WHAT
IS JIHAD?
by
Abd al-Masih (edited by Salam Falaki)
The majority of regional conflicts in the last decades
took place in Islamic parts of the world. Quite a number of them were declared
by Muslims as constituting a Jihad against unbelievers. What is Jihad?
How must this religious fighting be understood?
In the following presentation I would like to answer
these questions by studying the foundations that Muslim scholars use in
constructing their Sharia laws on Jihad. This basis for the martial law
of Islam is primarily constituted by 95 legally binding Qur'anic verses and a
number of incidents from the life of Muhammad as recounted in the biography of
Muhammad by Ibn Hisham. By analyzing these foundations of the Sharia on Jihad
we will get an insight into the workings of Jihad in the religion of
Islam.
The polytheists in Mecca bitterly resisted Muhammad's
confession that Allah is the only God and that there were no other gods besides
him. Heated debates led to an ever-growing Meccan boycott
against the Muslims living among them. This was followed by slander and persecution
of the socially disadvantaged Muslim and the martyrdom of
Muslim slaves in Mecca. Muhammad advised 83 of his followers to flee to
Ethiopia and to ask the Christians there to grant them refuge. After the
death of his wife, Khadija, and the death of his paternal uncle, Abu Talib, the
protection Muhammad had enjoyed from his clan in Mecca crumbled, so that he was
forced to emigrate to Yathrib (Medina) in AD 622.
Before Muhammad fled Mecca, he concluded three
treaties with the Muslims in Medina to secure the protection of his person and
of his followers. After he arrived he first established a multi-cultural
administration for Medina, but only allowed it to function until he
had enough power to impose the political structure of an intolerant religious
state on its inhabitants. The growing poverty of the hundred
families that had emigrated with him from Mecca to Medina caused growing
tensions within his religious community. In order to care for their needs
Muhammad ordered his Muslim refugees from Mecca to raid the Meccan caravans of
their relatives, which they flatly refused to do (Sura al-Nisa 4:73-80). But he
brainwashed them with the help of suras that were "inspired by Allah"
and that justified his intentions (Sura al-Baqara 2:216-218). As a result 83
Muslim refugees from Mecca and 231 Medinan Muslims went with him to raid and
rob the Meccan caravans that set out in the spring. The Battle at Badr (624
AD) ended with a triumph for the Muslims and brought the turning point in Muhammads
Jihad. Many Meccans were captured and kept as hostages. They were redeemed by
their townsmen from Mecca for high ransoms.
The changing fortunes in the wars of Muhammad also
brought about the expulsion of the Jewish tribes from Medina.
After their elimination the refugees from Mecca "inherited" their
land, their houses and their Jewish wives and girls as slaves (Suras al-Ma'ida
5:82; al-Ahzab 33: 26-27; al-Hashr 59:1-7 among others). During the War of the
Ditch Muhammad succeeded in sowing strife among his enemies, who outnumbered
him, using deception and bribes to cause them to mistrust each
other. In the treaty of Hudaibiyat he compromised with his
heathen enemies by taking up the occult pilgrimage (Hajj) into Islam, so
that the Meccan traders would have a steady source of income even after
accepting Islam.
Since Muhammad, after concluding this treaty with the
Meccans, could no longer raid the caravans from Mecca, he ordered his followers
to raid other Bedouin tribes (Sura al-Hujurat 49:14), Jewish settlements
outside of Mecca and Medina and Christian communities in northern Yemen,
in order to support his religious state financially. After raiding the Jewish
Oasis of Khaybar his Jewish concubine tried to poison him, ultimately leading
to his death in AD 632.
The religious and economic conflicts of interest in
Mecca caused a rebellion of the traders against the young Muslim community
living among them and later on to a
boycott of the Muslims for many years. Muslims therefore call their emigration
from Mecca an expulsion, which, according to the ancient Arabian law of
revenge, gives them the right to retaliate (Sura al-Ma'ida 5:45;
al-Shura 42:41-42 among others). This is why moderate Muslims understand the
raids on Meccan caravans as constituting events in a defensive war.
The social needs of the Muslim refugees from Mecca
drove Muhammad to more and more raids for booty. The religious cloaking given
to these raids transformed them into planned offensive wars. In this way
Islam spread at an explosive rate for many years and for more than one hundred
years after Muhammad died. The result was a world power extending from
the Indus River to the Atlantic. On this background fundamentalist Muslims
understand holy war as obedience to a command from Allah, calling
Muslims to attack the unbelievers, because their mere existence is perceived as
a temptation for Muslims to fall away from Islam (Sura al-Baqara 2:193; al-Anfal
8:39 among others). Their slogan is: "Allah is with the victorious!"
(Sura Al Imran 3:160; al-Ma'ida 5:56 among others).
It is pointless to ask who is at fault in this
difference of opinion between liberal and fundamental Muslims, since what is
right in each case seems to be decided by those who have the bigger strength.
Both the supporters of defensive wars and the ones who call for offensive wars
base their position on verses of the Qur'an and Muhammad's life.
The emigration to Medina came after hefty debates
and attempts by the residents of Mecca to starve the Muslims out. The
Satanic verses in the Qur'an (Sura al-Najm 53:19-22) are Muhammad's original
attempt to save himself and his Muslims through a lame compromise. Later
on he retracted this satanic inspiration (Sura al-Hajj 22:52-53). After making
contact with spirits (jinn) in the desert (Sura al-Ahqaf 46:29-32;
al-Jinn 72:1-5) Muhammad and his followers emigrated in several stages. From
then on, "Muslim spirits" have fought alongside the human
Muslims in Jihad wars. The occult dimension of Islamic wars should not be
overlooked (Sura Al Imran 3:61).
Angels are said to have helped the Muslims to victory
in the Battle of Badr (Sura al-Tawba 9:40). Muhammad transformed the Muslims'
defeat in the Battle of Uhud into the greatest victory of Islam by introducing polygamy
with its promising birth surplus (Sura al-Nisa 4:3). Muhammad himself took
part in 29 campaigns of war, through which robbery, booty and taking slaves
have ever increasingly become the driving force of the unholy war of Muslims.
Occasionally Muhammad compromised with his enemies; he would agree to a cease-fire,
but only until a final victory could be achieved. After his victories he would
reward potential advocates of war among his enemies with generous gifts in
order to win them for Islam. Whenever he held dialogues with Christians or
Bedouin chiefs, his goal was the voluntary submission of his guests or
opponents to Islam (Sura Al Imran 3:33-65, among others). He sent out spies and
urged the rulers of the neighboring kingdoms to accept Islam immediately. The
caliphs that succeeded him broke the power of the Byzantine and Sassanid
empires with offensive battles and eradicated the encircled troops.
