Quote:
Wow, some very strong emotions on display in this thread. I myself am very confused on the Muslims issue because I see some say Islam is a religion of peace where the majority of the adherents are good people, but it is being given a bad name by a few extremists, whereas I also see some say that the previous is politically-correct nonsense, that Islam is not any religion of peace, and that any peaceful followers of it literally do not understand their own religion.
I am not educated enough on it to make any decision right now however.
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IMHO, Islam as a religion is not peaceful, however, some Muslims are - trust is an issue - al Taqiyya.
Those that undertake Islam's political goal as an earthly religious duty, the subjugation of all non-Muslims to Islamic law, are
just as dangerous as the ones blowing themselves up. Extremely devout mainstream "moderate" Muslims who've succumbed to Islamic ideology who are active, working towards the end-goal of worldwide Islamic dominance, are just as dangerous as the radicals IMO.
You be the judge...
o9.0
(O: Jihad means to war against non-Muslims, and is etymologically derived from the word mujahada, signifying warfare to establish the religion.
o9.1 Jihad is a communal obligation (def: c3.2). When enough people perform it to successfully accomplish it, it is no longer obligatory upon others.
Not equal are those believers who sit (at home) and receive no hurt, and those who strive and fight in the cause of Allah with their goods and their persons. Allah hath granted a grade higher to those who strive and fight with their goods and persons than to those who sit (at home). Unto all (in Faith) Hath Allah promised good: But those who strive and fight Hath He distinguished above those who sit (at home) by a special reward,- (Qur'an 4:95)
‘Fighting is prescribed for you’ (Qur'an 2:216)
‘Slay them wherever you find them’ (Qur'an 4:89)
‘Fight the idolaters utterly’ (Qur'an 9:36)
(A: though if there is no caliph (def: o25), no permission is required).
Then, when the sacred months have passed, slay the idolaters wherever ye find them, and take them (captive), and besiege them, and prepare for them each ambush. But if they repent and establish worship and pay the poor-due (Jizya), then leave their way free. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. (Qur'an 9:5)
o9.8 The caliph makes war upon Jews, Christians, and Zoroastrians [kafirs] (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 regions) (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.
(A: though if there is no caliph (def: o25), no permission is required).
Sources - have at it
http://www.usc.edu/schools/college/c.../muslim/quran/
http://www.usc.edu/schools/college/c...muslim/hadith/
http://www.amazon.com/Reliance-Trave.../dp/0915957728
http://www.wikiislam.com/wiki/The_Le...ter_Jihad_Myth