In light of recent revelations that the Islamic State is teaching its followers to eat non-Muslims, surely we can now all agree that, at least in this, ISIS is truly not Islamic?
Alas, no. Even the eating of “infidels” has precedents throughout Islamic history, especially as a terror tactic. Two well-documented anecdotes come to mind:
The first concerns that jihadi par excellence, Khalid bin al-Walid (d.642). Dubbed the “Sword of Allah” by Muhammad for his prowess, he holds a revered position among jihadi groups (ISIS’ black flag with white Arabic writing is a facsimile of the banner Khalid carried in battle). During the Ridda — or “apostasy wars” on several Arab tribes that sought to break away from Islam following Muhammad’s death — Khalid falsely accused Malik bin Nuwayra, a well-liked Arab chieftain, of apostasy. After slaughtering him, Khalid raped — Muslim sources call it “married” — Malik’s wife. Not content,
He [Khalid] ordered his [Malik’s] head and he combined it with two stones and cooked a pot over them. And Khalid ate from it that night to terrify the apostate Arab tribes and others. And it was said that Malik’s hair created such a blaze that the meat was so thoroughly cooked [from Muslim historian al-Tabari’s multi-volume chronicle, al-bidaya w’al nihaya (“the Beginning and the End”; Arabic excerpt here).
The second anecdote concerns the Islamic conquest of Spain. According to Muslim chronicler Ibn Abdul Hakam, after capturing a group of Christian winemakers, the Islamic invaders
made them prisoners. After that they took one of the vinedressers, slaughtered him, cut him in pieces, and boiled him, while the rest of his companions looked on. They had also boiled meat in other cauldrons. When the meat was cooked, they threw away the flesh of that man which they had boiled; no one knowing that it was thrown away: and they ate the meat which they had boiled, while the rest of the vinedressers were spectators. These did not doubt but that the Moslems ate the flesh of their companion; the rest being afterwards sent away informed the people of Andalus [Christian Spain] that the Moslems feed on human flesh, acquainting them with what had been done to the vinedresser [source].
Tarek ibn Ziyad — another jihadi extraordinaire, revered for burning his boats on reaching Spain’s shores as proof of his commitment to jihad or “martyrdom” — also had Christian captives slaughtered, cooked up, and apparently eaten in front of their fellow hostages. Then, according to Muslim historian Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Maqqari, the jihadi hero “allowed some of the captives to escape, that they might report to their countrymen what they had seen. And thus the stratagem produced the desired effect, since the report of the fugitives contributed in no small degree to increase the panic of the infidels” (The History of the Mohammedan Dynasty, p. 276).
Note that, according to all the above cited Muslim chroniclers, the jihadis engaged in these cannibalistic practices to terrorize and create panic among infidels and apostates, that is, as a form of psychological warfare. This is further highlighted when, as they often do, the chroniclers quote or paraphrase Koran verses that call for “striking terror” into the hearts of nonbelievers (e.g., 3:151, 8:12, 8:60) in juxtaposition to the savage accounts they relay.
(I watched and linked to a video some years back of a modern day Egyptian cleric also making it clear that Khalid’s actions were calculated to terrify the apostates. Although YouTube has, as usual, taken the video down by now, here’s my original translation of what he said: “People wonder how our lord Khalid could have eaten from such meat? Oh yes — he ate from it! Our lord Khalid had a very strong character, a great appetite, and everything! All to terrorize the desert Arabs [apostates]. The matter requires determination; these matters require strength — terrorism.”)
There are more and related anecdotes. During the earliest Muslim invasions of Christian Syria, one of Muhammad’s companions, ‘Ubadah bin al-Samat, told a Christian commander that “We have tasted blood and find none sweeter than the blood of Romans,” meaning Byzantines and/or Christians. Whether literal or figurative, clearly such bloodthirsty references inspire the Islamic State’s worldview as evidenced by the latter’s assertion that “American blood is best, and we will taste it soon.”
Incidentally, veneration and/or emulation of early jihadi barbarity is not limited to “radical” or extreme outfits that, so we are always told, “have nothing to do with Islam.” None other than Al Azhar — the Muslim world’s most prestigious university, which hosted Obama’s 2009 “New Beginning” speech — teaches these accounts of Muslims eating infidels. The reason is simple: such a heritage doesn’t belong to ISIS any more than it does to Al Azhar. It belongs to Islam.