Muhammad emphasized repeatedly
that war is nothing but deceit! He was a master at deception and
adapting to each new situation. When he attacked Bedouin tribes near Medina,
they called out, "We believe! We believe in Allah!" But Muhammad
answered them, "You have not believed until you have said: We submit (i.e.
we become Muslims)!" (Sura al-Hujurat 49,14). Islam means dedication
or submission – voluntarily or by force! Whether through dialogue or
war, the goal always remains the unrestricted rule of Islam. The Jewish
tribe of Quraiza did not want to accept this principle during the Battle of the
Ditch. Some of them conspired with the enemy that was besieging them. When the
besieging troops withdrew more than 600 Jews of Medina had to dig their own
mass grave, into which they fell after they were cut down. Jibril (Gabriel)
ordered them to be annihilated.
The expression "holy war," never occurs
in the Qur'an! This English translation represents a visionary, idealized
conception of the Arabic word jihad. The Arabic language has various
words to designate strife, battle or war. Not all of them appear in the Qur'an:
a) Kifah designates the ideal battle or
conflict. In the Middle East Hitler's book "Mein Kampf" is still sold
today under the title "Kifahi." But this term does not occur anywhere
in the Qur'an. Muhammad never accepted any purely spiritual or theological
discussions. Rather he used offers and threats with the aim to make his
dialogue-partners submit to Islam.
b) Jihad literally means "to exert
oneself by striving for Allah with effort and sacrifice." This term became
the Islamic technical term for the striving of Muslims against
unbelievers. It includes armed conflict. This term occurs in the Qur'an more
than 28 times in various forms:
Sura al-Baqara 2:218; Al Imran 3:132;
al-Nisa 4:95; al-Maida 5:35,54; al-Anbal 8:72,74,75;
al-Tawba 9:16,19,20,24,41, 44,73,81,86,88; al-Nahl 16:110;
al-Hajj 22:78; al-Furqan 25:52; al-Ankabut 29:6,69; Muhammad
47:31; al-Hujurat 49:15; al-Mumtahana 60:1; al-Saff 61:11;
al-Tahrim 66:9 etc.
c) Qital designates
fighting with a weapon in your hand, with the aim of defeating your enemy by
force and, if necessary, to kill them in hand-to-hand combat at the risk of
being killed. This word occurs, with its variations, more than 33 times in
the Qur'an:
Sura al-Baqara 2:190,191,193,216,217,236,244,246;
Al Imran 3:13,167, 195,246; al-Nisa 4:74,75,76,84,90; al-Anbal 8:16,29,65;
al-Tawba 9:12,13,14,29,36,83,111,123; al-Ahzab 33:20,25; Muhammad
47: 20; al-Fath 48:16; al-Hadid 57:10; al-Saff 61:4
etc.
d) The rare Qur'anic word Hiraba or Harb
designates an attack against Allah and Muhammad, or an Islamic declaration of
war against people who oppose its laws. Such terms only occur 6 times in
the Qur'an. In Sura al-Ma'ida 5:33 it is used together with Muhammad's extreme
threat against those who oppose Islam and therefore represents a grave danger
for every enemy of Allah and Muhammad.
Sura al-Baqara 2:275; al-Ma'ida
5:33,64; al-Anfal 8:57; al-Tawba 9:107; Muhammad 47:4
e) Many of these terms are used together with the
expression Fi Sabil Allah which means "in the way of
Allah" or "for the cause of Allah." In a number of cases all the
other terms for strife or war are summarized in this expression. All in all
this expression occurs more than 45 times in the Qur’an:
Sura al-Baqara 2:154,190,195,218,244,246,261,262,263;
Al Imran 3:13,146,157, 167,169; al-Nisa 4:74,75,76,84,89,94,95,100;
al-Maida 5:54; al-Anbal 8:60,72; al-Tawba 9:19,24,30,38,41,60,81,91,111,120;
al-Nahl 16: 125; al-Hajj 22:58; al-Nur 24:22; Sad 38:26;
Muhammad 47:4,38; al-Hujurat 49:15; al-Hadid 57:10;
al-Saff 61:11; al-Muzammil 73:20 etc.
Together with qital (fighting with weapons) the
phrase "Fi Sabil Allah" occurs 19 times in the Qur'an. Together with jihad
(sacrificial striving for Allah) it occurs 9 times in the Qur'an. In addition
it is used in connection with contributions (nafaqa) for the cause of
Allah 9 times and in connection with the
emigration of Muslims from Mecca "for Allah's sake" 5 times.
These findings show us that jihad in the Qur'an
is not so much a "holy or spiritual striving" but a "bloody
conflict." Many liberal Muslims, clever refugees seeking asylum in Western
countries and European humanists do not want to admit this fact. The 95 verses
of the Qur'an that are used by Muslim scholars to legitimate the laws of the
Sharia on Jihad can however only be understood from this point of view.
The Qur'an mentions several times that the bloody
fighting (qital) is predestined for Muslims and by being
recorded in the divine book in heaven (Sura al-Baqara 2:216,246; al-Nisa 4:77;
al-Anfal 8:55). Thus the wars of Muhammad and his caliphs are not their own
decisions but were planned, inspired and carried out by Allah.
In Sura al-Baqara 2:216 we read:
Fighting with weapons (qital)
has been prescribed for you even though it is repulsive to you. Maybe you are
rejecting something that is good for you and love something that will prove to
be bad for you. Allah knows everything – you know nothing!
Allah orders Muslims to do battle both with a weapon
in their hands and with a total commitment of time, energy, money and life for
the undertaking of Allah. The explicit command to bloody fighting (qital)
can be read 12 times in the Qur'an: Sura al-Baqara 2:190,193,244;
Al Imran 3:167; al-Nisa 4:76,84; al-Anfal 8:39; al-Tawba 9:12,29,36,123;
al-Hujurat 49:9. The call to total commitment (jihad)
appears 6 times: al-Maida 5:35; al-Tawba 9:41,73,86;
al-Hajj 22:78; al-Furqan 25:52.
In Islam war is compulsory for every healthy
Muslim. People who refuse to obey this command can count on being punished in
this world and in eternity. According to the Qur'an Islamic fundamentalists
are not reckless extremists. Rather liberal, middle-class and humanistic
Muslims are called disobedient cowards and agitators, and Allah's wrath rests
on them.
