Knox Pitzer
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An article by Martha R. Carr titled, “Religious Freedom” (SMDR 8/17/10), displayed her lack of knowledge about Islam. Carr’s article demonstrated that she knows nothing about the doctrine of Islam as found in the Trilogy of the Koran, Sira, and Hadith. Discussing the activities of Osama bin Laden, Carr said: “Bin Laden used religion, and twisted the edicts into something dark and violent in order to satisfy a personal and petty vendetta.” Actually, bin Laden’s actions come directly from the Koran and the Hadith of the Prophet Mohammad.
Bin Laden and his minions are engaging in jihad in the way of Allah as have numerous Muslims over the past 1400 years. Carr seems to be totally unaware that the Koran is filled with ayah’s (verses) about jihad. The Hadith of Bukhari gives all of the tactical details of jihad. A simple counting method shows that 3% of the hadiths are about the inner struggle, whereas, 97% of the hadiths are about jihad as war.
I wonder if Martha Carr thinks “Freedom of Religion” should include a religion with theological roots that commands their followers to fight all unbelievers (those that don’t believe in their God) until they are either dead, converted to their religion or in a permanent state of subjugation under their domination? Well, this is what Islam is all about; they are commanded to conquer the world for Allah numerous times in the Koran.
Here is one example: Koran 48:28: “Allah the Exalted and Most Honoured said, while delivering the glad tidings to the believers that the Messenger will triumph over his enemies and the rest of the people of the earth.” Tafsir Ibn Kathir (1301 -1373), his is one of the most widely used explanations of the Koran even today.
All religions have, at their core, a sacred vision of the ideal utopian community based upon their religious scriptures, traditions, and laws. This is the case for Christianity with its vision of a Christian society organized according to the gospels and faithful to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Judaism envisions the ideal Jewish society based upon Talmudic tradition and observance of Halacha, which means the application of Law (Torah) to everyday living. But, they do not propagate their religion by use of force (jihad/war). Islams’ Sharia law does not allow freedom of Religion.
The main objective of Islam is to implement Allah’s divinely ordained mission for the Muslims to replace all other religions and dominate the world. The Islamic community, the Ummah, was chosen by Allah above all other nations, and its duty is to take its heritage to the whole world, so that Allah’s word reigns supreme. To accomplish this idea, the first phase was to unite all Arab tribes into one religious nation and the second phase was to bring all other nations under Islamic domination, or better still, to become Muslims. The Islamic religion justifies all means of violence by the use of jihad.
To a considerable extent, all Muslims are fundamentalists, that is, they believe that the Koran is the perfect, eternal, universal, final word of the only god, Allah. The Koran does not have the slightest error and it was transmitted directly to his final prophet and messenger, Mohammad who is the ideal pattern for the behaviour of all people at all times, now and forever. Muslims are ordered to imitate him and obey him according to many Koranic injunctions.
Muslims must subscribe to all of the Koran and the Hadith. They cannot pick and choose what parts or verses they like or they are not “true” Muslim.
Islam is Allah’s plan for the world, ever inch of it, not just Islamic regions. Islam is for everyone, whether one wants it or not. It is the duty of every Muslim to help expand the borders of Islam until every being on this planet acknowledges that “There is no God but Allah and Mohammed is his Messenger.
When Mohammad emigrated from Mecca to Medina, he built the first Mosque ever constructed which is called “The Prophet's Mosque.”
Solomon and Alamaqdisi (The Mosque Exposed) listed 16 uses of Mohammad’s first Mosque including the first Madrassa (Islamic seminary), where Islamic doctrine was taught and whereby the companions were raised and instructed by Mohammad. And, a pulpit was erected from which spiritual admonitions were given and encouragement to resist the non-Islamic influence through jihad. Jihad operations were discussed, directed and its commanders appointed, both by Mohammad and his successors. As Sharia unfolded in Medina, the Mosque was not only a building where religious teachings were taught, but also much more. Here are a few items:
1. It was here that the jihad operations were discussed, directed and its commanders appointed, both by Mohammad and his successors after his death.
2. It was where the affairs of the Islamic state were conducted and, as such at that time it was the headquarters of the first Islamic state as well as a Mosque.
3. It was where jihad was proclaimed and from here the Muslim armies were sent to conquer the world.
4. It was here that Muhammad and his successors, Abu Bakr, Omar, Uthman and Ali appointed judges for the different regions and the commanders for military troops, and where jihad detachments were dispatched and high ranking state officials and tax collectors were sent.
5. It was here where the Islamic Sharia unfolded, where the binding, and loosing permitted and prohibiting was declared.
5. Saddest of all, it was here where death sentences were issued to those who had opposed Mohammad or had spoken of him unfavorably, and from here the ardent soldiers were sent off to implement these death sentences.
Every Mosque attempts to be modeled on the first Mosque built and directed by Mohammad. The functions of a Mosque cannot be understood without considering the first Mosque and its role and rule in the first Muslim community.
Knox Pitzer of San Marcos is a published author of numerous technical articles and papers including both national and international publications.