A final note: one school of thought maintains that in the aforementioned historical anecdotes, Muslims did not just pretend to devour their victims; they really did. However, later Muslim chroniclers, embarrassed by the bestial savagery of their coreligionists, portrayed the cannibalism as only pretend. If true, this further validates why ISIS isn’t merely teaching Muslims to pretend to devour their infidel victims, but to eat them in reality — as when one jihadi cut out and dug his teeth into the heart of a fallen Syrian soldier, after saying “I swear to Allah, soldiers of Bashar, you dogs — we will eat your heart and livers! Allahu Akbar!” (Yes, video here.)
This may also shed light on the Daily Mail‘s unsatisfactory explanation on why ISIS is promoting cannibalism. According to Haras Rafiq, the Daily’s authority whom it describes as a “practicing Muslim,” ISIS is promoting cannibalism “if there are no food supplies available during what they describe as a time of jihad.” Under such circumstances, “terrorists were encouraged to kill non-Muslims or Muslims who do not share their version of Islam for food.”
To be sure, eating humans in times of extreme duress and starvation — or “non-halal” food — is not particularly shocking and has been committed many times, past and present, by peoples of all races and religions. One is therefore left to wonder if Rafiq is yet another in a long line of embarrassed Muslim authorities trying to rationalize away their coreligionists’ depraved practices in the name of Islam.
[PJ Media]
miriamrove says
Islam: When do you anticipate that this nightmare will end? m
mortimer says
When will the nightmare end? The Koran is considered ‘eternal’… therefore the 164 jihad commands in the Koran are ‘eternal’.
‘Turhibunna’ (terrorize them). K.8.60. That’s ‘eternal’.
Sh. N. says
We will end it, if we all get together.
If all those gullible people around us do not hider us.
I was a Muslim and used to practice Islam.
Unfortunately, it took me a long time to learn and feel the real Islam.
If I had a military power, and people support, I would have struck fear to their hearts as they have done to me and my forefathers for 1400 years.
Jeanette says
Fear isn’t going to be enough; there will always remain enough people to breed back up to large numbers again, particularly with the use of herd breeding programs.
Islam must be de-frocked as a religion and declared a (human sacrifice-practicing) cult, and then outlawed worldwide, with those who insist on continuing its practice totally ostracized by the rest of the world.
(The Muslims and liberals have tried to devalue the word “cult” by belittling anyone who uses it, but a few minutes’ research into what the qualifiers are that make an organization or group a cult show that Islam is indeed a cult.)
arauna says
Unfortunately Satan wants world domination and he is going to try to do this through false religion and other political and financial organizations. BUT these people forget there is a true God who has appointed a King (Jesus) who is already ruling in heaven. (Rev 12: 7-12) He will destroy them with his heavenly army of angels. Humans cannot fight this any longer – they can try – it is the time of the end. (We cannot use human armies to fight this ). I know Robert is trying to warn people about the threats – but things have gone too far!
God has allowed humans to rule the earth to prove that we cannot rule the earth independent from Him…..Humans in control make a mess of everything and false religion has a lot of blood on her hands (Rev 17 + 18 False religion is a harlot (unfaithful to God) and is bedfellows with politics – has political aspirations).
This is why the government of God (with Jesus as ruler) is needed to correct everything that man (under influence of Satan) has done to the earth and to each other.
All those people ISIS has killed and innocent people who have lost their lives and suffered will get a resurrection… ISIS and Satan are not going to win the final battle because victory will be for the true God of the Bible at Armageddon!
Pastor C says
When God finally judges all who worship and serve the idol god (Allah) who commands these demonically-inspired beings just as He has throughout history.
Islam has a ‘rich’ history, indeed! Thank you, Dr. Spencer. I never knew about their cannibalistic tendencies.
Throughout the entirety of human history, has any of the other world’s most prominent religions ever sanctioned this kind of barbaric behavior? Don’t waste your time searching. You’ll never find it.
Angemon says
That episode always pops into my head when hearing about islamic cannibalism. IIRC, read it in Paul Fregosi’s “Jihad in the West” back in the early 2000’s.
no_one says
This just confirms that Quran and islam are from the satan of the Bible.
Jeanette says
Yes!
Which entity had the power, intelligence and motivation to create a system/faux religion that would mock God and destroy real religions, and threaten the entire world with a permanent worldwide abyss of evil 1,400 years later?
It wasn’t illiterate, ignorant, sex addict and pedophile Mohammed – he was far too busy rounding up little girls in small settlements. It wasn’t likely that it was any human living amongst the sheepherders and merchants in the backwaters (backsands?) of the middle east.
