Are Islamists Conducting a New Jihad against the West?

by William DiPuccio
May 12, 2017 at 5:00 am

https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/10335/jihad-against-west

Translations of this item:

Indonesian

"But, as regards the reward and blessing, there is one deed which is very great in comparison to all the acts of worship and all the good deed[s] -- and that is Jihad!" — Saudi publisher's prefatory note, Jihad in the Qu'ran and Sunnah by Sheikh 'Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Humaid.
The rewards of Paradise are also promised to the observant Muslim, but the highest grades of Paradise, of which there are 100, are reserved only for those who perform jihad.
Jihad is, by all appearances, first and foremost an act of religious devotion and only secondarily an act of economic and political rebellion.

About four decades have passed since Sheikh 'Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Humaid (1908-1981), ex-Chief Justice of Saudi Arabia, published his lengthy, impassioned, essay on jihad.[1] This essay, still available on the Internet, is the only one that Saudi religious scholars chose to include with the Noble Quran -- a modern, nine volume, English translation of the Quran, which includes ancient commentary.[2]

A cursory reading of Sheikh bin Humaid's essay should forever silence any fantasies regarding traditional Islam's peaceful disposition toward the non-Muslim world.[3] As the Saudi publisher says in his prefatory note:

"But, as regards the reward and blessing, there is one deed which is very great in comparison to all the acts of worship and all the good deed[s] -- and that is Jihad!"

The publisher continues:

"Never before such an article was seen, describing Jihad in its true colours -- so heart evoking and encouraging!... We are publishing this article and recommend every Muslim not only to read it himself but to offer every other Muslim brother within his read."

To be clear, Sheikh bin Humaid defines "jihad" as "holy fighting in Allah's Cause." This is not, in other words, the "greater jihad," or "spiritual struggle," that some Muslim apologists cite, possibly to obfuscate the primary historical usage of the word. Jihad is war fought with "the heart," "the hand (weapons, etc.)," and "the tongue" (2).

Why Do Muslims Take Up Arms?

According to Sheikh bin Humaid, Allah sent Muhammad to fight against the mushrikun of Mecca -- the "polytheists, pagans, idolaters, and disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah and in His Messenger Muhammad" (2). Muhammad patiently invited the Meccans to Islam for 13 years, warning them of Allah's judgement. But they refused the invitation.

This refusal, by itself, was not the justification for jihad. Allah's mercy was not yet exhausted. Sheikh bin Humaid tells us, in storied detail, that Muhammad and his followers were oppressed and persecuted by the Meccans. They were "imprisoned, made to suffer from hunger and thirst and by being beaten (in a horrible manner)" (3). Moreover, Muhammad himself was physically accosted more than once.[4]

The portrayal of cruelty on the part of the Meccans is enough to evoke sufficient anger in the reader, setting the stage for retaliation and jihad. At first Allah permitted the Muslims to defend themselves, but jihad was not obligatory. Allah can certainly defend the Muslims without fighting, according to the Sheikh, "but Allah wants from His worshippers obedience with all their efforts" (4). Consequently, he calls them to jihad as an act of obedience and devotion, not simply as an act of self-defense. This appears to be the birth of the Islamic doctrine of war.

Who is the Enemy of Islam?

Bin Humaid views jihad as a perpetual war that is to be waged against the world until submission to Islam is secured. The time for patience is over; the time for judgment has come. He cites the famous "verse of the sword":

"Fight those who do not believe in Allah or in the Last Day and who do not consider unlawful what Allah and His Messenger have made unlawful and who do not adopt the religion of truth from those who were given the Scripture – [fight] until they give the jizyah willingly while they are humbled." (Quran 9:29, Sahih International)

Bin Humaid tells us that Allah ordered the Muslims

"to discard (all) the obligations (covenants, etc.) and commanded the Muslims to fight against all the Mushrikun as well as against the people of the Scriptures (Jews and Christians) if they do not embrace Islam, till they pay the Jizya (a tax levied on the non-Muslims who do not embrace Islam and are under the protection of an Islamic government) with willing submission and feel themselves subdued" (4).

Peace with pagans, Jews, and Christians is not an option as long as they resist Muslim rule. And, as long as the Muslims were capable of fighting, says Sheikh bin Humaid, they "were not permitted to abandon 'the fighting' against them... and to reconcile with them and to suspend hostilities against them for an unlimited period" (4).

What is the Reward for Jihad?

