Right: Peaceful Practice of Islam

Even before the horrific Oslo massacre, the UN, the Department of State, assorted preachers and media bloviators were demanding that we "respect" and "tolerate" Islam and recognize what they postulate as a "right to peacefully practice Islam".
   
    Since the massacre, those contumacious demands are increasing in volume and becoming more strident.  Those of us who expose, question and  criticize Islam are being accused of "hate speech" and "inciting violence".  It is asserted that we "inspired" the massacre.

    Hillary Clinton said that the best response to "hate speech" is better speech, not censorship. Of course, to that extent, she was right. But the rising tide of calumny against critics of Islam deserves a response. That is why I am commencing a series of posts on the supposed right to practice Islam.

    This blog post includes quotes from and links to the Hilali & Khan Noble Qur'an, a table of 37 parallel translations, three hadith collections and two codifications of Islamic law. Doubters & dissenters are invited to follow the links, verify the quotes and explore their contexts before responding with comments.

    You can try to shout me down, you can demand censorship, but you can not logically deny my evidence or my conclusions.

Right to Genocidal Conquest

    It is postulated that Muslims have a right to practice Islam. If so, they have a right to engage in genocidal conquest. The practice of Islam involves submission to Allah. Submission to Allah includes obedience to his imperatives. His imperatives include global conquest. Conquest includes genocide.

Obey Allah and his Messenger

    This command occurs in six ayat of the Noble Qur'an as translated by Hilali & Khan:  8:1, 20,  46, 9:71, 33:33 and 49:14.  I will quote only the latter instance and the verse which follows it.

• 49:14.  The bedouins say: "We believe." Say: "You believe not but you only say, 'We have surrendered (in Islâm),' for Faith has not yet entered your hearts. But if you obey Allâh and His Messenger, He will not decrease anything in reward for your deeds. Verily, Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

  49:15. Only those are the believers who have believed in Allâh and His Messenger, and afterward doubt not but strive with their wealth and their lives for the Cause of Allâh. Those! They are the truthful. 

There is something about believers: they strive with their lives in Allah's cause, which is supremacism.

• 9:33. It is He Who has sent His Messenger (Muhammad ) with guidance and the religion of truth (Islâm), to make it superior over all religions even though the Mushrikûn (polytheists, pagans, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allâh) hate (it).
• 48:28. He it is Who has sent His Messenger (Muhammad ) with guidance and the religion of truth (Islâm), that He may make it (Islâm) superior over all religions. And All-Sufficient is Allâh as a Witness. 
• 61:9. He it is Who has sent His Messenger (Muhammad) with guidance and the religion of truth (Islâmic Monotheism) to make it victorious over all (other) religions even though the Mushrikûn (polytheists, pagans, idolaters, and disbelievers in the Oneness of Allâh and in His Messenger Muhammed) hate (it).

Of 37 parallel translations at Islam Awakened, 18 use  prevail over. Amatul Rahman Omar uses triumph and Tahir-ul-Qadri Mohammad uses dominant.  In 61:9, M.M Pickthall uses conqueror. Rashid Khalifa and Tahir-ul-Qadri Mohammad use dominate.

    How is Islam to be made superior, triumphant, prevalent, dominant or the conqueror?  Is it by proof, by trial, by debate or by proselytism? 

• Sahih Bukhari  Volume 4, Book 52, Number 65:

  Narrated Abu Musa:

  A man came to the Prophet and asked, "A man fights for war booty; another fights for fame and a third fights for showing off; which of them fights in Allah's Cause?" The Prophet said, "He who fights that Allah's Word (i.e. Islam) should be superior, fights in Allah's Cause." [See also 1.3.125, 9.93.550 & 9.93.625]
  

Islam is to be made superior by warfare. 

Global Conquest

    Muslims are commanded to wage war against disbelievers until resistance ceases and only Allah is worshiped on a global scale.

• 8:38. Say to those who have disbelieved, if they cease (from disbelief) their past will be forgiven. But if they return (thereto), then the examples of those (punished) before them have already preceded (as a warning).

  8:39. And fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and polytheism: i.e. worshipping others besides Allâh) and the religion (worship) will all be for Allâh Alone [in the whole of the world ]. But if they cease (worshipping others besides Allâh), then certainly, Allâh is All-Seer of what they do.
  

  • Every Prophet used to be sent to his nation only but I have been sent to all mankind. [Sahih Bukhari 1.7.331]
    

    Muslims are commanded to wage war against Jews, Christians and Zoroastrians until they are subjugated and extorted.

• 9:29. Fight against those who (1) believe not in Allâh, (2) nor in the Last Day, (3) nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allâh and His Messenger (4) and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth (i.e. Islâm) among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), until they pay the Jizyah with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued. 
• 9:123. O you who believe! Fight those of the disbelievers who are close to you, and let them find harshness in you, and know that Allâh is with those who are the Al-Muttaqûn (the pious - see V.2:2).

