New Book Describes Life under Islam

This book has been in the process of writing for over 10 years. Since I left Iraq in the summer of 1964 and my immigration from Kuwait in 1971, I have closely followed the events that have developed in the Islamic world.

Being an Assyrian national, I found that life in Iraq was unbearably difficult due to my indigenous nationality. Nor were my experiences unique, but were instead shared by many other Assyrians from Iraq and other Islamic countries. The injustice of my personal experiences in Iraq, the sadness of having to leave my home country, and awareness that this was a common circumstance for many other Assyrians, left my mind pondering over the issue of the unrecognised plight of the Assyrian people.

Over the years while monitoring news and the general media on Islamic developments, I came to realise that the dire situation the Assyrians found themselves in was similar to many other indigenous peoples throughout the world under Islamic rule. This realisation led me to wonder as to why do such similarities occur in the experiences of indigenous people under Islamic rule.

Islamic rule emanates from the Koranic teachings and the Hadeeth (the sayings and deeds of Mohammad) based on The Abode of Peace (Dar Al-Silm), and The Abode of War (Dar Al-Harb); and the Islamic (shari'a) law, the aim of which is to establish one unilateral Islamic Nation covering the whole world.

This book describes the rigidity and controlled lifestyle of the indigenous people under the chaotic ruling system of the Islamic world. Their freedom is suppressed and they are under constant cultural genocide. They are alienated, dispossessed and placed under a blanket of silence, insulated from world media. They are under pressure to either adapt to the Islamic rule and accept the fait accompli or perish.

The aim of this publication is two fold. First, to acquaint the world with, and alert it to, the hidden agenda of the oriental colonization and Islamisation process of the natives that fall within the states of their expanding Abode of Peace of the Islamic Nation. Second, to emphasise that the international community has a moral obligation to guarantee the aboriginals constitutional protection from such undemocratic regimes or help them free themselves from their adversary.

In the pre Islamic period, there were two trading months that were known in the desert of the Arab Peninsula as the two `forbidden months'. Arab tribes and individuals were forbidden to launch (Ghazawat) raids and attacks during these two trading months. The tradition was respected throughout the whole Peninsula, mainly for safety of the travellers and trade and survival of the Arab desert's economy. During that two-month period there was a complete cessation of hostility in the Arab Peninsula. Safe passage was guaranteed to all people. They travelled and went about their business and returned to their dwelling place without fear of being attacked. (Ghazzu) Raids stopped. Personal attacks stopped. Acts of vendetta stopped. Caravans, traders, all sorts of people travelled and went about their business in safety across the Sahara Desert without fear of being attacked. Before the Emergence of Islam, people travelled to the city of Mecca from all parts of the Arab Peninsula and neighbouring countries. Mecca was a commercial and religious centre. They traded merchandise and bartered their stock and goods. People sought soothsayers, paid homage to their gods and exchanged information. Mecca was a busy city, brisk, full of life and throbbing with activity. In SOUK OKADH market the people celebrated the most famous annual fair. It was held in the city centre. There, people recited boastful poems of chivalry, generosity and amour. Others told stories of adventure, of gallantry and heroism in eloquent rhythmic prose. It was an annual festival. It became a traditional custom that they enjoyed and respected. It attracted business, energised the heartbeat of the city to maintain the landmark of its traditional centre and enhance the growth of its economy.

After the two `forbidden months' were over, hostilities resumed. Tribes launched (Ghazzu) raids on each other. Tribesmen raided caravans, killed, looted, kidnapped, engaged in slave trade and continued in pursuit of their chaotic lifestyle and acts of vendetta and blood feuds (Pryce-Jones, 1989: 258-259).