Muslims, according to the Qur'an, disliked the call to jihad at first, but Allah insisted upon it:

"Jihad (holy fighting in Allah's Cause) is ordained for you (Muslims) though you dislike it, and it maybe that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allah knows but you do not know" (2:216): (5).

Jihad, then, was not a fabrication of Muhammad; it was, we are told, a direct command from Allah himself.

According to Bin Humaid, Muslim resistance to jihad soon turned to a love for the fight. The motivation, in this case, is the reward, which far exceeds the hardships of fighting. These warriors (Mujahidin) "fight against the enemies of Allah in order that the worship should be all for Allah... and that the Word of Allah... should be superior" (5).

This alone, he tells us, should be sufficient compensation for the warrior, but Allah goes farther. "He will forgive your sins, and admit you into Gardens under which rivers flow and pleasant dwellings in Gardens of Eternity" (6).

Allah, says the Sheikh, also assists the Muslims in their battles against the enemies to give them victory. Although not specifically mentioned in the essay, Muslims find a celebrated example of this divine intervention in Islam's first major conflict, the Battle of Badr. In it, a relatively small army of Muslims defeated the well-equipped Meccan army. This was acclaimed as a certain sign of divine favor.

Sheikh bin Humaid spends several pages (6-10) discussing the superiority of the mujahidin (the warriors) over every other ministry and occupation in Islam, including those who maintain the mosque. The "believers who fight in Allah's Cause (mujahidin) are far superior in grades before Him" (7).

He describes the rewards of Paradise that await them (although he never mentions the fabled virgins). The rewards of Paradise are also promised to observant Muslims, but the highest grades of Paradise, of which there are 100, are reserved only for those who perform jihad (8).

Sheikh bin Humaid places virtually no emphasis on the spoils of war as a reward (see 16). Yet, we know from the many battles chronicled in the hadith, that booty was a major motivation for some of Muhammad's men.[5] Sheikh bin Humaid's idealism seems intended to appeal to the "true believer," and to the purest and most exalted motives to which devout Muslims aspire.

Is Jihad an Act of Worship?

Jihad, according to Sheikh bin Humaid, is spiritual warfare as well as armed conflict. The Quran says (4:76): "Those who believe, fight in the Cause of Allah, and those who disbelieve, fight in the cause of Taghut (Satan etc.)." By battling the friends of Satan, Muslims are, according to him, protecting the weak and rescuing the oppressed from this evil (10). They are fighting to bring mankind "from the darkness into the light," from idolatry to the worship of Allah alone, and "from the injustices of the religions to the justice of Islam" (17).

Jihad, bin Humaid tells us, is also connected deeply to prayer and fasting -- all three of which are ordained by Allah. "All the Muslim religious scholars unanimously agree" that it is superior to non-obligatory prayer, as well as to the Hajj (the required pilgrimage to Mecca) and the Umra (a voluntary pilgrimage to Mecca) (11).

The Prophet Muhammad's lofty aspiration for Jihad is captured in this hadith from Sahih Al-Bukhari (2797). "I would love to be martyred in Allah's Cause, and then come back to life, and then be martyred, and then come back to life again, and then be martyred, and then come back to life again, and then be martyred" (11).

"Anyone", said Muhammad, "whose both feet get covered with dust in Allah's Cause will not be touched by the Hell-fire" (Sahih Al-Bukhari 2811) (16). This quest for martyrdom was echoed by the Fort Hood killer, Major Nidal Malik Hasan. Two years before he killed 13 people in 2009, he told an audience of his fellow Army doctors, "We love death more than you love life!"[6]

What are the Punishments for Refusing to Participate in Jihad?

If the rewards of jihad are great, then so, it seems, are the punishments for able-bodied Muslim men who refuse to participate, or who withdraw. According to Sheikh bin Humaid:

"Allah (swt) disapproved of those who abandoned Jihad (i.e. they did not go for Jihad) and attributed to them hypocrisy and disease in their hearts, and threatened (all) those who remain behind from Jihad and sit (at home) with horrible punishment" (12).

Punishment, says the Sheikh, is not limited to temporal justice: "whosoever turns his back to the unbelievers on the field of battle...has drawn upon himself the wrath from Allah. And his abode is Hell, worst indeed is that destination!" (Quran 8:16) (16). In the event that the Muslim people "march not forth," and forsake their duty to jihad, Allah has threatened to replace them with another people (12).