    Those imperatives are confirmed by ahadith, of which I will quote one and link to others.

• Sahih Bukhari Volume 1, Book 8, Number 387:
  Narrated Anas bin Malik:
  Allah's Apostle said, "I have been ordered to fight the people till they say: 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah.' And if they say so, pray like our prayers, face our Qibla and slaughter as we slaughter, then their blood and property will be sacred to us and we will not interfere with them except legally and their reckoning will be with Allah." Narrated Maimun ibn Siyah that he asked Anas bin Malik, "O Abu Hamza! What makes the life and property of a person sacred?" He replied, "Whoever says, 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah', faces our Qibla during the prayers, prays like us and eats our slaughtered animal, then he is a Muslim, and has got the same rights and obligations as other Muslims have."  [See also: 9.92.388, 4.52.196 & Sunan Abu Dawud 14.2635 ]

    Those imperatives are codified in Shari'ah. Attacking disbelievers while they are peacefully minding their own affairs in their own countries is far al-kifaya, an annual obligation binding upon all eligible  adult male Muslims until a sufficient number have participated, at which point the others are relieved.

• Reliance of the Traveller, O9.1:

  The Obligatory Character of Jihad

  Jihad is a communal obligation (def: c3.2).  When enough people perform it to successfully accomplish it, it is no longer obligatory upon others (O: the evidence for which is the Prophet's saying (Allah bless him and give him peace),

  "He who provides the equipment for a soldier in jihad has himself performed jihad,"

  and Allah Most High having said:

  "Those of the believers who are unhurt but sit behind are not equal to those who fight in Allah's path with their property and lives. Allah has preferred those who fight with their property and lives a whole degree above those who sit behind. And to each, Allah has promised great good" (Koran 4:95).

  If none of those concerned perform jihad, and it does not happen at all, then everyone who is aware that it is obligatory is guilty of sin, if there was a possibility of having performed it. In the time of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) jihad was a communal obligation after his emigration (hijra) to Medina. As for subsequent times, there are two possible states in respect to non-Muslims.

  The first is when they are in their own countries, in which case jihad (def: o9.8) is a communal obligation, and this is what our author is speaking of when he says, "Jihad is a communal obligation," meaning upon the Muslims each year.

  The second state is when non-Muslims invade a Muslim country or near to one, in which case jihad is personally obligatory (def: c3.2) upon the inhabitants of that country, who must repel the non-Muslims with whatever they can).

    What does the caliph do about  that annual obligation of military expeditions against disbelievers? He wages war. He fights people of the book until they are converted or subjugated and pagans until they are converted or dead. 

•  

  O9.8: The Objectives of Jihad

  The caliph (o25) makes war upon Jews, Christians, and Zoroastrians (N: provided he has first invited them to enter Islam in faith and practice, and if they will not, then invited them to enter the social order of Islam by paying the non-Muslim poll tax (jizya, def: o11.4) -which is the significance of their paying it, not the money itself-while remaining in their ancestral religions) (O: and the war continues) until they become Muslim or else pay the non-Muslim poll tax (O: in accordance with the word of Allah Most High,

  "Fight those who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day and who forbid not what Allah and His messenger have forbidden-who do not practice the religion of truth, being of those who have been given the Book-until they pay the poll tax out of hand and are humbled" (Koran 9.29),

  the time and place for which is before the final descent of Jesus (upon whom be peace).  After his final coming, nothing but Islam will be accepted from them, for taking the poll tax is only effective until Jesus' descent (upon him and our Prophet be peace), which is the divinely revealed law of Muhammad. The coming of Jesus does not entail a separate divinely revealed law, for he will rule by the law of Muhammad. As for the Prophet's saying (Allah bless him and give him peace),

  "I am the last, there will be no prophet after me,"

  this does not contradict the final coming of Jesus (upon whom be peace), since he will not rule according to the Evangel, but as a follower of our Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) ).

  O9.9

  The caliph fights all other peoples until they become Muslim (O: because they are not a people with a Book, nor honored as such, and are not permitted to settle with paying the poll tax (jizya) ) (n: though according to the Hanafi school, peoples of all other religions, even idol worshippers, are permitted to live under the protection of the Islamic state if they either become Muslim or agree to pay the poll tax, the sole exceptions to which are apostates from Islam and idol worshippers who are Arabs, neither of whom has any choice but becoming Muslim (al-Hidaya sharh Bidaya al-mubtadi' (y21), 6.48-49) ).

   

Islam only fights defensively

    One might believe that lie if one read only Surah Al-Baqara  2:190-191.