At first it was revealed to them
(in Mecca): Restrain your hands from combat, pray and pay the religious tax.
But when it became prescribed on them to take part in bloody combat, some of
them feared men more than Allah and some of them were very much afraid! They
said: O Lord! Why have you commanded us to fight with weapons? Grant us a
deferment! (Sura
al-Nisa 4:77).
But Allah's command remained and
since then all Muslims who read the Qur'an are commanded to step out of their
satiated middle-class lives.
The believers fight for Allah, the unbelievers fight
for their devil (Taaghuut)! So fight against the enemies of Satan!
Satan's deception is weak (Sura
al-Nisa 4:76).
Muhammad revealed to his followers: Truly, Allah
bought the souls of the believers and their property, so that they would gain
paradise. That is why they fight for Allah, they kill and are killed because of
his promise (Sura al-Tawba 9:111). This means: Muslims are no longer free
people. Allah bought them like slaves and sent them into his war. They fight
for him in a collective bondage. In Sura al-Hajj 22:78 we read the mystical
statement: Make your Jihad (i.e. strive wholeheartedly) "in" Allah
and fight "his" battle. He has chosen you! This unique command
shows that Allah not only wants to be with his Muslims, but wants them
to be bound up in him, and in this way to wage his war. This
instruction is one of the most comprehensive legitimations for the battles of
Muslims, since Allah calls the attack of Muslims his own battle. It is a
privilege for obedient Muslims to fight in and with Allah.
The Qur'an names various categories of adversaries or
enemies of Islam. Most prominent among them are those who attack Muslims with
words or with weapons.
Fight for Allah against those who fight against you.
But do not trespass. Allah does not love the trespassers (Sura al-Baqara 2:190).
If someone attacks you, then retaliate with the same
measure with which he attacked you, when he attacked you. Fear Allah! (Sura al-Baqara 2:194c).
Altogether we find 200 references in the Qur'an with
Arabic terms for animists, non-Muslims and atheists. These "inhuman
beings" are the scum of the earth to Muslims (Sura al-Tawba 8:55-56). They
count as impure (Sura al-Tawba 9:28) and as law-breakers, since they
don't follow the Sharia of the Qur'an, eat pork and don't pronounce Allah's
name when slaughtering animals. They are seen as ignorant, lawless and mediums
of sorcerers (Sura al-Baqara 2:102), who deceitfully break their contracts with
Muslims (Sura al-Tawba 9:12). But their biggest sin is that they do not
recognize Muhammad as a prophet and don't worship Allah in the Muslim way.
Everyone who is not a Muslim is mockingly called an unbeliever (kafir)
in the colloquial language. They are cursed by Allah, the angels and people
(Sura al-Baqara 2:89-90,161; al-Araf 7:38; al-Ahzab 33:64,68).
Allah counts the unbelievers (all non-Muslims) as the
worst animals, since they do not believe (like the Muslims). (They are) those
with whom you have made a contract and who constantly break it. They do not
fear god. (Sura al-Anfal 8:55-56)
The unbelievers are our certain enemies (Sura al-Nisa 4:101).
Muhammad waged war on many fronts. Most of his
opponents were animists, infidels and idolaters. He declared a merciless war
against them. They had only one choice: Either accept Islam or die! (9,1-5). Later
the death sentence was changed into enslavement for many animists who were
caught in battle, so that they would not only die once but would have to
suffer the hell of slavery every day. Many Christians in North and South
America bought slaves from the traders employed by European monarchs and in
this way took part in the torture of slaves. Where is the repentance of
Christians for their part in the slave trade?
The Islamic confession of faith makes everyone who believes
in more than one god a blasphemer, since Islam accepts only Allah
as the one God (Sura al-Anam 6:106). Whoever speaks of a "mother of
God" or says that God is a Father, Christ is his Son and that we are
children of God, is uttering an unforgivable blasphemy. All idolaters
and polytheists are cursed! (Sura al-Ankabut 29:25; al-Fath 48:6 etc.).
Every idolater must be eliminated if he does
not accept Islam. Since the existence of the polytheists is a temptation to
Muslims to fall away from Islam, Muhammad broke his contracts with them in
Mecca, gave them four months to think it over and thus made it possible for
them to emigrate. He threatened to eradicate them if they did not accept Islam
(Sura al-Tawba 9:1-12).
When the waiting time of the holy months is over then
kill the polytheists wherever you find them. Take them, surround them and lure
them into a trap wherever possible. But if they repent, say the Islamic prayers
and pay the religious tax, then let them go. Truly, Allah is the forgiving, the
merciful one (Sura al-Tawba 9:5).
This so-called verse of the sword and its echo in Sura
al-Baqara 2:191-192 abrogates over 100 verses of the Qur'an that have a
different tone, that call for tolerance, equality and freedom of religion. All
verses that recommend co-operating with non-Muslims only apply as long as the
Muslims are in the minority, as was the case when Muhammad was still in Mecca.
But as soon as Islam has the majority, the tolerance is over, because Islam in
every case has as its goal the erection of an intolerant religious state.
Claiming human rights won't help then, because the law of Islam is considered
to be directly revealed by God. No one may ever change his laws.
At the beginning of his career as a prophet Muhammad
idealized Jews and Christians and called them "People of the Book."
He too wanted to have a revealed book like they had. The prophet of Islam took
about 60% of his Qur'an from texts of the Mishna and the Talmud and about 8% from
apocryphal Christian stories. But when Jews and Christians did not accept
Muhammad as a prophet, he changed his attitude toward them. He called the Jews
the most dangerous enemies of the Muslims, while he remained friendly
towards the Christians.
You will certainly find that the most dangerous
enemies of the believers (Muslims) are the Jews and the polytheists. And you
will certainly find that those (enemies) who are the most friendly to you are
the Nasara (Christians), for there are pastors and monks among them. And they
are not proud (Sura al-Ma'ida 5:82).
Muhammad's hatred of the Jews increased and he cursed
them ten times in the Qur'an (Sura al-Baqara 2:88,159; al-Nisa 4:46,47,52;
al-Ma'ida 5:13,60,64,78; al-Rad 13:52 etc.) and claimed that Allah has changed
some of them into monkeys and pigs as a punishment! (2,65-66; 5,60; 7,163-166).