The severity of punishment for those who forsake jihad has been graphically demonstrated by ISIS during the last few years. ISIS cruelly executed dozens of their own soldiers who fled the battlefield. News reports indicate that these fighters were either burned alive, gassed, beheaded, or buried alive. [7]

How is Jihad Carried Out?

The call to jihad requires the support of the entire Muslim Ummah or people. It involves the transformation of a religious community into a military machine. Sheikh bin Humaid states:

"And you will not find any organization past or present, religious or non-religious...(ordering) the whole nation to march forth and mobilize all of them into active military service as a single row for Jihad in Allah's Cause so as to make superior the Word of Allah...as you will find in the Islamic Religion and its teachings" (13).[8]

The jihad must be fought with "true bravery," faith, and utter confidence (of which the author cites numerous historical examples). Allah assisted the prophet and his fighters, "with victory" and "helped them with angels and... cast terror into the hearts of their enemies" (16). Against those who disbelieve, jihadists are instructed to "smite at their necks[9] till you have killed and wounded many of them." If the enemy does not capitulate, captives may be ransomed, or freed without ransom, "according to what benefits Islam" (14).

Mercifully, women, children, and the elderly, should not be killed in battle (Sahih Al-Bukhari 4:52, 257) (16). Although this rule of engagement was generally followed by Muslim armies on the battlefield, it does not prevent Muslims from engaging in mass destruction (such as setting fire to habitations, using catapults or bombs) that may entail the death of innocents.[10] Muhammad, moreover, appears not to have spared his personal enemies, regardless of age or sex, according to the historical traditions.[11]

Why did 20^th Century Islam Forsake Jihad?

Having set before his readers the high calling of jihad, Sheikh bin Humaid turns his attention to the plight of 20^th century Islam. The success of jihad has always depended on the ability of Muslims to maintain a pure faith. This entails the fear of one's own sins, and the fear of disobedience to Allah. Muslims are victorious, despite their small numbers, because, according to bin Humaid, their enemies disobeyed Allah. Should the Muslims fail in this one point, they will be overpowered by their enemies (18).

By Allah's might, bin Humaid continues, the Muslims became "the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind" -- enjoining true monotheism and forbidding polytheism. But today they "are leading a life of the one who knows not any Prophet, nor believes in any Divine Message or Divine Revelation,[12] nor expects any reckoning nor is afraid of the Hereafter." They have, in some ways, he laments, reverted to the pre-Islamic ignorance of Arabian polytheists (19).

In response, Allah has sent them trials through the imposition of Western civilization and Soviet communism (this was written before the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991). "So their land," says the Sheikh, "became 'a free wealth' with no protector." Fulfilling Muhammad's prophecy, Allah has removed fear from the hearts of those who hate Islam, while casting a love for this world and a hatred of death into the hearts of Muslims.[13] Allah has covered the Muslims in humiliation for cheating one another, abandoning their nomadic lifestyle to indulge their own comforts,[14] and deserting their call to jihad (19).

Having fallen so far, Muslims, he adds, have added yet another sin to their apostasy: They have asked for help from their enemies, and asked unbelievers to protect them, "begging them; turning towards them, expecting good from them" (19). Sheikh bin Humaid does not link this charge to any specific historical events. He was probably referring to numerous Saudi-American ventures including oil exploration in the 1930s, the permanent establishment of U.S. air bases in Saudi Arabia near the end of the WWII, and the military protection the U.S. has afforded Saudi Arabia since the 1940s.

Despite maintaining an outward appearance of Islamic religion and culture, Muslims, he says, have "become mean, despised before Allah." They have immersed themselves in luxury, the worship of wealth, and a love for this world. They have succumbed to their enemies without so much as raising a hand. They have abandoned Islamic law (sharia) in favor of man-made laws which are in conflict with Allah's judgement (19-20).

There is, in the Sheikh's exhortation, a complete absence of the usual refrains against Western imperialism and economic oppression that we are accustomed to hearing today. With some notable exceptions, Muslims have not suffered economically under Western influence; rather they have thrived, especially those who live in the oil-rich Gulf states. The guilt for abandoning their religion is the result of indulgence rather than want or oppression.

