UI – Part 371 – Islam is Violent

Ignorance of Islam’s Basics

Many Muslims in the world know very little about Islam.  They have relied on the teachings from Imams in their communities.  Many believe Islam is a religion of peace. I take offense at such a statement.  It can be difficult to go into depth on the Quran and the Hadiths, the foundational texts that form this ideology or religion.  This is because the documents were written in an Arabic few can read, or even understand, and the thousands and thousands of pages of Hadiths would be overwhelming to read to fully grasp the fundamentals.  That is until now.  With the Internet access is made easy.  Translations and source documents can be searched and found and read.  Individuals can now discover for themselves the tenets of their faith.  Many will be surprised at what they learn.

Communities worlds apart, from Indonesia to Morocco, from Egypt to Bangladesh, and Yemen to Turkey, have cultures that are considered Muslim.  When you incorporate Saudi Arabia and Iran you can lay out a map where this ideology was founded and the major differences were born.  From its beginnings there was Allah.  There was Muhammad the messenger also.  He was filled with words to be memorized from Allah via an intermediary, Gabriel, recited to companions who later created a record which became the Quran. Allah was the name for Muhammad’s god.  It was not the first time Allah was used and many texts from religions that arrived prior to Islam called God, Allah too. It was the language used. But for Muhammad Allah was the god, one god, and the creator, forming a monotheistic worldview which he established and perpetrated.   Texts prepared from the words he shared when he first began his campaign were respectful and encompassing of other faiths, but with a disdain for any that would not accept Allah.  Muhammad was persecuted and eventually left the town Mecca, where he first preached.  He found support and safety in Medina (at the time, Yatrib).  He was the leader and soon to be the example for all Muhammadians, or today called Muslims.

Equipping Followers to do Battle

Muhammad gathered his followers and equipped them and encouraged them to raid caravans to Mecca. He had vengeance in his heart toward that city and the diverse religions that were permitted. The raids were violent exploits to build a treasury and provide supplies.  More forays followed, each as violent as the last and with success more violent in the future.  There were occasions those facing the sword of Muhammad were unprepared for the onslaught.  It mattered little.  They were prey and often became slaves and slave-soldiers for Muhammad’s growing army’s future campaigns.  Muhammad had more revelations and reports of the raids, their success and failure, became part of the Scripture.  The story would continue and the book of Islam would evolve, even change, to reflect the methods, the gains, the blessings Allah provided. Muhammad’s plan developed into that of a superior force for Allah and the take-over of territory where non-Muhammadians and the unsuspecting would have the opportunity to become a follower, be enslaved, or die.  It was an effective strategy. It was a strategy of fear and terror. The violence was overt; the military raids were offensive, and the objectives clear. A superior force could succeed and was to continue emboldened by each achievement, rewarded and blessed by Allah.  The bully was roaming the halls and taking advantage of those he deemed cowards and/or weak.   Those that died in battle, Muhammad assured, would receive heavenly bounty and escape any threat of hell.  Hell was for the non-followers, those that traveled without the overseeing eye of Allah.

When resistance did come Muhammad felt even more compelled to fight, to defend his army and his followers as builders of the kingdom of Allah.  Those that resisted where simply attempting to restore their own foundations, lost when unprepared, but now ready to defend themselves and even fight for their rights to believe as they wish.  What Allah wanted Muhammad and his cadre to achieve was a land devoid of freedom of religion, just Muhammad’s way.  Islam was born of the violent nature of a self-proclaimed prophet. He could have been called a general.  He wanted the universe to fit his definition. The religions of the region at the time were numerous, even though Christians and Jews were larger in numbers. But they did little to defend their communities.  They were just as unsuspecting as others, even those killed during Ramadan by Muhammad, an agreed upon annual period of peace when tribes could converge and share their wares.  If what Muhammad and his band of brothers did during a truce, an agreed upon time of restraint, advanced his cause, then Allah gave the go-ahead.  Violence continued.

