Oh You Muslim Awake

Is Islam a humanitarian religion?

OH! YOU MUSLIM AWAKE! Compiled by

Dr. QUTUB SAJJAD, M.A., Ph.D.

WARNING This ex-Muslim editor has compiled this book by selecting articles from Internet. The author is a Pakistani citizen living in an African country. He does not want to return to his motherland as he fears incarceration due to stringent blasphemy laws of Pakistan. This book is not meant for decorating your bookshelf, but for circulation among others as fast as you can so that we can save our Mother Earth. Take printouts of this copy – read fully and share with as many people as you can…

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FOREWORD I accepted this offer to write a foreword to “Oh! You Muslim Awake!” with shock and surprise. I sincerely feel this is not an ordinary book. I felt angry when I read it for the first time. Anybody reading this book with an unbiased mind will certainly agree with the facts and figures given in this booklet. Since I didn’t believe in this book at first, I scrupulously read it and cross-checked with the scriptures of Islam. To my great surprise, as a Muslim, I didn’t know what to write further. Whenever anything is written against Islam, it is hidden from the public because of the power of the Muslims and the influence on media they have. Islam has done unbelievable damages to mother Earth, which no sincere human being will ever forget. How Islam poisons the gullible minds with hatred through Koran? Finally, who gains at the end? How Islam divides the world? Al Qaida and the Jehadis in Kashmir and elsewhere with full fledged military type of training draw their sustenance by murdering non-Muslims! Sex, violence, murders to divide mother Earth into pieces! What has Koran and Hadith taught us? How many wives we should keep? Who are Kafirs? Can you have sex with a 9-year old as Prophet Mohammed had? What does Koran talk about sex, menstruation, violence? Can one not see the pornography and incest in them? I would not read it to my mother, daughter or sister! Can you? What if a non-Muslim asks why Prophet kept so many wives and concubines and why he had intercourse with 9-year old Ayesha? How about Bin Laden, Idi Amin? What does Hadith say? How do we treat our Muslim women? But we laugh at the treatment of women in other religions. What hypocrites we are? How dare a rich go inside the mosque with special respect even if he is an illicit liquor dealer or smuggler while thousands of people who go to other places of worship are abhorred? But to reach God, treating the fellow human beings with love, justice and equal right are the best way. Most of the religions are preaching the same way. Unfortunately only Islam which was originated by the Arabs is preaching that to reach Allah you must not love your fellow human being, you should not treat him with justice and you should not treat him with equal rights and humanity. On the other hand it teaches the Muslims how to enslave non Muslims, cheat them and fool them in the name of Allah. With this technique only today 2% Arabs are ruling 98% of Muslim population. Do you think the Muslim clerics will change themselves? Impossible. Why? Because they will break into pieces if you know the real truth! You and I cannot change our mother earth overnight. But let us do something that we can. Dr. Sohail Tanveer, Ph.D. 2

ATTENTION All Arguments have been supported with full proof for which we have listed the names of the books their Publishers and Addresses have been given at the end. We appreciate your valuable criticism and suggestion to the news media for our revised editions. OPEN GURANTEE There is no copyright for this Publication, it can be Translated, Photocopied, Republished, Reprinted and sold without Prior Permission. TO YOU! If you are a Muslim, judge yourself and circulate the contents if they are found true. If you are a Christian or Buddhist or Animist or Hindu or Jew or Sikh or whatever, circulate this material as much as you can. As you are a true human being, if you fail in your duty, one day your children and grandchildren will suffer because of your failure to correct these corrupt practices. The great English philosopher Edmund Burke said: SILENT SPECTATORS ARE DANGEROUS

COMPILER’S NOTE This book is a compilation of several good articles available on Internet (and in print) that bring out the true nature of Islam. Islam is not a religion of peace, as it is proclaimed by its flag bearers – but a religion of violence, deception, promiscuity and disturbance. There is no dearth of good articles and books that unmask the true Islam, the religion of universal hatred. I have tried to select some of the good articles from Internet. I had to face tremendous difficulty in Pakistan because of government’s strict control over freedom of thought – I wanted to write a book but could not do so. Some of my friends in one of the east African countries have helped me collect few of the thousands of good articles available on Internet bringing out the true picture of Islam. I am extremely sorry to all those authors whose articles I have included but could not take direct permission. Anyhow, I understand that all those wonderful authors have a bigger mission to spread truth. Their articles can easily be searched on internet (these articles are freely available) and the best thing is that their articles are full of substantial proofs. Though I have tried to give most of the references at the end, I pray God to bless all these wise, erudite people whose articles (chapter wise) I have included in this book. Please pass on this compilation of thought provoking articles to as many people as you can. May God bless us all – irrespective of our religion. God knows no heathen.

Dr. Qutub Sajjad, M.A. Ph.D.

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Index of Subject Matter

Chapter I Koran-The Ultimate Truth! ……………………………...... 5 Chapter II The X-Rated Paradise of Islam………….……………........ 21 Chapter III Islamic Hell Torture Chamber for Unbelievers……………. 27 Chapter IV Islam Uncensored: Sex and Violence in the Quran………... 34 Chapter V 164 Jihad Verses in the Koran……………………………... 46

Chapter VI Testimony of an Apostate…………………………... 69

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Chapter I Koran-The Ultimate Truth! The purpose of this article is to show and logically analyse the various contradictions in the "Holy" Koran. The list of contradictions presented here is not an exhaustive one. Any other objective reader can come up with numerous other contradictions in the "Holy" Koran. Many of the contradictions mentioned below were already present in http://answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/ . I believe this list of contradictions compiled here is sufficient enough to get the reader started in his/her search for the truth.

Koran - The Word Of God? (Koran 4:82) Do they not consider the Qur'an (with care)? Had it been from other than Allah, they would surely have found therein much discrepancy. According to the Muslims the Koran contains the words of God. Koran is to be read as if God Himself had spoken these words stated in it. It is important to emphasize this point because if Koran is the word of God then it should not contain any errors and it should hold true for all times. However, such is not the case. First, we will see how some of the verses in the Koran itself show clearly that these words were obviously spoken by Mohammed and Not God. The Opening Sura Fatihah: (Koran 1:1-7) In the name of the Merciful and Compassionate God. Praise belongs to God, The Lord of the worlds, the merciful, the compassionate, the ruler of the day of the day of judgement! Thee we serve and Thee we ask for aid. Guide us in the right path, the path of those Thou art gracious to; not to those Thou art wroth with, nor of those who err. Someone need not be a rocket-scientist to comprehend that these words are clearly addressed to God, in the form of a prayer. They are Mohammed's words of parise to God, asking for God's help and guidance. Some Muslim compilers conveniently add the imperative "say" in the English translation of the Koran at the beginning of the sura to remove this difficulty. This imperative form of the word "say" occurs at least 350 times in the Koran, and its obvious that this word has, in fact, been inserted by later compilers of the Koran to remove countless similarly embarassing difficulties. Thus, we have direct evidence that the Koran starts out with the words of Mohammed. (Koran 113:1) I take refuge with the Lord of the Dawn. 5

One can clearly see, its Mohammed and NOT GOD HIMSELF who is seeking refuge in God. (Koran 6:104) Now have come to you, from your Lord, proofs (To open your eyes): If any will see, it will be for (the good of) his own soul; If any will be blind, it will be to his own (harm): I am not (here) To watch over your doings. In this verse the speaker of the line "I am not to watch over your doings"- is clearly Mohammed. In fact Dawood in his translation adds a footnote that the "I" refers to Mohammed here. (Koran 27:91) For me, I have been commanded to serve the Lord of this city, Him Who has sanctified it and to whom (Belong) all things; and I am commanded to be of those who bow in Islam to Allah's Will Again, the speaker here is clearly Mohammed who is trying to justify killing of innocent Meccans who were not willing to follow Mohammed's version of God. Dawood and Pickthall both interpolate "say" at the beginning of the sentence which is lacking in the original Arabic version of the sura. (Koran 81:15) So veriy I call To witness the planets that recede... Again, here it is Mohammed and NOT God who is swearing by the turning planets. (Koran 84:16-19) I swear by the afterglow of sunset, and by the night, and by the moon when she is at the full. Once again it is Mohammed and NOT God. He is unable to disguise his pagan heritage. He swears again in the name of the Sun and Moon, both of which were considered as holy deities by preIslamic Arabs. (Koran 6:114) Should I seek other judge than God, when it is He who has sent down to you, the distinguishing book (Koran)? Any sane person can comprehend that those words are not spoken by God but Mohammed himself. Yusuf Ali in his translation adds at the beginning of the sentence "say", which is not there in the original Arabic and he does so without comment or footnote. Having established that Koran actually contains the words of Mohammed I shall now show various other contradictions which are present in the Koran.

Numerical Contradictions:

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There are many numerical contradictions in the Koran. God cannot make an error in doing simple calculations, however Mohammed, as you will see, being an illiterate was very capable of making such errors. How Many Days Did It Take To Create Heavens And Earth? (Koran 7:54) Your guardian-Lord is Allah. Who created the heavens and the earth in SIX Days... (Koran 10:3) Verily your Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in SIX Days... (Koran 11:7) He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in SIX days... (Koran 25:29) He Who created the heavens And the earth and all that is between, in SIX days... The above verses clearly state that God created the heaven and the earth in 6 days. But the verses stated below contradict the above verses and imply that it took God 8 days to create the heaven and the earth. Read carefully and add up the numbers. (Koran 41:9) Is it that ye Deny Him who created the earth in TWO days?... (Koran 41:10) He set on the (earth). Mountains standing firm, high above it, and bestowed blessings on the earth, and measured therein all things to give them nourishment in due proportion, in FOUR days... (Koran 41:12) So He completed them as seven firmaments in TWO days and... Do the math: 2(for earth) + 4(for nourishment) + 2(for heavens) = 8 NOT 6 This implies that Mohammed did not know how to add integers.

Contradictions In the Inheritance Law (Koran 4:11) Allah directs you as regards your children's (Inheritance): to the male a portion equal to that of two females: if only daughters, two or more, Their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her, share is a half. For parents, a sixth share of the inheritance to each, if the deceased left children; if no children, and the parents are the heirs, the mother has a third; if the deceased left brothers the mother has a sixth... (Koran 4:12) In what your wives leave, your share is a half, 7

if they leave no child; but if they leave a child, ye get a fourth; after payment of legacies and debts. In what ye leave, their share is a fourth, If ye leave no child; but if ye leave a child, they get an eighth; after payment. (Koran 4:176) ...If it is a man that dies, leaving a sister but no child, she shall have half the inheritance: If a woman dies and leaves no child, her brother takes her inheritance: If there are two sisters, they shall have two-thirds of the inheritance. If there are brothers and sisters, the male takes twice the share of the female. Let us suppose that a man dies and leaves behind three daughters, two parents and his wife. According to the verses stated above the three daughters together will receive 2/3 of the share, the parents will receive 1/3 of the share and the wife will receive 1/8 of the share. Do the math once again: 2/3 + 1/3 + 1/8 = 9/8 = 1.125. The distribution of the property adds up to more than the available property! How can this distribution be possible? Once again Mohammed displays his inability to add. Well, if a person can't add integers then it is unprobable that he would know how to add fractions. Another example: A man dies and leaves behind his mother, his wife and two sisters. According to what Mohammed has stated in Koran 4:11-12 and 4:176 the mother will receive 1/3 of the property, the wife will receive 1/4 of the property and the sisters will receive 2/3 of the property. Let us add up the fractions again: 1/3 + 2/3 + 1/4 = 5/4 = 1.25 and once again it adds up to more than the available property. Allah's Day Equals 1,000 Years or 50,000 Years? (Koran 22:47) ...A day in the sight of thy Lord is like a thousand years of your reckoning. (Koran 32:5) ...To Him, on a Day, The space whereof will be a thousands years of your reckoning. In the above verses it states clearly that a day of Allah is equal to a 1000 earth years. However, there is a contradiction in the verse stated below. (Koran 70:4) The angels and the Spirit ascend unto him in a day the measure whereof is fifty thousand years. So, which one is it? Is the day of Allah equal to 1,000 earth years or 50,000 earth years? How Many Gardens Of Paradise? (Koran 39:73) And those who feared their Lord will be led to THE Garden... (Koran 41:30) ...But receive the glad tidings of THE Garden that which ye were promised! 8

(Koran 57:21) Be ye foremost in seeking forgiveness from your Lord, and A Garden... (Koran 79:41) Their abode will be THE Garden. In the above verses Mohammed refers to only ONE Garden of Paradise, but in the verses below he contradicts himself once again by saying that there are MANY Gardens of paradise. (Koran 18:31) For them will be GARDENS of Eternity... (Koran 22:23) Allah will admit those who believe and work righteous deeds. To GARDENS beneath which rivers flow... (Koran 35:33) GARDENS of Eternity will they Enter... (Koran 78:32) GARDENS enclosed, and Grapevines; It looks like Mohammed could not make up his mind about the number of Gardens of Eternity in heaven. How Many Groups Of People During The Last Judgement? (Koran 56:7) And ye shall be sorted out into THREE classes. The contradictory verses: (Koran 90:18-19) Such are the Companions of the right hand. But those who reject our signs, they are the companions of the left hand. (Koran 99:6-8) On the Day will men Proceed in companies sorted out, to be shown the deeds that they had done. Then shall anyone has done an ounce of good, see it! And anyone who Has done an ounce of evil, shall see it. At first, Mohammed says that during the Last Judgement people will be divided into 3 groups. But in the later verses he seems to have changed his mind to 2 groups -- the group that has done evil and the group that has done good. Who Takes The Souls After Death? Sometimes Mohammed states that THE Angel of Death takes the souls after death and at another he says that there are ANGELS who take the souls at the time of death and at yet another time Mohammed states that it is in fact Allah who takes the souls. The relevant verses are listed below.

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(Koran 32:11) THE ANGEL of death, put in charge of you will take your souls then shall ye be brought back to your Lord. (Koran 47:27) But how will it be when the ANGELS take their souls at death, and smite their faces and their backs? (Koran 39:42) It is Allah that takes the souls of men at death; and those that die not He takes during their sleep... During The Birth Of Jesus How Many Angels Spoke To Mary? According to the Koran how many angels spoke to the virgin Mary at the time of the announciation of Jesus's birth? Well, Mohammed was no too sure about this, so he said that there were several angels in one verse and in the other he states that there was only one. (Koran 3:42) Behold! the ANGELS said: "O Mary! Allah hath chosen thee... (Koran 3:45) Behold! the ANGELS said: "O! Mary! Allah giveth thee... (Koran 19:17) ...Then We sent to her (Mary) Our ANGEL... Aside from the one angel Vs. many angels contradiction you will notice that Mohammed mostly refers to Allah as a singular entity throughout the Koran. However, he is not consistent with this as we see in the above verse where Mohammed says WE not I. Clearly he refers to Allah as a plural entity in this verse. There are many other such verses in the Koran (Refer to verses 21:43-51 and other such verses which I have written below). God cannot make such a glaring mistake and therefore, it must be Mohammed who is stating these verses in the Koran. The "We" in this case refers to the pagan Gods of pre-Islamic Arabia. Mohammed took a lot from the scriptures of the Pagans, Jewish, Christian and Vedic faiths and insidiously distorted their meanings to suit his devilish needs. Infinite Loop Problem Now I will show that if we hold the following verses to be true then they will lead us to an infinite loop and eventually making the same verses invalid. (Koran 26:192-196) Verily this is a revelation from the Lord of the worlds: with it came down the Spirit of Faith and Truth to thy heart and mind...in the prespicuous Arabic tongue, without doubt it is announced in the writings of revealed Books of former peoples. In this sura, we find that Koran is announced in the earlier writings. First point to note here is that none of the earlier revelations were in Arabic. For example, the earlier writings were Torah and Injil written in Hebrew and Greek. Two contradictions arise immediately: 10

1. How can an Arabic Koran be contained in books of other languages? 2. For verses (26:192-196) to be true, an earlier revelation X (for example) has to include those very verses (26:192-196) since the Koran is properly contained in all earlier revelations. Now, having those verses in the revelation X means that X itself has to be contained in yet another earlier revelation Y. Applying the same logic, Y has to be contained in yet another earlier revelation Z and so on. We find ourselves in an infinte loop which proves the absurdity of the verses (26:192-196)

Scientific Contradictions The Koran teaches us that there are seven heavens one above the other and that the stars are in the lower heaven, but the moon is in the midst of the seven heavens. However, in reality the stars are much further away from the earth than the moon. (Koran 67:3-5) He Who created the seven heavens, one above the other...And WE have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps ... (Koran 71:15-16) Do you not see how God has created the seven heavens one above the other, and made the moon a light in their midst,and made the sun as a lamp? (Koran 71:41:12) And He completed the seven heavens in two days and inspired in each heaven its command; and We adorned the lower heaven with lamps, and rendered it guarded... Firstly, the Koran states that there are seven heavens in universe. Any sane person who has studied a bit of Modern Astronomy can tell that the conception of seven heavens was nothing but a result of Mohammed's absurd imagination. Muslim compliers try to cover up this serious flaw in the Koran by saying that the expression should be considered poetic rather than scientific. Secondly, Koran claims that the stars are in a lower or even lowest heaven, while the moon is in a middle heaven. Even a child in primary standard knows today that the stars are much much further away from the earth than the moon. Solomon listens to ants The Koran talks about an incident where Somolom listens to ants while they are "talking". (Koran 27:18-19) At length, when they came to a valley of ants, one of the ants said: "O ye ants, get into your habitations, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you (under foot) without knowing it." So he smiled amused at her speech; and he said: "O my Lord! so order me that I may be grateful for Thy favours, which Thou has bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may work the 11

righteousness that will please Thee: And admit me, by Thy Grace to the ranks of Thy Righteous Servants." This in deed is a new discovery by Mohammed about ants which directly contradicts the scientific fact that ants communicate using smells, not modulation of sounds. Solomon could not have heard any talk since ants do not produce any sound. The Embryonic Development Koran clearly states that human beings are formed from a clot of blood (Koran 23:14) Then WE made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then We made out of that lump bones and clothed the bones with flesh This is scarcely a scientific description of embryonic development. It ignores to mention the female egg (the second and equally important half) and the process of fertilization when egg and sperm unite to form one new cell. It mentions the obvious (the sperm), the visible, that which all mankind knew for a long time which is necessary to create a human. But the Koran does NOT mention the invisible (the female egg), which we know only through modern medicine. Sun-set and Sun-Rise Koran also teaches us that the Sun sets in a muddy spring. (Koran 18:86) Till, when he [the traveller Zul-qarnain] reached the setting-place of the sun, he found it going down into a muddy spring... (Koran 18:90) Till, when he reached the rising-place of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom WE had appointed no shelter from it. Firstly, It is scientifically proven that the sun does not go down in a muddy spring. Secondly, this seems to presuppose a flat earth, otherwise how can there be an extreme point in the West or in the East? It does not say, he went as far as possible on land in these directions and then observed the sun-rise or sun-set while standing at this shore. A sunrise there would be basically just the same as at any other place on this earth, at land or sea. It would still look as if it is setting "far away". It does say, that he reached THE PLACE where the sun sets and in his second journey the place where it rises. Why Stars Were Created Koran gives us further scientific knowledge by telling us that the stars were created by Allah as missiles to throw at the devils. (Koran 67:5) And We have (from of old), adorned the lowest 12

heaven with lamps, and we have made such (Lamps as) missiles to drive away Satans... (Koran 37:6-8) We have indeed decked the lower heaven with beauty (in) the stars, (for beauty) and for guard against all obstinate rebellious Satans. (So) they should not strain their ears in the direction of the Exalted Assembly but be cast away from every side. Thus, the stars are nothing but missiles to throw at devils so that they may not eavesdrop on the heavenly council. Once again we find Mohammed getting high on his weird imagination. Sun And Moon Are Subject To Humans? Koran also reveals the truth that sun and moon are subject to humans. (Koran 37:6-8) And He has made subject to you the sun and the moon, both diligently persuing their courses; and the night and the day has He (also) made subject to you. Unfortunately, a human can never bring the sun and the moon subject to himself/herself. They always take their turn and pursue their courses whether they want or not. Sun, moon, day or night are not influenced by anyone's personal wish. Why Mountains Were Created Koran clearly explains that mountains were set on the earth so that the earth does not shake when earthquakes take place. (Koran 21:31) And We have set on the earth firm mountains, lest it should shake with them (Koran 16:15) And He has cast onto the earth firm mountains lest it should shake with you.. (Koran 31:10) He has created the heavens without supports that you can see, and has cast onto the earth firm mountains lest it should shake with you.. Its very obvious that Mohammed was completely ignorant about the geological reasoning for existance of mountains. He saw that mountains are huge and heavy. So a good way to explain their existence is to say that mountains prevent earthquakes. Firstly, this particular reason for existence of mountains is a direct contradiction with modern Geology. Geology proves to us that movement of tectonic plates or earthquake itself cause mountains to be formed. Secondly, if mountains are created to stop the earth from shaking why several dozens of earthquakes happen every year ?