With some notable exceptions, Muslims have not suffered economically under Western influence; rather they have thrived, especially those who live in the oil-rich Gulf states. Pictured above: The skyline of Dubai. (Image by Francois Nel/Getty Images for XCAT)

In his final appeal, Sheikh bin Humaid exclaims that it is "absolutely obligatory" for the Muslim people, and especially for Islamic scholars, to obey Allah, settle their differences, invite Muslims and non-Muslims alike to Islam, "publish its good aspects," and instruct the people in the laws and wisdom of Islam, "as did Muslim nobles of early days." Failure to do so is an invitation to Divine judgement (20-21).

The New Jihad

Since Sheikh bin Humaid penned this essay, evidently between 1974 and 1981, we have seen a resurgence of traditional faith in much of the Muslim world. With that renewal has come, predictably, an increase in violence as Muslims subdue unbelievers and seemingly attempt to purify their own ranks by punishing and killing apostates. Whether Sheikh bin Humaid would have approved of the brutality of ISIS and the use of suicide bombers is open for debate. But we can be certain that he would have lauded the willingness of many Muslims to spread the message of Islam and sacrifice their lives for the cause.

The new jihad is not primarily a reaction to Western economic oppression, as if more wealth in the hands of the many would arrest the problem.[15] To view this in neo-Marxist terms as an economic class struggle would be misleading. Muslim countries, as noted above, have largely prospered under Western influence and some have invited the protection of Western powers.[16] Rather, the new jihad evolves naturally from traditional Islamic doctrine which seeks to emulate Muhammad and his historical successors. Jihad is, by all appearances first and foremost an act of religious devotion, and only secondarily an act of economic and political rebellion.

Whereas Western nations generally seek peace and view it as a corollary to prosperity and the development of a high culture, Muslim traditionalists such as Sheikh bin Humaid believe that jihad is indicative of a vigorous and pure Islamic faith. Peace, according to him, can only be achieved when unbelief is subdued or vanquished from the earth. An Islam at perpetual war with the unbelieving world is the highest aspiration of faith and obedience. By contrast, the peace, prosperity, and culture so prized by the West has corrupted traditional Islam from within, posing a threat to its existence. This, evidently, is why the new call to jihad against the West has become more urgent for Islamists than ever.

William DiPuccio holds a Ph.D. in religious studies and has authored numerous articles and essays on both religion and science. He has also worked and taught in both fields. You can find his blog, Science Et Cetera, at http://scienceetcetera.blogspot.com

[1] "Jihad in the Qur'aan and Sunnah". Numbers in parenthesis refer to the page numbers in this online version. In quoting the work I have followed the corrected spelling of the print version which is appended to the Noble Quran, cited below. The English renderings in either case are often awkward.

[2] "The Call to Jihad (Holy Fighting for Allah's Cause) in the Quran," Interpretation of the Meaning of the Noble Quran (Ryadh: Darussalam Publishers, 2000), 9:459-477. This is the official Saudi translation of the Quran and represents the Salafi (sometimes called, Wahhabi) form of Islam. The essay, however, is conspicuously absent from the more popular one-volume version, perhaps to conceal from non-Muslims the violent intentions of traditional Islamic doctrine.

[3] Not all Muslim's follow the traditional teachings, of course, especially those who live in the West. Muslims who insist on following traditional theology and law in all of its details are often referred to as Islamists. Their intent is to bring about submission to Islam worldwide, and implement sharia law in every nation. See "What Do the Terrorists Want? [A Caliphate and Shari'a]" by Daniel Pipes, July 26, 2005.

[4] Most historians believe that the Muslims were, indeed, persecuted at first. However, the extent of the persecution may have been exaggerated in order to justify later violence against the Meccans.

[5] See Muhammad at Medina, by W. Montgomery Watt (Oxford Press, 1956), 145-146.

[6] "We love death more than you love life!," National Post, April 6, 2011.

[7] See http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3871056/ISIS-executes-nine-fighters-fleeing-fighting-Mosul-burning-alive-oil-trenches-jihadi-group-shifts-area-control-new-Iraqi-town.html, http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/698836/Islamic-State-ISIS-execute-fighters-lock-cars-gas, http://aranews.net/2017/02/isis-executes-12-of-its-own-fighters-for-trying-to-flee-mosul/, http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/isis-bury-45-fighters-alive-7943328

[8] The English translation is very awkward here, and I have omitted some words in an attempt to render it more intelligible.

[9] Decapitation has always been the preferred method of execution among Muslims. The severed heads, especially of important persons, are regarded as the trophies of victory and are often displayed after the battle.

