WHAT THE MEDIA DOESNT SAY ABOUT TERRORISM

UNDERSTANDING ‘ISLAMIC’ TERRORISM

WHAT SHOULD BE OUR RESPONSE?

Sometimes, in the  of daily living, we forget that our lives are mere wisps in the span of time. Life is very uncertain; it can terminate at anytime, especially at this time when there are so many wars and terrorist activities.

Authoritative Islamic texts are the Quran and Hadith. Muslims believe that the Quran is revealed word of Allah. (Verse numbers differ slightly in different versions). Sura always stands for chapter in the Quran. Islamic belief is that Muhammad is the perfect example to be followed by all Muslims. Whatever he said, practiced or approved is called Hadith. There are six different sets of authentic a Hadith (Hadiths): Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud, Tirmizi, Sunnan Ibn Majah and Sunnan Nasa’i . This article is intended to show the teachings and examples of Muhammad, and is not intended to be offensive to Muslims: Many Muslims may have little real knowledge of what their god Allah and their prophet has said on this topic.

Islamic terrorists claim their authority from the Quran and Muhammad’s life- although ‘moderates’ claim that such teachings are not found in Islam, or are a misunderstanding of the texts.

It is important to evaluate the claims of both these groups and the best way to evaluate the authenticity of a practice or religion is to examine the teachings, the life and the practice of its founder- in this case, Muhammad.

THE ISLAMIC DOCTRINE OF WAR, POPULARLY KNOWN AS ‘JIHAD’.

-SOURCES: QURAN, HADITH (DEPICT MUHAMMAD’S LIFE) AND HISTORY.

JIHAD= Moral and physical struggle (But mostly used for “holy war”)

THREE WAYS TO FIGHT AND SPREAD ISLAM

§  WAR BY SWORD.

§  WAR OF WORDS E.G IN MIHADHARAS (PUBLIC DEBATES) AND LIES.

§  WAR BY DEMONS i.e. JINNS.

(1)WAR BY SWORD

A cursory examination of the explanations of Islamic terrorists almost invariably shows that they are motivated by jihad-a holy war against unbelievers (infidel or Kafir).

Some will argue that Jihad means ‘self-struggle’, but as Walid shoe bat, a former Islamic terrorist, now Christian, puts it, “so does ‘Mein Kampf’, by Adolf Hitler”. There are differing types of Jihad, but many seek to subdue the world to “Allah”, preferably with its consent, but if necessary, forcibly.

QURAN AND MUHAMMAD’S TEACHING

There are many verses in the Quran that convey the impression that Allah and Muhammad are peace loving. However, the majority of these come from the Meccan period when Islam was weak. The later teachings are far more violent, the most famous of which are Sura 9:5 and 9:29-known as ‘Sword verses’.

Sura At-tawba 9:5, ‘Then, when the sacred months have passed, slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them (captive), and besiege them, and prepare for them each ambush. But if they repent and establish worship and pay the poor-due, then leave their way free, Lo! Allah is forgiving, Merciful.’

Sura 9:29 ‘Fight against those who believe not (1) in Allah, (2) nor in the last Day, (3) nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allah and his messenger,(4) and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth (i.e. Islam) among people of the scripture (Jews and Christians), until they pay the jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.’

Noted Islamic scholar, Anwar ul Haqq, in his book ABROGATION IN THE QURAN, has identified more than 100 verses abrogated by these two- such as;

Sura 2:256 ‘There is no compulsion in religion….’

The same sentiments are also shared by another scholar who says, ”All the verses of persuasion, though they constitute the primary or original principle, were repealed and replaced by the verses of compulsion (jihad).” [Mohamed Taha, Sudan).

If you listen to Sheikh Aboud Rogo’s lecturers, he puts it well that the peace verses have been repealed, and replaced with sword verses.

N/B Will be discussing how Muslim leaders use suras 2:256 to deceive people later-continue reading.

LATER TEACHING OF MUHAMMAD-JIHAD IS OBLIGATORY

As Muhammad grew in power, he began to teach that if Muslims do not engage in Jihad they will go to hell and suffer a painful doom (Sura 48:16-17, 9:81, 9:94-95). Paradise is promised for those who die for Allah (Sura 49:15, 9:44). There are said to be as many as 480 exhortations for jihad in the Quran, Here are but a few:

Sura 2:216 ‘Warfare is ordained for you, though it is hateful unto you; but it may happen that you hate a thing which is good for you, and it may happen that you love a thing which is bad for you. Allah knows what you know not.’