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Moon Has Its Own Light? Koran reveals to us that moon has its own light! (Koran 10:5) It is He who made the sun to be a shining glory and the moon to be a light... Evreryone in the modern world knows that moon does not have any light of its own. Everything is Created in Pairs? The following verse tells us that Allah created everything in pairs. For example, sex in plants and animals, day and night, forces of attraction and repulsion, etc. (Koran 51:49) And of every thing WE have created pairs: that ye may receive instruction. However, Mohammed in his simplistic observation of the world did not notice that there are some things in this world which are not in pairs. For example, bacteria, fungi imperfecti, etc. are members of the Monera Kingdom and reproduce asexually only! The European population of Elodea consists of plants of the same sex as well and therefore they also reproduce through asexual means. Another example of things not in pairs is the gravitational force. The gravitational force is an attractive force. It does not have a counterpart. There is no such thing as repelling gravity.

Historical Contradictions Moses And The Samaritan The Koran tells us that the calf worshipped by the Israelites at Mt. Horeb was molded by a Samaritan. This is stated in the verses (20:85-87, 95-97). (Koran 20:85) We have tested the people in thy absence: The Samaritan has led them astray. (Koran 20:87) ...Of the whole people, and we threw them into the fire and that was what the Samaritan suggested. The word "Samaritan" was not coined until 722 B.C.--several years after the events recorded in the Exodus. This implies that the Samaritan people could not have existed during the life of Moses and were not the ones who molded the calf. Some Muslims go out of their way in trying to explain this. They say that the actual word here is "Samiri" or "Shomer". However, they should not deviate from the original Arabic which clearly spells out the word "Samaritan". Obviously, Mohammed had no knowledge of History or when all the events took place, so he jumbled up everything.

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Gospel Existed During The Time Of Moses? (Koran 7:157) Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, whom they find mentioned in their own (Scriptures),- in the Taurant and the Gospel... Notice that the above verse is in present tense and thus the obvious problem is that the Gospel was not yet revealed at that time! Haman - A minister of the Pharoah? (Koran 28:8) ...For Pharaoh and Haman and all their hosts were Men of sin. (Koran 28:38) ...therefore, O haman! light me a klin to bake bricks out of clay, and build me a loftly palace... Here the Koran clearly implies that Haman and the Pharaoh existed at the same time and place. But History tells us otherwise. The Pharaoh lived during the time of Moses and Haman served as a minister of Ahasuerus (Xerxes I). The Koranic verse in this case contains not only an error in location, but also an error of time as well (1,000 years). Once again the Koran proves to us that either Mohammed had no real knowledge of History or he chose to distort it to suit his evil needs.

Other Contradictions: Creation Of The Heaven And The Earth Another contradiction in the Koran is about the creation of Heaven and Earth. Which one was created first? As you will see in the verses below Mohammed at one time says that earth was created first and at another time he says that the Heaven was created first. (Koran 2:29) It is He who hath created for you all things that are on earth; THEN he turned to the heaven and made them into seven firmaments... (Koran 79:27-30) What! Are ye the more difficult to create of heaven (above)? (Allah) hath constructed it... and after that he extended (created) the earth to a wide expanse. Heaven And Earth Came Together Or Ripped Apart? The next contradiction is about the coming together of heaven and earth Vs. ripping apart from each other. (Koran 41:11) ...He said to the sky and to the earth: "Come ye together willingly or unwillingly." They said: "We do come together in willing obedience." 15

(Koran 21:30) Do not the unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together before WE clove them asunder... How Was Man Created? Was man created from a blood clot as the verse below states? (Koran 96:2) Created man, out of a mere clot of congealed blood. Or was man created from water as Mohammed has stated in the verses below? (Koran 21:30) ...WE made EVERY (including man) living thing from water... (Koran 25:54) It is He who has created man from water... Or was man created from "sounding" clay? (Koran 15:26) He created man from sounding clay, from mud moulded into shape... Or was man created from dust? (Koran 3:59) ...He created him from dust, then said to him Be and he was. (Koran 30:20) Among His signs is this that he created you from dust; and then- Behold, ye are men scattered far and wide! Or was man created from nothing? (Koran 19:67) But does not man call to mind that WE created him before out of nothing. Or was man actually created from earth? (Koran 11:61) ...Ye have no other god but him. It is he who hath created you from the earth and settled you therein.. Or was it a drop of sperm that created man?

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(Koran 16:4) He has created man from a sperm-drop... Can Angels Disobey God? One verse states that this is not possible and in another we have clear proof of an angel disobeying God. (Koran 16:49-50) ...None of the angels are arrogant before their Lord...and they do all that they are commanded. (Koran 2:34) ...WE said to the angels: "Bow down to Adam" and they bowed down: Not so Iblis: he refused and was haughty: he was of those who reject faith. So, Iblis being an angel disobeyed God and this directly contradicts the verses 16:49-50 stated above. How Was The Koran Revealed? Who brought the revelation from Allah to Mohammed? One verse in Koran says that it was Gabriel, then in another we find that it was the 'Holy Spirit'. (Koran 2:97) Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel- for he brings down the revelation to thy heart.... (Koran 16:102) The Holy Spirit has the brought the revelation from thy Lord... It is obvious that Mohammed forgot to cross check his revelations. Confirmation Or Substitution Of Relevations? Does the new revelation that was brought to Mohammed confirm the old revelations? (Koran 2:97) Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel- for he brings down the revelation to thy heart By Allah's will, a CONFIRMATION of what went before ? Or does the new revelation that was brought to Mohammed substitute the old revelations? (Koran 16:101) When WE SUBSTITUTE one revealation for another.... It appears, Mohammed could not make up his mind whether he should please people of other religions (Christianity/Judaism) by saying that Koran confirms other holy books or he should take pride in saying that Koran substitutes other earlier revelations.

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Was Noah's Son Saved? (Koran 21:76) Noah, when he cried to US, aforetime: We listened to his paryer and delivered him and his family from great distress. But the another verse says that Noah's son drowned. (Koran 11:42-43) ...And the waves came between them, and the son was among those overwhelmed in the Flood. Will Christians enter Paradise? In one verse, Mohammed says that the Christians will enter Paradise. (Koran 2:62) Those who believe in the Quran...and the christians...shall have their reward with their Lord; on them shall be no fear, nor they shall grieve. But in other verses Mohammed happily denies what he said in the previous verse. The contradictory verses are : (Koran 5:72) They do blasphame who say:"Allah is Christ the son of Mary." But said Christ: "O Children of Israel! Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord". Whoever Joins other gods with Allah-Allah will forbid him the GRADEN and the Fire will be his abode. (Koran 3:85) If anyone desires a religion other than Islam, never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost all spiritual good. Is Wine Good Or Bad? In one sura we find that wine is Satan's handiwork. (Koran 5:90) ...Intoxiacants (wine) and gambling...are of Satan's handiwork... But then in other suras Koran says there are rivers of wine in Paradise. (Koran 47:15) Here is a Parable of the Garden which the righteous are promised. In it are...rivers of wine... My question is : how did Satan manage to introduce his handiwork in Paradise?

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Jesus Was Born Under A Palm Tree? (Koran 19:23) And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm tree: She (Mary) cried (in her anguish): "Ah! would that I had died before this..." So, the Koran claims that Jesus was under a palm tree which is in clear contradiction with numerous other scriptures of that time. Is Homosexuality Allowed In Islam? The Koran contradicts itself on this topic as well. The following verses state that homosexuality is forbidden. (Koran 4:16) If two men among you is guilty of lewdness, punish them both... (Koran 27:55) Would ye really approach men in your lusts rather than Women? Nay, ye are a people (grossly) ignorant! Now the verses below are in clear contradiction of the above verses. (Koran 52:24) Round about them will serve, to them, boys (handsome) as pearls well-guarded. (Koran 56:17) Round about them will serve boys of perpetual freshness. (Koran 76:19) And round about them will serve boys of perpetual freshness: if thou seest them, thou wouldst think them scattered pearls. Mohammed could not make up his mind about Sodomy. He prohibits it on earth, but then he says that Muslims can enjoy homosexuality in Paradise. It is a well established fact that many famous Muslims were practicing homosexuals who looked towards the Koran to justify their actions. For example, Babar, the moghul king was madly in love with a young boy named Baburi. Kuttubuddin Aibak, another Muslim ruler of India used to dress up as a woman and dance in a vulgar manner. Another example is Abu Nuwas--one of the greatest poets in Arabic language writes in the Perfumed Garden: O the joy of sodomy! So now be sodomites, you Arabs. Turn not away from it--therein is wondrous pleasure. Take some coy lad with kiss-curls twisting on his temple and ride as he stands like some gazelle standing to her mate. -A lad whom all can see girt with sword and belt not like your whore who has to go veiled. 19

Make for smooth-faced boys and do your very best to mount them, for women are the mounts of the devils. There are other such poems by Abu Nuwas and others which are more graphic in glorifying homosexuality and lesbianism.

Conclusion: We come to the conclusion that the Koran is full of contradictions. It is obviously not from God. The contradictions and the difference of writing styles evident in the Koran force us to make the conclusion that either this is a work of an incoherent and delusional individual or the work of not just one, but many people. For example, sometimes the verses are stated as if God is saying them and at other times it seems that someone else is talking about God. The finding of such direct contradictions in the Koran force us to make the above conclusion. Note: The translations of the Koran by Yusuf Ali and Dawood have been used in this article. Works of Ibn Warraq, Robert Morey and Robert E. Burns have also been used to compose this article. The website http://answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/ was of great help.

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Chapter II The X-RATED PARADISE OF ISLAM

In this article I shall describe the Islamic Paradise or Jannat which was invented by Prophet Mohammed to bribe the Arabs into committing hedious crimes by promising them materialistic things which they couldn't obtain in the harsh desert. The paradise contains six important items: beautiful virgins, young boys, water, wine, fruits and wealth. To prove my point I have taken verses from the Koran and quotes from the Hadiths. VIRGINS (HOURIS) Mohammed knew that sex would sell very well among the group of his lecherous followers who were motivated to fight battles by the promise of sex slaves and booty. By constantly emphasizing to his followers that they would get untouched virgins in Paradise, Mohammed is clearly expressing his "high" opinion of the institution of marriage and his fairness to women. Once the followers go to heaven, they can conveniently ditch their wives for the fresher and more pleasurable sexual encounters with 'Houris' (beautiful virgins). Not only that, the poor wives who gave up their virginity for the pleasure of their husbands do not get even one Male Sex Bomb. But wait, Allah is all merciful! He gives the wives the rare honour of watching their husbands deflower those 72 Houris (virgins) and 28 young pre-pubescent boys. The relevant verses from the Koran are: Koran 78:31 As for the righteous, they shall surely triumph. Theirs shall be gardens and vineyards, and highbosomed virgins for companions: a truly overflowing cup. Koran 37:40-48 ...They will sit with bashful, dark-eyed virgins, as chaste as the sheltered eggs of ostriches. Koran 44:51-55 ...Yes and We shall wed them to dark-eyed houris. (beautiful virgins) Koran 52:17-20 ...They shall recline on couches ranged in rows. To dark-eyed houris (virgins) we shall wed them... Koran 55:56-57 In them will be bashful virgins neither man nor Jinn will have touched before.Then which of the favours of your Lord will you deny ?" Koran 55:57-58 Virgins as fair as corals and rubies. Then which of the favours of your Lord will you deny ?" Koran 56:7-40 ...We created the houris (the beautiful women) and made them virgins, loving companions for those on the right hand.. " 21

Koran 55:70-77 "In each there shall be virgins chaste and fair... Dark eyed virgins sheltered in their tents whom neither man nor Jin will have touched before.. In the Hadiths, Mohammed goes one step further and expands the promise of virgins to include a free sex market where there is no limit of the number of sexual partners. Women and young boys are on display as if in a fruit market where you can choose the desired ripeness. Quote from Hadiths Al Hadis, Vol. 4, p. 172, No. 34 Ali reported that the Apostle of Allah said, "There is in Paradise a market wherein there will be no buying or selling, but will consist of men and women. When a man desires a beauty, he will have intercourse with them."

YOUNG BOYS Homosexuality was and is widely practised in Islamic conutries. To please the homosexuals among his followers he promised them pre-pubescent boys in Paradise. So after committing plunder, loot, rape and murder in this life, the followers of Islam get "rewarded" by untouched virginal youths who are fresh like pearls. The relevant verses from the Koran are: Koran 52:24 Round about them will serve, to them, boys (handsome) as pearls well-guarded. Koran 56:17 Round about them will serve boys of perpetual freshness. Koran 76:19 And round about them will serve boys of perpetual freshness: if thou seest them, thou wouldst think them scattered pearls.

As mentioned in my previous article, famous poets in Arabia glorified homosexuality. As an example I am including a poem in 'Perfumed Garden' by Abu Nuwas: O the joy of sodomy! So now be sodomites, you Arabs. Turn not away from it-therein is wondrous pleasure. Take some coy lad with kiss-curls twisting on his temple and ride as he stands like some gazelle standing to her mate. A lad whom all can see girt with sword and belt not like your whore who has to go veiled. 22

Make for smooth-faced boys and do your very best to mount them, for women are the mounts of the devils

Need I say anything more after this colorful rendition by Abu Nuwas ? WATER One of the major problems in the desert of Arabia was shortage of pure water. Mohammed knew very well that to the Arabians, fresh water was an item of luxury. So promising them abundant pure water, river, fountains and springs in paradise would defintely lure them to murder, loot and plunder people of other religions in this life. The relevant verses from the Koran are: Koran 13:35 This is the paradise which the righteous have been promised: it is watered by running streams.. Koran 3:198 As for those that fear their Lord, theirs shall be gardens watered by running streams in which they will abide for ever, and a goodly welcome from God... Koran 3:136 ...These shall be rewarded with forgiveness from their Lord and with gardens watered by running streams, where they shall dwell forever. Blessed is the reward of those who do good works.. Koran 15:45 The righteous (will be) amid gardens and fountains (of clear flowing water) Koran 22:23 As for those who have faith and who do good work, God will admit them to gardens watered by running streams.. Koran 47:15 Here is a Parable Of the Garden which the righteneous are promised: In it are rivers of water incorruptible; Koran 55:50-51 In them each will be two springs flowing free; Then which of the favours of your Lord will you deny ? Koran 55:66-67 In them will be Two Springs pouring forth water in continuous abundance:Then which of the favours of your Lord will you deny ? Koran 44:51-55 As for the righteous, they shall be lodged in peace together amidst gardens and fountains... Koran 56:7-40 ...They shall recline on couches raised on high in the shade of thornless Lote trees and talhs; amidst gushing water... 23

WINE Mohammed had to find more selling points besides virgins, young boys and plenty of water. What good would be of Paradise without rivers of wine for his followers? Wine was an extremely precious commodity in the dry deserts of Arabia where it was rare to find vineyards. Mohammed had a problem here- he had to include wine in his 'Paradise-Package' but how could he include it in the list when Allah had declared intoxicants as sinful. The only way to do this was to somehow claim that the wine in the promised Paradise was not intoxicating and therefore not sinful. Never mind the fact that wine by nature contains alcohol which is intoxicating. The relevant verses from the Koran are: Koran 47:15 Here is a Parable of the Garden which the righteous are promised. In it are...rivers of wine... Koran 37:40-48 But the true servants of God shall be well provided for,...they shall be served with goblet filled at a gushing fountain, white and delicious to those who drink it. It will neither dull their senses nor befuddle them. Koran 56:7-40 They shall recline on jewelled couches face to face, and there shalt wait on them immortal youths with bowls and ewers and a cup of purest wine: Koran 83:23-26 The righteous will surely dwell in bliss. Reclining upon soft couches they will gaze around them: and in their faces you shall mark the glow of joy. They shall be given a pure wine to drink, securely sealed, whose very dregs are musk... FRUITS So far Mohammed has presented a very appetizing picture of Paradise, but then it struck him that sex is no fun on an empty stomach. Besides that one needs lots of nutrition in order to have the energy to perform with so many Houris and young boys. The prophet was an expert on this subject having honoured every one of his numerous wives and mistresses with a nightly visitation on one single night. Besides the only fruits he had ever gotten to taste in this life was some dates and dry pomegranates. So heaven had to be furbished with an inexhaustible supply of every variety of fruits. The relevant verses from the Koran are: Koran 13:35 This is the paradise which the righteous have been promised.. eternal are its fruits, and eternal are its shades.. Koran 37:40-48 But the true servants of God shall be well provided for, festing on fruit and honoured in the gardens of delight...

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Koran 43:68-73 ...Such will be the garden of which ye are made heirs for your deeds. Ye shall have therein abundance of fruit, from which ye shall have satisfaction. Koran 47:15 Here is a Parable Of the Garden which the righteneous are promised: ...In it are rivers of milk of which the taste never changes; rivers of wine, a joy to those who drink; And rivers of honey pure and clear. In it there are for them all kinds of fruits; And grace from their Lord.. Koran 55:47-49 Containing all kinds of trees and delights.Then which of the favours of your Lord will you deny ? Koran 55:52-53 In them there will be fruits of every kind, two and two. Then which of the favours of your Lord will you deny ? Koran 55:54-55 ...The fruit of the gardens will be near and easy to reach. Then which of the favours of your Lord will you deny ? Koran 55:68-69 In them will be Fruits, And dates and pomegranates: Then which of the favours of your Lord will you deny ? Koran 44:51-55 ...Secure against all ills, they shall call for every kind of fruit.. Koran 56:7-40 They shall recline on jewelled couches face to face, and there shalt wait on them immortal youths with ...fruits of their own choices and flesh of fowls that they relish.. Koran 76:13-21 ...Reclining there upon soft couches, they shall feel neither the scorching heat nor the biting cold. Trees will spread their shade around them, and fruits will hang in clusters over them... But the best was yet to come. The highlight of life in Islamic Pardise is the fact that one doesn't have to go to the toilet. All merciful Allah had miraculously provides a much better system for getting rid of body waste. You simple sweat it out (probably after all that sex or belch after consuming all that fruit and wine) Quote from the Hadiths: Sahih Muslim Book 39, Number 6798, Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah: I heard Allah's Apostle (pbuh) as saying that the inmates of Paradise would eat and drink but would neither spit, nor pass water, nor void excrement, nor suffer catarrh. It was said: Then, what would happen with food? Thereupon he said: They would belch and sweat (and it would be over with their food), and their sweat would be that of musk and they would glorify and praise Allah as easily as you breathe." WEALTH

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Mohammed wanted to ensure that his followers would not be obsessed with 'worldly things' in this life. So he made sure that they have plenty of worldly things to pursue in heaven. The relevant verses from the Koran are: Koran 22:23 As for those who have faith and who do good work, God will admit them to gardens watered by running streams. They shall be decked with pearls and bracelets of gold, and arrayed in garments of silk. Koran 43:68-73 Enter ye the Garden, Ye and your wives, in beauty and rejoicing. To them will be passed round, dishes and goblets of gold: there will be there all that soul could desire, all that the eyes could delight in: and ye shall abide there in.. Koran 55:70-77 ..They shall recline on green cushions and fine carpets. Then which of the favours of your Lord will you deny ? Koran 44:51-55 As for the righteous, they shall be lodged in peace together amidst gardens and fountains, arrayed in rich silks and fine brocade... Koran 55:54-55 They will recline on carpets, whose inner linings will be of rich brocade... Koran 56:7-40 They shall recline on jewelled couches.. Koran 76:13-21 ..They shall be arrayed in garments of fine green silk and rich brocade,and adorned with bracelets of silver.. Mohammed's promise of an Islamic Paradise that glittered with the fulfillment of all sorts of wordly desires and sense enjoyment was nothing but a sinister ploy to recruit those who had no hope or expectation of ever getting these things in their present lives. Knowing that they are assured of such a Paradise simply because they follow Islam, Muslims can go around committing murder, rape plunder and loot. It is the picture of this paradise that has motivated Muslims over the centuries to cut down people of other religions, to desecrate their places of worship and mistreat them in the name of Allah. Even after death, the spritually deprived Prophet of Islam could not see beyond wine, women and food, leave alone exploring spiritual heights of the soul.

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Chapter III ISLAMIC HELL-TORTURE CHAMBER FOR UNBELIEVERS

I n this article I shall describe the Islamic Hell or Jahannum which was an imagination of Prophet Mohammed used primarily for two reasons: 1. To have a torture chamber for all the kafirs (unbelievers and people of other religions) 2. To terrorize people into accepting Islam. The purpose of Hell in Islam is not to punish the Muslim wrong-doers. Because, for them Mohammed will recommend paradise, beautiful virgins and young boys on the Day of Judgment. His recommendation is final and Allah cannot deny it. It is available to all murderers, rapists, arsonists, cheats, thugs, pickpockets and pimps provided they are following Islam. On the contrary, a flaming Hell is reserved only for all Hindus, Sikhs, Jews and Christians, no matter how pious and God-fearing they may have been. This article is divided in two sections. The first section deals with the brutal instructions Prophet Mohammed gives to his followers about Kafirs and how to torture, maim and murder them ruthlessly. The second section explains the various procedures devised by Prophet Mohammed's sick imagination for torturing people of other religions in Hell. Instructions to Muslims about Unbelievers Koran 9:29 Fight those who do not profess the true faith (Islam) till they pay the jiziya (poll tax) with the hand of humility. So here Prophet Mohammed is instructing a true Muslim to fight people of other religions until the unbelievers debase themselves and pay tax for their existence. So the greatness of Islam is revealed only when follwers of other religions are humiliated. Koran 8:12 Remember Thy Lord inspired the angels (with the message): "I am with you: give firmness to the believers, I will instill terror into the hearts of the unbelievers, Smite ye above their necks and smite all their finger tips of them." Here Mohammed is giving step by step instruction on how to torture and kill Kafirs if they don't follow Islam. Koran 9:5 "Then, when the sacred months have passed, slay the idolators 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, then leave their way free. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful."

