Islam Under Scrutiny by Ex-Muslims
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Civilization Clash between Islam and the West: Part 2 [ Part1 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 - Part 7 ] Root of the Conflict In the first part of this commentary, I have asserted that there is no escape from the fact that there exist a serious fault-line between Islamic and the Western societal system and way of life. In the second, I will attempt to outline the underlying causes behind this Islam-West conflict which is well into an advanced stage of its making. It must be understood that it is the Muslims' failure to accept and assimilate into the Western socio-political and cultural system which has been the major cause of the conflict - not vice versa. Hence, it is critical to understand the genesis and ideological basis of the Islamic faith in order to have a grasp of the root of this conflict. The upcoming sections will attempt to make an understanding of the foundations of the Islam faith which will help us make sense of the whole conflict.
Islam is traditionally being called a religion of peace. This assertion did not become a fashion just after the 9-11 terrors attacks in the US for safeguarding the image of Islam. This notion is being taught to young children all over the Muslim world since early childhood. And indeed all Muslims- young and old, educated and illiterate, moderate and fanatic -believe in this notion whole-heartedly despite the glaringly obvious fact that there exist no semblance of peace and tranquility in the Muslim world today and neither it ever did in the Muslim world in its entire history. The prophet of Islam, Muhammad, himself kept himself busy in bickering with the people who lived around since the very beginning of his allegedly receiving Revelation from God (Allah). According to historical recording, mostly by Muslims historians, Muhammad was known to have organized and lead in 27 major raiding expeditions and in another 85 of smaller scales [4]. Subsequent adventures of violent and blood-letting conquests by the left-behind army of prophet Muhammad lead to the establishment of the largest Empires the world had yet to witness, spanning from Asia to Africa to Europe. However, the question naturally arises: how could a religion be all about peace when its preacher Prophet Muhammad as well as its greatest heroes (Muhammad's closest lieutenants, Abu Bakar, Omar, Usman & Ali et al.) had have orchestrated hundreds of wars and plundering expeditions which lead to death of hundreds of thousands of people? Prophet Muhammad Killed Humanity 700 times on one occasion After the Islamic terrorists attacked the transportation system in London that killed 52 innocent passers-by on July 7, 2005 - the UK Muslim leaders told the world that there was no place of violence in Islam. They claimed that Islam vehemently condemns and rejects violence. The UK Muslim leaders defined Islam in the light of Koranic dicta as follows: "Whoever kills a human being... then it is as though he has killed all mankind; and whoever saves a human life it is as though he had saved all mankind." [Qur'an, 5:32] However, if violence and terror is so thoroughly condemned in Islam, then how the preacher of that religion, Prophet Muhammad himself, could engage in more than 100 raids and wars mostly on his own initiatives and in the absence of any tangible provocation? If killing of one human being is deemed tantamount to killing the entire humanity, then what about of those thousands of people who were killed in the wars and raids started by Prophet Muhammad himself? Or is possible that this verse was designed only to prevent Muslims from fighting and killing each other? Here is one example when Prophet Muhammad aggressively attacked the Banu Quraiza tribe and killed all of~700 (600-900) grown-up men that was followed by capturing their homes and properties and taking their women and children as slaves, including young and beautiful women as sex-slaves. The details of this cruel incidence can be read in the following web-link: http://www.faithfreedom.org/Articles/sina/b_quraiza.htm. The reason for attacking the unfortunate Quraiza tribe was described by the beloved minor wife of Prophet Muhammad (whom he had married her at the age of 6 when his own age was 51 and consummated her 3 years later): Volume 5, Book 59, Number 443: Narrated 'Aisha: When the Prophet returned from Al-Khandaq (i.e. Trench) and laid down his arms and took a bath, Gabriel came and said (to the Prophet), You have laid down your arms? By Allah, we angels have not laid them down yet. So set out for them." The Prophet said, "Where to go?" Gabriel said, "Towards this side," pointing towards Banu Quraiza. So the Prophet went out towards them. It becomes clear that Prophet of Islam had launched this tragic raid on the Banu Quraiza tribe completely unprovoked. Hence, the simple question arises: Did not Prophet Muhammad kill the whole humanity ~700 times on that one occasion? If Prophet Muhammad, regarded the most ideal man for all time by Muslims, had killed humanity ~700 times just on one occasion, how the killing of human beings could have been prohibited in Islam, instead of being a norm?