• 2:190. And fight in the Way of Allâh those who fight you, but transgress not the limits. Truly, Allâh likes not the transgressors. [This Verse is the first one that was revealed in connection with Jihâd, but it was supplemented by another (V.9:36)].

  2:191. And kill them wherever you find them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out. And Al-Fitnah is worse than killing. And fight not with them at Al-Masjid-al-Harâm (the sanctuary at Makkah), unless they (first) fight you there. But if they attack you, then kill them. Such is the recompense of the disbelievers.

To fully realize the fallacy of the lie one must read Sahih Muslim 19.4294. Since it is lengthy, I will quote only the most relevant paragraphs.

• When you meet your enemies who are polytheists invite them to three courses of action. If they respond to any one of these, you also accept it and withold yourself from doing them any harm. Invite them to (accept) Islam; if they respond to you, accept it from them and desist from fighting against them.
• Then invite them to migrate from their lands to the land of Muhairs and inform them that, if they do so, they shall have all the privileges and obligations of the Muhajirs. If they refuse to migrate, tell them that they will have the status of Bedouin Muilims and will be subjected to the Commands of Allah like other Muslims, but they will not get any share from the spoils of war or Fai' except when they actually fight with the Muslims (against the disbelievers).
• If they refuse to accept Islam, demand from them the Jizya. If they agree to pay, accept it from them and hold off your hands. If they refuse to pay the tax, seek Allah's help and fight them

Not aggressors

    Hedaya, the handbook of Hanifi fiqh, makes the initiative absolutely explicit. This quote comes from Volume II, Book IX, Chapter 1, Page 141.

• The destruction of the sword  is incurred by infidels, although they be not the first aggressors, as appears from various passages in the  sacred writings which are generally received this effect. 

Disbelievers are to be attacked, after inviting them to Islam, while they are in their own countries, although they are not aggressors. Is it clear for you yet?

Genocide

    Moe wanted loot; Allah wanted to get Moe into Paradise. What was his price of admission?

• 8:67. It is not for a Prophet that he should have prisoners of war (and free them with ransom) until he had made a great slaughter (among his enemies) in the land. You desire the good of this world (i.e. the money of ransom for freeing the captives), but Allâh desires (for you) the Hereafter. And Allâh is All-Mighty, All-Wise. 
• 47:4. So, when you meet (in fight Jihâd in Allâh's Cause), those who disbelieve smite at their necks till when you have killed and wounded many of them, then bind a bond firmly (on them, i.e. take them as captives). Thereafter (is the time) either for generosity (i.e. free them without ransom), or ransom (according to what benefits Islâm), until the war lays down its burden. Thus [you are ordered by Allâh to continue in carrying out Jihâd against the disbelievers till they embrace Islâm (i.e. are saved from the punishment in the Hell-fire) or at least come under your protection], but if it had been Allâh's Will, He Himself could certainly have punished them (without you). But (He lets you fight), in order to test you, some with others. But those who are killed in the Way of Allâh, He will never let their deeds be lost, 

Anachronism?

    Surely those imperatives must be outdated, no longer applicable. Unfortunately, the Qur'an is perfected and final. Jihad continues to the last day.

• Sunan Abu Dawud Book 14, Number 2526

  
      Narrated Anas ibn Malik:

      The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Three things are the roots of faith: to refrain from (killing) a person who utters, "There is no god but Allah" and not to declare him unbeliever whatever sin he commits, and not to excommunicate him from Islam for his any action; and jihad will be performed continuously since the day Allah sent me as a prophet until the day the last member of my community will fight with the Dajjal (Antichrist). The tyranny of any tyrant and the justice of any just (ruler) will not invalidate it. One must have faith in Divine decree.

Gates of Paradise  

    The gates of Paradise won't swing open for Muslims until they fight and kill the last Jew.  Two elements are combined in this hadith: genocide & continuity.

• Sahih Muslim Book 041, Number 6985:
  Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The last hour would not come unless the Muslims will fight against the Jews and the Muslims would kill them until the Jews would hide themselves behind a stone or a tree and a stone or a tree would say: Muslim, or the servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me; come and kill him; but the tree Gharqad would not say, for it is the tree of the Jews. [See also: Sahih Bukhari 4.52.177]

Constant & continuous

    Hedaya informed us that jihad is undertaken on Islamic initiative. It also informs us that jihad must not be stopped. 

• Marginal note: pg 153
  
  • War must be carried on against the Infidels, at all times, by some party of the Muslims. 

Most Muslims Don't believe in jihad

    Isn't that wonderful. Most Muslims don't believe in or practice jihad. Are they Muslims or not?  What must Muslims do first and foremost?

• obey Allâh and His Messenger
  • Fight against those who (1) believe not in Allâh

Are they Muslims or not? Do they obey Allah or not? Do they obey Moe or not?  Of course not! They pick and choose what they want from the Qur'an. Yeah, right.

