Mohammed, The Mad Poet Quoted....

Not too long ago I was listening to the radio, Bill O'Reilly on KFMB, as I recall. During his show, Bill was talking about some passages from the Koran that had appeared in print that seemed to contradict much of the CAIR and other Islamic apologist propaganda.

During the program a man, a Muslim, called in to the show to accuse O'Reilly of being unfair and taking things out of context, etc. He then said that you need to have an Imam explain these passages to you so you can understand their meaning. This of course means one of several things.

The first possible meaning is that the average person is too stupid understand the Koran without help. Another is that Mohammed chose not to speak plainly and clearly when relating Allah's word for one reason or another. Or, possibly, that the Imam's tell their followers this so that they may remain in control of the religion, and interpret it as they please without fear of contradiction.

Having read the Koran, cover to cover, and in its various parts, I contend that it's the latter--with the added twist that Mohammed had been out in the hot sun too long and was not thinking all that clearly during most of his sermons. One of the reason's I believe this are the frequent admonishments to the faithful not to listen to others speak about their religions. Fear of contradiction of the Koran as a whole as well of its constituent parts is a consistent theme.

That is not to say that there is no confusion in the Koran that needs clarification. In fact, the Koran goes from being quite clear to downright confusing and back again, repeatedly. Mostly it consists of rambling parables, admonitions repeated ad nauseum, and bad retellings of Old Testament stories (often repeated in fragments). The Koran is also difficult to read because as it lacks any kind of narrative thread and is constantly repeating itself. In fact, my copy, which spans over 400 softcover pages, could easily be condensed to about 50 pages and still thoroughly cover every it has to say. Not true with The Bible.

Other than that, anyone with a high school education and the will power to wade through it can easily understand it (most of it anyway), without help from anything other than a strong cup of coffee--which probably accounts for the Islamic ban on alcoholic beverages. It's guaranteed to bore you into a deep sleep if you try reading it under the influence. And Mohammed probably got upset when people fell asleep during his sermons.

We've heard all the rhetoric about the Koran being a book of peace and enlightenment, but little about the parts of the Koran that give rise and fuel to fanatical hatred and terrorism. The few that have been quoted in the press are pounced on by CAIR and other groups and isolated phrases taken out of context. The follow those charges up by pointing out bad things Christians have done in previous decades and centuries. The difference is that when Christians have persecuted and killed people they were acting against the principles of their faith. When Muslims do it they are acting in accordance with the Koran.

Another point that needs to be made is that all of the things that people point to in the Bible, to make the Koran look less bloody by comparison, are in the Old Testament. And almost all are refuted or moderated by the New Testament. The Koran is all "Old Testament" and makes the fire and brimstone of the first half of the Bible seem mild by comparison.

The following passages are just a sampling of what what I would call the "Dark Side" of the Koran. Or, at the very least, those that are interpreted by certain Imam's to mean that it is O.K. to blow up babies and drive airplanes into skyscrapers. They are presented in the order they appear in the Koran and I have taken care not to quote things out of context (something we infidels are always accused of doing). I will also add my layman's commentary and translations (in bold), as we proceed.

One of the ways to determine whether something is just an "isolated passage" or part of a larger, mainstream theme, it to take a look at how many times the same or similar wording appears. It must be assumed if something is repeated, it must be something that was intended to be remembered. Frequency says a lot. Therefore, in this posting, you will find what appear to be redundant quotes. There are included to show that a particular theme is not "isolated."

BTW, just by writing this little piece I am subject to being the object of a Fatwah. So, if I see any middle-eastern, or Nation of Islam looking types cruising slowly by my house, I will shoot first and ask questions later.... (yes, I profile).

The Quran, Translation: M.H. Shakir. In the citations I have added the Names of the various books (Surah's). They have very little to do with the subject of their particular Surah, so don't read anything into them..

One more thing: Depending on who you talk to, the term Jihad can mean anything from struggling with your zipper to all-out nuclear Holy-war, and several stops in between. You will not find the word in most available English translations, where it has been substituted with the words "fight" and "struggle". Where you see those words in the following passages they may or may not refer to Jihad.

And there are some people who say: We believe in Allah and the last day; and they are not at all believers. They desire to deceive Allah and those who believe, and they deceive only themselves and they do not perceive. There is a disease in their hearts, so Allah added to their disease and they shall have a painful chastisement because they lied. - Koran, Surah II: 8-10, "The Cow."

According to Mohammed, Allah hates hypocrites worse than infidels (or at least as much). This is a common and often repeated theme, but it only applies with regard to hypocrisy concerning belief in Allah, which probably explains Islam's constant use of Hypocrisy in all other instances.

Who break the Covenant of Allah after its confirmation and cut asunder what Allah has ordered to be joined, and make mischief in the land; these it is that are the losers.
How do you deny Allah and you were dead and He gave you life? Again He will cause you die and again bring you to life; then you shall be brought back to Him. - Koran, Surah II: 27 & 28, "The Cow."

There are several passages like this. I believe that this passage and others like it support Islamic laws against converting from Islam, and the subsequent penalties that go along with it--like death. It's an effective way to keep from losing your flock to competing religion. Kill any who convert and the rest will get the message.

And (as to) those who disbelieve in and reject My communications, they are the inmates of the fire, in it they shall abide. - Koran, Surah II: 39, "The Cow."

All infidels go to Hell, even Christians and Jews. This is one of the most repeated themes in the Koran.

And do not mix up the truth with the falsehood, nor hide the truth while you know (it). - Koran, Surah II: 42, "The Cow."

I threw this one in so you can quote it back at those jerks from CAIR the next time they start spinning.

And there are... Illiterates who know not the Book but only lies, and they do but conjecture. Woe, then, to those who write the book with their hands and then say: This is from Allah, so that they may take for it a small price; therefore woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for what they earn. - Koran, Surah II: 78 & 79, "The Cow."

Depending on how you choose to read this and other passages like it, this includes people like me, and that Rushde guy who wrote Satanic Verses, and so upset the Mullahs that they issued a death sentence against him. It also seem to provide for the punishment they decreed.

Those who disbelieve from among the followers of the Book do not like, nor do the polytheists, that the good should be sent to you from your Lord....
Many of the followers of the Book wish that they could turn you back into unbelievers after your faith, out of envy from themselves, (even) after the truth has become manifest to them.... - Koran, Surah II: 105 & 109, "The Cow."

My guess is that this provides for Islamic laws that make it illegal to bring religious texts other than the Koran into some Islamic countries, and make it illegal to even speak to a Muslim about Christianity or Judaism under penalty of death.

And the Jews will not be pleased with you, nor the Christians until you follow their religion. Say: surely Allah's guidance, that is the (true) guidance. And if you follow their desires after the knowledge that has come to you, you shall have no guardian from Allah, nor any helper. - Koran, Surah II: 120, "The Cow."

