Answering Muslims

Qur'an in Context 1: "Fight Those Who Do Not Believe" (Surah 9:29)

2012-05-20T06:03:00.001-05:00

Here are the Qur'an, Hadith, and Tafsir passage cited in the video:

Qur’an 9:28—O ye who believe! Truly the Pagans are unclean; so let them not, after this year of theirs, approach the Sacred Mosque. And if ye fear poverty, soon will Allah enrich you, if He wills, out of His bounty, for Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

Qur’an 9:29—Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the Religion of Truth, from among the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizyah with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.

Qur’an 9:30—The Jews call Uzair a son of God, and the Christians call Christ the son of God. That is a saying from their mouth; (In this) they but imitate what the Unbelievers of old used to say. Allah’s curse be on them: how they are deluded away from the Truth!

Qur’an 9:31—They take their priests and their anchorites to be their lords in derogation of Allah, and (they take as their Lord) Christ, the son of Mary; yet they were commanded to worship but One God: there is no god but He. Praise and glory to Him: (Far is He) from having the partners they associate (with Him).

Qur’an 9:32—Fain would they extinguish Allah’s Light with their mouths, but Allah will not allow but that His Light should be perfected, even though the Unbelievers may detest (it).

Qur’an 9:33—It is He Who hath sent His Messenger with Guidance and the Religion of Truth, to prevail it over all religion, even though the Pagans may detest (it).

Qur’an 5:51—O you who believe! do not take the Jews and the Christians for friends; they are friends of each other.

Qur’an 9:73—O Prophet! strive hard against the unbelievers and the hypocrites and be unyielding to them.

Qur’an 9:111—Surely Allah has bought of the believers their persons and their property for this, that they shall have the garden; they fight in Allah's way, so they slay and are slain.

Qur’an 9:123—O you who believe! fight those of the unbelievers who are near to you and let them find in you hardness.

Qur’an 47:35—Be not weary and fainthearted, crying for peace, when ye should be uppermost.

Qur’an 48:29—Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and those who are with him are severe against disbelievers, and merciful among themselves.

Sahih Muslim 30—Muhammad said: “I have been commanded to fight against people so long as they do not declare that there is no god but Allah.”

Sahih Muslim 4366—Muhammad said: “I will expel the Jews and Christians from the Arabian Peninsula and will not leave any but Muslims.”

Sunan An-Nasa’i 3099—The Prophet said: “Whoever dies without having fought or having thought of fighting, he dies on one of the branches of hypocrisy.”

Sunan Ibn Majah 2763—The Messenger of Allah said: “Whoever meets Allah with no mark on him (as a result of fighting) in His cause, he will meet Him with a deficiency.”

Sahih al-Bukhari 6922—Allah’s Messenger said, “If anyone changed his Islamic religion, then kill him.”

Qur’an 6:114—Shall I seek for a judge other than Allah, when He it is Who has sent down to you the Book fully explained?

Qur’an 11:1—This is a Book, whose verses have been made firm and free from imperfection and then they have been expounded in detail.

Qur’an 12:1—These are verses of the clear Book.

Qur’an 16:89—And We have sent down to thee the Book explaining all things ...

Qur’an 27:1—These are verses of the Qur'an—a book that makes (things) clear.

Qur’an 41:3—A Book, whereof the verses are explained in detail ...

Qur’an 57:9—He it is who sends down clear communications upon His servant, that he may bring you forth from utter darkness into light.

Ibn Kathir, The Battles of the Prophet, pp. 183-4—Allah, Most High, ordered the believers to prohibit the disbelievers from entering or coming near the sacred Mosque. On that, Quraish thought that this would reduce their profits from trade. Therefore, Allah, Most High, compensated them and ordered them to fight the people of the Book until they embrace Islam or pay the Jizyah. Allah says, “O ye who believe! Truly the pagans are unclean; so let them not, after this year of theirs, approach the sacred Mosque. And if ye fear poverty, soon will Allah enrich you, if He wills, out of His bounty, for Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, from among the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizyah with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.” Therefore, the Messenger of Allah decided to fight the Romans in order to call them to Islam.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (on Qur’an 9:30)—Fighting the Jews and Christians is legislated because they are idolaters and disbelievers. Allah the Exalted encourages the believers to fight the polytheists, disbelieving Jews and Christians, who uttered this terrible statement and utter lies against Allah, the Exalted. As for the Jews, they claimed that Uzayr was the son of God, Allah is free of what they attribute to Him. As for the misguidance of Christians over Isa, it is obvious.

Qur'an 2:106—“Whatever communications We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, We bring one better than it or like it. Do you not know that Allah has power over all things?”

Sahih al-Bukhari 4364—The last complete Surah which was revealed (to the Prophet) was Bara’a ...

Muslim Persecution of Christians: April 2012

2012-05-18T15:24:00.000-05:00

Raymond Ibrahim has been tracking the worldwide persecution of Christians by Muslims. Here's the intro for his April update.

GATESTONE INSTITUTE--As Easter, one of the highest Christian holidays, comes in April, Christian persecution in Muslim nations—from sheer violence to oppressive laws—was rampant: In Nigeria, where jihadis have expressed their desire to expunge all traces of Christianity, a church was bombed during Easter Sunday, killing some 50 worshippers; in Turkey, a pastor was beaten by Muslims immediately following Easter service and threatened with death unless he converted to Islam; and in Iran, Easter Sunday saw 12 Christians stand trial as "apostates."

