I am currently doing research for an essay in my Islamic Studies class, and I found an excellent article that I very much recommend: The Place of Tolerance in Islam - On reading the Qur'an—and misreading it - by Khaled Abou El Fadl.
Here is what he writes about Holy War/Jihad:
"Interestingly, Islamic tradition does not have a notion of holy war. "Jihad" simply means to strive hard or struggle in pursuit of a just cause, and according to the Prophet of Islam, the highest form of jihad is the struggle waged to cleanse oneself from the vices of the heart. Holy war (in Arabic al-harb al-muqaddasah) is not an expression used by the Qur'anic text or Muslim theologians. In Islamic theology, war is never holy; it is either justified or not, and if it is justified, those killed in battle are considered martyrs. The Qur'anic text does not recognize the idea of unlimited warfare, and does not consider the simple fact of the belligerent's Muslim identity to be sufficient to establish the justness of his cause. In other words, the Qur'an entertains the possibility that the Muslim combatant might be the unjust party in a conflict."
Posted by Maria at May 10, 2005 01:23 PM | TrackBacksContrasting with your pick --a terribly misguiding one--, here you have my recommended readings on Islam, from highly credited sources.
1) "The Myth of Islamic Tolerance: How Islamic Law Treats Non-Muslims", by Robert Spencer,
http://tinyurl.com/br85l (link to Amazon.com)
There are described the law of Islam (Shari'a), and the facts revolving its historical origin and consequences (the mandatory, perpetual war against non-Muslims that jihad is):
2) "Eurabia: The Euro-Arab Axis"
by Bat Ye'Or,
http://tinyurl.com/cyhtd (link to Amazon.com)
An enlightening book of why Europe is so willingly funding and supporting Muslim terrorism against Israel.
Those books unveil a lot of facts. No whitewashing of Islam, nor taqiyya, nor kitman will be foud there. The truth will preserve our freedom.
Yes, the misinformation on Muslims and Arabs and their so-called tolerance is really so widespread. These two books are really a good start.
But, about the Arabs and Israel, here are a few more titles that I posted on another site:
---From Time Immemorial: The Origins of the Arab-Jewish Conflict over Palestine
by Joan Peters
---Battleground: Fact & Fantasy in Palestine
by Samuel Katz
Paperback: 344 pages
Publisher: Taylor Productions Ltd (September, 2002) [second edition was in 1977. So first edition is much earlier.]
ISBN: 0929093135
---The Complete Idiot's Guide to Middle East Conflict
by Mitchell Geoffrey Bard
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Alpha Books; 1st edition (September 27, 1999)
ISBN: 0028632613
---Islam and the Jews: The Unfinished Battle
by Mark A., Ph.D. Gabriel
Paperback: 230 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.70 x 8.66 x 5.58
Publisher: Charisma House; (March 1, 2003)
ISBN: 0884199568
If you want to have an accurate picture on what Islam says on the Jews, read this book by Mark Gabriel.
Check the Amazon reviews and good reading.
See also:
---From “The Mufti and the Fuhrer” at http://www.us-israel.org/jsource...y/ muftihit.html
---From “Hitler and the Mufti” at http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary....aust/ hitq2.html
---“The Grand Moufti of Jerusalem on the 40's - Israel's War Against Terror - Palestinian Personalities” at http://www.israel-wat.com/g8_eng.htm
This is the reality concerning the Arabs.
Nice to see that you are from Iceland, a country I have always dreamt to visit one day.
Michael, London, UK.
Oh come on - just because many or even most muslims support this interpretation of the Koran, doesn't mean they all do or that this guy is practising taqiyya, he may actually believe these things.
There are differences between Muslims just as there are differences between Christians and Jews in the way they think about religion.
I'm not at all a fan of Islam, btw.
Posted by: rach at June 1, 2005 09:02 PM Permalink