And whoever disbelieves, I will grant him enjoyment for a short while, then I will drive him to the chastisement of the fire; and it is an evil destination. - Koran, Surah II: 126, "The Cow."

The East and the West belong only to Allah; He guides whom he likes to the right path. - Koran, Surah II: 142, "The Cow."

Two things here. First, the whole world belongs to Allah. Second, he only guides the people he likes to the right path. This not only negates free-will, but leads to the obvious conclusion that if you do not follow the right path it is because Allah does not like you. A little on the petulant side for a loving God and the antithesis of the Old and New Testaments.

And do not speak of those who are slain in Allah's way as dead; nay, (they are) alive, but you do not perceive. - Koran, Surah II: 152, "The Cow."

Surely those who disbelieve and die while they are disbelievers, these it is on whom is the curse of Allah and the angels and men all.... - Koran, Surah II: 161, "The Cow."

And there is life for you in (the law of) retaliation, O men of understanding, that you may guard yourselves. Bequest is prescribed for you when death approaches one of you, if he leaves behind wealth for parents and near relatives.... - Koran, Surah II: 179-180, "The Cow."

The Palis probably know this one by heart. It even talks about those cash rewards to the families of those who blow themselves up.

And kill them wherever you find them [we infidels], and drive them out from whence they drove you out, and persecution is severer than slaughter, and do not fight with them at the Sacred Mosque until they fight with you in it, but if they do fight you, then slay them; such is the recompense of the unbelievers. - Koran, Surah II:191, "The Cow."

And fight with them until there is no persecution, and religion should be only for Allah. - Koran, Surah II:193, "The Cow."

Ask the Israelites how many a clear sign have We given them; and whoever changes the favor of Allah after it has come to him, then surely Allah is severe in requiting (evil). - Koran, Surah II: 211, "The Cow."

In other words, the true word was revealed to them, they rejected it, and now they're going to get theirs from Allah, or Yassir, or Hamas.

Allah does not call you to account for what is vain in your oaths, but He will call you to account for what your hearts have earned, and Allah is Forgiving, Forbearing. - Koran, Surah II: 225, "The Cow."

Being a vainglorious blowhard is O.K. as long as you are a believer at heart. So much for humility. This passage probably explains all those grandiose boasts by Saddam and Bin Laden.

And fight in the way of Allah, and know that Allah is Hearing, Knowing. - Koran, Surah II: 244, "The Cow."

Allah is the guardian of those who believe. He brings them out of the darkness into the light; and (as to) those who disbelieve, their guardians are Shaitans who take them out of the light into the darkness; they are the inmates of the fire, in it they shall abide. - Koran, Surah II: 257, "The Cow."

Ever hear of night-vision? Allah may be your guardian in the light, but we own the night. Sorry. Couldn't resist.

Say to those who disbelieve: You shall be vanquished, and driven together to hell; and evil is in the resting place. - Koran, Surah III: 12, "The Family of Imran."

O you who believe! Do not take for intimate friends among others than your own people; they [unbelievers] do not fall short of inflicting loss upon you; they love what distresses you; vehement hatred has already appeared from out of their mouths, and what their breasts conceal is greater still.... - Koran, Surah III: 118, "The Family of Imran."

This one is quoted in the Hamas Charter. Basically, were not good enough to be their friends and we cannot be trusted. BTW you'll see this one again.

Yea! If you remain patient and are on your guard, and they come upon you in a headlong, your Lord will assist you with five thousand of the havoc-making angles. - Koran, Surah III: 125, "The Family of Imran."

I wonder, is this is what Saddam was counting on? Just make sure they aren't those crappy Soviet-made havoc angels....

And certainly you desired death before you met it; so indeed you have seen it and you look (at it). - Koran, Surah III: 143, "The Family of Imran."

And a soul will not die but with the permission of Allah; the term is fixed; and whoever desires the reward of this world, I shall give him of it, and whoever desires the reward of the hereafter I shall give him of it; and I will reward the grateful. - Koran, Surah III: 145, "The Family of Imran."

You might as well blow yourself up because you have no free-will and you'll die when Allah wants you to, and if you die blowing yourself up, it must be because Allah wants you to, so why feel guilty about it?

Men are the maintainers of women because Allah has made some of them to excel others and because they spend out of their property; the good women are therefore obedient, guarding the unseen as Allah has guarded; and (as to) those on whose part you fear desertion, admonish them, and leave them alone in the sleeping places and beat them; then if they obey you, do not seek a way against them; surely Allah is High, Great. - Koran, Surah IV: 34, "The Women."

O you who believe! Take your precaution, then go forth in detachments or go forth in a body. - Koran, Surah IV: 71, "The Women."

Therefore let those fight in the way of Allah, who sell this world's life for the hereafter; and whoever fights in the way of Allah, then be he slain or be he victorious, We shall grant him a mighty reward. - Koran, Surah IV:74, "The Women."

I would imagine that this passage is used to bolster the proposition that suicide bombers really are allowed by the Koran.

They desire that you should disbelieve as they have disbelieved, so that you might be (all) alike; therefore take not from among them friends until they fly (their homes) in Allah's way; but if they turn back, then seize them and kill them wherever you find them, and take not from among them a friend or a helper. - Koran, Surah IV:89, "The Women."

You will find others who desire that they should be safe from you and secure from their own people; as often as they are sent back to the mischief they get thrown into it headlong; therefore if they do not withdraw from you, and (do not) offer you peace and restrain their hands, then seize them and kill them wherever you find them; and against these We have given you a clear authority. - Koran, Surah IV:91, "The Women."

Somewhat unclear as to the exact nature of the provocation, but quite clear that you can pursue and kill whoever does whatever this passage refers to (it does not really help the clarity to add the passages immediately preceding or following). The Mullahs probably make great use of this passage.

And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his punishment is hell; he shall abide in it, and Allah will send His wrath on him and curse him and prepare for him a painful chastisement. - Koran, Surah IV:93, "The Women."

Definitely falls under the preceding set of punishments. Kill a Muslim, whatever your reason and you better be Muslim yourself.

The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His apostle and strive to make mischief in the land is only this, that they should be murdered or crucified or their hands and their feet should be cut off on opposite sides or they should imprisoned; this shall be as a disgrace for them in this world, and in the hereafter they shall have a grievous chastisement. - Koran, Surah V: 33, "The Food."

Of course, waging "war against Allah and His apostle" can be interpreted in many ways.... everything from speaking out against Islam to dropping a JDAM on Bin Laden. Whatever suits the propaganda needs of the clerics.

And (as for) the man who steals and the woman who steals, cut off their hands as a punishment for what they have earned, and exemplary punishment from Allah; and Allah is Mighty, Wise. - Koran, Surah V: 38, "The Food."

