Explaining Islam
An interview originally published on FrontPage with a former Muslim, Hossain Salahuddin, editor of the magazine Maverick, which promoties literature, freethinking, and rationalism:
FP: Your interpretation of Islam's holy war?HS: Islam has always been associated with political expansion and that's where Jihad or holy war comes into affect. Quran and Hadith repeatedly say that nothing is greater, so far as goodness goes, than Jihad in the name of Allah. Some apologists will try to tell you that Islam is a religion of peace, Jihad is allegorical, and it does not mean violence etc. But the bloody history of Islam tells us a very different story. And the Quran is actually supposed to be taken literally. Muhammad repeatedly said that the Quran is not poetry or allegory; it is the clear voice of Allah himself so that everyone can understand and take it seriously; it is actually blasphemous even to think the Quran as an allegory.
In Hadith, the collection of traditions, Muhammad asked his followers to stop any un-Islamic practice by force many times. As a religion, Islam has a long tradition of deep rooted hatred towards unbelievers. In the Quran, Allah repeatedly commanded Muslims to engage in Holy war and promised unlimited reward in the afterlife if one becomes a martyr in the war for the glory of Allah.
If you ask a Turkish Sufi Dervish who does that beautiful swirling dance, you won't get the literal picture of Islam. You will rather get a pleasant humanitarian view of the Mystic Sufi philosophy. But, unfortunately, Mainstream Islam considers Sufis heretics and they were regularly persecuted by orthodox Muslims throughout history.
To find out the true meaning of Jihad, you have to look at the life of Muhammad, his companions and the later rulers and thinkers of Islam. You will get an extremely violent picture. Even Muhammad's immediate successors used the term Jihad to refer to the conquest of new territory, so I don't see much scope for misunderstanding here.
No matter what apologists try to tell you about the meaning of Jihad, to most Muslims it simply means Expansion of Allah's Kingdom in the command of Allah himself. If they die in the pursuit they are a martyr or Sahid, someone who is guaranteed by Allah to go to heaven straightway without facing the trial in the judgment day.
Islamic scholars like Taqi al din ibn Taymiyyah, Mohammad ibn abdul Wahhab, Sayyid Qutb, Abdullah Mawdudi, Hasan al Turabi have a lot to answer for in this matter. Modern Jihadists frequently cite these scholars as their source of inspiration. They argued that Muslims are in a cosmic battle against the force of darkness. These forces of darkness should not be tolerated, and although Allah is ultimately responsible for the destruction of darkness, Muslims are required to fight it. That's why as of today no famous Muslim cleric or Muslim country condemned terrorism. You see, almost everything of the western way of life contradicts Islamic belief - the West automatically becomes the target, hence, Islamic scholars divided the whole world into two different spheres: Islamic World or Land of Peace and Un-Islamic World or Land of warfare.
FP: So Islamic terrorists are not misinterpreting Islam?
HS: No, terrorists are not misinterpreting Islam; in fact they are interpreting Islam very correctly. Theologically, it is a Muslim's holy duty to fight until the whole world turns to one Allah because there can not be any other God. Allah is pretty autocratic among the Gods and he doesn't like to co-exist with any other deity. It sounds funny but its true; how many Muslim countries practice democracy? Liberalism, individual privacy and freedom, freedom of speech and freedom of belief - all of this and any other component of modernity you can think of directly contradicts Islamic belief.
No matter what apologists say, "Islam" and "freedom" are two opposite words with opposite meanings. You see, unlike Christianity and Buddhism Islam is not a personal religion; Islam is very practical, social, highly political, and unspiritual and its goal is to win the world empire. Islam penetrates even very personal aspects of human life and dictates. Islamic law or Sharia is considered divine legislation and it dictates every single aspects of human life, from using toothpicks to how to perform sex; from slaughtering animals to what verse you should recite when you are in a toilet etc. Anything you can think of.
Hello my friends. Wish you well.
What know about Islam?
Is it because some Muslims have committed heinous crimes imagine that Islam is a religion of murder (although that certainly did was prohibited in Islam). Is Forgotten bloody wars committed in the name of the church? Is Forgotten or church scandals instruments such as forgiveness? Does this mean that the Christian religion bloody? Of course not.
Secondly Where identified Islam?
Many of the books that talk about Islam in the West by non-Muslims, like to ask the Portuguese for India ???!!!!
