On the other side Allah wants to CONVERT them by FORCE? This kind of belief is a mockery of Allah?s wisdom. Among mankind are people who are BELIEVERS, JEWS, CHRISTIANS, HINDUS, BUDDHISTS, COMMUNIST, ATHIEST and this is because mankind has a CHOICE. If there is no CHOICE and only COMPULSION then all mankind would be BELIEVERS only.
And had thy Lord willed, those who are on the earth would have believed, all of them, together; canst thou then compel mankind until they become believers? 10:99
And had your Lord willed, those on earth would have BELIEVED - all of them entirely. Then, [O Muhammad], would you COMPEL the people in order that they become BELIEVERS? 73:19
We know best what they say; and thou art not one to overawe them by FORCE. So admonish with the Qur'an such as fear My Warning! 50:45
Can you challenge the above verse?
IT is the WILL of the Lord, the CHOICE of MANKIND and NO FORCE of Allah
REPENT is the key word to understand the above two verses. I would like to remind you that DISBELIEVING is not a CRIME but a CHOICE for the mankind.
REPENT: Feel or express sincere regret or remorse about one's wrongdoing or sin / View or think of (an action or omission with deep regret or remorse)
VIOLATION of PEACE TREATY is a sinful action
Why should the disbelievers repent? And if they repent then the repentance is for which crime? Do you think that they should repent because they did not believe? If the subject is belief then it should have been addressed either in the preceding verses or the succeeding verses, but on the contrary we find the subject COVENANT / PEACE TREATY which they violated umpteenth time
The COMMAND against the violators of COVENANTS / PEACE TREATIES
They are those with whom thou didst make a COVENANT, but they BREAK their COVENANT every TIME, and they have not the fear (of Allah). 8:56
So if you confront them in battle, treat them [in such a wise] as to disperse those who are behind them, so that they may take admonition 8:57
If you fear treachery from any group, throw back (their COVENANT) to them, (so as to be) on equal terms: for Allah loves not the treacherous 8:58
And if they VIOLATE their oaths after their COVENANT and DEFAME your DEEN, fight those leaders of infidelity-verily no oaths will hold in their case that haply they may desist 9:12
The first command towards the violators is to throw back their peace treaty and be at par with them and the second command is that in case the believers confront them in the battle then the believers should fight in a way that they should take admonition, the third command is to fight with the leaders of infidels who violate their COVENANT and defames the DEEN (SYSTEM) of Allah
The COMMAND towards those who DO NOT offer PEACE
Surely ye will find others desiring, that they may be secure from you and may be secure from their people; and yet so oft as they are brought back into the temptation, they revert thereto. Wherefore if they withdraw not from you, NOR OFFER YOU PEACE, nor restrain their hands, lay hold of them and slay them wheresoever ye find them. These: against them We have given you a clear warranty. 4:91
The command towards those who do not offer PEACE is to lay hold of them and slay them
The COMMAND towards those DISBELIEVERS who offer PEACE
If they incline toward PEACE, then you [too] incline toward it (PEACE) and put your trust in Allah. Indeed He is the All-hearing, the All-knowing 8:61
Except those who seek refuge with a people between whom and you there is a covenant, or (those who) come unto you because their hearts forbid them to make war on you or make war on their own folk. Had Allah willed He could have given them power over you so that assuredly they would have fought you. So, if they hold aloof from you and wage not war against you and OFFER YOU PEACE, Allah allows you NO WAY AGAINST THEM 4:90
The command towards those who offer PEACE is to LEAVE THEIR WAY FREE
Then, when the sacred months have passed, slay the idolaters wherever ye find them, and take them (captive), and besiege them, and prepare for them each ambush. But if they repent (for violating the PEACE TREATY before) and establish the (SALAT) COMMAND (of PEACE) and execute good conduct, THEN LEAVE THEIR WAY FREE. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. 9:5
The repentance of the polytheists is for violating the peace treaties (8:56)
