The Bahá'í Faith: Teachings, History, and Practices

[mikesw]

That's correct.
Then, please consider the Baha'i husband who went to the prostitute and repented at least as one of those pawns.
If you show some sympathy to those soldiers, please show sympathy to the Baha'i husband who repented.
If you believe Jesus interceded for those Roman soldiers who were torturing Jesus, what stops you from believing that Jesus can forgive Baha'is who recognized Him as sent by God, and who recognize his Gospel as true?



I don't understand your reasoning. Don't you believe that Jesus has interceded for the sins of men also after his crucifixion? Why do you say he could not have held on for months?

you still don't understand that Jesus spoke of the soldiers for an insight to us about the situation. The soldier obviously did not regard this as significant, at least during the duration of the account shared with us. Jesus could have otherwise just said to the soldiers "you don't know the depth of evil that is involved in your killing of me, but I fully forgive your sins."
I could theorize that a Baha'is has heard the gospel and recognized that the only way to God is through Jesus. That person could then be truly of faith toward Christ even if still having less prominent doctrines that interfere with a relationship with God. I have heard accounts of Muslims who have come to Christ but were nervous how and when to share they have come to Christ. So what you say is possible.

If you find some comfort in being Baha'i and some meaning to it, that certainly is your choice and opportunity. My point is that your sense of Christ, Christianity and God do not fit with the Bible.,

 

[Bob Carabbio]

God is extending his grace to people from all religions, including those with a theology different than yours.

True. "Grace" is UNMERITED FAVOR. You didn't "Merit" it, you didn't "Earn" it, and you don't "Deserve" it since you're at enmity with God, as ALL Humans are.

The FIRST TIME you sinned, and fell short, you were IMMEDIATELY under the sentence of DEATH and Hell. But you've remained physically alive. That's Grace in practical action.

My reliance on that mode of grace ended in 1963 when God favored me with CONVICTION OF MY SIN, leading to Repentance, and being born again of the Spirit (Becoming a Christian).

NOW His Grace to me is seen daily as HIS HAND guides my life, and makes things work for me, changing my progressively into the image of His SON (Rom 8:29).

In your case, you, as a condemned SINNER are permitted to remain physically alive for a time during which hopefully you will also be convicted of your SIN, Surrender, REPENT, call upon God in FAITH for Jesus' Sacrifice to be made yours, and become BORN AGAIN of the Holy Spirit also, freeing you from your SIN, and your present false religious system, and making you a redeemed child of God.

 

[Pancho Frijoles]

It makes sense that you forget the basics of scripture such at the 10 commandments. I was speaking more broadly of scripture rather than just the blasphemy of these Pharisees alone.

I know you were talking about that broader definition of blasphemy, mikesw.
But this passage in Matthew 12 specifically speaks about OTHER type of blasphemy, which is worse than any other... and I still haven't read your comments on this type of blasphemy.

If they do not get the forgiveness through Christ's death and resurrection, they have a small bandage over a large gash. It does not reconcile them with God. You might have a valid point in the last sentence or two, but that does not make people justified to receive eternal life.

You have compared God mercy towards your non-Christian human fellows with the effect of cocaine, and now, with a "small bandage over a large gash". You say Christ cannot reconcile Baha'is or Muslims to God, unless they accept certain doctrines about his blood substitutionary atonement or physical resurrection.
Are you hearing yourself? What is next?

Come to Christ Jesus while you have this opportunity.

If I come to Christ Jesus, does it mean that I need to believe that Muslims,Jews, Baha'is and Sikhs deserve eternal fire if they don't convert to Christians?
Who else? Mormons, gays, Jehovah witnesses, Unitarian Universalists, Seventh Day Adventists, Quakers, communists, evolucionists, agnostics?

 

[Pancho Frijoles]

In your case, you, as a condemned SINNER are permitted to remain physically alive for a time during which hopefully you will also be convicted of your SIN, Surrender, REPENT, call upon God in FAITH for Jesus' Sacrifice to be made yours, and become BORN AGAIN of the Holy Spirit also, freeing you from your SIN, and your present false religious system, and making you a redeemed child of God.

Hi Bob

How do you know that a person is not born again as a redeemed child of God?
I ask this question because you are addressing me as if you were convinced that I am not a redeemed child of God.
You are telling me this despite you know nothing about my intimate relationship with God, and the love or lack of love that the Christ manifests in my life.
I think we should be careful when addressing other Forum members in these terms.

