Islam & Europe - Peace, Identity & Integration — Page 76
76 ISLAM & EUROPE: PEACE, IDENTITY & INTEGRATION Makkah was to destroy all traces of religion from the face of the earth. This proves that Islam protects all religions. Then, with regard to bringing up our children, chapter 6 verse 152 of the Holy Quran states that Muslims must not “slay their children”. This commandment instructs Muslims to nourish their children with love and affection, to morally guide them and to educate them so that they grow to become highly competent and moral individuals who are assets to their community and nation. Similarly, Islam has taught Muslims to defend the rights of vulnerable members of society. For example, in chapter 4, verse 7 of the Quran, Muslims are obliged to protect orphan children from exploitation and to guard their inheritance with integrity, until they reach an age where they can manage it themselves. Furthermore, another very common allegation in the Western world is that Muslims do not respect women or their rights. First of all, it should be noted that Islam was the first religion to give women the right to inherit, the right to divorce and various other rights. In addition, Islam emphasises the vast importance of educating girls and giving them opportunities for personal growth and development. Not a single girl or woman should ever be deprived of education or discriminated against in any respect. In an era, when the rights of women and girls were routinely disregarded, and they were regarded as inferior to boys, the Prophet of Islam (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) brought a revolution in the cause of women’s rights. He