The persecution of Christians has come to regions not normally associated with it. As in Nigeria, Muslim militants are now also running amok in Timbuktu, Mali—beheading a Christian leader and threatening other Christians with similar treatment. Sharia law has been imposed, churches are being destroyed, and Christians are fleeing Timbuktu in mass.

Categorized by theme, April's assemblage of Muslim persecution of Christians around the world includes (but is not limited to) the following accounts, listed in alphabetical order by country, not severity. (Continue reading at Gatestone.)

Wafa Sultan vs. Omar Bakri on Human Rights Under Sharia

2012-05-18T14:45:00.003-05:00

Here are some subtitled clips from an Arabic debate on ABN. When I debate Muslims in the West, my opponents usually try to argue that Islam promotes Western values, while I show from their sources that the opposite is true. In this debate, however, Sheikh Omar Bakri admits much of what Islam's critics strive to demonstrate.

Muslim Commenter Sinks to New Low

2012-05-16T06:53:00.001-05:00

Actually, I shouldn't say that he sank to a new low. I should say that he's living according to the example set by his prophet and his prophet's companions.

"Rambo John" is a Muslim who spends quite a bit of time defending Islam over at the Muslim Debate Initiative's "Blogging Theology" page. Yesterday, Rambo John sent Sam Shamoun a private message:

your wife is sexy
does she have the holy ghost in her?
tell your wife to call me 07772342197

In just three lines, this devout Muslim apologist manages (1) to admit he's been lusting after Sam's wife, (2) to engage in the lowest form of personal attack against Sam, (3) to request an adulterous relationship with a Christian woman, and (4) to blaspheme the Holy Spirit. It seems Muslims are forced to behave this way by their inability to refute Sam's arguments.

Of course, our Muslim readers, and even many non-Muslim readers, are thinking to themselves, "But David, surely this man's actions have nothing to do with Islam. Islam encourages noble behavior, not childish insults against other people's beliefs."

Wrong. Consider the following passage. A man points out two alternatives for Muhammad. If Muhammad is victorious over the Quraysh, he will be remembered as the man who slaughtered his own tribesmen. If the Quraysh are victorious over him, Muhammad's followers will abandon him. Pay close attention to Abu Bakr's response:

Urwah went to the Prophet and began speaking to him. The Prophet spoke as he had spoken to Budayl. Then Urwah said: "Muhammad, tell me: if you extirpate [i.e. exterminate] your tribesmen, have you ever heard of any of the Arabs who destroyed his own race before you? And if the contrary comes to pass, by God I see both prominent people and rabble who are likely to flee and leave you." Abu Bakr said, "Go suck the clitoris of al-Lat! Would we flee and leave him?" (History of al-Tabari, Volume 8, p. 76)

Al-Lat was a goddess worshipped by Urwah (yes, this is the same al-Lat praised by Muhammad in the infamous "Satanic Verses"). Notice that Abu Bakr responds to Urwah's reasonable comment with an extraordinarily offensive insult against Urwah's religious beliefs.

This is exactly the sort of response we would expect from Muhammad's companions, since Muhammad himself encouraged his followers to use vulgar insults:

Ubayy b. Ka‘b told that he heard God’s messenger say, “If anyone proudly asserts his descent in the manner of the pre-Islamic people, tell him to bite his father’s penis, and do not use a euphemism.” (Mishkat Al Masabih)

Fortunately, most Muslims live far better lives than their prophet or his companions. But some Muslims (regrettably) continue to follow Muhammad's example.

***UPDATE*** Devout Muslim apologist Rambo John saw my post and sent Sam some additional messages. While it's horrifying to read such repulsive words, it's good to see that some Muslims are giving us a glimpse of Islam's true teachings. (WARNING! These messages contain extremely offensive language.)

1st New Message:

hey scum bag, POST this on woods blog also, jesus the LIAR AND FRAUD and lawless jew said that ot predicted his murder. but here is a SUPRISE for u and jesus, THE OT DOES NOT PREDICT the s hit that jesus said.http://religionatthemargins.com/2012/04/the-death-of-richard-carriers-dying-messiah/

fukin fat chicken sh it , i never see you post in places where people would screw, blue and tatoo your fat christian as s, why are u a fukin chicken, i gave u my mobile phone number , contact me u mo fo, tell your wife to contact me, i would like to tell her that she needs me more than she needs jezuz and christianity lol

2nd New Message:

u know u pathetic shamoun, you expose my words for all to see, but how much do you EXPOSE your sins u dirty cockroach? how much do you reveal about the church whore u gaze at to your dirty ass pastor? u like a fukin SLUT on jerey springer REVEAL what is SECRET to the public, but how much did matthew, mark luke and john reveal WHAT is destructive to christian faith? naaa, when it comes to christians, you dirty mo fo's keep you crimes a secret, right? lol.

you're wife aswell shamoun, how much does she reveal about how she likes me and wants me for enjoyment? you wife didn't tell u that did she? do you want to see your wifes text messages ? lol

the deciples made jesus proud, they left him for dead lol.

Of course, Muslims can't condemn Rambo John's insults and foul language, because to condemn his words would be to condemn Muhammad and his companions!

Robert Spencer and Pamela Geller on CBN's "Stakelbeck on Terror"

2012-05-16T06:21:00.001-05:00

Upcoming Debate!

