| FrontPageMag.com | By Robert Spencer | By Hugh Fitzgerald | Books | Islam 101 | Qur'an Blog | Raymond Ibrahim | Robert Spencer |  |
|
|
||||||||||
|
|
CAIR and other tireless conductors of Da'wa will never send out copies of the Hadith, unless of course they have carefully gone through them and left only the most anodyne or most impenetrable. They will not distribute, either, the life of Muhammad -- that is, the life of Muhammad that Muslims learn about, with the decapitation of the 600-900 bound prisoners of the Banu Qurayza, the murders of Asma bint Marwan and Abu Afak, the marriage to little Aisha, aged nine, the attack on the inoffensive farmers of the Khaybar Oasis, the treachery -- "war is deceit" said Muhammad -- of the treaty made in 628 A.D. with the Meccans at Hudaibiyyah.
But the Qur'an they do distribute. They know that the recipients will scarcely be able to make their way through a work which is so confused, in parts so utterly incomprehensible (as Christoph Luxenberg and hundreds of other Western scholars have noted), so strange to Westerners in its arrangement, with passages that in English (or French for that matter) sound much milder than they are in the original, and of course, simply unlikely to be read all the way through, with proper understanding.
Take, for example, the Arabic phrase "Jihad fi sabil Allah." Jihad in the path of Allah. Christian readers will immediately think that is a fine sentiment -- just a Muslim version of "walk in the ways of the Lord." But it isn't, not at all. Those who know what the word "Jihad" means, and not only from the Qur'an itself, but from the gloss provided both by the Hadith and by the life of Muhammad, the sira that depicts the Perfect Man, uswa hasana, who must be obeyed, and emulated, in all things, will realize that "jihad fi sabil Allah" is a sinister phrase.
The Qur'an is unlikely to be read with proper comprehension, but just to ensure that the unwary Infidel, curious about Islam, is carefully directed, those who distribute the Qur'an are also careful to point out a handful of semi-plausible passages. No pointing out of 9.5 and 9.29 or indeed of Sura 9 at all. Much more 2.256 ("no compulsion in religion") and 5.32 but without 5.33 (Bush fell for that -- one wonders who's been teaching him).
After all, they have to provide something. They provide the Qur'an, but do what they can to make it a case of directed reading, directed away from the essential meaning of the Qur'an, to a few bits, abrogated by later verses (but why point this out to Infidels?), that offer the thinnest of reeds on which to hang one's hopes for a "good" Islam somewhere in the middle of all that "bad" stuff. ("But don't the Jewish and Christian texts say terrible things" etc.) Muddy the waters, keep muddying them -- isn't that what you would do, if you were a Muslim? Of course you would.
So as the waters are muddied, it is our job to clear them. Why not give the Qur’an out yourself? But first, highlight the verses from sura 9 about war. Highlight 4:34 about wife-beating. Highlight the others that have been quoted here so many times (search the Jihad Watch and Dhimmi Watch archives for “Qur’an,” and you’ll find hundreds.) Print these verses out together. Make many copies. Keep them handy, possibly in your car.
When engaging others in conversation -- the man at the meat-counter, someone standing behind you, or in front of you, at the checkout counter, the man who sells you the paper, the woman at the drycleaners, the parents with whom you carpool, the people at a party -- use your wiles to bring the talk around to the subject of terrorism. Express your unhappiness at the failure of the government and media to speak the truth about Islam, or even to do so obliquely, by ceasing to call this, idiotically, a "war on terrorism" (terrorism is only one tactic, one instrument, of Jihad), but by calling it, not a "war on Islam," but a "war of self-defense against the Jihad." And then add (placing Muslims in an obvious bind as to whether or not they should object): "Of course not all Muslims believe in Jihad. Most do not. Most do not want to force Islam on the world, either by arms or by other means. Most are pluralists, and just as they want to enjoy equal rights here, they are doing everything they can to ensure that non-Muslims have equal rights in Muslim countries. But Bin Laden and the extremists are using texts like these to portray themselves as the exponents of the real Islam."
Bush, given his reputation in Europe and elsewhere for being an ignorant cowboy, is perhaps just the man to carry this off with a straight face.
One becomes a bit tired about lecturing and advising -- without being able to bill for consulting services -- the grand panjandrums of Washington on what they should be doing. Can you please get on with it, all you well-paid consultants and civil servants in Washington? Readers of Jihad Watch should not have to be doing this for you. We did not volunteer to become the Johnny Appleseeds of information about Islam. We would all like to lead our own, potentially interesting and entertaining lives. Some of us need desperately to make a living. Islamic jihad is a real menace, but it is also rather a bore. Spare us. Please.
Posted by Hugh at September 19, 2006 7:48 AM
Print this entry
| Email this entry
| Digg this
| del.icio.us
|
It is but casting pearls before swine. When the politically correct realize what we're trying to do, we will be lectured and/or pulled in by EEOC for harassing such "peaceful" people.
I would like tactics such as those to work but did discover in the workplace that what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. Muslims can get sloppy in the workplace and start attempting conversions. Stuff such as that is the basis for lawsuits, since the literature they use is so vile against Christianity and Judaism. A large corporation will not even remotely tolerate that potential for litigation. You can't get them deported yet, but it is possible to remove them or have them shoved in a corner where you no longer have to listen to them.
Of course, then CAIR will say the poor person is being persecuted for trying to practice his/her religion. However, I can't remember the last time a Jehovah's Witness tried to give me Watchtower at work.
Posted by: InfidelProud![[TypeKey Profile Page]](https://swap.stanford.edu/was/20100322163935im_/http://www.jihadwatch.org/nav-commenters.gif)
at September 19, 2006 8:04 AM
The perfect book consisting of the words of aLLah himself, the one true god. And this perfect book has been altered by CAIR? Wahooo! let's riot...