O you who believe! do not take the Jews and the Christians for friends; they are friends of each other; and whoever amongst you takes for them a friend, then surely he is one of them; surely Allah does not guide the unjust people. - Koran, Surah V: 51, "The Food."

So much for tolerance and that middle-east peace plan. Remember this one when the hypocrites at CAIR talk about Jews and Christians being "people of the book" who should not worry about devout Muslims. I challenge them to find an equivalent statement anywhere in the Bible.

O you who believe! take care of your souls; he who errs cannot hurt you when you are on the right way; to Allah is your return, of all (of you), so He will inform you of what you did. - Koran, Surah V: 105, "The Food."

This one is kind of interesting. If the enemy wins it is because you were not faithful enough.

Do they not consider how many a generation We have destroyed before them, whom We had established in the earth as we have not established you, and We sent clouds pouring rain on them in abundance, and We made rivers to flow beneath them, then We destroyed them on account of their faults and raised up after them another generation. - Koran, Surah VI: 6, "The Cattle."

Sometimes variations on this passage are in reference to the story of Noah, Lot, Exodus and others. This one is not used in particular reference to any Old Testament destruction. It's just letting the unbelievers know that Allah has wiped them out wholesale in the past and will probably do it again.

And who is more unjust than he who forges a lie against Allah or (he who) gives the lie to His communications; surely the unjust will not be successful. - Koran, Surah VI: 21, "The Cattle."

Anyone who says anything bad about Allah/Mohammed is unjust. I guess that would be a reference to me or anyone else who points out the Koran's little inconsistencies.

And this world's life is naught but a play and an idle sport; and certainly the abode of the hereafter is better for those who guard (against evil); do you not then understand? - Koran, Surah VI: 32, "The Cattle."

I wonder if blowing up women and children, or gassing whole populations, is considered "idle sport."

And certainly We sent (apostles) to nations before you, then We seized them with distress and affliction in order that they might humble themselves. - Koran, Surah VI: 42, "The Cattle."

Sounds like the Wahabbi infiltration plan to convert the world to radical Islam.

And when you see those who enter into false discourses about Our communications, withdraw from them until they enter into some other discourse,.... - Koran, Surah VI: 68, "The Cattle."

Muslims are so secure in their faith that they are instructed to stick their fingers in their ears and run away when others start talking about their religions. If that doesn't work and they convert to another religion, kill them. Mohammed must have known how weak his arguments were.

They are lost indeed who kill their children foolishly without knowledge, and forbid what Allah has given to them, forging a lie against Allah; they have indeed gone astray, and they are not the followers of the right course. - Koran, Surah VI: 140, "The Cattle."

Mama's... don;t let your babies grow up to be suicide-bombers. (sung to the tune of "Mama's don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys".) A passage conveniently forgotten by the PLO, Hamas, etc. Then again, it's all in the interpretation.

Whoever brings a good deed, he shall have ten like it, and whoever brings an evil deed, he shall be recompensed only with the like of it, and they shall not be dealt with unjustly. - Koran, Surah VI: 160, "The Cattle."

Too many Muslims seem to be overly selective in their application of this rule.

And for every nation there is a doom, so when their doom is come they shall not remain behind the least while, nor shall they go before. - Koran, Surah VII: 34, "The Elevated Places."

Sooner or later Allah is going to get us. Then we'll be sorry. (This is another frequently repeated theme).

Evil is the likeness of the people who reject Our communications and are unjust to their own souls. - Koran, Surah VII: 177, "The Elevated Places."

If you don't accept Islam you are unjust--period. Can't you feel the love? ...the tolerance?

And (as to) those who reject our communication, We draw them near (to destruction) by degrees from whence they know not. - Koran, Surah VII: 182, "The Elevated Places."

I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them. - Koran, Surah VIII: 12, "The Spoils of War."

Surely the vilest of animals, in Allah's sight, are the deaf, the dumb, who do not understand. And if Allah had known any good in them He would have made them hear.... - Koran, Surah VIII: 22, "The Spoils of War."

Various versions of this passage appear throughout the Koran. Some are metaphors regarding those who refuse to listen, some are literal, like this one. The deaf are the way they are because Allah made them that way, and he made them that way because he knew they were bad and would never accept Islam. Pretty twisted logic working here. I wonder what Muslims think about hearing aids....

And fight with them until there is no more persecution and religion should be only for Allah. - Koran, Surah VIII: 39, "The Spoils of War."

And if you fear treachery on the part of a people, then throw back to them on terms of equality; surely Allah does not love the treacherous. - Koran, Surah VIII: 58, "The Spoils of War."

So, if you think the other guy (non-believer) might betray you, it's o.k. to betray him first. That's the same logic an old girlfriend of mine once used. Where's Dr. Phil when you need him?

"So, Mohammed, how's that working out for you in the relationship department? Have you heard about my fried pork rind diet?"

O prophet! Urge the believers to war; if there are twenty patient ones of you they shall overcome two hundred, and if there are a hundred of you they shall overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve, because they are a people who do not understand. - Koran, Surah VIII: 58, "The Spoils of War."

Oh, don't worry, we get it.... We're a little slow sometimes, but we definitely get it.

Announce painful punishment to those who disbelieve. - Koran, Surah IX: 3, "Repentance."

So when the sacred months have passed away; then slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them captives and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush, then if they repent and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, leave their way free to them; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. - Koran, Surah IX: 5, "Repentance."

What! Will you not fight a people who broke their oaths and aimed at the expulsion of the Apostle...? - Koran, Surah IX: 13, "Repentance."

Fight them, Allah will punish them [idolaters] by your hands and bring them to disgrace, and assist you against them and heal the hearts of a believing people. - Koran, Surah IX: 14, "Repentance."

This passage is significant. It clearly states that Allah intends to have unbelievers killed by the hands of the faithful. Vengeance is not reserved for Judgment Day or for Allah alone. In fact, the only real admonition against killing refers to one Muslim killing another on purpose. Compare this to the Bible.

And the Jews say: Uzair is the son of Allah; and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah; these are the words of their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved before; may Allah destroy them; how they are turned away! - Koran, Surah IX:30, "Repentance."

Wait a minute! I thought we peoples of the book were supposed to be tolerated?

He it is Who sent His Apostle with guidance and the religion of truth, that He might cause it to prevail over all religions.... - Koran, Surah IX:33, "Repentance."

One world, one religion. When the Wahabbi's infiltrate countries by building mosques and acting nice, this is what they are aiming for.

Allah has promised the hypocritical men and the Hypocritical women and the unbelievers the fire of hell to abide therein; it is enough for them; and Allah has cursed them and they shall have lasting punishment. - Koran, Surah IX: 68, "Repentance."

