The impulse here is understandable, but nevertheless unrealistic. It is better to have a full and accurate understanding of what we’re dealing with.
Rabbi Yakov Nagen here claims that Hamas has perverted Islam apparently because of its “use of suicide bombers, missile attacks against civilians, and genocidal aspirations, in the case of Hamas annihilating the Jews.”
The justification for suicide bombing is in the Qur’an: “Indeed, Allah has bought from the believers their lives and their wealth, because the garden will be theirs, they will fight in the way of Allah and will kill and be killed.” (9:111) This is the only promise of paradise in the Qur’an, but one can take hold of that promise by being killed while killing unbelievers.
Killing women and children, i.e., civilians, is justified in a hadith in which Muhammad waves away those who object. “It is reported on the authority of Sa’b b. Jaththama that the Prophet of Allah (may peace be upon him), when asked about the women and children of the polytheists being killed during the night raid, said: They are from them.” (Sahih Muslim 4321)
And the genocidal aspirations are justified in another hadith: “Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The last hour would not come unless the Muslims will fight against the Jews and the Muslims would kill them until the Jews would hide themselves behind a stone or a tree and a stone or a tree would say: Muslim, or the servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me; come and kill him; but the tree Gharqad would not say, for it is the tree of the Jews.” (Sahih Muslim 6985)
Nagen also tries to give the impression that the al-Aqsa Mosque was built on the Temple Mount as some sort of gesture of brotherhood and solidarity. The reason why “for centuries, the link between the ancient temple and the mosque was a source of pride for many Muslims” is that the location of the mosque was considered to be a visible sign of Islam’s victory over Judaism and superiority to it. Al-Aqsa is like Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, a great cathedral converted into a mosque as a sign of Islam’s victory over Christianity and superiority to it. It is also like all the mosques in India that were built over the ruins of Hindu temples the jihadis destroyed. This is, in other words, an extremely weak foundation for interfaith harmony and an appeal to those true Muslims who detest all this jihad terrorism, about whom we hear so very much from non-Muslims, and so very little from directly.
“Hamas has perverted Islam for their sacrilegious, blasphemous actions – opinion,” by Yakov Nagen, Jerusalem Post, October 17, 2023:
…What empowers Hamas and allows it to thrive is that too many have accepted their corruption of the teachings of a world religion. Too many more know better but remain silent. Both of these groups are complicit in the massacre that began this Saturday.
But there are those who have spoken out. Hundreds of Muslim leaders signed a public statement issued by the Global Imams Council (GIC) unequivocally condemning the massacre. In the condemnation, they refer to a legal ruling issued by the Islamic Fatwa Council, located in the Iraqi spiritual capital of Najaf: “It is prohibited to pray for, join, support, finance, or fight on behalf of Hamas.”
The ruling enumerated 11 correlations between Hamas and ISIS, including the use of suicide bombers, missile attacks against civilians, and genocidal aspirations, in the case of Hamas annihilating the Jews. The fatwa was issued in March, prior to the massacres. Its focus is on how Hamas’s corruption and crimes are a violation of Islam and a source of the suffering of the Palestinians in Gaza….
One example of Hamas’s sacrilege is the cynical way they use al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem as a pretext for murder and terror. This is an Orwellian inversion of reality. During last Ramadan, Hamas activists fired fireworks inside the mosque….
The use of al-Aqsa to justify the massacre of Jews is profoundly sacrilegious. In fact, al-Aqsa Mosque should be a symbol of the close, even intimate relationship between Islam and Judaism. It is an inversion of what should be the meaning and significance of the fact that al-Aqsa Mosque is located on Judaism’s holiest site, the Temple Mount. This is where, according to Muslim tradition, Mohammad received the commandment of prayer.
A reference to al-Aqsa first appears in the 17th surah (chapter) of the Quran, and is part of the basis for identifying its location as Jerusalem in that the surah then speaks of the Children of Israel and of the ancient Temple. The term al-Aqsa means “the farthest.” This nomenclature is moving from a Jewish perspective as the Bible tells that upon the dedication of the Temple, King Solomon asked God to listen from that site also to prayers of the non-Jews who have come from a “far land.”…
From both a Jewish and Muslim perspective, the site should be embraced as a center of connection. For centuries, the link between the ancient temple and the mosque was a source of pride for many Muslims.
Coins have been discovered that were minted by the Umayyad Caliphate in the 7th and 8th centuries, featuring the image of the seven-branched candelabrum from the Temple. The tragic contemporary reality is that Hamas promotes a denial that there ever was a Jewish Temple and regards Jews who enter or pray anywhere on the Temple Mount as defiling it….
This is because Islam had not yet been formulated. See Did Muhammad Exist?.
DavidW says
What amazes me is that there are so many non-Muslims who stand front and center defending Islam, telling non-Muslims that the truth about Islam found in the Koran and the actions of Muslims world-wide is not true and that it is a peaceful religion of puppies and kittens.
somehistory says
Ah, another “expert.” When I was a kid, an expert was a drip.
