The Blaze, by Susan Calloway Knowles
It seems that we are constantly bombarded with information on the plight of the Syrian refugees and how we must rescue them from the Islamic State terrorists.
We have all seen the horrific videos of beheadings and read countless stories about acts of brutality from those claiming to be Islamic State jihadists.
As Christians, we are torn between wanting to rescue those we feel are in harm’s way while desiring to continue to protect ourselves and our family.
Many believe that transporting Syrian refugees out of the Middle East and placing them in Europe and in America is the “best” answer for their survival, but is it?
We all know from recent events, such as the deadly shooting in San Bernardino, California, that potential terrorists are not being properly vetted. The female terrorist in San Bernardino allegedly pledged her allegiance to the Islamic State before committing horrendous acts of violence that resulted in the deaths of 14 innocent people and injured 22 others.
Can we trust that the same or similar acts won’t occur again if we allow refugees into our country from the Middle East?
President Barack Obama has assured the American public many times that Islam is a religion of peace and that terrorist groups like the Islamic State are a “twisted interpretation of religion that is rejected by the overwhelming majority of the world’s Muslims.”
Not being from the Middle East, I wanted a clearer picture about Islam and whether Obama’s statement could be trusted. So, I contacted Raymond Ibrahim and asked him to come on my radio show, Stand For Truth Radio.
Ibrahim is a Middle East and Islam Specialist and a Shillman Fellow at the David Horowitz Freedom Center and an Associate Fellow at the Middle East Forum. His publications have appeared in the Financial Times, Jerusalem Post, Los Angeles Times, New York Times Syndicate, United Press International, USA Today, Washington Post, Washington Times and right here at TheBlaze.
He was born in the United States to Egyptian-born parents who were raised in the Middle East. He began visiting the Middle East as a child in the 1970s and has interacted with the locals there throughout the decades.
I was surprised to learn from Ibrahim that approximately 98 percent of the Syrian refugees that are being resettled in other countries are Sunni Muslims. He indicated that this is the same denomination as those Muslims belonging to the Islamic State, something that Obama has never bothered to tell us.
Additionally, I learned from Ibrahim’s book, “Crucified Again: Exposing Islam’s New War on Christians,” that Christians have been persecuted in the Middle East under Islam rule for centuries and that this discrimination still exists today.
“Muslim justification for violence against Christians stems from Islamic tradition and historic precedent and that Islamists have repeatedly used their faith to justify attacks on Christian communities and individuals,” he said.
He also discussed what is called the “Conditions of Omar” that are in existence today in the Middle East and include “heavy restrictions on Christian worship.”
Ibrahim explained that these conditions are used to prohibit Christians from “building new churches, repairing older churches, showing crosses, singing loud enough to be heard outside the walls of the church, preaching the gospel, attracting the attention of Muslims” and other onerous restrictions that Muslims would never allow to interfere with their ability to worship. Ibrahim also pointed out that other countries, like Saudi Arabia, have gone so far as to forbid Christian churches in its country. Something I’ve also never heard the Obama administration mention about one of our closest allies.
Ibrahim also spoke about how Christians are often attacked at times by angry Islamic mobs, especially on Friday after their worship service which Ibrahim said is equivalent to a Christian’s Sunday day of worship. Ibrahim also discussed how Muslim crowds can often get “whipped up” by the Friday services’ message and attack Christian churchgoers or their churches.
Ibrahim believes that the “Obama administration has turned a blind eye to the violence in countries such as Egypt and Pakistan in order to fulfill its own foreign policy agenda.” This may explain why Obama and others in the administration fail to point out how Christians are mistreated by Islamists in the Middle East and the possibility that these same events could be seen in America one day.
“The more Muslims there are, the more violence you’ll see,” Ibrahim said. He went on to say that what has been happening in Muslim countries where Christians are being persecuted could also happen in Europe or eventually the U.S.
Ibrahim also pointed out that it’s beginning to happen and in fact has already begun in Sweden where recently “dozens of citizens received letters from the Islamic State telling them to convert to Islam, pay jizya, a tax that non-Muslims, including Christians must pay to Muslims, or be decapitated.”
Ibrahim’s book, “Crucified Again” gives countless examples along with documentation to back up his claims regarding the persecution of Christians in the Middle East that no one is talking about but should be of concern to a nation such as the U.S. that is set to welcome large numbers of refugees who practice Islam.
