Issue 80
Issue 80 [@1:23:00]: Robert Spencer – Director JihadWatch.org: “The most important thing that the West needs to know about Islam today is that it has a political character and that it is not simply a religion. But, it is a religion or a belief system that mandates warfare against unbelievers for the purpose of establishing a societal model that is absolutely incompatible with Western society. Americans need to know this, Western Europeans need to know this because Muslims are coming in to Western countries while holding these beliefs and intending to act upon them. They are the motivations behind modern terrorist activity and they are the goals of the millions of Muslims in the United States and around the world. We need to know this so that we can protect ourselves. But unfortunately because of political correctness and because of media and general government unwillingness to face the sources of Islamic terrorism these things remain largely unknown.”
Rebuttal 80: The above is an opening salvo of the documentary in its final part – “The House of War.” The effort of the documentary is to paint all Muslims as terrorists, that there is no such thing as a moderate Islam, Islam and violence are synonymous, demonize Islam as a religion in the Western mind to the extent that all doors of dialogues from Islam are closed, Muslims are prejudged to be dealt with unfairly, and any government that tries to be fair towards its Muslim minorities is ostracized as trying to be politically correct. Once the ground work is laid down for Islamophobia, then the “experts” of this documentary or similar Islamophobes and their media outlets can have a hay day to spew lies, hate and venom as truths. This they have done since making of this documentary in the garb of “think-tanks” that sprouted as cottage industry to rake in dollars from tax payers as well the funders who clearly have anti-Islam agenda (read: Fear, Inc. The Roots of the Islamophobia Network in America, by Wajahat Ali, Eli Clifton, Matthew Duss, Lee Fang, Scott Keyes, and Faiz Shakir, August 2011, Center for American Progress, pdf download). The current issue is broken down as follows:
Issue 80a: Spencer – “The most important thing that the west needs to know about Islam today is that it has a political character and that it is not simply a religion…”
Rebuttal 80a: Spencer is displacing his experience with Christianity onto Islam. While it may be true that any idea with a mass appeal be it a religious or secular, scientific or artistic, materialistic or non-material, ultimately influences public policy, it is not so with Islam because Islam lacks a central organizational power structure for furtherance of any agenda. Historically, Christianity needed the political office of Constantine, Zoroastrianism needed Cyrus and Buddhism needed Asoka to further their acceptance, whereas Islam needed no political office for its spread. Islam comes out of a common man.
Catholic Church is quite well known for its role in every election, regional or national in the West for it poster child – Pro-Life Activities:
In November 1975, the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB) and the United States Catholic Conference (USCC) published a document titled “A Pastoral Plan for Pro-Life Activities” that outlined a strategic plan for anti-abortion activities by members of the Catholic clergy and laity. Laurence Tribe describes the document as “an extraordinary organizational blueprint for political action.” The plan called for a “comprehensive pro-life legislative program” that would push for “passage of a constitutional amendment providing protection of the unborn child to the maximum degree possible.”
To accomplish its goals, the plan called for the formation of committees at the state level that would coordinate the political efforts in the dioceses and congressional districts of that state. Each diocese was to have a pro-life committee that would push for the passage of a “constitutional amendment to protect the unborn child.” The plan also called for the creation of an “identifiable, tightly-knit and well-organized pro-life unit” in each congressional district to track voting records of elected officials vis-a-vis abortion and to mobilize resources for political action.
Despite the concern of some bishops that the Pastoral Plan was narrowly focused on just the issue of abortion, the plan was adopted in 1975 and subsequently re-approved in 1985 and 2001. [Wikipedia]
Is not Spencer blind to the above efforts by Catholic Church where is has a full political agenda. But, Spencer is too fast with his slither to paint Islam into a political corner. He mistook Islam for Catholic Church, if corrected, one can state:
“The most important thing that the West needs to know about Catholicism today is that it has a political character and that it is not simply a religion…”
If Islam has certain ideas that it can offer for the betterment of any society, then naturally it will affect public policy. Rather, one can even say that significant laws concerning human rights, equality, justice, inter-faith and inter-race harmony, freedom of faith, equal opportunity under the law etc. in the West are de facto efforts to reflect the Laws in the Quran (See Issue 71).
Issue 80b: “…But, it [– Islam] is a religion or a belief system that mandates warfare against unbelievers for the purpose of establishing a societal model that is absolutely incompatible with Western society. Americans need to know this, Western Europeans need to know this because Muslims are coming in to Western countries while holding these beliefs and intending to act upon them. They are the motivations behind modern terrorist activity and they are the goals of the millions of Muslims in the United States and around the world…”
Rebuttal 80b: The above is a plain lie. Spencer’s allegation of Islam mandating warfare against non-Muslims is absolutely false. His lies are diametrically opposite of what Islam stands for, which is peace and harmony between peoples, irrespective of their national origin, race, religion, gender or economic status (See Issue 71).
