To give a better understanding of the mind of Islam, which is not so eager to turn the other cheek, consider a few passages from the Qur’an, inspired by Mohammed (A.D. 567-632).
"And think not that the infidels shall escape Us! They shall not weaken God (Allah).
Make ready then against them what force ye can, and strong squadrons(tanks, planes, missiles, artillery) whereby ye may strike terror into the enemy of God and your enemy, and into others beside them whom ye know not, but whom God knoweth. All that you shall expend for the cause of God shall be repaid you; and ye shall not be wronged." (Surah 8:60 - THE SPOILS)
"When ye encounter the infidels, strike off their heads till ye have made a great slaughter among them, and of the rest make fast the fetters." "And whoso fight for the cause of God, their works he will not suffer to miscarry...he will bring them into the Paradise, of which he hath told them." "But as for the infidels, let them perish: and their works shall God bring to nought." (Sura 47:4,5,6 - MOHAMMED)
"O ye who believe! Take not the Jews and Christians for friends. They are friends one to another. He among you who taketh them for friends is (one) of them. Lo! Allah guideth not the wrongdoing folk" (Surah 5:51, 4:144).
"We shall cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve because they ascribe unto Allah partners, for which no warrant hath been revealed. Their habitation is the Fire, and hapless the abode of the wrong-doers" (Surah 3:151)
Whenever these verses and others that point out the militant and divisive nature of the Qur’an are referred to, the usual reaction for a Muslim is to quote Surah 2:256, "There is no compulsion in religion." What that means however is up for debate. The implication is that no one becomes a Muslim through coercion. Many will say this applies only to non-Muslims because it is clear that Muslims are "compelled" with much compulsion to remain Muslims. Yet, there are many verses directed toward unbelievers that are quite harsh and paint quite a different story. "O Prophet! Strive against the disbelievers and the hypocrites! Be harsh with them. Their ultimate abode is hell, a hapless journey’s-end." "Oh ye who believe! Fight those of the disbelievers who are near to you, and let them find harshness in you, and know that Allah is with those who keep their duty (unto Him)."
A version of the Qur’an endorsed by Sheikh ‘Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Humaid, Chief Justice of Saudi Arabia, was being distributed from the Islamic Center of San Diego, California in the months after 9/11. It is most militant in its style and commentary. In a section entitled "The Call to Jihad" we read, "As it is now obvious, at first ‘the fighting’ was forbidden, then it was permitted and after that it was made obligatory – (1) against them who start ‘the fighting’ against you (Muslims)... (2) and against all those who worship others along with Allah... as mentioned in Sura 2, 3, 9... and other Sura (Chapters of the Quran). Allah made the fighting (Jihad) obligatory for the Muslims and gave importance to the subject-matter of Jihad in all the Sura which were revealed (at Al-Madinah) as in Allah’s Statement: ‘March forth whether you are light (being healthy, young and wealthy) or heavy (being ill, old and poor), and strive hard with your wealth and your lives in the Cause of Allah. This is better for you if you knew.’ (Sura 9:41) And He (Allah) said: ‘Jihad (holy fighting in Allah’s Cause) is ordained for you (Muslims) though you dislike it, and it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allah knows but you do not know."(Sura 2:216)
Leaving out major issues of theology and historical politics Islam and the media often portrays the teaching of the Quran as being as peace loving as a Mormon TV commercial and "being closely linked with both Christianity and Judaism, promoting the same God." Few Muslims are willing to admit that the first four caliphs after Mohammed’s death were all assassinated by fellow Muslims. There are those who will admit that "militant Islam" is a threat but want to separate those "fundamentalist" Muslims from the others who follow the teaching of the same book. The implication is that a white lie and a black lie constitute two different forms of morality. It may be a gray issue if for the sake of hurt emotions one tells a child that the over-baked cookies she just made are very tasty, but when one is lying about the nature of God we have crossed over the line.
In order to neutralize public criticism about murders done to the innocent in the name of Allah, Muslims often claim the Qur’an forbids such violence. They then casually quote, "Whoever kills a person, unless it be for manslaughter or for mischief in the land, it is as though he had killed all men. And whoever saves a life, it is as though he had saved the lives of all men." If one were to read the Surah in its context however it is clear something else is meant. In reality the verse starts out referring to the Children of Israel, that is Jews, and the Surah that follows reads, "The only punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and strive to make mischief in the land is that they should be murdered, or crucified, or their hands and their feet should be cut off on opposites sides, or they should be imprisoned." It is clear that the point being made here is, woe to any Jew killing or making mischief against Islam or the prophet. Context seems to mean little to a Muslim who is trying to persuade a non-Muslim. If a non-Muslim however quotes anything out of the Qur’an that brings question to the religion or its prophet they are quickly criticized and accused of misrepresenting the text.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUKwXlZfDhY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBwVZO8sYi8
"And think not that the infidels shall escape Us! They shall not weaken God (Allah).