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In the above verse Prophet Mohammed is clearly instructing his followers to kill the idolators in any brutal way possible until the idolators submit themselves to Islam. Allah is indeed merciful !! Koran 9:73 Prophet, make war on the unbelievers and the hypocrites and deal rigorously with them. Hell shall be their Home: an evil fate. Here Mohammed is trying to justify his brutal acts. He conveniently claims divine justification for the expression of his hatred by saying Allah himself revealed to him personally that people of other religions are evil and belong in Hell. Therefore, according to Mohammed any barbaric act against the unbelievers is completely justified. Koran 4:144 Believers, do not choose the unbelievers rather than the faithful as your friends. Would you give Allah a clear proof against yourselves ? This verse clearly states that a Muslim can only befreind a Muslim. Mohammed in order to ensure that his followers will not befriend and get influenced by people of other religions, revealed this verse. This verse illustrates that if a Muslim befriends a Non-Muslim than the wrath of Allah will be on him. Therefore in Islam, people of other religions should be treated with contempt,disrespect and cruelty. Koran 47:4 When you meet the unbelievers in the Jihad strike off their heads and, when you have laid them low, bind your captives firmly. Then grant them their freedom or take ransom from them, until War shall lay down her burdens. In the above verse, Mohammed is giving detailed instruction about how to maim and torture unbelievers in Jihad. And finally when the Muslims are satisfied enough after torturing and maiming the unbelievers, they should proceed to demand ransom for the captives. All for the sake for all-merciful Allah !! Koran 5:33-34 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 and 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; Save those who repent before ye overpower them. For know that Allah is Forgiving, merciful. In this verse, Mohammed devises another recipe for torturing unbelievers. This particular recipe involves chopping off alternate limbs and expelling the Kafirs (people following other religions) out of the land.

Instructions to Muslims regarding Christians and Jews Prophet Mohammed has reserved special position for certain sects of Unbelievers in his so called "Holy Book" Koran. Those unbelievers are none other than followers of Christianity and Judaism. I have selected few verses from Koran to display what Muslims are taught and instructed as far as treating Christians and Jews is concerned. 28

Koran 5:51 Believers, take neither Jews nor Christians for your friends. They are friends with one another. Whoever of you seeks their friendship shall become one of their number. Allah does not guide the wrong-doers. In this verse Prophet Mohammed is clearly instructing his followers never to befriend a Christian or a Jew. Because if they take a Christian or a Jew as a friend, they will commit a wrong deed and Allah's wrath will be on them. Koran 5:57 Believers, do not seek the friendship of the infidels and those who were given the Book before you, who have made your religion a jest and a pasttime... Here "those who were given the Book before you" refers to Christians and Jews. Once again Mohammed is warning Muslims of all time never to befriend a Christian or a Jew. Koran 5:64 The Jews say: 'God's hand is chained.' May their own hands be chained! May they be cursed for what they say!... In the above verse Prophet Mohammed is showing his deep respect for the Jews. Koran 9:29 Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last day, nor hold the 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 Jiziyah with willing submission. And feel themselves subdued. Here 'People of the Book' refers to Christians and Jews. The 'Religion Of Truth' refers to Islam. So in the above verse Prophet Mohammed is instructing Muslims to fight and torture Christians and Jews (who do not believe in Islamic version of God) until they pay tax to Muslims for their existence. Muslims are also strictly instructed to make the Christians and Jews feel 'subdued'. Allah is truly benign !!! Koran 9:30 The Jews call 'Uzayr-a son of God', and the Christinas call 'Christ the Son Of God'. That is a saying from their mouth; (In this) they but intimate what the unbelievers of old used to say. Allah's curse be on them: how they are decluded away from the Truth. Here Prophet Mohammed is wishing that Allah's curse be on Jews and Christians. And what did the Christians and Jews do for such special favour from Allah ? All they did is that out of respect and love, they called their Prophets 'son of God'.

Islamic Hell and Unbelievers Now we will enter the Islamic Hell brought into existence by Mohammed's hallucination and weird imagination. Koran 98:1-8 The unbelievers among the People of the Book and the pagans shall burn for ever in the fire of Hell. They are the vilest of all creatures. 29

Here "People of The Book" refers to Christians and Jews. So according to Prophet Mohammed, Christians, Jews and pagans are the vilest of all creatures in the world. Islam in deed holds a high respect for people of other religions !! Koran 22:19-22:23 Garments of fire have been prepared for the unbelievers. Sclading water shall be poured upon their heads, melting their skins and that which is in their bellies. They shall be lashed rods of iron. Whenever, in their anguish, they try to escape from Hell, back they shall be dragged, and will be told: 'Taste the torment of the Conflagration!' Here Mohammed has imagined vividly how people of other religions will be punished in Hell. By his sick and disgusting imagination, he is trying to make sure that people of other religions convert to Islam out of sheer terror of Hell. And if this terror doesn't work, then the Muslims are always instructed to convert unbelievers to Islam brutally by force in Jihad. Koran 18:28-30 For the wrongdoers We have prepared a fire which will encompass them like the walls of a pavilion. When they cry out for help they shall be showered with water as hot as molten brass, which will scald their faces. Evil shall be their drink, dismal their resting-place. Who are the "wrong-doers" here ? None other than the people who DO NOT follow Islam. So Prophet Mohammed here continues with his hallucination and gives the description of Islamic Hell in the form of a revelation. Koran 40:67-40:73 Do you not see how those who dispute the revelation of God turn away from the right path ? Those who have denied the Book and the message We sent through Our apostles shall realize the truth hereafter: when, with chains and shackles round their necks, they shall be dragged through scalding water and then burnt in the fire of Hell. Prophet Mohammed here explains what will happen to those people who choose NOT to follow his revelation "Quran"- a manual of plunder, rape and murder. So for people of other religions following scriptures other than Quran, Allah has pre-planned punishment. First they shall be dragged through scalding water with chains around their necks and then they will be burnt in the fire of Hell. Allah is truly merciful !! Koran 43:74 ..The unbelievers shall endure forever the torment of Hell. The punishment will never be lightened, and they shall be speechless with despair. We do not wrong, themselves. Mohammed was not satisfied by just having burnt the unbelievers once in Hell. So here he is saying that the punishment is never-ending and people following other religions will be burnt in Hell forever. Koran 55:41-52 ..That is the Hell which the unbelievers deny. They shall wander between fire and water fiercely seething. Which of your Lord's blessing would you deny ? Koran 76:1-5 For the unbelievers We have prepared chains and fetters and a blazing Fire...

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Koran 73:12 We have in store for the unbelievers heavy fetters and a blazing fire, choking food and harrowing torment: on the day when the earth shall quiver with all its mountains, and the mountains crumble into heaps of shifting sand. Once again, in the above verses, Mohammed is emphasizing that heavy fetters, choking food and hell fire are in store for the unbelievers while the Muslims enjoy the beautiful virgins and young boys in Islamic Paradise. Koran 77:20-77:50 Woe on that day to the disbelievers! Begone to the Hell which you deny! Depart into the shadow that will rise high in three columns, giving neither shade nor shelter from the flames, and throwing up sparks as huge as towers, as bright as yellow camels...Eat and enjoy yourselves awhile. You are wicked men..." In the above verse, Prophet Mohammed is making sure that the people of other religions do not get any shade or shelter when they are burnt up in the Islamic Hell. Allah is also revealing to him that all people other than Muslims are basically wicked in nature. Koran 8:73 The unbelievers give aid and comfort to each other. If you fail to do likewise, there will be disorder in the land and great corruption. The Great Mohammed divided the Arabian society in two tight compartments: Momins and Kafirs. The word momin means believer in Mohammed and Allah. In contrast a kafir is a non-believer. The momins did not have to be better men than the Kafirs in terms of character or consciousness. Momins had only to recite the Kalima (incantation)- "there is no God but Allah and Mohammed is his Prophet." By doing that the 'momins' become qualified to kill as many kafirs as they could or pleased, looting and burning their belongings and enslaving their women and children in the process. In the above verse, Prophet Mohammed once again is telling his followers to help each other in banning up against unbelievers (people of other religions) Koran 21:96-21:101 ..The unbelievers shall stare in amazement, crying: 'Woe to us! Of this we have been heedless. We have done wrong.' You and your idols shall be the fuel of Hell; therein you sall all go down. This verse is another instance which displays the deep respect Islam shows towards other religions. Here Prophet Mohammed is stating that people who choose to represent God by idols will be burnt in hell along with their idols. Islam is truly compassionate towards other religions !! Koran 33:7-12 ...But for the unbelievers He has prepared a woeful punishment... Here, we find the same old blabbering by Mohammed once again regarding how unbelievers will be punished. Koran 44:40-49 ..The fruit of the Zaqqum tree shall be the unbelievers's fruit. Like dregs of oil, like scalding water, it shall simmer in his belly. A voice will cry: 'Seize him and drag him into the depths of Hell. Then

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pour out scalding water over his head, saying: "Taste this, illustrious and honourable man! This is the punishment which you have doubted." Koran 52:1-52:15 ..On that day they shall be sternly thrown into the fire of Hell, and a voice will say to them: 'This is the Fire which you denied...Burn in its flames. It is the same whether or not you show forbearance. You shall be rewarded according to your deeds.' Koran 31-37 And burn ye him in the blazing fire. Further, make him march in a chain, whereof the length is seventy cubits. This was he that would not believe in allah Most high amd would not encourage the feeding of the indignant. So no friend hath he here this day. Nor hath he any food except the corruption from the washing of wounds. Koran 56:52-56 Ye shall surely taste of the tree Zaqqum. Then will ye fill your insides therwith, and drink boiling water on top of it. Indeed ye shall drink like diseased camels raging with thirst. Such will be their entertainment on the day of Requital! Koran 69:30-37 We shall say: 'Lay hold of him and bind him. Burn him in the fie of Hell, then fasten him with a chain seventy cubits long. For he did not believe Allah the tremendous, and urged not on the feeding of the wretched. Today he shall be friendless here; filth shall be his food, the filth which sinners eat... The above five verses contain detail description of various kinds of punishments people of other religions will undergo in Islamic Hell. They display the true respect Prophet Mohammed had for people who were not following Islam. And through these verses, Koran (the manual for plunder, rape and murder)which is treated as a timeless scripture by Muslims, teaches how lowly people of other religions should be treated by Muslims regardless of time or space. Koran 2:39 Those who reject faith shall be the companions of the Fire. Koran 2:89-90 The curse of Allah is on the unbelievers... humiliating is the punishment. Koran 13:13 ..He hurls his thunderbolts at whom he pleases Yet the unbelievers wrangle about Allah.. Koran 58:5 Those who resist Allah and his messenger will be humbled to dust. Koran 70:15-16 The fire of Hell will pluck out his being right to the skull.. Koran 5:10 As for those who disbelieve and deny Our revelations, they are the heirs of Hell. The summary of the above six verses is that a person follwing any religion other than Islam, is automatically assigned to Hell. His good thoughts, good actions or peity are of no value until 32

and unless he follows Islam. So if in this life, a person does not follow Islam and does not believe in Islamic scripture, Allah will store Hell-Fire, Hot water, Molten brass, thunderbolts and other humiliating punishments in the life hereafter for him. Koran 70:39 We have created the unbelievers out of base matters. So here Prophet Mohammed claims that all the people of other religions are basically useless and evil because they are made up of base matters. But the same people become Allah's favourite and become capable of earning Houris and young boys when they convert to Islam. NOTE: The Koranic verses have been taken from works of Abdullah Yusuf Ali and N.J. Dawood

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Chapter IV Islam Uncensored: Sex and Violence in the Quran The following are quotations from the Muslim holy book, the Quran (also spelled Koran), which show that original, scriptural Islam is a religion that teaches sexual inequality, brutal punishments, and military force to impose Islam on nonbelievers. It is for this reason that radical Islamic fundamentalists today are so barbaric and uncivilized by the standards of modern Christianity and Western civilization. These quotes are provided with little or no commentary. Read them for yourself and decide if you can believe that Islam, the religion of Muhammad, was truly inspired by God or was a medieval, human-created religion unsuitable for any enlightened person to practice. Note: All of these quotes are from the Yusuf Ali translation of the Koran, which is commonly used both by Muslims and Baha'is. Words in parentheses are interpolations by the translator, not part of the original Arabic text of the Koran.

The whole Qur'an is from God; discrepancies or contradictions would indicate it is not divine Before we begin to look at specific verses about sex and violence, it is important to establish that according to the Quran, every verse of the Muslim scriptures is supposed to be divine revelation. Therefore, teachings in the Quran that are morally offensive cannot be rejected or changed by Muslims, but must be accepted since the Quran says that a Muslim must accept the whole book. •

3:7 And those who are firmly grounded in knowledge say: "We believe in the Book; the whole of it is from our Lord:"

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4:82 Do they not consider the Qur'an (with care)? Had it been from other Than God, they would surely have found therein Much discrepancy.

Religion should not be imposed by force; Muslims should let God alone punish the unbelievers Here are the good verses. Too bad there are many others that contradict them. •

2:256 Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects evil and believes in God hath grasped the most trustworthy hand- hold, that never breaks. And God heareth and knoweth all things.

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73:10-13 And have patience with what they say, and leave them with noble (dignity). And leave Me (alone to deal with) those in possession of the good things of life, who (yet) deny the Truth; and bear with them for a little while. With Us are Fetters (to bind them), and a Fire (to burn them), And a Food that chokes, and a Penalty Grievous.

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74:11-26 Leave Me alone, (to deal) with the (creature) whom I created (bare and) alone!To whom I granted resources in abundance, And sons to be by his side!- To whom I made (life) smooth and comfortable! Yet is he greedy-that I should add (yet more);- By no means! For to Our Signs he has been refractory! Soon will I visit him with a mount of calamities! For he thought and he plotted;- And woe to him! How he plotted!- Yea, Woe to him; How he plotted!- Then he looked round; Then he frowned and he scowled; Then he turned back 34

and was haughty; Then said he: "This is nothing but magic, derived from of old; "This is nothing but the word of a mortal!" Soon will I cast him into Hell-Fire! God intends to enforce Muhammad's religion until it prevails in this world; Muslims can act for God As we read many of the verses listed below, we can see a contradiction or discrepancy with the statement that there should be "no compulsion in religion." But as we already read, the Quran says any discrepancy would mean the book is not from God. •

48:28-29 It is He Who has sent His Apostle with Guidance and the Religion of Truth, to proclaim it over all religion: and enough is God for a Witness. Muhammad is the apostle of God; and those who are with him are strong against Unbelievers, (but) compassionate amongst each other.

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58:21 God has decreed: "It is I and My apostles who must prevail": For God is One full of strength, able to enforce His Will.

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59:2-4 It is He Who got out the Unbelievers among the People of the Book from their homes at the first gathering (of the forces). Little did ye think that they would get out: And they thought that their fortresses would defend them from God! But the (Wrath of) God came to them from quarters from which they little expected (it), and cast terror into their hearts, so that they destroyed their dwellings by their own hands and the hands of the Believers, take warning, then, O ye with eyes (to see)! And had it not been that God had decreed banishment for them, He would certainly have punished them in this world: And in the Hereafter they shall (certainly) have the Punishment of the Fire. That is because they resisted God and His Apostle: and if any one resists God, verily God is severe in Punishment.

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59:5-7 Whether ye cut down (O ye Muslim!) The tender palm-trees, or ye left them standing on their roots, it was by leave of God, and in order that He might cover with shame the rebellious transgresses [the unbelievers defeated in battle]. What God has bestowed on His Apostle (and taken away) from them - for this ye made no expedition with either cavalry or camelry: but God gives power to His apostles over any He pleases: and God has power over all things. What God has bestowed on His Apostle (and taken away) from the people of the townships,- belongs to God,- to His Apostle and to kindred and orphans, the needy and the wayfarer; In order that it may not (merely) make a circuit between the wealthy among you. So take what the Apostle assigns to you, and deny yourselves that which he withholds from you. And fear God; for God is strict in Punishment. As we can see, pillage and plunder is condoned in the Quran as a punishment for nonMuslims who resist Muslim armies. In the verse above, Muhammad even says that wantonly cutting down palm trees of an enemy town is acceptable.

Amputations and slaughter of unbelievers: God is acting through the Muslims when they do this •

8:12-13,17 Remember thy Lord inspired the angels (with the message): "I am with you: give firmness to the Believers: I will instil terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers: smite ye above their necks and smite all their finger-tips off them." This because they contended against God and His Apostle: If any contend against God and His Apostle, God is strict in punishment. ... It is not ye who slew them; it was God 35

God wanted Muslims to exterminate non-Muslim army •

3:152 God did indeed fulfil His promise to you when ye with His permission Were about to annihilate your enemy,- until ye flinched and fell to disputing about the order, and disobeyed it after He brought you in sight (of the booty) which ye covet.

The importance of military fighting for Islam •

2:216 Fighting is prescribed for you, and ye dislike it. But it is possible that ye dislike a thing which is good for you, and that ye love a thing which is bad for you. But God knoweth, and ye know not.

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2:217 They ask thee concerning fighting in the Prohibited Month. Say: "Fighting therein is a grave (offence); but graver is it in the sight of God to prevent access to the path of God, to deny Him, to prevent access to the Sacred Mosque, and drive out its members." Tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter.

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4:84 Then fight in God's cause - Thou art held responsible only for thyself - and rouse the believers.

Fight the non-Muslims to submission or conversion •

8:38-39 Say to the Unbelievers, if (now) they desist (from Unbelief), their past would be forgiven them; but if they persist, the punishment of those before them is already (a matter of warning for them). And fight them on until there is no more tumult or oppression, and there prevail justice and faith in God altogether and everywhere; but if they cease, verily God doth see all that they do.

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9:5 But when the forbidden months are past, then fight and slay the Pagans wherever ye find them, and seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem (of war); but if they repent, and establish regular prayers and practise regular charity, then open the way for them: for God is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.

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9:29 Fight those who believe not in God nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by God and His Apostle, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya [tribute] with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.

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9:123 O ye who believe! fight the unbelievers who gird you about, and let them find firmness in you: and know that God is with those who fear Him.

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47:4 Therefore, when ye meet the Unbelievers (in fight), smite at their necks; At length, when ye have thoroughly subdued them, bind a bond firmly (on them): thereafter (is the time for) either generosity or ransom: Until the war lays down its burdens. Thus (are ye commanded): but if it had been God's Will, He could certainly have exacted retribution from them (Himself); but (He lets you fight) in order to test you, some with others. But those who are slain in the Way of God,- He will never let their deeds be lost.

Great benefits in the afterlife for fighting and dying for Islam •

2:243-245 Didst thou not Turn by vision to those who abandoned their homes, though they were thousands (In number), for fear of death? God said to them: "Die": Then He restored them to life. For God is full of bounty to mankind, but Most of them are ungrateful. Then 36

fight in the cause of God, and know that God Heareth and knoweth all things. Who is he that will loan to God a beautiful loan, which God will double unto his credit and multiply many times? It is God that giveth (you) Want or plenty, and to Him shall be your return. •

4:74 Let those fight in the cause of God Who sell the life of this world for the hereafter. To him who fighteth in the cause of God,- whether he is slain or gets victory - Soon shall We give him a reward of great (value).

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4:76-77 Those who believe fight in the cause of God, and those who reject Faith Fight in the cause of Evil: So fight ye against the friends of Satan: feeble indeed is the cunning of Satan. Hast thou not turned Thy vision to those who were told to hold back their hands (from fight) but establish regular prayers and spend in regular charity? When (at length) the order for fighting was issued to them, behold! a section of them feared men as - or even more than they should have feared God: They said: "Our Lord! Why hast Thou ordered us to fight? Wouldst Thou not Grant us respite to our (natural) term, near (enough)?" Say: "Short is the enjoyment of this world: the Hereafter is the best for those who do right: Never will ye be dealt with unjustly in the very least!

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4:95-96 Not equal are those believers who sit (at home) and receive no hurt, and those who strive and fight in the cause of God with their goods and their persons. God 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 God promised good: But those who strive and fight Hath He distinguished above those who sit (at home) by a special reward,- Ranks specially bestowed by Him, and Forgiveness and Mercy. For God is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.

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9:111 God hath purchased of the believers their persons and their goods; for theirs (in return) is the garden (of Paradise): they fight in His cause, and slay and are slain: a promise binding on Him in truth, through the Law, the Gospel, and the Qur'an: and who is more faithful to his covenant than God? then rejoice in the bargain which ye have concluded: that is the achievement supreme.

Desire for death is the only way to demonstrate true belief •

62:6 Say: "O ye that stand on Judaism! If ye think that ye are friends to God, to the exclusion of (other) men, then express your desire for Death, if ye are truthful!"

Muslims who refuse to fight will be punished by God •

9:38-39,41,44-45 O ye who believe! what is the matter with you, that, when ye are asked to go forth in the cause of God, ye cling heavily to the earth? Do ye prefer the life of this world to the Hereafter? But little is the comfort of this life, as compared with the Hereafter. Unless ye go forth, He will punish you with a grievous penalty, and put others in your place; but Him ye would not harm in the least. For God hath power over all things. ... Go ye forth, (whether equipped) lightly or heavily, and strive and struggle, with your goods and your persons, in the cause of God. That is best for you, if ye (but) knew. ... Those who believe in God and the Last Day ask thee for no exemption from fighting with their goods and persons. And God knoweth well those who do their duty. Only those ask thee for exemption who believe not in God and the Last Day, and whose hearts are in doubt, so that they are tossed in their doubts to and fro.