The Jews were an intellectual, cultural and financial
power block in Medina. Some of them mocked Muhammad openly. That is why he
drove them out or destroyed them – at Jibril's (Gabriel's) command – one tribe
after another.
Christians passed under Muhammad's judgment later as
well, after an honorable delegation of 60 people from northern Yemen discussed
their faith with him for three days in the mosque in Medina. At that time
Muhammad portrayed his Islam as a religion that is similar to the Gospel.
The Bishop Abu Harith b. Alqama saw through the syncretism of Muhammad and left
Medina without accepting Islam. Muhammad warned him and all Christians with him
that Allah would plague the unbelievers.
I will plague all who remain unbelievers with a
horrible plague in this world and the next and they will have no one to speak
for them (Sura Al Imran 3:56).
Shortly thereafter Muhammad sent his riders into
northern Yemen and subjugated the little Christian kingdom. He gave a revelation
of Allah as the reason for his attack:
Fight (with weapons) against those who do not believe
in Allah and the last day, and who do not forbid what Allah and his messenger
(Muhammad) have forbidden, and who do not belong to the right religion (Islam),
who belong to those who received the book, until they pay the minority tax with
their own hand and (in this way) acknowledge their lowliness.
The Jews say: Ezra is the Son of Allah! The Nazarenes
say: Christ is the Son of Allah! But they only say this with their lips. In
this way they imitate the talk of those who were unbelievers before them. May
Allah strike them dead! How they have become liars! (Sura al-Tawba 9:29-30).
With these two verses from the Sura of Repentance
Muhammad flatly rejected all dreamers among the Jews and Christians who dreamt
of these religions approaching each other. He accused them of believing in
another God than the Muslims! The Jews trusted Yahweh, their loyal God of the
covenant, and the Christians trusted the Father of Jesus Christ. But Allah is completely
different! He is neither the God of the Jews nor of the Christians.
Muhammad stated shortly and to the point: Jews and
Christians do not belong to the right religion. We are worlds apart! That is
why Muhammad did not recommend any dialog based on mutual recognition, rather
ordered his followers to make the Jews and Christians submit in a bloody
battle with weapons until they are broken as second-class citizens of an
Islamic state and pay the minority tax. Any other statements about the
relationship of the three religions to each other are either self-deceiving or
lies! (Sura al-Baqara 2,145; al-Hajj 22,17)
The Christians were accused of believing that Jesus is
the Son of God! They tried to evangelize Muhammad! The founder of Islam
cursed them in anger and called on Allah to fight against end destroy every
Christian who confesses that Christ is the Son of God! (Sura Maryam 19:30).
Muhammad's prayers of cursing against the Christian are, in the end, black
magic (Sura Al Imran 3:61). With that Muhammad's spirit revealed itself to be
an anti-Christian spirit from the father of lies, according to I John 2:22-25;
4:1-5. The goal of his wars is plain. To destroy the rule of the living Christ!
Not only are attackers, unbelievers, polytheists, Jews
and Christians the declared enemies of Islam, but also Muslims who harm their
own people. They are to be fought until all Muslims are reunited! This is wishful
thinking, as history has shown hundreds of times, but this command is part of
the Qur'anic martial law and can be called upon at any time to legalize
offensive action and attacks on outsiders.
Included with the outsiders are above all the hypocrites,
who act as if they were Muslims, who dress and talk like Muslims, but who think
and believe differently inside. Muhammad said that they have no sense and
cursed them with the same curse that he used for the Christians. "May
Allah strike them dead!" (Sura al-Baqara 2,159; al-Tawba 9,30.68;
al-Ahzab 33,61; al-Fath 48,6; al-Muhafiqun 63,4). Muhammad exposed them because
they did not offer anything for his wars and kept others from fighting (Sura
al-Nisa 4:91; al-Tawba 9:73,120-121; al-Munafiqun 63:1-8; al-Tahrim 66:9 etc.).
All cowards (Sura al-Fath 48:16-17) and traitors
(Sura al-Anfal 8:71) belong to the category of the enemies of Islam. They
must either prove that they are good Muslims by taking part in dangerous
battles or be wiped out themselves. Contracts with them are not binding (Sura
al-Anfal 8:58).
Islam is harmed especially by overly sensitive dogmatists
who quarrel often and endanger the unity of the troops. All Muslims must
fight against them if they continue to quarrel after efforts have been made to
negotiate with them (Sura al-Baqara 2:161,217; al-Baqara 4:137; al-Tawba 9:66;
al-Nahl 16:106; al-Kahf 18:105; al-Zumar 39:65). These troublemakers are a
danger to the unity of the Muslims, as we can already read about the founder of
their tribe, Ishmael and his descendants. One of the weaknesses of the Muslims
is that they always want to be the ones who are in the right.
Muhammad was especially angry with Muslims who fell
away and who converted to a different religion. They are cursed three
times: By Allah, his angels and all people (Sura al-Baqara 2:161; Al Imran
3:86-87). All their good works will be void (Sura al-Baqara 2:217; al-Kahf
18:105; al-Zumar 39:65). They must be tormented like criminals (Sura al-Tawba
9:66). The wrath of Allah is on every convert. The fact that he has fallen away
is eternally unforgivable (Sura al-Nahl 16:106). The Qur'an does not state that
converts must be killed, but the Sharia has made this a law with the help of a
questionable tradition of Muhammad's.
Muhammad stated several times that tempting someone
to fall away from Islam is more serious a crime than murder (Sura al-Baqara
2:191,217 etc.)! Non-Muslims would do everything to change the faith and the
culture of the Muslims. That is why no Muslim should befriend a non-Muslim!
(Sura al-Nisa 4:89 etc.). Muhammad commanded all Muslims to fight with weapons
against missionary world views.
Fight (with weapons) against them until there is no
more any temptation (to fall away from Islam) and Allah's religion rules
everywhere (Sura al-Baqara 2:193;
al-Anfal 8:39).
These temptations include the television programs and
the economic colonialism of the West, as well as the propaganda of the
socialist countries. But this warning and threat applies especially to
Christian missionaries, since mission work is forbidden in most Islamic
countries. Islam not only sees itself as a religion, but also as a religious
state. Thus evangelism among Muslims counts as an attack on the foundations
of the state and as an effort to undermine its existence. Thus Islam radically
contradicts the human right to choose one's own religion.