Islam Stands Alone

In a world of tolerant people when Islam is considered by a non-Muslim inherently they feel, as a religion, there must be acceptable standards, elements of grace and mercy, that make it compatible with all of mankind.  But a thorough review of the basics, which are the Quran and the Messenger, will unveil a violent creed that seeks a world takeover at the expense of any individual that is not an acceptable Muslim.  This creed was championed by the exploits of Muhammad and reflected in the Quran, and later in Hadiths written 150 to 200 or more years after Muhammad died.  The writers had time to construct the framework, when added to the Quran, that provided law and support for methods to be employed to continue the plan of Muhammad.  The foundations, each component, the Quran, the example of Muhammad, and the Hadiths are all violent, controlled, expressions of superiority and the platform upon which all good Muslims should stand.  From them there is an allowance for death to the apostate. Beheadings of those who resist Islam. Stoning adulterers. Those that adhere to strict doctrines when read, studied and understood are the radical Islamists.  They mirror the actions of Muhammad.  The Quran, all 114 Suras, can be set aside, except for one, Sura 9.  It was the last written (actually next to the last – 110 the last, a three verse blessing by Allah of Muhammad’s dastardly deeds) and as a practice those composed later abrogated anything that came before.  Sura 9 is the most violent of all chapters of the Quran.  It is the posture to be taken by any Muslim that considers himself true to the Quran and Muhammad.  Any that do not stand shoulder to shoulder with the radicals are heretics.  The moderate, the fundamentalist, the Islamist are all hypocrites or heretics if in any fashion they ignore the foundations laid by the Messenger.

From the lectern at a mosque (2/16/2016) in Edmonton, Canada Imam Shaban Sherif Mady spoke of restoring the “righty-guided” Caliphate, thus offering support for the likes of ISIS and the objective of the Muslim Brotherhood.  He calls for the destruction of the enemies of the faith as Allah Wills. Referred to as a ‘radical’ he reflects the proclamation of Muhammad made in the final chapter of the Quran.

No Peace in Islam

There is no peace in Islam, not even for a Muslim.  Holy War is the strict foundation of the Islamic faith.  It is jihad.  Jihad. Jihad. Jihad. Everyday Jihad. What is the answer to the path of Islam when you are found to be in their way?  Reading books written by a Muslim who converted to Christianity, Nabeel Qureshi, suggests cultural Muslims who begin to explore in greater depth the nature of what they believe, may or may not like what they find.  They then have three choices, 1. ignore the facts and continue to live as a Muslim with a total disregard of the violent past, the chronological writing of the Quran, and the present and future Islam offers, 2.  leave Islam as an apostate, or 3. become radicalized.  What one might imagine as a peaceful religion is in error and must look anew at the reality of history.  For those that want Islam to change, he says it must be “reimagined”.  But is that possible?  Probably not.

Christian Love

The Christian wants to love their neighbor, even their Muslim neighbor.  They are willing to die for their convictions.  Just as Jesus loved as he lived, never harming another person, in spite of being persecuted and suffering a horrendous death, he provided a most exquisite example of love and devotion.  He lived to suffer for mankind.  He knew each day he was being punished for the sins of man.  He took that burden on himself.  He never killed another human, yet humanity was unkind to him.  He lived and became the sacrifice for the transgressions we all bear.  His death on the cross was a follow-up to his daily love, a sacrifice for his friends, companions and neighbors. He just wanted those who knew him to follow him, and receive the benefit of the saving grace he provided.  He was a man made right with God, as Adam was a man who betrayed God, yet Jesus as God was able to restore for those that admit their sin nature to a spiritual as well as eternal opportunity at life.  He was always humble, never superior, and never a general who wanted an army of his own to rape, steal and plunder in the name of his Father (God).  He just wants those who love God as God loves them to join in union as a body seeking peace.  Never Violence.

God Bless

Grace and Peace