[10] See discussion in, Hedaya, by Shaikh Burhanu 'd-din 'Ali, trans. Charles Hamilton (London: T. Bensley, 1791), 2:145-146 and A Dictionary of Islam, by T.P. Hughes (London: W.H. Allen, 1885), "Jihad."

[11] See examples in The Life of Muhammad, by Ibn Ishaq, trans. A. Guillaume (Oxford University Press, 1955), 665, 676 (women); Life of Muhammad, 551 and Bukhari 52:256 (children); Life of Muhammad, 675 and Bukhari 19:173 (elderly).

[12] The earlier, online version says "Divine Inspiration."

[13] The source is not cited, but it is probably Abu Dawud 4297.

[14] The English text says, "and followed the tails of the cows (i.e. indulged in agriculture and became contented with it)"

[15] See, for example, "State Department spokeswoman claims jobs are key to defeating ISIS," and "Kerry: 'Root Cause of Terrorism' Is Poverty"

[16] Occupation of Muslim lands is often considered an incitement, especially in the dispute over a Palestinian state. But even here, the religious dimensions of the problem (e.g., refusing to recognize any Jewish right to the land, inhibiting Muslims from living under an Islamic government, etc.) shape the political and economic conflict.

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Comment on this item

32 Reader Comments

Christian Schmidt • May 23, 2017 at 05:22

Why those mentioned 100 highest grades of paradise are not worth jihading for:

In my last life I was a Muslim and got my Jihad-Badge. But then after I died, I went to visit those 100 highest grades of paradise ... DUH, big deal !!! It was 100 floors of white emptiness, white furniture and drapes, everything just white - BORING. And it was crowded !!! Talk about Grade-inflation ! I am sure some faked their Jihad credentials ! Plus, I could not visit my relatives since they were not allowed into those upper floors since they were not as brave or street smart as I was.

And when I asked about the promised virgins, they told me to get in line or go to hell. But they did not allow me to go to hell - even though I desperately wanted to ! So, i had to wait till I was reborn again. Anyway, all said, it was a downer ! There were long lines, everyone wanted to talk to Allah, and you had to wait for eternity for a 5 minute conversation. I tell you, SOOO not worth it, Jihadies !!! Rather you should go straight to hell and have booze, sultry women with experience - except those Friday nights, those are not the right thing for everyone ! Next time, I tell you, I will try hell and will have a hell of a time !

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stevenl • May 13, 2017 at 22:39

13 centuries old jihad. It comes and goes like the tide.

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chris • May 13, 2017 at 11:36

However, this must be the first jihad in which the governments of invaded countries are inviting more of the enemy in, paying them and handing everything the native population has worked for to them, so that they dont have to waste time working and will have plenty of free time with which to plan our demise.

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NeilMc1

chris • May 16, 2017 at 11:18

It is baffling Chris isn't it. Why would our 'Elite' do such a thing and knowingly?

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Dajjal • May 13, 2017 at 02:56

To be clear, Sheikh bin Humaid defines "jihad" as "holy fighting in Allah's Cause." This is not, in other words, the "lesser jihad," or "spiritual struggle," that some Muslim apologists cite,
Strike 'lesser', insert 'greater'; Jihad an--Nafs is supposed to be the greater jihad. But see Reliance o9.0 and one hadith describes holy fighting as the 'peak' or 'hump' of Islam.

To discover the real purpose of Jihad, open the second volume of Hedaya first to page 144, then to page 214 (if memory serves} They want us to think it's Allah's good pleasure but in reality, its the loot.

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William DiPuccio

Dajjal • May 13, 2017 at 14:51

You are absolutely correct my friend: It should read "greater jihad." I know the passage well so I am not sure how I missed that! I have asked the editor to correct it. Many thanks!

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humberto ortiz • May 13, 2017 at 00:05

The conquest of Europe without arms is the Trojan horse.

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Anita Antonacci • May 12, 2017 at 20:22

Very well written and I agree that Islamists have benefitted greatly from Western influence. Isis is very busy training young children and this only means that the world can expect jihads for generations to come. Unless world leaders acknowledge their true intent and learn about the revised Islamic religion, we will be battling them forever.
Loved the article!

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THE Retard • May 12, 2017 at 17:08

Capitalism is feeding it's enemy for a quick buck. What else can I say?

You should never do that. As the old story goes there is NO gratitude from the evil.