O you who believe! fight those of the unbelievers who are near to you and let them find in you hardness. - Koran, Surah IX: 123, "Repentance."

What was that CAIR said about a few isolated and mis-characterized passages from the Koran?

And (as for) those who have earned evil, the punishment of an evil is the like of it, and abasement shall come upon them--they shall have none to protect them from Allah--as if their faces had been covered with slices of the dense darkness of night; these are the inmates of the fire; in it they shall abide. - Koran, Surah X: 27, "Yunus."

For his sake there are angels following one another, before him and behind him, who guard him by Allah's commandment; surely Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change their own condition; and when Allah intends evil to a people, their is no averting it, and besides Him they have no protector. - Koran, Surah XIII: 41, "The Thunder."

I call this one the catch-22 passage. I suppose Mohammed meant to say that God helps those who helps themselves, but remembered it wrong. Instead you have a recipe for fatalism.

Do they not see that We are bringing destruction upon the land by curtailing it of its sides? And Allah pronounces a doom--there is no repeller of His decree, and He is swift to take account. - Koran, Surah XIII: 41, "The Thunder."

And those before them did indeed make plans, but all planning is Allah's; He knows what every soul earns.... - Koran, Surah XIII: 42, "The Thunder."

Hell is before him and he shall be given to drink of festering water:
He will drink it little by little and will not be able to swallow it agreeably, and death will come to him from every quarter, but he shall not die; and there shall be vehement chastisement before him.
The parable of those who disbelieve in their Lord: their actions are like ashes on which the wind blows hard on a stormy day; they shall not have power over any thing out of what they have earned; this is the great error. - Koran, Surah XIV: 4,5, "Ibrahim [Abraham]."

More fire and brimstone for the unbelievers whose actions, whatever they may be, will always be for naught. The Koran has lots of descriptions of heaven and hell.

Allah causes the unjust [unbelievers] to go astray, and Allah does what He pleases. - Koran, Surah XIV: 4,5, "Ibrahim [Abraham]."

More catch-22 from Allah. No free-will to choose to believe or not believe because Allah decides who will or will not, and then punishes you for what is essentially his decision.

And never did we destroy a town but it had a term made known. No people can hasten their doom nor can they postpone (it). - Koran, Surah XV: 4,5, "The Rock."

Only they forge the lie who do not believe in Allah's communications, and these are liars. - Koran, Surah XVI: 105, "The Bee."

No specific lie here other than to believe in Allah or not. This might also be interpreted as all unbelievers are liars.

He who disbelieves in Allah after his having believed, not he who is compelled while his heart is at rest on account of faith, but he who opens his breast to disbelief--on these is the wrath of Allah, and they shall have a grievous chastisement. - Koran, Surah XVI: 106, "The Bee."

He who converts from Islam to another religion will suffer the wrath of Allah. In this case death, by the hand of a believer.

And We had made known to the children of Israel in the Book: Most certainly you will make mischief in the land twice, and most certainly you will behave insolently with great insolence. - Koran, Surah XVII: 4, "The Israelites."

Read your book; your own self is sufficient as a reckoner against you this day. - Koran, Surah XVII: 14, "The Israelites."

And this one is for the nitwit that called into O'Reilly and said that you need an Imam to tell you what the Koran means. Seems to me if your smart enough to figure it out for yourself on Judgment Day, you can probably handle the task when the sky isn't falling.

And when We wish to destroy a town, We send Our commandments to the people of it who lead easy lives, but they transgress therein; thus the word proves true against it, so We destroy it with utter destruction. And how many of the generations did We destroy after Nuh [Noah]! - Koran, Surah XVII: 16-17, "The Israelites."

Here's one of those passages that randomly makes reference to the Old Testament story of Noah. In the Old Testament their are numerous stories of destruction by God's wrath, but each of them is specific to a time and place with the stories of Noah and Lott being the most significant. In the Koran, passages like that above are numerous and do not always reference anything specific.

The overall impression is that Allah goes around destroying towns and cities after giving them a chance to convert first. Historically, this is what happened during the spread of Islam. When one looks at the expansion of Islam as it spread through the middle-east, Africa and into Europe during it's salad days, it is easy to see where they got the idea. Islam was spread primarily by the sword. For those who like to point out the Christian Crusades, they should be reminded that those were in response the Muslim Crusade that nearly succeeded in subjugating Europe by the end of the 7th century A.D.

And do not kill any one whom Allah has forbidden, except for a just cause, and whoever is slain unjustly, We have indeed given to his heir authority, so let him not exceed the just limits in slaying; surely he is aided. - Koran, Surah XVII: 33, "The Israelites."

So far the only ones that cannot be slain are Muslims by other Muslims on purpose. Everyone else is fair game for one reason or another.

And we will drive the guilty [unbelievers] to hell thirsty. - Koran, Surah XIX: 86, "Marium."

Surely you and what you worship besides Allah are the firewood of hell; to it you shall come. - Koran, Surah XXI: 98, "The Prophets."

These are two adversaries who dispute about their Lord; then (as to) those who disbelieve, for them are cut out garments of fire; boiling water shall be poured on their heads. With it shall be melted what is in their bellies and (their) skins as well. And for them are whips of iron. Whenever they will desire to go forth from it, and taste the chastisement of burning.
Surely Allah will make those who believe and do good deeds enter the garden beneath which rivers flow; they shall be adorned therein with bracelets of gold and (with) pearls, and their garments therein shall be of silk. - Koran, Surah XXII: 19-23, "The Pilgrimage."

Mohammed really had a thing about describing all the punishments of Hell and the pleasures of Heaven. Not much to do with spiritual growth--just avoid the pain and get to the pleasure.

Surely Allah will defend those who believe; surely Allah does not love any who is unfaithful, ungrateful. - Koran, Surah XXII: 19-23, "The Pilgrimage."

So, if an American Army full of unbelievers beats a Muslim Army, what does that mean? I'd like to hear an Imam explain this one. Good thing they don't allow tap shoes in mosques.

Permission (to fight) is given to those whom war is made because they are oppressed, and most surely Allah is well able to assist them.... - Koran, Surah XXII: 39-40, "The Pilgrimage."

And (as for) those who strive to oppose Our communications, they shall be the inmates of the flaming fire. - Koran, Surah XXII: 51, "The Pilgrimage."

We're not neccesarily talking about "Judgment Day" or Hell. It could be that guy wearing the bulky over-coat in August.

That (shall be so); and he who retaliates with the like of that which he has been afflicted and he has been oppressed, Allah will most certainly aid him; most surely Allah is Pardoning, Forgiving. - Koran, Surah XXII: 60, "The Pilgrimage."

Repel evil by what is best; We know best what they describe. - Koran, Surah XXIII: 96, "The Believers."

