Let believers not take for friends and allies infidels rather than believers: and whoever does this shall have no relationship left with Allah—unless you but guard yourselves against them, taking precautions – Koran 3:28
Days ago, after the Islamic State [IS] entered the Syrian city of Hassakè, prompting a mass exodus of Christians, a familiar, though often overlooked scene, took place: many otherwise “normal” Muslims joined ranks with IS, instantly turning on their longtime Christian neighbors.
This is the third category of Muslims that lurks between “moderates” and “radicals”: “sleepers,” Muslims who appear “moderate” but who are merely waiting for circumstances to turn to Islam’s advantage before they join the jihad; Muslims who are waiting for the rewards of jihad to become greater than the risks.
There is no lack of examples of these types of Muslims. The following are testimonials from non-Muslims, mostly Christian refuges from those regions of Iraq and Syria now under Islamic State (or other jihadi) control. Consider what they say about their longtime Sunni neighbors who appeared “moderate”—or at least nonviolent—but who, once the jihad came to town, exposed their true colors:
Georgios, a man from the ancient Christian town of Ma‘loula—one of the few areas in the world where the language of Christ was still spoken—told of how Muslim neighbors he knew all his life turned on the Christians after al-Nusra, another jihadi outfit, invaded in 2013:
We knew our Muslim neighbours all our lives. Yes, we knew the Diab family were quite radical, but we thought they would never betray us. We ate with them. We are one people.
A few of the Diab family had left months ago and we guessed they were with the Nusra [al-Qaeda front]. But their wives and children were still here. We looked after them. Then, two days before the Nusra attacked, the families suddenly left the town. We didn’t know why. And then our neighbours led our enemies in among us.
The Christian man explained with disbelief how he saw a young member of the Diab family whom he knew from youth holding a sword and leading foreign jihadis to Christian homes. Continues Georgios:
We had excellent relations. It never occurred to us that Muslim neighbours would betray us. We all said “please let this town live in peace — we don’t have to kill each other.” But now there is bad blood. They brought in the Nusra to throw out the Christians and get rid of us forever. Some of the Muslims who lived with us are good people but I will never trust 90 per cent of them again.
A teenage Christian girl from Homs, Syria—which once had a Christian population of approximately 80,000, but which is now reportedly zero—relates her story:
We left because they were trying to kill us. . . . They wanted to kill us because we were Christians. They were calling us Kaffirs [infidels], even little children saying these things. Those who were our neighbors turned against us. At the end, when we ran away, we went through balconies. We did not even dare go out on the street in front of our house. I’ve kept in touch with the few Christian friends left back home, but I cannot speak to my Muslim friends any more. I feel very sorry about that. (Crucified Again, p. 207)
When asked who exactly threatened and drove Christians out of Mosul, which fell to the Islamic State a year ago, another anonymous Christian refugee responded:
We left Mosul because ISIS came to the city. The [Sunni Muslim] people of Mosul embraced ISIS and drove the Christians out of the city. When ISIS entered Mosul, the people hailed them and drove out the Christians….
The people who embraced ISIS, the people who lived there with us… Yes, my neighbors. Our neighbors and other people threatened us. They said: “Leave before ISIS get you.” What does that mean? Where would we go?… Christians have no support in Iraq. Whoever claims to be protecting the Christians is a liar. A liar!
Nor is such Muslim treachery limited to Christians. Other “infidels,” Yazidis for example, have experienced the same betrayal. Discussing IS invasion of his village, a 68-year-old Yazidi man who managed to flee the bloody offensive—which included the slaughter of many Yazidi men and enslavement of women and children—said:
The (non-Iraqi) jihadists were Afghans, Bosnians, Arabs and even Americans and British fighters…. But the worst killings came from the people living among us, our (Sunni) Muslim neighbours…. The Metwet, Khawata and Kejala tribes—they were all our neighbours. But they joined the IS, took heavy weapons from them, and informed on who was Yazidi and who was not. Our neighbours made the IS takeover possible.
Likewise, watch this 60 Minute interview with a Yazidi woman. When asked why people she knew her whole life would suddenly join IS and savagely turn on her people, she replied:
I can’t tell you exactly, but it has to be religion. It has to be religion. They constantly asked us to convert, but we refused. Before this, they never mentioned it. Prior, we thought of each other as family. But I say, it has to be religion.