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Mike Ramirez • May 12, 2017 at 16:24

NOTICE - For all jihadists planning to be a "martyr":
Islam teaches that the souls of martyrs will reside in the body of green birds in the Islamic paradise - according to Muhammad:

Read All About It!
"It has been narrated on the authority of Masruq Who said: We asked 'Abdullah about the Qur'anic verse: "Think not of those who are slain in Allah's way as dead. Nay, they are alive, finding their sustenance in the presence of their Lord..." (iii. 169). He said: We asked the meaning of the verse (from the Holy Prophet) who said: The souls of the martyrs live in the bodies of green birds who have their nests in chandeliers hung from the throne of the Almighty. They eat the fruits of Paradise from wherever they like and then nestle in these chandeliers. Once their Lord cast a glance at them and said: Do ye want anything? They said: What more shall we desire? We eat the fruit of Paradise from wherever we like. Their Lord asked them the same question thrice. When they saw that they will continue to be asked and not left (without answering the question), they said: O Lord, we wish that Thou mayest return our souls to our bodies so that we may be slain in Thy way once again. When He (Allah) saw that they had no need, they were left (to their joy in heaven)
Source: Sahih Muslim Book: 020, Number 4651

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UNCLE VLADDI • May 12, 2017 at 16:18

The Qur'an clearly and very specifically tells Muslims the Bible is wrong and also that all Christians and Jews are infidel criminals who worship a false god, and who must therefore be extorted, enslaved, and murdered for their "crime" of not being Muslims:

Sura (Chapter) 47:1-4 of the Qur'an:

1: non-muslims are bad, (allegedly because they insult allah by dividing his nature*);
2: muslims are good, (allegedly because to them allah is the cause of everything*);
3: Allah made them both like that;
4: So muslims should chop off the non-muslims' heads.
("Allah could have done it himself, but he wants you muslims to do it for him").
...

It's all right there, in context: islamic violence is entirely general doctrine-driven, and not at all specific grievance-driven.

(And chapter 47 isn't by any stretch even remotely the worst, most violent chapter; that honor goes to either chapter 8 or 9; 9:29 demands all non-muslims be fought, extorted, and enslaved because they don't believe in Muhammad's 'allah').

That is, the Qur'an demands muslims wage offensive war - not in self-defense - but because of others' "disbelief!"

So don't go looking for what actions of yours may have offended or provoked them; they have been taught from birth that your existence alone offends their god, and so should offend them.

Muslims have been officially taught to believe that they are the "best of people" (Qur'an 3:110) and that unbelievers are the "most vile of created beings" (Qur'an 98:6).

-------
*[Soon shall We cast terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers, for that they joined companions with Allah, for which He had sent no authority: their abode will be the Fire: And evil is the home of the wrong-doers! (3:151)].

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Dajjal

UNCLE VLADDI • May 15, 2017 at 01:39

Pretexts are used in fatwas, letters, speeches, interviews and visual media. They claim we pollute their sacred soil, suppress Islam, oppress Muslims, etc. Those pretexts serve as motivational aids to rouse the rabble.

But Charles Hamilton, in your favorite Headache, second volume, page 141, says, in a marginal note: "Infidels may be attacked without provocation."

When Umar invaded Persia, his general was asked why. He was told that their Profit commanded them to fight until the victims became Muslims or were subjugated. Find it in Bukhari 4.53.386. Tripoli's Amb. to London gave a similar answer to Adams & Jefferson. Look it up in the Wikipedia entry for First Barbary War.

Islam must be understood as a system of internal control and external predation whose prey is the remainder of the human race.

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Elizabeth • May 12, 2017 at 14:36

Thanks, an informative article.
Islam has been conducting jihad in various places in various ways since the 7th century.
If they can conquer the West, which seems highly likely at the rate our politicians and ignoramuses kowtow to them, they will have attained their ultimate objective.

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Joseph Campbell • May 12, 2017 at 14:14

And the leaders of the western world are totally oblivious of Islamic teaching and their call to jihad. The west needs another Winston Churchill to rally it against the worlds greatest evil. But, I don't see that coming before the return of Jesus. Jesus was right, a time of evil and horror is coming worse than anything before it and after. Satan is already mounted his white horse and riding to destruction.