2012-05-15T01:59:00.000-05:00

On May 27^th at 6:00pm PST I will be debating Ijaz Ahmad (aka “CallingChristians”). My opponent turned down the invitation to do it on ABN, so it will take place in the Answering Christianity room on Paltalk. As some of you know and others might suspect, the Muslim rooms on PT (not to mention some other Muslim forums) do not have a sterling reputation for conducting things on the up and up, and that is putting it mildly. However, having secured the agreement of a Muslim who has a pretty good track record as judged by our past interactions, a Muslim who has agreed to play a principal role in how the debate is conducted, I have agreed to do it in that forum. If I am red-dotted (i.e. muted) or if the debate is called because they don’t like what I am saying, so be it. Worse happens when Christians proclaim the Word of Christ in Muslim lands (and sometimes even in America).

For those who don't use Paltalk or for whatever reason are not able to listen to the debate live but are still interested in hearing it, it will be recorded and Lord willing I will eventually put it on the blog.

We will be debating the following proposition: The Old Testament Teaches That the Angel of the Lord is a Distinct Divine Person in the Godhead.

I will be arguing in the affirmative. Ijaz will represent the negative.

Although our debate will be on what the Old Testament teaches in this regard, the relevance of this to what is taught in the New Testament is huge. As E. W. Hengstenberg once said somewhere: what the Old Testament teaches on this issue is the proemium of what we find said about Jesus in the Gospels and to what has been believed, taught and confessed in the church regarding Jesus throughout the ages.

“With regard to Christ, the law and the prophets and the evangelists have proclaimed that He was born of a virgin, that He suffered upon a beam of wood, and that He appeared from the dead; that He also ascended to the heavens, and was glorified by the Father, and is the Eternal King; that He is the perfect Intelligence, the Word of God, who was begotten before the light; that He was the Founder of the universe, along with it (light), and the Maker of man; that He is All in all: Patriarch among the patriarchs; Law in the laws; Chief Priest among priests; Ruler among kings; the Prophet among prophets; the Angel among angels; the Man among men; Son in the Father; God in God; King to all eternity. For it is He who sailed [in the ark] along with Noah, and who guided Abraham; who was bound along with Isaac, and was a Wanderer with Jacob; the Shepherd of those who are saved, and the Bridegroom of the Church; the Chief also of the cherubim, the Prince of the angelic powers; God of God; Son of the Father; Jesus Christ; King for ever and ever. Amen.” (Irenaeus, Fragments, LIII)

FBI, U.S. Attorney's Office, and Justice Department Join Forces to Combat "Islamophobia"

2012-05-14T18:35:00.001-05:00

In case you didn't feel safe enough, the FBI, the U.S. Attorney's Office, and Obama's Justice Department are co-sponsoring an event dedicated to combating Islamophobia. Of course, whenever people cry "Islamophobia," they're usually referring to any serious questioning of Muhammad's teachings on Jihad, terrorism, women's rights, etc. So if the U.S. government has decided to stand against Islamophobia, I can only conclude that our government is attempting to squelch any serious questioning of Muhammad's teachings on Jihad, terrorism, women's rights, etc.

Huntsville, AL -- On Thursday, May 17th, people representing a cross-culture of Madison County will come together to learn more about Islam. "Combating Islamophobia: Truths and Myths About Islam" is a community engagement workshop sponsored by the FBI, the U.S. Attorney's Office, the Department of Justice, UA-Huntsville, and the Huntsville Islamic Center, among others. Aladin Beshir, director of community outreach for the Huntsville Islamic Center, hopes the event will help build bridges in the community. "This is a very, very small step and a very focused and great grand scheme of cooperation among law enforcement and the Muslim community, sending the message that we are all united to protect America."

Beshir says there are many misconceptions about Islam that have arisen, in part, by people taking portions of the Quran out of context. He says, "Islam does not teach violence. People love to pick and choose," adding, "the Holy Quran states, one destroys one soul as if he killed the whole humanity, and one saves one soul as if he saves the whole humanity." When it comes to addressing myths about Muslims, Beshir says the media represents one of the biggest challenges because, "if you listen to the media, you will think they're under the bed and coming to get you!" (Read more.)

"If you listen to the media, you will think they're under the bed and coming to get you." Amazing. The media bends over backwards to defend Islam (click here to see ABC News spout utter nonsense in support of Islam), and yet Muslims still condemn the media.

Now for the irony. Beshir complains that people "take portions of the Qur'an out of context." Then he claims that "the Holy Qur'an states, one destroys one soul as if he killed the whole humanity, and one saves one soul as if he saves the whole humanity." Let's read that passage in context:

Qur'an 5:32-33--For that cause We decreed for the Children of Israel that whosoever killeth a human being for other than manslaughter or corruption in the earth, it shall be as if he had killed all mankind, and whoso saveth the life of one, it shall be as if he had saved the life of all mankind. Our messengers came unto them of old with clear proofs (of Allah's Sovereignty), but afterwards lo! many of them became prodigals in the earth.

The only reward of those who make war upon Allah and His messenger and strive after corruption in the land will be that they will be killed or crucified, or have their hands and feet on alternate sides cut off, or will be expelled out of the land. Such will be their degradation in the world, and in the Hereafter theirs will be an awful doom.