The fire shall scorch their faces, and they therein [Hell] shall be in severe affliction. - Koran, Surah XXIII: 104, "The Believers."

Getting tired of these descriptions yet. Nearly every Surah in the Koran has one or more like it. I'd call that a pattern, not just a few out-of-context quotes.

Allah has promised to those of you who believe and do good that He will most certainly make them rulers in the earth as He made rulers before them, and he will most certainly establish for them their religion which He has chosen for them.... - Koran, Surah XXIV: 55, "The Light."

Call not this [judgment] day for one destruction, but call for destructions many. - Koran, Surah XXV: 14, "The Criterion."

The parable of those who take guardians besides Allah is as the parable of the spider that makes for itself a house; and most surely the frailest of houses is the spiders house--did they but know. - Koran, Surah XXIX: 41, "The Spider."

I threw this one in because, except for "The Women", "The Spider" is the only Surah in which the title matches anything in the subject matter.

...none deny Our communications except the unjust. - Koran, Surah XXIX: 49, "The Spider."

Since we're all unjust, I guess that means it's all right to blow us up, hijack airplanes, and be generally unpleasant.

And who is more unjust than one who forges a lie against Allah, or gives the lie to the truth when it has come to him? Will not in hell be the abode of the unbelievers? - Koran, Surah XXIX: 68, "The Spider."

Nay! Those who are unjust follow their low desires without any knowledge; so who can guide him whom Allah makes err? - Koran, Surah XXX: 29, "The Romans."

There's that catch-22 again. Allah makes us err, and then sends us to hell because we did. That's I'd call unjust.

Surely they used to behave proudly when it was said to them: there is no god but Allah; And to say: What! Shall we indeed give up our gods for the sake of the mad poet? - Koran, Surah XXXVII: 35, 36, "The Rangers."

This is a reminder; and most surely there is an excellent resort for those who guard (against evil), The gardens of perpetuity, the doors are opened for them. Reclining therein, calling therein for many fruits and drink. And with them shall be those restraining their eyes, equals in age. - Koran, Surah XXXVIII: 49-52, "The Suad."

Now I have searched for specific references to those 72 virgins we keep hearing so much about, and this is the closest I can come to it. I have found one or two other passages that make reference to "those restraining their eyes" awaiting the faithful, but no references to either their number or their chastity. It is possible, however, that I missed it during the many times my eyes glazed over during the search.... One should not drink adult beverages while reading the Koran. Conversely, one should not try to operate heavy machinery or a motor vehicle while reading it. The end result is the same.

Surely Allah does not guide him all right who is a liar, ungrateful. - Koran, Surah XXXIX: 3, "The Companies."

He is Allah, the One, the subduer (of all). - Koran, Surah XXXIX: 4, "The Companies."

Those who dispute concerning the communications of Allah without any authority that He has given them; greatly hated is it by Allah and those who believe. Thus does Allah set a seal over the heart of every proud, haughty one. - Koran, Surah XL: 41, "The Believer."

And whoever defends himself after his being oppressed, these it is against whom there is no way (to blame). - Koran, Surah XLII: 41, "The Counsel."

Absolution for the Palestinians. We all know how oppressed they are. All except for Yassir, that is.

So when you meet in battle those who disbelieve, then smite the necks until when you overcome them, then make (them) prisoners,... and as for those who are slain in the way of Allah, He will by no means allow their deeds to perish. - Koran, Surah XLVII: 4, "Muhammad."

No translation needed here; but they might want to read Clausewitz or Sun Tzu before they take us on again.

And (as for) those who disbelieve, for them is destruction, and He has made their deed ineffective. - Koran, Surah XLVII: 8, "Muhammad."

A parable of the garden which those guarding (against evil) are promised: Therein are rivers of water that does not alter, and rivers of milk the taste thereof does not change, and rivers of drink delicious to those who drink, and rivers of honey clarified; and for them therein are all fruits and protection from their Lord. - Koran, Surah XLVII: 15, "Muhammad."

Get to heaven and you are safe from your own God. Makes life sound like a shooting gallery where Allah takes pot shots at you till you make it to home base.

And be not slack so as to cry for peace and you have the upper hand, and Allah is with you, and He will not bring your deeds to naught. - Koran, Surah XLVII: 35, "Muhammad."

In other words, when you have them on the run, keep them on the run--no mercy.

The life of this world is only idle sport and play, and if you believe and guard (against evil) He will give you your rewards, and will not ask of you your possessions. - Koran, Surah XLVII: 36, "Muhammad."

Hmmm... don't take life seriously, and, if you're faithful, Allah let's you take it with you? Deep. Very Deep.

Say to those of the dwellers of the desert who were left behind: You shall soon be invited (to fight) against a people possessing mighty prowess; you will fight against them until they submit; then if you obey, Allah will grant you a good reward; and if you turn back as you turned back before, He will punish you with a painful punishment. - Koran, Surah XLVIII: 16, "The Victory."

What do you want to bet that Bin Laden reads this one a lot? And how do you think it will be interpreted by the Muslim world if we turn tail in Iraq and Afghanistan before finishing our business over their?

He it is Who sent His Apostle with the guidance and the true religion that He may make it prevail over all the religions, and Allah is enough for a witness. - Koran, Surah XLVIII: 16, "The Victory."

Can you say "Wahabbi Fifth-Columnist?" Is it really a good idea to let them recruit in our prisons or to commission them as Army Chaplains?

O you who believe! do not take My enemy and your enemy for friends: would you offer them love while they deny what has come to you of the truth.... If you go forth struggling hard in My path and seeking My pleasure, would you manifest love to them? And I know what you conceal and what you manifest; and whoever of you does this, he indeed has gone astray from the straight path.
If they find you, they will be your enemies, and will stretch forth towards you their hands and their tongues with evil, and ardently desire that you may disbelieve. - Koran, Surah LX: 1&2, "The Examined One."

That's number three. So I guess it's not such an isolated, out-of-context passage after all. And this one takes it a step further than the others. Remember--frequency and pattern...

O you who believe! why do you say that which you do not do? It is most hateful to Allah that you should say that which you do not do. - Koran, Surah LXI: 2&3, "The Ranks."

Surely Allah loves those who fight in His way in ranks as if they were a firm and compact wall. - Koran, Surah LXI: 4, "The Ranks."

Further Quotes on The Subject...

"We are terrorists, and terror is an obligation in the book of Allah. Let the west and east know that we are terrorists and we strike fear: '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 Allah and your enemies...' (8:60), So Terror is an obligation in the creed of Allah SWT" - Sheikh Abdullah Azzam.

"Our new world rests on order. The danger is disorder. And in today's world, it can now spread like contagion. The terrorists and the states that support them don't have large armies or precision weapons; they don't need them. Their weapon is chaos." - Prime Minister Tony Blair, speech to the U.S. Congress Accepting the Congressional Gold Medal, July 17, 2003.

