Posted on 07/22/2005 9:02:14 AM PDT by CHARLITE
Jihad is the evil ideology that is driving terrorism. Muslims should take the lead in rooting out this barbarism.
Early reports indicate that there were no fatalities from four coordinated explosions that again targeted Londons transit system yesterday, July 21, 2005, exactly two weeks after the Islamikaze carnage of July 7, 2005 that killed over 50 persons. Perhaps we will also be spared the surreal drama that is enacted each time there is a major Islamikaze terrorist attack: politicians and various other expertsnon-Muslim and Muslim alikestart praising Islam. They tell us that Islam is a noble religion that stands for peace and compassion and abhors violence. This is what Mr. Tony Blair did immediately following the London bombings of 7/7/05. It is now all but an obligatory ritual.
The major players in this post-attack drama are Muslim leaders and academics. They voice apprehensions about the possible backlash against innocent Muslims, resulting from the terrorist acts of a minority. They assure us that the terrorists are acting against the teachings of Islam. This is soon followed by a third act, an airing of Muslim grievances the war in Iraq, the Palestinian problem, and of course the oppression of Muslims in non-Muslim countries like Britain. The talk is always about backlash and grievances, rarely about their own responsibility in allowing fanaticism to flourish in their midst.
In all this there is an unstated assumption that the root causes of terrorism lie outside the teachings of Islam. If that is the case, how are we to explain the fact all the terrorist attacksfrom New York to London to Balihave one thing in common: that they were perpetrated by groups acting in the name of Islam? It is hard to believe that the Bali bombings had anything to do with Iraq or Palestine.
In this drama of denial and diversion, there is always a reluctance to mention the one word that goes a long way towards explaining terrorism: Jihad. While Mr. Blair talked about an evil ideology of hate, he did not mention Jihad. Neither did the British Muslim leaders who promised full cooperation. All spoke in vague terms about fighting extremism and fundamentalism without telling us how.
At this moment of crisis, what the world needs is clarity, not obfuscation. Fortunately, we have a lucid explanation of Jihad and terrorism by one of the founding fathers of modern terrorism, the late General Zia-ul-Haq, former president of Pakistan. He sponsored one Brigadier Malik to produce an authoritative military manual on Jihad called The Quranic Concept of War.
In his laudatory foreword to the book, General Zia wrote:
JIHAD FI-SABILILLAH (Jihad in the path of Allah) is not the exclusive domain of the professional soldier, nor is it restricted to the application of military force alone. The book brings out with simplicity, clarity and precision the Quranic philosophy on the application of the military force, within the context of the totality that is JIHAD.
Indeed it does. Brigadier Malik writes,
the Holy Prophets operations are an integral and inseparable part of the divine message revealed to us in the Holy Quran. The war he planned and carried out was total to the infinite degree. It was waged on all fronts: internal and external, political and diplomatic, spiritual and psychological, economic and military.
Another point made by the author is that the war should be carried out in the opponents territory. The aggressor was always met and destroyed in his own territory. The aggressor is anyone who stands in the way of Jihad.
Where does terrorism come in the picture?
The Quranic military strategy thus enjoins us to prepare ourselves for war to the utmost in order to strike terror into the heart of the enemy, known or hidden
It doesnt stop here, for Brigadier Malik assures us:
Terror struck into the hearts of the enemy is not only a means, it is the end in itself. Once a condition of terror into the opponents heart is obtained, hardly anything is left to be achieved Terror is not a means of imposing decision upon the enemy; it is the decision we wish to impose upon him. (Original emphasis.)
That is to say, the enemy should be made to live in a state of perpetual terror. We should be grateful to Brigadier Malik and the late General Zia for spelling it out with such clarity. We no longer need to grope in the dark to identify this evil ideology of hate in Mr. Blairs picturesque phrase.
Though little known in the West, The Quranic Concept of War is widely studied in Islamic countries. It has been translated into several languages including Arabic and Urdu (the official language of Pakistan). Indian soldiers have recovered Urdu versions of the book from the bodies of slain militants in Kashmir.
It is no coincidence that the trail of terrorism today should lead to General Zia. By making Jihad the centerpiece of Pakistans politics he ensured that Jihadist thinking would dominate all aspects of Pakistani politics in both domestic and foreign affairs. And now British investigators have determined that three of the four suicide bombers responsible for the carnage in London on 7/7/05 were Muslims of Pakistani descent, who had recently flown to Karachi and attended Pakistani madrassas known to be run by terrorist organizations.
That this barbarous act of terrorism has indelible links to Pakistan is hardly surprisingfor at least a quarter century, Pakistan has been a fountainhead of jihadist ideologyembodied in the The Quranic Concept of Warand a tactical training center for jihad terrorists. Indeed, even during the current Musharaf administrations purported crackdown on Al Qaeda networks, as terrorism expert Con Coughlin observed,
the inescapable conclusion is that Pakistan forms the epicentre of Osama bin Laden's unremitting campaign of terror against the West.
In the face of this, Mr. Blairs actions in the days following the London blasts are not reassuring. Plans to deport all known Muslim fanatics allowed into Britain may accomplish little. Islamic terror is increasingly becoming home grown and will be more so in the future. What is needed is a method of combating indoctrination of young Muslim minds on English soil.
The so-called blasphemy law recently passed by the House of Commons is a knee-jerk reaction to pressure from Muslim groups. It will only shield Islam from honest review and criticism that the situation now demands. It is just a step removed from allowing Islamic courts and an Islamic thought police to function. This is what one expects in countries like Saudi Arabia, not Britain.
