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Searching For The "Islam of Peace"
Searching For The "Islam of Peace" ...
The word "Jihad", or "struggle", which is often today usually translated as "holy war", is from the Arabic root of the word "jahada", which means "to strive for".
The word "islam" in Arabic means, quite literally, "to surrender", or "submission", as to the will of Allah (God), which Muslims believe was definitively revealed through Allah's designated Apostle and final Prophet, the Arab merchant warlord Abu al-Qasim Muhammad, who lived from c. 570 to 632 AD.
The will of Allah, as reportedly revealed to Muhammad in visions and other "received communications", was relayed by Muhammad to his followers during the last 20 years of his life. After his death, these revelations and edicts were eventually written down and collected into the compiled verses and quotes which have become known as the Qur'an and the Hadith, which together form the primary doctrinal foundation for the Islam religion.
Jihad
It is frequently said that Islam teaches two primary types of jihad. The first, best known, and allegedly lesser form of jihad, is the outward struggle, or the drive to actively spread and enforce the will of Allah through the propagation and spread of Islam, and Shari'ah Law, using armed force and violence whenever necessary.
It is also said that the object of jihad is not necessarily the direct conversion of individuals to Islam, but rather the gaining of political and social control over the collective affairs of societies and governments, in order to run them in accordance with the principles of Islam. It is expected that individual conversions will occur naturally as a by-product of this process, as control of the power structures passes into the hands of the Muslim community.
A second, and far greater form of "jihad", say many moderate, reformist Muslims, is the internal "self" struggle, or the soul's struggle with evil.
According to a former Muslim and PLO terrorist, Walid Shoebat, who writes "It is a fallacy that 'jihad' represents an 'inner struggle'. [There are] over one hundred quotes by Muhammad [in the Qur'an] referring to jihad by the sword, by killing, by taking no prisoners, by forced conversion, or by enslavement - [and] only one quote referring to an internal struggle .."
Increasingly drowned out or threatened by their more vociferous and militant ideological kin, Islamic moderates are said to believe that while "jihad" might on rare occasion refer to an active war or struggle against an oppressive regime or ruler, such a war may only be properly waged against that regime, and not against innocent people.
Radical militant Islamic fundamentalists on the other hand, assert that jihad is an actual war of conquest, entirely without limits or constraints, and that all nations, and all peoples, who are not followers and adherents of Islam - or as in more extreme cases, of specific radical interpretations of fundamentalist Islamic tradition - are inherently enemies of Islam itself, and must therefore be either conquered, converted, enslaved, or destroyed.
Plurality and peaceful co-existance is NOT an option.
In practice, "jihad" in almost every instance is an outwardly-directed religiously and ideologically-driven conflict or struggle for a goal - armed, violent, political, activist, legalistic, terroristic, or otherwise - which has as it's purpose pretty much anything that an Islamic religio-political leader wishes to declare, as long as the end result in some way supports or advances the promulgation of the Islamic ideology, and goal of domination.
New Islamist Word of the Day
- implacable: Dictionary.com Word of the Day
- implacable: incapable of being pacified.
What is Islamism?
The terms "Islamism", "extremist Islam", "militant Islam", "radical Islam", "radical fundamentalist Islam", or "Islam integriste" (Islamism) are all roughly synonymous.While none of these are terms used by Muslims to refer to themselves, they are all terms today which have become widely accepted in the rest of the world for denoting and refering to radical extremist Islam, or the call for the forceful and violent propagation of Islam (and Islamic Shari'ah Law) through aggressive militant action.