I wouldn't tell you that you need to be born again: I assume, in principle, that you are already born again and enjoy the blessings of God.

 

[Bob Carabbio]

Hi Bob

How do you know that a person is not born again as a redeemed child of God?
I ask this question because you are addressing me as if you were convinced that I am not a redeemed child of God.

Since there's no Salvation in the Bahai system, it seemed a safe assumption - BUT God can and does reach people in all kinds of phony religious systems. When and under what circumstances were YOU cleansed of you SIN, and indwelled by the Holy Spirit???

I wouldn't tell you that you need to be born again.

But if you were a Christian, you should, since you'd know that it's the ONLY WAY.

 

[mikesw]

I know you were talking about that broader definition of blasphemy, mikesw.
But this passage in Matthew 12 specifically speaks about OTHER type of blasphemy, which is worse than any other... and I still haven't read your comments on this type of blasphemy.



You have compared God mercy towards your non-Christian human fellows with the effect of cocaine, and now, with a "small bandage over a large gash". You say Christ cannot reconcile Baha'is or Muslims to God, unless they accept certain doctrines about his blood substitutionary atonement or physical resurrection.
Are you hearing yourself? What is next?



If I come to Christ Jesus, does it mean that I need to believe that Muslims,Jews, Baha'is and Sikhs deserve eternal fire if they don't convert to Christians?
Who else? Mormons, gays, Jehovah witnesses, Unitarian Universalists, Seventh Day Adventists, Quakers, communists, evolucionists, agnostics?

you are missing too much detail.
Sure Jesus said blasphemy of the Spirit is worse. So don't do that. But if you blaspheme by exalting a false god over the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, you can still repent and be forgiven through Christ. That perhaps is the distinction Christ offers here.

As to God's mercy, we have not been discussing that. You have brought up people who feel they have repented to the god of their religion and they feel better. The forgiveness they need is the one through Christ Jesus. Otherwise, they are subject to whatever their belief system offers them, which will likely be problematic because it is not what Christ offers. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through him. I can repeat this more times if you need me to.

As to your last issues, all I can offer is them is the gospel. We can only wish and hope things happen the way we would imagine. However, it is the reality of situation that really matters. Reconciliation is open to all who will come to Christ. It is not like I have some permission from God to let people in through a side door. Some people in various groups do hear the gospel and come to God through Christ. That can happen even if their main teachings distort the gospel. So just pray they can come to know Christ.

 

[synergy]

Subject Heading:- The Bahá'í Faith: Teachings, History, and Practices​

@civic
* If this is what is given voice to on the forum, this is where I say goodbye.

In Christ Jesus
My Saviour, Lord and Head
Complete in Christ

I'm really sorry you feel that way. We really need your voice in our fight against darkness. Many of us enjoy your comments and insights. Muslims and Muslim-leaning faiths like the Baha'i cannot and will not win against our Lord and God Jesus Christ. Victory is ours right now and in no way shape or form can we allow the forces of darkness to run all over us. We've got each other's back and we need to keep doing so. In our Lord and God Jesus Christ we trust.

 

[Pancho Frijoles]

you are missing too much detail.
Sure Jesus said blasphemy of the Spirit is worse. So don't do that. But if you blaspheme by exalting a false god over the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, you can still repent and be forgiven through Christ. That perhaps is the distinction Christ offers here.

Pharisees were not exalting a false god. They despised Beelzebub. They were saying that Christ healing act came from Beelzebub to despise Christ's act.
So, the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit has nothing to do with exalting evil, but calling "evil" that which comes from God.
For example: if you say that it is a sort of cocaine-like effect the peace and change in life that non-Christians experience when they come to God, it is not that you are exalting cocaine, not at all! It is that you are despising the works of the Holy Spirit.

Certainly, you are not aware of that and God understands it.
I'm just calling your attention to what the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is, so that you avoid it.

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through him. I can repeat this more times if you need me to.

Every time you repeat those words, please add what they mean for you.
For some, going through Christ means accepting the doctrines of preexistence, incarnation, substitutionary blood atonement, physical resurrection and Second Coming. Perhaps, I should add, believing in biblical inerrancy and some other handful of doctrines.
For me, going through Christ means a totally different thing. Please see my last comment in this post.