What is needed now is the exact opposite of such censorship: a free debate over all aspects of Islamic teachings and practices, especially Jihad. After all, Christianity and Hinduism, the other two major religions of Britain enjoy no such immunity. Nor have they asked for it.
Muslim leaders need to go beyond condemning violence and voicing grievances. They need to root out this evil from within their ranks. If they are really sincere about fighting terrorism, they should come out openly against the barbarism that is Jihad, and not hide behind vague statements about extremism and fanaticism. Mere lip service will not do.
Dr. N.S. Rajaram is a mathematician and historian of science. He lives in Oklahoma City and Bangalore, India
"...a terrible problem for the rest of the world....."
Ever so correct, but don't leave us out of that thought.
Jihad is occurring in many places in the world. What is also frightening (to me) is the rapid growth of Islam in the world, and the vast amount of emigration of middle east Muslims to Western countries. Canada is full of Muslims, peaceful so far.
Virtually no westerners emigrate to Muslim countries.
It is logical to conclude, given the spreading I mentioned, that Islam will, indeed, take over the world.
Unless it is stopped. (That's one reason they're fighting so savagely in Iraq to prevent Democracy. If Iraq becomes a solid democracy, the world jihadist movement will be severely weakened, as Iraq will stand as the antithesis to Islamic jihad.)
Hugoball said it well. An Islamist cannot be changed. Muhamed wrote that "infidels" (everybody else) should be shunned and killed, until only Muslims remain. That is a very clear statement. These words are engraved in the minds of every Muslim in the world, whether he's a jihadist or not. (Which may explain why apparently "good" Muslims suddenly blow up trains!)
To say that Islam is on a collision course with the West, and Christianity, is not true. The collision is occurring now.
And I presume he is NOT a Muslim.
Else he would not have written this codswallop.
Muslim leaders need to go beyond condemning violence and voicing grievances. They need to root out this evil from within their ranks. If they are really sincere about fighting terrorism, they should come out openly against the barbarism that is Jihad, and not hide behind vague statements about extremism and fanaticism. Mere lip service will not do.
It's been preached and taught for some time.
Welcome back from wherever you've been.
Why is his argument "nonsense?" Aren't we all saying the same things now? - i.e. that Muslims must begin a renaissance - a "reformation" from within their own religion? I'm not certain that it could be equated with Martin Luther's Protestant Reformation, but that's the idea.
Why is such a suggestion "codswallop" and "nonsense?" I'm afraid that I'm not following your reasoning. What is your suggestion for dealing with murderous, militant, bloody Islamofascism?..........teach them the music and lyrics to "Qumbaya?"
Char
What is your suggestion for dealing with murderous, militant, bloody Islamofascism?..........
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The tragic part is that not enough Americans HAVE THE GUTS to do what is needed .. and that is to TROWN THEM OUT OF THIS COUNTRY...until they do reform, IF THEY EVER DO.
NO GUTS IN THE POLITICIANS = MORE DEAD AMERICANS
For the life of me I cannot fathom the point of your posts. Is it that we just need to give the Muslim world a century or two to sort out the message of their holy book?
You dare speak of "Qumbaya"? LOL!
We are not here considering the nailing of theses on church doors by pastors.
These are barbarians beheading noncombatants, women even.
The answer is to begin dealing death and destruction to Jihadist terror training camps and the to radicals' madrassas that instill their filth in the minds of young discontents.
Wringing our hankies and hoping for a heavenly revelation to this savage sect is worse than silly.
Even more stupid than invading secularist states.
Some time being, what, 30-something years? As opposed to a religion that's over 1,300 years old.
They don't have that much time before we get really tired of their crap. They're going to have to grow up much more quickly than the Christian religion did.
In addition to this, I also believe that western European countries need to begin shipping their radical Islamic "dissidents" (hate preachers) out of their countries forthwith.
The notion of a "reformation" within Islam isn't bad if it becomes a genuine one and rids their cult (I refuse to call it a religion) of every single reference to killing "infidels." If they want a peaceful "Islam," then fine, but along with my friend, Ali Sina (http://www.faithfreedom.org), I actually don't think that "reform" is a realistic concept. The whole ideology is putrid, primitive, barbaric and death-driven. It always has been.
Thanks for your comments, iconoclast.
Char (:
Some time being, what, 30-something years?
Closer to a HUNDRED and thirty years, for whatever your point is. Longer than some your protestant sects.
You're a disgrace to your culture, you loose tongued lout.
Thanks for that link. It is an excellent article, and absolutely PROVES that Muslims and Islam are intransigent. Period. There is no such thing as a "moderate" Muslim! If they appear to be "understanding" and "willing to listen," it is only a hedge game. The reason for which none of the so-called "moderates" are speaking out loudly and firmly is simple. They're waiting to see if their side wins......i.e. if the "New Caliphate" will engulf this planet.
Allah forbid that they would be viewed by the dictators of "the New Caliphate" as having sided with America and the west!
Yet a long time ago, the Muslim religion was responsible for much of the progression of the human race. They had been declining a bit from then, but the killer blow to Muslims being part of civilization was Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahab.
If that's the culture of people in denial about the history of their own religion, then I consider that a compliment.
The first suicide bombing was in the 1800s? References, please. But even that would make it a relatively recent invention.
Hey, that wasn't too long after Christianity's last witch execution.
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