Are the terrorists true Muslims?

By Paz

Islam has some characteristics that make it impossible to reform like the other major religions. One might say that all religions went through a war-like, violent, intolerant period with terrorism. Islam has been around for 1400 years. It is only a few hundred years newer than Christianity. It has been in this period for a very long time. One could mention the crusades, but think about that: The Moors who were Muslims were trying to conquer all of Europe. The Europeans who were Christians defended themselves against this takeover. Take a good look at what Islamic law is. Once you are familiar with it, you would fight tooth and nail not to fall under Islamic rule yourself.

When Muslims move to the west, a large majority of them don't intend to assimilate whatsoever. They want their new host countries to do all the bending for them. Islam declares itself the only legitimate religion on Earth, and the Quran tells Muslims not to obey the laws of the unbelievers. Islam dictates that the goal of Islam is to dominate the Earth. It is an innate part of Islam. This part of Islam is what Al-Qaeda and groups like it are carrying out.

First, when Mohammad began his revelations of the Quran, he produced mostly more "kind & gentle" verses. As time went on, the verses became more and more violent and harsh. It is agreed upon by most Islamic scholars that the later verses abrogate the earlier ones, since they contradict each other.

Now about context, and taking verses in or out of context. Taking out of context can mean two things: First, the historical context to which the verse refers, or second, the textual context, the actual place in a particular chapter that the verse quoted comes from. The historical context argument is not available to Muslims, since the Quran is the eternal word of God and is true and valid eternally. Thus, for Muslims there is no historical context.

Let us assume some verses are wonderful when read in context, but horrible verses when read out of context. Doesn't Allah know that people will misinterpret them and take them out of context? The Quran itself says it is clear and easy to understand:

54:40, And We have indeed made the Quran easy to understand ...
12:1, These are verses of scripture that make it plain.
15:1, These are the verses of the Book and (of) a Quran that makes (things) clear.

Some verses regarding unbelievers, which means all non-Muslims and this does include people of the book. (Jews & Christians)

2:191, And slay them wherever ye catch them
2:193, And fight them on until there is no more Tumult or oppression
4:141, And never will Allah grant to the unbelievers a way (to triumph) over the believers
8:12, I will instill terror into the hearts of the unbelievers: smite ye above their necks and smite all their fingertips off them
9:5, But when the forbidden months are past, then fight and slay the Pagans wherever ye find them, and seize them, beleaguer them, and
lie in wait for them in every stratagem.
9:29, Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya* with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.

In the last verse above, the Jizya tax is mentioned. In an Islamic nation, under Islamic Sharia law, people of the book are to be offered the chance to accept Islam, and if they do not, they must pay this tax, in order to be tolerated and they are treated as second-class citizens anyway. If you are a non-Muslim and not of the book, the choice given you is convert, leave or be killed.

Now not all Muslims are in the same mindset as Al-Qaeda, but why do you almost never see Muslims protesting or speaking out against them or Saddam Hussein, for that matter? Why, anywhere in a non-Muslim country where there is any Muslim community, that community demands more and more rights (even rights no other religion has) and become politically involved in order to bring more of Islam's influence. This might be ok, but the more power Islam has, the more others' rights are quashed. Islam cares not about anyone else's rights; there are no individual rights in Islam. An example: CAIR, Council on American-Islamic Relations a mainstream Islamic organization in the US, has openly and publicly stated that they would like to see the US as an Islamic nation one day, and they strive towards that goal.

Once Sharia is in place, if you insult Mohammad, any of his relatives or companions, or the Quran, or Allah, that is considered blasphemy, which carries the death penalty. To deviate from the main way of interpreting Islam also constitutes blasphemy. Apostasy, which is to leave Islam, also carries the death penalty. Pakistan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Sudan, Nigeria and parts of Malaysia all have this law system in place. Other Islamic nations have parties in favor of enacting Sharia law. Under Islam, there can be no freedom of religion. It simply is not possible within Sharia law.

The Quran is considered the final and complete direct word from God, so it cannot be changed or reformed. In addition to that, the majority of Muslims actually do not speak Arabic, (Pakistan, Malaysia, Iran, Indonesia) yet they are required to pray, read & recite the Quran in Arabic. Many of them do not read translations, and do not know what the Quran actually contains.

Consequently, those Muslims who are more moderate and are good people are good DESPITE Islam. Either they are unaware of the harsh teachings, in denial about them, or afraid they will be disowned by their family in the least, killed at worst if they denounce these teachings. Al Qaeda follows Islam to the letter, in all its bloody, violent, suffocating glory.