Notice that the penalties for "striving after corruption" (which includes apostasy, criticizing Islam, preaching a non-Muslim religion, etc.) are death, dismemberment, or expulsion from the land. Why did Beshir leave this part of the passage out, if he wants people to read the Qur'an in context?

Now for a classic video on Islamophobia:

Afghan Peace Negotiator Maulvi Arsala Rahmani Gunned Down

2012-05-13T23:31:00.001-05:00

And yet our leaders and the media will continue to pretend that all Afghanis just want peace.

KABUL - Gunmen shot dead a top Afghan peace negotiator in the capital Kabul on Sunday, police said, dealing a massive blow to the country's attempts to negotiate a peace deal with Taliban insurgents.

Maulvi Arsala Rahmani was one of the most senior members on Afghanistan's High Peace Council, set up by President Hamid Karzai two years ago to open talks with insurgents.

"He (Rahmani) was stuck in heavy traffic when another car beside him opened fire," said General Mohammad Zahir, head of the investigations unit for Kabul police.

Rahmani, one of about 70 influential Afghans and former Taliban appointed by Karzai to try to reconcile with the insurgents, was on his way to a meeting with lawmakers and other officials in a government-run media center in the heavily barricaded diplomatic center of Kabul.

"His driver did not immediately realise that Rahmani had been killed," police official Zahir told Reuters, adding that no one had been arrested in connection with the shooting.

No group took responsibility for the attack. (Read more.)

Benjamin Bull: Should Critically Discussing Islam Be a Form of Hate Speech?

2012-05-13T21:55:00.000-05:00

AMERICAN THINKER--Several days ago, I noted with interest that Dutch journalist and historian Lars Hedegaard has been acquitted by a unanimous Dutch Supreme Court of charges that he violated Holland's notorious "hate speech" laws. His crime? He made a public utterance that state prosecutors concluded was "denigrating" of Islam.

Hedegaard dared say that Islam should be criticized for endorsing coerced child-bride marriages. The prosecutor never alleged that anything Hedegaard stated was untrue. Truth under the Dutch hate speech law is largely irrelevant.

The acquittal follows on the heels of the more widely publicized dismissal of charges against flamboyant Dutch politician Geert Wilders for violating the very same law. Wilders' crime was the production of the film Fitna, which had the audacity to draw a connection between certain passages of the Koran and Islamist jihad. Like the Hedegaard prosecution, Wilders' prosecutor never alleged that anything in the film was untrue.

While the ultimate acquittals were encouraging, the fact that these men were forced to spend years in court fighting such frivolous charges is more than a travesty. And this doesn't begin to take into account the small fortune such legal disputes cost both the state and the defendants.

The irresponsible willingness of governments to promulgate and encourage the prosecution of truthful but critical comments on Islam needs to be closely scrutinized. (Continue Reading)

Andrew C. McCarthy: Western Sharia

2012-05-12T20:58:00.000-05:00

NATIONAL REVIEW--Ismail Belghar, a 36-year-old Muslim man living in Australia, assaulted, abducted, and nearly killed his sister-in-law. The victim, a 25-year-old Moroccan named Canan Kokden, had dared to take her older sister, Mrs. B, to the beach without Belghar’s permission. This heinous effrontery was amplified, Belghar later recounted for police, when Mrs. B thereupon “displayed her body,” sustaining the shoulder sunburn that tipped him off.

To Australians, this may have been, well, just a day at the beach. For Belghar, though, it was an “abhorrent” offense against sharia, Islam’s legal code and comprehensive societal framework.

The telltale burn is also starting to show on the West’s shoulders, our courts of law. Australia has not changed Belghar, but the Belghars are changing Australia.

Innately, Islam is not moderate — just ask Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey’s prime minister, who rejects as “ugly and offensive” the very term “moderate Islam.” Instead, Islam can be moderated, but only by a culture that is self-confident and self-assertive. Alas, that is no longer Western culture. So, the more Muslims immigrate, the less the West is moderating Islam. It is Islam that leaves its mark. (Continue Reading)

David Aaronovitch: British Gang Rapes Linked to Islam

2012-05-10T14:43:00.000-05:00

I'm literally shocked to see an article like this in a mainstream newspaper. Columnist David Aaronovitch is sure to be met with charges of "racism" and "Islamophobia" for stating the obvious.

TIMES OF LONDON--Yesterday morning I woke up to the smell of smoke. It was coming from my radio. The Deputy Children’s Commissioner Sue Berelowitz was being interviewed about the Rochdale grooming case. “It’s not a problem confined to one community,” she told listeners. “It is absolutely happening across all ethnic and religious groups.”

The problem was, she suggested, that people were now looking for this one pattern — street grooming by groups of men from the Pakistani community — and wrongly finding it. Ms Berelowitz then blew a little more fog over the subject by invoking 14-year-old boys who abuse 11-year-old girls, and then disappeared into her own mist.

I understand her desire for obfuscation. The crime is horrible — our reporter Andrew Norfolk described yesterday how underage girls were multiply raped on a bare mattress above a kebab shop. And there are people in this country whose prejudices and politics are well served by suggesting that this is what Muslim migrants are like. Put the two together and you can easily come up with something that smells like Nick Griffin.

But what does Ms Berelowitz know that Mohammed Shafiq, director of the Ramadhan Foundation, whom I met in Rochdale seven years ago, doesn’t? Pointing out that of 68 recent convictions involving street grooming 59 were of British Pakistani men, Mr Shafiq concluded with characteristic straightforwardness that the community clearly had a problem. In his view, a minority of Pakistani men had got it into their heads that white girls were fair game.

