EXTREME FAITH

On September 11, 2001, 19 Islamic radical terrorists hijacked 4 planes and using them as guided live missiles, brought down the two towers of the World trade center and a section of the Pentagon. The fourth plane was brought down in Pennsylvania, as brave passengers fought off the hijackers before they could bring down their intended target. Around 3000 innocent people lost their lives and thousands more were injured in the worst terrorist attack on American soil. 

An analysis of the men who undertook this task, makes it clear that they firmly believed that Islamic scripture gave them the sanction to kill the innocent people they targeted. They also clung to the idea that in giving their lives for this cause, Allah would grant them a superior status in the after life. However the American society which is based on Biblical beliefs and where life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for one and all takes precedence over all else, found this incredulous. How could people find justification for such a heinous crime against innocents in their religion and faith? 

To add to the confusion, the liberal think-tank in the US academia and the media that has connived to progressively take the public’s mind away from God centered truths to anything else that is convenient, was quick to mislead people into acknowledging that Islam does not espouse radical views and that the terrorists merely were deviants from the faith. Many Islamic leaders and scholars quickly jumped on to the bandwagon and also pointed out that Christianity has had its share of incidents like the Crusades that were similar, and so absolved Islam of all guilt in this incident.  Of course, the liberal think-tank is not very smart because the moment you reject the true God, you embrace stupidity. And their explanation of dismissing terrorists acts being committed in the name of Allah as a one-off event has fallen flat on the ground as over the years, there have been multiple incidents in America, Europe and Asia of Islamic terrorists killing in the name of their God.

Author, Ayaan Hirsi Ali addresses the question of whether jihad is indeed derived from Islam.

Anyone seeking support for armed jihad in the name of Allah will find ample support in the passages in the Quran and Hadith that relate to the Medina period. For example, Q8:60 advises Muslims “to strike terror into (the hearts of) the enemies, of Allah and your enemies, and others besides, whom ye may not know, but whom Allah doth know.” Q9:5 says, “But when the forbidden months are past, then fight and slay the Pagans wherever ye find them, and seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem (of war)”

To deny that radical Islam has basis in Islamic scripture is misleading. The view that the ideology of radical Islam is rooted in Islamic scripture understands fully the cause of terrorism; it takes religious arguments seriously, and does not view them as a mere smokescreen for underlying “real” motivations, such as socio-economic grievances. This school of thought understands that the problem of radicalization begins long before a suicide bomber straps on his vest or a militant picks up his machine gun; it begins in mosques and schools where imams preach hate, intolerance, and adherence to Medina (radical) Islam. (1)

To deny that Islam theologically supports violence, as the liberal think-tank is wont to do is to not even start making progress in finding a solution. Ayaan points out that the vast majority of silent Muslims, who do not practice violence need to step up and condemn the violence and go further and work aggressively to become reformists of their religion. Whether that will occur is doubtful. The least that societies that are victims of this violence can do is to understand where this violence comes from and not parrot liberal talking points that do nothing to prevent it.

Finally, it is incredulous to compare Islamic terrorism to the Crusades or violence carried out by those who are supposedly Christian. While there is reference to violence in the Old Testament as a means of justice appropriate for the times, after the completion of revelation through Christ, unlike in Islam, there is no justification for active violence in the Christian philosophy as a means of enforced proselytization. So when a person says he is committing violence in the name of Christianity, when there is no justification for him to do so in the Scriptures; you certainly can condemn the person, but not the faith. This is however not true for Islam as a faith.

In fact when a Christian recognizes that life is short and the end near, the encouragement to love and serve is what stands out. 

The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.  Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. (1Peter 4:7-10)

1. https://foreignpolicy.com/2015/11/09/islam-is-a-religion-of-violence-ayaan-hirsi-ali-debate-islamic-state/

• ← LIVING HOPE
• PETER’S FINAL WORDS →