Many times I hear from my Muslim friends that Islam is a tolerant or peaceful religion and that there is only a few extremists that are giving Islam a bad name. Yet, in the name of Islam, over the last fourteen centuries there have been more than 270 million people who have been killed and since 911 there has been approximately 20,000 terrorists attacks carried out globally. Thus violence reflects the values of Islam revolving around concepts such as jihad and fatalistic martyrdom which strongly encourage and suggest that violence, hatred and aggression is a legitimate expression of defining the Islamic faith. Both now and then, Islam through force and coercion has taken nations captive making them hostages through fear and intimidation as maintaining a conquering spirit with a mindset on conquest. Therefore for such adherents to honor the Allah of the Quran in carrying out these decrees of historical Islam I can not criticize them based on their sincere submission of obedience as being faithful to its teachings, nor should other passive or moderately peaceful Muslims, as they are the true practitioners of Islam as what is revealed in the following Surah’s: Qur’an 9:29, 9:73, 9:123. Essentially, according to Islamic theology, it also stands to reason that if Allah providentially allows these terrorists attacks to occur then it must be His will, right? Thus to resist in fighting the infidel may be a rejection and refusal to Allah’s perfect plan.
Even though I condemn these acts it is not hard to see that they are behaving in compliance to the Qur’an. So I think it is reasonable to ask yourself, if you claim to be a Muslim, that by not accepting these passages, if perhaps you aren’t a real or authentic believer as rejecting some of the passages as found within the Qur’an. Additionally, to selectively use only certain Surah’s which fit your religious ideologies, is in essence, to redefine and even question Islam’s beliefs as a form of apostasy towards developing your own new religious worldview, Qur’an 33:36. Furthermore to insist that Islam is a peaceful religion and not to oppose such terrorism in remaining silent becomes a form of agreement and permission towards these vile acts through affiliation as an accomplice to this crime on humanity. If you believe so strongly against terrorism then are you willing to oppose this movement even to the point of endangerment?
Unfortunately, even if the majority of Muslims are pacifists, it is the radical element of Islam’s leadership that carries the influence of Islamic culture, as the majority will comply in favor of their own movement over and against any competing world views. Moreover trying to approach this problem secularly to reform Islam through a democratic and diplomatic way is the Western method of doing business not the traditional Islamic path.
You may at first object by pointing out that the Quran deals fairly towards others as within Qur’an 2:256, 109. Yet that’s only because during its earliest stages of development it was not in a position to fully defend itself but as it began to gain strength these Surah’s became abrogated as seen by the dichotomy of these other passages which I previously mentioned as transitioning to more aggressive form of behavior as to gain control, if need be, through the sword of violence.
This progression towards Islamic dominance and influence may seem like just another conspiracy theory but historically it is happened and is still continuing today as it begins with a stealthy agenda and progressively leads through various stages of development towards a firm establishment as eventually, over time, taking complete control of a society through the establishing of Islamic Law to finally subdue and subvert the culture, including unbelievers. This has often leads to oppression and persecution among Christians and other groups. I support a group called Voice of the Martyrs www.persecution.com which is a Christian organization that helps and assists people who are victims of martyrdom. There are about 300,000 Christians a year that come under this definition which may vary anywhere from the loss of a job and property to imprisonment and even death. Which leads me to my next point as Muslims are often inconstant as emphasizing such Quranic citations as “there is no compulsion in religion” and yet overlook the fact that within predominant Islamic societies they persecute unbelievers in an effort to forcibly get them to convert through jihad, abuse of blasphemy laws, and the payment of the Jizyah as they isolate and marginalize them as second class citizens as supported by Ibn Kathir’s statement on the matter in 9:29. After all who ever heard of a Muslim humanitarian group that helps and assists infidels as they are mainly concerned with their own people and society not the rights of helping others towards belief as having a more superior view of themselves, Qur’an 3:110, 98:6.
However it has been Christianity that has taken some of the greatest strides towards the humanitarian rights of all others as founding and establishing such institutions as hospitals and orphanages as well as even recently assisting Syrian Muslims who are refuges in Iraq and who have been ignored by their fellow Muslims.