• 2:85. After this, it is you who kill one another and drive out a party of you from their homes, assist (their enemies) against them, in sin and transgression. And if they come to you as captives, you ransom them, although their expulsion was forbidden to you. Then do you believe in a part of the Scripture and reject the rest? Then what is the recompense of those who do so among you, except disgrace in the life of this world, and on the Day of Resurrection they shall be consigned to the most grievous torment. And Allâh is not unaware of what you do. 

personal penalty

    What will Allah do to the Muslim who shirks jihad; who neither fights, prays for victory, spreads propaganda nor supports it financially?

• 9:38. O you who believe! What is the matter with you, that when you are asked to march forth in the Cause of Allâh (i.e. Jihâd) you cling heavily to the earth? Are you pleased with the life of this world rather than the Hereafter? But little is the enjoyment of the life of this world as compared with the Hereafter.

  9:39. If you march not forth, He will punish you with a painful torment and will replace you by another people, and you cannot harm Him at all, and Allâh is Able to do all things. 

• 61:10. O You who believe! Shall I guide you to a commerce that will save you from a painful torment.

  61:11.  That you believe in Allâh and His Messenger (Muhammad ), and that you strive hard and fight in the Cause of Allâh with your wealth and your lives, that will be better for you, if you but know! 

communal penalty

    If Muslims abandon jihad in favor of agriculture or commerce, Allah will make disgrace to prevail over them and not withdraw the curse until they return to their "original religion".

• Sunan Abu Dawud Book 23, Number 3455:

  Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar:

  I heard the Apostle of Allah, (peace_be_upon_him) say: When you enter into the inah transaction, hold the tails of oxen, are pleased with agriculture, and give up conducting jihad (struggle in the way of Allah). Allah will make disgrace prevail over you, and will not withdraw it until you return to your original religion.

Jihad is their "original religion". You say that Muslims have a right to "practice their religion".  You said that Muslims have a right to wage war against us. You are a traitor and a damned fool. Take a clear eyed look at the legal definition of jihad. It is not struggle with ego, it is warfare against us.

• Chapter O9.0: Jihad

  (O: Jihad means to war against non-Muslims, and is etymologically derived from the word mujahada signifying warfare to establish the religion. And it is the lesser jihad. As for the greater jihad, it is spiritual warfare against the lower self (nafs), which is why the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said as he was returning from jihad.

  ``We have returned from the lesser jihad to the greater jihad.''

  The scriptural basis for jihad, prior to scholarly consensus (def: b7) is such Koranic verses as:

  -1- ``Fighting is prescribed for you'' (Koran 2:216);

  -2- ``Slay them wherever you find them'' (Koran 4:89);

  -3- ``Fight the idolators utterly'' (Koran 9:36);

  and such hadiths as the one related by Bukhari and Muslim that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:

  ``I have been commanded to fight people until they testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and perform the prayer, and pay zakat. If they say it, they have saved their blood and possessions from me, except for the rights of Islam over them. And their final reckoning is with Allah'';

  and the hadith reported by Muslim,

  ``To go forth in the morning or evening to fight in the path of Allah is better than the whole world and everything in it.''Details concerning jihad are found in the accounts of the military expeditions of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), including his own martial forays and those on which he dispatched others. The former consist of the ones he personally attended, some twenty-seven (others say twenty-nine) of them. He fought in eight of them, and killed only one person with his noble hand, Ubayy ibn Khalaf, at the battle of Uhud. On the latter expeditions he sent others to fight, himself remaining at Medina, and these were forty-seven in number.)

Fighting, praying or paying

    If Muslims ain't engaged in jihad, praying for victory over us or supporting it with tongue and pen, they are paying for it.  Zakat is one of the five pillars of Islam. One eighth of zakat must be paid to those "fighting in Allah's cause". Zakat  of 2.5% is levied on income, accumulated wealth and financial transactions. What was that Holy Land Foundation trial about??

• H8.17: Those Fighting for Allah

  The seventh category is those fighting for Allah, meaning people engaged in Islamic military operations for whom no salary has been allotted in the army roster (O: but who are volunteers for jihad without remuneration).  They are given enough to suffice them for the operation, even if affluent; of weapons, mounts, clothing, and expenses (O: for the duration of the journey, round trip, and the time they spend there, even if prolonged. Though nothing has been mentioned here of the expense involved in supporting such people's families during this period, it seems clear that they should also be given it).

Peaceful Practice   of Islam

    Its the ultimate oxymoron. Islam is submission; obedience to Allah; emulation of Moe. What did Allah command? What did Moe do? What did Moe say about those imperatives? What did he say about the duration of jihad? What is the original religion of Islam? What is Islamic law on Jihad? What does the caliph do? Why??