Golden Rule of Islam

[Rob]

When rebbe Akiva was asked to summarize Judaism in one sentence he said "don´t do to others what you donot want others to do to you" (free translation). Jesus applied the same golden rule, so this is also the golden rule in Christianity. Hinduism, Taoism all have the same.

Are my interpretations of above golden rules of different religions correct?, and

I have not yet encoutered the golden rule of Islam. What is it?

[andak01]

Anas relates that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.” [Sahîh al-Bukhârî and Sahîh Muslim]

http://www.islamtoday.com/showme2.cf...sub_cat_id=672

059.009 But those who before them, had homes (in Medina) and had adopted the Faith,- show their affection to such as came to them for refuge, and entertain no desire in their hearts for things given to the (latter), but give them preference over themselves, even though poverty was their (own lot). And those saved from the covetousness of their own souls,- they are the ones that achieve prosperity.

http://www.jannah.org/qurantrans/quran59.html


A criticism of Islam that I tend to hear a lot from Non-Muslim is that Islam has no equivalent of the Golden Rule, which is so not true. The Prophet Muhammad May Allah bless him and give him peace said that “None of you will truly believe until he wishes for his brother that what he wants for himself.”
Imam Nawawi, one of the greatest scholars of Islam of the past says that the Prophet May Allah bless him and give him peace is referring to all of humanity. Therefore, we must want for our fellow human what we want for ourselves. And many Muslims have not reached this level of faith yet as we still pray for something bad to happen to our enemies, while our Prophet May Allah bless him and give him peace used to pray for his enemies and wish for the best for them.
http://tradicionalista.wordpress.com...o-golden-rule/

[Rob]

Thanks...I checked the ahadith. The Arabic word that is used for brother is used to reference Muslims in the Quran and other ahadith. But I am not a native speaker, I ´ll ask some native Arabic speakers what they make out of it.

Still, if Muslims believe that in this case it means all of humanity, I am all for it of course.

[andak01]

There's more than that. Again and again, the Prophet of Islam spoke of good treatment of neighbors and he himself treated his neighbors well, even when those neighbors were not Muslim.


Narrated by Ibn Umar and Aisha (May Allah be pleased with them) saying that the Messenger of Allah said:

Angel Jibril advised me continuously to take care of the neighbor till I thought that Allah is to make him an inheritor.

In another Hadith, the Prophet (pbuh) informed us that the best person is the one who is good to his neighbors. The Hadith is as follows:

Narrated by Ibn Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (pbuh) said:

The best friend in the sight of Allah is the one who is good to his companions; and the best neighbor in the sight of Allah is the one who is good to his neighbors. [Tarmizi]
There are still more Ahadith about treating neighbors in the best way.


1. In one Hadith, the following is reported that we should be kind to our neighbors:

Narrated by Abi Shuraih Al-Khuza'i (May Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (pbuh) said:
Whoever believes in Allah and the Day of Judgement, let him do good to his neighbor... [Muslim]


2. In another Hadith, the following reported that we should let them enjoy the food that we cook:

Narrated by Abu Zarr Al-Ghaffari (May Allah be pleased with him) saying that the Prophet (pbuh) said:
O Abu Zarr! Whenever you cook food, increase its contents, and take care of your neighbors. [Muslim]


http://www.angelfire.com/ca/hasakr/neighbor.html

[Steven]

Still, if Muslims believe that in this case it means all of humanity, I am all for it of course.

Only thing is that this is not what is happening across the world. They are clearly pushing for an Islamic world with no concern for anyone else.


Ayatollah Khomeini

Khomeini accordingly delivered notorious rebuke to the Islam-is-a-religion-of-peace crowd: “Those who know nothing of Islam pretend that Islam counsels against war. Those [who say this] are witless. Islam says: Kill all the unbelievers just as they would kill you all! Does this mean that Muslims should sit back until they are devoured by [the unbelievers]? Islam says: Kill them, put them to the sword and scatter [their armies].... Islam says: Whatever good there is exists thanks to the sword and in the shadow of the sword! People cannot be made obedient except with the sword! The sword is the key to Paradise, which can be opened only for the Holy Warriors! There are hundreds of other [Qur’anic] psalms and Hadiths [sayings of the Prophet] urging Muslims to value war and to fight. Does all this mean that Islam is a religion that prevents men from waging war? I spit upon those foolish souls who make such a claim.”

[Steven]

[while our Prophet May Allah bless him and give him peace used to pray for his enemies and wish for the best for them.[/I]
http://tradicionalista.wordpress.com...o-golden-rule/

Right, then he would slaughter or enslave them as dimam.


Volume 4, Book 52, Number 220:
Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah's Apostle said, "I have been sent with the shortest expressions bearing the widest meanings, and I have been made victorious with terror (cast in the hearts of the enemy), and while I was sleeping, the keys of the treasures of the world were brought to me and put in my hand." Abu Huraira added: Allah's Apostle has left the world and now you, people, are bringing out those
treasures.
http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamen...ml#004.052.220

Book 019, Number 4294:
If they refuse to accept Islam, demand from them the jizya. If they agree to pay, accept it from them and hold off your hands. If they refuse to pay the tax, seek Allah's help and fight them.
http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamen...m/019.smt.html

[andak01]

And Steven, how do you treat your enemies, i.e. the Muslims?? Do you do anything other than celebrate the banning of minarets, call for us to be deported, throw a party when a pig is paraded over the site of a prospective mosque?

