The government laid out a great deal of money for a scholarly analysis of the communications of terrorist groups & individuals whose output agrees with their pre-ordained opinion. Islamic terrorism is a function of Islamic doctrine, not the propaganda pitch of any group of terrorists. Muslims engage in terrorism because of Allah's imperatives, promise & threat. Terrorism was practiced and bragged about by Moe long before Abd-Al-Wahhab began his Salafist revival.
"How Islamist Extremists Quote the Qur'an"The malignant malarkey commences early: in the third paragraph of the executive summary on page 2.
"Widely regarded as the most militant or violent passage" by whom, and is that evaluation warranted by the facts? "Treated as a divine call for offensive warfare on a global scale.": if you treat your dog as your child, does it produce grandchildren for you? Is Surah At-Taubah 9:5 the most violent verse? Is it the best basis for ordaining global conquest?
9:3 Is translated as a declaration to mankind, but the Arabic word used: الناس means the people, as indicated by http://www.openburhan.net/ , Corpus Qur'an (http://corpus.quran.com/wordbyword.jsp?chapter=9&verse=3) returning a server error at the time of this writing. Tafsir Ibn Kathir indicates that the declaration was issued to the pagans assembled for the hajj ritual. (http://www.islam-universe.com/tafsir//9.20723.html) 22 of the translations at Islam Awakened use the people, 3 use all mankind and 8 use mankind. While the original intent was local, many want to interpret this context as global, in my opinion, the globalization is a polemical error. Unfortunately, several hadith can be used to reinforce the global interpretation. I will therefore stipulate that 9:5 is a declaration of local and global jihad.
most violent verse
Is 9:5 the most violent verse? We need a few verses for comparison.
- kill the Mushrikûn (see V.2:105) wherever you find them, and capture them and besiege them, and prepare for them each and every ambush
- kill them wherever you find them,
- so strike them over the necks, and smite over all their fingers and toes
- fight them until
- until he had made a great slaughter
- smite at their necks till when you have killed and wounded many of them,
Which of these is the most violent? Does any really stand out above the rest as an exemplar of violence? 9:5 is equaled, if not exceeded by 2:191.
global scope
9:5 is primarily local in scope, confined, by its immediate context, to Mekkah & environs; to pilgrims making the hajj. 8:39 is global in scope, setting a monopoly for Allah as a terminal condition of a fight until loop. Abdullah Yusuf Ali says "altogether and everywhere" . 9:29 makes people with scriptural religions the object, implying that the scope extends to wherever Jews, Christians & Zoroastrians are found.
straw man
The authors of the study have set up a straw man argument: 9:5 is the "most violent verse" which commands global jihad but the terrorists rarely mention it, so it must be insignificant. Thus, they conclude, that we do not face an "aggressive offensive foe" bent on conquest. Instead, the enemy writes about "themes of victimization, dishonor, and retribution", so we should assume that jihad is grievance driven, not doctrine driven.
Terrorism is an intrinsic sacrament of Islam, not the innovation of any subset. Examine the Qur'an verses relating to terrorism and the hadith which exemplify their implementation. Take a close look, then a second look at modern Islamic military strategy.
- 3:151. We shall cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve
- ...Allah next conveys the good news that He will put fear of the Muslims, and feelings of subordination to the Muslims in the hearts of their disbelieving enemies, because of their Kufr and Shirk. ... The Prohibition of Obeying the Disbelievers; the Cause of Defeat at Uhud
- 7:4. How many a township have We destroyed! As a raid by night, or while they slept at noon, Our terror came unto them.
- Our torment came upon them by night or while they were taking their midday nap. ) means, Allah's command, torment and vengeance came over them at night or while taking a nap in the middle of the day. Both of these times are periods of rest and leisure or heedlessness and amusement. Nations that were destroyed
- 8:12. (Remember) when your Lord inspired the angels, "Verily, I am with you, so keep firm those who have believed. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who have disbelieved, so strike them over the necks, and smite over all their fingers and toes."
- ...(I will cast terror into the hearts of those who have disbelieved.) means, `you -- angels -- support the believers, strengthen their (battle) front against their enemies, thus, implementing My command to you. I will cast fear, disgrace and humiliation over those who defied My command and denied My Messenger, (so strike them over the necks, and smite over all their fingers and toes.) strike them on their foreheads to tear them apart and over the necks to cut them off, and cut off their limbs, hands and feet....Allah commands the Angels to fight and support the Believers
- 8:60. Against them make ready your strength to the utmost of your power, including steeds of war, to strike terror into (the hearts of) the enemies, of God and your enemies, and others besides, whom ye may not know, but whom God doth know. Whatever ye shall spend in the cause of God, shall be repaid unto you, and ye shall not be treated unjustly.
- (to threaten), or to strike fear, the enemy of Allah and your enemy), the disbelievers, Making Preparations for War to strike Fear in the Hearts of the Enemies of Allah
- 33:26. And those of the people of the Scripture who backed them (the disbelievers) Allah brought them down from their forts and cast terror into their hearts, (so that) a group (of them) you killed, and a group (of them) you made captives.