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48:17 No blame is there on the blind, nor is there blame on the lame, nor on one ill (if he joins not the war): But he that obeys God and his Apostle,- (God) will admit him to Gardens 37

beneath which rivers flow; and he who turns back, (God) will punish him with a grievous Penalty. Muslims who want the war against non-Muslims to stop are hypocrites •

63:7 They [the hypocrites] are the ones who say, "Spend nothing on those who are with God's Apostle, to the end that they may disperse (and quit Medina)." But to God belong the treasures of the heavens and the earth; but the Hypocrites understand not.

Execution and torture for those who fight against the Muslim armies •

5:36 The punishment of those who wage war against God and His Apostle, and strive with might and main for mischief through the land is: execution, or crucifixion, or the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides, or exile from the land: that is their disgrace in this world, and a heavy punishment is theirs in the Hereafter;

Apostates should be executed if they resist the Muslim armies •

4:88-91 Why should ye be divided into two parties about the Hypocrites? God hath upset them for their (evil) deeds. Would ye guide those whom God hath thrown out of the Way? For those whom God hath thrown out of the Way, never shalt thou find the Way. They but wish that ye should reject Faith, as they do, and thus be on the same footing (as they): But take not friends from their ranks until they flee in the way of God (From what is forbidden). But if they turn renegades, seize them and slay them wherever ye find them; and (in any case) take no friends or helpers from their ranks;- Except those who join a group between whom and you there is a treaty (of peace), or those who approach you with hearts restraining them from fighting you as well as fighting their own people. If God had pleased, He could have given them power over you, and they would have fought you: Therefore if they withdraw from you but fight you not, and (instead) send you (Guarantees of) peace, then God Hath opened no way for you (to war against them). Others you will find that wish to gain your confidence as well as that of their people: Every time they are sent back to temptation, they succumb thereto: if they withdraw not from you nor give you (guarantees) of peace besides restraining their hands, seize them and slay them wherever ye get them: In their case We have provided you with a clear argument against them.

Muhammad controls the spoils of war and keeps a portion •

8:1 They ask thee concerning (things taken as) spoils of war. Say: "(such) spoils are at the disposal of God and the Apostle: So fear God, and keep straight the relations between yourselves: Obey God and His Apostle, if ye do believe."

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8:41 And know that out of all the booty that ye may acquire (in war), a fifth share is assigned to God,- and to the Apostle, and to near relatives, orphans, the needy, and the wayfarer

Principle of "eye for an eye" •

2:178-179 O ye who believe! the law of equality is prescribed to you in cases of murder: the free for the free, the slave for the slave, the woman for the woman. But if any remission is made by the brother of the slain, then grant any reasonable demand, and compensate him with handsome gratitude, this is a concession and a Mercy from your Lord. After this

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whoever exceeds the limits shall be in grave penalty. In the Law of Equality there is (saving of) Life to you, o ye men of understanding; that ye may restrain yourselves. •

2:190-194 Fight in the cause of God those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for God loveth not transgressors. And slay them wherever ye catch them, and turn them out from where they have Turned you out; for tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter; but fight them not at the Sacred Mosque, unless they (first) fight you there; but if they fight you, slay them. Such is the reward of those who suppress faith. But if they cease, God is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful. And fight them on until there is no more Tumult or oppression, and there prevail justice and faith in God; but if they cease, Let there be no hostility except to those who practise oppression. The prohibited month for the prohibited month,- and so for all things prohibited,- there is the law of equality. If then any one transgresses the prohibition against you, Transgress ye likewise against him. But fear God, and know that God is with those who restrain themselves.

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3:140 If a wound hath touched you, be sure a similar wound hath touched the others.

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42:40-43 The recompense for an injury is an injury equal thereto (in degree): but if a person forgives and makes reconciliation, his reward is due from God: for (God) loveth not those who do wrong. But indeed if any do help and defend themselves after a wrong (done) to them, against such there is no cause of blame. The blame is only against those who oppress men and wrong-doing and insolently transgress beyond bounds through the land, defying right and justice: for such there will be a penalty grievous. But indeed if any show patience and forgive, that would truly be an exercise of courageous will and resolution in the conduct of affairs.

Don't be friends with non-Muslims •

3:28 Let not the believers Take for friends or helpers Unbelievers rather than believers: if any do that, in nothing will there be help from God: except by way of precaution, that ye may Guard yourselves from them.

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3:118 O ye who believe! Take not into your intimacy those outside your ranks: They will not fail to corrupt you. They only desire your ruin: Rank hatred has already appeared from their mouths: What their hearts conceal is far worse. We have made plain to you the Signs, if ye have wisdom.

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4:144 O ye who believe! Take not for friends unbelievers rather than believers: Do ye wish to offer God an open proof against yourselves?

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5:54 O ye who believe! take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and protectors: They are but friends and protectors to each other. And he amongst you that turns to them (for friendship) is of them. Verily God guideth not a people unjust.

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6:159 As for those who divide their religion and break up into sects, thou hast no part in them in the least: their affair is with God: He will in the end tell them the truth of all that they did.

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60:1,8-9 O ye who believe! Take not my enemies and yours as friends (or protectors),offering them (your) love, even though they have rejected the Truth that has come to you, and have (on the contrary) driven out the Prophet and yourselves (from your homes), (simply) because ye believe in God your Lord! If ye have come out to strive in My Way and to seek My Good Pleasure, (take them not as friends), holding secret converse of love (and 39

friendship) with them: for I know full well all that ye conceal and all that ye reveal. And any of you that does this has strayed from the Straight Path. ... God forbids you not, with regard to those who fight you not for (your) Faith nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them: for God loveth those who are just. God only forbids you, with regard to those who fight you for (your) Faith, and drive you out of your homes, and support (others) in driving you out, from turning to them (for friendship and protection). It is such as turn to them (in these circumstances), that do wrong. There seems to be a contradiction here. In some verses, Muhammad says not to take any unbelievers, Jews or Christians as friends. In another verse, he says only to avoid unbelievers who fight against Muslims. Apostates are accursed •

3:85-87 If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission to God), never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter He will be in the ranks of those who have lost (All spiritual good). How shall God Guide those who reject Faith after they accepted it and bore witness that the Apostle was true and that Clear Signs had come unto them? but God guides not a people unjust. Of such the reward is that on them (rests) the curse of God, of His angels, and of all mankind;-

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2:217 And if any of you Turn back from their faith and die in unbelief, their works will bear no fruit in this life and in the Hereafter; they will be companions of the Fire and will abide therein.

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16:106-110 Any one who, after accepting faith in God, utters Unbelief,- except under compulsion, his heart remaining firm in Faith - but such as open their breast to Unbelief, on them is Wrath from God, and theirs will be a dreadful Penalty. This because they love the life of this world better than the Hereafter: and God will not guide those who reject Faith. Those are they whose hearts, ears, and eyes God has sealed up, and they take no heed. Without doubt, in the Hereafter they will perish. But verily thy Lord,- to those who leave their homes after trials and persecutions,- and who thereafter strive and fight for the faith and patiently persevere,- Thy Lord, after all this is oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.

Don't marry non-Muslims •

2:221 Do not marry unbelieving women (idolaters), until they believe: A slave woman who believes is better than an unbelieving woman, even though she allures you. Nor marry (your girls) to unbelievers until they believe: A man slave who believes is better than an unbeliever, even though he allures you. Unbelievers do (but) beckon you to the Fire. But God beckons by His Grace to the Garden (of bliss) and forgiveness, and makes His Signs clear to mankind: That they may celebrate His praise.

God regards women as inferior to men •

37:149-155 Now ask them their opinion: Is it that thy Lord has (only) daughters, and they have sons?- Or that We created the angels female, and they are witnesses (thereto)? Is it not that they say, from their own invention, "God has begotten children"? but they are liars! Did He (then) choose daughters rather than sons? What is the matter with you? How judge ye? Will ye not then receive admonition?

Stay away from menstruating women 40

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2:222 They ask thee concerning women's courses. Say: They are a hurt and a pollution: So keep away from women in their courses, and do not approach them until they are clean. But when they have purified themselves, ye may approach them in any manner, time, or place ordained for you by God. For God loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean.

Women are sexual objects •

2:223 Your wives are as a tilth unto you; so approach your tilth when or how ye will;

Women have less rights, lower legal status than men •

2:228 And women shall have rights similar to the rights against them, according to what is equitable; but men have a degree (of advantage) over them. And God is Exalted in Power, Wise.

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2:282 get two witnesses, out of your own men, and if there are not two men, then a man and two women, such as ye choose, for witnesses, so that if one of them errs, the other can remind her.

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4:11 God (thus) directs you as regards your Children's (Inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females

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4:176 They ask thee for a legal decision. Say: God directs (thus) about those who leave no descendants or ascendants as heirs. ... if there are brothers and sisters, (they share), the male having twice the share of the female.

Men can marry up to four women if they treat them equally; unlimited forcible concubines permitted In Islam, not only are men allowed to practice polygamy, but they may also capture women in war and use them as sex slaves. This is considered morally legitimate according to the Quran. In other words, non-Muslim women have no right to be free from the horror of slavery and serial rape by Muslim military men. •

4:3 Marry women of your choice, Two or three or four; but if ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one, or (a captive) that your right hands possess, that will be more suitable, to prevent you from doing injustice.

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4:24 Also (prohibited are) women already married, except those whom your right hands possess

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4:25 If any of you have not the means wherewith to wed free believing women, they may wed believing girls from among those whom your right hands possess

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23:1,5-6 The believers .... abstain from sex, Except with those joined to them in the marriage bond, or (the captives) whom their right hands possess,- for (in their case) they are free from blame,

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70:29-30,35 And those who guard their chastity, Except with their wives and the (captives) whom their right hands possess,- for (then) they are not to be blamed, ... Such will be the honoured ones in the Gardens (of Bliss).

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Muhammad can go beyond the four-wife restriction, can treat his own wives and sex slaves unequally •

33:50-52 O Prophet! We have made lawful to thee thy wives to whom thou hast paid their dowers; and those whom thy right hand possesses out of the prisoners of war whom God has assigned to thee; and daughters of thy paternal uncles and aunts, and daughters of thy maternal uncles and aunts, who migrated (from Makka) with thee; and any believing woman who dedicates her soul to the Prophet if the Prophet wishes to wed her;- this only for thee, and not for the Believers (at large); We know what We have appointed for them as to their wives and the captives whom their right hands possess;- in order that there should be no difficulty for thee. And God is Oft- Forgiving, Most Merciful. Thou mayest defer (the turn of) any of them that thou pleasest, and thou mayest receive any thou pleasest: and there is no blame on thee if thou invite one whose (turn) thou hadst set aside. This were nigher to the cooling of their eyes, the prevention of their grief, and their satisfaction - that of all of them - with that which thou hast to give them: and God knows (all) that is in your hearts: and God is All-Knowing, Most Forbearing. It is not lawful for thee (to marry more) women after this, nor to change them for (other) wives, even though their beauty attract thee, except any thy right hand should possess (as handmaidens): and God doth watch over all things.

Nobody can marry Muhammad's widows after he is dead •

33:53 And when ye ask (his ladies) for anything ye want, ask them from before a screen: that makes for greater purity for your hearts and for theirs. Nor is it right for you that ye should... marry his [Muhammad's] widows after him at any time. Truly such a thing is in God's sight an enormity.

Muhammad's wives should stay in their houses •

33:32-33 O Consorts of the Prophet! ... stay quietly in your houses, and make not a dazzling display, like that of the former Times of Ignorance;

Muhammad decides to marry his adopted son's wife, despite objections The prophet Muhammad forced his adopted son, Zaid, to divorce his wife so that Muhammad could marry her. This was scandalous for the community, but Muhammad claimed he did this because God told him to, and he told the Muslims they had no right to question his decisions. Most people thought the real reason was because Muhammad lusted after a married woman and used his authority over the community to do whatever he desired, which seems like a more likely explanation. •

33:36-39 It is not fitting for a Believer, man or woman, when a matter has been decided by God and His Apostle to have any option about their decision: if any one disobeys God and His Apostle, he is indeed on a clearly wrong Path. Behold! Thou didst say to one who had received the grace of God and thy favour: "Retain thou (in wedlock) thy wife, and fear God." But thou didst hide in thy heart that which God was about to make manifest: thou didst fear the people, but it is more fitting that thou shouldst fear God. Then when Zaid had dissolved (his marriage) with her, with the necessary (formality), We joined her in marriage to thee [Muhammad]: in order that (in future) there may be no difficulty to the Believers in (the matter of) marriage with the wives of their adopted sons, when the latter have dissolved with the necessary (formality) (their marriage) with them. And God's command must be fulfilled. There can be no difficulty to the Prophet in what God has indicated to him as a duty. It was the practice (approved) of God amongst those of old that have passed away. 42

And the command of God is a decree determined. (It is the practice of those) who preach the Messages of God, and fear Him, and fear none but God. And enough is God to call (men) to account. Muhammad can divorce his wives whenever he wants and get new ones who are more submissive •

66:1-5 O Prophet! Why holdest thou to be forbidden that which God has made lawful to thee? Thou seekest to please thy consorts. But God is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. God has already ordained for you, (O men), the dissolution of your oaths (in some cases): and God is your Protector, and He is Full of Knowledge and Wisdom. When the Prophet disclosed a matter in confidence to one of his consorts, and she then divulged it (to another), and God made it known to him, he confirmed part thereof and repudiated a part. Then when he told her thereof, she said, "Who told thee this? "He said, "He told me Who knows and is well-acquainted (with all things)." If ye two turn in repentance to Him, your hearts are indeed so inclined; But if ye back up each other against him, truly God is his Protector, and Gabriel, and (every) righteous one among those who believe,- and furthermore, the angels will back (him) up. It may be, if he divorced you (all), that God will give him in exchange consorts better than you,- who submit (their wills), who believe, who are devout, who turn to God in repentance, who worship (in humility), who travel (for Faith) and fast,- previously married or virgins.

"Lewd" women should be punished with life imprisonment •

4:15 If any of your women are guilty of lewdness, Take the evidence of four (Reliable) witnesses from amongst you against them; and if they testify, confine them to houses until death do claim them, or God ordain for them some (other) way. It is unclear what "lewdness" actually means. This verse is so open-ended, almost any woman could potentially be accused of lewdness and sentenced to a life of house arrest, except ultraconservative women who never do anything to offend strict Muslim men.

Husbands should beat disobedient wives •

4:34 Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because God has given the one more (strength) than the other, and because they support them from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in (the husband's) absence what God would have them guard. As to those women on whose part ye fear disloyalty and illconduct, admonish them (first), (Next), refuse to share their beds, (And last) beat them (lightly); but if they return to obedience, seek not against them Means (of annoyance): For God is Most High, great (above you all). Note: parenthetical insertions make this verse sound less harsh than it really is in more literal translations. For example, the original Arabic text does not say to beat wives "lightly" -- just to beat them.

Stealing should be punished by amputation of hands •

5:41 As to the thief, Male or female, cut off his or her hands: a punishment by way of example, from God, for their crime: and God is Exalted in power. When a person has no hands, they probably cannot earn a living anymore, so they will end 43

up as a beggar on the street. That doesn't seem very beneficial to society. Also, before medical sanitation and anesthesia, amputation of the hands was in many cases the equivalent of a death sentence. Adultery and fornication must be punished by flogging with a hundred stripes •

24:2 The woman and the man guilty of adultery or fornication,- flog each of them with a hundred stripes: Let not compassion move you in their case, in a matter prescribed by God, if ye believe in God and the Last Day: and let a party of the Believers witness their punishment. This verse leaves no other option for Muslims who believe in the divine origin of the Quran. It specifically says they must not have mercy on people who have committed adultery or fornication, and that this brutal punishment of 100 lashes is "prescribed by God." However, since other verses in the Quran specifically allow men to have sex slaves, the horrible crime of serial rape against a non-Muslim woman is not considered adultery or fornication and would not be punished if the woman is considered a concubine.

People who have committed adultery or fornication lose the right to marry chaste Muslims •

24:3 Let no man guilty of adultery or fornication marry any but a woman similarly guilty, or an Unbeliever: nor let any but such a man or an Unbeliever marry such a woman: to the Believers such a thing is forbidden.

Anyone who falsely accuses a chaste woman should be flogged with eighty stripes •

24:4-5 And those who launch a charge against chaste women, and produce not four witnesses (to support their allegations),- flog them with eighty stripes; and reject their evidence ever after: for such men are wicked transgressors;- Unless they repent thereafter and mend (their conduct); for God is Oft- Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Women should wear veils outside the home •

24:30-31 Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty: that will make for greater purity for them: And God is well acquainted with all that they do. And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husband's fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or the slaves whom their right hands possess, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex; and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments. And O ye Believers! turn ye all together towards God, that ye may attain Bliss.

Coverings should be worn by women in open society to prevent molestation (except the elderly) •

33:59 O Prophet! Tell thy wives and daughters, and the believing women, that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (when abroad): that is most convenient, that they should be known (as such) and not molested. And God is Oft- Forgiving, Most Merciful. 44

•

24:60 Such elderly women as are past the prospect of marriage,- there is no blame on them if they lay aside their (outer) garments, provided they make not a wanton display of their beauty: but it is best for them to be modest: and God is One Who sees and knows all things. It is unclear what exactly these "outer garments" are or how completely they are supposed to cover the woman's body, but restrictive garments such as the Afghan burqa would certainly be in accordance with the Quran, and probably originated because of these Quranic verses.

Some people are mischief-makers but don't realize it Let's end with this interesting verse: •

2:11-12 When it is said to them: "Make not mischief on the earth," they say: "Why, we only Want to make peace!" Of a surety, they are the ones who make mischief, but they realise (it) not. This verse is very ironic. The mischief-makers in this verse sound a lot like what Muslims say today: "Islam is a religion of peace!" they insist, while Muslim fundamentalists around the world are practicing terrorism, fighting wars in the name of Islam, violating people's basic human rights and abusing women according to the teachings of the Quran.

In conclusion, if you cannot believe that all these verses of the Muslim Koran come from God -including the many disturbing verses about holy war (jihad), animosity and violence against nonMuslims, brutal punishments, inequality of women, and permission for polygamy and sex slaves -then you cannot be a Baha'i. Baha'ism is an offshoot of Islam, and Baha'u'llah taught that Muhammad was inspired by God and that the Koran is infallible divine revelation. Sadly, Baha'is often fail to study the Koran enough to recognize the barbarous nature of the Islamic religion.

45

Chapter V 164 Jihad Verses in the Koran I. Introduction.

II. Horizontal List of Verses

III. Vertical List of Verses

IV. Excerpts of Verses

V. Full-text of Verses (With Bolding)

VI. Footnotes

I. Introduction A. Jihad Verse Selection Criteria 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 ablebodied 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.