As to your last issues, all I can offer is them is the gospel. We can only wish and hope things happen the way we would imagine. However, it is the reality of situation that really matters. Reconciliation is open to all who will come to Christ. It is not like I have some permission from God to let people in through a side door.

Indeed, by brother, you have permission from God to forgive without asking anybody what their creed is.
Not just the permission, but the mandate.
Coming to the Father through Christ means approaching the Father as Christ taught. Using Christ's way.
Jesus teachings are contained in very explicit passages who were written to address specifically the issue of forgiveness.
This is important, mikesw: They are the words of Jesus, not as marginal footnotes, but addressing the subject directly.

These passages include:

• The Parable of the Prodigal Son
• The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Payer
• The Parable of the King who forgave the debt of his subject
• The Lord's Prayer

Please read these passages carefully, as they contain Christ's Way to Forgiveness.
If any person comes to the Father Christ's Way, then that person is coming through Christ.

Some people in various groups do hear the gospel and come to God through Christ. That can happen even if their main teachings distort the gospel. So just pray they can come to know Christ.

I am glad to read that.

 

[mikesw]

Pharisees were not exalting a false god. They despised Beelzebub. They were saying that Christ healing act came from Beelzebub to despise Christ's act.
So, the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit has nothing to do with exalting evil, but calling "evil" that which comes from God.
For example: if you say that it is a sort of cocaine-like effect the peace and change in life that non-Christians experience when they come to God, it is not that you are exalting cocaine, not at all! It is that you are despising the works of the Holy Spirit.

Certainly, you are not aware of that and God understands it.
I'm just calling your attention to what the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is, so that you avoid it.

Thanks for sharing your misconceptions. Now on to the next stuff.

Every time you repeat those words, please add what they mean for you.
For some, going through Christ means accepting the doctrines of preexistence, incarnation, substitutionary blood atonement, physical resurrection and Second Coming. Perhaps, I should add, believing in biblical inerrancy and some other handful of doctrines.
For me, going through Christ means a totally different thing. Please see my last comment in this post.



Indeed, by brother, you have permission from God to forgive without asking anybody what their creed is.
Not just the permission, but the mandate.
Coming to the Father through Christ means approaching the Father as Christ taught. Using Christ's way.
Jesus teachings are contained in very explicit passages who were written to address specifically the issue of forgiveness.
This is important, mikesw: They are the words of Jesus, not as marginal footnotes, but addressing the subject we are discussing.

These passages include:

• The Parable of the Prodigal Son
• The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Payer
• The Parable of the King who forgave the debt of his subject
• The Lord's Prayer

Please read these passages carefully, as they contain Christ's Way to Forgiveness.
If any person comes to the Father Christ's Way, then that person is coming through Christ.



I am glad to read that.

You quote parables without knowing what they are saying. These are speaking of the corruption of the Pharisees yet you try to make them standard lessons of us forgiving each other. A little study of commentaries might help you get a little closer to understanding scripture. you are just chasing vapors and missing main points. The primary requirement is to come through Christ's sacrifice in that God gave his Son for our sins and through that way (i.e. Christ is the way) we come to the God known through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Jesus' teachings are way different from the way you perceive. You must recognize that you are just trying to gloss over the essence of Christianity so you can merge the true God with all the false gods of these other religions you accept. The scriptures are not for making up meaning that you wish they said. They have meaning in light of Christ and his death and resurrection. If you misinterpret them systematically, you know longer have the truth. You no longer have the true Christ.

 

[Pancho Frijoles]

Since there's no Salvation in the Bahai system, it seemed a safe assumption

Hi Bob. I believe there is no salvation in any system, church or religion.
Salvation is an underserved gift from God. His grace touches and changes the lives of people within many religious systems and outside those religious systems.
Religious leaders are sometimes interested in making us believe that there is salvation only within a given system. They want to profit from our loyalty to the system.

- BUT God can and does reach people in all kinds of phony religious systems. When and under what circumstances were YOU cleansed of you SIN, and indwelled by the Holy Spirit???