"I know [the war on terrorism is] hard on America, and in some small corner of this vast country, out in Nevada or Idaho or these places I've never been to, but always wanted to go. I know out there there's a guy getting on with his life, perfectly happily, minding his own business, saying to you, the political leaders of this country, 'Why me? And why us? And why America?'
And the only answer is, 'Because destiny put you in this place in history, in this moment in time, and the task is yours to do" - Prime Minister Tony Blair, speech to the U.S. Congress Accepting the Congressional Gold Medal, July 17, 2003.

"We expect nations to speak the truth about terror. They shouldn't encourage malicious lies and outrageous conspiracy theories concerning the attacks of September the 11th. No government should promote the propaganda of terrorists." - President George W. Bush, Radio Address to the Nation, from The Oval Office, November 10, 2001.

"The only alternative to victory is a future of terror. So we will fight for victory." - President George W. Bush, Radio Address to the Nation, from The Oval Office, November 10, 2001.

"Some have said we must not act until the threat is imminent. Since when have terrorists and tyrants announced their intentions, politely putting us on notice before they strike? If this threat is permitted to fully and suddenly emerge, all actions, all words, and all recriminations would come too late. Trusting in the sanity and restraint of Saddam Hussein is not a strategy, and it is not an option." - President George W. Bush, State of the Union Address, Tuesday, January 28, 2003.

"One hundred percent of the successful terrorist attacks on commercial airlines for 20 years have been committed by Arabs. When there is a 100 percent chance, it ceases to be a profile. It's called a 'description of the suspect...." - Ann Coulter.

"No matter how long this war takes, this issue is the issue of an entire nation which has refused a life of humiliation under American arrogance and Israeli violence. Secondly, the organization of al-Qaida announces that Bush the father, and Bush the son, and in between them, Clinton, Blair and Sharon are at the head of the criminals, the Zionists and the crusaders, who have committed the worst practices and greatest atrocities against the Muslim nation, before and now." - Sulaiman Abu Ghaith, Osama bin Laden spokesman, statement on al-Jazeera satellite channel, October 14, 2001.

"[Peace] initiatives, the so-called peaceful solutions, and the international conferences to resolve the Palestinian problem, are all contrary to the beliefs of the Islamic Resistance Movement" - Hamas Charter, Article 13.

"The Muslim women have a no lesser role than that of men in the war of liberation; they manufacture men.... raising the children upon the moral concepts and values which derive from Islam; and of educating their sons to observe the religious injunctions in preparation for the duty of Jihad awaiting them." - Hamas Charter, Articles 17&18.

"This, for the purpose of calling upon the Arab and Islamic peoples as well as their governments, popular and official associations, to fear Allah in their attitude towards and dealings with Hamas, and to be, in accordance with Allah's will, its supporters and partisans who extend assistance to it and provide it with reinforcement after reinforcement, until the Decree of Allah is fulfilled, the ranks are over-swollen, Jihad fighters join other Jihad fighters, and all this accumulation sets out from everywhere in the Islamic world, obeying the call of duty, and intoning "Come on, join Jihad!" Hamas will only be of help to all associations and organizations which act against the Zionist enemy and those who revolve in its orbit." - Hamas Charter, Article 33.

"Safety and security can only prevail under the shadow of Islam.... The members of other religions must desist from struggling against Islam." - Hamas Charter, Article 31.

"Jihad becomes a duty binding on all Muslims.... We must spread the spirit of Jihad among the [Islamic] Umma, clash with the enemies and join the ranks of the Jihad fighters.... I indeed wish to go to war for the sake of Allah! I will assault and kill, assault and kill, assault and kill." - Hamas Charter, Article 15.

"Allah is its goal, the Prophet its model, the Qur'an its Constitution, Jihad its path and death for the case of Allah its most sublime belief." - Hamas Charter, official slogan, Article 8.

"Make no mistake: Unless we give this Millennial Generation a clear, cause-and-effect understanding of what freedom is, how it works and what it takes to protect it, then that uniquely American birthright could be lost to history forever.
"Whatever you do, don't shrug it off. The world has been relatively free now for several decades of the tyranny and terror that faced the great "G.I. Generation" of World War II. But sleeping giants inevitably awaken, and the cycle of history never strays far from its orbit. Make sure the next generation is prepared. Its children and grandchildren will thank God you did." - Charton Heston, "Next Generation Is Our Hope but Must Understand Freedom", June, 2001.

"I wonder is the possibility of being killed through ignorance of a threat somehow secondary to surviving at the expense of offending someone's ethnicity? Have we all gone nuts? (Somebody better turn up the burner on America's melting pot there are still a few lumps in the broth.)
"The media, and most politicians, are reluctant to identify a terrorist as a terrorist, preferring the term 'militant' all the while assuring America that 'most of Islam is moderate and not all militants are terrorists.' Even a quick reading of my book, The Everlasting Hatred, the Roots of Jihad, would dispel that fantasy." - Hal Lindsey, "Survival Speak", January 2, 2003.

"An international fraternity of terrorists, with the Soviet Union as the chairman of the rush committee, has enabled the Russians to engage, as Senator Henry Jackson has put it, in "warfare by remote control" all over the world. Other members of the international club include North Korea, Cuba, South Yemen, East Germany, Libya, and the Palestinian Liberation Organization. Malcontents from all over the world are trained by them in the arts of kidnapping, assassination, sabotage, bomb making, and insurrection, and then sent off to ply their trade. Their tutors are careful to keep them well supplied with weapons and to provide sanctuary when they need it." - Richard Nixon, The Real War, 1980.

"We must force America to fight on a hundred fronts all over the Earth. We must force it to fight in Lebanon, to fight in Chad, to fight in Sudan, and to fight in El Salvador." - Colonel Qadhafi, Dictator of Libya, 1985.

"We must take a stand against terrorism in the world and combat it with firmness, for it is a most cowardly and savage violation of peace. We must remember our heritage, who we are and what we are, and how this nation, this island of freedom, came into being." - Ronald Reagan, campaign speech in Chicago, August 1980.

"The American people are not--I repeat--not going to tolerate intimidation, terror, and outright acts of war against this nation and its people. And we're especially not going to tolerate these attacks from outlaw states run by the strangest collection of misfits, loony tunes, and squalid criminals since the advent of the Third Reich." - President Ronald Reagan, Remarks at the Annual Convention of the American Bar Association, July 8, 1985.

"When a boy becomes a martyr, thousands of people attend his funeral. Poor families become celebrities. 'Everyone treats them with more respect after they lose a son,' a martyr's father said. 'And when there is a martyr in the village, it encourages more children to join the Jihad. It raises the spirit of the entire village,' he continued." - Jessica Stern, Foreign Relations.

