WALLACE TOM Jr. (2015) Refuting Islam, The Christian Patriots Guide to Exposing the Evils of Islam, Bellingham, Fundamental Publishers.
Chapter One:The Fantacizers Cont.
The PC agenda
Mr. Wallace has reasoned for many years that 'political correctness will be the death of our nation'. (5). He opines that the PC agenda attempts to take control of the talking points in society and mould the discussion so that lies can be told with some form of believability. (5).
Mr. Wallace states that an example of this is the idea sold that terrorists are not actual Muslims, but radical Muslims. (5). The idea is portrayed that radical Muslims have hijacked the religion. (5).
The true doctrines of Islam are actually being followed by the radicals, Mr. Wallace writes. (5).
In my previous entry on this book review:
A problem of open-ended verses: October 24
I quoted
The Supreme Islamic Council of America
'The concept of jihad has been hijacked by many political and religious groups over the ages in a bid to justify various forms of violence. In most cases, Islamic splinter groups invoked jihad to fight against the established Islamic order. Scholars say this misuse of jihad contradicts Islam.'
End quote
This council which claims to present Islamic theology in America admits there are 'Islamic splinter groups'.
There will be intellectual debates on whether 'Islamic splinter groups' are truly Islamic. Do they truly follow the Qur'an?
There will be intellectual debates on whether 'Christian splinter groups' are truly Christian. Do they truly follow the Bible? The New Testament?
There seems to me, in a modern liberalized Western context, is a desire by many within Islamic scholarship to interpret Jihad less violently. As the last entry I wrote opined, the Qur'an offers open-ended verses.
From Answering Islam
Scholar Noel Natan writes:
'164 Jihad Verses in the Koran Compiled by Yoel Natan
Each of the 164 Jihad verses in this list was selected based on how clearly and directly it spoke about Jihad, at least when considered in its immediate context. Most of the listed passages mention a military expedition, fighting, or distributing war spoils. Verses NOT generally listed are those that speak about aspects of Jihad other than the raiding, fighting and looting, such as:
Muhammad's poor opinion of those who did not go on Jihad, even though they were able-bodied and able financially (for instance, some verses in K 009:081-096),
The heavenly rewards for Jihadists, and
The many generic mentions of "victory" found in the Koran.'
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I shall look at the second and third of his listings which appear relevant in regard to Jihad and cite them from the Qur'an. I will also include Quran 9: 29 cited in a previous article.
Quran 9: 29
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
Fight those who do not believe in Allah or in the Last Day and who do not consider unlawful what Allah and His Messenger have made unlawful and who do not adopt the religion of truth from those who were given the Scripture - [fight] until they give the jizyah willingly while they are humbled.
Quran 2: 190-193
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
2: 190
Fight in the way of Allah those who fight you but do not transgress. Indeed. Allah does not like transgressors.
2: 191
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
And kill them wherever you overtake them and expel them from wherever they have expelled you, and fitnah is worse than killing. And do not fight them at al-Masjid al- Haram until they fight you there. But if they fight you, then kill them. Such is the recompense of the disbelievers.
2: 192
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
And if they cease, then indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
2: 193
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
Fight them until there is no [more] fitnah and [until] worship is [acknowledged to be] for Allah. But if they cease, then there is to be no aggression except against the oppressors. And if they cease, then indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
Quran 2: 194
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
[Fighting in] the sacred month is for [aggression committed in] the sacred month, and for [all] violations is legal retribution. So whoever has assaulted you, then assault him in the same way that he has assaulted you. And fear Allah and know that Allah is with those who fear Him.
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The Supreme Islamic Council of America has noted
'In case military action appears necessary, not everyone can declare jihad. The religious military campaign has to be declared by a proper authority, advised by scholars, who say the religion and people are under threat and violence is imperative to defend them. The concept of "just war" is very important.'
'Examples of sanctioned military jihad include the Muslims' defensive battles against the Crusaders in medieval times, and before that some responses by Muslims against Byzantine and Persian attacks during the period of the early Islamic conquests.'
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I can grant that The Supreme Islamic Council of America has a reasonable point that there is a defensive aspect to Jihad and Holy War.
However:
The open-ended nature of these verses means there are also interpretations possible that define defensive Jihad and 'just war' in a much more preventive sense. This approach, with any aspect or degree of 'Holy War' to/for religious expansion is definitely and definitively not in agreement with New Testament theology, where the Kingdom of God is not of this world (John 18) and in the New Testament, it is the State, not the Church that has been given the right to hold and use the sword to maintain law and order (Romans 13).
The concept of religion-state in the Quran appears to have much more in common with the errors of church-state rule which plagued the Christian Church after the New Testament era, from Constantine (313 forward) until the era of the modern secular state.
I am in basic agreement with Mr. Wallace, in regard to political correctness.
I think political correctness in regard to Islam should be abandoned in exchange for a reasonable, scholarly evaluation of Islam, Jihad and Holy War.