Raymond Ibrahim’s complete interview detailing the history of the persecution of Christians in the Middle East can be heard here:
“President Barack Obama has assured the American public many times that Islam is a religion of peace and that terrorist groups like the Islamic State are a “twisted interpretation of religion that is rejected by the overwhelming majority of the world’s Muslims.”
Sorry, I’m not convinced. Looking at Dearborne Michigan, I find this the exact opposite.
QUr’an 33:36 – It is *not fitting for a believer*, man or woman, when a matter has been decided by Allah and His Messenger, *to have any option about their decision*. If anyone disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he is indeed on a clearly wrong path.
Qur’an 4:65 – But no, bu your Lord, They can have *no faith*, until they make you (O Muhammad) judge in all disputes between them, and *find in themselves no resistance against your decisions*, and *Accept them with full submission*.
The Clarity of the Qur’an
Qur’an 11:1 – This is a book, whose verses have been made firm and *free from the imperfection* and then they have been expounded in detail.
Qur’an 12:1 – These are verses of the *clear* book.
Qur’an 15:1 – These are the verses of the Book and of a Qur’an that makes things *clear*.
Qur’an 24:46 – Certainly We have revealed *clear* communications…
Qur’an 26:2 – These are the verses of the Book that makes things *clear*.
Qur’an 27:1 – These are verses of the Qur’an – a book that makes things *clear*.
Qur’an 28:2 – These are verses of the Book that makes things *Clear*.
Qur’an 57:9 – He it is who sends down *clear* communications upon His servant, that he may bring forth from utter darkness into light.
Allah according to the Qur’an means exactly what he says. So there’s a problem. We go to the Qur’an and we find verses that seem to be saying different things.
Qur’an 8:61 – But if they incline to peace (the enemy), you also incline to it, and put your trust in Allah.
This sounds like peace. Then we read.
Qur’an 47:35 – Be not weary and fainthearted, crying for peace, when you should be uppermost.
Dominating unbelievers seems to be the goal.
Qur’an 2:106 – Whatever communications We *abrogate* or cause to be forgotten, *We bring one better than it or like it*. Do you not know that Allah has power over all things?
So here, Allah’s word cannot be true, because if it were, he wouldn’t have to change it like a baby’s diaper. So who does these new verses come from? Allah? Really? Or is it someone saying that they came from Allah, but are just making them up themselves in order to correct a mistake made in the Qur’an? I thought Allah didn’t make mistakes….so this actually results in conflicting verses in the Qur’an.
So now we can see how the life of Muhammad was conflicting because we have verses that came from him that have been *abrogated*.
*The 3 Stages of Jihad* –
Stage one: When Muhammad and his followers were only a tiny minority of the population, they were commanded to preach a message of peace and tolerance.
If there was a disagreement between a Muslim and a polytheist, then they would say
Qur’an 109:6 – *To you be your religion, and to me be my religion*.
At this stage muslims weren’t allowed to fight even in self defense, even to protect themselves against persecution. What’s interesting here is while Muhammad was preaching a message of patients and tolerance, behind closed doors, he was already plotting to conquer Arabia, and other lands.
One day some of Muhammads tribesmen went to his uncle, Abu Talib because they wanted to arrange a truce with Muhammad, because they wanted Muhammad to stop critisizing their beliefs about their god. This is how Muhammad responds..
At-Tabari, Volume VI, P.95 – Abu Talib sent for the Messenger of Allah, and when he came in he saie, “Nephew, here are the shaykhs and nobels of your tribe. They have asked for justice against you, *that you should desist from reviling their gods and they will leave you to your god*” “Uncle,” he said, “shall I not summon them to something which is better for them than their gods?” “What do you summon them to?” he asked….
He replied, “I summon them to utter a saying *through which the Arabs will submit to them and they will rule over the non-Arabs*.” Abu Jahl said from among the gathering, “What is it, by your father? We will give you it an ten like it.” He answered, “That you should say, “There is no deity but Allah”.
Muhammad tells his tribe, become Muslims and we will rule of the Arab and non-Arab. We can use the Jihada, “There is no God but Allah” to make people submit. Why is Muhammad walking around Mecca preaching a message of peace and tolerance, but behind closed doors, he’s plotting to conquer?????