Posted by: eloivsdiablo at September 19, 2006 8:16 AM
How do you spell CAIR?
Muslim terrorist organization.
Posted by: exsgtbrown at September 19, 2006 8:38 AM
"Tired" is definitely the word, Hugh. I have been exhausted for months. My own family says I'm so far ahead of the curve when it comes to warning of the danger of Islam, well, that it's likely to go on my tombstone: "He told you so."
Posted by: Foehammer at September 19, 2006 8:47 AM
I recognize that the Qu’ran and Hadith are essentially operational doctrine in 2006 and that the Bible is not. Regardless, the counterpoint I struggle with is the one that ‘all religious texts support violence’. From the Bible: Numbers 14-29 The carcasses of you who have murmered against me shall fall in this wilderness…; Deuteronomy 13-15 you shall surely strike the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword…; Isaiah 49-26 I will feed those who oppress you with their own flesh….
My response is that the difference between the Qu’ran and the Bible is that the violent verses of the Qu’ran are seared into the minds of young muslims in Madrassas while those of the Bible are recognized as coming from a different time. The Qu'ran also contains a directive for its followers to commit violent acts against unbelievers.
Does someone have a more elegant response?
Re-reading Biblical passages as current events unfold is eerie.
Posted by: limes at September 19, 2006 8:48 AM
Islam has never undergone a Reformation or an Age of Enlightenment.
How's that?
Posted by: Foehammer at September 19, 2006 8:51 AM
OT/
Heard through the grapevine that CAIR's Ibraham Cooper is going to be on WMAL 630 in Washington DC this morning to discuss the recently released news story about discrimination/harassment of Muslims in the US.
Posted by: eve_anne_gelical at September 19, 2006 9:00 AM
Limes
Those are all OLD TESTAMENTS readings.
As careful as I try to be, you won't find similar text in the NEW TESTAMENT.
KnightHawk
at September 19, 2006 9:19 AM
Forgot this part:
Discusssion, with interview of Ibrahim Cooper, on WMAL 630 in Washington, DC is from 9-10 am EST.
Posted by: eve_anne_gelical at September 19, 2006 9:23 AM
Hugh
I am reluctant to argue with you, but yes we did sign on to being "Johnny Appleseeds of information on Islam". Just by coming to this site daily and discussing islam with like minded people and learning the truth, we have assumed the responsibility of spreading that truth so that our children and grand-children and great grandchildren etc. can remain free of the islamic yoke.
No, I don't enjoy this responsibilty. It becomes tiresome and tedious to constantly worry about it and try and explain it to my freinds and family(who now think I'm a paranoid lunatic), but someone has to do it.
I wish our leaders would quit beating around the bush(no pun intended) call this war what it really is and finish it, so that my 3year old boy won't have to fight it when he grows to be a man.
at September 19, 2006 9:24 AM
Hugh,
You are great as ever
What fine advice.
As we win this war against these idiots, I hope you are one of the sung heroes, your invaluable contibutions recognized, yes, and you have riches (yes), as well as honour in your present (only kidding) old age.
Many thanks.
Posted by: dgene at September 19, 2006 9:37 AM
Concerning getting the truth out about Islam here are some humble suggestions:
1. Provide your local library with copies of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam. My local library gratefully accepted the copies I provided it.
2. Provide your local high school history teachers with an appropriate book concerning Islam. I provided three teachers with "Jesus and Mohammed" by Dr. Mark Gabriel as Christmas gifts.
3. Consider #1 and #2 above when "The Truth about Mohammed" or "What the West Needs to Know about Islam" are released.
4. When forced to sit in a waiting room consider leaving some informative reading material all infidels should read. This could be one of the books items above or consider making copies of Don Feder's recent article "Top 10 Reason Islam Might Not be a Religion of Peace". This can be retrieved from the archives at www.thereligionofpeace.org or from www.chronwatch.com/content/contentDisplay.asp?aid=23438&catcode=13 This article discusses 10 aspects of Islam we will rarely see in the MSM. I've made several copies and given them to co-workers.
I'm sure you are much wiser than I am and you can come up with more effective ways of getting the truth out. So get to it. Our freedom depends on these and other efforts. All the best!
Posted by: kypete
at September 19, 2006 10:18 AM
Hugh
Archimedes mentioned this yesterday on a Dhimmi Watch thread, but while navigating Islam Online, I stumbled across this search engine -
al-Muhaddith Project - Search Engine, where one can search Quran, Hadith, Fiqh, Usool, and a whole bunch of other stuff. While much of it is in Arabic, the stuff in English that exists can be mined to give one what one wants to find out.
Also, even ignoring the Hadith, if one just did a Jihad search on the Quran, one would get a few Yusuf Ali references that very explicitly spell out what Jihad is, and isn't.
Why rely on slaughtered trees?
at September 19, 2006 1:24 PM
limes, the difference between the Koran and the Bible is like the difference between Mohammed and Jesus.
One was a man of peace, and a healer. The other was a bandit chief, a murderer, and worse.
One said 'Suffer little children to come unto me'. The other had 800 innocent men and boys beheaded for an afternoon's entertainment.
at September 19, 2006 6:15 PM
(Note: The Comments section is provided in the interests of free speech only. It is mostly unmoderated, but comments that are off-topic, offensive, slanderous, or otherwise annoying stand a chance of being deleted. The fact that any comment remains on the site IN NO WAY constitutes an endorsement by Jihad Watch or Dhimmi Watch, or by Robert Spencer or any other Jihad Watch or Dhimmi Watch writer, of any view expressed, fact alleged, or link provided in that comment.)