Instruments of Love and Harmony #6

From Zenit.org comes Final Statement of Catholic-Muslim Forum "Called to Be Instruments of Love and Harmony"
For background information about the meetings, see this Reuters article of 11/06/08.

The statement includes an enumerated list of fifteen points which present a target rich environment In this installment, I'll take on the sixth point of agreement.[Links & emphasis added.]

Religious minorities are entitled to be respected in their own religious convictions and practices. They are also entitled to their own places of worship, and their founding figures and symbols they consider sacred should not be subject to any form of mockery or ridicule.

Taken at face value, the sixth point means that the Muslims participating in the meeting accept the concept of freedom of religion. By so doing, they would sever themselves from Allah and become apostates.

Allah said, "whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers.".[3:85] Allah said, "Truly, the religion with Allah is Islam". On his deathbed, Moe said "Expel the pagans from the Arabian Peninsula". [Bukhari 4.52.288] Caliph Umar subsequently expelled the Jews. [Bukhari 3.39.531]

As if that was insufficient proof of intolerance, we have Allah's commands to fight until only Allah is worshiped and Jews & Christians are subjugated and extorted. In three ayat, Allah declares that Islam must be made to dominate other religions: "to make it superior over all religions", "that He may make it (Islam) superior over all religions", "to make it victorious over all (other) religions".

The right to believe and practice as you choose is obviated by Allah's commands to fight disbelievers. Once Jews & Christians are conquered, subjugated & extorted, Islamic law specifies certain regulations. I quote from Reliance of the Traveller, Book O.

• O11.5
• are distinguished from Muslims in dress, wearing a wide cloth belt (zunnar);
• are not greeted with "as-Salamu 'alaykum";
• must keep to the side of the street
• may not build higher than or as high as the Muslims' buildings, though if they acquire a tall house, it is not razed;
• are forbidden to openly display wine or pork, (A: to ring church bells or display crosses,) recite the Torah or Evangel aloud, or make public display of their funerals and feastdays;
• and are forbidden to build new churches

Freedom of religion includes the right to abandon or change faith. Islam denies it. Islamic law prescribes the death penalty for apostasy from Islam.

• O8.1 When a person who has reached puberty and is sane voluntarily apostatizes from Islam, he deserves to be killed.
• O8.2 In such a case, it is obligatory for the caliph (A: or his representive) to ask him to repent and return to Islam. If he does, it is accepted from him, but if he refuses, he is immediately killed.

Do Muslim clerics really agree that Jewish & Christian Prophets should not be mocked or ridiculed? How can they come to such an agreement when Muhammad co-opted them, claiming that Abraham, Moses & Jesus were Muslims?

I will bypass many subordinate arguments that can be made and get right down to the bottom line. Islam co-opts Jesus Christ as a genocidal warmonger. Lest you doubt this, I have proof.

• 61:14. O you who believe! Be you helpers (in the Cause) of Allah as said 'Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), to Al­Hawariun (the disciples): "Who are my helpers (in the Cause) of Allah?" Al­Hawarieen (the disciples) said: "We are Allah's helpers" (i.e. we will strive in His Cause!). Then a group of the Children of Israel believed and a group disbelieved. So We gave power to those who believed against their enemies, and they became the uppermost.

There is your first hint. Go to quranbrowser.com and search for helpers, see the context in which it is used.
Moe made prophetic statements, several of which are recorded in the tradition of his companions. One prophecy is critical to this issue.

• Abu Dawud Book 37, Number 4310:
  Narrated AbuHurayrah:
  
  The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: There is no prophet between me and him, that is, Jesus (peace_be_upon_him). He will descent (to the earth). When you see him, recognise him: a man of medium height, reddish fair, wearing two light yellow garments, looking as if drops were falling down from his head though it will not be wet. He will fight the people for the cause of Islam. He will break the cross, kill swine, and abolish jizyah. Allah will perish all religions except Islam. He will destroy the Antichrist and will live on the earth for forty years and then he will die. The Muslims will pray over him.

• He will
• fight the people for the cause of Islam
• break the cross
• kill swine
  
  

What is the meaning of the last to phrases, which seem too cryptic to interpret? The next sentence contains the clue we need to unlock the secret.

• Allah will perish all religions except Islam.

Break the cross is a code phrase for killing the remaining Christians. Kill swine is a code phrase for killing the remaining Jews. But of course I must be mis-translating, mis-interpreting, twisting, perverting and inventing meaning where none exists. Yeah, right.

• ...and the Muslims, along with `Isa, son of Mary, will kill the Jews. ...

That is from Ibn Kathir's Tafsir of 7:167. Ibn Kathir spent his life studying Islamic texts. His tafsir is considered authentic.

Either the Muslim participants in the forum are contradicting Allah & his Messenger and abandoning Islam or their affirmation of freedom of conscience and respect for founding figures is insincere. Which is it?

Click this link for A Common Word between Us and You, which precipitated the recent meetings. [Note the Events section, a recent addition to the page]. A Common Word's home page includes a summary, the missive, media reports, blog posts and various responses from Christian & Jewish leaders. Click this link: Islamic Extortion Letter for my original dissection of the missive or this link: Go Burn With Muhammad, a blog devoted to dissecting the missive and reactions to it.