As soon as an enemy of Islam repents by accepting
Islam with its six articles of faith he is seen as a brother by Muslims (Sura
al-Tawba 9:5,11 etc.). With that he must reject faith in the Father, Son and
Holy Spirit; leave the community of his previous world view; enter the house of
Islam; say the obligatory prayers regularly and pay the religious tax as a sign
of his faith. This conversion does not require a change in character nor a
rebirth, but only a submission to the religious law of Islam.
Muhammad was a master at preparing his attacks, as
well as in motivating his followers to holy war.
He had Allah tell him to stir up all of his Muslims to battle
(Sura al-Nisa 4:84; al-Anfal 8:65 etc.).
First he tried to form the hostile tribes into a unit
(Sura al-Anfal 8:72), forbade fighting between brothers and required the
ones who were quarreling to make up (Sura Al Imran 3:200; al-Nisa 4:59;
al-Anfal 8:1,46). He
demanded that a delegation of responsible people from every clan come to him to
discuss the situation so that he could inform and instruct them about the
coming battle (Sura al-Tawba 9:122).
Muhammad had Allah instruct him to look for allies in
his own camp among blood relatives and neutral business partners (Sura al-Anfal
8:75). At the same time he began
a massive armament program and to assemble a cavalry (Sura al-Anfal 8:60).
He was especially
adept at collecting contributions for the cause of war (Sura al-Baqara
2:195,261; al-Nisa 4:48; al-Tawba 9:20; Muhammad 47:38; al-Hadid 57:10) and
expected a total commitment of money and life (Sura al-Nisa 4:95;
al-Anfal 8:72; al-Tawba 9:41; al-Hujurat 49:15; al-Saff 61:10-11). He forbad spending money unwisely (Sura
al-Baqara 2:195) and commanded the people not to swear emotional oaths and say: I will never again offer something for
Allah! (Sura al-Baqara 2:224-225)
Moreover he assured them: Allah
loves the ones who offer for the effort of Islam (Sura al-Baqara 2:195;
al-Ankabut 29:69 etc.).
Muhammad expected faith and obedience to Allah from the
Muslims, and to himself (Sura 8:1,46; al-Fath 48:17 etc.). He also recommended that they separate
themselves from their parents, sons, brothers, wives, slaves, houses and lands
if these kept them from fighting for Allah.
The party of Allah (Hisbollah) is marked by the fact that it's
members are willing to separate themselves from their own families and to fight
them if necessary, if they remained unbelieving (Sura al-Tawba 9:24; al-Fath
48:25; al-Mujadala 58:22 etc.).
In Islam it is wrong to love your enemies and
to show sympathy for them, because they do not believe in the revealed law that
is found in the Qur'an. Whoever
cooperates with them causes unrest, misunderstandings and harm for Islam (Sura
Al Imran 3:28; al-Nisa 4:89; al-Anfal 8:72-73; al-Mumtahana 60:1 etc.).
O believers!
Do not take my and your enemies as friends and show them no
sympathy. They do not believe that
which has come to you as law. They drove away the messenger and you
because you believe in Allah your Lord, because you go out into battle for him
and try to please me. But you
are secretly fond of them… Whoever
of you does this has strayed far from the way (Sura al-Mumtahana 60:1).
Muhammad cursed his enemies, which legitimized their
elimination. Allah's wrath rests on
him. Allah himself and his
angels fought with the Muslims against them.
Muhammad used black
magic in his unholy war. (2,159.161;
3,61.86.87; 33,61.64.68; 48,6 et al.)
Allah himself strengthened
and purified his warriors for battle (Sura al-Anfal
8:11-12). He assured them that they
were chosen, so they should pray, pay and fight (Sura al-Hajj 22:77-78). Armed conflict is a test for the
unbelievers (Sura Muhammad 47:4). Whoever
does not fight courageously in battle will be plagued horribly by Allah (Sura
al-Anfal 8:16; al-Tawba 9:38; al-Fath 48:16)!
Muhammad spurred
the Believers on in the Bedouin way:
O believers! Why do you let your head hang when you
are told: Move on and fight for
Allah! Are you more satisfied
with this life than with the next life?
(Sura al-Tawba 9,38).
Allah has revealed:
I am with you! Strengthen
the ones who are Believers! (Sura
al-Anfal 8,12) Be patient! (Sura Al Imran 3 200; al-Anfal 8:46) Do
not detest bloody hand-to-hand combat!
(Sura al-Baqara 2,216).
Hassan al-Banna, the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood
in Egypt is supposed to have said:
"A good Muslim is not someone who prays, fasts and pays his religious tax, but only
the one who overcomes his own inhibitions and is prepared to kill the
enemies of Allah – that is a true Muslim."
Muhammad stirred up his followers in the same way and
said: "Everyone who
believes fights for Allah with a weapon"
(Sura al-Nisa 4,76).
The prayers of Muslim minorities in non-Islamic or
liberal Islamic countries are meant to spur the Believers on, to free them or
to help them to establish an Islamic state (Sura al-Nisa 4:75). The bloody unrest in Algeria, Kosovo,
Chechnya, Kashmir, Mindanao and East Timor are related to this verse. Voluntary fighters from various Islamic
countries help the oppressed to be freed from the yoke of the unbelievers.
Be ready at all times to meet the enemy, stand and
fight hard and trust Allah (Sura
al-Anfal 8:45). Do
not run away when the battle starts, otherwise the wrath of Allah will fall on
you (Sura al-Anfal 8:15-16). Help
Allah, and he will help you (Sura Muhammad 47:7).
Whoever fights for Allah's sake – whether he is killed or
victorious – his rewards is assured (Sura al-Nisa 4:74).
Muhammad himself put his fighters in advantageous
positions, where they could prove their courage in battle (Sura Al Imran
3:121).
Allah has the power to punish all unbelievers severely
(Sura al-Nisa 4:83). Maybe
he will give the Muslims victory (Sura al-Anfal 8:45; Al Imran 3:200). The victory comes from Allah alone
(Sura al-Baqara 2:214; Al Imran 3:126; al-Anfal 8:10; al-Ankabut 29:10; al-Rum
30:5; al-Nasr 110:1).
But Jesus revealed:
"Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the
earth" (Matthew 5:5). He
commanded his followers: "Love
your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you and pray
for those who insult and persecute you, so that you will be children of your
Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 4:44-45).
His words wipe out Muhammad's commands to hate!
Muslims are people like we are.
Most of them are afraid of war, of dying and of killing. They do not want to hold dangerous
battles or attacks. Many of
them are peace-loving and prefer prosperity and good citizenship.
