UI – Part 373 – Unholy Holy War

Jihad

Islam embraces jihad as the means to an end.  The end is not necessarily eschatological.  The end is an objective of a world filled with just Muslims.  It is defined in the Quran as the territory that comprises earth as ‘All for Allah.’  How that is achieved is simple.  Jihad means ‘Holy War.’

Robert Spencer, his book Stealth Jihad, describes Jihad as follows:

“…jihad bil sayf (jihad with the sword) or, …jihad  bil qitaal (combat) – is only one means of jihad. Other forms of jihad include: 1)…jihad bil mal (waging jihad by means of one’s wealth); 2)…jihad bil lisan (waging jihad through persuasion); and 3)…jihad bil yad (waging jihad by taking action, but not necessarily arms, against injustice).

“…various forms of jihad—both violent and non-violent—are directed toward the same end: the Islamization of the world and the imposition of Islamic law over unbelieving societie”

General and Prophet

The general of the army for Allah is Muhammad.  He is also the self-proclaimed Prophet of Islam.  He began his quest with a revelation received during a respite in a cave, apparently a common escape from society at that time (7th Century Arabian Peninsula). The revelation oriented him to a monotheistic faith, one god Allah.  He was about 40 years of age when he first encountered Gabriel whom shared the wisdom he attributes to Allah. Additional visits yielded more visions. He was surrounded at the time by people with a diversity of gods.  The Kaaba, the cube built in his hometown, housed gods representing 360 different groups of followers.  He was compelled to re-order his society, calling them ignorant, living in an age of ignorance, preaching there is but one god.

Christianity was in play then (400 years after the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, the saving grace of the Lord) and Muhammad was aware of the tenants of that religion.  He was exposed through a cousin of his wife Khadijah to the Old Testament and the New.  Unable to read he learned through dialog as well as via dreams.  His total comprehension can be questioned, but the words he learned from the cave holidays, and finally recorded in the Scripture his followers rely upon, is the Quran.   The Quran and the life, habits, words and decisions made by Muhammad are the basis of Islam.  Hadiths provide second hand knowledge of words spoken by Muhammad, actions taken by Muhammad, decisions made by Muhammad, and how Muhammad lived.  First appearing almost 200 years after Muhammad’s death the Hadiths, carefully selected passages among the thousands of pages and different authors, have been used to interpret the Quran, the laws of Islam and establish the basis for true Islam.  Which Hadiths apply are debatable. Major factions of Islam, such as Sunni and Shiite, have preference for different Hadiths.

General Muhammad – The Example for Devout Followers

As a general for his army during his life, Muhammad, became the example for all Muslims. In death he remains the general by example of the army of Muslims who seek the same objective, a world All for Allah.  The means to attain the objective are spelled out in the Scripture and references.  They are fundamental to the true Islam, and are often ignored by more Muslims than not.  Of the 1.6 billion Muslims in the world, less than 1/3, or 530,000,000 Muslims, are devout.  That is still a large force for the call to violence that the Quran, coupled with Muhammad’s programs, demands of its followers.

The remaining 2/3, over 1.1 billion, have the potential to become more devout.  Living in areas, mostly Muslim dominated areas, where education is frowned upon, opportunities for the poor to climb out of their plight are lacking, and autocrats dominate the systems of governance and justice, few have access to the elements that created the reformation in the Christian world. They remain relatively peaceful.  Some may say they remain ignorant.  It is difficult for them to locate documents to read and do their own research, relying on their local Imam for background. However for those that have learned to read and write and have skills, have been taught, taught both liberal arts, business or trades, as well as the Quran and its supporting documents, they have more avenues to explore.  The internet is a tool that provides access to libraries of information that before were not available or in a language that could not be readily comprehended.  Digging into the Hadiths, the schools of Sunni and Shiite, reading the Quran and the history of the exploits presented, following Muhammad during his lifetime and watching him in effect lead his cause, studying the progress of Islam after the Prophet’s death and the military incursions made by the Caliphs to establish more territory for the Muhammadians, to enact laws and impose new standards for living, all under the banner of Allah, eyes are being opened.   What is learned can be a great surprise.

