HOLY WAR

Casander

gov@coolissues.com

While some tell us that militant Islam is the problem and moderate Islam is the solution, they hopefully assume that militant Islam is a small fraction of Islam, that moderate Islam characterizes Islam and, thus the problem of fighting terrorism is winnable.¹ Looked at another way, there are about 1 billion adherents of Islam so that even if 1% is militant, America is up against 10 million potential if not active militants. The latter need not be numerous but only successful in obtaining and proficient in using weapons, non-military as well as military ones. Successful attacks against American targets have already been made by militant networks of several hundred or perhaps thousands of activists. They fear not death and their ranks are continually replaceable.

The famous shahada or profession of faith There is but one Allah, and Mohammed is the Prophet of Allah anchors Islam, which means "submit". Mohammed himself adopted shahada as a description of the faith he proclaimed. The four sources of Islamic doctrine and practice, recognized by orthodox Muslims, are the Koran (Holy Book), Kunah (Tradition), igmah (Consensus), and gijas (Analogies). While the Koran itself is central, tradition consists of all sayings of Mohammed which he did not personally set down in the Koran. It is coequal with the Koran in binding power and authority. Of less weight are Consensus and Analogies. Consensus is agreement of Muslims on the same issue of doctrine or ritual but has occasioned dispute and schism. Analogy is when a new situation is evaluated by a similar one in the past but it has been the cause of grave tension and conflict in Muslim jurisprudence.

The main topics in the Islamic doctrines are God², Christ and Mary³, Angels, Revelation and Prophets, Eschatology⁴, Prayer, Fasting, Almsgiving, Pilgrimage to Mecca, Holy War, and ecclesiology. In particular, the Koran advocates a Holy War, Jihad, against pagans, Jews and Christians⁵. It directly orders the sword for the extension and not only for the preservation of Islam. These prescriptions explain the feelings and acts of the Muslim street throughout history. Islam elites deny that Islam's record of intolerance is greater than that of the other major religions, that Western histories have been fair to Islam in their accounts of its use of force, and that blots on their history are due to the principles of their faith.⁶ However, modern Islam terrorists and the inherent intolerance of modern Islam states render these denials meaningless.

The greatest virtue of Islam is not faith but martyrdom by those who seal their faith by dying first in the "Way of God" which is, above all, war against unbelievers in defense of their religion, or to extend its domain and achieve its supremacy in the world. Muslim belief has always associated martyrdom with death in wars for God's cause. To adore Allah and the Islam faith is the essence of the Muslim injunction; but the highest purpose is to die for the Faith. Those who perish for it in battle, martyrs, are sure of Paradise. While Islam elites may, for a number of reasons, accommodate their worldly affairs with the West, the Muslim street dreams of the day it will see the fulfillment of their highest virtue to kill those who ascribe partners to God.⁷And when you meet those that disbelieve - then striking off heads until ye have massacred them, and bind fast the bonds! Then either a free grant (of liberty) or a ransom until the war shall have laid down its burdens. That! - but if God please He would conquer them - but (it is) that He may try some of you by the others. And those who are slain in God's cause, their works shall not go wrong; He will guide them and set right their mind; and will make them enter into paradise which He has told them of.⁸

¹Editorial, Peace Pipes, Wall Street Journal 8/19/03. Militant Islam is the problem, and moderate Islam is the solution.

² Koran 1:1,2:117:255,3:129,4:48:136,10:4,74:31

³ Koran 3:3:10:12:42-47:49-52:56-57:59-61,4:155-158:171-173,19:19-22:29-31:33, 5:72-75:116,33:40

⁴ Koran 11:119,50:30,84

⁵ Koran 2:190-193:256,5:48,9:5:29-30,111:116

⁶John Harden, Religions of the World, Vol. 2, Image Books Doubled 1968 pages 70-90.

⁷Koran 9:5:29-30

⁸Koran 47:4-8

Copyright © 2003 Casander

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