Islam is not a religion of peace, and does not have an appropriate system of justice

Let's jump right in.(1)Intro(1.1-1.2)I would like to first clarify Pro's statement that he made regarding the condition of Muhammad (saw) and his followers being persecuted. First, I never said that the rest of the world were savages, but it is a historical fact that Pre-Islamic Arabia was a dark spot on Earth.[1] Infanticide, or burying new-born girls was practiced by the Arabs and was a popular custom.Arabia was a very immoral spot on Earth before the advent of Islam. When Islam came about in Arabia, the entire peninsula and nearby nations were completely rejuvenated with a new breath of life, all through the Holy Prophet (saw). For 3 whole centuries after the demise of the Holy Prophet (saw), Islam was living its Golden Age where many world advancements took place ranging from the various sciences to mathematics, from art to geography, architecture to philosophy, and much more.[2]The things that Pro has listed will be ignored, as they have nothing to do with Islam or Islamic rulings, I am not wasting my time replying to allegations raised about un-Islamic practices. Just to add in there, Muhammad (saw) burned nobody alive, I'm sure if you do some research, you'll find scholars rejecting such narrations. Lastly, I would like to explain to Pro that traditions of a culture and religion are two separate things. If you see a Muslim stoning a woman to death in Afghanistan for example, but never see it in the States, then there's something obviously wrong. Stoning for example was a custom way before Islam, it still exists today sadly, yet has nothing to do with Islam. The traditionalists are merely self-proclaimed Muslims, but you cannot point fingers at Islam for their backward cultural practices.(1.3)Flexibility of the Qur'anThe Qur'an is a unique scripture and has an antique style of its written laws which can be taken both literally and metaphorically depending on the context and its usage, this gives the Qur'an more flexibility when dealing with laws pertaining to certain time periods. The reason people like Pro are saying that the Qur'an is outdated is because they have not learned that the Qur'anic verses can have multiple interpretations. Many of the verses are written in metaphor, and must be taken metaphorically. Some can be taken in both, and some are literal. The Qur'an is a book that is meant for all time periods, not only for the period it was revealed in.This brings me to the next point.(2)Answers to versesNow Pro has given me 3 verses and they all have very simple explanations, but due to space I will just send a link to the commentary regarding the verse.[5:33]-Please don't post verses out of context, read the entire context. Commentary here.[3][5:38]-This verse is meant to be taken metaphorically today.[4][5:45]-Thanks, this verse proves Justice in Islam. Not only is this verse in the Qur'an, but also in the chapter Exodus of the Bible. God permits just retaliation if you have been wronged, but forgiveness is also an addition and is widely used.As Pro pointed out towards the end of his argument, he states these verses are pure evil. No, they are not evil, they can be considered harsh, as God is definitely not afraid to command the readers to do what is right. When immoral behavior is rampant in society, there needs to be a firm yet flexibile law to maintain order. Only the Qur'an has accomplished such a thing, some however abuse the verses, and that is why we are here to correct misunderstandings.I ask Pro to see (1.3) for his answer when he talks about the Qur'an being medieval.[2.178]-Pro makes a good point, but the answer is simple. This is why we have teachers. If you open a math book and try to understand Algebra, you will hardly get the concept by yourself alone, you always need a teacher.[2:193]-The Arabic in the Qur'an is not only meant for the 7th Century, but all centuries. It may call for defensive battle in the past, but today the very same words tell us to defend Islam by words, through debates, just like I am doing right now with you.[5:51]-It doesn't matter, you can be friends with anyone in Islam as long as they are not at 'war' with you, or engaged in war with you. The Jews, Christians, and the Pagans were all against Islam at a certain point in time, this verse dealt with this issue. Your next point is irrelevent and is based off of ignorance. West vs. Middle East does not equal Christianity vs. Islam.[3:149]-Read the verse, see this part? "...they will make you turn back on your heels..." It is clearly talking about the Muslims when they were in battle with the Jews. Commentary.[5] I don't care how Anjem interprets this verse, he's wrong.[2:62]-There is no contradiction, if you believe and do good works, you won't be punished. Even Muslims can be punished if they do wrong deeds.(3)JizyahSee the video. http://www.youtube.com...(4)Promotion of peace in Islam(4.1)Truly, the greatest exemplar of peace in Islam, and even in all of history, was the Prophet Muhammad (saw). When Mecca was handed to Muhammad (saw), he ruled justly and with tranquility. He ruled a city and it became a utopia of the Earth. Even though he possessed all the wealth during this time, he never kept it for himself, he distributed all his wealth to the poor, sick, and needy. He was a ruler that never wore fancy clothes, he kept a simple life like every other person. This was a time where equality and brotherhood was widespread, love and peace reigned supreme everywhere.(4.2)Muhammad (saw) had sent a letter to the Christians that was meant to last til the end of the world! Read it here.[6](4.3)Muhammad (saw) from the very beginning wanted peace with the Meccans, he had written a treaty. Read it here.[7]So far, as you can see, this is the basis of Islam, promoting peace and harmony between different tribes, nations, and religions! This is all history.(4.4)There are hundreds of quotes from famous people around the world that have praised the actions of Muhammad (saw). He is the example Muslim for all peoples of all time periods, Islam is based off of the Qur'an as well as his actions. Read a number of quotes from these famous people about him.[8]I would like to conclude that Islam IS a religion of peace, harmony, and equality, and it DOES have an appropriate system of justice.Even Thomas Jefferson used the Qur'an when writing the Constitution of the United States.[9](5)ConclusionSince I have explained the flexibility of the Qur'an, it is applicable to all time periods and for all peoples. When we see immorality rampant by a few Muslims, they do not represent Islam, they represent themselves and their own actions. Remember my previous analogy? If a driver crashes into a tree, the car is not at fault, the driver is.A religion as a guiding principle is no different.Another point I would like to add, Islam, being a religion like other faiths, has compressed all the teachings of the earlier scriptures, and has simplified them and made it easier for us to follow and obey.To end my argument for today, I would like Pro to see this flash slideshow about some popular verses in the Qur'an that may seem to be against peace and promote violence. It is easy to understand even for kids. See it here.[10]SalamPeaceSources:[1] http://www.nairaland.com...[2] http://en.wikipedia.org...[3] http://www.alislam.org...=[4] http://www.alislam.org...=[5] http://www.islamicstudies.info...[6] http://www.cyberistan.org...[7] http://en.wikipedia.org...[8] http://www.gainpeace.com...[9] http://www.oxfordislamicstudies.com...[10] http://www.deviantart.com...