Do you know, for example, that Islam requires Muslims believe Jesus peace be upon him, who does not believe it is a kaafir !!!!!!!
Did you know that Muhammad was saying (will not enter Paradise will not even believe Thabwa not even believe you if you did something to Tahabpettm, you spread peace).
Did you know that Muhammad had to say (throwing Zmia not me) Zmia mean Christian or Jewish.
My friends:
Islam does not judge by the actions of some, and you ask yourself why all this attack on Islam, according to Al-Hikma (more successfully increased your enemies) and already Valasla religions become more prevalent every day confined thousands. Are all these terrorists love blood.???
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suzy at March 4, 2008 1:36 AM
Although the spammer will never see this:
Islam was conceived in blood. Its sole purpose bing to unite the arabs for the conquest of Europe.
Have you ever stopped to wonder why Arab civilization was ascendant and then suddenly disappeared? It's not due to European invasion. It's Islam.
Islam serves to squash the curiosity by declaring all questions answered. If you're certain you've got all the answers tied up in a nice little bow (called Quran) then why bother learning anything new?
And so the rest of the world marches forward while Islam fiddles.
Islam is a dead culture and a dead civilization. The best we can hope for is that it doesn't take us down in its death throes.
brian at March 4, 2008 5:29 AM
Is it because some Muslims have committed heinous crimes imagine that Islam is a religion of murder (although that certainly did was prohibited in Islam). Is Forgotten bloody wars committed in the name of the church? Is Forgotten or church scandals instruments such as forgiveness? Does this mean that the Christian religion bloody? Of course not.
The Inquisition was a long time ago, asshat. Also, I'm saying this as somebody who is not a Christian (I have no religion -- I'm one of those modern types who requires evidence for belief, and thus does not believe there's some guy up there called god).
Christian preachers are not calling for the death of Muslims and Jews. Imams across the world are. See above -- it's all in the big book of your bloody death cult. As for who did what to whom in the past, as Wafa Sultan pointed out, you notice any Jews blowing up German restaurants?
Oh, and you notice how anybody who criticizes Islam has to fear for their life? In fact, it isn't just one or two crazies after them, they often have an official death warrant put out on them -- a fatwa.See "Rushdie, Salman."
Sadly, it seems the primitive people now have the benefits of modern western society, thanks to the oil under the desert, and can thus avail themselves of Google and jet planes to kill thousands of innocent office workers.
Interesting how you speak out FOR Islam and not against the murderers. So few doing that. Why? Because you fear being murdered by other Muslims for it? And/or because it's of no interest to you, having been brought up Muslim -- in Islam, the religion of death?
Touché.
Amy Alkon at March 4, 2008 5:53 AM
P.S. IP on "suzy" is Khartoum, Sudan...where they slaughter Christians who refuse to convert to Islam.
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=26672
(First, they gang-rape the women, then cut off their breasts and leave them to die.)
Awww! The religion of peace!
Amy Alkon at March 4, 2008 6:05 AM
its for my uni project.......need u to join in the discussion. forward to all ya frends aswel yeah . thanks. make sure u do it please, need as many response before thursday.
please follow this link..... http://dev1old.manme.org.uk/~interaction/isblog/?p=5
Hello world,
We have created a blog for our university project in order to discuss the main issues surrounding Muslims and non-Muslims. The main topic of the blog is about daily experiences,and would be greatfull if you could talk about your experiences after all the media's portrayal of Islam.
We would appreciate your contribution towards this blog, and before you start anything we would be greatfull if you could read the 'about' page to give yourself an understanding of what we are aiming for.
Thank you, please keep forwarding to all your contacts
The Islam Blog Team - shazed, mutahid, robin, milad
shaz at March 4, 2008 7:57 AM
Suzy,
Is Forgotten bloody wars committed in the name of the church? Is Forgotten or church scandals...Last time I checked the religious books of Christianity and Judaism do not call for the church to commit bloody wars or scandals. Your holy text dose call for bloody wars. So the answer to your question is that in Christianity/Judaism the actions of the church was not condoned by the religion. They were in fact in violation.