With the emergence of Islam, instead of continuing in their old traditional way of tribal feuds in the desert of the Arab Peninsula, the prophet unified the Arab clans under the banner of Islam and re-directed their energy and attacks of the nomadic tribes against its non-Moslem surroundings. Islam changed the concept of the pre-Islamic (Ghazzu) raids into battles of (Jihad) holy war. It sanctioned its traditional raids and practice of appropriation through Jihad. Islam legalized Jihad against pagan cults, as well as the Jewish and Christian religions. Killing of their enemies and confiscating their properties during Jihad became lawful. Jihad and pillage went hand in hand, together. Belief in the redemption of the soul and assertion of the true faith was reaffirmed in their concept through the successful jihad raids. The speed with which Judaism and Christianity crumbled before the ferocity of the Islamic forces led the Moslem leaders to believe in the primacy of their Allah over Jehovah and the Mohammadan religion above all others. Islam was hence considered as the supreme religion, superseding all other religions and Mohammad as the Seal—the last of the prophets. Islam confronts both Judaism and Christianity believing in itself as the conclusion and fulfillment of the Jewish Torah and the Christian New Testament. In addition to Judaism and Christianity, Islam is intolerant of all other religions. Its main objective is their elimination and replacement with the Mohammadan religion, considering all religions previous to Islam as obsolete. Such deep conviction led them to risky ventures that entitled them to booty and paradise through martyrdom. Islamic militants justify their actions of force by associating them with the concept of Jihad, the struggle for Allah.

Traditionally, Islam recognizes Jihad as a religious act. Islamic religious organisations operating in Islamic countries indoctrinate Jihad in their manifesto with the formal approval of their government. Jihad promotes Islam by open threats and violence. Islamic mujahideen view Jihad holy war as an obligatory duty. To affirm that, militant groups give themselves religious names such a Hizb-Allah (The Party of God) in Lebanon, Junoud Mohammad (Mohammad's Soldiers) in Jordan, Ikhwan Al-Moslemeen (Moslem Brotherhood) in Egypt etc. Considering Jihad as an extension to the Islamic religion, the Mujahideen expect protection and gratitude from their sponsors and the clergy. Since (Jihad) is part of the doctrine created by such a religious-state system, it eventually leads to a situation where violence must be resorted to. Responsibility for such actions ends up with the religious authority, namely the Islamic government, backed by the clergy.

Vying with Saudi Arabia for a better inscription on its flag the verse which reads that there is `No god but Allah and Mohammad is the Messenger of Allah' underlined with a deadly unsheathed sword, Iran replaced the monarch's crown of the ousted Shah by inscribing `Allah' on its flag. Iraq, in competition with both Saudi Arabia and Iran, has added between the three stars on its flag `Allaho akbar'. The Islamic animosity, violence and continued abuse of human rights are depicted in their aggressive warlike slogans and catchcry threats. Such banner-heads give the impression that militant organizations in such government systems are staunchly Islamic and that secularisation is inconceivable. Democratisation based on secular constitutional reforms is undesirable by these Islamic states and, therefore, is discouraged, and becomes hard to attain.

The Mujahideen are operative instruments in the hands of their religious leaders. Islamic power and authority is made up of two elements: the Sword and the Book. Islam cannot have one without the other. They were twinborn and grew up together and became a socio-political system under the banner of Islam. In Islam, the sword is as essential as knowledge of the Koran to promote and maintain Islamic communities. Social and political freedom exists and is exercised only within the Islamic Shari'a law, sanctioned by the clergy, headed by a Mufti (head of the Islamic clergy). Islamic societies are prisoners of the clergy in their interpretation of the Koran and the Hadeeth. Whether right or wrong, acceptable or not, the Islamic society will have to abide by it or face (fatwa) religious edict and retribution. In the process, the ethnic communities are dragged along and become victims of the (shari'a) Islamic law.

During the first eight years of its struggle, (622 to 630 AD) the base of the Islamic community was established in the city of Medina. Earlier in 622 AD, Mohammad had smuggled himself stealthily out of Mecca. He escaped an assassination attempt on his life and fled to Yathrib, now called Medina, a city about 250 miles north of Mecca. His success in preaching his new religion attracted new converts. His followers increased in number and rallied around him forming an Islamic base. In the process, he formed an armed group to protect his community from enemy attacks. Being wealthy and a successful trader, Mohammad offered protection to those who would join him and fought hostile tribes that had earlier stood against him, beginning with the Jewish Qurayzah clan. Mohammad united the Moslem clans and formed an overwhelming force of arbitrary power under his direct command. He controlled certain trade routes by mounting regular raids on them and exacting protection money. He formed alliance with his supporters and launched counter attacks on tribes that assaulted his community.