Such omitted verses can readily be found in proximity to the Jihad verses listed below. B. Related Issues Abrogation is a reoccurring topic whenever verses of the Koran are discussed. As a rule, later verses counseling Holy War, such the Sword Verse (K 009:005), abrogate earlier verses counseling tolerance and peace, such as K 002:256. The Sword Verse is just one of the 164 Jihad verses listed below. It follows that not many, if any, of the Holy War verses in this list are abrogated. The list gives the verses in the order they occur in the Koran, but this is not the chronological order the verses were written. To gain a deeper understanding of the verses, one can study these verses in chronological order, and also consult articles and commentaries for the historical context. A good place to start is Rev. Richard P. Bailey’s article, "Jihad: The Teaching of Islam From Its Primary Sources—The Quran and Hadith," www.Answering-Islam.org/Bailey/jihad.html. II. Horizontal List of Verses In text-only format The Koran’s 164 Jihad Verses: K 002:178-179, 190-191, 193-194, 216-218, 244; 003:121-126, 140-143, 146, 152-158, 165-167,169, 172-173, 195; 004:071-072, 074-077, 084, 089-091, 094095,100-104; 005:033, 035, 082; 008:001, 005, 007, 009-010, 012, 015-017, 039-048,057-060, 065-075; 009:005, 012-014, 016, 019-020, 024-026, 029,036, 038-039, 041, 044, 052, 073, 081, 083,086, 088, 092, 111, 120, 122-123; 016:110; 022:039, 058, 078; 024:053, 055; 025:052; 029:006, 069; 033:015, 018, 020, 023, 025-027, 050; 042:039; 047:004, 020, 035; 048:015-024; 049:015; 059:002, 005-008, 014; 060:009; 061:004, 011, 013; 063:004; 064:014; 066:009; 073:020; 076:008 46

In table format The Koran's 164 Jihad Verses Chapter

Verse

# per Sura 10

Running Count 10

002

178-179, 190-191, 193-194, 216-218, 244

003

121-126, 140-143, 146, 152-158, 165-167, 169, 172-173, 195

25

35

004

071-072, 074-077, 084, 089-091, 094-095, 100-104, 144

18

53

005

033, 035, 082

3

56

008

001, 005, 007, 009-010, 012, 015-017, 039-048, 057-060, 065-075

34

90

009

005, 012-014, 016, 019-020, 024-026, 029, 036, 038-039, 041, 044, 052, 073, 081, 083, 086, 088, 092, 111, 120, 122-123

27

117

016

110

1

118

022

039, 058, 078

3

121

024

053, 055

2

123

025

052

1

124

029

006, 069

2

126

033

015, 018, 020, 023, 025-027, 050

8

134

042

039

1

135

047

004, 020, 035

3

138

048

015-024

10

148

049

015

1

149

059

002, 005-008, 014

6

155

060

009

1

156

061

004, 011, 013

3

159

063

004

1

160

064

014

1

161

066

009

1

162

073

020

1

163

076

008

1

164

III. Vertical List of Verses The Koran's 164 Jihad Verses 1

2:178 26 3:156 51 4:103

76

8:57 101 09:029 126 29:69 151 59:05

2

2:179 27 3:157 52 4:104

77

8:58 102 09:036 127 33:15 152 59:06

3

2:190 28 3:158 53 4:141

78

8:59 103 09:038 128 33:18 153 59:07

4

2:191 29 3:165 54 5:033

79

8:60 104 09:039 129 33:20 154 59:08 47

5

2:193 30 3:166 55 5:035

80

8:65 105 09:041 130 33:23 155 59:14

6

2:194 31 3:167 56 5:082

81

8:66 106 09:044 131 33:25 156 60:09

7

2:216 32 3:169 57 8:001

82

8:67 107 09:052 132 33:26 157 61:04

8

2:217 33 3:172 58 8:005

83

8:68 108 09:073 133 33:27 158 61:11

9

2:218 34 3:173 59 8:007

84

8:69 109 09:081 134 33:50 159 61:13

10 2:244 35 3:195 60 8:009

85

8:70 110 09:083 135 42:39 160 63:04

11 3:121 36 4:071 61 8:010

86

8:71 111 09:086 136 47:04 161 64:14

12 3:122 37 4:072 62 8:012

87

8:72 112 09:088 137 47:20 162 66:09

13 3:123 38 4:074 63 8:015

88

8:73 113 09:092 138 47:35 163 73:20

14 3:124 39 4:075 64 8:016

89

8:74 114 09:111 139 48:15 164 76:08

15 3:125 40 4:076 65 8:017

90

8:75 115 09:120 140 48:16

16 3:126 41 4:077 66 8:039

91

9:05 116 09:122 141 48:17

17 3:140 42 4:084 67 8:040

92

9:12 117 09:123 142 48:18

18 3:141 43 4:089 68 8:041

93

9:13 118 16:110 143 48:19

19 3:142 44 4:090 69 8:042

94

9:14 119 22:039 144 48:20

20 3:143 45 4:091 70 8:043

95

9:16 120 22:058 145 48:21

21 3:146 46 4:094 71 8:044

96

9:19 121 22:078 146 48:22

22 3:152 47 4:095 72 8:045

97

9:20 122 24:053 147 48:23

23 3:153 48 4:100 73 8:046

98

9:24 123 24:055 148 48:24

24 3:154 49 4:101 74 8:047

99

9:25 124 25:052 149 49:15

25 3:155 50 4:102 75 8:048 100 9:26 125 29:006 150 59:02

IV. Excerpts of Verses Translation used: M. H. Shakir, published by Tahrike Tarsile Qur'an, Inc., 1983, unless otherwise indicated. The Koran's 164 Jihad Verses Excerpt K 2:178- [2.178]...retaliation is prescribed for you in the matter of the slain... [2.179] ...there is life for you in (the law of) retaliation, O men of understanding, that 179 Set 1, Count 1+2 you may guard yourselves. Excerpt K 2:190- [2.190] ...fight in the way of Allah with those who fight with you...[2.191] And kill them wherever you find them, and drive them out from whence they drove 191 Set 2, Count 3+4 you out, and persecution is severer than slaughter, and do not fight with them 48

at the Sacred Mosque until they fight with you in it, but if they do fight you, then slay them; such is the recompense of the unbelievers. Excerpt K 2:193[193]...fight with them...[194]...whoever then acts aggressively against you, 194 inflict injury on him according to the injury he has inflicted on you... Set 3, Count 5+6 Excerpt K 2:216- [2.216] Fighting is enjoined on you...[2.217]... fighting in it. Say: Fighting in it is a grave matter...persecution is graver than slaughter... [2.218]...strove hard in 218 Set 4, Count 7-9 the way of Allah... Excerpt K 2:244 ...fight in the way of Allah Set 5, Count 10 [3.121]...to lodge the believers in encampments for war...[3.122] When two parties from among you had determined that they should show cowardice Excerpt K 3:121[about Jihad]...[3.123]...Allah did certainly assist you at [the Battle of] 126 Badr...[3.124]...[3.125] Yea! if you remain patient and are on your guard, and Set 6, Count 11-16 they come upon you in a headlong manner, your Lord will assist you with five thousand of the havoc-making angels. [3.126] ...victory is only from Allah... [3.140] If a wound has afflicted you (at [the Battle of] Uhud), a wound like it has also afflicted the (unbelieving) people; and We bring these days to men by turns, and that Allah may know those who believe and take witnesses from Excerpt K 3:140- among you...[3.141] ...that He [Allah] may purge those who believe and deprive the unbelievers of blessings. [3.142] Yusuf Ali: Did ye think that ye 143 Set 7, Count 17-20 would enter Heaven without God testing those of you who fought hard (in His Cause) and remained steadfast? [3.143] Pickthall: And verily ye used to wish for death before ye met it (in the field). Now ye have seen it [death] with your eyes! Yusuf Ali: How many of the prophets fought (in Allah's way) [Jihad], and with Excerpt K 3:146 them (fought) large bands of godly men? But they never lost heart if they met Set 8, Count 21 with disaster in Allah's way [lost a battle], nor did they weaken (in will) nor give in. And Allah loves those who are firm and steadfast [in Jihad]. [3.152]...you slew them by His [Allah's] permission [during a Jihad battle]...[3.153] Pickthall: ...the messenger, in your rear, was calling you (to fight)...that which ye missed [war spoils]...[3.154]...They say: Had we any hand in the affair, we would not have been slain here [in a Jihad battle]. Say: Had you remained in your houses, those for whom slaughter was ordained [in a Jihad battle] would certainly have gone forth to the places where they would Excerpt K 3:152be slain...[3.155] (As for) those of you who turned back on the day when the 158 two armies met...[3.156] O you who believe! be not like those who disbelieve Set 9, Count 22-28 and say of their brethren when they travel in the earth or engage in fighting: Had they been with us, they would not have died and they would not have been slain...[3.157]...if you are slain in the way of Allah...mercy is better than what they amass [what those who stay home from Jihad receive – no booty on earth and no perks in heaven]. [3.158] …if indeed you die or you are slain, certainly to Allah shall you be gathered together. Excerpt K 3:165167 Set 10, Count 2931

[3.165]...you [Muslims] had certainly afflicted (the unbelievers) with twice as much [in a Jihad battle]...[3.166]...when the two armies met ([the Battle of] Uhud)...[3.167]...Come, fight in Allah's way, or defend yourselves...If we knew fighting, we would certainly have followed you...

Excerpt K 3:169 ...reckon not those who are killed in Allah's way as dead; nay, they are alive Set 11, Count 32 (and) are provided sustenance from their Lord [meaning they are enjoying their 49

72 virgins in heaven]; [3.172] ...those who responded (at [the Battle of] Uhud) to the call of Allah and Excerpt K 3:172the Apostle after a wound had befallen them...shall have a great reward. 173 [3.173] Those to whom the people said: Surely men have gathered against you Set 12, Count [in battle], therefore fear them, but this increased their faith, and they said: 33+34 Allah is sufficient for us and most excellent is the Protector. ...who fought and were slain...I will most certainly make them enter gardens Excerpt K 3:195 beneath which rivers flow; a reward from Allah, and with Allah is yet better Set 13, Count 35 reward. Excerpt K 4:071[4.71] ...go forth in detachments or go forth in a body [to war]. [4.72] ...hang 072 Set 14, Count back [from Jihad] ...not present with them [in Jihad]. 36+37 [4.74] Therefore let those fight in the way of Allah, who sell this world's life for the hereafter; and whoever fights in the way of Allah, then be he slain or be Excerpt K 4:074he victorious, We shall grant him a mighty reward. [4.75] ...fight in the way of 077 Allah... [4.76] Those who believe fight in the way of Allah, and those who Set 15, Count 38disbelieve fight in the way of the Satan. Fight therefore against the friends of 41 the Satan... [4.77] ...when fighting is prescribed for them...Our Lord! why hast Thou ordained fighting for us?... Excerpt K 4:084 Fight then in Allah's way...rouse the believers to ardor maybe Allah will Set 16, Count 42 restrain the fighting of those who disbelieve... [4.89] ...take not from among them friends until they fly (their homes) in Excerpt K 4:089Allah’s way; but if they turn back [to their homes], then seize them and kill 091 them wherever you find them... [4.90] Allah has not given you a way against Set 17, Count 43them [Allah supposedly does not allow Muslims to fight people friendly to 45 Muslims]. [4.91]...seize them and kill them wherever you find them... Excerpt K 4:094095 Set 18, Count 46+47

[4.94]...when you go to war in Allah's way... [4.95] ...those who strive hard [Jihad] in Allah's way with their property and their persons are not equal...Allah shall grant to the strivers [i.e., Jihadist] above the holders back a mighty reward.

...whoever flies in Allah's way [forsakes his home to fight in Jihad], he will find in the earth many a place of refuge and abundant resources, and whoever goes forth from his house flying to Allah and His Apostle, and then death overtakes him [in Jihad], his reward is indeed with Allah...[4.101] Rodwell: And when ye go forth to war in the land, it shall be no crime in you to cut short Excerpt K 4:100- your prayers, if ye fear lest the infidels come upon you; Verily, the infidels are your undoubted enemies! [4.102]...let them take their arms...let them take their 104 Set 19, Count 48- precautions and their arms...there is no blame on you, if you are annoyed with 52 rain or if you are sick, that you lay down your arms...[4.103] Khalifa: Once you complete your Contact Prayer (Salat), you shall remember GOD while standing, sitting, or lying down. Once the war is over, you shall observe the Contact Prayers (Salat); the Contact Prayers (Salat) are decreed for the believers at specific times.[4.104]...be not weak hearted in pursuit of the enemy... Excerpt K 4:141 Sher Ali:...If you have a victory [in Jihad] from Allah... Set 20, Count 53 Excerpt K 5:033 The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His apostle and 50

Set 21, Count 54 strive to make mischief in the land is only this, that they should be murdered or crucified or their hands and their feet should be cut off on opposite sides or they should be imprisoned [Pickthall and Yusuf Ali have "exiled" rather than "imprisoned"] Excerpt K 5:035 ...strive hard [at Jihad] in His way that you may be successful. Set 22, Count 55 ...you will find the most violent of people in enmity for those who believe (to Excerpt K 5:082 be) the Jews [compare with "whenever Jews kindle fire for war, Allah Set 23, Count 56 [Muslims] puts it out" (K 005:064)] and those who are polytheists [while they are converted to Islam on pain of death]... Excerpt K 8:001 Pickthall: ...the spoils of war...The spoils of war belong to Allah and the Set 24, Count 57 messenger Excerpt K 8:005 Even as your Lord caused you to go forth from your house with the truth, Set 25, Count 58 though a party of the believers were surely averse; ...Allah promised you one of the two (enemy) parties, that it should be yours: Excerpt K 8:007 Ye wished that the one unarmed should be yours, but Allah willed to justify the Set 26, Count 59 Truth according to His words and to cut off the roots of the Unbelievers. Excerpt K 8:009010 Set 27, Count 60+61

[8.9]...I will assist you [in Jihad] with a thousand of the angels following one another [see K 008:012]. [8.10] ...Allah only gave it as a good news and that your hearts might be at ease thereby; and victory is only from Allah; surely Allah is Mighty, Wise.

...make firm those who believe. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who Excerpt K 8:012 disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of Set 28, Count 62 them. [8.15] ...when you meet those who disbelieve marching for war, then turn not Excerpt K 8:015your backs to them. [8.16] ...for the sake of fighting... [8.17] So you did not 017 slay them, but it was Allah Who slew them, and you did not smite when you Set 29, Count 63smote (the enemy), but it was Allah Who smote [Allah gets the credit for 65 Jihad]... [8.39] Shakir: ...fight with them until there is no more persecution and religion should be only for Allah... [8.40] Yusuf Ali: If they [unbelievers] refuse [to stop fighting], be sure that God is your Protector...[8.41] Shakir: ...whatever thing [loot] you gain, a fifth of it is for Allah and for the Apostle...the day on which the two parties met [in a Jihad versus anti-Jihad battle]...[8.42]...Allah might bring about a matter which was to be done, that he who would perish might perish by clear proof [bring success to Muslims engaged in robbing a caravan near Badr against all the odds]...[8.43]...Allah showed them [the Mekkans] to Excerpt K 8:039- you in your dream as few [fighters]; and if He had shown them [the Mekkans] to you as many [fighters] you would certainly have become weak-hearted [i.e., 048 Set 30, Count 66- hearts. See the similar discussion in K 002:249 about how a smaller army can 75 defeat a larger army]...[8.44]...when you met, as few [fighters] in your eyes and He made you to appear little [few fighters] in their eyes, in order that Allah might bring about a matter which was to be done [a Jihad versus anti-Jihad battle brought on by overconfidence in each side]...[8.45]...when you meet a party [in battle], then be firm...[8.46]...obey Allah and His Apostle and do not quarrel for then you will be weak in hearts [demoralized] and your power [to execute Jihad] will depart...[8.47]...be not like those [Mekkans] who came forth from their homes [in an anti-Jihad War on Islamic terrorism]...[8.48]...when the two parties [Muslims versus Mekkans] came in 51

sight of each other he [Satan] turned upon his heels... Pickthall: [8.57] If thou come on them in the war, deal with them so as to strike fear in those who are behind them, that haply they may remember. [8.57] Khalifa: When you are betrayed by a group of people, you shall mobilize Excerpt K 8:057against them in the same manner. GOD does not love the betrayers. [8.59] 060 Shakir: ...let not those who disbelieve think that they shall come in first; surely Set 31, Count 76they will not escape. [8.60] And prepare against them what force you can and 79 horses tied at the frontier, to frighten thereby the enemy of Allah and your enemy and others besides them, whom you do not know (but) Allah knows them; and whatever thing you will spend in Allah's way [for Jihad]... [8.65] O Prophet! urge the believers to war; if there are twenty patient ones of you they shall overcome two hundred, and if there are a hundred of you they shall overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve, because they are a people who do not understand [in other words, do not understand totalitarian ideologies like Islam]. [8.66] ...if there are a hundred patient ones of you they shall overcome two hundred, and if there are a thousand they shall overcome two thousand by Allah's permission... [8.67] It is not fit for a prophet that he should take captives unless he has fought and triumphed in the land; you desire Excerpt K 8:065- the frail goods [i.e., ransom money] of this world... [8.68] ...ransom... [8.69] Eat then of the lawful and good (things) which you have acquired in war [war 075 Set 32, Count 80- spoils]...[8.70] O Prophet! say to those of the captives [non-Muslims] who are 90 in your hands: If Allah knows anything good in your hearts, He will give to you better than that which has been taken away from you [in Jihad]...[8.71] Yusuf Ali: But if they have treacherous designs against thee, (O Apostle!)...He [Allah] given (thee) power over them...[8.72] Yusuf Ali: Those who ...fought for the Faith, with their property and their persons, in the cause of God...[8.73] Yusuf Ali: The Unbelievers are protectors, one of another: Unless ye do this, (protect each other), there would be tumult and oppression on earth, and great mischief. [8.74] Yusuf Ali:...fight for the Faith...[8.75] Yusuf Ali: ...fight for the Faith... Excerpt K 9:005 ...slay the idolaters wherever you find them...take them captives and besiege Set 33, Count 91 them and lie in wait for them in every ambush... Excerpt K 9:012014 Set 34, Count 9294

[9.12] ...fight the leaders of unbelief...[9.13] What! will you not fight a people...[9.14] Fight them, Allah will punish them by your hands and bring them to disgrace, and assist you against them and heal the hearts of a believing people.

Excerpt K 9:016 ...those of you who have struggled hard [in Jihad] Set 35, Count 95 Excerpt K 9:019[9.19] ...strives hard in Allah's way?... [9.20]...strove hard [Jihad] in Allah's 020 Set 36, Count way with their property and their souls... 96+97 [9.24] ...striving in His way [Jihad]:, then wait till Allah brings about His Excerpt K 9:024command [to go on Jihad]: ... [9.25] Certainly Allah helped you in many 026 battlefields and on the day of [the Battle of] Hunain, when your great numbers Set 37, Count 98made you vain, ... [9.26] ...chastised those who disbelieved [Muhammad gives 100 credit to angels and Allah for the actions of Jihadists]... Excerpt K 9:029 Fight those who do not believe in Allah...nor follow the religion of truth, out of Set 38, Count 101 those who have been given the Book, until they pay the tax in acknowledgment 52

of superiority and they are in a state of subjection. Excerpt K 9:036 ...fight the polytheists all together as they fight you all together... Set 39, Count 102 Excerpt K 9:038[9.38] ...Go forth in Allah's way [to Jihad]... [9.39] If you do not go forth [to go 039 on Jihad], He will chastise you with a painful chastisement and bring in your Set 40, Count place a people other than you [to go on Jihad]... 103+104 Excerpt K 9:041 Go forth light [lightly armed] and heavy [heavily armed], and strive hard in Set 41, Count 105 Allah's way [Jihad] with your property and your persons... Excerpt K 9:044 ...striving hard with their property and their persons [Jihad] ... Set 42, Count 106 Excerpt K 9:052 ...Allah will afflict you with punishment from Himself or by our hands... Set 43, Count 107 Excerpt K 9:073 ...strive hard [Jihad] against the unbelievers and the hypocrites and be Set 44, Count 108 unyielding to them... Excerpt K 9:081 ...they were averse from striving in Allah's way [Jihad] with their property and Set 45, Count 109 their persons, and said: Do not go forth [to Jihad] in the heat... Excerpt K 9:083 ... shall you fight an enemy with me [in Jihad]... Set 46, Count 110 Excerpt K 9:086 ...strive hard [in Jihad] along with His Apostle Set 47, Count 111 Excerpt K 9:088 ...strive hard [in Jihad] with their property and their persons... Set 48, Count 112 Yusuf Ali: Nor (is there blame) on those who came to thee to be provided with Excerpt K 9:092 mounts [saddles on which to go to war], and when thou said, "I can find no Set 49, Count 113 mounts for you," they turned back, their eyes streaming with tears of grief that they had no resources wherewith to provide the expenses [to go on Jihad]. Excerpt K 9:111 ...they fight in Allah's way, so they slay and are slain... Set 50, Count 114 Yusuf Ali:...whether they suffered thirst, or fatigue, or hunger, in the cause of Excerpt K 9:120 Allah [while on a march to Jihad], or trod paths to raise the ire of the Set 51, Count 115 Unbelievers [invade their territory], or received any injury whatever from an enemy [during a Jihad battle]... Excerpt K 9:122[9.122] Pickthall:...the believers should not all go out to fight. Of every troop 123 of them, a party only should go forth... [9.123] ...fight those of the unbelievers Set 52, Count who are near to you and let them find in you hardness... 116+117 Excerpt K 16:110 Yusuf Ali:...who thereafter strive and fight for the faith and patiently Set 53, Count 118 persevere... Excerpt K 22:039 Permission (to fight) is given to those upon whom war is made... Set 54, Count 119 Excerpt K 22:058 Sher Ali: ...those who leave their homes for the cause of Allah, and are then Set 55, Count 120 slain or die, Allah will, surely, provide for them a goodly provision... Excerpt K 22:078 ...strive hard [in Jihad] in (the way of) Allah, (such) a striving a is due to Him... Set 56, Count 121 Excerpt K 24:053 ...they would certainly go forth [to Jihad (see K 024:055)]... 53

Set 57, Count 122 Allah has promised to those of you who believe and do good that He will most Excerpt K 24:055 certainly make them rulers in the earth [as a reward for going on Jihad (see K Set 58, Count 123 024:053)]... Excerpt K 25:052 Palmer: ...fight strenuously with them in many a strenuous fight. Set 59, Count 124 Excerpt K 29:006 ...whoever strives hard [in Jihad], he strives only for his own soul... Set 60, Count 125 Excerpt K 29:069 ...(as for) those who strive hard [in Jihad] for Us [Allah]... Set 61, Count 126 Excerpt K 33:015 Pickthall: ...they had already sworn unto Allah that they would not turn their Set 62, Count 127 backs (to the foe) [in Jihad battle]... Excerpt K 33:018 ...they come not to the fight [Jihad] but a little... Set 63, Count 128 Excerpt K 33:020 ...they would not fight save a little [in Jihad]. Set 64, Count 129 Excerpt K 33:023 Pickthall: ...Some of them [Jihadists] have paid their vow by death (in battle), Set 65, Count 130 and some of them still are waiting... Excerpt K 33:2527 Set 66, Count 131133

[33.25]...Allah sufficed the believers in fighting... [33.26]...some [Jews] you killed and you took captive another part. [33.27]...He made you heirs to their [Jewish] land and their dwellings and their property, and (to) a land which you have not yet trodden...