Whether Spencer & Co. like it or not, west is a market place of ideas. In this market Islam is bound to make inroads, if for no other reason, but by the force of a book, the Quran:
13:31. And if there could be a Quran with which the mountains were made to pass away, or the earth were split apart, or the dead were made to speak — indeed, the commandment is wholly Allah’s…
[Footnote] That the Quran should work such great wonders is not an impossibility but a fact, for we are immediately told that it will be brought about soon by Allah’s commandment. At the time when these verses were revealed, difficulties in the spread of Islam appeared like mountains. It is a matter of history that they were made to pass away. The earth splitting apart means that the Quran would go deep down into the hearts of people, which are compared here to the earth. These words may also mean that the earth will be travelled over. There were no facilities at that time for going to distant corners of Arabia, to say nothing of the whole world. Yet not only was the whole of Arabia travelled over by the message bearers of Islam within ten years after this, but within a hundred years of the Prophet’s death Islam had traversed the whole of the known world, from the farthest East in China to the farthest West in Spain. It is again a matter of history that the dead were made to speak. People who were dead spiritually now spoke with such power that the whole earth from end to end responded to their call.
58:21. If We had sent down this Quran on a mountain, you would certainly have seen it falling down, splitting apart because of the fear of Allah. And We set forth these parables to people that they may reflect.
48:28. He it is Who has sent His Messenger with the guidance and the Religion of Truth that He may make it prevail over all religions. And Allah is enough for a witness.
[Footnote] This prophecy of the prevalence of Islam over all other religions is a prophecy which extends into the distant future, while Arabia saw its fulfilment in the lifetime of the Holy Prophet. The prevalence of Islam does not, however, mean the political supremacy of its adherents at all times, nor does the prophecy signify that other religions would at any time entirely disappear. It only indicates that the superiority of the religion of Islam over all other religions will at last be established, and Islam will be the religion of the majority of the nations of the earth. See also 9:33; 61:9.
It is the likes of Spencer et al. that forge lies, and it is to them that Quran rebuts:
61:7. And who is more unjust than he who forges a lie against Allah and he is invited to Islam. And Allah does not guide the unjust people.
[Footnote] The words, “he who forges a lie against Allah and he is invited to Islam”, refer to the rejectors who called the truth an enchantment. It was these people that were invited to Islam, while the Prophet was an inviter, as he is elsewhere called, for instance, 3:193, 20:108. Their polytheistic beliefs are repeatedly called a forgery in the Quran. Or, the Christians are meant who were invited to the Truth, but they forged a lie that Jesus was the son of God and that he took away their sins.
61:8-9. They desire to put out the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah will perfect His light, though the disbelievers may be averse. He it is Who has sent His Messenger with the guidance and the Religion of Truth that He may make it prevail over all religions, though those who set up partners (with Allah) are averse.
[Footnote] Verses 8 and 9 contain two different prophecies. The first is that all attempts to annihilate Islam will fail, and they did fail. In the second it is affirmed that Islam will be made the predominant religion, the truth of which was witnessed by Arabia in the lifetime of the Holy Prophet. But both prophecies have a wider significance. Attempts are still being made to annihilate Islam, and the Divine promise is that all these attempts shall be brought to naught; while the predominance of Islam over all the religions of the world would in time be established, as clearly as it was in Arabia.
Quran prophesied and history proved the triumph of Islam, a triumph that will continue in near future. Eerily it is Spencer and his likes that are addressed in Quran in context of current documentary and for their funded activities in general:
9:32. They desire to put out the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah will allow nothing except the perfection of His light, though the disbelievers are averse.
[Footnote] This is a prophecy of the ultimate triumph of Islam in face of severe opposition. All opposition to truth, whether based on force or propaganda, is here compared with putting out the Divine light by blowing with the mouth to show that all such attempts would prove futile. The Divine light will be made perfect, by which is meant the triumph of Islam, as the next verse states clearly.
9:33. He it is Who has sent His Messenger with the guidance and the Religion of Truth that He may make it prevail over all religions, though those who set up partners (with Allah) are averse.
[Footnote] The prophecy of the ultimate triumph of Islam in the whole world is repeated three times in the Quran, in exactly the same words — here and in 48:28 and 61:9. In Arabia itself, Islam became triumphant in the lifetime of the Holy Prophet. After his death, the first century of the Muslim era saw vast Christian communities swelling the ranks of Islam, in Egypt, North Africa, Asia Minor, Persia and Central Asia. More amazing was the fact that Islam, coming in contact with other great religions, with Zoroastrianism in Persia, with Buddhism and Hinduism in India and Afghanistan, and with Confucianism in China, conquered the hearts of the followers of every religion and they accepted the message of Truth in vast numbers. And the final manifestation of this great prophecy is foreshadowed in the gradual acceptance of the principles of Islam in the whole world today, despite the fact that the political power of Islam is at its lowest ebb.