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Articles
- Jihad - The Struggle
- By Shaykh Hisham Kabbani and Shaykh Seraj Hendricks
"Context and circumstance of Qur'anic revelation and Hadith are crucial in coming to terms with Jihad. It is an error to judge Islam and Muslims in the light of the kind of "Jihad" that has fallen victim to ideological tendencies. The critic also has to be wary of the interpretation of "Jihad" which is projected, and sometimes imposed, by the selective "religious reformism" so rampant today. They ignore central aspects of Islam's intellectual heritage, selectively repress important figures and disregard Islam's impeccable history of adherence to the standards of law and justice in affairs of state." more - National Review: Islamic Fascism 101
- by Victor Davis Hanson
"Make no apologies for the use of "Islamic fascism." It is the perfect nomenclature for the agenda of radical Islam, for a variety of historical and scholarly reasons. That such usage also causes extreme embarrassment to both the Islamists themselves and their leftist "anti-fascist" appeasers in the West is just too bad.
"First, the general idea of "fascism" - the creation of a centralized authoritarian state to enforce blanket obedience to a reactionary, all-encompassing ideology - fits well the aims of contemporary Islamism that openly demands implementation of sharia law and the return to a Pan-Islamic and theocratic caliphate.
"In addition, Islamists, as is true of all fascists, privilege their own particular creed of true believers by harkening back to a lost, pristine past, in which the devout were once uncorrupted by modernism." more - Counter Intelligence - Accurate Words To Describe Our Dealings With Terrorists!
- by Dan Sommers
"Although politicians and so-called "Intelligence Experts" are the ones appearing on TV, discussing and relaying the news on the War or Terror, they are far from the ones who actually have anything to do with the war on terror.
"As in the past so it is today, the real planning in the war on terror goes on in covert ops-rooms by the real "Spooks" from the three letter agencies: CIA, MIA, ISI, MI-5, MI-6, GRU and the FSB, just to name a few.
"The sad truth is however that these spook agencies are in the large, responsible for much of the effectiveness of the major Islamic terrorist groups. The tactical planning, the CQB skills and the weapon and explosive knowledge of these Islamic terrorists, are largely courtesy of the spook agencies.
"The problem with making agreements with Islamic militants is that they are devout Muslims, who have dedicated their life to violent Jihad.
"Which brings us to a real problem, that the Israelis know only too well. A Muslim does not have to honour his word, or even his signature on a treaty or an agreement, as Muslims are permitted to lie to non-Muslims and to break agreements with them, under the Koranic law of Hudaibiya." more
Resources
- Standing Up To Jihad
Information, articles, and resource links relating to radical Islam, jihadism, the search for a truly peaceful Islam, defending freedom and democracy from the threat posed by radical jihadic Islamism, and ways for ordinary people to become involved and to create positive, effective responses. Unquestionably the most important and critical issue of our time.- OBSESSION: Radical Islam's War Against The West (DVD)
Using images from Arab TV, rarely seen in the West, Obsession reveals an 'insider's view' of the hatred the Radicals are teaching, their incitement of global jihad, and their goal of world domination. With the help of experts, including first-hand accounts from a former PLO terrorist, a Nazi youth commander, and the daughter of a martyred guerilla leader, the film shows, clearly, that the threat is real.
A peaceful religion is being hijacked by a dangerous foe, who seeks to destroy the shared values we stand for. The world should be very concerned.- The Qur'an (PDF - English)
Ever wonder what all the fuss is about? Now you can read it for yourself. A complete English translation of the Qur'an (Koran) with historical references. Provided by MidEastWeb for Coexistence. (about 1.5Meg)- A Former Radical Muslim Speaks Out
A former radical Wahabi Muslim speaks out about his experiences that lead him to question the teachings of the Qur'an, and his eventual conversion to Christianity through his own search for truth and meaning in the scriptures of the Qur'an and the Bible.- ISLAM: What The West Needs To Know (DVD)
Virtually every major Western leader has over the past several years expressed the view that Islam is a peaceful religion and that those who commit violence in its name are fanatics who misinterpret its tenets.
This claim, while widely circulated, rarely attracts serious public examination. Relying primarily on Islam's own sources, this documentary demonstrates that Islam is inherently a violent, expansionary ideology that seeks the destruction or subjugation of other faiths, cultures, and systems of government.