Excepted are those with whom you made a TREATY among the polytheists and then they have not been deficient toward you in anything or supported anyone against you; so complete for them their TREATY until their term [has ended]. Indeed, Allah loves the righteous [who fear Him]. 9:4
Then, when the sacred months have passed, confront the idolaters (who made treaties with you before and violated) wherever ye find them, and take them (captive), and besiege them, and prepare for them each ambush. But if they repent (for violating the PEACE TREATIES before) and establish the (SALAT) COMMAND (of PEACE) and execute good conduct, THEN LEAVE THEIR WAY FREE. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. 9:5
How can there be for the polytheists COVENANT with Allah. and His apostle save for those with whom ye COVENANTED near the Sacred Mosque? Act straight with them so long as they act straight with you. Verily Allah loveth the God-fearing 9:7
As long as the polytheists, who have covenanted with the believers, act straight or do not violate the peace treaty the believers should act straight with them
How (can it be)! while if they prevail against you, they would not pay regard in your case to TIES of RELATIONSHIP, nor those of COVENANT; they please you with their mouths while their hearts do not consent; and most of them are transgressors 9:8
They do not pay regard to TIES of RELATIONSHIP nor those of COVENANT in the CASE OF A BELIEVER; and these are they who are transgressors 9:10
But if they repent (for not paying regard to the ties of relationship and the COVENANTS in past) and establish the SALAT (command of peace) and execute good conduct, then they are your brethren in your in religion. We detail Our COMMANDS for a people who have knowledge 9:11
The polytheists never paid regards to ties of relationship and the covenants in respect of the believers but if they REPENT and pay regard to the ties of relationship and the covenants then they become brethren of the believers in their SYSTEM and not FAITH.
What is in the system of Allah?
In the system of Allah the believers are brethren (49:11) the orphans are the brethren (2:220), the enemies whose hearts were joined by Allah are brethren (3:103) disbelievers and believers are brethren (3:156/168), the disbelievers are brethren of those from the People of the Book who disbelieved (59:11). Adopted sons are brethren (33:5)
But if you held command, you were sure to make mischief in the land and CUT OFF the TIES OF KINSHIP 47:22
In the DEEN (SYSTEM) of Allah each one is the brother of the other and the TIES OF KINSHIP has to be respected. The disbelievers did not respect the TIES OF KINSHIP in case of the BELIEVERS and the TREATIES, therefore for PEACE they should REPENT for their past sins, establish the COMMAND of PEACE and execute RIGHTEOUSNESS (and stop MOCKING)
I think that the above material is enough to convince you that the above two verses are not revealed in the context of FORCED CONVERSION and neither of the Ritual Salat and giving of Zakat but to establish the COMMAND of PEACE and execution of RIGHTEOUSNESS.
You may find weird when I interpreted SALAT as a COMMAND and ZAKAT as GOOD CONDUCT, because both the meanings are contrary to the traditional understanding. But at the end of the day what matters is whether the verse makes any sense or not by using the dictionaries, lexicons or invented meanings.
Why ZAKAT is righteous / good conduct
O ye who believe! take not protectors those who make a MOCKERY and fun of your (DEEN) SYSYTEM (a set of connected social guidance and instructions) from among those who have been vouchsafed the Book before you and the disbelievers (as) allies. And fear Allah if ye are believers 5:57
What is MOCKING: TEASE or LAUGH at in a SCORNFUL or CONTEMPTUOUS manner
To tease or laugh at in a scornful and contemptuous is an ACT OF UNRIGHTEOUSNESS / BAD CONDUCT
They not only mocked the DEEN but mocked Allah, His messenger, His Quran
They say: "Our hearts are under veils, (concealed) from that to which thou dost invite us, and in our ears in deafness, and between us and you is a screen: so do thou (what thou wilt); for us, we shall do (what we will!)" 41:5
They mocked at the invitation of the Prophet which was for their own benefit and their mocking was a display of unrighteous conduct.