What information did she have that Nazir Afzal, Chief Crown Prosecutor for northwest England and the man leading the prosecution in this case, didn’t? He blamed “imported cultural baggage”. “[The men] think that women are some lesser being. The availability of vulnerable young white girls is what has drawn the men to them.”

What does she understand that Martin Narey, former head of Barnardo’s, who has been achingly careful on this subject, doesn’t quite get? “For this particular type of crime ... there is very troubling evidence that Asians are overwhelmingly represented in the prosecutions for such offences,” he said on Tuesday.

What is her experience of life in these northern towns that leads her to contradict Ann Cryer, the former Labour MP for Keighley, whose warnings on this subject went unheeded for years? The police and social services, Ms Cryer charges, “were petrified of being called racist ... They had a greater fear of being perceived in that light than in dealing with the issues in front of them.”

And so on. If you cannot call the thing what it is, then not only will you fail with policies aimed at stopping it, but you will also encourage the very forces that you most fear. It is precisely into the gap between the elite’s description of the world and the reality that people face that the extremist steps. (Read more.)

Robert Spencer vs. Nadir Ahmed on Rape and Violence in Islam

2012-05-08T18:23:00.000-05:00

Nadir keeps making the same mistake: He keeps bringing a rubber chicken to a gunfight. And yet he's shocked when he realizes he's outgunned!

If you'd like to see more of Nadir's comedy routine, check out his antics here and here.

Sculptor Sergio Redegalli to Unveil New Work, "Aisha from Behind the Veil"

2012-05-08T08:48:00.000-05:00

Fortunately for Redegalli, Muslims are quite fond of artwork, and the tremendous tolerance inherent in Islam leads Muhammad's followers to show great patience even when they don't like a particular work of art. So I'm sure he'll be perfectly safe. Robert Spencer writes:

The courageous Sergio Redegalli, a sculptor and artist in Sydney, Australia, is the originator of the famous "Say No to Burqas" mural, which one would think that women's rights activists in the West would love, but as it turns out, the Leftist alliance with Islamic supremacists has proved stronger than feminists' concern for Muslim women. Leftist and Muslim vandals have defaced Sergio's mural many, many times.

Above is a photo of one of his latest works that will be showing at his Glass Artist Gallery in Sydney this Thursday evening. The artwork is made from cast crystal, hand polished with some sandblasting detail and copper work. It is 30cm tall and is called “Aisha from behind the veil."

Congratulations and bravo to Sergio. Long may he exercise his artistic freedom in peace.

Pamela Geller on Sean Hannity Show on FOX News

2012-05-08T07:22:00.000-05:00

CIA Foiled Bomb Plot That Would Have Marked Anniversary of Bin Laden Death

2012-05-07T15:42:00.001-05:00

I don't get it. The Obama Administration has already announced that the War on Terror is over. Did someone forget to tell the terrorists that we're at peace now?

WASHINGTON – The CIA thwarted an ambitious plot by Al Qaeda's affiliate in Yemen to destroy a U.S.-bound airliner using a bomb with a sophisticated new design around the one-year anniversary of the killing of Usama bin Laden, The Associated Press has learned.

The plot involved an upgrade of the underwear bomb that failed to detonate aboard a jetliner over Detroit on Christmas 2009. This new bomb was also designed to be used in a passenger's underwear, but this time Al Qaeda developed a more refined detonation system, U.S. officials said.

The FBI is examining the latest bomb to see whether it could have passed through airport security and brought down an airplane, officials said. They said the device did not contain metal, meaning it probably could have passed through an airport metal detector. But it was not clear whether new body scanners used in many airports would have detected it.

The would-be suicide bomber, based in Yemen, had not yet picked a target or bought his plane tickets when the CIA stepped in and seized the bomb, officials said. It's not immediately clear what happened to the alleged bomber.

The operation unfolded even as the White House and Department of Homeland Security assured the American public that they knew of no Al Qaeda plots against the U.S. around the anniversary of bin Laden's death. The AP learned about the thwarted plot last week but agreed to White House and CIA requests not to publish it immediately because the sensitive intelligence operation was still under way. Once those concerns were allayed, the AP decided to disclose the plot Monday despite requests from the Obama administration to wait for an official announcement Tuesday. (Read more.)

Obama Administration Seeks Reconciliation with the Taliban

2012-05-07T07:18:00.002-05:00

The U.S. military has captured numerous Taliban leaders. The military is now releasing those leaders, provided they promise to stop being violent. I think I would want something more from these Taliban leaders--perhaps a "pinky swear" or "Scout's honor." That will guarantee their lifelong adherence to Western values.

KABUL – The US has been secretly releasing captured Taliban fighters from a detention center in Afghanistan in a bid to strengthen its hand in peace talks with the insurgent group, the Washington Post reported Monday.

The "strategic release" program of high-level detainees is designed to give the US a bargaining chip in some areas of Afghanistan where international forces struggle to exercise control, the report said.

Under the risky program, the hardened fighters must promise to give up violence and are threatened with further punishment, but there is nothing to stop them resuming attacks against Afghan and American troops.

"Everyone agrees they are guilty of what they have done and should remain in detention. Everyone agrees that these are bad guys. But the benefits outweigh the risks," a US official told the Post.