Muhammad knew that his followers were afraid. He challenged them to concentrate on
Allah alone! Apart from him there is
no helper (Sura al-Jinn 72:20). He
commanded them: "Think
of Allah often" (Sura al-Anfal 8:45).
"Trust him only" (Sura al-Anfal 8:61). "Fear Allah!" He is the only one that they should
fear (Sura al-Baqara 2:194; Al Imran 3:123-129,200; al-Ma'ida 5:7; al-Anfal
8:1; al-Tawba 9:118-119 etc.). Muhammad
did not say: Love Allah, but rather
fear him! The oppressive weight of
the fear of Allah rests on Islam.
In times of battle, the liturgical worship services
are to be shortened. While
one group is praying, the other one should be battle-ready and on guard. Then the ones who are worshipping
should step back and stand guard while the ones who were guarding pray (Sura
al-Nisa 4:101-102).
Muhammad required his followers to concentrate on
Allah with their whole being in order to overcome their basic fear. Victory and protection come from the
Almighty alone.
Muhammad ordered his warriors to worship Allah
intensively, so that they would have a mark on their foreheads from prostrating
34 times a day within their five times of prayer, as a sign of their fear and
worship of Allah (Sura al-Fath 48:29).
He promised the Islamic fighters that invisible troops (angels or
spirits) would fight along with the god-fearing (Sura Al Imran 3:123-129;
al-Tawba 9:40). They are
to fight "Allah's" battle hidden "in" him. Their killing is an act of worship for
Allah, in that Allah attains victory through them (Sura al-Hajj 22:78;
al-Ankabut 29:69).
But if circumstances force them to hide their faith or
to deny it, then this is no sin as long as they remain true Muslims in their
hearts. War in Islam always means
deception and betrayal (Sura al-Nahl 16:106).
For Muhammad the battle started already in the watchful
attitude of his combat-ready Muslims (Sura al-Nisa 4:71,102). He commanded them to move out in troops
and not to throw themselves singly into battle (Sura al-Nisa 4:71; al-Saff
61:4). He tried to create a
feeling of belonging among the Muslims so that each one could rely on the
other.
But the special command was to lure the enemy into a trap: "When the sacred months are
over kill the polytheists wherever you find them, take them, surround them and
set every possible trap for them" (Sura al-Tawba 9:5).
We read Allah's clear command to kill the unbelievers,
the polytheists and the Muslims who fled, five times in the Qur'an! (Sura al-Baqara 2:191 [twice]; al-Nisa
4:89,91; al-Tawba 9:5).
What was the great sin of Muhammad's enemies that they
had to die? They did not believe in
Muhammad's prophethood and did not believe what he said about God and man, his
books and messengers, his predestination and the resurrection of the dead. They did not take Muhammad seriously as
a prophet because he got his information from Jews and Christians and passed it
off as a revelation from Allah.
Christ, on his side, summarized human guilt by saying: "The Helper will convict the
world of sin, because they do not believe in me!"
(John 16:7-9).
But Jesus did not command his followers to kill the unbelievers or fanatical
legalists, but was willing to die in their place, so that their sin would be
atoned for. Jesus did not carry out the just verdict on the rebels but on
himself and reconciled all guilty people with the holy God. Whoever does not believe in him after his
sacrifice of atonement judges himself.
But Muhammad took revenge for being rejected and
fought against pagans, Jews and Christians.
He himself carried out Allah's judgment against them. This makes it clear that Allah is not a
God of love and reconciliation, but rather expects his Muslims to enforce his
law by force. There is no Holy
Spirit and no love of God in Islam, only law, submission and judgment! The command to kill found five times in
the Qur'an should open the eyes of all idealists, humanists and syncretists in
the occident so that they understand who Muhammad and what his Islam is.
Muhammad ordered his fighters to strike the enemies on
the neck (Sura al-Anfal 8:12; Muhammad 47:4).
That is the Arabic way of saying:
Cut off their heads!
Commanding someone to cut his enemies' fingernails is similar in
meaning; it means to cut off their hands or to limit their activity (Sura
al-Anfal 8:12). The
command: "Be hard on
them!" is repeated several times in the Qur'an (Sura al-Tawba
9:73,123; al-Fath 48:29; al-Tahrim 66:9 etc.).
Whoever reads Ibn Hisham's biography of Muhammad, volume II, will
read several times the expression that the swords of the Muslims
"mowed" among their enemies.
Muhammad did not allow his fighters to take captives
to use as slaves, as long as the battle waged.
This bad habit of some Muslims caused the enemies to
counter-attack when they saw that the Muslims were busy collecting the booty. That is why the enemy troops must be
killed immediately in battle and not taken prisoner (Sura al-Anfal 8:67).
Many Muslims loathed this spilling of blood and the
killing of the ones close to them, which was forced on them. Muhammad assured them: "You did not kill them, but
Allah killed them!" "Not
you shot, when you shot, but Allah shot" (Sura al-Anfal 8:17). Killing one's enemies seems to be a
form of worship in this verse. This
sura to justify the fighters opens the door wide for every kind of terrorism in
Islam.
Muhammad commanded them to continue fighting until the
enemy is conquered completely (Sura Muhammad 47:4).
Collecting booty and taking women and children as slaves is
allowed afterwards (Sura Muhammad 47:4).
But if a hostage accepts Islam, he should be set free (Sura
al-Anfal 8:70).
A basic principle of Muhammad's war appears constantly
in the Qur'an: Take revenge on
them in the measure in which they have harmed you.
Chase them away from places from which they chase you! Kill them as they kill other Muslims
(Sura al-Baqara 2:190-191; al-Nahl 16:126 etc.).
But the final goal of Islamic war is not to take
revenge for injustice suffered, but to make Islam rule the world. The missionary command which summarizes
all other instructions can be found in the Qur'an:
"Fight them (with weapons) until there is no more any
temptation (to fall away from Islam) and the entire religion (on earth) belongs
to Allah" (Sura al-Baqara 2:193; al-Anfal 8:39).
To this Muhammad assured his fighters:
He (Allah) sent his messenger with right guidance and
the true religion, in order to give it victory over all other religions, even
when this is loathsome to the polytheists (Sura al-Fath 48:28; al-Saff 61:9).
After the battle Allah will give the victorious
rulership, wisdom, and everything they need!
(2,251)
Muhammad's orders to shed blood have carried with them
the deaths of millions of animists, Jews and Christians.
If these orders were replaced with an enslavement of the
unbelievers they led millions of bound and chained people away into a hellish
bondage. In the Sudan alone
today, there tens of thousands of enslaved animists and Christians under Muslim
masters.