Sura 4:74 - "Let those (believers)  who sell the life of this world for the hereafter fight in the cause of Allah, and whoso fights in the cause of Allah, and is killed or gets victory, we shall bestow on him a great reward”

Sura (9:111) - "Allah hath purchased of the believers their persons and their goods; for theirs (in return)

is the garden (of Paradise): they fight in His cause, and slay and are slain: a promise binding on Him in

truth, through the Law, the Gospel, and the Qur'an: and who is more faithful to his covenant than Allah?

then rejoice in the bargain which ye have concluded: that is the achievement supreme."

Sura (61:10-12)"O ye who believe! Shall I lead you to a bargain that will save you from a grievous

Penalty? That ye believe in Allah and His Messenger, and that ye strive (your utmost) in the Cause of

Allah, with your property and your persons: That will be best for you, if ye but knew! He will forgive you

your sins, and admit you to Gardens beneath which Rivers flow, and to beautiful mansions in Gardens of Eternity: that is indeed the Supreme Achievement." This verse was given at the battle Uhud and uses the Arabic word, Jihad.

The large-eyed virgins are mentioned in several places as well, including Sura (44:54) and Sura (52:20).

*For those who swing the other way, there are "perpetual youth" Sura (56:17), otherwise known as "boys" Sura (52:24)and Sura (76:19).

 From  History and Hadith:

According to Ibn Is’haq 326, “Allah said, No Prophet before Muhammad took booty from his enemy or prisoners for ransom’. Muhammad said, ‘I was made victorious with terror. The earth was made a place for me to clean. I was given the most powerful words. Booty was made lawful for me. I was given the power to intercede. These five privileges were awarded to no prophet before me”.

Bukhari (52:54) - The words of Muhammad: "I would love to be martyred in Allah's Cause and

then get resurrected and then get martyred, and then get resurrected again and then get martyred

and then get resurrected again and then get martyred."

This is why modern-day Jihadists often Say that they love death.

Muslim (20:4678) - During the battle of Uhud, Muhammad was desperate to push men into battle.

He promised paradise for those who would martyr themselves, prompting a young man who was

eating dates to throw them away and rush to his death.

Muslim (20:4681) - "Surely, the gates of Paradise are under the shadows of the swords." After

hearing Muhammad say that martyrdom leads to paradise, a young man pulls his sword and breaks

the sheath (indicating that he has no intention of returning) then flings himself into battle until he is

killed.

Some rewards promised by Muslims in paradise that motivate Mujaheeds (holy warriors) are mentioned in the following Hadith, (Sunnan Ibn i-Majah volume 5 pg 546 number 4337), “Abu-Umama (Allah be pleased by him) reported that Allah’s messenger (pbh) said Allah will not admit anyone in the paradise but Allah the mighty and glorious, will Marry him with seventy two wives two will be from virgins (haurine) with big eyes and seventy will be his inheritance from people of hell fire. Every one of them will have a pleasant vagina and he (the man) have sexual organ that does not bend down (during sexual intercourse)”.

(2)WAR BY WORDS

Muslims employ the tactic of using strong rhetoric especially when doing their missionary work to get converts to Islam rightly referred to us ‘Dawa work’. In our country Kenya, there are many so called dawa groups (Islamic propagation groups) which spread Islam through open air debates in streets by comparing quranic and Biblical teachings. In Nairobi, these groups are mostly found in the streets of East lands where they attack biblical teachings in order to snatch the unsuspecting ‘Christians’ into Islam. This is Jihad of words and like the terrorists; they are all called Mujaheeds i.e. Holy warriors.

The value and importance of truth is proclaimed in almost every religion. In Christianity, all liars will have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone (Revelation 21:8); Islam lists lying as one of the great sins (sura 6:152-153). But do all religions agree on the importance of truth? Is truth flexible? Is the truth in the eyes of beholder?

Rather than pass this off as nothing to be concerned about, we should ask whether there is something in Islam that allows flexibility in the “Great sin”. If so we must look carefully at the teachings of Allah and Muhammad and the practices of Muhammad.

Allah claims thirty times in the Quran that he misleads/sends astray people and that he is the greatest deceiver [Allahu khayrul-maakirina] (Sura 3:54, 8:30). Allah says that he leads astray (Sura 4:88, 143; 6:39….). Even the first rightly guided Caliph said, “I swear to Allah that I do not feel safe from Allah’s cunning even if one of my feet is already inside paradise….” (Khalid Muhammad Khalid, Successors of the Messenger (2005) pg.99)

Muhammad believed that lying was acceptable and even taught how to do it for the purpose of protecting ones faith and religion.

