Sheikh Muhammad Nur Abdullah, ISNA President and Member of the Fiqh Council of North America, states the following:
1. There is no doubt that these descriptions were mentioned in the Qur’an. Having said this, we must state that sins are not inherited. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “If one is cursed (by being rendered into pigs or others), he or she would not have any children.” And we know from history that those people who were punished by Allah did not have children or offspring as they were all destroyed.
2. In the field of da’wah, Allah commands us to speak to people in the best manner. Allah says: “And do not dialogue with the People of the Book, except with means better (than mere disputation), unless it be with those of them who inflict wrong (and injury).” (Al-Ankabut 29: 46) He also says: “Revile not ye those whom they call upon besides Allah, lest they out of spite revile Allah in their ignorance.” (Al-An’am 6: 108)
Using these descriptions in the filed of da’wah are not proper at all as they are hurtful and we must refrain from using them.
The Qur’an teaches us the way we address the people of different faiths. In referring to non-Muslims, the Qur’an usually says: “O people”, “O People of the Book”, “O my servants.”