They have rejected truth whenever it came to them, yet [more] news will reach them concerning what they have been making a mockery of 6:5
They have indeed rejected (the Message): so they will know soon (enough) the truth of what they mocked at 26:6
Nay! you wonder while they MOCK And when they are admonished, they receive not admonition And, when they see a Sign, turn it to MOCKERY And say, "This (Quran) is nothing but evident sorcery! 37:12/13/14/15
And they say: O thou unto whom the Reminder is revealed, lo! thou art indeed a MAD MAN 15:6
And now they reject the truth (Quran) when it reaches them: but soon shall they learn the reality of what they used to MOCK AT. 6:5
And if you ask them, they will surely say, "We were only conversing and playing." Say, "Is it Allah and His verses and His Messenger that you were MOCKING 9:65
That is because you made a MOCKERY of God's revelations and were deluded by the life of this world." Therefore, today they will not be brought out of the Fire, nor will they be allowed to make amends 45:35
Is mocking a bad conduct or a good conduct
Indeed, those who committed crimes used to LAUGH at those who BELIEVED And whenever they passed by them, used to wink at each other (in mockery); And when they returned to their own people, they would return JESTING; And whenever they saw them, they would say, "Behold! These are the people truly astray!" 83:29/30/31/32
But you took them in MOCKERY to the point that they made you forget My remembrance, and you used to LAUGH at them 23:110
The disbelievers always mocked and laughed at the believers, and this was a sign of UNRIGHTEOUSNESS
Scan the Quran you will get all details of SADAQAAT but not a single verse wherein it says give zakat to whom, how much and when. ZAKAT as a CHARITY is an INVENTED meaning of the traditionalist.
And we intended that their Lord should change him for them for one better in زَكَاةً RIGHTEOUSNESS and nearer to mercy 18:81
He said: I am only a messenger of thy Lord, that I may bestow on thee a son زَكِيًّا RIGHTEOUS 19:19
And compassion FROM US,وَزَكَاةً and RIGHTEOUSNESS; and he was devout 19:13
And those who are GUIDED He increases unto them GUIDANCE, and GIVES them THEIR RIGHTEOUSNESS 47:17
The COMAPSSION/LOVE and وَزَكَاةً RIGHTEOUSNESS is a GIFT FROM Allah, therefore it الزَّكَاةَ cannot be CHARITY
And he commanded his peopleبِالصَّلَاةِ by the DIVINE COMMAND وَالزَّكَاةِ and (by) RIGHTEOUSNESS (Moral Principles), and was one in whom his Lord was well pleased 19:55
RIGHTEOUSNESS: Adhering to moral principles
PURITY: Freedom from adulteration or contamination, freedom from immorality, esp. of a sexual desire.
No one can command BY/ WITH / THROUGH/ BY MEANS OF CHARITY or PURITY IT HAS TO BE RIGHTEOUSSNESS.
What a pity that people talk of grammar while they themselves violate the rules of grammar while translating the verses of the Quran.
And He has made me blessed wherever I am and has enjoined upon me بِالصَّلَاةِ (BI S SALATI) prayer and zakah as long as I remain alive 19:31
Preposition BI is omitted
And he used to enjoin on his people بِالصَّلَاةِ (BI S SALATI) prayer and وَالزَّكَاةِ zakah and was to his Lord pleasing. 19:55
Preposition BI is omitted
And enjoin بِالصَّلَاةِ (BI S SALATI) prayer upon your family [and people] and be steadfast therein. We ask you not for provision; We provide for you, and the [best] outcome is for [those of] righteousness 20:132
Preposition BI is omitted
Can I ask why such distortion? Is it only because they want to fit the meaning of SALAT as a ritual prayer either by hook or by crook?
He said: Surely I am a servant of Allah; He has given me the Book and made me a prophet 19:30
And He has made me blessed wherever I may be, and He has وَأَوْصَانِي ASSOCIATED /BONDED meبِالصَّلَاةِ WITH the DIVINE COMMAND وَالزَّكَاةِ and (WITH the) RIGHTEOUSNESS (Moral Principles) as long as I am alive 19:31
Jesus was bonded with the Divine Command and righteous conduct since his birth and will remain bonded with him as long as he lives
He said: I am but a messenger from thy Lord that I may bestow on thee غُلَامًا a boyزَكِيًّا of RIGHTEOUSNESS (Moral Principles) 19:18
He said: Surely I am a slave of Allah; He has given me the Book and made me a prophet 19:30
وَأْمُرْ أَهْلَكَ And command thy peopleبِالصَّلَاةِ by the (SALAT) DIVINE COMMAND, and وَاصْطَبِرْ be STEADFAST (be resolutely firm and unwavering)عَلَيْهَا over it. We ask thee not to provide sustenance: We provide it for thee. But the (fruit of) the Hereafter is for righteousness 20:132
How can you be firm or resolute upon the RITUAL SALAT, whereas it is possible to be firm upon the Quran and its commandments.