Thanks for the opportunity to share my personal testimony.
By age 25 I had abandoned my faith in God and threw myself not just into atheism, but into narcissism... the vain cult to myself. I made many wrong things based on making a false god from myself.
About 20 years later I happened to travel to the city I had been born and raised (Oaxaca, in Southern Mexico... a beautiful small city). After finishing the business that had brought me again to that city, I wanted to visit the house I enjoyed during my childhood. To my puzzlement, it had been converted into a Baha'i information center. I knocked at the door and asked the lady who opened it if I could come in, just to have a change to bring some memories. She let me know about the Baha'i Faith. I was not interested. I was not interested in any religion.
Still, that seed started sprouting. One day I read The Hidden Words of Bah'au'lláh and, after prayer and reflection during several weeks, I knelt down for the first time in 20 years, and submitted to God.
That's where He let me know that my sins had been cleansed, that His Cause was the Cause of Love and Unity, that Jesus was a True Messenger and so was Bahá'u'lláh. From that time on, the Holy Spirit has been working in my character, crushing one by one my past idols.

 

[Pancho Frijoles]

Thanks for sharing your misconceptions. Now on to the next stuff.

You quote parables without knowing what they are saying. These are speaking of the corruption of the Pharisees yet you try to make them standard lessons of us forgiving each other.

The corruption of the Pharisees has an equivalent nowadays in the corruption or religious leaders.
Look: By the time of Christ, Pharisees taught that the way to God was the strict compliance with the Law of Moses. In these times, religious leaders teach that the way to God is the strict compliance with doctrinal orthodoxy.
Both positions ignore how God's forgiveness work.

You say that I am misinterpreting the parables. You would make a good service to me and to the readers if you show us how I am misinterpreting them. We can go one by one, including the Lord's Prayer.

 

[Pancho Frijoles]

Thanks for sharing your misconceptions. Now on to the next stuff.

It helps no one of our readers to call any argument "misconception" if you don't provide the rationale for that qualification.
The passage is below. Please bring the commentaries from theologians that you agree with.

From my side, this is the rationale for why I think that the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is to call "evil" what comes from God.

1. THE CONTEXT: Jesus heals a man (verses 22 and 23) and the Pharisees adjudicate such good act to "Beelzebub" (verse 24)
2. JESUS REFUTATION: Jesus refutes them by saying that evil does not fight evil (verses 24 to 29)
3. THE SIN PHARISEES WERE COMMITING: Jesus concludes his refutation by saying that the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is worse than that against the Son of Man and cannot be forgiven (verse 31 and 32). So, what had the Pharisees done wrong, as to be considered a blasphemy against the Holy Spirit? Well, what they did wrong in verse 24. There is no other sin in the episode by the sin of verse 24.
4. THE COROLLARY: Jesus closes the episode by highlighting that evil cannot come from good, nor good from evil (verses 33-35)

​

Then one possessed with a demon was brought to Him, blind and mute, and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw. 23 All the people were amazed and said, “Is He not the Son of David?”​

24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “This Man does not cast out demons, except by Beelzebub the ruler of the demons.”​

25 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation. And every city or house divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. Then how will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore, they shall be your judges. 28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.​

29 “Or else how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.​

30 “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad. 31 Therefore I say to you, all kinds of sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven men. 32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, neither in this world, nor in the world to come.​

33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree corrupt and its fruit corrupt. For the tree is known by its fruit. 34 O generation of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things. And an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. 36 But I say to you that for every idle word that men speak, they will give an account on the Day of Judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned. (Mat 12:22-37)​

 

[Pancho Frijoles]

I'm really sorry you feel that way. We really need your voice in our fight against darkness. Many of us enjoy your comments and insights. Muslims and Muslim-leaning faiths like the Baha'i cannot and will not win against our Lord and God Jesus Christ. Victory is ours right now and in no way shape or form can we allow the forces of darkness to run all over us. We've got each other's back and we need to keep doing so. In our Lord and God Jesus Christ we trust.

Hi, synergy

When the Scripture speaks about darkness, it refers to evil. Not to mistaken beliefs.
Please review all instances in which darkness is used as a metaphor in the sacred text.
If any Baha'i belief leads someone to idolatry, self-righteousness, arrogance, indifference to the needy, vanity, greed, lust, etc. then such belief is darkness. If it does not, then it may be incorrect, but not evil.

The battle that synergy, @Complete and Pancho Frijoles are called to fight, is the battle against evil, against the life of the flesh.
What we do in this forum is to engage in respectful and hopefully productive debates.

 

[synergy]

Yes, metaphorically

Yes, metaphorically

Yes, considering that "in Christ" means "in The Word", "in The Gospel" he preached and lived.

Yes, under the same assumption. That when the text refers to Christ, it means the Message or Gospel.

