Posted on 06/30/2004 5:16:31 AM PDT by a_Turk
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Debate raged on Islamic Web sites about the propriety of killing fellow Muslims who work for coalition forces in Iraq (news - web sites), after militants released three Turkish hostages they had threatened to behead.
The Tawhid and Jihad movement of terror mastermind Abu Musab al-Zarqawi announced Saturday it would kill the three Turks (news - web sites) within 72 hours unless Turkish companies stopped doing business with American forces in Iraq.
On Tuesday, however, the movement released them "for the sake of Muslim brothers and mujahedeen in Turkey," according to a statement broadcast on Al-Jazeera television.
That contrasted starkly to the treatment of several non-Muslims recently. Al-Zarqawi's movement claimed responsibility for the beheading of Kim Sun-il, a South Korean who worked for a company delivering supplies to American forces, and Nicholas Berg, an American businessman. Al-Qaida-linked militants in Saudi Arabia decapitated American engineer Paul M. Johnson Jr. and posted pictures of his severed head on the Internet.
Most people who post messages on several Islamic Web sites known for their extremist bent believe those are justified. But the issue of whether it is proper kill Muslims taken captive because of their links to the U.S. military has been a hot topic.
Opinions are mixed. Some people appealed on the kidnappers to spare the Turks because they were "fellow Muslims." Others urged militants to decapitate them.
"Turkish Muslims should be the first to demand that those hypocrites be beheaded, as they are allied with the devil," meaning the Americans, one person wrote on a Web site that has published al-Zarqawi statements and claims of responsibility for other killings. "They should serve as an example to every apostate."
Another contributor who identified himself as "enemy of the foreign infidels" said he supported the decapitation of hostages — but not Muslim ones.
"Slaughtering is something you started with the infidel Crusaders and their allies, and we hope you won't deviate from that path," he wrote. But "they're Muslims, so don't kill them ... as long as they didn't cause direct harm."
Yet another writer suggested that if Muslims must be killed, their deaths shouldn't be filmed. Muslims should be spared from decapitation, the writer said, because "beheadings should only be for the Crusader invaders as a lesson for them that we don't bow our heads."
The practice of publicizing such killings appears aimed at increasing the shock value of the militant campaign against Westerners, especially Americans. Islamic scholars and newspaper commentators throughout the region have condemned the practice, although the Web postings suggest that at least some Muslims believe the tactic is justified.
Among those believed held hostage and facing possible death are U.S. Marine Cpl. Wassef Ali Hassoun, a Muslim of Lebanese origin, and Amjad Hafeez, a Pakistani driver. On Tuesday, al-Jazeera reported that militants killed Spc. Keith M. Maupin, 20, with a single bullet to the head. Maupin, of Batavia, Ohio, had been held since April.
"There is a lot of confusion concerning this beheading issue, and more so in the case of beheadings of Muslims," said Dia'a Rashwan, a Cairo expert on Islamic militants.
Rashwan, whose book the "Electronic War" is to be published soon, said militants use car bombs, machine guns, and rocket-propelled grenades in their real war against Westerners, "but resort to swords and knives in the symbolic media war they're waging on the Internet."
Pictures of persons are forbidden in strict Islam. So what are these videos all about?
Do you think this is something just from the Wahabi sect?
When during the Korean war the US wouldn't believe our kill count, we started bringing them ears..
Ears are probably more convincing than mere videos.
Whole heads are probably more convincing than ears, too.
I don't suppose it would be too much to as the Islamic world to debate the beheadings of non-Muslims? Or is that already settled to be a 'good thing'?
Probably so. Keep your neck wrapped in something strong for now. :-)Just in case of impulse beheadings.
Questioner:"I was shocked recently when I heard of the news that an American was beheaded by some Iraqis and this was shown on video to the whole world!! I just couldn`t digest it that a live human was slaughtered like an animal in front of the whole world!! This would certainly damage the already deterioting position of Islam in front of the west. It reminded me of a similar case of Daniel Pearl`s murder in Pakistan about 2 years back. This is really disturbing to see Muslims doing such acts of violence. I agree that the people of Iraq are also suffering at the hands of the invaders and the resistance they are lodging against them is legitimate but I don`t think that Islam permits this kind of violence. What do you say about it."
Imam:"The incident that you have written about is indeed shocking. However, it is extremely important that we do not lose hold of the bigger picture because of our emotions. Doesn’t it seem strange that throughout the Iraqi war and so many months of oppressive occupation, it is only when the US army has come under fire from the entire world because of their gross indifference to humanity that only now the Iraqis decide to publicly execute an American?
and Allah Ta'ala Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
(Religion of peace. Riiiiight.)
The imam has an agenda. His answer should have been: "The killing of these people is not sanctioned by Islam."
The wrong answer was: "But look, the killing of Iraqis is not sanctioned by Christianity."
Fact is, according to vanilla Islam, these terrorists are infidels for a variety of reasons.
Images of persons are forbidden in Islam is a good point.
One might also inquire why Iranian diplomatic staff are taking pictures of themselves in front of the entrance to the Holland Tunnel in NYC. See another item on FR today.
Don't the Iranians claim to be super-Muslims who follow strict Islamic rules?
>> Don't the Iranians claim to be super-Muslims who follow strict Islamic rules?
The Iranians are living under the control of ones who claim to be super muslims. But they are fakes.
Also, could you tell us more about Islam and images? I have seen some beautiful artwork from the Persian empire(s) - people, kings, animals, lovely scenes. How does that fit in?
We were talking about Iranian clergy, but this also applies to the terrorists.
Images of people are taboo in Islam. This to limit the opportunity for idolization of this that or the other figure. These people go to extra lengths to make it possible for them to be idolized.
Islam asks that a follower exhausts every avenue possible for peaceful coexistence. These people do not do that.
Condemnation and execution has a proper protocol to be followed which includes steps (vaguely) similar to those observed in modern courts. Otherwise it's plain murder, and Islam forbids murder. These people are a lynch mob. They are murderers.
9/11 and other terror attacks are definitely anti-Islam anti-Christian and totally non-kosher in principle. Therefore those who perpetrate such attacks are infidels.
And since they profess to be Muslims but insist on acting like infodels, they are fakes pure and simple.
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