The current issue is one more instance of Spencer pulling a rabbit out of his nonsensical hat that has its parallel in the American classic – To Kill a Mockingbird:
In To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch demonstrates the accuser Mayella’s injuries were caused by a left-handed individual while the defendant, Tom Robinson paralyzed his left arm in an accident. The jury of that time in the Deep South still convicted him, refusing to consider the idea that a black person could ever be Wrongly Accused of a crime. [Common Nonsense Jury]
It is with this notion that – The jury of that time in the Deep South still convicted him, refusing to consider the idea that a black person could ever be Wrongly Accused of a crime – Spencer and Co. want to imprint in the psyche of the West that it may be presumed that if a Muslim is accused of an allegation, it must be true, notwithstanding any evidence to the contrary.
No! Mr. Spencer you are wrong in all of your allegations above.
Issue 80c: Robert Spencer – “…We need to know this so that we can protect ourselves. But unfortunately because of political correctness and because of media and general government unwillingness to face the sources of Islamic terrorism these things remain largely unknown.”
Rebuttal 80c: Spencer’s words reflect a sorry state of a deluded mind that reeks of xenophobia. It is these words of his that seeded hate in Anders Behring Breivik mind who killed scores only to “protect” the West, by robbing and killing the West of its rationality, openness and tolerance.
This documentary has throughout by quoting out-of-context the Quran, Hadith, history and even video clips of street demonstrations has tried to create scarecrow out of Islam for the West.
In the 1719 novel Robinson Crusoe, by Daniel Defoe, the main character attempts to keep birds from eating his newly sowed corn stalks. As a discouragement, he shoots several of the birds and then hangs them in rows, such as English prisoners. The remaining birds are so frightened that they refuse to even remain in the area. While not the modern idea of a scarecrow, Crusoe does remark, “…I could never see a bird near the place as long as my scarecrows hung there.” [Wikipedia]
References:
Note: [text enclosed in square brackets above is not part of the original quoted sources]
The Roots of the Islamophobia Network in America, by Wajahat Ali, Eli Clifton, Matthew Duss, Lee Fang, Scott Keyes, and Faiz Shakir, August 2011, Center for American Progress, pdf download).
Catholic Church and the politics of abortion – Wikipedia
To Kill a Mockingbird – Wikipedia
Anders Behring Breivik – Wikipedia
Scare Crow in literature and film – Wikipedia
Holy Quran – Muhammad Ali, edited by Zahid Aziz
From Mohammed Iqbal:
But unfortunately aren’t there groups of Muslims who claims that Islam is political in character like the Jama’ate Islami of the subcontinent and the Brotherhood of Egypt?
From ikram:
@Iqbal – Your observation is presented as an argument by Islam haters – see Issue 67.
Jama’ate Islami in Pakistan is a power hungry party that uses Islam as a crutch to achieve its political goals. Their grab for power is exactly opposite of Quranic injunction, which was discussed in Issue 67 and is excerpted below:
Now coming back to Khalafat, be it of Israelites who were originally Muslims under the Israeli Prophets, or Muslim followers of Prophet Muhammad, the prime determinant for successor-ship is their deeds of righteousness, the example of which in history is the rule of Abu-Bakr, Umar, Usman, Ali and the Muslims whom they ruled. This principle is outlined in the following verses:
24:55. Allâh has promised those of you who believe and do deeds of righteousness that surely, He will make them successors (vouchsafed with both spiritual and temporal leadership) on the earth as He made successors (from among) their predecessors [i.e. Israelites], and that He will surely establish for them their Faith which He has approved for them, and that He will surely replace their state of fear with a state of security and peace. They will worship Me (alone) and they will not associate anything with Me. And those who show ingratitude for all the favours done to them after that (His promise is fulfilled), it is they who will be reckoned as the worst disobedient.
24:56. And (believers!) observe the Prayer, keep on presenting the Zakât (purifying dues) and obey the Messenger that you may be shown mercy.
In the above verses it becomes plainly clear that a society has to believe and do deeds of righteousness FIRST, before He will make them successors (vouchsafed with both spiritual and temporal leadership) on the earth. Thus, according to Quran, the office of Khalafat is a logical outcome of a righteous living, both individually and collectively. As stated before, this principle we see in the natural attainment of governorship by Khulafâ-e-Rashideen, who started their humble path to steadfast righteousness while being persecuted in Makkah for no fault of theirs, then fleeing for their lives to Medina, and ended up ruling the Persian and Roman Empires, all within single lifetime. This is unlike Constantine and Christianity who tried to rule first and then hoped all along that they will be able to do deeds of righteousness, which they could not. Same situation we see in modern day Israel. They distorted Torah and promised themselves a land and the rule first and thereafter are now trying to be righteous by their own self-fulfilling standards within the same distortions of Torah and that too selfishly at the cost of others. In the moral laws of Quran, one cannot place the cart before the horse:
24:57. Think not (O reader!) that those who disbelieve [in the principles outlined in the preceding verses] can ever be able to frustrate (Our plan on the earth) and escape Us. Their abode is Fire; what an evil resort! [Nooruddin]