Allah later cleared this up in Qur’an 3:28 *Let not the believers take disbelievers for their friends in preference to believers. Whoso doeth that hath no connection with Allah, unless (it be) that you but guard yourselves against them, taking (as it were) security. (We know the words in parethases have been added by man.)
*This means don’t be friends with non-Muslims unless it’s to guard yourself against them*.
Tafsire Ibn Kathir- “…unless you indeed fear a danger from them,” meaning, except those believers who in some areas or times fear for their safety from the disbelievers. In this case, such *believers are allowed to show friendship to the disbelievers outwardly, but never inwardly*. For Instance, Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu Ad-Darda said, *We Smile in the face of some people although our hearts curse them*. Al-Bukari said that Al-Hasan said, *Taqiyya is allowed until the Day of Resurrection*.
Here we have the Doctrine of Taquiyya which takes different forms in different situations but in this context refers to Muhammad and his companions pretending to be friendly toward the disbelievers in order to protect the Muslim unity while Muhammad brought it to conquer and subjegate the disbelievers.
Stage two: When Muhammad had gained a larger following and had formed alliances with various tribes, but wasn’t yet strong enough to subjugate the unbelievers, he was ordered to wage *DEFENSIVE* Jihad.
So here they are allowed to fight, but then the unbelievers had to start the fight.
Qur’an 2:190-193 – And *Fight in the way of Allah with those who fight with you*, and do not exceed the limits, surely Allah does not love those who exceed the limits. And kill them wherever you find them, and drive them out from whence they drove you out, and persecutio is severer than slaughter…
…And do not fight with them at the Sacred Mosque until they fight with you in it, but if they do fight you, then slay them; such is the recompense of the unbelievers. *But if they desist, then surely Allah is Forgiving , Merciful*. And fight with them until there is no persecution, and religion should be only for Allah, *but if they desist, then there should be no hostility except against the oppressors*.
So there is fighting in stage two, but only in response to persecution or even criticism. Many Muslims in the west insist that this is the end of the story by fighting in self defense. But the revelations continue to change as the Muslim community expanded.
Stage Three: When Muhammad and his followers became the most powerful force in Arabia, they were commanded to wage *Offensive Jihad* – violently subjugating non-Muslims, simply for being non-Muslims.
Qur’an 9:29 – Fight those who *believe not* in Allah. (This verse tells Muslims to fight people based on their beliefs, not in Defense).
Qur’an 9:73 – O Prophet! strive hard against the *unbelievers* and the *hypocrites* and be unyielding to them. (Notice drive hard against whom? *THE UNBELIEVERS OF ALLAH NON-MUSLIMS and HYPOCRITES*)
Qur’an 9:123 – O you who believe! fith those of the *unbelievers* who are near to you *and let them find in you hardness*.
Qur’an 48:29 – Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and those who are with him are *severe against disbelievers* and *mericful among themselves*.
The distinction in these verses is not between people who are attacking you and people who aren’t attacking you. The distinction here is between believers and unbelievers, and Muslims are told only show mercy towards fellow believers. Now the most common repsonse to passages like this is the context offense. *Surely you must be taking these verses out of context!* Ok, so let’s look at the context of one of these commands. Generally when we are referring to the context of a Qur’an verse we either mean the historical context what was happening when the verse was revealed or the literary context, what would the verses in the surrounding passages say.
The things that Islam offers:
Paedophilia – Rape – Beheadings – Burning People Alive – Female Genital Mutilation – Hostage taking – Honour Killings – Slavery – Oppression of Women – Jihad
Ibn Kathir gives us the historical context after Muhammad conquered Mecca, he eventually told the polytheists of Arabia that they could no longer take the religious pilgramige to Mecca which they had been doing for centuries. Members of Muhammads tribe the Quraish were upset because they had earned a lot of money from their dealings with the polytheists.
Ibn Kathir, *The Battles of the Prophet, pp. 183-4* – Allah, Most High, ordered the believers to prohibit the disbelievers from entering or coming near the sacred Mosque. On that, Quraish thought that this would reduce their profits from trade. Therefore, Allah, Most High, compensated them and *ordered them to fight the people of the Book until they embrace Islam or pay the Jizyah*. [Quotes Surah 9:28-29] Tjerefpre. *the Messenger of Allah decided to fight the Romans in order to call them to Islam*.
