In many discussions about Hamas, Hamas is described as a “terrorist organization” (which it is), but with no reference at all to Jihad (“Holy War”) in its Islamic context.
Mohammed invented Jihad in Medina in 623 C.E. after 1-1/2 years of unsuccessfully trying to convert the Jews and others there by using peaceful persuasion as Mohammed previously had done in Mecca from 610 to 622 C.E.
Mohammed’s peaceful persuasion method used in Mecca for 12 years before his own tribe, the Quraysh, drove him out of Mecca was a failure resulting in only 150 Muslim converts from Mecca who traveled with Mohammed to Medina.
After being unsuccessful in his mission in Mecca and then in Medina, Mohammed turned completely to “Jihad” in which he decided, according to the various hadiths (his sayings and deeds) and as recorded in his biography, the Sira, that every single rule of civilized behavior could and should be breached including committing murder, torture, terror, oppression and humiliation, rape, beheading, burning, beating, sex slavery, stealing, lying (“Takiyya”), hostility, insults, threats, mockery, maligning, cursing and any other form or threat of violence in order to achieve submission of the infidels — PROVIDED IT WAS DONE IN THE NAME OF JIHAD FOR THE SPREAD OF ISLAM.
This is what Hamas did to Israelis in southern Israel on October 7th.
Jihad offers a “win/win” result to Jihadist Muslim “holy warriors” or “mujahideen” whether they live or die in pursuing Holy War. If they live and carry out their mission to convert the Kafirs (infidels) by offering Islam or death by the sword, they win. If they die trying, they become “shahids” (martyrs) and still win by securing two important post mortem benefits under Islam: (i) they go directly to the highest Islamic heaven where they eternally cavort with 72 houris or virgins and (ii) they skip “the terrors of the grave,” the Muslim belief that right after burial angels, Munkar and Nakir, appear in the grave and terrifyingly fight over the soul of the Muslim to determine whether he is to be sent to heaven or to hell.*
While westerners may criticize the Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023 as “savages, murderers, barbarians and animals,” it is important to note that the Hamas terrorists do not see themselves that way at all. Rather, they consider themselves as holy warriors (mujahideen) carrying out the sacred mission of Islamic Jihad to conquer the “kufaar” (the infidels)** and spread Islam throughout the entire world as Allah and Mohammed have commanded.
While “terror” and “humiliation” are two of the many devices used by Hamas and all the other Islamist groups such as Hizbullah, the Houthies, Islamic Palestinian Jihad, Boko Harem and the Iranians, these are tactics that do not constitute or describe the strategic goal of Islam.
A strong clue of this is displayed in the Hamas name.
“Hamas” is an acronym for the “Islamic Resistance Movement.”
Note the word “Islamic” — which many commentators often never mention.
What does “Islamic” mean?
The mission of Islam is to spread Islam throughout the world from “Dar al-Islam” (The House of Islam – those Muslim countries and territories already under the rule of Islam and the Sharia) to “Dar al-Harb (“The House of War” – those countries not yet conquered by or amalgamated with Islam which Jihadi process was initiated by Mohammed in Arabia in the last nine years of his life and has been continuously underway by Jihadist Muslims since his death in 632 C.E.)
Only in advancing Islam by violent Jihad, a proven, successful strategy invented and used by Mohammed to conquer Arabia,*** will all the world eventually become part of “Dar al-Islam” to be led by a reinstituted worldwide Islamic caliphate. These have been and continue to remain their eternal goals.****
All Israelis and westerners need to understand the Islamic religious foundation and motivation of Hamas which should not be omitted or glossed over as so many western oriented analysts do — largely because they know little to nothing about Islam.
Consider all the research and study poured into Holocaust Studies regarding the Nazis and their allies in persecuting and murdering six million Jews before and during The Second World War. Why are we not spending even a fraction of this time and money in studying Jihad and its violent Jihadists who attempted the same thing on October 7, 2024 in the Hamas attack on southern Israel — and have promised more? This is an ongoing holocaust taking place in real time.
Accordingly, I strongly suggest that this subject be studied, discussed and elucidated in webinars and conferences with reputable Islamic scholars such as Dr. Mordechai Kedar in Israel or Robert Spencer in New York so that Israelis and their supporters will have a correct understanding of Hamas and their Jihadist motivation.
Only in doing so can Israel strategize for the long term by truly understanding and addressing the violent motivations of the Jihadists and ultimately execute the de-radicalization of Hamas, Gaza and the Palestinian Authority.
—————————————————–
* The Terrors of the Grave. Mosab Hassan Yousef (“The Green Prince”) who wrote “Son of Hamas” (2011), after seeing the burial of a Muslim corpse, describes the terrors of the grave as follows: “This man’s soul will soon return to him and two terrible angels named Munkar and Nakir will come out of the sky to examine him. They will grab his body and shake him, asking, ‘Who is your God?’ If he answers incorrectly, they will beat him with a big hammer and send him down into the earth for seventy years. Allah, we ask you to give us the right answers when our time comes!… And if his answers are not satisfactory, the weight of the dirt above him will crush his ribs. Worms will slowly devour his flesh. He will be tormented by a snake with ninety-nine heads and a scorpion the size of a camel’s neck until the resurrection of the dead, when his suffering may earn Allah’s forgiveness.” (p. 17).