Lest it seem that this phenomenon of Sunni betrayal is limited to Islamic jihad in Mesopotamia, know that it has occurred historically and currently in other nations. The following anecdote from the Ottoman Empire is over 100 years old:
Then one night, my husband came home and told me that the padisha [sultan] had sent word that we were to kill all the Christians in our village, and that we would have to kill our neighbours. I was very angry, and told him that I did not care who gave such orders, they were wrong. These neighbours had always been kind to us, and if he dared to kill them Allah would pay us out. I tried all I could to stop him, but he killed them — killed them with his own hand. (Sir Edwin Pears, Turkey and Its People, London: Methuen and Co., 1911, p. 39)
And in Nigeria—a nation that shares little with Syria, Iraq, or Turkey, other than Islam—a jihadi attack on Christians that left five churches destroyed and several Christians killed was enabled by “local Muslims”:
The Muslims in this town were going round town pointing out church buildings and shops owned by Christians to members of Boko Haram, and they in turn bombed these churches and shops.
Such similar patterns of traitorous behavior—patterns that cross continents and centuries, patterns that regularly appear whenever Muslims live alongside non-Muslims—are easily understood by turning to Koran 3:28:
Let believers [Muslims] not take infidels [non-Muslims] for friends and allies instead of believers. Whoever does this shall have no relationship left with Allah—unless you but guard yourselves against them, taking precautions. But Allah cautions you [to fear] Himself. For the final goal is to Allah.
Here is how Islam’s most authoritative ulema and exegetes explain Koran 3:28:
Muhammad ibn Jarir at-Tabari (d. 923), author of a standard and authoritative commentary of the Koran, writes:
If you [Muslims] are under their [non-Muslims’] authority, fearing for yourselves, behave loyally to them with your tongue while harboring inner animosity for them … [know that] Allah has forbidden believers from being friendly or on intimate terms with the infidels rather than other believers—except when infidels are above them [in authority]. Should that be the case, let them act friendly towards them while preserving their religion.
Ibn Kathir (d. 1373), another prime authority on the Koran, writes:
The Most High said, “[U]nless you but guard yourselves against them, taking precautions”—that is, whoever at any time or place fears their evil may protect himself through outward show—not sincere conviction. As al-Bukhari records through Abu al-Darda the words [of the Prophet], “Truly, we grin to the faces of some peoples, while our hearts curse them.”
In other words, Muslims are not to befriend non-Muslims, unless circumstances are such that it is in the Muslims’ interests to do so. For example, if Muslims are a minority (as in America), or if their leaders brutally crack down on jihadi activities (as in Bashar Assad’s pre-Islamic State Syria): then they may preach and even feign peace, tolerance and coexistence with their non-Muslim neighbors.
However, if and when circumstances to make Islam supreme appear, Muslims are expected to join the jihad—“for the final goal is to Allah.”[1]
[1]For more on Islamic sanctioned forms of deception, read about taqiyya, tawriya, and taysir. For more on how Muslims are never to befriend non-Muslims—except when in their interest—see Ayman al-Zawahiri’s “Loyalty and Enmity,” The Al Qaeda Reader, pgs., 63-115.
Thank you for this article, Raymond. Most non-Moslems in the West are not aware of this phenomenon or do not believe it’s widespread, even after they’ve been told.
It is not only muslims that hate Christians but the Anti-Christ and gay-adoring America is currently mercilessly detaining 20 Chaldean Christians who escaped ISIS and America is doing this while it imports 100.000 muslims into the US each year. May Christ and His Angels punish America and the West for hating Christians but adoring muslims and “gays”. Read more below:
http://www.christianpost.com/news/after-four-months-why-are-20-chaldean-iraqi-christians-who-fled-isis-still-detained-by-immigration-officials-141352/#hYtqOc8VRIMjuj73.99
I am shamed by what this government is refusing to do for persecuted Christians! These are the types of people that the US has historically reached out to–persecuted for their faith or ethnicity. Not any more unless serious changes take place in this government. African, there are many here in the US who agree with you and pray for persecuted folks in the middle east and Africa, but like you said, what our government is doing is the very stuff that prompts God to release judgments.
Don’t wish for God to punish the Christians in America who oppose the gay agenda and Islam. Despite what the media tells you, we are great in number. Pray for God to give us courage to speak out, in great numbers, and to keep resisting these two evils.
American and the West wouldn’t have cared for ISIS or its killing of Christians until they started throwing the gays off buildings.
Think about it. No one said a word until the homosexuals died. Goes to show you were people’s priorities lie.
Thank you for informing the public about the Christians’ horrible fate in Syria, Iraq; Pakistan, Nigeria and elsewhere! Very insightful and important articles, and I am disgusted by the European MSM, news channels, etc., that seem to go out of their way to hide the truth about moslem persecution and Slaughter of minorities in the ME. They seem to want to hide the truth that especially Christians are being targeted in many, many moslem countries. Who do they think they can appease by not telling? Or is it because the MSM really – also – hates us Christians, one Wonders…
They hate you with every fiber of their being.
Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?
2 Corinthians 6:14
Keep up the good work.
See page 40 of Sir Edwin Pears’s book mentioned in text:
“In many instances the Moslem inhabitants were invited to attend at the principal mosque, at which, of course, no Christian was allowed to be present. Then a messenger from Constantinople informed the congregation that it was ..sultan..’s wish and his command that the ..Christians.. should be spoiled on the following day. To pillage your … neighbours in the name of religion and the padisha…”.