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Lofty Basta • May 12, 2017 at 13:11

No doubt that Muslims who want to assimilate in their adoptive country and conform to its traditions and way of life contribute to its progress. This is especially true for those who have exceptional skills and higher degrees from the best Universities in the world. By contrast, accepting those who are likely to abuse the systems of welfare, the goodness of Western citizens and DEMAND TO CHANGE THEIR ADOPTIVE COUNTRIES' WAY OF LIFE ARE DANGEROUS. Persecuted Christians NEVER POSE A THREAT TO THEIR ADOPTIVE COUNTRIES. They readily assimilate in the Western culture, are better educated than their peers and have lots of babies. Our world have become full of them, while the West needs them badly to maintain its man-power. The West is engaging in a big gamble by accepting the wheat with the chaff. IT MUST RETAIN ITS JUDAEO-CHRISTIAN CULTURE TO MAINTAIN ITS PROGRESS AND REMAIN SAFE...

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Gea • May 12, 2017 at 11:00

Islam is Islam, says Islamic tyrant of Turkey who is using Muslim invasion of Europe for his dreams of Caliphate although he pretends to be an modern European. DO NOT TRUST Saudis and/or other oil sheikhs who are funding Islamic conquest of Europe. with the help of clueless and childless European politicians caving in to Muslims at every step.

It is ISLAM ITSELF, an IDEOLOGY worse than Nazism...sooner Westerners realize it sooner they will fight against it...or else Europe will be conquered by demographic jihad. There can be no peace with the totalitarian, supremacist, apartheid and imperialistic IDEOLOGY written in Koran, Hadith and Sira-life of Mohamed, any more than negotiation and having peace with Nazism, Communism and/or Fascism. Un like all other religions, Islam is NOT compatible with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and thus should be treated as a danger to any decent society that respects freedom, liberty and justice for ALL individuals.

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Joseph J. Moyer

Gea • May 12, 2017 at 15:45

These are some of the consequences of Islam:
Death to anyone who possesses a Quran, other than the one deemed by Caliph 'Uthman.
Death to anyone who does not believe in Islam,
Death to anyone who leaves Islam,
Death to anyone who criticizes anything about Mohammed or the contents of the Quran,
Death to anyone who uses their genitals for anything but procreation,
Death by stoning for adulterers.
There is permission in the Quran to rape conquered women
There is permission in the Quran to allow the antiquities of old religions to be destroyed
There is permission in the Quran to plunder as part of a conquest, and Mohammad/Califs get 20%
The doctrine of Taqiyya allows a follower to lie with respect to Islam
The doctrine of Sitr allows Islamists to be mute with respect to actions by Islamists
Fight them until Islam reigns supreme
And Oh yes, for the masses, Pray five times a day that will keep them busy, until we need them in the next Jihad to put Infidels to Death
All of the deaths, rape, plunder, deceit and conquest is what Islam really is!!!But it wants the World to believe it is a peaceful Religion!!!
Unfortunately Islam has not been recognized as a Hoax and a Falsehood, hence; it is practiced today as a Brutal Belief System, seeking World Domination, through killing the Non- Believers. It is a not a Religion, it is a Terrorist Ideology and the Cult of Mohammad, that uses sex as a means to get Islamic warriors to fight, and to get converts to Islam and prayer as a façade to portray Islam as Peaceful and Superior.
Since its founding, including now, it is saying, I will kill you, through battle and through terror attacks, I will use your Freedom rules to force my views upon you, and I will gain control over you, by out-populating you, forcing you to accept Sharia Law in sections, I will not Assimilate, and I will ultimately out vote you and take over your country.

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Dr Michel A. CALVO • May 12, 2017 at 10:26

Can you confirm that the war against Israel is a Jihad, until the Jews pay the tax to protect them from Muslim Mobs.
If it is the case, no agreement can be reached with Abbas.
Pls reply.

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William DiPuccio

Dr Michel A. CALVO • May 13, 2017 at 08:29

In so far as Hamas represents the beliefs of a portion of the Palestinians, then yes it is a jihad, even by Hamas' own words. In their covenant they refuse to recognize the existence of Israel, so the political state of Israel must be destroyed. The Jews have no rightful claim to the land, as they believe, because Abraham, Moses, and the prophets were all Muslim. So having rejected Muhammad, the Jews forfeited any rights they might have had if they had followed him. As for the jizyah, it is not being imposed at this time, that I am aware of, by any state but ISIS. But this may change. http://edition.cnn.com/2017/05/01/middleeast/hamas-charter-palestinian-israeli/

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JIMJFOX

Dr Michel A. CALVO • May 13, 2017 at 13:47

Yes, it is- but far worse, the Constitutions of both Hamas & Fatah, along with the PLO demand the destruction and removal of the "Zionist Entity"- the State of Israel.
Why? Because Muhammad HATED Jews for rejecting allah, plus his genocide of the Banu Quraiza and the Jews of Khaibar set the precedent for modern Arab/Islamic Jew hatred. Of the 3 choices after Islamic victory, conversion or dhimmitude will NOT be offered- only death or banishment.
Just as happened in Saudi Barbaria, mother of Islam. How many Jews or Christians live in Saudi; how many churches or synagogues are allowed there? Are non-muslims permitted to set foot in Mecca?