** Kufaar. While the common translation of the Arabic word “kufaar” (plural of “kafir”) is “infidels,” the meaning of this Arabic term is very derogatory and demeaning. The Arabic word is linguistically related to the Hebrew root word “CFR” which means “to cover up.” The Muslim view of non-Muslims such as Jews, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists and others, is NOT that these non-Muslims have a legitimate but different religious path to God which should be respected. Rather, it is the opposite. They consider that “Kufaar” (Plural: “Cover Uppers”) know very well that there is only one true religion, that of Allah and Islam and one true prophet, Mohammed, but they evilly cover it up to promote their own false religions.
*** Mohammed’s Conquest of Arabia. An Islamic scholar, Professor Bill Warner, has calculated that Mohammed initiated a raid, battle, expedition or other armed event 65 times which is on average every six weeks from the time that Mohammed adopted Jihad in Medina as his strategy in 623 C.E. to the time of his death in 632 C.E. In 632 Mohammed had 150 followers who traveled with him on the “Hijra” (Migration) from Mecca to Medina. Following nine years of Jihad, at his death in 632 he had secured an estimated 100,000 followers and Islam was the only religion left in Arabia. Waging Jihad was immensely successful.
**** Jihad Forever. Islam commands that Muslims will wage Jihad until the “last Day” when the Day of Judgement will occur. As such, it is an eternal, never ceasing commandment. Muslims know that temporary set backs in achieving victorious Holy War will be overcome based on Mohammed’s experience with the Treaty of Hudabiyya. In 628 Mohammed attempted to re-enter Mecca (having been driven out in 622) to pray at the Kaaba. His forces were not strong enough at the time so he signed the 10 year Treaty of Hudabiyya which regulated when and how many of his forces could pray at Mecca’s Kaaba each year. Two years later, some Muslims skirmished with the Meccan polytheists. Mohammed used the two years to build up his forces so he then broke the Treaty of Hudabiyya and proceeded to conquer his home town of Mecca. From this lesson Muslims learn to be patient and wait to conquer, if they need to do so, until they are stronger, their enemy is weaker — or both.
John Smith says
As mentioned in this article hamas is an acronym, which has now become a new word in Arabic. Yet hamas is an ancient word in Hebrew and appears more than 60 times in the Bible. In the Old Testament it is always associated with extreme violence, wickedness, and evil. Is this just a coincidence, I don’t know.
Mike says
Yes. Moreover, is it also just coincidence that the name conjures up an image of a porcine posterior, as in “HamAss”?
Clement Alford says
With the west abandoning Christianity and Islam being opportunistic workd on filling the religious and cultural space. I am 78 and have seen the secularisation of the UK and Europe and replacement that has happened and is happening.
After WW2 many foreign workers were allowed to work building up the ruined economy of UK and some countries in Europe. They looked to save money and return to their homelands and start a business there. However this all changed when their families were allowed to join them and settle here. Then Blair and Co eased the restrictions and consequently today’s mess.
It’s going to require some serious thought and action to rectify!!
bill says
Only to those who speak English
Frank N Furter says
My first instinct was to answer the question raised with a resounding ‘no’, because (at least to me) this is all crystal clear. On second thought, however, this answer presupposes the same amount of knowledge for everyone involved. And it is this premise that may be incorrect, given the presumption (pfff) that if people know this about jihad they wouldn’t be doing what they’re doing. Thus, the presumption (pfff) that people do this and at the same time are all ‘in the know’, making them ice cold scum, can be circumvented.
But maybe I’m too optimistic about mankind…
aum says
Thanks for posting this – Understanding the context is crucial.
Inês von Funcke says
Thank you for this article. Very clear and enlightening.
Walter Sieruk says
This article fittingly mentions the horrendous atrocities committed by those Jihadists of Hamas on October7th 2023 who viciously engaged in that vile heinous sex assaults and outright rapes as well as other malicious and murderous Islamic terrorist jihad attack against those peaceful young people at that music festival , on October 7th., are also horrendously heinous and vile by raping girls and women and brutally cruelly hateful and wickedly mutilating them are Muslim terrorists of the most abhorrent and despicable sort.
Those Hamas jihadists are an outright abomination.
Furthermore, it does need to be made clear About the actual cause of that murderous jihad massacre that the Muslim terrorist of Hamas committed on October , 7th, 2023.
The “roots” of the ideology of Islamic terrorism is based on the theology of the religion of Islam.
In which has its entire foundation on the Qur ‘an.
That “holy book” of Islam the Qur ‘an [the Koran] instructs on the use of violence and killing of disbelievers for the advancement of Islam. As found in ,for example 2:191. 4:89. 5:33. 9:5,111,123.
47:4.