In the case of the Jewish Qurayzah clan that had stood against him earlier, he destroyed it completely by putting the men to the sword and enslaving the women and children. He extended his alliance and prevented others from joining the Meccans. His successful raids and call for surrender to Allah led more men to become Moslems and join in his activities. As he grew from strength to strength, he progressively led larger Moslem forces and improved his military position greatly. Profiting materially from his military campaigns, Mohammad centralized the power of his system and became the all-powerful.

Once his military position was left unchallenged, the prophet, at the head of about ten thousand strong advanced to Mecca in a bid to dictate his terms of peace to them. The Meccans accepted his terms, and Mohammad entered Mecca unchallenged. His archenemies, the Chieftains, the nobility, elite leaders and elders of the city accepted him without any resistance. As a mark of submission, the Meccans opened the gate without resistance; they paid homage as the procession entered the city centre. Mohammad entered Mecca and emerged the victor.

Following the defeat of Al-Quraysh tribe (an elite and influential ruling tribe of Mecca) in January 630 AD., the prophet entered Mecca triumphantly. He had the idols destroyed, and all the graven images overturned from their pedestals at the Ka'aba Shrine. Ali, his son in-law, is said to have helped smash the pagan idols. Later, Mohammad touched the Black Stone and shouted with a challenging triumph: `ALLAHO AKBAR' meaning that his God is, comparatively, greater than any other god by using the adjective `greater' in the comparative tense. Hence, their catchcry on their flags, in street demonstrations and battlefields, emulate Mohammad's triumphal act in Mecca. Moslems employ these tactics to remind the non-Islamic governments that they mean business. They act with hostility to show that they are in preparation for a secessionist war. Their hostile attitude implies that they will eventually assert their own political weight by force, as is now the case in Macedonia. With armed struggle, they will campaign for a separatist nation of Islam, as is the case now with the Moslem minority in Cyprus, in Kashmir, southern Philippines and Kosovo, a province of Serbia. The struggle continues. Moslems in the Abode of War (Dar Al-Harb) never integrate; they segregate into their own Islamic community with a view to carving an Islamic state of their own. While in the Abode of Peace (Dar Al-Silm), they scheme towards converting the non-Moslem. Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Turkey, the Sudan, Algeria and Nigeria are vivid examples (Hiro, 1989: 9; Al-Nahar: 38-39).

Besides `Allaho akbar', Islam has since come up with a number of other Islamic war cries such as "The riders of unity," "The people of unity", "The winds of paradise are blown/where are you, the dissenter?" and the most daring battle cry: "Aslim taslam wa illa al aqiba wakheema"—surrender, (submit to Allah) and become Moslem, and be spared or else the consequence will be disastrous. The consequence of their Jihad is the dreadful choice between the Koran and the sword. Their campaigns escalate Jihad in this trend. If they survive, they live better off and pride themselves on their achievement. If they die in battle, better still, they are transformed into martyrs and guaranteed a place in heaven. What more could they want? They had the material comfort and contentment on earth, and ahead, awaited them the undeniable paradise up in heaven (Hiro, 1989: 100, 111; Polk, 1991: 46-47).

Having secured Mecca as the centre of his new religion, Mohammad diverted the energy of his forces against the "unbeliever" pagan, the infidel and the polytheist. His rapid success strengthened his forces, increased the wealth of his community and lessened tribal feuds. All segments of the prophet's followers, rallied together, bound by a common faith that gave them a sense of brotherhood and belonging. It reinforced their social place in their community and grew stronger, economically and ideologically. The strong community developed into a self-sufficient society of an ever-growing Islamic (umma) nation. It has since been known as (Ummat Al-Islam)—the Nation of Islam.