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Gea

Dr Michel A. CALVO • May 14, 2017 at 09:27

Jews do not have an option any more to pay jizyya as dhimmis (second class citizens under Muslim overlords), as current day Islam wants Jews annihilated just as Nazis did. Muslim top dogs consider Jews "descendants of pigs and apes", who need to be fought and exterminated, just as Hitler called Jews "a vermin" to be exterminated in Holocaust.

Genocidal ayatollahs of Iran may do it if they manage to get their nukes, courtesy of Obama/Kerry/Clinton who should be all in jail for treason.

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jeb • May 12, 2017 at 08:55

The skyline of Dubai should have psychoanalysts wondering how deep the need by Islamists goes to express phallic imagery. It is grotesquely chauvinistic and says much about their comfort zone and what they think is "beautiful".
The only question I have in response to this well stated definition of Jihad is can Hizrah or carrying out by immigration be considered Jihad?
Does Jihad only imply some violent action more likely to result in martyrdom?
The fact so many Jihadis came from and are supported by the European immigrant population, and as Gatestone reported on a Spanish Cleric the NY Times once exemplified as a "moderate" has been arrested for his fund raising and support ISIS through the German Islamist immigrant population.
Are they merely meeting their obligation to support Jihad or is it a defiant act of Jihad?

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Dajjal

jeb • May 13, 2017 at 03:21

After the subversion of Yathrib & conquest of Mekkah, there is only "jihad and good intentions', no emigration. [Bukhari Volume 4, Book 52, Number 42:
]

Not exactly. Jihad is "holy fighting in Allah's cause" and "war against non-Muslims. Dawah is to be issued for three days prior to attacking. If the victims surrender, there is no attack. When the same outcome can be obtained by threat, subversion or deceit, they'll take the easy path. And the current invasion of Europe is a form of hijra, demographic conquest.

The obligation comes in two flavors: fard al-kifaya; the communal obligation to conquer kuffar and fard ayn; the individual obligation to defend Islam when attacked. Rebellion against a caliph or emir who is not violating shari'ah is not obligatory, it is sinful.

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Gea

jeb • May 13, 2017 at 07:18

The worst is that the Westerners built those towers and are selling their soul to the Jihadis, who are now financing invasion of Europe, Australia and Americas. It is all about oil...We must make Muslim oil irrelevant and stop any immigration of Muslims and building of new mosques in the West, until Saudis allow building churches and synagogues and gompas in Mecca and Medina...

Let 56 Muslim occupied countries deal with Syrian refugees if they are Muslims...only Christian refugees from Syria should be allowed as they are ethnically cleansed by Muslims, just as the Muslims ethnically cleansed Jews when Israel became the ONLY Jewish majority country. Envy is a bitch! It motivated Mohamed to behead 900 Jewish men from Medina, looting their property and taking their women and children into slavery, which is widely practiced among Muslims even today, as is beheading...

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Richard • May 12, 2017 at 07:47

Islam's intent seems clear enough to me. Once the cold hard truth of this intent is accepted, a government must do one of two thing: Submit to Islam or remove it from within its midst by whatever means necessary, deportation, imprisonment or total destruction! Religious rights must be denied them, since theirs isn't a religion as much as it is a cult of violence, oppression and totalitarianism.

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Dajjal

Richard • May 13, 2017 at 03:23

You have obtained wisdom. Please share it! And search for "White House Petition to designate Islam", click through the link in the blog post and sign the petition.

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Mike O'Neill • May 12, 2017 at 06:45

"Islamists" - what are they?

Perhaps the writer means "islamics" - those who adhere to the pseudo-religion?

"Islamism", "islamists" - both oft-used terms to avoid identifying the heart of the matter - islam.

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Caro Wall

Mike O'Neill • May 14, 2017 at 09:57

Yes, so true! By creating all these mushy definitions we get tangled up in trying to sound fair but end up spinning and losing sight of the problem: Islam.