Yes, metaphorically. We think it refers to spiritual death, separation from God

Yes, considering that "Jesus Christ our Lord" means his Gospel, The Word of God

Yes, metaphorically

Yes, metaphorically


Thanks for your questions, Chris.

I'd like to pick up where you left off discussing the beliefs of Christianity in this segment.

You like to quiz us about scenarios. Permit me to give you a scenario and ask you what you would do. Let's say you're searching for a cure to an illness. You come across one Doctor that tells you that he has a metaphorical cure for your illness. You want a 2nd opinion and you find a Doctor who has a real cure for your illness. Which Doctor do you select to cure your illness?

I'll explain the connection of this scenario to our discussions afterwards if you haven't guessed it rightly already.

 

[synergy]

Hi, synergy

When the Scripture speaks about darkness, it refers to evil. Not to mistaken beliefs.
Please review all instances in which darkness is used as a metaphor in the sacred text.
If any Baha'i belief leads someone to idolatry, self-righteousness, arrogance, indifference to the needy, vanity, greed, lust, etc. then such belief is darkness. If it does not, then it may be incorrect, but not evil.

The battle that synergy, @Complete and Pancho Frijoles are called to fight, is the battle against evil, against the life of the flesh.
What we do in this forum is to engage in respectful and hopefully productive debates.

The darkness that I'm familiar with is the Qur'an. I have very little knowledge of the Baha'i faith but whatever link there is between the darkness of the Qur'an and any other faith is still darkness.

 

[Pancho Frijoles]

I'd like to pick up where you left off discussing the beliefs of Christianity in this segment.

You like to quiz us about scenarios. Permit me to give you a scenario and ask you what you would do. Let's say you're searching for a cure to an illness. You come across one Doctor that tells you that he has a metaphorical cure for your illness. You want a 2nd opinion and you find a Doctor who has a real cure for your illness. Which Doctor do you select to cure your illness?

I love scenarios!
I often say that if a Theological system does not help you with real life scenarios, one must change our theology.

In the scenario you present, I have never heard of "metaphorical" cures. Although I'm not sure what the first doctor meant, I am sure I am not interested in being "metaphorically cured".
I want to be literally cured. So I would go to the second doctor.

 

[Pancho Frijoles]

The darkness that I'm familiar with is the Qur'an. I have very little knowledge of the Baha'i faith but whatever link there is between the darkness of the Qur'an and any other faith is still darkness.

I invite you, synergy, to rethink a bit what you mean by "whatever link".
If there is a thing that a person extracts from the Qur'an that leads him to idolatry, greed, arrogance, lust, indifference, etc. then that's darkness. The same could be said about the Bible. Some people have extracted from the Bible justification for horrible sins, and that's darkness.

A Christian scholar does not become part of the forces of darkness by spending years studying the Qur'an.
A muezzin does not become part of the forces of darkness by calling to prayer.

 

[synergy]

I love scenarios!
I often say that if a Theological system does not help you with real life scenarios, one must change our theology.

In the scenario you present, I have never heard of "metaphorical" cures. Although I'm not sure what the first doctor meant, I am sure I am not interested in being "metaphorically cured".
I want to be literally cured. So I would go to the second doctor.

I would select the 2nd Doctor also.

Now let's consider the biggest illness that every man faces which is death.

Your present faith makes you believe that God raised Jesus from the dead metaphorically. See the link below:

https://berean-apologetics.community.forum/threads/the-bah%C3%A1%C3%AD-faith-teachings-history-and-practices.1939/post-103962

Christianity emphatically proclaims that God literally raised Jesus from the dead.

Which faith do you select?

 

[synergy]

I invite you, synergy, to rethink a bit what you mean by "whatever link".
If there is a thing that a person extracts from the Qur'an that leads him to idolatry, greed, arrogance, lust, indifference, etc. then that's darkness. The same could be said about the Bible. Some people have extracted from the Bible justification for horrible sins, and that's darkness.

A Christian scholar does not become part of the forces of darkness by spending years studying the Qur'an.
A muezzin does not become part of the forces of darkness by calling to prayer.

Tell me which New Testament verses explicitly instruct literal evil.

I did a study on the Qur'an a decade ago and I can forward you its list of deliberate and literal evil instructions.

 

[synergy]

I invite you, synergy, to rethink a bit what you mean by "whatever link".
If there is a thing that a person extracts from the Qur'an that leads him to idolatry, greed, arrogance, lust, indifference, etc. then that's darkness. The same could be said about the Bible. Some people have extracted from the Bible justification for horrible sins, and that's darkness.