During Islam's systematized invasion, all the small kingdoms in Mesopotamia and the Middle Eastern region were under the yoke of foreign rule, either as Roman vassals or Persian satrapies. Their people battered, weak and heavily tolled, became an easy prey to a floodgate of successive Arab attacks on their region. They became passive and their resistance waned. Successive triumphs gave the rising nation of Islam a sense of unanimity, a sense of purpose and drive. It enhanced their motivation towards more invasions and expansion, seeing their enemies that believed in divine protection crumble and withdraw in haste before the conquering armies of Allah. The cities and their unarmed native inhabitants fell silent and in obedience to the new world order, new religion and new master. With incredible speed and impetuousness, Islam surged forward overwhelmingly, defeating its new enemies, with little or no resistance. Islam marched forward, conquering and domineering with an ecstasy of religious fervour and in jubilation of easy victory over their infidel enemies. The notion of Jihad holy war united the Moslem Arabs against their one common enemy—the non-Moslem. Holy war became another factor that contributed to the rapid expansion of the Islamic nation. Resistance waned against the rising armies of Mohammad. Islam was soon firmly established in North Africa and the Middle East. Islam became a power to be reckoned with.

Earlier, as founder of the new Islamic nation, the prophet had to engage in risky speculations. He ventured to free his society from dependence on charity and goodwill of his sympathisers. Through Jihad, he launched successful campaigns within the Arab Peninsula, against his enemies and their trade caravans. He controlled trade routes and dictated his terms to guarantee the safety of their passage and their merchandise. His community became loaded with possessions and became abundantly rich. Spreading the message of Allah and accumulating wealth through jihad, such campaigns became acceptable and a daily affair. Islam indoctrinated jihad in its religion and has since become a legitimate requirement and a religious duty. To acquire wealth through jihad and use it in the service and promotion of Islam has since grown into a strong Islamic obligation, acknowledging it informally as the sixth pillar of Islam.

I discovered Mr. Isaac's book a year ago on a Web site which is now no longer online.

Happily, his book is now available at Xlibris.com in hardcover and paperback, and also as an e-book (only $ 8.00!). The book can also be ordered from Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble.

Author bio at Amazon:
Frederick P. Isaac was born in 1932 in Kirkuk, Iraq. His parents fled to Lebanon from Iraq after the massacre of Assyrian villagers in 1933.
He has worked in administrative positions with the Iraqi News Agency, the US International Cooperation Administration and various oil companies in Iraq and Kuwait.
Fred migrated with his wife and three children to Australia in 1971. Since then, he has written about the plight of the Assyrians, having his work published in various magazines.

The story of the Assyrians is perhaps the most under-reported topic in news accounts from the Middle East. Even now, with so much media attention focused on Iraq, the situation of the Assyrians is virtually never mentioned, in contrast to the Kurds.

At the same time, Assyrians have so much to tell us about what it is like to be a religious and ethnic majority under the heavy yoke of Muslim Arabs.

Anyone interested in learning more about the Assyrian people may want to click here and here.

Islamic rule emanates from the Koranic teachings and the Hadeeth (the sayings and deeds
of Mohammad)....the aim of which is to establish one unilateral Islamic Nation
covering the whole world.

I used to feel neutral about Islam.
But since 9-11 and waking up to what happens when Islamics go on the war-path...
I've reached about the same conclusion as the passage above.
This whole situation, as Lincoln said, might just have to be settled in blood.

You're in :-)

dennisw, the two sites cited in my comment above - http://www.nineveh.com and http://www.atour.org - offer copious information on the Assyrian people.

Assyrians converted to Christianity in the latter part of the 1st century CE.

Jews and Assyrians go back a long way together, a relationship that has a sometimes stormy history. Islamic rulers often played them against each other. Hopefully we are beyond that today.

Personal anecdote: I wear a Magen David pendant around my neck that I bought from a local jeweler. I didn't like what was on offer downtown, so I went to check out the discount mom-and-pop outfits near the train station. One of them had tourist posters of Turkey in the store window as well as a nice display of jewelry.

I went in and asked the elderly couple if they were from Turkey and spoke Turkish? Well, the man said, I am from Turkey but my wife is from Damascus. And we don't speak Turkish together but Aramaic.

Aramaic! I knew parts of the bible are written in Aramaic. But that it is still spoken as a language today...

They were both very friendly, said that Assyrians and Jews are cousins. And they didn't mind me bargaining down the price a bit :-)

the aim of which is to establish one unilateral Islamic Nation covering the whole world.

They work on the principal of "domination through violence". There is no such thing as "sacrificial love" for they despise the cross. That's why one sees so many abuse issues within families (polygamy included)!

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