- (and cast terror into their hearts;) means fear, because they had supported the idolators in their war against the Messenger of Allah and the one who knows is not like the one who does not know. They had terrified the Muslims and intended to kill them so as to gain earthly power, but their plans backfired; the idolators ran away and the believers were victorious while the disbelievers were losers; where they had aimed for glory, they were humiliated. The Campaign against Banu Qurayzah
- 59:2. He it is Who drove out the disbelievers among the people of the Scripture (i.e. the Jews of the tribe of Bani An-Nadir) from their homes at the first gathering. You did not think that they would get out. And they thought that their fortresses would defend them from Allah! But Allah's (Torment) reached them from a place whereof they expected it not, and He cast terror into their hearts, so that they destroyed their own dwellings with their own hands and the hands of the believers. Then take admonition, O you with eyes (to see).
- ...Therefore, Allah sent His torment down on them; it can never be averted, and His appointed destiny touched them; it can never be resisted. The Prophet forced them to evacuate and abandon their fortified forts that Muslims did not think they would ever control. ...Then take admonition, O you with eyes.) meaning, "Contemplate the end of those who defied Allah's command, contradicted His Messenger and denied His Book. See how Allah's humiliating torment struck them in this life, as well as, the painful torment that Allah has reserved for them in the Hereafter.''... The End that Bani An-Nadir suffered
- ...Therefore, Allah sent His torment down on them; it can never be averted, and His appointed destiny touched them; it can never be resisted. The Prophet forced them to evacuate and abandon their fortified forts that Muslims did not think they would ever control. ...Then take admonition, O you with eyes.) meaning, "Contemplate the end of those who defied Allah's command, contradicted His Messenger and denied His Book. See how Allah's humiliating torment struck them in this life, as well as, the painful torment that Allah has reserved for them in the Hereafter.''... The End that Bani An-Nadir suffered
- 59:13. Of a truth ye are stronger (than they) because of the terror in their hearts, (sent) by God. This is because they are men devoid of understanding.
- ...(Verily, you are more fearful in their breasts than Allah.) meaning, the hypocrites fear you more than they fear Allah, as He says; (Behold! a section of them fear men as they fear Allah or even more.)... The False Promise of Support the Hypocrites gave to the Jews
- 8:57. So if you gain the mastery over them in war, punish them severely in order to disperse those who are behind them, so that they may learn a lesson.
- ...(then disperse those who are behind them,) by severely punishing ﴿the captured people﴾ according to Ibn `Abbas, Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Ad-Dahhak, As-Suddi, `Ata' Al-Khurasani and Ibn `Uyaynah. This Ayah commands punishing them harshly and inflicting casualties on them. This way, other enemies, Arabs and non-Arabs, will be afraid and take a lesson from their end,... Striking Hard against Those Who disbelieve and break the Covenants
- Sahih Bukhari Volume 1, Book 7, Number 331:
Narrated Jabir bin 'Abdullah:
The Prophet said, "I have been given five things which were not given to any one else before me.
1. Allah made me victorious by awe, (by His frightening my enemies) for a distance of one month's journey. . - Sahih Bukhari Volume 4, Book 52, Number 220:
Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "I have been sent with the shortest expressions bearing the widest meanings, and I have been made victorious with terror(cast in the hearts of the enemy), and while I was sleeping, the keys of the treasures of the world were brought to me and put in my hand." Abu Huraira added: Allah's Apostle has left the world and now you, people, are bringing out those treasures (i.e. the Prophet did not benefit by them).
Brig. S.K. Malik wrote The Qur'anic Concept of War as a training manual for the army of Pakistan. His analysis will help you to comprehend their strategy. Terror is both a means and an end. This paragraph comes from the bottom of page 59. [Emphasis added.]
a means, it is the end in itself. Once a condition of terror into
the opponent's heart is obtained, hardly anything is left to be
achieved. It is the point where the means and the end meet
and merge. Terror is not a means of imposing decision upon
the enemy; it is me decision we wish to impose upon him.
There is a purpose for the numerous continuing assaults against Christian faith in this nation. You will not fully comprehend it without reading this next quote.
cutting its lines of communication or depriving it of its routes
of withdrawal. It is basically related to the strength or weakness
of the human soul. It can be instilled only if the opponent's
Faith is destroyed. Psychological dislocation is temporary;
spiritual dislocation is permanent. Psychological dislocation can be
produced by a physical act but this does not hold good of the
spiritual dislocation. To instill terror into the hearts of the enemy,
it is essential. in the ultimate analysis, to dislocate his Faith. An
invincible Faith is immune to terror. A weak Faith offers inroads
to terror. The Faith conferred upon us by the Holy Qur'an has
the inherent strength to ward off terror from us and to enable
us to strike terror into the enemy. Whatever the form or type of
strategy directed against the enemy, it must, in order to be effective,
be capable of striking terror into the hearts of the enemy. A strategy
that fails to attain this condition suffers from inherent drawbacks
and weaknesses; and should be reviewed and modified. This rule
is fully applicable to nuclear as well as conventional wars. It is
equally true of the strategy of nuclear deterrence in fashion
today. To be credible and effective, the strategy of deterrence
must be capable of striking terror into the hearts of the enemy.
blunder
The experts make a false assumption concerning the identity of the enemy as well as the enemy's motivation. Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it. 230 years ago, the new nation's shipping was attacked by the Barbary Pirates, who seized crews & cargoes for ransom, demanding tribute.
