Whether or not a Muslim is physically fighting on one of the innumerable battlefields of jihad in the world is a somewhat academic point when considering Islam's claims of entitlement to supremacy over all other peoples and their social, political, and religious systems. To be sure, the majority of Muslims are peaceable people who contribute positively to society. What counts, though, is that all Muslims have immovable faith that the world and the future belong to them and their crazy God. They believe that achieving this object justifies the mainstream Islamic institution of violent, offensive jihad. Whether a Muslim fights with the Kalashnikov, pays the expenses for the Muslim who fights with the Kalashnikov, or simply cheers for him, the bottom line is that they are both on the same team, and we are the opposing team. And the strange and scary thing is that they genuinely believe that their violence and intolerance is holy and pleasing to God.

Here's the lowdown on the Weltanschauung of the Islamic faithful, plain and simple: Islam is the one true faith, infidels are scum, and it is a religious duty incumbent on the ummah (Muslim community) to make war against them until Islam (submission to God's will) is the supreme force in the world.

But is this just reflexive bigotry—a cheap and mean-spirited attempt to drag the good name of Muslims and their religion of peace through the mud of ignorant spite? What does the Qur'an say about all this? After all, the Qur'an is the first and last word in what Muslims believe, think, and do. Sura 9, Repentance, is quite instructive:

Fight against such of those to whom the Scriptures were given as believe not in God nor in the Last Day, who do not forbid what God and His apostle have forbidden, and do not embrace the true Faith, until they pay tribute out of hand and are utterly subdued.
The Jews say Ezra is the son of God, while the Christians say the Messiah is the son of God. Such are their assertions, by which they imitate the infidels of old. God confound them! How perverse they are!⁴

It is He who has sent forth His apostle with guidance and the True Faith that he may exalt it above all religions, though the idolaters abhor it.⁵

Believers, why is it that when you are told: 'March in the cause of God,' you linger slothfully in the land? ...
If you do not go to war, He will punish you sternly, and will replace you by other men. You will in no way harm Him: for God has power over all things.⁶

Whether unarmed or well-equipped, march on and fight for the cause of God, with your wealth and with your persons. This will be best for you, if you but knew it.⁷

Prophet, make war on the unbelievers and the hypocrites and deal rigorously with them. Hell shall be their home: an evil fate.⁸
God has purchased from the faithful their lives and worldly goods, and in return has promised them the Garden. They will fight for the cause of God, they will slay, and be slain. Such is the true promise which He has made them in the Torah, the Gospel and the Koran. And who is more true to his pledge than God? Rejoice then in the bargain you have made. That is the supreme triumph.^⁹

It is not right that all the faithful should go to war at once. A band from each community should stay behind to instruct themselves in religion and to admonish their men when they return, so that they may take heed.

Believers, make war on the infidels who dwell around you. Deal firmly with them. Know that God is with the righteous.^¹⁰

Equally clear on the matter of Islam's violent, totalitarian, expansionist agenda is the second source of Islamic law after the Qur'an: the hadith (the written collections of sunnah—the traditions and precedents of Muhammad and his companions):

Allah's Apostle said, 'I have been ordered to fight the people till they say: 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah, 'and whoever said, 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah', Allah will save his property and his life from me, unless (he does something for which he receives legal punishment) justly, and his account will be with Allah.^¹¹

A morning or an evening spent in the Path of Allah is better than the world and all it contains.^¹²

O you who believe! Take not my enemies And your enemies as friends offering them (your) love even though they have disbelieved in the Truth (i.e. Allah, Prophet Muhammad and this Quran) which has come to you ....(to the end of Verse)....(And whosoever of you does that, then indeed he has gone astray from the Straight Path." Qur'an 60:1)^¹³

The Prophet passed by me at a place called Al-Abwa or Waddan, and was asked whether it was permissible to attack the pagan warriors at night with the probability of exposing their women and children to danger. The Prophet replied, "They (i.e. women and children) are from them (i.e. pagans)."^¹⁴

It has been narrated on the authority of Uqba b. Amir who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) say: Lands shall be thrown open to you and Allah will suffice you (against your enemies), but none of you should give up playing with his arrows.^¹⁵

The Prophet said, on the day of the Conquest of Mecca, "There is no migration (after the Conquest), but Jihad and good intentions, and when you are called for Jihad, you should immediately respond to the call."^¹⁶

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: The best of the actions is to love for the sake of God and to hate for the sake of God.^¹⁷

And to bring the point home, let's return to the Qur'an:

The basest creatures in the sight of God are the faithless who will not believe.^..¹⁸
Fight against them until idolatry is no more and God's religion reigns supreme. But if they desist, fight none except the evil-doers^.¹⁹
You are the noblest community ever raised up for mankind. You enjoin justice and forbid evil. You believe in God.
Had the People of the Book accepted the Faith, it would surely have been better for them. Some are true believers, but most are evil-doers^.²⁰

Believers, take neither the Jews nor the Christians for your friends. They are friends with one another. Whoever of you seeks their friendship shall become one of their number. God does not guide the wrongdoers^.²¹

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