In a visit to Afghanistan last week, President Barack Obama confirmed that the US was pursuing peace talks with the Taliban.

"We have made it clear that they [the Taliban] can be a part of this future if they break with Al Qaeda, renounce violence, and abide by Afghan laws. Many members of the Taliban -- from foot soldiers to leaders -- have indicated an interest in reconciliation. A path to peace is now set before them," Obama said. (Read more.)

Yes, the path to peace is now set before them. That's good, because the Taliban just wants peace, you know. They don't care at all about violently establishing Islamic law.

Qur'an Preservation Pamphlet Now Available in Qur'an Tab

2012-05-06T21:13:00.000-05:00

A while back, I took up a collection to have some pamphlets printed. We distributed a portion of the pamphlets (along with a few dozen copies of Keith Small's book Holy Books Have a History) at Rutgers University and elsewhere. I said I might make the remaining tracts available for people who want to order them. However, since the Dearborn Arab Festival is next month, I'm going to bring the rest of the batch to Dearborn (anyone joining us for the outreach will get a pile of them!). For those of you who would like a copy, or would like to print some out, I've linked to the file in the Qur'an tab above. A pastor requested I leave a blank space on the back of the pamphlet so churches and ministries can add their contact info; hence, there's a blank space on the back.

And in case you haven't seen the video version . . .

Muslim Cleric Maulana Abdul Haleem Declares: Educating Women Is Contrary to Islam

2012-05-06T15:32:00.000-05:00

If you're expecting to hear Western feminists rally against Haleem, don't hold your breath. They're too busy defending Islam.

KOHISTAN / DASSU: A former lawmaker and cleric from Kohistan district, Maulana Abdul Haleem, termed formal education for women un-Islamic and asked parents to pluck their daughters from school, or else they would be ‘doomed’.

The nonagenarian, who was elected to the National Assembly from Kohistan on the now-defunct Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal’s ticket in 2002, also railed against non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working in the region in his Friday sermon, calling them ‘hubs of immodesty’.

Nestled in the Himalayas, the Kohistan district is picturesque, but also one of the least-literate and least developed in the country.

Maulana Haleem, who was an office-bearer of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl until recently, was delivering a Friday sermon, at Jamia Masjid Komila, on who is dayoos, or those liable to be condemned to hell.

“It’s beghairti (immodesty) to equip girls with secular education,” the cleric said, adding that those Kohistani parents who were sending their girls to schools were acting against ‘Islamic shariah’ and the local customs.

“The Kohistani culture does not allow parents to send their pardadar (modest) girls to schools,” the former lawmaker said.

He did not spare female NGO workers either.

“Some women from these NGOs visit our houses frequently, mobilising naïve Kohistani women to follow their agenda in the name of health and hygiene education,” he said, adding that this was ‘unacceptable to Kohistani culture’. He threatened them with ‘dire consequences’, saying that married female NGO workers will be sent back to their husbands, and the unmarried ones will be wedded to Kohistani men.

During his stint as a parliamentarian, Maulana Haleem had also declared poppy cultivation in Kohistan ‘in accordance with Islam’. (Read more.)

Jessica Mokdad Human Rights Conference Videos

2012-05-05T17:16:00.000-05:00

There are still more videos to be posted, but here are some of the presentations from the conference.

PAMELA GELLER AND DARWIN JILES

NONIE DARWISH

DAVID WOOD

ROBERT MUISE (PART ONE)

ROBERT MUISE (PART TWO)

JAMES LAFFERTY

MICHAEL COREN (PART ONE)

MICHAEL COREN (PART TWO)

Pat Condell: Hello Saudi Arabia

2012-05-02T16:11:00.000-05:00

Did Muhammad Exist? Robert Spencer & David Wood vs. Anjem Choudary & Omar Bakri

2012-05-01T15:27:00.003-05:00

Robert Spencer and David Wood vs. Anjem Choudary and Omar Bakri on ABN Tonight!

2012-04-30T01:57:00.000-05:00

I ended up in an interesting position recently. I believe that I can prove Muhammad's existence (beyond a reasonable doubt), but I don't believe that Muslims can prove Muhammad's existence at all. So when Anjem Choudary and Sheikh Omar Bakri wanted to face Robert Spencer in a two-on-two debate, I saw no reason not to join Robert as he teaches our Muslim friends an important lesson about the flaws in their methodology. (Robert and I will still need to face each other to see whether my methodology proves stronger than Islam's. In the meantime, Anjem and Omar are in for a rude awakening. I hope they've read Robert's book!)

If you don't get ABN via satellite, you can watch the debate live at 8:00 P.M. (EST) here.

Where Did Jesus Say, "I Am God, Worship Me"? #2

2012-04-30T00:10:00.002-05:00

I was about to post on this subject when David beat me to it. However, I was not planning such a comprehensive post as the one David has provided for us. I just wanted to consider one section - the testimony of Jesus at his trial.

Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, "Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?" But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to him, "I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God." "Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied. "But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven." Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, "He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?" "He is worthy of death," they answered. (Matthew 26:62-66, NIV)

In a recent debate I was told that Jesus never said, "I am God worship me". At that time I did not answer with the above verses but now I think I should have. The reason is that in these verses Jesus proclaims his divinity and that all people will worship him.
First Jesus says he is the Christ/Messiah, the Son of God. The prophets before Jesus make it very clear that this Son sits at God's right hand (Psalm 110:1) and how you are to treat this Son.

Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him. (Psalm 2:12, NIV)

The Jewish leaders understand what Jesus has said and see it as blasphemy.
Then Jesus says he is "the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven." This language is again from the earlier prophets, the prophet Daniel, and is referring to the divine man who will receive the worship of God.

In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed. (Daniel 7:13-14, NIV)

So what is Jesus saying at his trial? What is it that ultimately gets him crucified? It is his claim to be Son of Psalm 2 and 110 who is at the right hand of God and is to be worshipped; it is to be the divine man of Daniel 7 who is to be worshipped. The Jewish leaders again understand exactly what he is saying and call it blasphemy. So Jesus actually does say, "I am God worship me"; he just uses the language of the prophets to say it.
If we want to understand Jesus we must learn his language. I am not saying we must learn Hebrew, Aramaic or Greek, though that is an excellent thing to do. Instead I am saying that we must know the titles, the concepts and expectations of the prophets who were before Jesus, because it is with these words that Jesus speaks and invites us to understand him.

Violence in the Old Testament

2012-04-29T01:13:00.001-05:00

We had a Muslim caller tonight who asked about violence in the Old Testament. Here's a show we did last year on this topic.

PART ONE

PART TWO

Here are two articles as well:

"A Series of Answers to Common Questions"
"Revisiting God's Command to Kill the Amalekites"

Where Did Jesus Say, "I Am God, Worship Me"?

2012-04-27T22:00:00.000-05:00

The Qur’an commands Christians to judge by the Gospel:

Qur’an 5:47—“Let the people of the Gospel judge by what Allah hath revealed therein. If any do fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah hath revealed, they are (no better than) those who rebel.”

Thus, when Christians present their beliefs, it makes sense for Muslims to ask, “Could you show us where the Bible says that?” Christians should therefore be eager to present evidence from the Gospel, because Muslims cannot condemn us for doing what the Qur’an commands. Indeed, since the Qur’an affirms not only the Gospel, but also the Torah (Qur’an 5:43), Muslims cannot ignore what the Bible says without thereby rebelling against Islam.

Muslims around the world are being trained to ask Christians, “Where did Jesus say, ‘I am God, worship me,’ in those exact words?” However, if Muslims are suggesting that Jesus could only claim to be God by uttering a specific sentence, we may reply by asking, “Where did Jesus say, ‘I am only a prophet, don’t worship me,’ in those exact words?” The unreasonable demand for a particular statement, if applied consistently, would thus force Muslims to reject their own view!

Fortunately, we have a simple way to examine what Jesus said about himself. According to both the Bible and the Qur’an, there are certain claims that only God can truly make. For instance, God alone can correctly state that he created the universe. Of course, a mere human being can pronounce the words, “I created the universe,” but the statement would be false coming from anyone other than God.

Hence, if Jesus said things that can only truly be said by God, we must conclude that Jesus claimed to be God. Interestingly, Jews, Christians, and Muslims agree on many of the claims that cannot be properly made by (or about) mere human beings. Let us consider a few of these.

THE FIRST AND THE LAST

Surah 57:3 of the Qur’an refers to Allah as “the First and the Last, the Most High and the Most Near.” The Old Testament agrees that God is the “First and the Last,” as we read in the Book of the prophet Isaiah:

Isaiah 44:6—Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: “I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God besides Me.”

When “LORD” is written in all capitals in the Old Testament, the term refers to Yahweh, the creator of the universe. Since both the Bible and the Qur’an give the title “the First and the Last” to God, it should be quite shocking for Muslims to open the New Testament and read Revelation 1:17-18, where Jesus says:

“Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.”

Would a mere prophet claim to be the “First and the Last”?

WHO FORGIVES SINS?

While one human being may sin against another human being, there is a sense in which all sin is rebellion against God. Similarly, while you and I may forgive one another for the wrongs we commit, only God can offer ultimate forgiveness. Thus, the prophet David could say to God, “Against You, You only, I have sinned and done what is evil in Your sight” (Psalm 51:4), and the Prophet Daniel could declare, “To the Lord our God belong compassion and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against Him” (Daniel 9:9).

The Qur’an agrees that ultimate forgiveness belongs to God, for it asks, “Who can forgive sins except Allah?” (3:135).

It might surprise Muslims to learn that, in the New Testament, Jesus claims the ability to forgive sins. In Mark 2, a paralyzed man is brought to Jesus in order to be healed. Jesus’ response leads the religious leaders to accuse him of blasphemy:

Mark 2:5-7—And Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” But some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming; who can forgive sins but God alone?”

The scribes correctly recognized that only God can forgive sins. Yet Jesus (who referred to himself as the “Son of Man”), knowing their thoughts, replied that “the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” (Mark 2:10). He then healed the paralytic, proving that his claims were true.

THE LIGHT

In Psalm 27:1, the prophet David proclaims: “The LORD is my light and my salvation.” Similarly, the Qur’an declares that “Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth” (24:35). Yet Jesus tells his listeners that he is “the Light”:

John 8:12—“I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

THE TRUTH

The prophet David refers to Yahweh as the “God of Truth” (Psalm 31:5). According to the Qur’an, “Allah is the Truth” (22:6). Jesus, however, applies this as a title for himself:

John 14:6—Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

How can a mere human being claim to be “The Truth”?