Also, Muhammad, peace be upon him, was a murdering pedophile. ( I may have forgotten to mention that.
rusty wilson at March 4, 2008 8:05 AM
The comment I left on shaz' site (the ital piece and quoted bit are in response to comments above mine:
And I have to say, it flashed through my mind that I could be in danger from posting this there. Now, I post rationality-inspired remarks from time to time on Christian sites when I accidentally google my way to some blog post. You think I EVER worry that the Christians are going to come get me?
Amy Alkon at March 4, 2008 8:12 AM
Amy, your post got deleted. I'm not surprised. I posted this:
(quotes are from other posters)
“at the end of the day we are living in a western society… and we need to appriciate that…”
And this is where you fail to gain the respect of Westerners. It has been written that Islam is in direct opposition to the western ideas of democracy and freedom. If you want to live in a western society, you have to adapt, you have to realize that people will be intolerant of having to cater to Islam for any length of time. You want western civilization to be tolerant of you, but yet you do not extend the same courtesy. In order to adapt, you should be more amenable to dressing in a more appropriate manner when you are out in public. You can dress how you like at home, but if you do not want to be singled out, you need to adapt. And that’s just one area of difference.
“Me personaly, i dont care what the media says, but there is a limit to everything. i think the media shows negative things about Islam. Islam does not have a negative side, Islam is all about peace and unity. What the news portrays about Islam is NOT what it teaches, it teaches everyone to be as a whole entity and it is meant to provoke peace and NOT voilence!”
Then what was the purpose of the bombings of the World Trade Center and the attempt at the destruction of the Pentagon? Why were those peoples’ lives, a lot of whom more likely than not had never even heard of Islam, taken from them in such a violent manner? Why do we still see on the news, broadcasts of Muslim men beheading others and “honor” killings of wives and daughters? These things, among many others, are why Islam is not considered a religion of peace by Westerners! Christian and Jewish leaders do not call for the death and destruction of those who are not Christian or Jewish! My own religion (I am a witch) preaches tolerance of and compassion for ALL living things, including our Mother Earth. Why does not Islam preach this, and condemn those who take others’ lives?
I have no idea if this will get deleted either, but I think there's a good possibility! o_O
Flynne at March 4, 2008 9:52 AM
Flynne...Deleted.
Not surprising, the only comments are those whose views agree with theirs. "Oh, I'm a Muslim, how persecuted I am...why don't people understand that we're here for peace...etc." I wonder if they'd find any parallel between their "we're here for peace" statements and the plot of "To Serve Man."
Jamie at March 4, 2008 10:21 AM
Hmmmmm, funny that. When I go to the website now, it says my comment is "waiting to be moderated."
Flynne at March 4, 2008 10:24 AM
"Islamic law or Sharia is considered divine legislation and it dictates every single aspects of human life, from using toothpicks to how to perform sex; from slaughtering animals to what verse you should recite when you are in a toilet etc. Anything you can think of."
And I thought cubicle jobs were bad. Which bearded losers, on the photocopying end of the socioeconomic job scale, got stuck with the job of codifying the use of toothpicks. Although, come to think of it, the parallels with the IRS are kind of creepy ...
Pirate Jo at March 4, 2008 11:30 AM
Curiouser and curiouser - mine and Amy's comments have actually be reposted! I'm amazed, although I did write the moderator an email and ask him why only Muslim comments and said if they didn't post all comments than how could they expect to be taken seriously? Don't know if that's what did it, but they're up now. o_O
Flynne at March 4, 2008 12:24 PM
If the so called "moderate Muslims" are unwilling to condemn the actions of the fanatics, I can only assume that they are in quiet agreement with the actions of the maniacs. Saying repeatedly "Islam is a religion of peace and that those are the actions of fanatics" won't get you too far with me (it also won't make it so). I can recognize apathy when I see and hear it. I'm also a lot more violent than most regular Americans.
Some day, when Islamic law becomes the norm in America, and guns have been out-lawed watch the newpapers for a stand-off taking place in the hills of Minnesota with federal officers. That's where I'll be found...
Blackjack at March 4, 2008 1:10 PM
Where's that "Lady" person from the other day? This is what she needs to read
Crid at March 4, 2008 1:22 PM
Hah - great, Flynne. P.S. I was going to do a blog post on how they advertised their site on mine, then ditched my post when it didn't conform to their notion of how Islam should be seen (ie, as Islam, the fairy tale).
Amy Alkon at March 4, 2008 3:38 PM
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