Unfortunately, Moses, David and Solomon also waged
bloody wars in the name of God. But
Jesus has turned this page. He
taught: "You have heard
it said: eye for eye, tooth for
tooth (Exodus 21:24), but I say to you, do not resist evil, rather: If someone strikes you on your right
cheek, then offer him the other one (Matthew 5:38-42). Jesus said to Peter: "Put your sword in its place! For whoever lives by the sword will die
by the sword" (Matthew 26:52).
Jesus is and remains the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9,5-6)! His kingdom is not of this
world (John 18,36). He did not train
his apostles in hand-to-hand combat, nor arm them with murderous weapons
(Matthew 10:8-10). Any religious
wars incited or lead by heads of churches are sin.
Jesus preferred to die on the cross for his opponents, rather
then killing them. His
followers were whipped and stoned without resisting.
But they blessed their enemies!
In Islam it is the opposite: Whoever kills Allah's enemies in a war
on his behalf will be rewarded! Whoever
falls in an unholy war of the Muslims, hopes to go to paradise.
With Christ it is different:
Whoever kills in his name will be punished and go to hell.
Jesus' motive is love in truth and mercy with justice! Christ's religion is from
"above"! Muhammad's
religion comes from below. If
Muhammad had lived before Christ, his behavior would be understandable in part. But he lived 600 years after Christ
and with that developed into an antichristian spirit by rejecting Christ's
non-violence and by threatening his spiritual realm.
Christ's kingdom and Muhammad's kingdom are complete
opposites.
One of the driving forces for the Muslim's attacks was
collecting booty! Muhammad
had to provide for his followers and refugees from Mecca, so he stirred them up
to raiding against their will. The
booty from these raids financed the consolidation of Islam in Medina and tided
over in critical financial crises.
Later Muslim caliphs and rulers lived from the gold and tens of
thousands of slaves that were brought back from worldwide conquests. Bedouins and Muslims do not like to
work hard or get dirty. For this
they have serfs and "paid specialists."
Muslims believe that they were born to rule!
Islamic scholars of the law have chosen nine verses
from the Qur'an to delineate the law regarding taking booty. In addition the Muslims' book contains
30 verses that deal with the treatment of slaves.
There are more verses about the keeping and treatment of slaves
than there are about booty in the Qur'an.
They are the core of the laws on booty.
The critical point in taking booty is how it is
distributed! Muhammad commanded the
Muslims not to quarrel while distributing the booty.
He took the role of the arbitrator.
His decisions were indisputable and infallible (Sura al-Anfal
8:10,41; al-Tawba 9:60; al-Hujurat 49:9; al-Hashr 59:6-7; al-Mumtahana 60:11
etc.).
"Allah and Muhammad" received one
fifth of the booty that was collected after the victory of the Muslim fighters
(Sura al-Anfal 8:1; al-Ma'ida 5:41).
But if a fortress or an oasis surrendered without fighting then
Muhammad or the general in charge of the troops received everything! All blood relatives, war orphans,
poverty-stricken, disabled veterans and travelers were to receive a part of the
booty (Sura al-Anfal 8:41; al-Hashr 59:7).
The distribution of the booty was the high point of Muhammad's
wars. The greed for the
conquered goods caused considerable tension sometimes among the Muslims, because
some thought that they were receiving less than others, and Muhammad had to
en-courage them repeatedly to be obedient to him, to fear Allah and to make up
after quarreling (Sura al-Anfal 8:1,69 etc.).
The Qur'an states that booty can best be collected
from conquered cities and villages (Sura al-Hashr 59:7). Another good source of income was the
buying back of prisoners and hostages with the highest possible ransom (Sura Muhammad
47:4; al-Baqara 2:87). In Islam
Allah allows and commands taking hostages (!) and demanding ransom for their
release (!). Exchanging prisoners was
another way of releasing them. Muhammad
said:
Allah has promised you that you will collect much booty. He allowed part of it to reach you
quickly and kept people from you (so that they could not stop you). The booty is a sign for the
Believers that he, Allah, would lead them in the straight path (!). (There is) another part (of the booty),
which you could not collect yet. But
Allah has kept it for you. Allah is
capable of everything! (Sura al-Fath 48,20-21).
Muhammad's religiously founded teaching on booty drove
the Muslims to their first wave of conquest (AD 632-732), which reached the
gates of Paris and Geneva in the west and Samarkand and the Indus River in the
east. Letting the conquered
people work for them and cashing in on their harvests and other earnings had a
calming effect on the Muslims who seized control of the land. The practice of taking boys from
Christian families in the Balkans for the army of the Janissaries was a
legalized form of enslavement by the Turkish sultans, who had 30,000 Christian boys
taken annually, had them converted to Islam and trained for the palace
guard and as police for the Ottoman Empire.
Muhammad's fighters and donors hoped to receive not
only blessings from Allah, but also a concrete payment as earnings for
their efforts and sacrifices. Islam
is a religion of works righteousness and not a religion of grace. Muslims think that the size of their
record of good deeds in heaven is what decides about their future!
Thus Muslim fighters expect to be able to enter paradisiacal
gardens with earthly delights.
These gardens are mentioned 124 times in the Qur'an, especially
in relation to Allah's helpers in his military enterprises (Sura al-Tawba
9:20-21,88-89,111; Muhammad 47:4-6; al-Fath 48:17; al-Saff 61:9-12 etc.).
Muhammad's attacks, with their deprivations, hunger
and casualties, are also considered to be a source of good works for Muslims.
Every follower of Muhammad who is killed in a holy war
is in reality not dead, but alive with Allah!
(Sura al-Baqara 2:154; Al Imran 3:169; al-Nisa 4:74; Muhammad
47:4; al-Fath 48:25 etc.). He has
escaped the eternal fires through his heroic death (Sura al-Saff 61:10). For this reason "criminals who
have been sentenced to death" are challenged in times of war to take part
in suicide missions, because they would receive forgiveness of their sins,
justification and entrance into paradise from Allah through their death in
battle.
This false hope that taking part in a war for
Allah, dying in battle or in a suicide raid would obtain for them forgiveness
of even the great sins, is confirmed several times in the Qur'an (Sura Al Imran
3:157-158,169-171,193-195; al-Nisa 4:100; al-Saff 61:9-12 etc.). This is one of the reasons Muslims
think that they don't need a savior or a redeemer, because through their total
commitment (Jihad), "with money and life", they hope to earn grace
and justification. They
think that they don't need Jesus since they believe that they can redeem
themselves.