...those [captive women] whom your right hand possesses [i.e., by virtue of the Excerpt K 33:050 sword used in Jihad] out of those whom Allah has given to you as prisoners of Set 67, Count 134 war... Excerpt K 42:039 Sale:...and who, when an injury is done them, avenge themselves... Set 68, Count 135 ...when you meet in battle those who disbelieve, then smite the necks until Excerpt K 47:004 when you have overcome them, then make (them) prisoners, and afterwards Set 69, Count 136 either set them free as a favor or let them ransom (themselves) until the war terminates...(as for) those who are slain in the way of Allah... Excerpt K 47:020 ...fighting [allusion to Jihad] is mentioned therein ... Set 70, Count 137 Rodwell: Be not fainthearted then; and invite not the infidels to peace when ye Excerpt K 47:035 have the upper hand: for God is with you, and will not defraud you of the Set 71, Count 138 recompense of your works... [48.15] Pickthall: ...when you set forth to capture booty...[48.16]...You shall soon be invited (to fight) against a people possessing mighty prowess; you will fight against them until they submit...[48.17] Pickthall: There is no blame...for the sick (that they go not forth to war). And whoso obeys Allah and His Excerpt K 48:15messenger [by going on Jihad], He will make him enter Gardens underneath 24 which rivers flow; and whoso turns back [from Jihad], him will He punish with Set 72, Count 139a painful doom. [48.18] Certainly Allah was well pleased with the believers 148 when they swore allegiance to you under the tree, and He knew what was in their hearts, so He sent down tranquility on them and rewarded them with a near victory, [48.19] And much booty that they will capture. Allah is ever Mighty, Wise. [48.20] Allah promised you many acquisitions which you will 54

take, then He hastened on this one for you and held back the hands of men from you, and that it may be a sign for the believers and that He may guide you on a right path. [48.21] Sale: And [he also promiseth you] other [spoils], which ye have not [yet] been able [to take]: But now hath God encompassed them [for you]; and God is almighty. [48.22] And if those who disbelieve fight with you, they would certainly turn (their) backs, then they would not find any protector or a helper. [48.23] Such [i.e., the Jihad mentioned the previous verse] has been the course [practice] of Allah that has indeed run before, and you shall not find a change in Allah’s course. [48.24] And He [Allah] it is Who held back...your hands from them [in Jihad] in the valley of Mecca... Excerpt K 49:015 Sale: ...true believers ...employ their substance and their persons in the defense Set 73, Count 149 of God's true religion... Excerpt K 59:002 ...the hands of the believers [i.e. Muslims demolished Jewish homes] ... Set 74, Count 150 Pickthall:[59.5] Whatsoever palm-trees you cut down or left standing on their roots [during a Jihad siege of the Jews at Madina], it was by Allah's leave, in order that He might confound the evil-livers [Jews]. [59.6] ...that which Allah Excerpt K 59:5-8 gave as spoil unto His messenger from them, you urged not any horse or Set 75, Count 151- riding-camel for the sake thereof, but Allah gives His messenger lordship over 154 whom He will... [59.7] That which Allah gives as [war] spoil unto His messenger from the people of the townships [Jews], it is for Allah and His messenger...whatsoever [spoils] the messenger gives you, take it...[59.8] ...who seek bounty [war spoils] from Allah... Excerpt K 59:014 They will not fight against you in a body save in fortified towns or from behind Set 76, Count 155 walls... Excerpt K 60:009 Allah only forbids you respecting those who made war upon you on account of Set 77, Count 156 (your) religion [no fraternizing with the enemy]... Excerpt K 61:004 ...Allah loves those who fight in His way in ranks as if they were a firm and Set 78, Count 157 compact wall. Excerpt K 61:011 ...struggle hard in Allah's way [Jihad] with your property and your lives... Set 79, Count 158 Excerpt K 61:013 ...victory [in Jihad] near at hand... Set 80, Count 159 ...they think every cry to be against them. They are the enemy, therefore Excerpt K 63:004 beware of them; may Allah destroy them, whence are they turned back? [This Set 81, Count 160 verse speaks of internecine Jihad against Muslims deemed infidels or "hypocrites."] ...surely from among your wives and your children there is an enemy to you; Excerpt K 64:014 therefore beware of them [collaborators with the enemy, especially if the Set 82, Count 161 women were once war spoils]... Excerpt K 66:009 O Prophet! strive hard against the unbelievers and the hypocrites, and be hard Set 83, Count 162 against them... Excerpt K 73:020 ...others who fight in Allah's way... Set 84, Count 163 Excerpt K 76:008 And they [Muslims] give food out of love for Him [Allah] to...the captive [of Set 85, Count 164 Jihad] ...

55

V. Full-text of Verses (With Bolding) Translation used: M. H. Shakir, published by Tahrike Tarsile Qur'an, Inc., 1983, unless otherwise indicated. The Koran's 164 Jihad Verses [2.178] O you who believe! retaliation is prescribed for you in the matter of the slain, the free for the free, and the slave for the slave, and the female for the female, but if any remission is made to any one by his (aggrieved) brother, then prosecution (for the bloodwit) should be made according to usage, and K 2:178-179 Set 1, Count 1+2 payment should be made to him in a good manner; this is an alleviation from your Lord and a mercy; so whoever exceeds the limit after this he shall have a painful chastisement. [2.179] And there is life for you in (the law of) retaliation, O men of understanding, that you may guard yourselves. [2.190] And fight in the way of Allah with those who fight with you, and do not exceed the limits, surely Allah does not love those who exceed the limits. [2.191] And kill them wherever you find them, and drive them out from K 2:190-191 whence they drove you out, and persecution is severer than slaughter, and Set 2, Count 3+4 do not fight with them at the Sacred Mosque until they fight with you in it, but if they do fight you, then slay them; such is the recompense of the unbelievers. [2.193] And fight with them until there is no persecution, and religion should be only for Allah, but if they desist, then there should be no hostility except against the oppressors. [2.194] The Sacred month for the sacred month and all K 2:193-194 sacred things are (under the law of) retaliation; whoever then acts Set 3, Count 5+6 aggressively against you, inflict injury on him according to the injury he has inflicted on you and be careful (of your duty) to Allah and know that Allah is with those who guard (against evil). [2.216] Fighting is enjoined on you, and it is an object of dislike to you; and it may be that you dislike a thing while it is good for you, and it may be that you love a thing while it is evil for you, and Allah knows, while you do not know. [2.217] They ask you concerning the sacred month about fighting in it. Say: Fighting in it is a grave matter, and hindering (men) from Allah's way and denying Him, and (hindering men from) the Sacred Mosque and turning its people out of it, are still graver with Allah, and persecution is graver than K 2:216-218 Set 4, Count 7-9 slaughter; and they will not cease fighting with you until they turn you back from your religion, if they can; and whoever of you turns back from his religion, then he dies while an unbeliever—these it is whose works shall go for nothing in this world and the hereafter, and they are the inmates of the fire; therein they shall abide. [2.218] Surely those who believed and those who fled (their home) and strove hard in the way of Allah these hope for the mercy of Allah and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. K 2:244 Set 5, Count 10

And fight in the way of Allah, and know that Allah is Hearing, Knowing.

[3.121] And when you did go forth early in the morning from your family to lodge the believers in encampments for war and Allah is Hearing, Knowing. K 3:121-126 [3.122] When two parties from among you had determined that they Set 6, Count 11-16 should show cowardice [about Jihad], and Allah was the guardian of them both, and in Allah should the believers trust. [3.123] And Allah did certainly 56

assist you at [the Battle of] Badr when you were weak; be careful of (your duty to) Allah then, that you may give thanks. [3.124] When you said to the believers: Does it not suffice you that your Lord should assist you with three thousand of the angels sent down? [3.125] Yea! if you remain patient and are on your guard, and they come upon you in a headlong manner, your Lord will assist you with five thousand of the havoc-making angels. [3.126] And Allah did not make it but as good news for you, and that your hearts might be at ease thereby, and victory is only from Allah, the Mighty, the Wise. [3.140] If a wound has afflicted you (at [the Battle of] Uhud), a wound like it has also afflicted the (unbelieving) people; and We bring these days to men by turns, and that Allah may know those who believe and take witnesses from among you; and Allah does not love the unjust. [3.141] And K 3:140-143 that He [Allah] may purge those who believe and deprive the unbelievers Set 7, Count 17-20 of blessings.[3.142] Yusuf Ali: Did ye think that ye would enter Heaven without God testing those of you who fought hard (in His Cause) and remained steadfast? [3.143] Pickthall: And verily ye used to wish for death before ye met it (in the field). Now ye have seen it [death] with your eyes! Yusuf Ali: How many of the prophets fought (in Allah's way) [Jihad], and with them (fought) large bands of godly men? But they never lost heart if K 3:146 they met with disaster in Allah's way [lost a battle], nor did they weaken Set 8, Count 21 (in will) nor give in. And Allah loves those who are firm and steadfast [in Jihad]. [3.152] And certainly Allah made good to you His promise when you slew them by His [Allah's] permission [during a Jihad battle], until when you became weak-hearted and disputed about the affair and disobeyed after He [Allah] had shown you that which you loved; of you were some who desired this world and of you were some who desired the hereafter; then He [Allah] turned you away from them that He might try you; and He has certainly pardoned you, and Allah is Gracious to the believers. [3.153] Pickthall: When ye climbed (the hill) and paid no heed to anyone, while the messenger, in your rear, was calling you (to fight). Therefore He rewarded you grief for (his) grief, that (He might teach) you not to sorrow either for that which ye missed [war spoils] or for that which befell you. Allah is informed of what ye do. [3.154] Then after sorrow He sent down security upon you, a calm coming upon a party of you, and (there was) another party whom their own souls had rendered anxious; they entertained about Allah thoughts of ignorance quite K 3:152-158 unjustly, saying: We have no hand in the affair. Say: Surely the affair is wholly Set 9, Count 22-28 (in the hands) of Allah. They conceal within their souls what they would not reveal to you. They say: Had we any hand in the affair, we would not have been slain here [in a Jihad battle]. Say: Had you remained in your houses, those for whom slaughter was ordained [in a Jihad battle] would certainly have gone forth to the places where they would be slain, and that Allah might test what was in your breasts and that He might purge what was in your hearts; and Allah knows what is in the breasts. [3.155] (As for) those of you who turned back on the day when the two armies met, only the Satan sought to cause them to make a slip on account of some deeds they had done, and certainly Allah has pardoned them; surely Allah is Forgiving, Forbearing. [3.156] O you who believe! be not like those who disbelieve and say of their brethren when they travel in the earth or engage in fighting: Had they been with us, they would not have died and they would not have been slain; so Allah makes this to be an intense regret in their hearts; and Allah 57

gives life and causes death and Allah sees what you do. [3.157] And if you are slain in the way of Allah or you die, certainly forgiveness from Allah and mercy is better than what they amass [what those who stay home from Jihad receive—no booty and no perks in heaven]. [3.158] And if indeed you die or you are slain, certainly to Allah shall you be gathered together. [3.165] What! when a misfortune befell you, and you [Muslims] had certainly afflicted (the unbelievers) with twice as much [with Jihad], you began to say: Whence is this? Say: It is from yourselves; surely Allah has power over all things. [3.166] And what befell you on the day when the two armies met K 3:165-167 ([the Battle of] Uhud) was with Allah's knowledge, and that He might know Set 10, Count 29the believers. [3.167] And that He might know the hypocrites; and it was said 31 to them: Come, fight in Allah's way, or defend yourselves. They said: If we knew fighting, we would certainly have followed you. They were on that day much nearer to unbelief than to belief. They say with their mouths what is not in their hearts, and Allah best knows what they conceal. And reckon not those who are killed in Allah's way as dead; nay, they are K 3:169 alive (and) are provided sustenance from their Lord [meaning they are Set 11, Count 32 enjoying their 72 virgins in heaven]; [3.172] (As for) those who responded (at [the Battle of] Uhud) to the call of Allah and the Apostle after a wound had befallen them, those among them K 3:172-173 who do good (to others) and guard (against evil) shall have a great reward. Set 12, Count [3.173] Those to whom the people said: Surely men have gathered against 33+34 you [in battle], therefore fear them, but this increased their faith, and they said: Allah is sufficient for us and most excellent is the Protector. So their Lord accepted their prayer: That I will not waste the work of a worker among you, whether male or female, the one of you being from the other; they, therefore, who fled and were turned out of their homes and persecuted in My K 3:195 Set 13, Count 35 way and who fought and were slain, I will most certainly cover their evil deeds, and I will most certainly make them enter gardens beneath which rivers flow; a reward from Allah, and with Allah is yet better reward. [4.71] O you who believe! take your precaution, then go forth in detachments or go forth in a body [to war]. [4.72] And surely among you is he who would K 4:071-072 Set 14, Count certainly hang back [from Jihad]! If then a misfortune befalls you he says: 36+37 Surely Allah conferred a benefit on me that I was not present with them [in Jihad]. [4.74] Therefore let those fight in the way of Allah, who sell this world's life for the hereafter; and whoever fights in the way of Allah, then be he slain or be he victorious, We shall grant him a mighty reward. [4.75] And what reason have you that you should not fight in the way of Allah and of the weak among the men and the women and the children, (of) those who say: Our Lord! cause us to go forth from this town, whose people are oppressors, and give us from Thee a guardian and give us from Thee a helper. [4.76] Those K 4:074-077 Set 15, Count 38- who believe fight in the way of Allah, and those who disbelieve fight in the 41 way of the Satan. Fight therefore against the friends of the Satan; surely the strategy of the Satan is weak. [4.77] Have you not seen those to whom it was said: Withhold your hands, and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate; but when fighting is prescribed for them, lo! a party of them fear men as they ought to have feared Allah, or (even) with a greater fear, and say: Our Lord! why hast Thou ordained fighting for us? Wherefore didst Thou not grant us a delay to a near end? Say: The provision of this world is short, and the hereafter is better 58

for him who guards (against evil); and you shall not be wronged the husk of a date stone. Fight then in Allah's way; this is not imposed on you except in relation to yourself, and rouse the believers to ardor maybe Allah will restrain the K 4:084 Set 16, Count 42 fighting of those who disbelieve and Allah is strongest in prowess and strongest to give an exemplary punishment. [4.89] They desire that you should disbelieve as they have disbelieved, so that you might be (all) alike; therefore take not from among them friends until they fly (their homes) in Allah's way; but if they turn back [to their homes], then seize them and kill them wherever you find them, and take not from among them a friend or a helper. [4.90] Except those who reach a people between whom and you there is an alliance, or who come to you, their hearts shrinking from fighting you or fighting their own people; and if Allah had pleased, He would have given them power over you, so that they should have certainly K 4:089-091 Set 17, Count 43- fought you; therefore if they withdraw from you and do not fight you and offer 45 you peace, then Allah has not given you a way against them [Allah supposedly does not allow Muslims to fight people friendly to Muslims]. [4.91] You will find others who desire that they should be safe from you and secure from their own people; as often as they are sent back to the mischief they get thrown into it headlong; therefore if they do not withdraw from you, and (do not) offer you peace and restrain their hands, then seize them and kill them wherever you find them; and against these We have given you a clear authority.

K 4:094-095 Set 18, Count 46+47

[4.94] O you who believe! when you go to war in Allah's way, make investigation, and do not say to any one who offers you peace: You are not a believer. Do you seek goods of this world's life! [Meaning that Muslim ought not say someone is a non-Muslim just to plunder him.] But with Allah there are abundant gains; you too were such before, then Allah conferred a benefit on you; therefore make investigation; surely Allah is aware of what you do. [4.95] The holders back from among the believers, not having any injury, and those who strive hard [Jihad] in Allah's way with their property and their persons are not equal; Allah has made the strivers with their property and their persons to excel the holders back a (high) degree, and to each (class) Allah has promised good; and Allah shall grant to the strivers [i.e., Jihadist] above the holders back a mighty reward:

[4.100] And whoever flies in Allah's way [forsakes his home to fight in Jihad], he will find in the earth many a place of refuge and abundant resources, and whoever goes forth from his house flying to Allah and His Apostle, and then death overtakes him [in Jihad], his reward is indeed with Allah and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. [4.101] Rodwell: And when ye go forth to war in the land, it shall be no crime in you to cut short your prayers, if ye fear lest the infidels come upon you; Verily, the infidels are K 4:100-104 Set 19, Count 48- your undoubted enemies! [4.102] And when you are among them and keep up the prayer for them, let a party of them stand up with you, and let them 52 take their arms; then when they have prostrated themselves let them go to your rear, and let another party who have not prayed come forward and pray with you, and let them take their precautions and their arms; (for) those who disbelieve desire that you may be careless of your arms and your luggage, so that they may then turn upon you with a sudden united attack, and there is no blame on you, if you are annoyed with rain or if you are sick, that you 59

lay down your arms, and take your precautions; surely Allah has prepared a disgraceful chastisement for the unbelievers. [4.103] Khalifa: Once you complete your Contact Prayer (Salat), you shall remember GOD while standing, sitting, or lying down. Once the war is over, you shall observe the Contact Prayers (Salat); the Contact Prayers (Salat) are decreed for the believers at specific times. [4.104] And be not weak hearted in pursuit of the enemy; if you suffer pain, then surely they (too) suffer pain as you suffer pain, and you hope from Allah what they do not hope; and Allah is Knowing, Wise. Sher Ali: Those who await your ruin. If you have a victory [in Jihad] from Allah, they say, ‘Were we not with you?’ And if the disbelievers have a share of it, they say to them, ‘Did we not on a previous occasion get the better of you K 4:141 Set 20, Count 53 and save you from the believers?’ Allah will judge between you on the day of Resurrection; and Allah will not grant the disbelievers a way to prevail against the believers. The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His apostle and strive to make mischief in the land is only this, that they should be K 5:033 murdered or crucified or their hands and their feet should be cut off on Set 21, Count 54 opposite sides or they should be imprisoned [Pickthall and Yusuf Ali have "exiled" rather than "imprisoned"]; this shall be as a disgrace for them in this world, and in the hereafter they shall have a grievous chastisement, O you who believe! be careful of (your duty to) Allah and seek means of K 5:035 nearness to Him and strive hard [at Jihad] in His way that you may be Set 22, Count 55 successful. Certainly you will find the most violent of people in enmity for those who K 5:082 believe (to be) the Jews [compare " with "whenever Jews kindle fire for Set 23, Count 56 war, Allah [Muslims] puts it out" (K 005:064)] and those who are polytheists [while they are converted to Islam on pain of death]... Pickthall: They ask thee (O Muhammad) of the spoils of war. Say: The spoils of war belong to Allah and the messenger, so keep your duty to Allah, and K 8:001 Set 24, Count 57 adjust the matter of your difference, and obey Allah and His messenger, if ye are (true) believers. K 8:005 Even as your Lord caused you to go forth from your house with the truth, Set 25, Count 58 though a party of the believers were surely averse; Yusuf Ali: Behold! Allah promised you one of the two (enemy) parties, that K 8:007 it should be yours: Ye wished that the one unarmed should be yours, but Set 26, Count 59 Allah willed to justify the Truth according to His words and to cut off the roots of the Unbelievers; [8.9]When you sought aid from your Lord [at the Battle of Badr], so He answered you: I will assist you [in Jihad] with a thousand of the angels following one another [see K 008:012]. [8.10] And Allah only gave it as a good news and that your hearts might be at ease thereby; and victory is only from Allah; surely Allah is Mighty, Wise. When your Lord revealed to the angels: I am with you, therefore make firm K 8:012 those who believe. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Set 28, Count 62 Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them. K 8:009-010 Set 27, Count 60+61