"You are not an enemy combatant, you are a terrorist. We hunt terrorists down and bring them to justice." Federal District Court Judge William G. Young, statement upon sentencing al-Queda "shoe-bomb" terrorist Richard Reid, January 31, 2003.

Further Reading:

http://www.dawn.com/weekly/mazdak/20051203.htm

Conversion losses

By Irfan Husain

MEET Sanno Amra and his wife Champa: a middle-aged Hindu couple. They live in a small, simple but spotlessly clean home in Karachi’s Punjab Colony.

Until six weeks ago, they lived with their five children, reasonably content with their lot. Sanno worked as a chauffeur, and his wife cooked for a family. On October 18, their lives suddenly fell apart: Champa returned home from work to discover that her three oldest daughters were missing — Reena (21), Usha (19) and Rima (17) had seemingly vanished without a trace. This is any parent’s worst nightmare, but the couple’s woes had only begun.

After searching frantically for the girls, they went to the local police station where the SHO put them off without registering a case. A couple of days later, they met the deputy superintendent of police for Clifton. This proved to be the only bright spot in the entire tragic episode, for DSP Raza Shah went out of his way to help. He forced his subordinates to file an FIR, and his intervention was invaluable in ensuring the safety of the parents. And just for the record, the MQM ‘sector-in- charge’ also lent them his organisation’s support.

On October 22, a police FIR for kidnapping was duly prepared, naming three young men from the neighbourhood as the principal suspects. Immediately, Sanno and his wife started getting threats from their neighbours. Earlier they had never had any problems, although they were the only Hindu family in a predominantly Muslim locality. But now, the same people were pressuring them to remove the names of the local boys from the FIR.

Within days, they received a package by courier containing three identical affidavits signed by their daughters, stating that they had converted to Islam of their own free will. The declaration concluded: “That since my parents are Hindu and after conversion of my religion, it is not possible for me to live and pass my life in Hindu system/society [sic] and therefore, I have decided to live separately...”

According to their affidavits, the girls (now calling themselves Afshan, Anam and Nida) were living in the hostel of the Madarsa Taleem-ul-Quran, and were being instructed by a local moulvi. On November 10, a court order directed the police and the administrators of the seminary to arrange a meeting between the girls and their parents.

When Sanno and Champa finally met their daughters, they were shocked to see that they were in burqas that concealed them from head to toe, leaving only their eyes uncovered. The eyes of the youngest girl were bloodshot from weeping. At this supposedly private meeting, a dour woman was present throughout as were a moulvi and a couple of cops. In subdued voices muffled by heavy fabric, the girls said they wanted to stay where they were.

Understandably, the parents are convinced that their daughters were under pressure. In fact, they simply cannot come to terms with the notion that their children have not only abandoned them, but also the faith they grew up in. As far as they are concerned, their daughters have been brainwashed. Interestingly, the girls have cited “religious channels on TV” as the reason for their conversion.

Since their daughters left, Sanno and Champa have not returned to their jobs. They stay at home with Suraj and Arti, their young son and daughter and wait for news. Apart from their neighbours, they have also been isolated by their own community. According to Sanno, other Hindus look down on them because of their girls’ apparent conversion. Face, that most pernicious of Asian values, has been lost.

I spoke to DSP Raza Shah and asked him if in his opinion, any pressure had been brought to bear on the girls. He was sure it had been a voluntary conversion, adding that it was very possible that neighbours might have influenced them. The parents are clear that their daughters never watched TV in their presence, nor did they ever discuss the possibility of a conversion. According to Vijay, a relative, twenty girls from the Hindu community had converted to Islam in the last five years.

Talking to the parents in their simple home, I could feel their pain and their distress. “We just sit and stare at each other”, Sanno said. “For us, life is over.” Above all, they want the certainty of the knowledge that their daughters did not abandon them voluntarily. They went back to the madressah recently where they were refused access to their daughters. “Even if they have become Muslims, we are still their parents,” Champa said tearfully. The moulvi at the madressah, instead of being sympathetic, invited Sammo and Champa to convert as well.

What the stricken parents are looking for is closure: once they are satisfied that their daughters will never come home again, they will learn to live with their grief. But for this to happen, they want the girls to be moved to neutral ground like the Edhi orphanage where they can meet them without the coercive presence of moulvis and cops. But this request has been turned down by a judge.

Vijay has shared the family’s tribulations, and is understandably bitter. “Mr Jinnah had promised the minorities equal rights and protection. But it seems his promises were buried with him,” he maintains. Given the spate of conversions, some voluntary, some forced, the insecurity among the minorities, especially among Sindhi Hindus, is understandable.

Even if most of these conversions are not at gunpoint, they still take place in an overpowering environment of religiosity. Religious programmes on every private and public TV channel must leave an imprint on young minds. The need to conform at school and college where religion casts a constant shadow, must exert a subtle influence on non-Muslim students. And in a society based on faith, the minorities have been marginalized to the point where they are tempted to convert simply to get ahead in life.

But Sammo and Champa are not concerned with the larger issues regarding the place and fate of the minorities in Pakistan. All they want is justice. For them this involves being able to spend time alone with their beloved daughters, free from pressure and coercion, and to satisfy themselves that they took this drastic step on their own. Surely in a state that aspires to General Musharraf’s oft-touted ideal of ‘enlightened moderation’, this should not be too much to ask for.

Why Islam Attracts Criminals

NewsMax.com Wires
Saturday, June 15, 2002

WASHINGTON – What exactly is it that makes people such as suspected "dirty bomber" Abdullah al Muhajir turn to Islamic extremism? According to sociologists of religion and theologians, it is the search for security and structure in their lives.

Al Muhajir, a Puerto Rican born in New York as Jose Padilla, is under arrest for allegedly plotting to detonate a "dirty" nuclear device somewhere in the United States. He is thought to be in league with the al-Qaeda terrorist organization, which nicknamed him the "The Immigrant."

Ironically, this moniker fits into the typology of converts to Islam that Monika Wohlrab-Sahr, a German sociologist of religion, has developed after field studies in the United States and her own country.

Muslim Criminals: Largest Body of Converts in U.S.

Padilla converted to Islam while in jail. He therefore belongs to the largest body of converts in the United States. According to National Association of Muslim Chaplains, between 10 and 20 percent of the 1.5 million criminals in American penitentiaries identify themselves as Muslim.

Most are black men, some Hispanic. More than 30,000 blacks embrace this faith behind bars every year.

Wohlrab-Sahr, who teaches at the University of Leipzig and has spent a research year at Berkeley, has labeled one group of converts "symbolic emigrants." These are people who feel stigmatized or alienated by their own culture, she explained in a telephone interview.