Mosques’ functions…
https://ia801400.us.archive.org/2/items/turkeyitspeople00pearrich/turkeyitspeople00pearrich.pdf
An abomination.
Thank you for the article. Ottoman Empress Roxelana was a slave girl who was kidnapped and sold by her kidnappers at Istanbul.
This article is so skewed because of the author’s limited knowledge. The quoted verse was relevant during the first few years when Islam was preached in Makkah under Quarish oppression. When Omar AlKhattab conquered Jerusalem non Muslim were left free with their religion.
The actual one skewed here is YOU. Raymond Ibrahim is 100% correct, and because he is correct and you can’t handle it, you slander his accurate article as “limited knowledge”, when it is YOU who either have limited knowledge and are covering for Islam or you have knowledge and are covering for Islam.
Sura 3:28 is commented on by Muslim scholars like Ibn Kathir. They make it clear that Muslims are not to genuinely befriend non-Muslims, rather only to act that way when low in number. Later ayat such as Sura 5:51, “revealed” late in Medina, clearly state that Muslims are not to befriend non-Muslims. They ONLY difference between these time periods is Muslims were low in number when Sura 3:28 was “revealed” and significant in number when Sura 5:51 was ‘revealed”.
What you call “Quarish oppression” was non-Muslims outnumbering Muslims so that Muslims were not in a position to impose Islam. Since Muslims believe the Qur’an is relevant for all times, when Muslims are in a state of being outnumbered, they use the teachings which apply when Muslims are outnumbered. When Muslims are dominant, they show the real face of Islam, just like Muhammad did. One of the world’s most popular Islamic books is Sayyid Qutb’s book Milestones, which is all about how to incrementally reveal Islam based on how Muhammad did it. Muhammad went from speaking peaceful-sounding words and acting peaceful, and incrementally revealed his terrorist nature as he grew the Muslim population through ill-gotten gain.
What you call non-Muslims being “free with their religion” is dhimmitude, which is semi-slavery. Since you consider that “freedom”, you should have no problem consenting to non-Muslims imposing those terms on Muslims where non-Muslims are dominant.
Are Christians free to share their faith with Muslims and sit down with Muslims and study the Bible? NO! THAT is “free with their religion” which Islam is AGAINST!
Your Muslim / Leftist garbage may work elsewhere where people do not have knowledge about Islam and hence they fall victims to your lies, but your lies will not work here. We know who your father is: Satan.
what is clear is that you have been cut off of all hopes of this life and the Hereafter. Drop off the name Muhammad before you enter into the pit of eternal hellfire, Ryan.
What is clear is that you have been cut off of all hopes of this life and the Hereafter. Drop off from following Muhammad before enter the pit of eternal hellfire where your prophet is, Dincbee.
Dincbee, it’s obligatory to be narrow-minded in order to be an islam follower. Otherwise who would believe in the ‘truths’ of that religion – its stories, ‘holy’ Quran and everything else, isn’t it?
Plamen, Muslim i.e practising Muslims are not narrow minded, for they are guided by the Quran and the sunnah / traditions of Prophet Muhammad ( peace be upon Him ). Both sources provide immense knowledge to those who seek them. The holy Quran is a complete and original compilation of the Final Revelation from Allah to mankind through the last Prophet,Muhammad (peace be upon him) The Holy Quran has essentially three qualities that make it universal. Firstly it is a masterpiece of immense literary value.It is so awesome while it is Arabic ,pure and clear.
Secondly, though its message is a continuation of that contained in the earlier revelations made to Abraham,Moses ,David and Jesus(peace be upon all),yet this message has a sense of fulfilment and originality.
Thirdly it has a wealth of information-both worldly wisdom and intellectual conceptions which provides the codes of life for mankind.
I urge you to read the Quran first before you make any comments.
Islam allows sex with dead body of one’s wife, the way Muhammad had done it – hadith No.37611 13/610, by Al-Ummal.
Wide-minded?
How to clean your back side after relieving yourself in the open, by your bare hand or stones that you carry with you – Quran 9:108, hadith 1785, v. 2, b. 10.
Wide-minded?
Chatanooga murderrer’s inspitration – Quran 8.60, hadith 38, by S. Bukhari.
9/11 perpetrators’ inspiration – Quran 8.60.
Wide-minded?
‘Prophet’ beheaded up to 900 men of Banu Quraiza tribe practically extinguishing it in 627 AD, then lied with his second wife Zaynab he had taken from his adopted son Zayd, on ‘Allah’s will’ – Quran 33:36-37.
Wide-minded?
Mohamet was in his 50s when married 6-years-old Aysha (h. 2210, etc.), called ‘pedophilia’ today.