Many years earlier, a Persian General asked a similar question and received a similar answer.
...
Our Prophet, the Messenger of our Lord, has ordered us to fight you till you worship Allah Alone or give Jizya (i.e. tribute); and our Prophet has informed us that our Lord says:-- "Whoever amongst us is killed (i.e. martyred), shall go to Paradise to lead such a luxurious life as he has never seen, and whoever amongst us remain alive, shall become your master." ...
Did we have "boots on the ground" of the Hijaz in 1786? Israel was under the thumb of the Ottoman Empire, so there was no grievance against us except the status offense of not being Muslims. What did Allah order them to do? Was that order in 9:5 or was it in 9:29?
Lets break that down for the low functioning Morons among us.
- Allah purchased their souls for promised admission to his celestial bordello. (http://www.qurancomplex.com/Quran/Targama/Targama.asp?nSora= 78&l=eng&nAya= 31# 78_ 31)
- They fight in his cause: world dominance. (http://www.qurancomplex.com/Quran/Targama/Targama.asp?nSora= 9&l=eng&nAya= 33# 9_ 33)
- They kill others and are killed.
- They strive in Allah's cause with their wealth and their lives.
Allah's promise
If Muslims join the jihad, Allah will forgive their sins and admit them to his celestial bordello, flowing with rivers of wine, milk, honey and water. There they will sport with virgins who grow new hymens every time and they won't need Viagra.
Allah's threat
If you do not go to jihad, you will go to Hell to be burned & tormented, eating wound discharges and toxic nettles, drinking boiling water.
where are you going?
If you are a Muslim, and you really believe that Allah is going to dig you up, weigh your sins against your good deeds and send you to the garden or the fire unless you got killed in battle, what will you do? Yeah, right, you will spend 40 passive years on earth, only to burn in the fire for eternity.
rousing rabble
Protecting the weak, aiding the distressed and promoting justice are common themes in rousing the rabble to fight. The "plight of the Palestinians", "illegal occupation" and "resistance" to invasion serve to cloak jihad in an aura of moral virtue. The expert authors of the study seem to be unable to detect the difference between the recruiter's propaganda pitch and the Islamic doctrines that drive jihad. Recruitment may be aided by false appeals to virtue, but the real motivator is the immutable doctrines enshrined in the Qur'an and exemplified in Moe's sunnah: Allah's imperatives, threat & promise.
After the Hijra, Moe assembled an army. As his army grew, and graduated from raiding camel caravans to invading villages and threatening neighboring kingdoms, he spent much of his time exhorting the Muslims to fight. The recitation of Surahs 8 & 9 result from that effort.Shari'ah
The major codes of Islamic law are silent on terrorism but not about jihad, which is a communal obligation. Jihad is offensive, not defensive and is undertaken on Islamic initiative. I will give you one infamous quote and links to the code of the Shafi'i, Hanifi & Maliki schools.
Hedaya Vol II, Book IX, Ch. 1 Pg. 141 PDF 154http://www.archive.org/stream/hedaysorguide00hamigoog#page/n154/mode/1up
- Text
- The destruction of the sword is incurred by infidels, although they be not the first aggressors, as appears from various passages in the sacred writings which are generally received this effect.
- Marginal Note
- Infidels may be attacked without provocation.
http://www.shariahthethreat.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/reliance_of_the_traveller.pdf#page=617
http://www.baytulislam.org/Documents/fiqh/imammalik/The-Risala-A-Treatise-on-Maliki-Fiqh.pdf#page=284bottom line
If vampires were real instead of mythical, it would be necessary to hunt them down and destroy them: all of them. In Rabies epidemics, bounties are placed on skunks & raccoons. When the Black Plague strikes, bounties are placed on rats. The political, academic & clerical elites can not acknowledge the reality of Islamic doctrine & practice because to do so would be an extermination warrant.
The elites view that as the moral equivalent of the murder of six million innocent Jews by Hitler's SS. It is not, for two reasons:- Islam can be greatly reduced in magnitude by inducing mass apostasy through educating Muslims about the true character of Allah & Muhammad.
- The true believers who endorse, propagate, promote and engage in terrorism are not morally equivalent to the innocent Jewish masses of Europe in WW2. They believe that they have a divine mandate to conquer the world and that their eternal destination is dependent on implementing that mandate. They view us as morally inferior, subhumans whose blood and property are not sacred to Muslims; without human rights. They have declared open season on us. (http://www.muslimaccess.com/sunnah/hadeeth/bukhari/008.html#001.008.387) There is no alternative to eliminating them because they will never cease from terrorism so long as they continue to believe Allah's imperatives, threat & promise. They can not be deterred or contained, they must be exterminated.