Koran, the Islamic holy book, which Muslims believe as the immutable words of Allah (Muslim God), forms the major foundation of the Islamic faith. It has often been quoted by moderate Muslims to justify Islam as a religion of peace. The Koranic verse cited by the UK Muslim leaders (Qur'an, 5:32) as discussed above is one such example. Yet the Islamic bigots and terrorists, including the masterminds of the 9-11 attack on WTC in New York, have frequently cited many passages from the Koran to justify their flagrant acts of terror around the world. Indeed, it is said that Prophet Muhammad never broke the injunctions revealed by Allah in the Koran which means that there should be justifying verses in the Koran on the basis of which the Prophet had proactively engaged in those >100 raids and wars against non-Muslims who lived around him. Let us examine a few verses which the Islamic terrorists and devout Imams, both in the Muslim and the Western world, often mention in justifying their acts of violence: 1. Allah hath purchased of the believers their persons and their goods; for theirs (in return) is the garden (of Paradise ): they fight in His cause, and slay and are slain : a promise binding on Him in truth, through the Law, the Gospel, and the Qur'an: [Koran 09:111] 2. But when the forbidden months are past, then fight and slay the Pagans wherever ye find them, an seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem (of war); but if they repent, and establish regular prayers and practice regular charity, then open the way for them: for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful. [Koran 09:05] 3. Fight those who believe neither in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book (Christians and Jews), until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued. [Koran-9:29] 4. Remember thy Lord inspired the angels (with the message): "I am with you: give firmness to the Believers: I will instill terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers: smite ye above their necks and smite all their finger-tips off them." [Koran 08:12] [Translations by YUSUFALI] Since, Koranic dicta are valid for eternity and it is binding on Muslims to follow them point-by-point, the first verse [Koran 09:111],in which Allah (Islamic God) has ordered Muslims to slay and be slain in His cause, precisely justifies suicide bombing - the most lethal and terrifying weapon the Islamic terrorists often use. Is not suicide bombing a perfect example of slaying and get slain at the same time as per the wish of the almighty Allah? The second and third verses [Koran 09:05; Koran-9:29] also justify suicide bombing perfectly well. Allah orders Muslims to keep fighting until the infidels (Western non-Muslim society?) are subdued into paying Jiziya (an exorbitantly high protection tax for infidels living in Muslim states). Under the present circumstances (backwardness in the Muslim world), what better way is there available to the Muslims other than suicide bombing in achieving dominance over the entire world as prescribed in this verses? Indeed, Prophet Muhammad is known to have had used, in his wars and plundering expeditions, every conventional weapon and exploited every cunning strategy available at the time. Why not now? In the 4th verse, Muslim God uses the tactics of striking terror in the hearts of the infidels. In fact, there is no more-effective weapon than suicide bombing to strike terror in the hearts of the Western infidels and their Muslim allies such as those so-called puppet Governments in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq. In reality, there may not be more than 20,000 committed suicide bombers worldwide. Those few prospective bombers have definitely struck terror to the hearts of an entire 6+ billion people worldwide? Indeed, there are many more such verses in the Koran that incite violence against those who do not submit to Islam. It appears that a verse was created as was required by Prophet Muhammad under a particular situation, including for inspiring the relatively nonviolent new converts into participating in his plundering expeditions and wars. Here is one such verse which was said to have been revealed to Muhammad for countering the queries of his intelligent followers on why God himself do not fight the unbelievers: [Koran: 47.004] Therefore, when ye meet the Unbelievers (in fight), smite at their necks; At length, when ye have thoroughly subdued them, bind a bond firmly (on them): thereafter (is the time for) either generosity or ransom: Until the war lays down its burdens. Thus (are ye commanded): but if it had been Allah's Will, He could certainly have exacted retribution from them (Himself); but (He lets you fight) in order to test you, some with others. But those who are slain in the Way of Allah, - He will never let their deeds be lost. When prophet Muhammad's band of warrior Muslims got tired and sick of frequent bloodbaths at one point and were reluctant to engage in a new war that he had proposed against the powerful Byzantine army in Syria not long before his death, the following verse was said to have been revealed to Muhammad so as to force them into joining in his proposed war: "Fighting is prescribed for you, and ye dislike it. But it is possible that ye dislike a thing which is good for you, and that ye love a thing which is bad for you. But Allah knoweth, and ye know not." [Koran 2.216] Here's another set of verses allegedly revealed to Muhammad, which sought to incite his followers into fighting the infidels by promising them great rewards in the afterlife (which include 70 celestial virgins for unfettered sexual indulgence for every man who qualifies for heaven).