[8.15] O you who believe! when you meet those who disbelieve marching K 8:015-017 Set 29, Count 63- for war, then turn not your backs to them. [8.16] And whoever shall turn his 65 back to them on that day—unless he turn aside for the sake of fighting or 60

withdraws to a company—then he, indeed, becomes deserving of Allah's wrath, and his abode is hell; and an evil destination shall it be. [8.17] So you did not slay them, but it was Allah Who slew them, and you did not smite when you smote (the enemy), but it was Allah Who smote [Allah gets the credit for Jihad], and that He might confer upon the believers a good gift from Himself; surely Allah is Hearing, Knowing. [8.39] Shakir: And fight with them until there is no more persecution and religion should be only for Allah; but if they desist, then surely Allah sees what they do. [8.40] Yusuf Ali: If they [unbelievers] refuse [to stop fighting], be sure that God is your Protector—the best to protect and the best to help. [8.41] Shakir: And know that whatever thing [loot] you gain, a fifth of it is for Allah and for the Apostle and for the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer, if you believe in Allah and in that which We revealed to Our servant, on the day of distinction, the day on which the two parties met [in a Jihad versus anti-Jihad battle]; and Allah has power over all things. [8.42] When you were on the nearer side (of the valley) and they were on the farthest side, while the caravan was in a lower place than you [the Makkan caravan the Muslims robbed]; and if you had mutually made an appointment, you would certainly have broken away from the appointment, but—in order that Allah might bring about a matter which was to be done, that he who would perish might perish by clear proof [bring success to Muslims engaged in robbing a caravan near Badr against all the odds], and he who would live might live by clear proof; and most surely Allah is Hearing, Knowing; [8.43] When Allah showed them [the Makkans] to you in your dream as few [fighters]; and if He had shown them [the Makkans] to you as many [fighters] you would certainly have become weak-hearted [i.e., K 8:039-048 hearts. See the similar discussion in K 002:249 about how a smaller army Set 30, Count 66can defeat a larger army] and you would have disputed about the matter, but 75 Allah saved (you); surely He is the Knower of what is in the breasts. [8.44] And when He showed them to you, when you met, as few [fighters] in your eyes and He made you to appear little [few fighters] in their eyes, in order that Allah might bring about a matter which was to be done [a Jihad versus anti-Jihad battle brought on by overconfidence in each side], and to Allah are all affairs returned. [8.45] O you who believe! when you meet a party [in battle], then be firm, and remember Allah much, that you may be successful. [8.46] And obey Allah and His Apostle and do not quarrel for then you will be weak in hearts [demoralized] and your power [to execute Jihad] will depart, and be patient; surely Allah is with the patient. [8.47] And be not like those [Makkans] who came forth from their homes [in an antiJihad War on Islamic terrorism] in great exultation and to be seen of men, and (who) turn away from the way of Allah, and Allah comprehends what they do. [8.48] And when the Satan made their works fair seeming to them, and [Satan] said [to the Makkans]: No one can overcome you this day, and surely I [Satan] am your protector: but when the two parties [Muslims versus Makkans] came in sight of each other he [Satan] turned upon his heels, and [Satan] said: Surely I am clear of you [the Makkans], surely I see what you do not see [Allah's angels], surely I fear Allah; and Allah is severe in requiting (evil). Pickthall: [8.57] If thou come on them in the war, deal with them so as to K 8:057-060 Set 31, Count 76- strike fear in those who are behind them, that haply they may remember. 79 [8.58] Khalifa: When you are betrayed by a group of people, you shall 61

mobilize against them in the same manner. GOD does not love the betrayers. [8.59] Shakir: And let not those who disbelieve think that they shall come in first; surely they will not escape. [8.60] And prepare against them what force you can and horses tied at the frontier, to frighten thereby the enemy of Allah and your enemy and others besides them, whom you do not know (but) Allah knows them; and whatever thing you will spend in Allah's way [for Jihad], it will be paid back to you fully and you shall not be dealt with unjustly. [8.65] O Prophet! urge the believers to war; if there are twenty patient ones of you they shall overcome two hundred, and if there are a hundred of you they shall overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve, because they are a people who do not understand [in other words, "do not understand totalitarian ideologies like Islam"]. [8.66] For the present Allah has made light your burden, and He knows that there is weakness in you; so if there are a hundred patient ones of you they shall overcome two hundred, and if there are a thousand they shall overcome two thousand by Allah's permission, and Allah is with the patient. [8.67] It is not fit for a prophet that he should take captives unless he has fought and triumphed in the land; you desire the frail goods [i.e., ransom money] of this world, while Allah desires (for you) the hereafter; and Allah is Mighty, Wise. [8.68] Had it not been for a previous ordainment [i.e., the revelation of K 008:067] from God, a severe penalty would have reached you for the (ransom) that you took [or better, "would have taken"]. [8.69] Eat then of the lawful and good (things) which you have acquired in war [war spoils], and be careful of (your duty to) Allah; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. [8.70] O Prophet! say to those of the captives [non-Muslims] who are in your hands: If Allah knows anything good in your hearts, He will give to you better than that K 8:065-075 which has been taken away from you [in Jihad] and will forgive you, and Set 32, Count 80Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. [8.71] Yusuf Ali: But if they have treacherous 90 designs against thee, (O Apostle!) , they have already been in treason against God, and so hath [has] He [Allah] given (thee) power over them. And God so He Who hath (full) knowledge and wisdom. [8.72] Yusuf Ali: Those who believed, and adopted exile, and fought for the Faith, with their property and their persons, in the cause of God, as well as those who gave (them) asylum and aid, - these are (all) friends and protectors, one of another. As to those who believed but came not into exile, ye [you] owe no duty of protection to them until they come into exile; but if they seek your aid in religion, it is your duty to help them, except against a people with whom ye have a treaty of mutual alliance. And (remember) God seeth [sees] all that ye do. [8.73] Yusuf Ali: The Unbelievers are protectors, one of another: Unless ye do this, (protect each other), there would be tumult and oppression on earth, and great mischief. [8.74] Yusuf Ali: Those who believe, and adopt exile, and fight for the Faith, in the cause of God as well as those who give (them) asylum and aid, - these are (all) in very truth the Believers: for them is the forgiveness of sins and a provision most generous. [8.75] Yusuf Ali: And those who accept Faith subsequently, and adopt exile, and fight for the Faith in your company,—they are of you. But kindred by blood have prior rights against each other in the Book of God. Verily God is well acquainted with all things. So when the sacred months have passed away, then slay the idolaters K 9:005 wherever you find them, and take them captives and besiege them and lie in Set 33, Count 91 wait for them in every ambush, then if they repent and keep up prayer and pay 62

the poor-rate, leave their way free to them; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. [9.12] And if they break their oaths after their agreement and (openly) revile your religion, then fight the leaders of unbelief—surely their oaths are nothing—so that they may desist. [9.13] What! will you not fight a people K 9:012-014 who broke their oaths and aimed at the expulsion of the Apostle, and they Set 34, Count 92attacked you first; do you fear them? But Allah is most deserving that you 94 should fear Him, if you are believers. [9.14] Fight them, Allah will punish them by your hands and bring them to disgrace, and assist you against them and heal the hearts of a believing people. What! do you think that you will be left alone while Allah has not yet known those of you who have struggled hard [Jihad] and have not taken any one as K 9:016 Set 35, Count 95 an adherent besides Allah and His Apostle and the believers; and Allah is aware of what you do.

K 9:019-020 Set 36, Count 96+97

[9.19] What! do you make (one who undertakes) the giving of drink to the pilgrims and the guarding of the Sacred Mosque like him who believes in Allah and the latter day and strives hard in Allah's way [Jihad]? They are not equal with Allah; and Allah does not guide the unjust people. [9.20] Those who believed and fled (their homes), and strove hard [Jihad] in Allah's way with their property and their souls, are much higher in rank with Allah; and those are they who are the achievers (of their objects).

[9.24] Say: If your fathers and your sons and your brethren and your mates and your kinsfolk and property which you have acquired, and the slackness of trade which you fear and dwellings which you like, are dearer to you than Allah and His Apostle and striving in His way [Jihad]:, then wait till Allah brings about His command [to go on Jihad]: and Allah does not guide the transgressing people. [9.25] Certainly Allah helped you in many battlefields K 9:024-026 Set 37, Count 98- and on the day of [the Battle of] Hunain, when your great numbers made 100 you vain, but they availed you nothing and the earth became strait to you notwithstanding its spaciousness, then you turned back retreating. [9.26] Then Allah sent down His tranquility upon His Apostle and upon the believers, and sent down hosts which you did not see, and chastised those who disbelieved [Muhammad gives credit to angels and Allah for the actions of Jihadists], and that is the reward of the unbelievers. Fight those who do not believe in Allah, nor in the latter day, nor do they prohibit what Allah and His Apostle have prohibited, nor follow the K 9:029 religion of truth, out of those who have been given the Book, until they pay Set 38, Count 101 the tax in acknowledgment of superiority and they are in a state of subjection. Surely the number of months with Allah is twelve months in Allah's ordinance since the day when He created the heavens and the earth, of these four being K 9:036 sacred; that is the right reckoning; therefore be not unjust to yourselves Set 39, Count 102 regarding them, and fight the polytheists all together as they fight you all together; and know that Allah is with those who guard (against evil). K 9:038-039 Set 40, Count 103+104

[9.38] O you who believe! What (excuse) have you that when it is said to you: Go forth in Allah's way [to Jihad], you should incline heavily to earth; are you contented with this world's life instead of the hereafter? But the provision of this world's life compared with the hereafter is but little. [9.38] If you do not go forth [to go on Jihad], He will chastise you with a painful chastisement and bring in your place a people other than you [to go on 63

Jihad], and you will do Him no harm; and Allah has power over all things. They do not ask leave of you who believe in Allah and the latter day (to stay K 9:041 away) from striving hard with their property and their persons [Jihad], and Set 41, Count 105 Allah knows those who guard (against evil). They do not ask leave of you who believe in Allah and the latter day (to stay K 9:044 away) from striving hard [Jihad] with their property and their persons, and Set 42, Count 106 Allah knows those who guard (against evil). Say: Do you await for us but one of two most excellent things? And we await K 9:052 for you that Allah will afflict you with punishment from Himself or by our Set 43, Count 107 hands. So wait; we too will wait with you. O Prophet! strive hard [Jihad] against the unbelievers and the hypocrites K 9:073 Set 44, Count 108 and be unyielding to them; and their abode is hell, and evil is the destination. Those who were left behind were glad on account of their sitting behind Allah's Apostle and they were averse from striving m Allah's way [Jihad] with K 9:081 their property and their persons, and said: Do not go forth [to Jihad] in Set 45, Count 109 the heat. Say: The fire of hell is much severe in heat. Would that they understood (it). Therefore if Allah brings you back to a party of them and then they ask your permission to go forth, say: By no means shall you ever go forth with me and K 9:083 Set 46, Count 110 by no means shall you fight an enemy with me [in Jihad]; surely you chose to sit the first time, therefore sit (now) with those who remain behind. And whenever a chapter is revealed, saying: Believe in Allah and strive hard [in Jihad] along with His Apostle, those having ampleness of means ask K 9:086 Set 47, Count 111 permission of you and say: Leave us (behind), that we may be with those who sit. But the Apostle and those who believe with him strive hard [in Jihad] with K 9:088 their property and their persons; and these it is who shall have the good Set 48, Count 112 things and these it is who shall be successful. Yusuf Ali: Nor (is there blame) on those who came to thee to be provided with mounts [saddles on which to go to war], and when thou said, "I can K 9:092 find no mounts for you," they turned back, their eyes streaming with tears Set 49, Count 113 of grief that they had no resources wherewith to provide the expenses [to go on Jihad]. 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; a promise which is binding on Him in the Taurat and the Injeel K 9:111 Set 50, Count 114 and the Quran; and who is more faithful to his covenant than Allah? Rejoice therefore in the pledge which you have made; and that is the mighty achievement. Yusuf Ali: It was not fitting for the people of Madina and the Bedouin Arabs of the neighborhood, to refuse to follow Allah's Messenger, nor to prefer their own lives to his: because nothing could they suffer or do, but was reckoned to their credit as a deed of righteousness,- whether they suffered thirst, or K 9:120 Set 51, Count 115 fatigue, or hunger, in the cause of Allah [while on a march to Jihad], or trod paths to raise the ire of the Unbelievers [invade their territory], or received any injury whatever from an enemy [during a Jihad battle]: for Allah suffers not the reward to be lost of those who do good; K 9:122-123

[9.122] Pickthall: And the believers should not all go out to fight. Of every 64

Set 52, Count 116+117

troop of them, a party only should go forth, that they (who are left behind) may gain sound knowledge in religion, and that they may warn their folk when they return to them, so that they may beware. [9.123] O you who believe! fight those of the unbelievers who are near to you and let them find in you hardness; and know that Allah is with those who guard (against evil).

Yusuf Ali: But verily thy Lord,- to those who leave their homes after trials and K 16:110 persecutions,- and who thereafter strive and fight for the faith and patiently Set 53, Count 118 persevere,- Thy Lord, after all this is oft-forgiving, Most Merciful. Permission (to fight) is given to those upon whom war is made because they K 22:039 Set 54, Count 119 are oppressed, and most surely Allah is well able to assist them; Sher Ali: And those who leave their homes for the cause of Allah, and are K 22:058 then slain or die, Allah will, surely, provide for them a goodly provision. Set 55, Count 120 And, surely, Allah is the Best of providers. And strive hard [in Jihad] in (the way of) Allah, (such) a striving a is due to Him; He has chosen you and has not laid upon you a hardship in religion; the faith of your father Ibrahim; He named you Muslims before and in this, that the K 22:078 Messenger may be a bearer of witness to you, and you may be bearers of Set 56, Count 121 witness to the people; therefore keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate and hold fast by Allah; He is your Guardian; how excellent the Guardian and how excellent the Helper! And they swear by Allah with the most energetic of their oaths that if you command them they would certainly go forth [to Jihad (see K 024:055)]. K 24:053 Set 57, Count 122 Say: Swear not; reasonable obedience (is desired); surely Allah is aware of what you do. Allah has promised to those of you who believe and do good that He will most certainly make them rulers in the earth [as a reward for going on Jihad (see K 024:053)] as He made rulers those before them, and that He will K 24:055 most certainly establish for them their religion which He has chosen for them, Set 58, Count 123 and that He will most certainly, after their fear, give them security in exchange; they shall serve Me, not associating aught with Me; and whoever is ungrateful after this, these it is who are the transgressors. Palmer: So obey not the unbelievers and fight strenuously with them in K 25:052 Set 59, Count 124 many a strenuous fight. And whoever strives hard [in Jihad], he strives only for his own soul; most K 29:006 Set 60, Count 125 surely Allah is Self-sufficient, above (need of) the worlds. And (as for) those who strive hard [in Jihad] for Us [Allah], We will most K 29:069 certainly guide them in Our ways; and Allah is most surely with the doers of Set 61, Count 126 good. Pickthall: And verily they had already sworn unto Allah that they would K 33:015 not turn their backs (to the foe) [in Jihad battle]. An oath to Allah must be Set 62, Count 127 answered for. Allah knows indeed those among you who hinder others and those who say to K 33:018 Set 63, Count 128 their brethren: Come to us; and they come not to the fight [Jihad] but a little, They think the allies are not gone, and if the allies should come (again) they would fain [gladly] be in the deserts with the desert Arabs asking for news K 33:020 Set 64, Count 129 about you, and if they were among you they would not fight save a little [in Jihad].

65

Pickthall: Of the believers are men who are true to that which they covenanted K 33:023 with Allah. Some of them have paid their vow by death (in battle), and Set 65, Count 130 some of them still are waiting; and they have not altered in the least. [33.25] And Allah turned back the unbelievers in their rage; they did not obtain any advantage, and Allah sufficed the believers in fighting; and Allah is Strong, Mighty. [33.26] And He drove down those of the followers of the Book K 33:25-27 who backed them from their fortresses and He cast awe into their hearts; some Set 66, Count 131[Jews] you killed and you took captive another part. [33.27] And He made 133 you heirs to their [Jewish] land and their dwellings and their property, and (to) a land which you have not yet trodden, and Allah has power over all things. O Prophet! surely We have made lawful to you your wives whom you have given their dowries, and those [captive women] whom your right hand possesses out of those whom Allah has given to you as prisoners of war, and the daughters of your paternal uncles and the daughters of your paternal aunts, and the daughters of your maternal uncles and the daughters of your K 33:050 Set 67, Count 134 maternal aunts who fled with you; and a believing woman if she gave herself to the Prophet, if the Prophet desired to marry her—specially for you, not for the (rest of) believers; We know what We have ordained for them concerning their wives and those whom their right hands possess in order that no blame may attach to you; and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. K 42:039 Sale: ...and who, when an injury is done them, avenge themselves... Set 68, Count 135 So when you meet in battle those who disbelieve, then smite the necks until when you have overcome them, then make (them) prisoners, and afterwards either set them free as a favor or let them ransom (themselves) K 47:004 until the war terminates. That (shall be so); and if Allah had pleased He Set 69, Count 136 would certainly have exacted what is due from them, but that He may try some of you by means of others; and (as for) those who are slain in the way of Allah, He will by no means allow their deeds to perish. And those who believe say: Why has not a chapter been revealed? But when a decisive chapter is revealed, and fighting [allusion to Jihad] is mentioned K 47:020 Set 70, Count 137 therein you see those in whose hearts is a disease look to you with the look of one fainting because of death. Woe to them then! Rodwell: Be not fainthearted then; and invite not the infidels to peace K 47:035 when ye have the upper hand: for God is with you, and will not defraud Set 71, Count 138 you of the recompense of your works... [48.15] Pickthall: Those who were left behind will say, when ye set forth to capture booty: Let us go with you. They fain would change the verdict of Allah. Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Ye shall not go with us. Thus hath Allah said beforehand. Then they will say: Ye are envious of us. Nay, but they understand not, save a little. [48.16] Shakir: Say to those of the dwellers of the K 48:15-24 desert who were left behind: You shall soon be invited (to fight) against a Set 72, Count 139people possessing mighty prowess; you will fight against them until they 148 submit; then if you obey, Allah will grant you a good reward [booty]; and if you turn back as you turned back before, He will punish you with a painful punishment. [48.17] Pickthall: There is no blame for the blind, nor is there blame for the lame, nor is there blame for the sick (that they go not forth to war). And whoso obeyeth Allah and His messenger [by going on 66

Jihad], He will make him enter Gardens underneath which rivers flow; and whoso turneth back [from Jihad], him will He punish with a painful doom. [48.18] Certainly Allah was well pleased with the believers when they swore allegiance to you under the tree, and He knew what was in their hearts, so He sent down tranquility on them and rewarded them with a near victory, [48.19] And much booty that they will capture. Allah is ever Mighty, Wise. [48.20] Allah promised you many acquisitions which you will take, then He hastened on this one for you and held back the hands of men from you, and that it may be a sign for the believers and that He may guide you on a right path. [48.21] Sale: And [he also promiseth you] other [spoils], which ye have not [yet] been able [to take]: But now hath God encompassed them [for you]; and God is almighty. [48.22] And if those who disbelieve fight with you, they would certainly turn (their) backs, then they would not find any protector or a helper. [48.23] Such [i.e., the Jihad mentioned the previous verse] has been the course [practice] of Allah that has indeed run before, and you shall not find a change in Allah’s course. [48.24] And He [Allah] it is Who held back their hands from you and your hands from them [in Jihad] in the valley of Mecca after He had given you victory over them; and Allah is Seeing what you do. Sale: Verily the true believers [are] those only who believe in God and his apostle, and afterwards doubt not; and who employ their substance and their K 49:015 Set 73, Count 149 persons in the defense of God's true religion: These are they who speak sincerely. He it is Who caused those who disbelieved of the followers of the Book to go forth from their homes at the first banishment you did not think that they would go forth, while they were certain that their fortresses would defend them K 59:002 against Allah; but Allah came to them whence they did not expect, and cast Set 74, Count 150 terror into their hearts; they demolished their houses with their own hands and the hands of the believers [i.e. Muslims demolished Jewish homes]; therefore take a lesson, O you who have eyes! Pickthall:[59.5] Whatsoever palm-trees you cut—cut down or left standing on their roots [during a Jihad siege of the Jews at Madina], it was by Allah's leave, in order that He might confound the evil-livers [Jews]. [59.6] And that which Allah gave as spoil unto His messenger from them, you urged not any horse or riding-camel for the sake thereof, but Allah gives His messenger lordship over whom He will. Allah is Able to do all things. [59.7] That which Allah gives as [war] spoil unto His messenger from the K 59:5-8 Set 75, Count 151- people of the townships [Jews], it is for Allah and His messenger and for the 154 near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer, that it become not a commodity between the rich among you. And whatsoever [spoils] the messenger gives you, take it. And whatsoever he forbids, abstain (from it). And keep your duty to Allah. Lo! Allah is stern in reprisal. [59.8] And (it is) for the poor fugitives who have been driven out from their homes and their belongings, who seek bounty [war spoils] from Allah and help Allah and His messenger. They are the loyal. They will not fight against you in a body save in fortified towns or from behind walls; their fighting between them is severe, you may think them as K 59:014 Set 76, Count 155 one body, and their hearts are disunited; that is because they are a people who have no sense. K 60:009

Allah only forbids you respecting those who made war upon you on 67

Set 77, Count 156 account of (your) religion [i.e., no fraternizing with the enemy], and drove you forth from your homes and backed up (others) in your expulsion, that you make friends with them, and whoever makes friends with them, these are the unjust. Surely Allah loves those who fight in His way in ranks as if they were a K 61:004 Set 78, Count 157 firm and compact wall. You shall believe in Allah and His Apostle, and struggle hard in Allah's way K 61:011 [Jihad] with your property and your lives; that is better for you, did you but Set 79, Count 158 know! And yet another (blessing) that you love: help from Allah and a victory [in K 61:013 Set 80, Count 159 Jihad] near at hand; and give good news to the believers. And when you see them, their persons will please you, and If they speak, you will listen to their speech; (they are) as if they were big pieces of wood clad with garments; they think every cry to be against them. They are the K 63:004 Set 81, Count 160 enemy, therefore beware of them; may Allah destroy them, whence are they turned back? [This verse speaks of internecine Jihad against Muslims deemed infidels or "hypocrites."] O you who believe! surely from among your wives and your children there K 64:014 is an enemy to you; therefore beware of them [collaborators with the Set 82, Count 161 enemy, especially if the women were once war spoils]; and if you pardon and forbear and forgive, then surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. K 66:009 O Prophet! strive hard against the unbelievers and the hypocrites, and be Set 83, Count 162 hard against them; and their abode is hell; and evil is the resort. Surely your Lord knows that you pass in prayer nearly two-thirds of the night, and (sometimes) half of it, and (sometimes) a third of it, and (also) a party of those with you; and Allah measures the night and the day. He knows that you are not able to do it, so He has turned to you (mercifully), therefore read what is easy of the Quran. He knows that there must be among you sick, and others K 73:020 who travel in the land seeking of the bounty of Allah, and others who fight in Set 84, Count 163 Allah's way, therefore read as much of it as is easy (to you), and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate and offer to Allah a goodly gift, and whatever of good you send on beforehand for yourselves, you will find it with Allah; that is best and greatest in reward; and ask forgiveness of Allah; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. And they [Muslims] give food out of love for Him [Allah] to the poor and K 76:008 Set 85, Count 164 the orphan and the captive [of Jihad]... VI. Footnotes 1

This list was compiled based on the examination of similar lists, the major ones being: 1) Richardson, Don. Secrets of the Koran. Regal, Venture, California 2003, Appendix B, p. 254, "The Koran's 109 War Passages," 2) Winn, Craig. "What did Muhammad have to say about...," www.ProphetOfDoom.net, accessed 3 May 2004, 3) Bailey, Rev. Richard P. "Jihad: The Teaching of Islam From Its Primary Sources--The Quran and Hadith," http://Answering-Islam.org/Bailey/jihad.html, accessed 4 May 2004, and 4) various chapters of Goel, Sita Ram. The Calcutta Quran Petition, Voice Of India, New Delhi 1999, 3rd edition (online: www.voi.org/books). 2 To make the text more readable, consider using the Browser's View Menu Text Size option. Also, a version of this list with different formatting is found at: www.Angelfire.com/Moon/YoelNatan/KoranWarPassagesFormat.htm. 3 Various English translations of the Koran can be found online, e.g. at www.QuranBrowser.com. 4 Copyright © 2004 by Yoel Natan. This list may be distributed and printed freely with proper attribution: "Compiled by Yoel Natan, 2004, www.Yoel.Info." If you modify this list, please mention Yoel Natan, 2004, www.Yoel.Info, in a footnote. Thank-you!