Make ready then against them what force ye can, and strong squadrons(tanks, planes, missiles, artillery) whereby ye may strike terror into the enemy of God and your enemy, and into others beside them whom ye know not, but whom God knoweth. All that you shall expend for the cause of God shall be repaid you; and ye shall not be wronged." (Surah 8:60 - THE SPOILS)
"When ye encounter the infidels, strike off their heads till ye have made a great slaughter among them, and of the rest make fast the fetters." "And whoso fight for the cause of God, their works he will not suffer to miscarry...he will bring them into the Paradise, of which he hath told them." "But as for the infidels, let them perish: and their works shall God bring to nought." (Sura 47:4,5,6 - MOHAMMED)
"O ye who believe! Take not the Jews and Christians for friends. They are friends one to another. He among you who taketh them for friends is (one) of them. Lo! Allah guideth not the wrongdoing folk" (Surah 5:51, 4:144).
"We shall cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve because they ascribe unto Allah partners, for which no warrant hath been revealed. Their habitation is the Fire, and hapless the abode of the wrong-doers" (Surah 3:151)
Whenever these verses and others that point out the militant and divisive nature of the Qur’an are referred to, the usual reaction for a Muslim is to quote Surah 2:256, "There is no compulsion in religion." What that means however is up for debate. The implication is that no one becomes a Muslim through coercion. Many will say this applies only to non-Muslims because it is clear that Muslims are "compelled" with much compulsion to remain Muslims. Yet, there are many verses directed toward unbelievers that are quite harsh and paint quite a different story. "O Prophet! Strive against the disbelievers and the hypocrites! Be harsh with them. Their ultimate abode is hell, a hapless journey’s-end." "Oh ye who believe! Fight those of the disbelievers who are near to you, and let them find harshness in you, and know that Allah is with those who keep their duty (unto Him)."
A version of the Qur’an endorsed by Sheikh ‘Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Humaid, Chief Justice of Saudi Arabia, was being distributed from the Islamic Center of San Diego, California in the months after 9/11. It is most militant in its style and commentary. In a section entitled "The Call to Jihad" we read, "As it is now obvious, at first ‘the fighting’ was forbidden, then it was permitted and after that it was made obligatory – (1) against them who start ‘the fighting’ against you (Muslims)... (2) and against all those who worship others along with Allah... as mentioned in Sura 2, 3, 9... and other Sura (Chapters of the Quran). Allah made the fighting (Jihad) obligatory for the Muslims and gave importance to the subject-matter of Jihad in all the Sura which were revealed (at Al-Madinah) as in Allah’s Statement: ‘March forth whether you are light (being healthy, young and wealthy) or heavy (being ill, old and poor), and strive hard with your wealth and your lives in the Cause of Allah. This is better for you if you knew.’ (Sura 9:41) And He (Allah) said: ‘Jihad (holy fighting in Allah’s Cause) is ordained for you (Muslims) though you dislike it, and it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allah knows but you do not know."(Sura 2:216)
Leaving out major issues of theology and historical politics Islam and the media often portrays the teaching of the Quran as being as peace loving as a Mormon TV commercial and "being closely linked with both Christianity and Judaism, promoting the same God." Few Muslims are willing to admit that the first four caliphs after Mohammed’s death were all assassinated by fellow Muslims. There are those who will admit that "militant Islam" is a threat but want to separate those "fundamentalist" Muslims from the others who follow the teaching of the same book. The implication is that a white lie and a black lie constitute two different forms of morality. It may be a gray issue if for the sake of hurt emotions one tells a child that the over-baked cookies she just made are very tasty, but when one is lying about the nature of God we have crossed over the line.
In order to neutralize public criticism about murders done to the innocent in the name of Allah, Muslims often claim the Qur’an forbids such violence. They then casually quote, "Whoever kills a person, unless it be for manslaughter or for mischief in the land, it is as though he had killed all men. And whoever saves a life, it is as though he had saved the lives of all men." If one were to read the Surah in its context however it is clear something else is meant. In reality the verse starts out referring to the Children of Israel, that is Jews, and the Surah that follows reads, "The only punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and strive to make mischief in the land is that they should be murdered, or crucified, or their hands and their feet should be cut off on opposites sides, or they should be imprisoned." It is clear that the point being made here is, woe to any Jew killing or making mischief against Islam or the prophet. Context seems to mean little to a Muslim who is trying to persuade a non-Muslim. If a non-Muslim however quotes anything out of the Qur’an that brings question to the religion or its prophet they are quickly criticized and accused of misrepresenting the text.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUKwXlZfDhY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBwVZO8sYi8
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