Outspoken “moderate” U.S. Muslims, finally? No, not at all. My latest in PJ Media:
A new billboard in St. Louis proclaims:
HEY ISIS, YOU SUCK!!! From: #ActualMuslims. Life is sacred. Koran 5:32.
At last, is this the moderate Islamic movement that the U.S. and the Western world have been so eagerly waiting for? The seemingly invisible movement that the Left says includes the vast majority of Muslims?
Well, not quite — or at all.
This billboard is in St. Louis, not Raqqa. Obviously, the Islamic State isn’t going to see it unless it shows up on their Twitter feeds and Facebook pages. If the goal really were to insult the Islamic State to its face, the billboards would indeed be going up in an Islamic State stronghold, and would be in Arabic.
So we already know that the target audience for the billboard is not ISIS at all — it’s non-Muslims.
The goal of this billboard is to reassure Western non-Muslims that Muslims really do oppose the Islamic State and its actions. St. Louis-area Muslim Tariq Malik, one of the organizers of this initiative, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
We as a community are trying to get the word out, you know, that we are as much affected by this ISIS issue. We need to let people know that we are much against ISIS as anyone else, if not more.
These acts are being done in the name of religion, which really has nothing to do with the religion. It just has to do with radical people taking on their own agenda and hijacking the name of Islam.
Unfortunately, the billboard’s argument is completely negated by its reference to Qur’an 5:32. Because the Qur’an does NOT say “life is sacred” in 5:32 — or anywhere else.
Western leaders and Islamic apologists claim wonderful things about 5:32, often referencing it — President Obama has done so himself.
But this is what 5:32 actually says:
Because of that, We decreed upon the Children of Israel [the Jews] that whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption in the land — it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one — it is as if he had saved mankind entirely.
And our messengers had certainly come to them [the Jews] with clear proofs. Then indeed many of them [the Jews!], after that, throughout the land, were transgressors.
And here is 5:33, which immediately follows:
Indeed, the penalty for those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and strive upon earth corruption [the Jews, naturally] is none but that they be killed or crucified or that their hands and feet be cut off from opposite sides or that they be exiled from the land.
That is for them a disgrace in this world; and for them in the Hereafter is a great punishment.
“Life is sacred,” huh.
First: note that 5:32 is NOT a general prohibition of killing. On the contrary, 5:32 details when a Muslim is not allowed to kill, but also when a Muslim is allowed to kill. Muslims are allowed to kill to avenge “a soul or for corruption in the land.”
Second: note that 5:32 is not a general command. This command is only for and about the Children of Israel — the Jews.
Third: “[M]any of them, after that … were transgressors.” Allah gave a command to the Jews, but the Jews transgressed against it.
Thus, 5:32 and 5:33 explain what must be done to punish Jews who reject Muhammad. Objectively, the passages could not possibly stray any further from the billboard’s statement that 5:32 implies “life is sacred.”
Ibn Warraq sums it up:
The supposedly noble sentiments are in fact a warning to Jews. “Behave, or else” is the message. Far from abjuring violence, these verses aggressively point out that anyone opposing the Prophet will be killed, crucified, mutilated, and banished!
Muslims in the St. Louis area do not have access to ANY programs in mosques or Islamic schools that teach young Muslims why they should reject the understanding of Islam taught by the Islamic State. With the Islamic State continuing to recruit young Muslims from the U.S., that is a grave and telling omission….
Read the rest here.

abad says
The biggest problem with that billboard is this:
Muslim terrorism has existed long before ISL, Al Qaeda, 9-11, and 1900.
Next question please.
Stephanie says
human butcher, http://quran.com/5/33-40 ‘… killed or crucified or that their hands and feet be cut off’
killer, http://quran.com/4/89 ‘… kill them wherever ye find them’
SO MUCH for ‘sacred.’
Stephanie says
4:89, i..e. ex-Muslims
Boston Tea Party says
Let’s see…
Number of Muslims in Western countries that have volunteered to go fight FOR ISIS?
Upwards of 10,000, I believe
Number of Muslims in Western countries that have volunteered to go fight AGAINST ISIS?
Roughly zero, I believe.
abad says
Bingo.
Angemon says
Boston Tea Party posted:
“Number of Muslims in Western countries that have volunteered to go fight AGAINST ISIS?
Roughly zero, I believe.”
Indeed. Western non-muslims, on the other hand, have went to fight against ISIS, paying for the trip and equipment from their own pocket.
Oliver says
I THINK I read of ONE Muslim who did go to fight ISIS.
Or. Perhaps it was satire or the writer’s dream.
Stephanie says
quran.com/7/103 ‘Then after them We sent Musa (Moses) with Our Signs to Fir’aun (Pharaoh) and his chiefs, but they wrongfully rejected them. So see how was the end of the Mufsidun (mischief-makers, corrupters).’–7:103
http://www.quran4theworld.com/translations/Hilali/7_91-120.htm
‘Those who disbelieved and hinder (men) from the Path of Allah, for them We will add torment over the torment; because they used to spread corruption [by disobeying Allah themselves, as well as ordering others (mankind) to do so].’–16:88
http://www.quran4theworld.com/translations/Hilali/16_61-90.htm
In short: REJECT prima donna’SS Qur’an.
