Columnist Hamid Golpira has written a compact little column in the Tehran Times (thanks to MEMRI) explaining what jihad is all about. Interestingly enough, his explanation is exactly the same as the one I outline in Onward Muslim Soldiers: it involves an inner, spiritual struggle, but also a physical battle to spread the hegemony of Islam, "inviting" non-Muslims to accept Islam and subjugating those who refuse as second-class dhimmis.
This is another demonstration of the fact that the tenets of violent Islam that are usually ascribed by Western analysts to the Wahhabis alone are held by all sects of Islam, including the Shi'ites of Islam. Remember also that when he speaks about not attacking civilians, that the definition of civilians in this context has proven to be extremely elastic — cf. Israel and the World Trade Center.
(I had a bit of trouble getting the direct link to the original Tehran Times piece to work. If you have trouble, go to their main page and search for "jihad." The article is entitled "True Jihad.")
Once I was the student of a very great shaikh. He taught me and the other students many things. May Allah bless him for teaching us so many things and accept his jihad of teaching.Once our teacher taught us about the rules of jihad. He said that every Muslim must first do jihad-i-nafs, the struggle against the desires of the lower self, for self-purification. Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him and his family) said that jihad-i-nafs is the great jihad. We should reflect upon this deep hadith.
After performing jihad-i-nafs to a satisfactory level and committing oneself to lifelong performance of jihad-i-nafs, a Muslim can do the other jihad, the lesser jihad.
This jihad determines the three types of people in the world: (1) the true Muslims; (2) the non-Muslims who are not enemies of Islam actively fighting against Islam; and (3) the enemies of Islam, which includes all munafiqin (hypocrites who claim to be Muslims).
The true Muslims are our brothers and sisters and we must never fight against them. Also, we must never fight against the non-Muslims who are not enemies of Islam, since some of them live in Islamic countries and have paid the jeziya tax, making them dhimmis (people protected by Islam), and others are citizens of non-Muslim countries who are not personally fighting against Islam or assisting a war against Islam.
As far as the enemies of Islam, we are only permitted to fight against them if we have done everything in our power to avoid war and to encourage them to stop being enemies of Islam and to join one of the other two groups.
Our wise teacher explained it to us like this. First we must invite them to Islam. Even if they declare war against us, we should invite them to Islam by calling a one-day truce for them to think over our invitation. If after one day they embrace Islam, we should accept them as Muslim brothers and sisters and war has been averted.
If they do not embrace Islam, we should invite them to pay the jeziya tax and become dhimmis or to make a peace treaty with the Muslims, and we should again call a one-day truce for them to think over our proposal. If after one day they decide to pay the jeziya tax and become dhimmis or to make a peace treaty with the Muslims, we should accept their decision, and again war has been averted.
However, if they do not embrace Islam and do not decide to become non-Muslims who are not enemies of Islam but decide to make war against the Muslims, then, under such circumstances, we are allowed to wage war against them, as long as we observe all the other rules of jihad, such as treating prisoners fairly and not attacking civilians. And Islam teaches that genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and terrorism are always haram (forbidden).
Once, before a battle, Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him and his family) gave Imam Ali (peace be upon him) a flag on which was inscribed la ilaha illa ‘llah (there is no God but Allah) and told him to go out to the battlefield to invite the enemies to Islam while carrying the banner. And Imam Ali (peace be upon him) went out to the battlefield carrying the banner of Islam and inviting the enemies to Islam. This is the best example of true jihad.
If you can't get to the Tehran Times, You will also find the article here:
http://www.memri.org/
I thought it looked familiar!
There are enough words to describe the stupidity and arrogance of this pagan cult.
There are not enough words to describe the stupidity and arrogance of this pagan cult.
“There are not enough words to describe the stupidity and arrogance of this pagan cult.”
Funny you feel that way, KAMA. I’m sure the majority of Romans and Jews felt the exact same way about Christians around 30 A.D.
Iman Ali's little walk vaguely reminded me of David walking up to Goliath. In both instances, they showed a lot of guts for their respective religions.
It is too bad that more Muslims do not share the beliefs advocated in this article. For that matter, it would be nice if more Christians more closely followed the tenets of their faith.
Of course, if they all did, shares in General Dynamics wouldn't be worth as much, but I think we'd find a way to deal with the economic loss.
I think perhaps one of the great ironies of religion is the fact that most purport peace and tolerance, and that if you don’t agree with their ideas of what constitutes peace and tolerance, they’ll kill you. I don’t think you can single out Islam on this one. I’m not saying Islam is better than any the religion. Historically, it simply isn’t measureably worse.
Well it's official,convert to Islam or be slaughtered the same way Muhammed murdered us Godless infidels. Gee,all these years I thought we were children of God related through him creation of humanity.