The documentary consists of original interviews, citations from Islamic texts, Islamic artwork, computer-animated maps, footage of Western leaders, and Islamic television broadcasts. Its tone is sober, methodical, and compelling.- The Militant Ideology Atlas - Executive Summary
- by the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point
While the current conflict with the militant Islamic jihadists is global in scope, many people are surprised to learn that the movement is actually highly fractured among various factions, and is often hampered by internal divisions and struggles for power and control.
Al Qaeda, although best known and revered due to it's success in the 9/11 attacks, is actually only one of many "players" in the jihadist movement, and is actually far less influential than public perception might suggest.
While generally united by a common antipathy toward western societies, and a desire to establish a world-wide Islamic "caliphate" (empire), this division of command within the jihadic movement presents both a significant challenge, as well as significant opportunities for successfully countering the jihadist's activities, and for ultimatly defeating them.
This report, and its accompanying compendium, is the first systematic mapping of the ideology driving the actions of the terrorists responsible for the 9/11 attacks and other violent actions around the world.
Using a robust research methodology and critical analyses of the Jihadis' most widely read texts, the Atlas gives us a highly nuanced map of the major thinkers in the Jihadi Movement and their most salient areas of consensus and disagreement. In short, this report identifies who the most influential people are among the Jihadi thinking class, what they are thinking, and where the movement is most vulnerable ideologically.
Organizations
- Middle East Media Research Institute
MEMRI is a non-profit, non-partisan research organization. MEMRI bridges the language gap which exists between the West and the Middle East, providing timely translations of Arabic, Farsi, and Hebrew media, as well as original analysis of political, ideological, intellectual, social, cultural, and religious trends in the Middle East.
- American Congress For Truth
Our activists network to promote and aggressively implement educational programs that teach and enable citizen participation in the defense of America on the local, city, state, and national level. ACT members are trained to be vigilant and respond quickly to anti-American and anti-Israel media bias and social, political and religious behavior.- Jihad Watch
Violent jihad is a constant of Islamic history. Many passages of the Qur'an and sayings of the Prophet Muhammad are used by jihad warriors today to justify their actions and gain new recruits.
In spite of a near-universal public perception and public disclaimers of a "peaceful" Islam, no major Muslim group has ever repudiated the official established doctrines of armed jihad.
The theology of jihad, which denies unbelievers equality of human rights and dignity, is available today for anyone with the will and means to bring it to life.
Jihad Watch is dedicated to bringing public attention to the role that jihad theology and ideology plays in the modern world, and to correcting popular misconceptions about the role of jihad and religion in modern-day conflicts. We hope to alert people of good will to the true nature of the present global conflict.- Muslim Religion In Brief
A guide to Muslim Religion to non-Muslims. Human rights, morales , and beliefs of muslims, Prohpet Muhammed and Christ in Islam. Explanations of the Holy Quran. Contains useful links for New Muslims.- Front Page Magazine
Refreshing real-world commentary and analysis on the Global War On Terror and world events from David Horowitz's online news magazine site.- Americans Against Hate
Americans Against Hate (AAH) is a civil rights organization and terrorism watchdog group, whose goal is to be an active voice against those that spread bigotry and violence. While there are others that claim to do the same - and at times they do - far too many times they are suspiciously silent. Americans Against Hate was formed to fill that void.- Arabs For Israel
Arabs - Christian and Moslem - who support the State of Israel and the cause of true Peace in the Middle East
Timeline of Terrorism
Click here for a Timeline of Terrorism
It is considered a truism, that most people's sense of history begins with the day they are born.
Thus, it may be no surprise that many people today, especially Americans, think that Terrorism did not exist prior to the Coalition's liberation of Iraq, or prior to Al Qaeda's successful attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon on Septempber 11, 2001.
Yet those who are a little older can clearly remember the rampant airliner hijackings and the the violent genesis of the PLO in the 1970's, and the massacre at the Munich Olympics in 1972.
In Israel, terrorism has been a daily constant of life since the birth of the nation, with the first terrorist bombing in 1948.