According to the historical context, Surah 9 verse 28-29 *fight those who believe not in Allah*, was revealed because Muhammad’s tribe were wondering how they were going to make *money*, and after recieving this “Revelation” Muhammad decided to fight the Romans to invite them to Islam. If the Romans converted, they would pay Zakat, if they didn’t convert they would pay Jizyah. so either way through fighting them revenue would come to the Meccans.
*That’s the historical context*. So now, what about the literary context? Let’s see if we can find something peaceful here. The passage begins in verse 28 and continues thru verse 33. So Let’s see the entire passsage.
Qur’an 9:28 – O you who believe! Truly the Pagans are unclean; so let them not, after this year of theirs, approach the Sacred Mosque. *And if you fear poverty, soon will Allah enrich you*, if He wills, out of His bounty, for Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.
How is Allah going to enrich them?
Qur’an 9:29 *Fight those who believe not in Allah* nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the Relition of Truth, from among the People of the *Book* (Jews and Christians), *until they pay the Jizyah with willing submission*, and feel themselves subdued. But why fight Jews and Christians? Aren’t we believers to?
Qur’an 9:30 – And the Jews say, *Ezra is the son of Allah*; and the Christians say, *The Messiagh is the son of Allah*. These are the words of their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved before. Allah’s curse be upon them; how they are turned away.
So Jews and Christians aren’t real monotheists, we’re unbelievers as well. Have we done anything else?
Surah 9:31 – They took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allah, and Christ the son of Mary; yet they were commanded to worship but One God; there is not go be He. Praise and flory to Him; (Far is He) from having the partners they associate (with Him).
-And the other reason to fight us- Next verse,
Qur’an 9:32 – They desire to put out the light of Allah *with their mouths*, but Allah will not allow but that His light should be perfected, even though the unbelievers may detest (it). This is talking about what we say, what we preach. Not us attacking the community or the army.
Allah won’t allow us to spread our, “False” beliefs through preaching. So how is Allah going to stop us?
Qur’an 9:33 – It is He who hath sent His Messenger with Guidance and the Religion of Truth, *to prevail it over all religion*, even though the idolaters may detest (it). How’s Allah going to prevail? Qur’an 9:29 *Fight those who believe not in Allah* nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the Relition of Truth, from among the People of the *Book* (Jews and Christians), *until they pay the Jizyah with willing submission*, and feel themselves subdued.
Now that’s the entire passage. Where’s the part about self defense? Where’s one word about self defense? Every criterian for fighting Jews and Christians in this passage has *ONLY* to do with what we believe. If Allah means to say, *Only fight people who are attacking you*, this is a screwed up way of saying it. And if he says fight those who believe not in Allah in self defense, he is certainly not the clear communicator he claims to be.
So, putting all this together:
*Islam means submission*
*You submit to Allah by unquestioningly obeying the commands of Allah and Muhammad*
*Allah claims that his commands are prefectly clear*.
*Later revelations abrogate earlier revelations*. (So bringing up peaceful verses don’t count if they have been abrogated)
*When Muhammad couldn’t hope to win a physical confrontation with the unbelievers, he promoted peace and tolerance outwardly, while plotting in secret to conquer the unbelievers*. Yes, this sounds like a pussy to me.
*When his numbers increased, he began fighting unbelievers, but only defensively*.
*When he became the most powerful force in Arabia, he began systematically subjugating unbelievers*.
What I find most fascinating about all of this is you can pick any country in the world and it will follow this pattern. The pattern laid down by Muhammad. In countries like the United States, where Muslims make up about 1% of the population, the message of Islam is peace and tolerance. In places of the world where Muslims make up 20-30% of the Population, if they are critisized, you will get some kind of violent reaction called defensive Jihad. In places like Saudi Arabia, or Pakistan, where Muslims are the strongest source, unbelievers are violently oppressed, or at the very least they are second classed citizens.
So so you don’t misunderstand me here, I am only talking about what Islam teaches and how these teachings tend to surface in various ways around the world. I’m not talking about how individual Muslims believe. Muslims are as diverse as any other religion in the world, so when your muslim friend tells you that Islam is a religion of peace, he or she probably believes it. However this is not the topic. The topic is, is the Qur’an a Book of Peace?
As we see here, in black and white, *NO IT IS NOT*. A book that calls for the ongoing subjugation of the Christians and Jews is NOT a book of peace, *it is a book of war*.