Friday, July 08, 2005

Islamofascism: The Next Step

La Shawn Barber blogged Before I post my thoughts on the London attacks or Islamofascism in general, I want to solicit your views. In light of yesterday’s attacks, what are your theories and ideas about how to defeat or least contain global terrorism? As you reply, it may be helpful to consider one or more of the following:

  • Terrorist cells in America: The necessity of racial/religious profiling of Arabs/Muslims
  • Muslim internment vs. rounding up suspicious Muslims only vs. status quo of doing nothing
  • The futility of the Patriot Act in light of the continuous flow of illegal aliens into the U.S. (pro- and anti-Patriot Act sites)
  • Mosques in America: Does the U.S. have intelligence on which mosques radical Muslims frequent?
  • War in Iraq: How effective (or ineffective) is it?
  • War in Iraq: Ground war vs. air power
  • Saudi Arabia connection
Each of those could well serve as the topic of an entire post all by itself. At the time I am posting this, she has gotten 31 comments (mine was 31). My comment was based on an earlier comment by Waidmann. Since I see the hotlinks did not make it through LaShawn's commenting software, I am reposting my comment here:

I disagree with Waidmann when he says there is no teaching (in the Qu'ran (or Koran)) to point to that would restrain them, no behavior on the part of their Prophet they could use as an example of getting along, etc. There are many. We are all "People of the Book", whether we call that book the Torah, or the Holy Bible, or the Qu'ran (or ahl al Kitâb) Surat Al 'Imran, 64 (Qur'an 3:64) says "O People of the Book! Let us rally to a common formula to be binding on both us and you: That we worship none but God; that we associate no partners with Him; that we erect not, from among ourselves, Lords and patrons other than God."

Surat al-Baqara, 136 (Qur'an 2:136) says Say ye: "We believe in Allah, and the revelation given to us, and to Abraham, Isma'il, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and that given to Moses and Jesus, and that given to (all) prophets from their Lord: We make no difference between one and another of them.

According to their faith God has pointed out in the Qur'an (Surat al-Ma'ida, 82 (Qur'an 5:82) ) "You will find the people most affectionate to those who believe are those who say, 'We are Christians.' That is because some of them are priests and monks and because they are not arrogant."

In fact, it is my understanding that the true meaning of jihad, or struggle, is the struggle within one's self to do right.

There are certainly things within the Qu'ran that tell of wars and conquests that have happened in the past, just as there are things in the Old Testment of our Bible that report such things, but Jesus tried to teach us a different way.

Jesus is even recognized in the Qu'ran as a Prophet. Surat aal-E-Imran, 45 (Qur'an 3:45) says Behold! the angels said: "O Mary! Allah giveth thee glad tidings of a Word from Him: his name will be Christ Jesus, the son of Mary, held in honour in this world and the Hereafter and of (the company of) those nearest to Allah; and Surat aal-E-Imran, 3 (Qur'an 3:3) says It is He Who sent down to thee (step by step), in truth, the Book, confirming what went before it; and He sent down the Law (of Moses) and the Gospel (of Jesus) before this, as a guide to mankind, and He sent down the criterion (of judgment between right and wrong).

Those causing the violence ignore all of the above quotes, and many more, from their Holy Book, and we need to encourage reasonable Muslims to confront them what the Qu'ran really says.

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