Furthermore, teaches hate for and towards Jewish people, as in calling them descendants of “apes and swine.” As seen in the Qu ‘ran in 2:65; 7:166.; 5:60. Therefore , the violent jihadist and devote jihad-minded Muslims despise the Jewish State of Israel.
That murderous demonic jihad entity, Hamas is based on Islam . That’s the actual, real,” roots” of that Israel – Hamas war.
Walter Sieruk says
Hamas is a violent and deadly religious organization. It’s foundation is Islam which has Quran as its ’holy book” that instructs Muslims to engage in the violence and killing of “disbelievers” for the cause of Islam, as seen in Surah 2:191. 4: 89. 5:33. 9:123. For example, Surah 47:4 reads, “Whenever you encounter the disbelievers strike off their heads until you make a great slaughter among them…”
The terrible reality is that using rockets, machine guns and bombs will make a greater “slaughter among them than a sword can.
The jihadists of Hamas are followers of Quran based Islam and not a “warped’ type of Islam.
Walter Sieruk says
As for the title of this article which is titled “Understanding Jihad.” It’s revealed in this article if violent and deadly jihadists “become “shahids” (martyrs) and still win by securing two important post mortem benefits under Islam: they go directly to the highest Islamic heaven where they eternally cavort with 72 houris or virgins and (ii) they skip “”he terrors of the grave,’ “
That doctrine of Islam of a places with many horuis as enticing as it may be to some male Muslims is ,in reality, one on the false doctrines of Islam.
For the harsh reality it that If a jihadist dies just after his Islamic suicide /homicide attack, right after he died ,to his shock and horror, he found himself trapped and suffering in the fires of an awful place the Bible calls “hell.” Luke 16:19-31. That jihad minded Muslim of Hamas was dangerous to self and others because that he was indoctrinated with and likewise believed in the doctrine found in the Quran, 44:54. 55:56. 78;31.,of a lust –filled sex paradise with many virgins, in in for his use only, because he died as a “martyr” for the cause of Islam. That jihadist will discover the hard way that he was instructed in and put his faith in a false doctrine that is from a false religious book of false religion .This doctrine of a paradise for the jihadist who died fighting for Islam was only an enticing religious story of fiction. The Bible does give warning against giving “heed to fables…” First Timothy 1:4. [N.K.J.V]
As for dying in a murderous jihad attack, in spite, of the Muslim clerics falsely calling it a “martyrdom operation.” That jihadist after in dies in a jihad murder attack, and learn too late, the truth of Bible with informs its reader that a murderer “will not inherit the Kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:21.
In addition, such false teachers, as those imams and mullahs, who teach and ingrain false yet enticing doctrines as that a lust /sex fill place with virgins into the hearts and minds of others had been predicted in the Bible. For it is written, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine , but according to their own desires , because they have itching ears ; they will heap up for themselves teachers ;and they will away their ears from the truth and be turned to fables.” Second Timothy 4 : 3,4.
Walter Sieruk says
In this twenty-first century conflict between the Judeo- Christian West and the Islamic East which also has been termed “The war of Ideas” the West needs ideas for its very foundation and defense that is far superior to something as weak and worthless as just “opinion.”
What the West needs is wisdom. As the Bible instructs “Wisdom is better than strength.” Ecclesiastes 9:16. [N.K.J.V.] Likewise, this same book of the Bible also teaches in 9:18 “Wisdom is better than weapons of war.” Therefore, wisdom is in strong contrast to opinion. Also greatly opposed to wisdom is folly and deceit. As the Bible in Proverbs 14:8 informs the reader ‘The folly of fools is deceit.”
The Muslims who are the jihadists are dangerous, deadly and deluded. By the word “ deluded “ it means that they are under the spell of the deception of the false doctrines of the false religion that is Islam.
This deception of deceit may be seen, by all those who are willing to see, in the Islamic doctrine of a virgin filled paradise designed specify for the male Muslim jihadist who dies in the jihad for the cause of Islam, in what they so inappropriately call a “martyrdom operation.” Many a times a jihadist/Muslim is so very deluded that he actually put on his video recording that after he dies in the jihad as a “martyr” he will then in paradise have a “wedding with virgins.” This firm but blind unquestioning folly is the result of such a man believing in deception of a false doctrine. With Light of the Wisdom of Jesus a belief in a “wedding with virgins.” is the outcome of a person accepting as the “truth” an invalid and false. For Jesus taught “you are mistaken, not knowing the Scripture nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are as the angles in heaven.” Matthew 22:29,30. [N.K.J.V.]
A jihadist will after dies and such a murderous way will have a very hard and harsh “reality check” In that “his expectation will perish…” Proverb 11:7. For he will then discover that he was deceived by false doctrine and lie of “a paradise with virgins” and to his shock and horror he will find himself trapped and suffering ,with no hope of escape, in the fires of hell. As the Bible teaches a murder “will not inherit the kingdom of God,” Galatians 5:21. This is sad and tragic but nevertheless it’s the reality of the truth.