THE FINAL JUDGE

In Chapter 3 of the Book of the prophet Joel, Yahweh declares that the nations will be gathered and that he “will sit to judge all the surrounding nations” (v. 12). According to the prophet David, “the LORD abides forever;  He has established His throne for judgment, and He will judge the world in righteousness” (Psalm 9:7-8).

The Qur’an maintains that Allah will judge the world, rewarding believers and punishing unbelievers:

Qur’an 22:56-57—The kingdom on that day shall be Allah’s; He will judge between them; so those who believe and do good will be in gardens of bliss. And (as for) those who disbelieve in and reject Our communications, these it is who shall have a disgraceful chastisement.

So why, we may wonder, would Jesus tell his followers that he will be the final judge of all people?

Matthew 25:31-32—“But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.”

Jesus goes on to say that he will admit certain people to heaven and cast others into hell. Isn’t this something only God can do?

THE RESURRECTION

The Bible and the Qur’an agree that God is the one who will raise the dead.

1 Samuel 2:6—The LORD kills and makes alive; He brings down to Sheol and raises up.

Qur’an 22:7—Allah will resurrect those who are in the graves.

Since God will raise the dead at the resurrection, why would a mere prophet tell his followers that he will resurrect the dead?

John 5:25-29—“Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself; and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.”

John 11:25—Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies.”

GOD’S GLORY

The Qur’an tells us that “Whatsoever is in the heavens and the earth glorifies Allah” (57:1).

In the Old Testament, we find that Yahweh will not share his glory with anyone.

Isaiah 42:8—“I am the LORD, that is My name;  I will not give My glory to another.” (Cf. Isaiah 48:11—“My glory I will not give to another.”)

Yet Jesus claimed, not only that he would be glorified with the Father, but that he had glory with the Father before the world was created!

John 17:5—“Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.”

How can anyone see this as anything other than a claim to deity?

FURTHER EVIDENCE

In Mark 2:28, Jesus calls himself the “Lord of the Sabbath.” In Matthew 22:41-45, he proves that he is the Lord of the prophet David. In John 8:39-58, Jesus says that he has seen the prophet Abraham. In Matthew 12:6, Jesus claims to be greater than God’s Temple.

Jesus tells us that he has an absolutely unique relationship with the Father (Matthew 11:27), that he can answer prayers (John 14:13-14), that he is present wherever his followers are gathered (Matthew 18:20), that he has “all authority in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18), and that he is with his followers forever (Matthew 28:20). He even makes the startling declaration that “All things that the Father has are Mine” (John 16:15).

According to Jesus, all people must honor him just as we honor the Father:

John 5:21-23—“For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.”

Since one of the ways we honor the Father is by worshiping him, it should come as no surprise that Jesus’ followers worshiped him on numerous occasions. Indeed, the Gospel tells us that Jesus was worshiped throughout his life: shortly after his birth (Matthew 2:11), during his ministry (Matthew 14:33, John 9:38), after his resurrection (Matthew 28:17), and after his ascension to heaven (Luke 24:52). Jesus’ disciple Thomas even addressed him as “my Lord and my God” (John 20:28).

ASSESSMENT

Where did Jesus say, “I am God, worship me”? As we have seen, Jesus claimed to be the First and the Last, the forgiver of sins, the Light, the Truth, the Final Judge, and the Resurrection. Jesus proclaimed that he had glory with the Father before the world was created, that he is the Lord of the Sabbath and of King David, that he had seen Abraham, and that he is greater than God’s Temple. Jesus has a unique relationship with the Father, he can answer prayers, he is with his followers no matter where they are, he has total authority on earth and in heaven, he is with his followers forever, and he owns everything. Jesus even demanded that he be honored just as the Father is honored. Clearly, these are not the claims of a mere human being. They are not even the claims of a mighty prophet. These are claims only God can truly make. This is why Christians believe that Jesus is God.

POSTSCRIPT: THE ISLAMIC DILEMMA

Since the Bible obviously supports the Christian view of Jesus, Muslims who want to deny the deity of Christ will have to argue that the Gospel has been corrupted. But if the Gospel has been corrupted, why does the Qur’an command Christians to judge by the Gospel? By commanding us to judge by what we find in the Gospel, the Qur’an has inadvertently ordered Christians to reject Islam!

But it gets worse for Muslims. The Qur’an affirms the inspiration and reliability of the Christian Scriptures (3:3-4, 5:47, 5:66, 7:157, 10:94), as well as man’s inability to corrupt God’s Word (6:114-115, 18:27). Muslims therefore cannot reject what the Gospel says, which leaves them with quite a dilemma. If the Gospel is reliable, Islam must be false, since the Gospel presents Jesus as God. Alternatively, if the Gospel is unreliable, Islam must be false, because the Qur’an tells us that the Gospel is the Word of God. Either way, Islam is false, and anyone who is searching for the truth will never find it in the Qur’an.

FOR FURTHER STUDY

"Did Jesus Claim to Be God When He Ascribed to Himself Divine Titles and Attributes?"
"Jesus’ Divine Claims and Islam: An Examination of Biblical Christology In Light of the Quranic View of Allah’s Attributes"
"Islamic Theology Confirms that both Jesus and His Followers Claimed that He Is God!"
"Meeting the Challenge of the Qur'an Concerning the Deity of Christ"