Anyway Islam’s advancement in a society starts as it takes parasitical control of a host nation through immigration, childbirth, and funding as conquering the infidel by means of attrition in displacing the enemy not by truth but by force. This process of Islamization can happen gradually as beginning with the initial friendly charade of Taqiyya as a method or means towards the end, as found within Qur’an 3:28, in concealing the true intentions of the Islamic community and is supported by the commentaries of Ibn Kathir and may be seen in America today and from this point advancing their influence to a very wide definition of what is termed defensive Jihad of which Islamic commentators ascribe to including criticisms against Islam or by unbelief as preaching a non-Islamic religion which is more descriptive of Northern Africa and Europe where they have gained some control. Lastly this finally leads to a Jihadi offensive in order for Islam to survive and thrive with absolute control as seen among the Islamic states that are governed by Sharia Law. Ironically such threats are even carried out to such a degree that religious wars are waged amongst it various factions or sects even though they are supposedly united as brothers under a common text. Therefore this whole idea of coercion is not substantiated on any level nor does it even come close to “Just War Theory” when it becomes the dominant force.
Finally this control is even maintained among its own members as threatening to kill apostates thus there is no real sense of personal rights. Freedom is just an illusion whereby Islamic norms are the reigning rule of policy as supported by family, government, and the Quran.
In conclusion, I do acknowledge the fact that there are tolerant and passive Muslims who are grieved and saddened by the aggression of those who take these Islamic beliefs seriously. I am glad that there are those within the Muslim community who do not practice and believe these Islamic doctrines. Perhaps deep down inside of them there is a silent rejection of Islam in which out of fear they are not able to confront or vocalize due to the potential ramification of their objection to such practices. Even subconsciously there may be some self-deception that will not allow them to honestly and objectively consider the beliefs surrounding Islam. However in their heart or conscience these Muslims are inwardly disposed and hard-wired to recognize the moral implications of committing acts of murder to further their religious obligations and commitments.
I believe that the Muslims which are more moderate in their viewpoints, apart from the teachings of the Qur’an, are responding in a reactionary manner having seen the contemporary evils of ruthless men such as Hitler, Stalin, Idi Amin, Pol Pot and Hirohito and are appalled at the atrocities and the arrogance of such hate crimes committed by these men who were performing the rites of genocide as no different from those who uphold to the religious crimes committed in the name of Allah.
Yet unfortunately some Muslims do not see their own contribution or take responsibility for their destruction to the ills of human society. This reminds me of a saying of Jesus concerning removing the log from your own eye first before taking the splinter from someone else’s eye. They are so blinded due to the obstruction of their own sight that we can not see clearly to view the true nature of the problem which is hypocritically in one’s own movement.
I believe that moderate Muslims instinctively know that they were formed by a loving Creator who desires to promote life and He has given us great examples of His love through the nurture and care of our earthly mothers. If God created these finite beings with a limited sense of love then how much more does an infinite God desire to express His unlimited capacity of love towards mankind. God lavishly poured out His love through Jesus to the world by giving Him as a payment for our debt of sin resulting in eternal life. God did not conquer us with hate but with love which is the ultimate definition or attribute of His being.
Lastly I want to thank you for reading this blog and I would ask you to take an honest and thought provoking approach to the matter of Islam. After all to take a more liberal view is already an openness to reconsider your belief system and its historical position that is contrary to human rights and the sanctity of life. I would further ask that you would be courageous enough to uphold truth even if it meant denying the very essence of your being including the cultural and societal values that have been imposed upon you.
Conclusively, there is a higher plane of human existence in which God has ultimately defined religion. A religion which can ultimately be described as a relationship of sacrificial love. This love would begin with Jesus and extend through the loving hands and arms of His disciples which would reach out into all the earth comforting suffering humanity. It’s a love that is honorable because it is not self-serving and even when this love is not reciprocated by others they continue to love anyway even if it means forgiving and loving their enemies by turning the other cheek.
Dear friend there is a better way and Jesus states that it is the only way. The way that leads to life and not death. Love instead of fear, hatred, anger, and murder. For God so loved the world that He gave Jesus that whosoever shall believe in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.
Permission granted by David Woods for excerpts taken from the article on “ Muhammad and the Messiah” in the Christian Research Journal Vol.35/No.5/2012
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