… – minded?
Islam – either you believe in it, or you know it.
If you happen to know it, as an intelligent man you should run away out of it with all your might. It’s not designed for intelligent people.
“Quran – an accursed book: So long as there is this book, there will be no peace in the world”. – William. E. Gladstone, UK Liberal, tour times British PM (1892–1894, 1886, 1880–1885, 1868–1874) – holding up Quran book at a Parliament meeting.
“It provides the codes of life for mankind.”
The evidence is that wherever islam has been dominant, that country has failed.
The evidence is that it is those who do not follow islam who have improved the wealth and well being.
islam is the worst code for life ever invented.
The knowledge provided by the koran and mohammad is fictional and useless.
The koran is the most unholy text ever compiled.
*allah* never revealed anything to mohammad, directly or indirectly. mohammad invented it all.
The koran has absolute no literary value at all. Its contents are those of an intellectually, psychologically and emotionally inadequate.
There is nothing original in the koran.
It contains the mental meanderings of the ignorant barbarians of seventh century Arabia.
The koran is incoherent, inconsistent, irrational, and ignorant of even the most basic facts of human life and the planet humans live on.
I have read as much of the koran as is necessary to understand it and the doctrine which it espouses..
islam is a doctrine of hate, intolerance, abuse, violence, fear, ignorance, superstition (and worse) – it appeals to the worst characteristics in the human psyche.
There is absolutely nothing in it that will help humans to advance and reach their true potential.
only until the muslims could gain an advantage
islam is from satan
period..
Need to radiate every damn Muslim back into the stone age. They are not your friend no matter hat they say, they are killers, nothing more. Islam is NOT a religion it is a following of either convert to Islam or be killed. Under stand death some of you brain dead idiots, death is final on this earth!!
i hate to say this
but if their muslim – i dont trust them anymore i would a liberal..
Lamento por todas as vidas já ceifadas, oro para que eles pereçam. Fica em paz
Oh yeah, they are taught to smile in your face while they stab you in the back. Truly satan’s own religion, that.
YOU MAY COPY AND PAST THIS EVERYWHERE YOU LIKE. Islam is the most evil tribe of Witchcraft that ever existed. No other peoples have even been this evil, bloody or barbaric. They hate all countries that are not like theirs, and when they settle into a country, they began to actively seek to change it to be just like their own. These evil WITCHES burn people and sacrifice them to allah (Satan the devil) for more evil power everywhere. They rape, kill, then rape the corpses, and then give the human meat to their hungry cannibals to eat the sacrificed corpses. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMaKI5y85LE They do not raise vegetable gardens, and do not contribute any thing decent to society. They are teaching their children to use guns to kill your children. Liberal party is getting double jeopardy for their “immigration” invasions. They get the taxpayer money, plus they get George Soro’s money also, for sacrificing our lives down the drain for this “refugee” farce. Those so called “moderate muslims” certainly ARE NOT taking the side of the right. But they will reap the benefits, when we are taken away to the camps to die. They will get the homes, lands, and anything else that is left behind.
Just like the “Nice moderate Germans” did, and all the while pretending the Jews next door were their friends, while George Soros was assisting Hitler in his evil plan! The blood of the saints, and the blood of the son of God is on their hands as well! Why are they coming to the neighborhood churches and clubs, and restaurants, hospitals, lawyers offices, etc. They will not suffer any guilt, when we are taken away. They will just step into our role, that we are training them for. They will convert our churches to mosques, and hang their flags everywhere and celebrate, because they secretly hate our Jesus. Liberals are downloading new America, as they delete old America. Google Hitler connection to arabs. It does not matter how long, and how often you tell us we are lying, and we are paranoid, we have only to read the Universal news, to see how they are killing innocents, and others who have a mind of their own, who don’t want to be converted and enslaved by this grieveous plague on mankind. Islamophobia, you might say? Yes, how can you co-exist with evil monsters who want to kill you??!!
Raymond,
Driving out is the art of war. In the Birth of the nation of Israel, God commanded the Israelites to drive out all the inhabitants of the land. Read below passage from the Bible…. Those that Israel failed to drive out in ancient times are now ISIS driving out others.
Numbers 33:55
“But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell.”
Judges 2:1-3
“1 ¶ And an angel of the LORD came ……….. and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you.
2 And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this?
3 Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.
4 And it came to pass, when the angel of the LORD spake these words unto all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept.
As a Christian I know the ultimate outcome of the world of islam and it is disaster and destruction. I pray for all muslims to recognize that allah is satan, that they have been deceived by the evil one and there is but one avenue to the true God and that is through belief in Jesus Christ.
Such unbelievable betrayals also happened with the Hindus in Kashmir and East Bengal. Almost all Hindus were evicted out of these 2 Muslim majority provinces, just because they were Hindus.