Islam: Religion or Cult?

Steven Hasson's description of cult

Islam's characteristics 

The Moonies do a very thorough job of convincing people that former members are satanic and that even being in their presence could be dangerous. [p.3]

Apostasy in Islam is the greatest sin. Apostates are to be shunned, ostracized and even killed 4:89,  9:66, 

Allah's Apostle said, "The blood of a Muslim who confesses that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that I am His Apostle, cannot be shed except in three cases: In Qisas for murder, a married person who commits illegal sexual intercourse and the one who reverts from Islam (apostate) and leaves the Muslims." [Bukhari 9,83,17]

Ali burnt some people [hypocrites] and this news reached Ibn 'Abbas, who said, "Had I been in his place I would not have burnt them, as the Prophet said, 'Don't punish (anybody) with Allah's Punishment.' No doubt, I would have killed them, for the Prophet said, 'If somebody (a Muslim) discards his religion, kill him.' "  [Bukhari 9,84,57]

 It is ironic that whereas Moon's stated goal is to unify the world, many of his strategies foster jealousy and spite among leaders, virtually insuring a lack of unity. [p.23]

Soon after the death of Muhammad, the fight over power started and tens of thousands of Muslims were killed due to infighting among the leaders and close relatives of Muhammad by fellow Muslims.  

The more people opposed us, the more committed we felt. [p.24]

Often Muslims claim that after reading my articles their faith in Islam has grown. This is not entirely bluff. Oliver Wendell Holmes said: “The mind of a bigot is like the pupil of the eye; the more light you pour upon it, the more it will contract”. Although Muslims may not regard themselves as observing Muslims, once Islam is criticized they feel their identity is under attack and tenaciously try to hold unto it even though they can’t explain why.         

   It was as if we were God's army in the middle of a spiritual war--the only ones who could go to the front lines and fight Satan each day. [p.24]  

   Muslims believe Islam is the only true religion and they are the only people who do God’s work.  

 The Moonies wanted to keep me from pursuing some disturbing questions. I had discovered some glaring inconsistencies. It was dangerous for someone in my position in the organization to ask questions that couldn't be answered. [p.25]  

Muslims are not allowed to ask certain questions that go to the core of Muhammad’s claim. Questions such as how do we know that Muhammad was telling the truth are taboo. In Islam you are allowed to ask question about modality for example “please tell us about Islam” but you can’t ask questions about the validity of Islam. Muslims are very sensitive about this issue and threat and violence may ensue.    

Indeed, it was my ideals and my own fantasy of an ideal world that had lured me into the Moonies. Those ideals ultimately enabled me to walk out and publicy condemn cult mind control. [p.33]  

 Many people who convert to Islam do so because they project their own ideals on this religion but in reality they have very little understanding of Islam, its tenets and its violent history. Most of these converts ultimately leave Islam when they discover the truth.  

 They indoctrinate members to show only the best sides of the organization. Members are taught to suppress any negative feelings they have about the group and always show a continually smiling, "happy" face. [p.41]  

This is typical of Islam where image is everything. Muslims have a tradition of dissimulation called Taqyyah. Deceiving others to portray Islam in the best lights is something every Muslim, including the newcomers learns to do from early on.  

In some cults, members are systematically made to be phobic about ever leaving the group. Today's cults know how to effectively implant vivid negative images deep within members' unconscious minds, making it impossible for the member to even conceive of ever being happy and successful outside of the group. [p.45] In the same way, cult phobias take away people's choices. Members truly believe they will be destroyed if they leave the safety of the group. They think there are no other ways for them to grow--spiritually, intellectually, or emotionally. They are virtually enslaved by this mind control technique. [p.46]  

Fear of leaving Islam is inseminated in the mind of the Muslim in various ways. The most heavy-handed method is the fear of hellfire. This fear is so engrained in the mind of the Muslim that virtually paralyzes his thinking ability. Even the most brilliant Muslims become literally powerless vis-à-vis the fear of the afterlife and facing a vengeful and tyrannical god. Then there is the fear of ostracism, loss of social prestige and even persecution and death. The Muslim is led to believe that life outside Islam does not exist and he is constantly reminded of the tremendous losses hat he would incur, both in this world and the next.  

A cult is a religious group with extreme beliefs and practices - beliefs that are often contrary to science and logic but they are believed as "obvious" truth by the cult members. 

slam claims to be a religion with strong devotion to Muhammad and a set of unsubstantiated doctrines presented by him. Monotheism is used as a pretext to exert absolute control over the believer, leaving him no chance to question or investigate alternative paths. 

The members of cults often isolate themselves from friends, family and society and use deceptive and unethical recruiting techniques

Muhammad forced his followers to leave their families (8:72) and gathered them in Yathrib. He said: “And those who believed but did not leave their homes, ye have no duty to protect them till they leave their homes”. He warned those who did not follow him, that they will be cursed by Allah and “their habitation will be hell”(4:97). He went as far as to order his followers to murder those Muslims who defected his barricade.(4:89)  In Yathrib he banished and killed the Jews who did not believe in him, thus eliminating the chance of his followers coming in contact with outsiders and being influenced by contrary ideas. In this way he exerted absolute control over the lives and the minds of his followers. Jim Jones did the same. He called his town "Jonestown". 

Use manipulative methods to control the minds of followers

He used manipulative methods to control the minds of his followers. These methods ranged from threat of hellfire, and promises of paradise, to exhaustive rituals of prayers and fasts devised to numb the thought, and threat of physical punishment including execution and constant warfare, that kept his followers in permanent state of agitation.  