"They emigrate culturally, often without leaving their country," she continued. Thus from the perspective of Islam, they would be religious immigrants. If this applies to al Muhajir, his al-Qaeda nickname would indeed be appropriate.

Perhaps John Walker Lindh, the "American Taliban" raised in upper-crust, liberal Marin County, Calif., could be classified that way too, although the Leipzig professor entered the caveat that she would have to study both cases before making an assessment.

'Tolerance'!

Even Torquato Cardilli, the Italian ambassador to Saudi Arabia who became a Muslim last fall, may be called a symbolic immigrant who found the new culture he took on more welcoming than his own. He praised its "dignity, hospitality, tolerance, kindness and relaxation."

But al Muhajir might also come under another rubric Wohlrab termed "methodization of life conduct." It includes people whose lives had gone into a tailspin and require discipline and structure.

'Simplistic Clarity'

"The simplistic clarity of some aspects of this religion appeals to certain elements in society, " agreed Hillel Fradkin, a Jewish specialist on Islam and president of Ethics and Public Policy Center, a Washington think tank.

In a similar vain, Boston University sociologist Peter L. Berger told UPI, "There are indeed many people who are susceptible for the claims of religious certainty offered by Islam and other groups defining themselves as absolute."

Trying to Link Christians to Muslim Terrorists

Berger named Mormonism as one of these groups. Leipzig's Wohlrab added Protestant fundamentalist Christian denominations to this category.

A third category of converts identified by Wohlrab seems less significant in evaluating the al Muhajir and Walker cases: the type she called "implementation of honor" in the realm of sexual and gender relations and morality.

Women, and some men, confused "by the course of changing gender arrangements" rank among this particular group of nominal "Christians" and others embracing Islam.

Surprisingly, theological considerations rarely play a major part in most conversions, even though most converts say they did. "The Christian doctrine of the Holy Trinity is often mentioned," Wohlrab said, "but you would have to be a theological virtuoso to change your religion for this reason.

"More likely, they come up with this as an afterthought, when the deed is done and they have received some instruction in their new faith. But in general, people don't switch from Christianity to Islam as a result of their in-depth study of systematic theology."

Gone Slumming

Some did, of course, especially in the past. There were English eccentrics such as Sir Archibald Hamilton, a relative of the British royal family, who died in 1939.

At a stretch, the most educated man in German history, poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, might have been considered a closet Muslim, though that's highly unlikely.

A German Islamic group called Weimar, after the German town where Goethe worked as a grand duke's cabinet minister, claims the illustrious wordsmith might have converted because he mentioned the prophet Muhammad in his poetry and organized readings of the Koran in his sovereign's palace.

But Goethe connoisseurs retort that, given his concupiscent lifestyle, the poet wouldn't have lasted long as a Muslim. On the other hand, studying the Koran, Arabic literature and language were not uncommon pursuits by the educated classes of Goethe's highly cultured era.

But there exists a list of prominent and theologically learned converts. It includes an African Lutheran archbishop, a Methodist minister, a Coptic priest, a Russian Orthodox archpriest and a Pentecostal elder.

However, by and large statements by converts about their former and their present beliefs tend to prove Wohlrab's theory that these were merely afterthoughts.

For example, Ali Selman Benoist, a French physician who left Catholicism for Islam, posted this statement on the Internet: One "point which moved me away from Christianity was the absolute silence which it maintains regarding bodily cleanliness."

Failure of Christian Clergy?

Clearly, he has never read the Old Testament, which to Christians is as much Holy Scripture as the New Testament. Sighed Johannes Richter, a Leipzig theologian, "The church has but itself to blame if people are moving away from their own faith traditions.

"Many of our clergy have failed to explain these traditions well. So people become fascinated by an alien religion. But that's all right. It means that we have to double our efforts to succeed on the religious marketplace."

Confidently, Richter this former regional bishop, added, "If we do it right we have nothing to fear; we are competitive."

"There are claims that the Koran is similar to Sanskrit and Tamil texts as evidenced by the Koran not conforming to Arabic grammar. Over 100 aberrations were noted by Mahmud-oz-zamakshari and he stated the Koran was not miraculous. There are parts imitative of a pre-Islamic Syrian poet and Ali Dashti in his book “23 Years: A study of the Prophetic Career of Mohammed” (published 1985) draws attention to these probable sources. Mohammed also seems to have borrowed from Al-Ukdal-Fareed, the 25 chapters called ‘Jaw-hara’ (the Pearl) from which to pillage verses for his surahs. This was written by Ibn Abd Rabbi’hil Andalusi who was born in 246AD and died in 327AD.

"So if the Koran is based on cribbed together writings and dubious other religious texts, this really casts doubt on the divine source. Some people (yes, anti-Muslims) have suggested that Mohammed had epileptic fits, and his own mother had declared him possessed by a devil. Regardless of these claims, it seems highly suspect to find castigation of an enemy uncle and a confirmation that an adopted son should divorce his wife so that Mo’ can marry her in it’s suras. This seems way too convenient to just happen to fit in with Mo’s mindset, for surely if God really wanted such a thing, he could have just willed it?

"Consider something like sura 33:36 which states, ‘….when allah and his messenger have decided an affair…’ and goes on to say you shouldn’t question it. Well how convenient for him that god has Mo’ for a partner to help decide things!"

Islam: A Critical Review

Three Pillars of Wisdom
http://www.nationalreview.com/hanson/hanson200602030807.asp
Victor Davis Hanson
February 03, 2006

"...The list of hypocrisies could be expanded. The locus classicus, of course, is bin Laden's fanciful fatwas. Oil pumped for $5 a barrel and sold for $70 is called stealing resources. Tens of millions of Muslims emigrating to the United States and Europe, while very few Westerners reside in the Middle East, is deemed "occupying our lands." Israel, the biblical home of the Jews, and subsequently claimed for centuries by Persians, Greeks, Macedonians, Romans, Byzantines, Franks, Ottomans, and English is "occupied by crusader infidels" — as if the entire world is to accept that world history began only in the seventh century A.D.

"The only mystery is not how bizarre the news will be from the Middle East, but why the autocratic Middle Easterners feel so confident that any would pay their lunacy such attention.

"The answer? Oil and nukes — and sometimes the two in combination.

"By any economic standard, most states in the Middle East — whether characterized by monarchy, Baathism, dictatorship, or theocracy — have floundered. There are no scientific discoveries emanating from a Cairo or Damascus. It is tragic and perhaps insensitive, but nevertheless honest, to confess that the contemporary Arab world has lately given the world only two new developments: the suicide-bomb belt and the improvised explosive device. Even here there is a twofold irony: The technology for both is imported from the West. And the very tactic arises out of a desperate admission that to fight a conventional battle against a Westernized military without the cover of civilian shields, whether in Israel or Baghdad, is tantamount to suicide.

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