A Christian scholar does not become part of the forces of darkness by spending years studying the Qur'an.
A muezzin does not become part of the forces of darkness by calling to prayer.

For our audience, this is some of the evil verses that the Qur'an explicitly and deliberately promotes. @Pancho Frijoles needs to tell us how in the world can these verses of darkness be harmonized with the New Testament by the Baha'i fath:

Surah 2:65 "And indeed you [Jews] knew those among you who transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath. We [Allah] said to them: "Be you monkeys, despised and rejected."

Surah 2:96 "And verily, you will find them [the Jews] the greediest of mankind for life and (even greedier) than those who ascribe partners to Allah [polytheists].

Surah 2:191: "And kill them (non-Muslims) wherever you find them … kill them. Such is the recompense of the disbelievers (non-Muslims)."

Surah 9:5: "Then kill the disbelievers (non-Muslims) wherever you find them, capture them and besiege them, and lie in wait for them in each and every ambush …"

Surah 3:10 "Verily, those who disbelieve, neither their properties nor their offspring will avail them whatsoever against Allah; and it is they who will be fuel of the Fire."

Surah 3:151: "We shall cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve (all non-Muslims) …" Terrorism.

Surah 4:89 "They wish that you reject Faith, as they have rejected, and thus that you all become equal. So take not friends from them, till they emigrate in the Way of Allah. But if they turn back (from Islam) take hold of them and kill them wherever you find them, and take neither friends nor helpers from them."

Surah 5:32 "...We prescribe to the children of Israel that whoever slays a soul, unless it be for manslaughter or for mischief in the land, it is as though he slew all men..."

My question: So what is the mischief that justifies a Muslim State or person killing another human being in Surah 5:32? Could it be challenging the Quran as I'm doing now? Is it one bad word against the Quran? Tell me what's so divine about Surah 5:32 promoting the killing of a person who exercises free speech? Surah 5:32 is vigilantism if it’s for a person and pure Fascism if it’s for a State.

Surah 5:33 "The recompense of those who wage war against Allah and his Messenger5 and do mischief in the land is only that they shall be killed or crucified or their hands and their feet be cut off on the opposite sides, or be exiled from the land. That is their disgrace in this world, and a great torment is theirs in the Hereafter."

Surah 5:60 "Say (O Muhammad) to the people of the Scripture: 'Shall I inform you of something worse than that, regarding the recompense from Allah: those Jews who incurred the Curse of Allah and His Wrath, those of whom some He transformed into monkeys and swine, those who worshipped false deities [Hindus/Buddhists]; such are worse in rank and far more astray from the Right Path.'"

Surah 7:166 "So when they [the Jews] exceeded the limits of what they were prohibited, We said to them: 'Be you monkeys despised and rejected.'"

Surah 8:12. Your Lord inspired the angels: “I am with you, so support those who believe. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. So strike above the necks, and strike off every fingertip of theirs.”

Surah 8:39 "And fight them [the unbelievers] until there is no more disbelief (fitnah), and the religion will all be for Allah Alone [the translation adds: 'in the whole of the world'.]"

Surah 9:83. Have you not considered how We dispatch the devils against the disbelievers, exciting them with incitement?

Surah 9:123 O you who believe! fight the unbelievers who surround you, and let them find harshness in you: and know that Allah is with those who fear Him.

Surah 33:50. "O Prophet! We have permitted to you your wives to whom you have given their dowries, and those you already have, as granted to you by God, and the daughters of your paternal uncle, and the daughters of your paternal aunts, and the daughters of your maternal uncle, and the daughters of your maternal aunts who emigrated with you, and a believing woman who has offered herself to the Prophet, if the Prophet desires to marry her, exclusively for you, and not for the believers. We know what We have ordained for them regarding their wives and those their right-hands possess. This is to spare you any difficulty. God is Forgiving and Merciful." (This is Polygamy)

Surah 47:4 "So, when you meet [in Jihad] those who disbelieve smite at their necks till when you have killed and wounded many of them, then bind a bond firmly on them. Thereafter is the time either for generosity or ransom. Thus [you are ordered by Allah to continue in carrying out Jihad against the disbelievers till they embrace Islam] ... But those who are killed in the Way of Allah, He will never let their deeds be lost."