If Islam condemns terrorism then the word must have existed during the reign of Muhammed and he's the expert on it,it looks like he realized how horrid his killing were and created a clause
to stop the beheading and disemboweling to Muslims.
Bob Owens:
I'm trying to understand your comment that, in a historical perspective, other world religions rank right up there with Islam with respect to enslavement or killing those who don't accept conversion to that particular religion. Perhaps my knowledge of history and faith-based doctrine is limited in this regard.
From my studies I don't see where other major faiths such as Judaism, Christianity, or Buddhism (just to name 3 biggies) have, as a core belief, the command to "Slay the infidels where you find them". I'm not saying that adherents to these other faiths have been perfect now or in the past; however, in a historical light Islam certainly seems to be the only faith that has ALWAYS practiced wholesale killing and/or subjugation of practitioners of other faiths who fail to convert.
If you would, could you please give me examples of modern day terrorism by other faiths? Modern day forced conversions? Modern day "dhimmitude" by faiths other than Islam? This is not a flippant question; if, as you say, Islam is just like other faiths in historical perspective, there should be incidents you can cite.
Ron, funny you should ask these questions. I just posted a response on another thread that go a long way towards answering you, as least as well as I can, but I’ll hit the high points as needed here.
I will agree that I’ve never seen the equivalent of the command "Slay the infidels where you find them” in other major religions, though admittedly, I am not a theologian. Perhaps it is more damning against us, then, when we emulate such violence without the shield of our religious texts to use as an excuse.
Without going into great detail (as it is posted elsewhere), European Christians fought seven wars among themselves in the 1560s-1700s, and as I recall, did quite a bit of raping, pillaging and murder against “heathens” of Christian and Jewish background along with their stated Muslim enemies in the Crusades. In more immediate and recent memory, we committed horrific acts of genocide and biological warfare within our own borders with respect to Native Americans, even as we tried to convert them.
I don’t believe I ever said though, that we were currently using these practices and committing these crimes. I’d like to think, that for at least one moment in history, we have matured enough as a society to see that these acts are wrong, even if advocated by religion.
To really maintain a common viewpoint against Muslims, however, you have to assume that the average Muslim sincerely and fully believes that they should follow the advice of Metallica and “kill ‘em all.” Statistically, I just doesn’t see it, or violence between Muslims and everybody else would have resulted in much earlier, much stronger battles on the scale of the World Wars. Hey, the crusades weren’t fun, but they weren’t as apocalyptic as the violence we could have found ourselves embroiled in since.
Sure, dominant texts in the Middle East it may say that they should kill us. Most of them don’t want to even try. Our predominant religion in America tells us to turn the other check. I don’t see us doing a lot of that, either.
Bob,
Thanks for the overview reply. I'd like to read all of your points on this subject - where's the other thread?
Ron, the other thread didn't have much more detail by the time I was done editing it down, and information for both threads came from simply Googling and trying to use reputable sources.
...sources I'll try to remember to include in my comments next time. Sorry.
Bob:
When Christians do terrible things it is in spite of the teachings of Christ; when Muslims do terrible things, they are simply following the tenets of their religious beliefs. And, by the way, I am not religious. Here are some examples of Shariah law:
1. Offensive, military jihad against non-Muslims is a communal, religious obligation;
2. A person who is ignorant about Islamic legal opinion must follow the legal opinion of a scholar;
3. The penalty for a Muslim apostate (someone who no longer believes in or no longer follows the tenets of Islam) is death;
4. When slaughtering animals for food, a knife must be used to cut the windpipe and gullet;
5. A woman is only eligible to receive half the inheritance of a man;
6. Marriage may be forced on virgins by their father or father’s father;
7. A non-Arab man may not marry an Arab woman;
8. A woman must seek permission from her husband to leave the house;
9. A Muslim man cannot marry a woman who is a Zoroastrian, an idol worshipper, an apostate from Islam or a woman with one parent who is Jewish or Christian, with the other being Zoroastrian; a Muslim woman cannot marry anyone but a Muslim;
10. A free Muslim man may marry up to four women;
11. Retaliation is obligatory in most cases when someone is deliberately murdered except when a Muslim kills a non-Muslim, a Jew or a Christian kills a Muslim apostate or a father or mother kill their offspring;
12. Non-Muslim subjects (Ahl al-Dhimma) of a Muslim state are subject to a series of discriminatory laws – “dhimmitude”;
13. The penalty for fornication or sodomy is being stoned to death;
14. The penalty for an initial theft is amputation of the right hand. Subsequent thefts are penalized by further amputations of feet and hand;
15. A non-Muslim cannot testify against a Muslim in court; a person who is “without respectability” cannot give legal testimony; a woman’s legal testimony is only given half the legal weight of a man’s (and is only acceptable in cases involving property); to legally prove fornication or sodomy requires 4 male witnesses who actually saw the act;