Imam Jafar Sadiq said: “You belong to a religion that whosoever conceals it, Allah will honor him and whosoever reveals it, Allah will disgrace and humiliate him”. (Ahmad Abdullah Salamah, The sunni and Shia Perspective of The Holy Quran) This is called al-Taqqiya [legal deception/lies]

From Islamic Law:

Reliance of the Traveler (p. 746) - "[it is] obligatory to lie if the goal is obligatory... Whether the

purpose is war, settling a disagreement, or gaining the sympathy of a victim legally entitled to

retaliate... it is not unlawful to lie when any of these aims can only be attained through lying. But

it is religiously precautionary in all cases to employ words that give a misleading impression..."

Muslims are allowed to lie to unbelievers in order to defeat them. The two forms are:

Taqiyya - Saying something that isn't true.

Kitman - Lying by omission. An example would be when Muslim apologists quote only a

fragment of verse 2:256…

Al-Rabi Ibn Sulaiman said quoting Umm Kalthun Ibn Uqba “In none other than these three instances have I heard the messenger of God warrant lying; He said, ‘I do not consider him a liar who is set upon reconciling people and he who lies during war time and he who lies to his wife and she who lies to her husband, telling a lie with sole intention of reconciling people( Muslim, Birr 101: Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal 6:403-404, 459, 461)

Bukhari (52:269) - "The Prophet said, 'War is deceit.'" The context of this is thought to be the

murder of Usayr ibn Zarim and his thirty unarmed men by Muhammad's men after he "guaranteed"

them safe passage.

Bukhari (49:857) - "He who makes peace between the people by inventing good information or

saying good things, is not a liar." Lying is permitted when the end justifies the means.

Whenever there is a terror attack on our homeland, we usually see Muslim leaders coming up in large numbers to do the so called condemning the act of terror by saying things like, Islam is a religion of peace and it does not accept such acts neither does it teach this, in some instances they even deny those who do this cowardly acts by claiming they are not Muslims. When put on media they even quote quranic verses like 2:256, which say, There is no compulsion is Islam, Kiswahili language puts it well, ‘Hakuna kulazimisha mtu kwa dini’, they will try to justify themselves by even saying words like Islam means peace (yet Islam as a religion means submission) if someone happens to ask them about the ‘sword verses, they will defend it by claiming it is a misunderstanding of text. But have you ever noted that whenever a suspected terrorist is shot by security agents this same leaders are the first ones to say, Waislamu tunaonewa…. Waislamu tunamalizwa….. Why must they behave in this way? I think by now you know, Taqiyya tactic is at work (lying to protect their religion)

 Four categories of taqiyya are

1.   Enforced.
2.   Precautionary.
3.   Secret.
4.   Symbolic.

All this to be discussed in future God willing.

(3) WAR BY DEMONS (JINNS).

And whosoever turns away blindly from the remembrance of the most Gracious (Allah) (i.e. this Quran and worship of Allah), we appoint for him Shaitan (Satan-devil) to be a qarin (a companion) to him (Sura 43:36).

We hear Muslims especially from coast speak about reciting albadir or falaq, all this are wars employed through witchcraft and demons popularly known as majini….

Motivation of Terrorists

•  Duty to God
• Promise of heavenly reward
• Revenge for past humiliation
•  Hero and martyr complex 
•  Specific historical grievances
• Personal grudges

The Making of an Islamic Terrorist

•   Psychology – most are extremely devout Muslims; often converts to Islam; motivated with a sense of intense rage, hatred and revenge towards opponents; most of them are young and single; many well-educated; most tend to be introverts
•   Socio-economic deprivation – has nothing to lose, but everything to gain in paradise
•   Selection and recruitment – madrassa and Mihadharas (open air debates).
•   Training – small cells; specialised as recruiter, bomb-maker, trainer, transport driver, bomber;                 Encyclopaedia of the Afghan Jihad contains 7000 pages
•   Recognizing a suicide bomber will be increasingly difficult – concealment; changing mosque and friends; 'farewell‘ visits; 

Contemplating Strategies to handle Islamic Terrorism

These have been tried with little success

•   Elimination
•   Military defeat
•   Brutal repression
•   Denial of human rights
•   Financial restrictions
•   Economic uplift
•   Theological undermining
•   Reform of Islam

And what about a godly response?

1.   God is in charge – He is bigger than our fears! Romans 8:31”God is for us, who can be against us.”
2. “God is here!” – even when tragedy strikes! 2Tim 4:17 "But the Lord stood to my side...and I was delivered from the lion‘s mouth.”
3.   Unless you repent > Luke 13:4-5 “Do you think they were more guilty than the others? I tell you, No! But unless you repent...“
4.  God‘s suffering > Acts 3:15 “You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead.“
5. The last religious war will be short and swift > Rev 17:14 “They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them...“
6. Advocacy – Since Christ, our great advocate, intercedes for us, we ought to intercede for our brothers... (Heb 4:14-16)