Muhammad emphasized several times that the war effort
for Allah would bring the Muslims a great reward (Sura al-Nisa 4:74,95-96;
al-Fath 48:29 etc.). His
propaganda was meant especially to raise financial support and donations for
holy war. Muhammad guaranteed that
what Allah had borrowed for his war he would repay in full (Sura al-Anfal 8:60;
al-Fatir 34:39). The investments
that the Almighty receives through Muhammad will multiply in the heavenly
bank (Sura al-Baqara 2:245,261-262,265,274,277; al-Tawba 9:120; al-Hadid 57:7
etc.). All Muslims will receive
the best one day, but the fighters even more so (Sura al-Nisa 4:95-96)! Donations before the victory
will gain a higher position in paradise than donations after the victory
(Sura al-Tawba 9:28). Allah
wants to make everyone wealthy. The
way to achieve this is through voluntary investments for Allah's military
goals. He will give everyone who
has sacrificed himself, his money and his soul, a great victory (Sura
al-Tawba 9:72,89,111; al-Saff 61:12).
This religious philosophy can be read in the Sura of Repentance:
Allah bought the Believers' souls and their money
(property), so that they might buy paradise.
That is why they must fight in Allah's way (armed) and in this
way kill or be killed, according to a promise in the Torah, the Gospel and the
Qur'an. Who will be more loyal in
fulfilling his contract of purchase (covenant) than Allah? So be happy about the sale that you
have made. This is the great
triumph! (Sura al-Tawba 9,111).
Muhammad had heard from Christians that God redeems
sinners from the slave market of sin (I Corinthians 6:20; I Peter 1:18-20 etc.). But he turned the meaning of these
words into the exact opposite! He
wrote that Muslims have to pay the price themselves and had to buy paradise
with the price of their own blood or the blood of their enemies. But the gospel states that only God
is able to pay the price of this redemption "through the priceless blood
of Christ, an innocent and unspotted lamb."
In this way Muhammad replaced Christ's atoning death with the
Muslims' shedding of blood in their unholy war!
Whoever understands the depths of this blasphemy is shattered and
silent before this Islamic error and blasphemy.
The majority of Muslims withdraws itself cleverly from
the demands of the Qur'an that all believing Muslims must fight in unholy war
with a weapon in their hands. They say: These decrees and laws were right for
Muhammad's time! But we live in a different time and live off the efforts of
the first generations of Muslims. These Qur'anic commands applied to them and
not to us. We belong to a peace-loving modern Islam.
Other Muslims are more sober and chose the word jihad
(total effort) as the theme of their faith and life. They say: Today we
must fight against poverty, overpopulation, illiteracy, corruption and
pollution. So let us sacrifice our time, strength and money in order to improve
the living conditions in the countries of Islam! These idealists close their
eyes to the reality of the Qur'an, which clearly calls to "qital", to
battle with a weapon in your hand. In any case, they channel part of the
energies of their religious community into positive tracks.
Most of the governments of the about 50 Islamic
countries of the earth are not prepared to leave the escalation of holy war to
the religious leaders of Islam. They have divided the Sharia of Umayyad time
into secular and religious, official and personal laws. Martial and criminal
law are always under the jurisdiction of the secular governments. But the
duties of worship and everyday life are under the jurisdiction of the mosque
and its leaders. So Islam is divided and has become schizophrenic as a
religious state. Thus the fundamentalists fight with all their might against
their liberal Islamic governments, so that their ideal law, the Sharia, can be
instituted not in part, but completely, and the liberal governments with their
modern laws will be toppled from power. But the secular governments on their
side, see themselves forced to imprison, to hang, or in some other way, to silence
the Qur'anic fanatics. The Islamic Reformation has caused bloody civil wars for
50 years in many Islamic countries, the goal of which is to introduce the
entire Sharia with its complete martial and criminal law. The process is still
under way.
A compromise between liberal efforts and
fundamentalist goals is being made in the world mission of the Muslims.
By infiltrating western companies, banks and governments with extra finances
from the production of oil, the influence of the Muslims is meant to increase
in the East and the West. Arabic language schools, guest workers and students,
mosques on all continents and mixed marriages between Muslims and non-Muslims
are supposed to increase the presence of Muslims in the "House of
War." The Muslims with their growing numbers in Christian countries
demand social and political rights, Islam religious instruction in public
schools and political recognition in questions of taxation, in order to be
anchored not only socially but also legally. The financial, economic, social
and educational "holy war" has already started. But it is the Western
countries that are consciously or unconsciously supporting them through child
support, unemployment and social benefits. At the same time the Muslim leaders
are trying to put a stop to the integration of the Muslims through the
reformation of their faith.
While it varies from country to country, about 10 to
25% of the population of Muslim countries is fundamentalist. They are generally
portrayed as extremists in Western media, but they are actually the only one
who want to take the Qur'an literally. But liberal and humanistic Muslims are
pronounced guilty by the Qur'an! The fundamentalists are not extremists, rather
the Qur'an is the cause of radical Islam. But the syncretists of the
West do not want to recognize this fact. But as long as the Qur'an exists in
its present form the fundamentalists will be the only loyal Muslims. Ayatollah
Khomeini is their shining figurehead.
According to the German secret service, there are
about 20,000 Muslim fundamentalists living in Germany and they are all being
observed by the secret service. Some of them are being persecuted by their own
liberal governments. The potential of an Islamic underground army exists
invisibly in Germany and can be stirred up and put into service at any time by
agitators like Saddam Hussein or Jamal Abd al-Nassar or Ayatollah Khomeini. The
same applies to most other countries on the earth. But as long as the Qur'an calls
for the death of the unbelievers, all that is needed is a spark in the
gunpowder to start an Islamic world war – on the condition that the gunpowder
is not ruined by the materialism of the West!
Christians should recognize and accept the challenge
of the hour, the mission field has come to their home country. It has never
been as easy to offer the gospel to Muslims without breaking the law. But who
is obeying the command of the risen Christ to evangelize all Muslims? Should
only a small percentage of Christians, the fundamentalists, practice religious
obedience while the majority only thinks of itself in a middle-class,
syncretistic or apathetic manner? The existence of Muslims in our area places
us into Jesus Christ's presence, who will one day say to us: "What you
have done to the least of these, my brothers, you have done to me" (Matthew
25:40).