Scripture and Example of Islam 

As the Quran was verbalized by Muhammad the numbers that comprised his following grew.  When there were few devotees Muhammad spoke words that protected his small group and sheltered them from persecution, seldom acting out or committing harmful acts to others.  For fear of death Muhammad left his hometown of Mecca seeking safety in Medina (Yatrib at the time).  Along with his followers he planned raids on unsuspecting caravans and communities to bolster his treasury and reward those who stood by him.  The words that then came to Muhammad were more demonstrative of the efforts needed to advance his cause, expressing dislike for the non-followers, the non-believers, and seeking revenge.  Prior expressions, if of a softer nature towards those who resisted the actions of Muhammad, were altered by the new.  That continued as Muhammad’s numbers grew and his military might became more obvious.  Success begat a feeling of ‘superiority’ with Allah on the side of the victors – even when those attacked were totally defenseless. Combat situations engendered resistance and conflict and filled Muhammad with hatred to the opposition. If those he defeated rose up to regain their way of life they were treated as enemies of Islam, without any rights at all to resist, and thus became the cause for the mightiest swords of Muhammad to fall on their necks.   Again his words, spoken as if Allah was speaking, became more hateful, more condemning of those who were not with him, and became part of the record, the Quran.  His last words, Sura 9 effectively, were most violent and clearly his own, as they were said, so it appears without the blessing of Allah.  He was the general.

All Muslims need to arm themselves for battle, the Holy War of Islam, and only by doing so would they be considered devout or true to their ideology.  Otherwise call them hypocrites or heretics.

Islam’s Holy Crusade

Dar al-Harb (House of War) continues each and every day as it has for 1400 years.  Their Crusade goes on and on.  They condemn the Crusades initiated by Pope Urban II, critical of the atrocities that occurred as unGodly, or unHoly.  But the Christian Crusade was in part of a secular nature, a defensive thrust to thwart the continued and on-going movements by the Muslims into new territories that before were Jewish or Christian, even pagan. Until ruled by Islamic Law, becoming Dar al-Islam (House of Islam), jihad will continue, the Holy War that is Islam, and there will be war in the areas where true Islam does not now reign.

Beware of the violent nature of Islam as it comes to a neighborhood near you.  The objective of Islam cannot be made more clear.  There are no boundaries.  It is a theocratic movement that insists every inch of the world should be under Allah’s hand.  The Islamists, the radicals, the political, will not stop until they are victorious.  That is the Will of Allah and the plan of Muhammad.

Resist

I say there must be resistance to this hateful ideology that claims to be a religion and attempts to be treated equally with those who love and respect their neighbors.  It cannot be defined and included in any fashion that would allow Islam to roam free among the sheep.  It is a snake, it is as a wolf, it is as an intruder that must be eliminated to protect the flock.  Islam is not the kingdom on heaven or earth as God seeks.

Donald Trump shared a poem during a campaign stop that paints an indelible picture. (watch the video)

Reformation

Can their be an Islamic reformation?  What might it look like?  If there were an ‘awakening’ what would be the basis for the future.  It could not be the Quran.  It could not be the Messenger, Muhammad.  What then?  What would be relied upon to lead Muslims from the darkness of hatred and violence into the light of love and peace.  Salvation is important to Muslim believers.  So how can they be saved, and not follow the current foundational 7th century tenants and practices?  They may need to go further back, another 600 years to the life of Christ.  There they will find a Scripture, the Bible, and an example, Jesus, that can be followed and can provide joy, hope and peace.

Love God, love neighbor as you love God, all neighbors. That is the reformation needed – a mass movement engendered by those who upon learning the truth of Islam find it objectionable to their way of life and may already be on God’s radar as a follower of the Risen Lord.  Apostasy is not easy, but what is the alternative.  Radicalization?  The space between is nowhere at all, a place without joy, hope or love.  Love is what God offers; it is what Christ offers.  Discover it for yourself if you are not already a follower of Christ.

Jihad as expected of the devout Muslim, those true to the ideology, is unholy.  It is not Godlike.  It seeks not peace but war.  If anyone applies logic to who they are, then  human dignity is important.  Humanity is all inclusive, meaning all persons matter, even the fetus, as well as the poor, the in-firmed, and the non-religions.  Is the objective empire of Islam the kingdom of the Lord?  I doubt it as the kingdom of the God focuses on all humanity. The author, Russell Moore, in his book Onward, writes, “The kingdom of God is about far more than ‘going to heaven when you die.'”

Thanks Be To God.

Grace and Peace.