AformerMuslim says
When I was Muslim, I used to believe this blindly.
I did not actually read Qur’an in depth (except for reciting in Arabic).
I think many Muslims love quoting Qur’an out of context. When I am sharing the gospel with Muslims, I really tell them to read Qur’an for themselves.
A Former Muslim
http://www.aformermuslim.com
somehistory says
Seems they do what the pope does with the Bible: doesn’t know what it says, but uses it blindly.
It’s great that you left the bad for the good in the “good news.”
Jay Boo says
What do Muslims really think about during Islamic prayer at the local mosque?
1 — Allah will be so pleased to hear me.
or
2 — The sound of my own voice in Arabic is so intoxicating and I must impress the Muslim beside me with a display of greater piety.
August West says
It is also clear to me after many conversations that many self identified muslims have no clue what the koran actually says.
While I know this is true I don’t care one bit.
With the information that is in the news today they should have taken the initiative to read it by now. I do not give them any leeway if at this point they don’t know what islam teaches.
I don’t think those that funded this sign are confused about the teaching of islam.
Islam is Islam and that is that.
Islam is the enemy and that is that.
At this point actual ignorance of islamic teachings is no excuse.
Daniel Rubio says
Actually this billboard makes a nice “Exhibit A” of taqiya in action, the art of fooling infidels by means of outright lies or half truths about the true and evil intentions of that doctrine of hatred, subjugation, discrimination and bloodshed called islam that poses as a “religion”.
But does anybody think that Joe Common will rush to the library, open a filthy koran and actually check what the billboard claims to be verse 5:32? Joe Common will watch the billboard and will instantly be convinced that to all muslims, all forms of life are sacred.
Unless that form of life is a Jew, a Christian, an atheist, a pagan or any other sort of infidel as per the filthy koran. Unless that form of life is an apostate, a homosexual, or even a muslim’s daughter that has “dishonored” the family by one of 3,786 different ways muslims can think about dishonoring their very shaky “honor”. Unless that form of life is an unlucky, hapless animal that falls into the hands of a muslim, who will show his true savage impulses by torturing, maiming and finally and painfuly killing that animal. Unless that form of life is a sunni muslim and the aggraviated part is a shiite muslim, or the other way around.
You see, dig a little information and you’ll find a few thousand examples of life being everything but sacred to any brand of muslims. Starting with the manual of hatred itself (known as koran), continuing on to the pedophile murderer sadist known as “muhammad” that muslims consider holy, a role model and a moral compass, and continuing on to todays’ imams and preachers of the filthy koran that incite hatred, antisemitism and war-mongering day in, day out throughout thousands of mosques, madrassas and public places to a willing, zombied population of brain-less muslims.
EYESOPEN says
Well said.
Jay Boo says
St Louis is in the US state of … (Missouri).
Victim mongering Muslims in the US are in a
— self-induced state of … (misery).
davej says
I think they meant OUR lives are sacred (but yours are highly questionable, actually you are worthless pigs and dogs is how they put it).
We don’t believe you, we deceive you.
Jay Boo says
Muslims ‘explain away’ jihad.
August West says
Jay Boo, thanks for this post. I did a little google search and found a site called myjihad.org
Today is 10/16/2016 The the most recent articles on this site are:
#myjihad speaks to St Louis University’s jihad class
dated 10/3/2015 there are 0 comments
Indian Muslims loudly condem DAESH aka “Islamic” State
dated 9/10/2015 there are 0 comments
Muslim Scholar defends christian pastor who called Islam “spawn of the devil”
dated 6/25/2015 there are 0 comments
Isn’t it interesting that a website that is focused on clarifying the confusion around the term Jihad generates so little traffic and content?
The article at the top of the site is over a year old and generated exactly 0 comments over that 1 year time frame. The site was not even able to maintain a monthly cadence of articles.
I would have to say that it is fairly obvious that Jihad as a personal struggle has much less interest among the Islamic community than this new clip would have you believe.
Interestingly the St Louis billboard poster does not even use the hashtag #myjihad and instead uses #actualmuslims
I would have to say that CAIR’s campaign to re-brand Jihad as a personal struggle is about as effective as Phillip Morris’ campaign to re-brand Marlboro Cigarettes as a healthy alternative to spinach.
0 comments on a year old blog post? CAIR was not even motivated to put fake comments up to at least pretend that somebody read it.
http://myjihad.org/
As Hunter S Thompson would say:
Res Ispa Loquitur
The Thing Speaks for Itself
Jay Boo says
Hey Hillary, You Suck.
synonym
“a word that has the same meaning as another word in the same language”
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/synonym
Neville J. Angove says
One of the problems is that there are so many “authorized” translations of the Koran. My Rodwell (1861) translation has this first verse as 5.35, not 5.32. And it does not refer to Jews specifically, as do so many other verses. The next verse quoted is 5.37, not 5.33, in my first translation.