The prophet never warned his people by his own words but by the Quran (COMMAND)
Say thou: I only أُنذِرُكُم warn you بِالْوَحْيِ by the REVELATION; and the deaf hearken not unto the call when they are warned 21:45
We are Best Aware of what they say, and thou (O Muhammad) art in no wise a compeller over them. But فَذَكِّرْ warn بِالْقُرْآنِ by the Qur'an him who feareth My threat 50:45
بِالْوَحْيِ BY the Revelation
بِالْقُرْآنِ BY the Qur'an?
بِالصَّلَاةِ PRAYER (preposition BI (BY / WITH) omitted)
Say: I am only a mortal like you; it is revealed to me that your Allah is one Allah, therefore follow the right way to Him and ask His forgiveness; and وَوَيْلٌ لِّلْمُشْرِكِينَ WOE TO THE POLYTHEIST الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ WHO EXECUTE / IMPLEMENT NOT RIGHTEOUSNESS (Moral Principles); and they in the Hereafter, are disbelievers 41:7/8
Is ZAKAT for only rich people are for ALL BELIEVERS (MEN. WOMEN, RICH, POOR)
The believing MEN and believing WOMEN are allies of one another. THEY (believing MEN and believing WOMEN) enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and establish prayer and GIVE ZAKAT and obey Allah and His Messenger. Those - Allah will have mercy upon them. Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise. 9:71
ALL believers (MEN, WOMEN, POOR and RICH) GIVE ZAKAT, but today ONLY MEN who have resources GIVES ZAKAT? What about the POOR and the WOMEN? O Muslims awake from your sleep of ignorance otherwise it will be too late. If SALAT is mandatory for all believers then why ZAKAT is exempt for the WOMEN and the POOR. Has Allah given an option?
Unfortunately for the traditionalist WOMEN are also commanded to give ZAKAT and that too UMMUL MOMINEEN
And stay quietly in your houses, and make not a dazzling display, like that of the former Times of Ignorance; and establish the DIVINE COMMAND, and execute الزَّكَاةَ righteous (conduct) and obey Allah and His Messenger. And Allah only wishes to remove all abomination from you, (of the) people of the DWELLING PLACE, and to make you pure and spotless 33:33
If the wives of the prophet give ZAKAT then it means every woman should give ZAKAT, but the truth is that only men give ZAKAT and this is a violation of the command of Allah. If giving of ZAKAT is mandatory for the believers then what about those who receive the ZAKAT? Please note that the details of ZAKAT are not found in the Quran but Hadith and Allah has not setup any parameter for the payment of the ZAKAT. EXECUTION / IMPLEMENTATION of RIGHTEOUSNESS is mandatory for the matured believers, whether male or female, rich or poor.
وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لِلزَّكَاةِ فَاعِلُونَ
And they are those who are فَاعِلُونَ DOERS لِلزَّكَاةِ of the RIGHTEOUSNESS 23:4
Those who are true believers are always the DOERS of the RIGHTEOUSNESS, whereas those who are disbelievers will scorn at you when you invite them to the Divine Command.
When ZAKAT as a charity is ruled out then there remains only one option and that is to accept ZAKAT as RIGHTEOUSNESS.
أَقِمِ AQIM = ESTABLISH: 1. Set up (an organization, system or set of rules) on a firm or permanent basis
2. Initiate or bring about (contact or COMMUNICATION)
What is physically established is an organization, office, company, house etc.
What are mentally established are laws, set of rules, instructions, and guidance, system etc.
With reference to the above,
IS RITUAL SALAT an ORGANISATION? IS RITUAL SALAT a SYSTEM? IS SALAT a SET OF RULES? IS SALAT a SET OF LAWS? IS SALAT a SET OF INSTRUCTIONS or GUIDANCE?
If none of the above is RITUAL SALAT then how do you establish / set up the RITUAL SALAT?
Now the question that arises in this scenario is what is that which can be ESTABLISHED.