Venerate a human leader or leaders

He established himself as the sole authority among his followers and the only source of guidance to the extent that they looked up to him for every detail of their lives, including how to dress, how to shave, how to pray and even how to urinate and how to clean after bowl movement. Ostensibly the worship was to God but effectively he was the only object of veneration of his followers and the only authority. Nominally God was to be obeyed but he was God's proxy, thus assuming the authority of God. 

Recruiting work is performed by all of the members

All believers were asked to promote his cause through Jihad, propaganda or by giving generously from their wealth. 4:95, 9:20, 49:15, 61:11  The slogan of “Islam will rule the world” is the goal of every Muslim, and whether a moderate or an extremist, they all strive to recruit more new believers. 

People are not allowed to criticize the leader, the doctrine, or the organization, or read information that is critical of the cult.

The criticism of Muhammad and Islam was totally prohibited and if anyone dared to question him or his decisions, Omar swiftly unshielded his sword and threatened to slash the throat of the intrepid questioner forcing him to apologize at once. The message was sent in a very clear tone that no one is allowed to question Muhammad and his authority. 1400 years later, the message remains the same. If you question Islam you will be killed.  

Members are trained to reject and disbelieve criticism of the cult as lies from Satan.

Muslims are told to dismiss any criticism of Islam as coming from Satan and they often avoid reading critical views about their Faith. I have received testimonies of apostates who confessed that at first when they came across my writings they stopped reading and dismissed them as the work of Satan. I myself never read any book critical of Islam and once frowned at a friend who expressed her curiosity about Salman Rushdie's Satanic Verses.   

Members spy on one another and report improper activities or comments to leaders.

Muslims are encouraged to spy on each other and report any sign of dissent. Amr bil Maroof wa Nahi anil Munkir (Commanding to follow what is ordained in the religion and preventing from doing what is prohibited) is a tenet of Islam. Every Muslim is required to poke his nose in the private lives of others, spy on them and tell them what is permissible and what is not. Every Muslim is an enforcer of religion and the moral police for others.  

Members are taught to suppress anything which might reflect negatively to outsiders about the cult.

Muslims suppress anything that might present Islam in negative light. Preserving the image of Islam is of utmost importance and Muslims lie with clarity of conscience to misrepresent their religion and make it look good. For example women in Islam are treated like animals and are considered as deficient in intelligence. Every Muslim knows that, including women. But they blame the men for it and not Islam. They lie through their teeth bragging about the "elevated" status of women in Islam. Jihad means offensive war to expand Islam. Every Muslim knows that. Yet they all lie and say Jihad means "self defense". A couple of years ago I received a very angry email from a Muslim who cursed me for revealing the fact that Muhammad had slept with a 9-year old child and at the end he said “the damage is already done” and I will be certainly punished for what I had done. Prior to that few people knew about Islam and Muhammad. Note that the fact that Muhammad slept with a child did not bother this Muslim; what bothered him was revealing that fact. Muhammad would not go to hell for deflowering a child and for being a pedophile but I will go to hell and will be severely punished for talking about it publicly.       

The doctrine is absolutist and the ideology is internalized as "the Truth."

Islam is extremely absolutist and Muslims believe that it is the only true religion. This “truth” however is not self evident. It is "true" because Muhammad said so.  

Members are told to avoid contact with ex-members or critics, even their relatives.

Muslims are told to shun the apostates and the critics of Islam. New converts are often circled and are isolated from their non-Muslim family and friends. They are showered with “love” and receive a lot of emotional support until the brainwashing is complete.  

Members are instilled with a deep fear about ever leaving the organization, and anyone who does depart is of the devil and sometimes severely punished.

Muslims are instilled with the fear of leaving Islam. This fear comes in two forms. One is the fear of hell and of eternal punishment and the other is the fear of being caught and put to death by fellow Muslims, including their best friends and family.  

Members are emotional controlled and warned of being caught and punished.

Those who leave Islam must live in constant threat of being discovered and killed. Muslims often write to me to talk about this fear and say they pity me for having to look over my shoulders all the time and live in constant fear of being assassinated. Their values are so distorted that they do not pity themselves for being the assassins but pity me for having to live in their fear.   

Disciplinary action is administered by group leaders, which may involve excommunication for such things as questioning organization policy or doctrine.

In Islam disciplinary action includes beating, maiming, stoning, beheading or jail. Excommunication is for minor offenses. The poet Ka’b and two others were excommunicated for fifty days and during that time no one spoke to them. Ka’b’s wife was told to leave him and wherever he went people ignored him as if he was invisible. All this, because he did not accompany Muhammad in the war of Tabutk.  

People are encouraged to sacrifice education, career and family interests to server the interests of the cult.

Muslims are told to sacrifice their comfort, their wealth and their lives to promote Islam. Young men are encouraged to leave their studies and work, to wage Jihad and commit suicide bombing to make Islam dominant. Family and even children are regarded as "tests" for the believers. To prove their devotion to Allah, they must be able to forgo all these "worldly attachments" and get ready to sacrifice their lives in the cause of Islam. 

Advocate socializing only with other members in the organization and avoiding outsiders.

Muslims are discouraged to take friends from amongst the unbelievers even if these unbelievers are their kin. (3:28) They are told the unbelievers are najis (filthy)(9:28) and that the believers should not associate with them.  

The belief in apocalypse and Dooms Day.  

The belief in the Day of Judgment and the Dooms Day is one of the pillars of the Islamic Faith.