Is islam truly a religion of peace?

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO and NO!

I guess that all depends on the particular person who practices Islam.

How can it be a religion of peace when a "Main Stream" belief (Not a radical or fanatical one) is if you leave the religion you should die.

Nope. In the Qur'an, there are 196 references to 'Jihad'; repeated exhortations from the Prophet himself to kill ALL nonbelievers; and the implementation of Sharia law, as put forth in the book -wherever it has been applied- unfailingly enforces a landscape of oppression, medieval barbarism and bigotry. Added to realities of the religion we see every day from its adherents, I assert a very difficult case indeed to be made for Islam to be claimed a peaceful faith. I find that Islam in its fundamental form to be wholly incompatible with the advancement of the human species.  Not that other faiths are any better or any worse.

I'm not a religious person. But i respect every single religion and those who believe in them. But mainly i have my personal problem with the aspects and existence of Islam. I believe every religion has a peace side, the basic existence of religions been to create hope and answers. So by those factors people could live peacefully and energized and have something to turn to when they feel broken. But many religions throughout the time lost their main concept. Islam is one of those religions who had it's potential from the start. I have Muslim friends and met many. Peaceful people, but some of them would change to someone else for a moment when something gets ordered by their belief, because some behaviors they have been taught, automatically are furious.

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-Dark Majinn already mentioned the most furious rule. Everyone can convert to Islam, but whoever  gets out of Islam deserves death penalty! How's that defines as peaceful ? There's two side of Islamic groups. Shia and Suni, Every Suni who kills few Shia would find a place in heaven. Is that a peaceful ticket to heaven ?

-Islam says those who don't believe in Islam must convert or die. That's the exact way prophet Mohammad spreed the Islam, swore on your throat, you convert or die.

-Right now in Ramadan month, many Middle Eastern countries, people must do fasting! Police will arrest or will charge fee on those who eat on streets, in their cars, and many shops who relate to food must be closed during the day. How such a force to belief is peaceful ?

-In Arabian countries in particular, Saudi Arabia, they have something as pray police, every citizen must leave their stores, work and everything (even doctors) to go for praying. Otherwise they'll be charged.

-In Islam, people do FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) it's a crime not peace.

-Islamic rules in some countries allow grown man to marry (9,10,14, years old girls) in the same countries, male allowed to buy as many as girls he can from their fathers and whatever he do to them it's his business. He paid. (countries like Afghanistan and Pakistan)

-Valentine Day and many love expression days are illegal in many Islamic countries. Pakistani people got into street to protest the evilness of heart and flowers. (they are against love expressions, how peace can be strong where love is prohibited ?)

-Islam is the religion of fear. Their holy book has two sense of expressions, one side is god's love at first, then it all turn into fear, power of god and how you should obey the rules or you'll be punished in the worst possible way. And then it gives Muslims the right to spread their belief whatsoever and try to do their best to convert everyone in. And in the recent belief, West is an evil who must be destroyed. That's how many terrorism created out of Islam regions.

So not really, Islam is not peaceful, not by any means, perspective, outlook, aspect or angle!

Dear Anon,

Yes, Islam is truly a religion of peace...one of the greatest.

But there is a caveat with all religion, and that is you must not let anyone else interpret for you...you must find your own way directly.

I became atheist at age 13 or so because I could not tolerate what I was learning about Christianity...the Spanish Inquisition, the Crusades, burning six million witches, the pogroms...only Christians go to heaven...surely no religion has been as violent as Christianity.

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Now I know Christ is very great, as is Mohammad his brother...and they will help us directly. I do worship in Christian churches now, but in my own way. Mohammad, Christ, the Buddha, Elijah, Krishna...and so on...they help us directly and that is where the truth lies, in our own hearts.

I'm sure that for most of the world's Muslims, it is. Islam, however, allows for a violent interpretation, that many people around the world are taking advantage of.