And had they أَقَامُوا ESTABLISHED the TAURAT and the INJEEL and that which was sent down unto them from their Lord, they would have devoured from above them and from beneath them. Among them is a community right-doing; but many of them - vile is that which they work! 5:66
The Torah and the Injeel were sent down as guidance to mankind and to ESTABLISH the commands therein. The Quran was also sent down to be ESTABLISHED, but the Muslims failed in their covenant with Allah
Say thou: people of the Book! You are not on anything until تُقِيمُوا you ESTABLISH the TAURAT (the commands, instructions, guidance therein) and the INJEEL (the commands, the instructions, the guidance therein) and (ESTABLISH) that which is now sent down unto you (Quran) from your Lord. And that which hath been sent down unto thee (Quran) will surely increase many of them in exorbitance and infidelity; so mourn thou not over and disbelieving people 5:68
The people of the Book are not on anything unless they ESTABLISH their books plus Quran. In the same way Muslims also do not stand upon anything unless they ESTABLISH the Quran.
Not once did Allah say, O ye who believe, ?Establish the QURAN?
The likeness of those who are entrusted with the TAURAT, yet apply it not, is as the likeness of the ass carrying books. Wretched is the likeness of folk who deny the revelations of Allah. And Allah guides not wrongdoing folk. 62:5
How better are the Muslims than the people of the Book? Muslims are also donkeys carrying the load of Quran on their back but follow the laws, ritual, instructions and guidance of the HADITH.
So the Quran like Taurat and the Injeel must be ESTABLISHED
How Quran is a COMMANDMENT
Thus We have revealed it (QURAN) as a حُكْمًا COMMANDMENT in Arabic. If you follow their desires after all the knowledge which has come to you, you would have no protector or shield against God 13:37
And We wrote for him upon the Tablets an instruction and explanation of everything, So take them with firmness and COMMAND your people to take the best of it. Soon I shall show you the home of the wicked. 7:145
And thou was not on the western side when We entrusted to Moses the الْأَمْرَ the COMMANDMENT and thou was not of the witnesses 28:44
And gave them clear evidence مِّنَ concerning الْأَمْرِ the COMMANDMENT and they differed not until after the knowledge came unto them, through rivalry among themselves. Lo! thy Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that wherein they used to differ 45:17
ثُمَّ And thereafter جَعَلْنَاكَ We assigned you (the) عَلَىٰ responsibility (of) شَرِيعَةٍ enacting/putting into practice مِّنَ concerning الْأَمْرِ the COMMMANDMENT; so فَاتَّبِعْهَا FOLLOW it thou (enact / proclaim/ put into practice the COMMANDMENT), and FOLLOW not the vain desires of those who know not. 45:18
What did the prophet follow?
Follow thou that which hath been revealed unto thee from thy Lord: no god is there but He; and turn thou away from the idolaters 6:106
Follow that which is sent down toward you from your Lord, and follow not any patrons beside Him; yet little ye are admonished 7:3
And follow that which is revealed to thee from thy Lord; verily Allah is of that which ye Work ever Aware 33:2
Allah wrote on the tablets for Moses the instructions and explanation of all things and commanded Moses to command his people to follow the best of it (written on the tablet), but in spite of Allah giving them clear evidences of the COMMANDMENT, his followers differed after the knowledge reached them. Now the task of enacting / proclaiming / putting into practice the COMMANDMENT (Quran) was assigned to the Prophet with the command to follow the COMMANDMENT and not to follow the vain desires of those who know not.
So Quran is itself a COMMANDMENT which contains various commands to be ESTABLISHED by the individual, society and the nation.
Commands pertaining to Salat, Charity, Fasting, Hajj, orphans etc. should be established by the individual believer, Commands pertaining to divorce, inheritance, etc. should be established by the individual and by the society and all other commands pertaining to safety, security, of the land, justice, crimes, and punishment should be established by the government. If each individual executes his duty honestly, then there will be none in the society asking for his rights.
Why SALAT is COMMAND and COMMUNICATION and not RITUAL PRAYER.
The only thing that can be ESTABLISHED is the QURAN (and its COMMANDS) like TAURAT and the INJEEL and not the RITUAL PRAYER.
SALAT pertaining to Allah is the COMMUNICATION that should be and can be ESTABLISHED. (follow the prayers of Moses 20:14 and Zachariah 3:39)
Thanks
Please note that this is entirely my understanding and readers are requested to follow their own intellect