While the actual number of terrorist incidents (separate from periods of active war) would fill volumes, and currently affect dozens of countries across the globe, here is a link to a page identifying some of the most significant incidents since 1960:
- Timeline of Terrorism
"This is not simply a fight against terror - terror is a tactic. This is not simply a fight against Al Qaeda, its affiliates and adherents - they are foot soldiers.
"This is not simply a fight to bring democracy and freedom to the Middle East - that is a strategic objective. This is a fight for the very ideas at the foundation of our society, the way of life those ideas enable, and the freedoms we enjoy."
Tip 'o the hat to Jack Lee for providing this link!
Blaming The Jews
If you have questions about the underlying intent of Islam toward Israel and the West, this documentary should provide some answers. They may not be the answers you wanted to hear, but they are well presented and supported with facts, truth, and on-camera discussions with powerful people in the Muslim world.
This is a four-part video series that is 38 minutes long between all four short videos. A must-see for anyone concerned about the current conflict, the chances for peace, and future of the world as we know it.
Blame The Jews - Part 1
Blame The Jews - Part 2
Blame The Jews - Part 3
Blame The Jews - Part 4
Israel and Palestine - A Brief History
In Islam, there are generally three accepted conditions that must exist for the proper declaration of combative jihad:
Of these, the most often advanced justification for jihad since 1945 has been the creation of the nation of Israel by the United Nations after WWII, and the (real or imagined) dispossesment of the resident Muslims from their ancestral lands and property.
The Jewish people have a history in Israel, including Jerusalem, Judea, and the rest of the present Palestinian West Bank, going back thousands of years.
Arabs first arrived in Palestine as waves of Arab armies swept through, conquering the area beginning in the 7th century under the inspirational leadership of Muhammad, founder of Islam.
So who is actually the "occupier" of ancestral lands? Is it the Jewish Israeli's? Or the Palestinian Arabs?
Read more >
- A Brief History Of The Israel - Palestinian Conflict
The land variously called Israel and Palestine is a small, (10,000 square miles at present) land at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea. During its long history, its area, population and ownership varied greatly.
The region has been settled continuously for tens of thousands of years. Fossil remains have been found of Homo Erectus, Neanderthal and transitional types between Neanderthal and modern man. Amorites, Canaanites, and other Semitic peoples related to the Phoenicians of Tyre entered the area about 2000 B.C. The area became known as the Land of Canaan.
The archeological record indicates that the Jewish people evolved out of native Cana'anite peoples and invading tribes. Some time between about 1800 and 1500 B.C., it is thought that a Semitic people called Hebrews (hapiru) left Mesopotamia and settled in Canaan. Canaan was settled by different tribes including Semitic peoples, Hittites, and later Philistines, peoples of the sea who are thought to have arrived from Mycenae, or to be part of the ancient Greek peoples that also settled Mycenae.
The Romans named the area Palaestina, which became "Palestine" in English. During the seventh century (A.D. 600's), Muslim Arab armies moved north from Arabia to conquer most of the Middle East, including Palestine. Jerusalem was conquered about 638 by the Caliph Umar (Omar) who gave his "protection" to its inhabitants. Various Muslim powers controlled the region until the early 1900's.
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Nice to meet lensmaster who's on the same page. 5 stars. Michael Savage
Posted August 01, 2007
America and Europe have the most to lose and really must pay close attention and accept reality as it is- not as how we wish it would be. Currently I am very concerned about the Pope's trip and threats against the Vatican. Political correctness paralyzes the mind.
Posted November 27, 2006
I have one suggestion. Please include a link to a timeline of terroist acts against America.
http://www.army.mil/terrorism/
This is a long struggle started back in the 1960's and will last a generation or more.
Posted November 18, 2006
Thanks for a great lens. If you didn't create it, I would have. Every American should see the movie "Obsession". We need to pay attention and heed their warning. The MSM are not watching out for us. They choose to ignore the obvious and make excuses. Great lens!!!
Posted November 18, 2006
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