I know how meaning changes over time, and how translations are altered to support current philosophies. I also know that the Koran could not be an accurate transcription of Muhammad’s words, since they had to be recorded from memory. Indeed, one sura is definitely not even a transcription, but is obviously what someone said Muhammad should have said.
But is is also obvious that the majority of Muslims believe in the most militant of translations, believing they are superior, but some chose ti be more circumspect.
JIMJFOX says
Most celebrated example of “cherry-picking” [kitman] beloved of ‘moderate muslims’.
Ironically, muslims accuse infidels who KNOW the koran of ‘cherry-picking’…
JIMJFOX says
Neville
Your version is decidedly unreliable; why do you quote it when so many more accurate exist?
Do you have some agenda??
“English translations by the clergyman John Medows Rodwell in 1861, and Edward Henry Palmer in 1880, both showing in their works a number of mistakes of mistranslation and misinterpretation, which brings into question their primary aim”
JIMJFOX says
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quran_translations#English
s says
Now, why do I question WHO paid for and WHO designed that outdoor board??????????
The CommunIslamist Left will do ANYTHING to maintain power and to continue the Destruction of America.. the sign should read “LULLABY AND GOODNIGHT GO TO SLEEP LITTLE CHILDREN! “
Crusades Were Right! says
“Moderate Muslims” in the West, i.e. those Mohammedans who don’t actively engage in jihadi attacks against non-Mohammedans, actually provide assistance, whether intended or not, to the jihadis, in that they provide a “cloak of invisibility” under which jihadis can operate without drawing attention to themselves, since the authorities, like the rest of us, can’t tell the difference between them. When do the “moderate Muslims” ever lift a finger to help the authorities catch the jihadis before it’s too late?
As for the billboard – just another case of “Al taqiyya for a ride, kaffirs!”, I strongly suspect.
August West says
In many of Spencer’s videos he references a koran which has commentary by Mawdudi in the footnotes.
It is helpful when one sees references to the koran like the one on this sign.
I have recently purchased this version in paperback from Amazon for about $26.
You don’t have to go into an islamic bookstore when u go to London, which is a joke that Spencer frequently makes.
It is well worth the money. For those interested you find it under:
Towards Understanding the Qur’an
I don’t keep it with my real books. I keep it on the floor where it belongs, but it is excellent reference material.
I’ll buy Bukari and Reliance of the Traveler next.
Oliver says
How (or why) did the authorities allow this sign? (I agree, ISIS, as well as Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran; the other 100+ groups fighting in Syria; the PLO, Fatah; Al Queida, etc. ALL SUCK).
However, I recall, some years ago, in FL., someone or some company wanted to put up a billboard with—X sucks (I forgot the details) and the firm (or person) was told that they could not, as ” sexually suggestive” (IE. oral genital sex; as opposed to be just- terrible).
Guessing that the “anti-obscenity” laws would be similar (or, if on an interstate-wouldn’t Federal laws rule?)
Amy says
The verse he refers to actually is the punishment for terrorism. Hirabah is defined as highway robbery or terrorism, not as he claims used against the Jews. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hirabah
Vic says
Excellent article. When I saw the sign I wanted to know who sponsored such deceit and misinformation. I went to a Sound Vision website…very well developed.
http://www.soundvision.com/about-us Lots of community organized activities and mobilizing Muslims going back 28 years to tackle a plethora of issues.
Among those issues they gathered together at the national level to raise their voices in protest, during the Bosnian war, in regards to the massive number of Muslim women that were being killed and raped by the Serbian and Yugoslavian armies. They elevated the position of rape as a war crime all the way to the UN, who didn’t do much to stop the war and the genocide. Read all about it on the article they post on their website. Bill Clinton was president then, but even though he never met with them, he did send the DOD to stop the massacres. Hillary invited them to WH for lunch. Nice touch. I wonder if ISIS or the immigrants flooding and living in Europe and England, Australia and as near as Minnesota got that memo from fellow moderate Muslims that they worked hard to declare and make rape a war crime. No. I don’t think so.
And today they use our freedoms that they enjoy to proselytize and spread lies freely in our country and abroad. Makes me wonder if these “moderate” Muslims have ever read the Quran and/or studied the life of the prophet they follow? A chasm between what this group is saying and what is happening at the hands of their brothers and sisters who follow the Islamic creeds ALL over the world… Same MO for 1400 years. And since by muslim standards the Quran and the prophet are “perfect” in every way, it doesn’t seem the MO is going to change any time soon. And certainly we won’t hear any different from our MSM or our government officials…so it’s up to us to instruct ourselves, engage our families, friends and neighbors in this discussion. Otherwise, one day we may wake up to find that are freedom of speech is gone. Thank you Robert Spencer for your persistence of many years in proclaiming the Truth in a clear fashion and exhorting us “infidels” to join in this fight to protect our freedoms.