To dishonestly pretend that Muhammad's (SAW) enemies who arrayed themselves in battle against the Muslims are the same as his enemies that he dealt with in Medina and Mecca (after Muslim rule) is about par for the course with you. To pretend that Muslim theocratic rule was uniquely intolerant compared to what went on next door and for centuries afterwards in Christian lands is simply a farce. You call me a conman, but you would rewrite all of history to pretend that Muslims treated non-Muslims in ways that weren't also common among Christians. In fact, Christians created special taxes for Jews at those times that Jews weren't outlawed and exiled. Muslims living in Europe prior to the 19th century mostly did so as slaves.

[Steven]

And Steven, how do you treat your enemies, i.e. the Muslims?? Do you do anything other than celebrate the banning of minarets, call for us to be deported, throw a party when a pig is paraded over the site of a prospective mosque?

To dishonestly pretend that Muhammad's (SAW) enemies who arrayed themselves in battle against the Muslims are the same as his enemies that he dealt with in Medina and Mecca (after Muslim rule) is about par for the course with you. To pretend that Muslim theocratic rule was uniquely intolerant compared to what went on next door and for centuries afterwards in Christian lands is simply a farce. You call me a conman, but you would rewrite all of history to pretend that Muslims treated non-Muslims in ways that weren't also common among Christians. In fact, Christians created special taxes for Jews at those times that Jews weren't outlawed and exiled. Muslims living in Europe prior to the 19th century mostly did so as slaves.

I never said to deport all Muslims, so don't make things up.
No one is concerned with what Christians DID, they are concerned with what Muslims want to do TODAY.

[andak01]

No one is concerned with what Christians DID, they are concerned with what Muslims want to do TODAY.

Muslims aren't a single group with a single goal. I'm tired of being grouped with Shiites, Sufis and Nation of Islam or even radical Sunnis like we all have the same views and goals. We don't.

[Agnosthiest]

A criticism of Islam that I tend to hear a lot from Non-Muslim is that Islam has no equivalent of the Golden Rule, which is so not true. The Prophet Muhammad May Allah bless him and give him peace said that “None of you will truly believe until he wishes for his brother that what he wants for himself.”

problem is, that appears to be a minor teaching in islam. so minor that mohammad did not see it fit to include in the quran. no wonder you cant hear muslims preaching this. the golden rule will destroy sharia law. it will make Saudi Arabia a tolerant country.

[bararallu]

Not sure why this was raised, since the debater on the other side (Andak) subscribes to no universal ethics, as per the half of a dozen conversations on this forum. Every ethical question is ad hoc we are told, fundamentally temporal. What does the golden rule mean if it's not in the context, in the very center of a ethical standard.

[andak01]

Not sure why this was raised, since the debater on the other side (Andak) subscribes to no universal ethics, as per the half of a dozen conversations on this forum. Every ethical question is ad hoc we are told, fundamentally temporal. What does the golden rule mean if it's not in the context, in the very center of a ethical standard.

How does YOUR Golden Rule propose to treat Muslims? As outcasts? This would all be funny if it weren't so sad. Pretending to apply a Golden Rule to everyone while exempting Muslims from the rest of humanity. Do unto others while standing on a soapbox howling that Muslims are Nazis. The Golden Rule, you should be remembered, was part of the religion of every Lutheran and every Catholic that ever turned a Jew over to the Nazis. The Golden Rule doesn't prevent murder or rape or oppression from happening in every culture of every religion in the world.

[bararallu]

How does YOUR Golden Rule propose to treat Muslims? As outcasts? This would all be funny if it weren't so sad. Pretending to apply a Golden Rule to everyone while exempting Muslims from the rest of humanity. Do unto others while standing on a soapbox howling that Muslims are Nazis. The Golden Rule, you should be remembered, was part of the religion of every Lutheran and every Catholic that ever turned a Jew over to the Nazis. The Golden Rule doesn't prevent murder or rape or oppression from happening in every culture of every religion in the world.

So basically what you're saying is just because you don't have one (and I mean you not Muslims generally), everyone else's is meaningless? We've had discussions on universal timeless ethics and you absconded yourself, saying in many words and few that there are no such things. Thats your opinion of course. And I do not project that opinion on anyone else, Muslim Jew or Druise.

And again you raise the Nazi clause, why exactly? How exactly does it aid your argument? Why assume that my golden rule would ostrecise Muslims? Have I ever stated that? I would treat them according to my ancestors, who codified it, who like Hillel, espoused it. Luther is no one to me and mine. And the Golden rule is exactly that part of ethics as divorced from theology that would not make every Catholic turn in every Jew to every Nazi.

[Agnosthiest]

How does YOUR Golden Rule propose to treat Muslims?

The fact still remains that muslims are treated much better in the land of the infidels, than how infidels are treated in the land of the moslems. Right? Thats the golden rule making a significant difference.

I will take it up with you that the Golden Rule is the cornerstone of religions.

so why is it not in the koran?

[Rob]

problem is, that appears to be a minor teaching in islam. so minor that mohammad did not see it fit to include in the quran. no wonder you cant hear muslims preaching this.

Good point.