A Harris USA says
no one, yeah, they are demonic. No doubt.. Just wonder where is there Halah diet in all of this ??? I guess pork is out, but humans are in.. What next, demand human flesh be served in school cafeterias ??? I would not be surprised.
Romans says
It doesn’t surprise me one bit that Islam teaches cannibalism; It goes right along with every other Islamic atrocity so far in its blood-thirsty history. Nothing new under the sun…
Elaine McMurren says
Yet another practice the Muslims share with Leftists. Child rape, Christophobia, hatred of white men, denigration of women, vandalism, arson, Satanism, child abduction, torture, cannibalism, lying, inciting violence to promote a political agenda…
gravenimage says
I have my issues with the Left, Elaine, but when have they advocated cannibalism?
Robert Crawford says
Read the “Black Book of Communism” — Chinese Marxists for a while made it a ritual to slaughter, cook, and consume the richest people in a village when they took it over.
gravenimage says
Robert, I believe “Leftists” implies those in the West. I am well aware of the horrors of Mao.
A Harris USA says
graven, selling baby body parts, comes real close
gravenimage says
A Harris, who in the West is eating baby’s body parts? I have never heard of this.
Unless you are referring to the placenta, which some silly mothers eat. I find this ridiculous when it is practiced, but it would be difficult to consider it cannibalism in the true sense.
zimriel says
stop it, you’re giving Reza Aslan the munchies again.
gravenimage says
Ewwww!
gravenimage says
Raymond Ibrahim: The Islamic State Revives Islam’s Original Terror Tactic — Cannibalism
……………………..
Fine piece by Raymond Ibrahim on this latest Muslim sadism. And this is *not* the first time we have seen this barbarism in the modern age–“Palestinian” Muslims murdered Israeli soldiers, rubbed their blood over their hands and faces, and tore their bodies apart and ate part of them in an orgy of savagery.
abad says
Islam’s followers are not human.
They have no consciences, they are amoral, they murder people left right and center while screeching their unholy, ungodly “Allahu Akhbar” – they are barbarians.
Satan controls the souls and minds of Muslims.
Jeanette says
And calling to one’s deity to witness and approve (and hopefully, reward) a murder has a name: Human sacrifice.
It’s time that we made that as public as possible. It’s the only way we can ever hope to have Islam relabeled from “religion” to “cult” (although very few cults practice human sacrifice, it is one of a long list of qualifiers used to determine whether a group is a cult – Islam meets ALL of those qualifiers).
Once Islam no longer has the protection of being a “religion,” we might have a chance to discredit and maybe even outlaw it, ostracizing and putting sanctions on any country or region that insists on continuing its savageries.
Matthieu Baudin says
Someone may well be eating Bagdadi’s liver some day soon.
Rotten Eye says
A Prayer to Mother Earth
And the Earth became infected with the vile Muslim.
The skies were dark with soot and the smell of death.
And people lived in fear.
Grain did not grow and the animals were sick.
And it came to pass, the Earth saith:
“I am sick and my life is unhappy when the Muslim walks on my land and breathes my air.
All good men, find the Muslim and strike him at the neck, of all Muslims!
Smite ye above their necks and smite all their finger-tips off them.
Against them make ready your strength to the utmost of your power, including steeds of war,
to strike terror into the hearts of the vile Muslim.
Some ye slew, and some ye make prisoners.
Destroy their dwellings!
Destroy their seed that no Muslim shall be born unto the Earth.”
If the dirty Muslims hides behind a rock or tree, the rock or tree will cry out:
“Come! Look here! See the dirty Muslim hiding! Come and smite him.
For surely they are sons and daughters of Pigs and Monkeys!”
And the Muslim fled like a crazy man with fear in his eyes and terror in his mind!
But he was not swift enough.
For the Earth found and catch every one of the vile Muslim.
And the Muslim was struck at his neck.
And the Muslim blood flowed like the river Nile.
Until all Muslims on Earth were smited.
And Lo, Behold.
The world became clean and the air fresh when the Muslims were no more.
And the Earth was happy.
And people lived in peace and the Earth was good.
In the name of our Mother Earth,
For ever and ever,
Amen
Jeanette says
Ha! Taken directly from the Koran – love it!
gravenimage says
Of course, civilized Infidels don’t think like this.
T.L.CLARK says
So, this is their way of eating pork and still thinking that they’re not eating pork. THE WORLD loves bacon.