16. The establishment and continuation of the Islamic Caliphate (by force, if necessary) is a communal obligation;
17. Sodomites and Lesbians must be killed;
18. Laughing too much is forbidden;
19. Musical instruments are unlawful;
20. Creating pictures of animate life is forbidden;
21. Female circumcision, which includes the excision of the clitoris, is obligatory;
22. Slavery is permitted;
23. People may be bribed to convert to Islam;
24. Beating a rebellious wife is permissible; and,
25. Lying is permissible in a time of war (or jihad).
Here is a link to detailed clauses and references regarding the above examples:
http://boston.indymedia.org/newswire/display_any/21475
"When Christians do terrible things it is in spite of the teachings of Christ; when Muslims do terrible things, they are simply following the tenets of their religious beliefs."
Agreed.
"It is too bad that more Muslims do not share the beliefs advocated in this article."
I wish all muslims didn't share the beliefs in this article. Quote from this article:
"However, if they do not embrace Islam and do not decide to become non-Muslims who are not enemies of Islam but decide to make war against the Muslims, then, under such circumstances, we are allowed to wage war against them"
I don't know what Bob Owen's religion is, but if he is not a Muslim I doubt he'd want to be killed by muslims for not embracing the "enlightened, peacful, tolerant" religion of Muhammad.
Jasmine,
My religion is irrelevant, but since you are nice enough to be concerned for my welfare, let me assure you that if anyone, of any background, has any ideas of converting me, they better try it from beyond three hundred yards.
Mt goal in these forums is not to promote that "'enlightened, peacful, tolerant" religion of Muhammad.' It is simply to remind people that not everyoneborn of that religion is evil.
Bob,
From your answer I could see that you either didn't read my posting careful enough to understand it, or you just simply didn't understand.
1. Nobody wanted to convert you.
2. I didn't say you wanted to promote the "'enlightened, peacful, tolerant" religion of Muhammad.
What I said was that I didn't think you'd like to be killed by the muslims if they asked you and you refused, to convert to this enlightened, peaceful and tolerant religion of Muhammad.
Or am I wrong? Would you gladly and happily consent to be killed if you refused this tolerant religion?
Now that I've cleared your misunderstanding, I will respond to your second paragraph.
You probably don't know enough about that religion. I don't think people on this board think that everyone born to this religion is evil. You certainly didn't need to remind me. Thank you.
What you fail (or refuse) to see is that the religion itself that is evil.
You probably have not experienced first hand living amongst muslims (even tolerant muslims) as a minority.
Bob,
"... beyond 300 yards ..." *snort* *chuckle*
After mulling this over during quiet times during today, I think there's one issue that I take exception to in your original post (and reply):
the distancing of current events (say, the last 75 years) and "history" implied by your text. If we don't differentiate, then Islam fares very badly in historical comparison to other faiths; they're still stuck in the dark ages as a general rule, rather than the exception. No, not everybody trapped by Islam is evil, but the religio-political movement they've gotten snared by certainly fits the bill in my book.
Bob Owens:
"Sure, dominant texts in the Middle East it may say that they should kill us. Most of them don’t want to even try."
Have you read Spencer's books? It's not just the Middle East we're talking about here - it's worldwide, inherent in the "religion" AS DESCRIBED BY THEIR MOST BASIC TEXTS. It's being taught everywhere, in the U.S. as well.
Will you convert, or will you die? For that is the choice that their cult says IN ITS MOST BASIC TENETS that you (and the entire world) MUST eventually face. They consider it inevitable. You WILL be forced to take a side if they continue their "inevitable and Allah ordained" march toward global domination.
Read Spencer's books, read Ibn Warraq, then come back and we'll talk.
Bob Owens
Your goal may be correct, that all muslims are not evil, however, the basic foundation of this religion is evil.
I have run across an interesting comparsion between the relationship between Jesus and Muhammad's relationship with God: it goes like this.
Imagine a triangle, Muhammad Relationship is
Top of the triangle, Allah: in the middle is Muhammad (slave) now unbelievers (evil) in one corner and Believers (slaves) in the other corner.
Jesus relationship, top of triangle, God (father), middle Jesus (son), corner Unbelievers (lost sheep) other corner (God's children).
Neither do the quran or hadith talk about Muhammad's love of allah or allah loving muhammad, his position is slave.
Suhar 8:13 And whoever defies and disobeys allah and his messenger, then verily allah is severe in punishment.
For the life of me I do not understand how people can fall for islam, they must like to be classified in the slave catagory.
I have not read much about the end times only that a great lie is to be spread over the world, will my money is on islam. People are not questioning it only accepting what they are being told, the saving religion of the world.
Ellen