Questioning Islam Quotes

“I realize that the Qur'an teaches Muslims that the distinction between questioning Islam and attacking the Muslim community is impossible to maintain,”
― Peter Townsend, Questioning Islam: Tough Questions & Honest Answers About the Muslim Religion

“Islam tells Muslims that all other sources of knowledge are false. Even those revelations sent earlier by Allah to Jews and Christians are now regarded as corrupted. They can therefore no longer be trusted.”
― Peter Townsend, Questioning Islam: Tough Questions & Honest Answers About the Muslim Religion

“Muhammad advocated a system of ethics where the guiding question is: ‘What will be good for Islam in these circumstances?’ The guiding question is, therefore, not ‘What is true’? Because of this it is perfectly permissible to tell lies and half-truths, especially if they are told to non-Muslims , if this can serve the interests of Islam.”
― Peter Townsend, Questioning Islam: Tough Questions & Honest Answers About the Muslim Religion

“Qur'an 22:5: O mankind! if ye have a doubt about the Resurrection, (consider) that We created you out of dust, then out of sperm, then out of a leech-like clot, then out of a morsel of flesh, partly formed and partly unformed, in order that We may manifest (our power) to you; and We cause whom We will to rest in the wombs for an appointed term, then do We bring you out as babes, then (foster you) that ye may reach your age of full strength; and some of you are called to die, and some are sent back to the feeblest old age, so that they know nothing after having known (much), and (further), thou seest the earth barren and lifeless, but when We pour down rain on it, it is stirred (to life), it swells, and it puts forth every kind of beautiful growth (in pairs).”
― Peter Townsend, Questioning Islam: Tough Questions & Honest Answers About the Muslim Religion

“Qur'an 6:25: Of them there are some who (pretend to) listen to thee; but We have thrown veils on their hearts, So they understand it not, and deafness in their ears; if they saw every one of the signs, not they will believe in them; in so much that when they come to thee, they (but) dispute with thee; the Unbelievers say: "These are nothing but tales of the ancients.”
― Peter Townsend, Questioning Islam: Tough Questions & Honest Answers About the Muslim Religion

“Qur'an 24:63: "Only those are believers, who believe in God and His Messenger. when they are with him on a matter requiring collective action, they do not depart until they have asked for his leave; those who ask for thy leave are those who believe in God and His Messenger. so when they ask for thy leave, for some business of theirs, give leave to those of them whom thou wilt, and ask God for their forgiveness: for God is Oft- Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
― Peter Townsend, Questioning Islam: Tough Questions & Honest Answers About the Muslim Religion

“Qur'an 5:30-35: "The (selfish) soul of the other led him to the murder of his brother: he murdered him, and became (himself) one of the lost ones. Then Allah sent a raven, who scratched the ground, to show him how to hide the shame of his brother. "Woe is me!" said he; "Was I not even able to be as this raven, and to hide the shame of my brother?" then he became full of regrets- On that account: We ordained for the Children of Israel that if any one slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people. Then although there came to them Our messengers with clear signs, yet, even after that, many of them continued to commit excesses in the land. The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger, and strive with might and main for mischief through the land is: execution, or crucifixion, or the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides, or exile from the land: that is their disgrace in this world, and a heavy punishment is theirs in the Hereafter; Except for those who repent before they fall into your power: in that case, know that Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful. O ye who believe! Do your duty to Allah, seek the means of approach unto Him, and strive with might and main in his cause: that ye may prosper.”
― Peter Townsend, Questioning Islam: Tough Questions & Honest Answers About the Muslim Religion

“Qur'an 5:110: When Allah will say: O Jesus, son of Mary, remember My favour to thee and to thy mother, when I strengthened thee with the Holy Spirit; thou spokest to people in the cradle and in old age, and when I taught thee the Book and the Wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel, and when thou didst determine out of clay a thing like the form of a bird by My permission, then thou didst breathe into it and it became a bird by My permission; and thou didst heal the blind and the leprous by My permission; and when thou didst raise the dead by My permission; and when I withheld the Children of Israel from thee when thou camest to them with clear arguments -- but those of them who disbelieved said: This is nothing but clear enchantment.”
― Peter Townsend, Questioning Islam: Tough Questions & Honest Answers About the Muslim Religion

“Muslims typically only switch to “You need perfect Arabic” the moment Islam is questioned.”
― Peter Townsend, Questioning Islam: Tough Questions & Honest Answers About the Muslim Religion

“The Qur’an nowhere condemns slavery and, instead, contains several passages stating that captured slaves should be seen as a rightful part of the booty that Muslim warriors captured through conquest.”
― Peter Townsend, Questioning Islam: Tough Questions & Honest Answers About the Muslim Religion

“It is no exaggeration to state that this is one of the major themes of the Qur’an. The fate of unbelievers in hell is discussed in more than 500 verses in 87 chapters (out of 114).”
― Peter Townsend, Questioning Islam: Tough Questions & Honest Answers About the Muslim Religion