This guy just *wishes* what he is saying was reality. Hasn’t he noticed that mozlums everywhere are all praising and celebrating and supporting what hamas has done and is doing?
Hasn’t he noticed that the clerics in iran and elsewhere have been saying for **years** that what they planned was complete destruction of Israel and the death of all Jews? Can’t he recall the “arab spring” when mozlums by the millions were planning to march on Jerusalem and take it back…killing all Jews there…for islam?
These things would all mean that every mozlum, every mozlum organization, every mozlum-run government is misunderstanding their own book of evil filth.
Has he actually read the book or read commentary or explanations of what it says? I haven’t personally read it; but I have heard and read what mozlums themselves say what it contains. Face to face with a teacher of islam was enough for me, but I’ve seen even worse from the people themselves.
And reading what Mr. Spencer, Mr. Raymond Ibrahim and other true “experts,” those people who have read, studied, analyzed, researched, etc. the book, shows one that hamas, isis, al queda, boko haram, al shabab, mozlum brotherhood, hezbollah, and all the other mozlums acting in like manner are following the book to the letter.
This know-nothing about islam guy is not helping.
Ernie says
Yes SomeHistory ; what a dangerous combination of so much ignorance and naivety .
somehistory says
Thank you, Ernie.
Would he, and people like him, stick a screwdriver into an electrical outlet? It’s amazing how dangerous ignorance can be when combined with the idea of knowing something.
Ernie says
Dear SomeHistory , long time ago , in 1977 and 1978 I shared life with the wonderful people of ( secular ) Kibbutz Re’im . We had a dream together , the dream to live in peace with the Arabs and the kibbutz hired people from Gaza on a regular basis for activities until recently….. The dream is destroyed , kaput . A new sense of very unpleasant reality has emerged since 7 october this year . We know now of the horrors that took place in that region of Israel . Never again !!! For many the horror is continuing and will haunt them for the rest of their lifes , and generations after them …. So much good will and intentions , so much naivite….. I’m so sorry for all those people murdered , wounded , maimed , raped , kinapped …all the destruction . I mourn the losses…
somehistory says
Ernie,
I’m so sorry. Thank you for sharing your experience. Experience is the best teacher, but the learning can be heartbreaking.
I feel bad for all of the innocent victims…esp the little kids who have no choice in any of it.
Ernie says
Thanks for your sympathy and understanding SomeHistory .
somehistory says
Ernie, what a different world it would be if sympathy was never a necessary emotion;
if the world was one of “milk and honey” and we all grew clover for the bees and green grass for the cattle.
I pray one day, this will be so.
Ernie says
SomeHistory ,Mashiach WILL come !
Ernie says
Rabbi Yakov Nagen probably is a very nice man ( and liberal ) ; however he is severely deluded ( and being abused without knowing it ), blind to truth . Sad when you see the blind leading the blind . This tragically is is the case with so many influential religious leaders from so many denominations… Dangerously naive .
mgoldberg says
Global Imams Council (GIC). I went to the website and wonder to myself ‘why haven’t they or others come out with tears in their eyes over the many horrendous homicidal mass slaughters of non combatants across the globe? Where is the fatwa against all of that? Just to come out now… after all these years against the homicidism of Hamas… ok, maybe a start but where is the contrition the mea culpa and the demands for all other muslims to adhere to standards that would prevent all these mass murders this year for example, in Nigeria, kenya, burkina faso, India, Israel, and there are many more.
bagsgroove says
What is the curse on mankind ?
somehistory says
the son of a hamas leader…who left islam, became a Christian…talks to FOX
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/son-of-hamas-leader-speaks-out-as-war-rages-with-israel/vi-AA1ivo6w?ocid=msedgntp&pc=HCTS&cvid=d82487cb70c24a13a30091ada63a7f03&ei=15
Bexarkat says
Where is Charles Martel when we need him?
tim gallagher says
I don’t get how these people who defend or make excuses for islam and its followers can be so dumb. All you need to do is read a bit of that evil book, the Koran, to see how full of hate islam is. Then you look at islam’s 1400 year history and see that it has always been full of murderous violence. islam is a hate-filled and vicious religious ideology. That is all it ever has been and all it ever will be. There is no getting along peacefully with Muslims and the only reasonable approach to them is to shut them out of all non-Muslim countries. Nothing else will ever work. islam has nothing positive to bring to any civilised, enlightened non-Muslim society.
somehistory says
OT
A young woman tells what she experienced in the attack on the festival
“Natalie Sanandaji, an American woman who escaped Hamas’ assault on an Israeli music festival October 7, recounted her harrowing experience to Fox News Digital and went on to say that although she’s back in the United States now, she does not feel safe seeing how easily “brainwashing” on social media is fueling antisemitism and anti-Israel demonstrations. ”
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/american-survivor-of-hamas-attack-on-music-fest-returns-to-see-anti-israel-protests-in-us-i-don-t-feel-safe/ar-AA1iwCBW?ocid=msedgntp&pc=HCTS&cvid=846d268722a24d4cbc3225839dec8181&ei=17