The following verses urge the fighters of Prophet Muhammad to be ruthless and in the forefront of the battlefields or else intimidate them with extreme punishment, such as burning hellfire for eternity. "Those who were left behind (in the Tabuk expedition) rejoiced in their inaction behind the back of the Messenger of Allah: they hated to strive and fight, with their goods and their persons, in the cause of Allah: they said, "Go not forth in the heat." Say, "The fire of Hell is fiercer than heat." If only they could understand! (Q. 9:81) "Unless ye go forth, He (Allah) will punish you with a grievous penalty, and put others in your place"? (Q. 9:39). About this verse, it is learnt that at one point the Muslim fighters under the Prophet's leadership became very strong and started winning battles easily one after another which brought them loads of war booties and captives, including young women to serve as sex-slaves. As this was very lucrative, some of his followers started joining his raiding expeditions just for fun and for winning the share of war-booties. In the process, some of them would just join the Jihadis but would stay behind and watch the fun without involving themselves in the fight. This verse was designed for them. A careful reading of the Koran reveals that it is loaded with numerous unacceptable verses that promote injustice and incite intolerance, cruelty and violence against the non-Muslim infidels: 1. Injustice : http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/Koran/inj/long.html 2. Intolerance : http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/Koran/int/long.html 3. Cruelty & Violence : http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/Koran/cruelty/long.html The author of the Koran, the Islamic God, thus appears to be a vengeful, intolerant, cruel, intimidating and war-mongering entity. But in reality, Islam is peddled as a "religion of peace". Muslims believe the content of the Koran is the exact and immutable words of their God (Allah), the creator of the Universe. In real sense, the content of the Koran largely appears to be a manual of intimidation, intolerance, violence, terror and war against the non-Muslims, with special reference to the pagan idolaters, Jews and Christians. Muslims also believe that everything on this Universe is God's property including their human self (Allah hath purchased of the believers their persons and their goods.. [Koran 09:111]), and they have to follow each and every words of the Koran which they consider the complete and perfect code of life. In truth, every action of Prophet Muhammad, such as his ~100 raids and wars against the non-Muslims, comply 100% with the intolerant and violent content of the Koran. Muslims also believe that Muhammad is the most ideal man for all time and his life should be emulated by every Muslim. Prophet Muhammad had orchestrated as many wars and raids as possible (>100) in his life-time to destroy the religions, religious institutions and cultures of the non-Muslim people who lived around him and that legacy of terror and violence was extended by his left-behind comrades after his death resulting in an extremely violent and successful expedition of bloody conquests which lead to the creation of a giant Islamic empire.
Although the holy Koran is richly abundant in hateful, intolerant, vindictive and violent verses as outlined already, there are a few scanty, yet dubious, verses which the modern secular education-indoctrinated Muslims selectively mention in order to justify their claim that Islam is a religion of peace. Indeed, there are 3-4 such verses in the entire Koran that vaguely seek tolerance with people of differing faiths against loads of overtly violent verses as cited above. Here are those few seemingly reconciliatory verses:
Despite the presence of these few apparently reconciliatory verses in Koran, the third verse [Koran 5:32] is for showing mercy towards the Israelites only. This so-called mercy does not apply to Hindus of India or the Christians of Europe, USA or Australia. The second verse [Koran 109:6] is also dubious since Islam is a strongly proselytizing religion. If Islam believes in respecting other religions, it cannot be an aggressively and often violently proselytizing faith, which it has been since its inception 1400 years ago. This verse may have been meant for stopping Muslims from converting to other religions, which indeed is prohibited in Islam and bear death as punishment. The first verse is equally questionable. How could such a thought at all come to the mind of the almighty God in the first place? And yet, the same God declares: The worst beasts in Allah's sight are the disbelievers [Koran 8:55]. In a nutshell, Koran is overwhelmingly a manual of intimidation, vengeance, violence, terror and war, instead of peace, tranquility, harmony and justice towards non-Muslims. 4. Foundations of Islam by Benjamin Walker, Rupa Press, New Delhi, Section 14.4, p321. [KW: Muslim Immigration Integration radicalization Islamization Sharia in the West, Islam-West conflict clash, Destruction of Western civilization-lifestyle-values, Multiculturalism Samuel Huntington War on terror] |