On 9-11-2001, Muslim terrorists killed almost 3000 people in New York as they flew their hijacked airplanes into the World Trade Towers in New York city while their spiritual kindred danced in the streets in the Middle East. To this very day, rockets are still being fired from predominantly Muslim Gaza into Israel with the clear intent of doing harm to civilians. Iran’s rulers have made it very clear that their goal is to cause Israel to cease to exist with exactly the same racist and fanatical mindset as the National Socialists of Hitler’s Germany in their attempt to kill every Jew in Europe. The examples of Muslim aggression across the years and world are legion.
So, are those who commit these despicable acts nothing more than apostates who are defiling their religion? Or are they doing exactly what the Quran mandates with this being supported by their fundamentalist clerics? In looking to find the truth of the matter, I can think of no better place to start than in the Quran itself. As a matter of fact, if we look for the sake of brevity only at how it tells Muslims to deal with Christians and Jews, I believe we will gain a great deal of insight into this very question.
2:62. Lo! Those who believe [in that which is revealed unto thee, Muhammad], and those who are Jews, and Christians, and Sabaeans – whoever believeth in Allah and the Last Day and doeth right – surely their reward is with their Lord, and there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve.
It certainly sounds as if both Jews and Christians are to be held in high regard and respected. This verse no doubt is used to argue for a benevolent approach to be taken with those of these other two Abrahamic religions. That would certainly make those who carry out terrorist acts heretics to Islam. But is this admonition consistent throughout the Quran? Let’s look further:
2:120 And the Jews will not be pleased with thee, nor will the Christians, till thou follow their creed. Say: Lo! the guidance of Allah [Himself] is Guidance. And if thou shouldst follow their desires after the knowledge which hath come unto thee, then wouldst thou have from Allah no protecting guardian nor helper.
This verse is clearly diametrically opposed to the sentiments of the first and occurs later in the second sura. Does that mean that Allah, whom the Muslims say is the same God that Jews and Christians worship (that a topic all of its own!), changed his mind in the time between when they were delivered to Mohammed?
What, then, are we to make of what the Bible says about God?
Malachi 3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
Furthermore, doing a word search for “everlasting covenant,” yields fifteen hits in the King James Bible. With this evidence, it appears that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and Father of Jesus Christ neither changes himself nor goes back on his word. Does this complete change of attitude seem consistent with God who never changes?
There are several possibilities which come to mind:
1) Allah is not the same God that Jews and Christians worship.
2) Mohammed made a mistake
3) The revelation to Mohammed was not from God or an angel sent from him.
From just these three alone, what does this suggest as to the Quran’s ultimate reliablity?
Let’s now look at even more militant and aggressive verses:
2: 190. Fight in the way of Allah against those who fight against you, but begin not hostilities. Lo! Allah loveth not aggressors. 191. And slay them wherever ye find them, and drive them out of the places whence they drove you out, for persecution is worse than slaughter. And fight not with them at the Inviolable Place of Worship until they first attack you there, but if they attack you [there] then slay them. Such is the reward of
disbelievers. 192. But if they desist, then lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. 193. And fight them until persecution is no more, and religion is for Allah. But if they desist, then let there be no hostility except against wrong-doers.
9:5. Then, when the sacred months have passed, slay the idolaters wherever ye find them, and take them [captive], and besiege them, and prepare for them each ambush. But if they repent and establish worship and pay the poor-due, then leave their way free. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
These passages suggests several basic principles:
1) Allah calls Muslims to defend themselves against those who attack them. The question becomes, what is considered an attack? A military attack? Or would it extend to those who merely challenge their beliefs? The evidence is that in Muslim-controlled societies the latter is the case.
2) If a person converts to Islam, they are not be persecuted any more. But no other religion is allowed this latitude.
3) Verse 191 suggests that any territory that was ever under the control of Islam is to be recaptured! What do you think the ramifications of this are for a true Middle East Peace Treaty?
Let’s examine a little more closely the calls of those Muslims who call for “tolerance” for themselves. Does the Quran also instruct them to “give” that which they want to “get?”
5:19 They indeed have disbelieved who say: Lo! Allah is the Messiah, son of Mary. Say: Who then can do aught against Allah, if He had willed to destroy the Messiah son of Mary, and his mother and everyone on earth? Allah’s is the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them. He createth what He will. And Allah is Able to do all things.
5:54 O ye who believe! Take not the Jews and the 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 wrongdoing folk.
9:30. And the Jews say: Ezra is the son of Allah, and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah. That is their saying with their mouths. They imitate the saying of those who disbelieved of old. Allah [Himself] fighteth against them. How perverse are they!
When broaching this topic before, I’ve been accused of being “intellectually lazy” and dishonest, taking these verses out of context to deliberately mislead people. My response has been that I have always provided sura and verse so anyone who wishes can go to the Quran and read them presented in their context for him or herself.
I have also asked the question as to what kind of context would “nullify” those clearly hostile verses which instruct Muslims to treat Christians and Jews with nothing but contempt?
Conclusion
I am quite frankly astounded – no, make that appalled! – that in the face of both the words and actions of those who commit acts of terrorism and praise Allah while doing them that the leadership and media of Western Civilization for most intents and purposes fails to recognize the existential threat posed by a belief system that ultimately affords no quarter for anything else but itself.
Now if my arguments have still not convinced you, maybe this will. I can show you mosques, churches, and synagogues everywhere in the free world. Can show you me just one church or synagogue in Medina or Mecca?
Finally, if you are a non-Muslim, would you like to move to either of those two cities and bring your family along to live there, too? (By the way, this is a rhetorical question since Jews and Christians are forbidden to even visit them! Source: http://islam.about.com/od/hajj/f/mecca.htm)
*Bible quotation is from the King James Version
*Quran quotations are taken from The Holy Quran, English Translation of the Meanings by Mohammad Marmaduke Pickthal. Formatting by William B. Brown*