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Chapter VI Testimony of an Apostate This testimony is long. Don’t read it if you have something important to do because once you start you won’t be able to stop. Abdul Quddus explains how Muslim propagandists lie and portray a peaceful image of Islam in order to make the unwary westerners fall into their trap, and then they slowly brainwash him and inculcate in him the hatred of everyone, particularly the Jew. He talks about the double standard and the hypocrisy of virtually all the Muslims, including the so called moderates, who on one hand rejoice every time a Jew or an American is killed and on the other hand, despite having seen the videos of the Jihadis bragging about the 9/11, brazenly deny that it was the work of Muslims and accuse the Jews for it. He explains how, once he converted to Islam, he was so brainwashed that he contemplated joining the jihad, to kill innocent people and becoming a “martyrs”. This testimony is an eye opener for anyone contemplating converting to Islam. It is a must read for anyone who wants to have a glimpse of Islam from inside. If you have teenagers at home ask them to read it. This testimony could save their lives. Please spread it. As I have always said, Islam will be dismantled by the pen of ex-Muslims. Ali Sina

I Left Islam 16 03 2007

Journey Through Islam The testimony of a former convert to Islam By: Abdul-Quddus [Final Draft: 03/16/07]

I’m often asked, despite knowing the pros and cons of Islaam, why would a Westerner embrace a religion they hated? Though surrounded by believers, while growing up as a child, I was essentially an agnostic. I pondered that, if this Creator actually existed, an unbiased investigation was needed to discover who He was and what He wanted from me. The following testimony is a trustworthy account of a journey through Islaam. I was raised by non-practicing Christians who immigrated to Canada from an anonymous country near the Caribbean. In the beginning, our family would occasionally attend Sunday’s church services. However, my mother later realized that her husband’s inattention and son’s rebellious behaviour during the sermons conveyed an undeniable expression of disbelief. Considering we had more nominal believers in the household, our church visits as a family unit slowly withered and then finally ended abruptly. To my adolescent mind, the deity of the Judeo-Christian faith baffled me. I would curse the Biblical God, who although was once supposedly involved in human affairs, for now being idle during all the injustice and suffering I saw rampant in my world. However, following the blasphemous 69

utterance, I’d immediately reprimand myself. To battle my agnosticism, during age twelve, my parents gave permission for the public school to have myself proselytized to by a Christian minister. In an experiment that would likely be illegal today within public school walls, a few other parents consented and we children were in the library being handed a red book labeled ‘The New Testament’. This book I would soon abuse with a black-ink marker with obscenities and my scissors. Without any guidance or education, I was left confused about God, albeit, the JudeoChristian interpretation of the being. Beside from my almost quasi-religious upbringing, early in my youth I had close contact with a conservative Christian family that would subsequently influence my behaviour and thinking. One of their boys was my age and I would never find a closer companion and friend in life like him. Originally from Newfoundland, the father was a minister and both husband and wife had a zealous demeanor towards their sons. To my shock, even uttering “damn” in their home was reprehensible and would bring chastisement. The mother always fed me as if I were her visiting nephew, even though we were not related by blood. Aside from my immediate family, from these people I perceived love and friendship. Although disciplined and strict, the warmth and compassion received from this God-fearing family I would consider ideal and exemplary in a world void of. As a teenager, an encounter with a Jehovah’s Witness introduced me to another kind of believer. While waiting at a bus-stop, standing beside myself was a woman who suddenly began preaching to me from her copy of the Bible. Throughout the pages, her penned notes around the verses, which accumulated over the years, caught my interest. In order to approach a complete stranger in this manner, she must surely have believed in her religion, I thought. The sense of purpose and spiritual fulfillment she seemed to receive from her religious practice would plant a seed on my own spiritual path. During my mid-teenage high school years, I developed a severe clinical depression that would endure for many years affecting my religious perspective. My social and academic life became strained and eventually I found myself dropping-out of high schools repeatedly. During one early morning, I came across Nightlite Live, a call-in television show about prayer, repentance, and salvation. The messages of hope from the counsellors were candy for the downtrodden folk and I would frequently view the program. I resonated with the despondent callers. This Christian-owned television station CTS was balanced and tolerant enough to allot program space for other religions faiths in order to reach their adherents. The hope I was receiving from these Christian ministers watered that planted seed given earlier by the Jehovah’s Witness preacher. My clinical depression would become propellant for a now unequivocal spiritual endeavour. Browsing through a CD-ROM encyclopedia, I came across the section on ‘Religion’ and would gravitate towards the entries on Buddhism. The biographies of the world’s religious figures was a favourite read but I then attempted to educate myself on doctrine and theology. An upbringing of Christianity could not motivate me, however, the gnostic perspective on the Gospel almost renewed a passion for Christ. The Baha’i Faith, being fairly new compared to other organized religions, was difficult to view as anything but a cult eclectically borrowing from a multitude of sources. The idea of a direct and transcribed communication with God, along with a photograph of the Arabic verses, ignited an interest in Islaam but my agnostic mindset squashed it within days. Hinduism offered nothing that Buddhism couldn’t deliver and, to my knowledge, even absorbed many elements of Buddhism. From the outside, Sikhism appeared steeply cultural and as a hybridization of Hinduism and Islaam. Daoism intrigued me for a brief period, but I later discarded the philosophy because it seemed to lack direction and purpose. From a comparative analysis of the world religions, the path of Buddhism and it’s founder resonated with me deeply and seemed closest to an absolute truth I’ve been searching for.

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I would return to the character of Siddhartha Gautama, who I resonated with personally. According to my comprehension, his character was impeccably ideal and his dispensation faultlessly moral and rational. Buddhism had profound wisdom, encouraged independent thinking, discouraged blind faith, was not exclusive but inclusive for all humankind, and could be practiced without the superstitious beliefs abound in other religions. With an agnostic and/or atheistic temperament, and a leaning towards scientific inquiry than blind faith, Buddhism seemed befitting. Influenced by my discoveries in the encyclopedia, I would pursue a devout Buddhist practice that would last six years. However, for reasons and causes unbeknownst to me then, the Buddhist practice that once filled my life with meaning and purpose would meet with disenchantment. I would perform quadrupled fasts each month for uposatha, an occasion dedicated for intense discipline, doctrinal study, chanting and reflection. The duration of each fast spanned from noon until the next day, with a break in between for plain tea. Although most Buddhists partaking in this observance would be at the temple, I eventually chose the confines of my bedroom in isolation. My withdrawal from public life and antisocial behaviour would be the result stemming from a surging illness of clinical depression. The total lack of guidance from engaging mentors, and sole reliance on inanimate books for my religion stifled my inspiration and I began to experience disenchantment. In retrospect, if it were not for a family member converting to Islaam, I would likely have not embraced it myself. Having a lost loved one unanticipatedly reappear and noticeably dedicated to this Arab “cult” would spark my curiosity. Recent terrorist campaigns overseas by Muslim extremists were escalating and the need to understand the Muslim perspective was paramount. My obligation to reconnect with my sibling would contribute Islaam to affect my own religious experience. Out of curiosity of Muslims, belief in Islaam, and fear of Allaah, I considered the process of converting to Islaam to become Muslim. Beforehand, I’d been a mild opponent of Abrahamic religions. After an exigent probing of Islamic websites, inconceivably, I was mesmerized. Islaam wasn’t a cult, but a rich faith tradition that rivalled all others. I highly regarded the comradeship of the ummah (Muslim community), clarity of the Qur’aanic text, and simplicity of the religion for the adherent. I brought myself to open the Qur’aan, beginning with page numeral uno, Soorah alFaatihah. Islaam seemed created in a competently organized fashion. Allaah (Arabic; lit. The God) was distinguishably one and without partnership. Understandably, all those sincerely contemplating on converting to Islaam have already accepted theism over atheism. The primary attraction to Islaam was not in geometric Arabesque art, Islaamic-inspired calligraphy and architecture, the constant argumentatious fights over Middle Eastern politics, nor the latest innovative model of hookah. No question about it, on the minds of all sincere converts to Islaam was tawheed (monotheism, affirmation of the Oneness and Uniqueness of Allaah). In the past, I had encountered some uncompromising critics who vigorously presented explosive accusations on Islaam and the character of Prophet Muhammad. I was not unfamiliar with the charges of pedophilia, genocide, thievery, rape, and murder. Supposedly, Islaam was a barbaric cult stuck in seventh-century Arabia bereft of human rights and with a disavowal for advancement. Initially, as a kaafir (unbeliever), I had accepted some of the charges as true and was perhaps an “Islamophobe.” However, once I held a belief in Allaah and an admiration for Islaam, any propaganda or criticism could easily be dismissed as an undertaking to discredit the religion. I bared in mind that all organized religions harboured objectionable and disagreeable content, at least in the eyes of some. I was given a sanitized version of Islaam by moderate Muslims and read merely segments of the Qur’aan in English translation. Naturally, I felt compelled to fully trust the Muslims’ explanations since a selected few had the monopoly on this Arabic revelation from God. I

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decided to reject any subconscious Islamophobic mentality, ignore all anti-Islaamic subject matter, and solely submit myself to brainwashing Despite having close friendships with Muslims, my initial exposure to Islaamic subjects was via cable television. Airing on VisionTV, a nationwide Canadian multifaith and multicultural television network was a program called ‘Journey Through Islam’. Using material from the Islamic Information Service (IIS) based in California, this one-hour show featured conversion testimonials, documentries, interviews with scholars and thinkers (Maher Hathout, Muhammad Asad, Muzammil Siddiqi, Jamal Badawi, John Esposito, Yusuf Estes, Yusuf Islam, Hamza Yusuf, etc.), and snippets from Harun Yahya’s cunning videos on Creationism. Another program was ‘Let The Qur’an Speak’ by Shabir Ally which featured mostly Qur’aanic lectures and interviews. ‘Reflections on Islam’ by Ezz E. Gad and ‘Call of the Minaret’ by Steve Rockwell also were influential to my indoctrination. Besides the wealth of Islaamic programs on VisionTV, the Christian CTS network aired ‘Islam Today’ with host Bashir Khan and ‘The Muslim Chronicle’ hosted by Tarek Fatah. Both programs featured local interviews, documentaries and educational material. With this wealth of Islaamic education, my heart and mind was won. But by far, the most stimulating and persuasive piece of all was footage of a talk (titled: ‘Glorious Qur’an, The Liberator’) delivered in 1987 by Yusuf Islam (formerly the pop singer Cat Stevens) at the University of Houston wherein he spoke of the Prophets and their struggle to present the same revelation to mankind. With a pointed index finger and green Qur’aan in hand, he spoke with profound meaning, contentment, spirit, composure and enlightenment. His gift left me in awe and craving what a billion Muslims possessed; a sense of purpose. With assistance from cunning Muslim proselytizers, I deprogrammed my acquired beliefs and swallowed the da’waganda. After one converts and embraces this religion, all previous sins will be blotted out. Even the name ‘Islaam’ (submission, to the will of God) seemed truthful and posed actual meaning; the other religions were either named after a man or tribe. Apparently, the Jews were strict monotheists but had rejected Jesus, while the Christians accepted Jesus but then rejected Muhammad. At the time, Islaam seemed a sure option as “Judaism was for Jews” and Christianity had the “polytheistic” Trinity. One common point delivered repeatedly to me was how only in Islaam had a revelation been absolutely preserved in its original language uncorrupted. No brilliant criticisms of Buddhism were given; no Muslims knew what the Buddha actually taught. As I became increasingly impressed with the Islaamic position on theism, Buddhism seemed odd with its absence of an omnipotent Creator God and obscure purpose for man’s existence. I saw the superb design pervasive throughout creationism that pointed to a higher intelligence. Coupled with clinical depression and a loss of conviction, I became disillusioned with Buddhism. Vegetarianism became too strenuous to endure. If Allaah willed meat for our consumption, and I disagreed by being a vegetarian, it would put me with the munafiqeen (hypocrites) since I would be protesting to have more knowledge than Allaah al-Hakeem (the Most Wise). With Islaam, I could return to succulent meat-eating dinners and abandon my daunting dream of becoming a monk. However, now that I was admonished with threats by al-Qur’aan, I was fearing Hellfire for believing yet denying the revelation simultaneously. Harbouring an aversion for a decadent Judaeo-Christian modernity, believers born into Christianity began to search for meaning elsewhere. The prevailing vehicles facilitative to escaping a sinking Western society were usually Buddhism, Islaam, and secular humanism. Islaam, “the fastest growing religion,” was an ubiquitous mantra. The vast majority considered converting to Islaam following a relationship with a Muslim. When an empathetic accord with a Muslim peer ensued, exposure to Islaam increased in addition to curiosity while submerging into a foreign culture. The media’s popular portrayal of Islaam would be contradictory with a first-hand experience with Muslims. Western society seemed to degrade women as exploitable objects while Islaam offered a 72

woman security and respect. When juxtaposed to our Christian environment, adherents to Islaam exhibited uppermost consciousness of God; they appeared pietistic to the halaal (permissible) and apathetic to the haraam (impermissible). The foremost decisive factor captivating soul searchers to Islaam was aversion for and disillusionment with the West or dunyaa (this temporal world, as opposed to the Hereafter). While home alone contemplating and pacing repeatedly back and forth, I sensed my existence in jeopardy and so decided to plunge into Islaam wholeheartedly. I rode my bicycle to the local masjid (mosque) with the ulterior motive of requesting books. The Islaamic building was a fortress, surrounded by concrete and brick walls and metal gates. Since the main entrance was sealed off by a barrier, I attempted to access the masjid through the car entrance. The building’s rear had an entrance for “Sisters Only” so I ran away with lightening speed. Through another entrance, I wandered about searching for the masjid office. Inside that office, while looking at the securitycamera monitors, I awaited assistance while noticing the unclean and disorganized mess. A middleaged committee member approached me, a man that would later order me to come to the masjid everyday. I received some moderate Islaamic material and a Yusuf Ali translated Qur’aan. Out of fear of Hellfire, and with a growing belief in Islaam, I confessed that I wanted to say the shahaadah (declaration of faith). It was either during ‘Asr (mid-afternoon) or Maghrib (sunset) prayer that I sat on the floor and viewed the men prostrate in prayer. Just as the speaker announced a statement, someone grabbed my hand and then guided me to the front. The Pakistani imaam asked if anyone was forcing me to convert, to which I replied negative. He recited with me, in Arabic and English, the shahaadah (declaration of faith - “There is no deity but Allaah, Muhammad is His Messenger”). An individual yelled “Takbeer!” This signalled the congregation to chant “Allaahu akbar!” (Allaah is the Greatest) two more times. A procession formed wherein everyone anticipated to hug the new Muslim. After the ceremony, I felt frightened, extremely drained, and disorientated. At the end was a fully bearded Muslim in Islaamic wardrobe who asked the committee member of my previous religion. When told of my Buddhist past, he scorned twice, “So he’s a loser? So he’s a loser?” After mocking my conversion, he offered a hug. I later learned that he viewed me as an idolater that could never make it to jannah (paradise). According to al-Qur’aan, Allaah will never forgive shirk (associating partners with Allaah) and “And whoever seeks a religion other than Islaam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers.” (3:85) On my first day as Muslim, even before taking my first steps, I encountered fitnah (trials, tribulations, sedition). The Muslim that chastised me, who was perhaps of the Salafiyoon, never was seen again. I was led into the masjid office to sign a document testifying to my Islaamic faith, in case I wanted to perform hajj (pilgrimage) and needed verification in Saudi Arabia. Then, I was given a prayer mat, many Islaamic books and Syed Abu-Ala Maududi’s Arabic-English Qur’aan with his famous commentary. This was a totally different ideology given to me before they knew I was “with them” and not simply interested in studying the religion as a kaafir (unbeliever). My parent’s reaction to the conversion was tolerant, to say the least. After two days as a Muslim, I approached them in our living room and uttered, “Mom, Dad, I have something to tell you. You won’t get angry, will you?” When they said no, I replied, “I’m a Muslim.” The excitement from their faces quickly vanished. Regardless, they responded with tolerance and acceptance, saying, “Are you sure? If it’s what you want, it’s your decision.” With Islaam my only obligation, the following year after my conversion was devoutly productive. As a high school drop-out without employment, all my energy was dedicated to worship Allaah and learning the deen (religion, way of life). Day and night, I resided at the local masjid. In my Arabic class, the teacher remarked about me, “I’ve never seen anyone learn it this quick.” I grew my beard 73

unshaven like the Prophet, studied the Qur’aan and ahaadeeth, would pay zakaat, give sadaqah, sawm during Ramadaan, walk by foot to the masjid, perform all the fard, sunnah, waajib, nafl, dua’a prayers, and basically do everything right down to Islaamic toiletry etiquette. Successfully, I gave da’wah (missionary activity to invite others to Islaam) and converted people to the religion. My conversion testimony was being read on Islaamic websites. Most reverts were often paraded around as tokens. As trophy Muslims, our conversion to the religion apparently was validation for the insecure Muslims born into the faith that Islaam was true. Before going to sleep, I sincerely yelled, “Ya Allaah (Oh Allaah)! I am a Muslim. Alhamdulillah (Thanks to Allaah), I am safe and secure now. Don’t you dare ever leave the deen, boy! You’re going to jannah (paradise)!” Over time, certain individuals were introduced to me that changed the course of my journey. Being a revert (convert) and impressionable, I was vulnerable prey and acquainted with predators. After taking shahaadah, I was given many telephone numbers for contacts. The first contact being from a brother named Yusuf eagerly seeking my attendance to reinstate a revert support group dismantled after the founder left the country. I’d encounter numerous brothers attempting to recruit me into their organizations. My hesitation to partake in many activities perhaps saved my life. The claims by brothers who left us for “Arabic studies” or “humanitarian work” overseas caught my suspicion. Some actually went for jihaad; one brother returned very depressed from qitaal (warfare, fighting) in Iraq. Yet, even with all precautions, the dreadable risk of having “tea with terrorists” supervened. When over a dozen Muslims were arrested on terrorism-related charges, we discovered one “suspect” was from my close-knit clique of brothers, passing his house hundreds of times while he plotted using three metric tonnes of ammonium nitrate fertilizer. Reverts were wandering sheep that had to be extra cautious of acquaintances. The only way for the non-Muslims to consider Islaam was by proving our Qur’aan superseded previous revelations. To establish the immaculacy of the Qur’aan to Christians, it was imperative to expose the fallibility of the Bible. Once the Christian had encountered inconsistencies in the substructure of his faith, he became more open to the possibility of Biblical errancy. Faced with numerous contradictions, the keen recipient would be guided to a more agreeable theology found within the Qur’aan. They knew not Arabic, so we provided selected material to them. In specific cases where Christianity and/or Judaism lacked in subject matter and Islaam had the leeway, I took advantage to prove the superiority of the Islaamic religion and its honor by staying true to the previous revelations with Ibraaheem (Abraham), Musa (Moses), or ‘Isa ibn Maryam (Jesus, son of Mary). To convince atheists and agnostics, we exposed the loopholes in evolution and modern science, presented the finest examples of Islaamic creationism, and perhaps mock their presumption of the universe existing merely by chance. Once the non-Muslim was eagerly reading the Qur’aan and Islaamic material, I would present Muhammad as a prophet of God no different from the accepted Hebrew prophets. Guilt and fear were common tactics used to pressure the conversion process. Just as the Jews denied Jesus, so did I admonish the Christian for rejecting Muhammad. If they recognized monotheism and Muhammad, I seized the opportunity by recommending the individual to embrace Islaam and take the shahaadah (declaration of faith - There is no deity but Allaah, Muhammad is His Messenger). As I gained experience as a Muslim, I sought a more literal interpretation of Islaam closer to the pristine deen of Prophet Muhammad. Without equivocation, the notorious “Yusuf Ali” Qur’aan was a translation that pandered to Western liberal values attempting to lure non-Muslims to Islaam. Although I used Syed Abu-Ala Maududi’s Qur’aanic commentary as a reference, I closely adhered to Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din Al-Hilali and Muhammad Muhsin Khan’s translated work ‘The Noble Qur’aan’ which offered a summarized version including the efforts of At-Tabari, Al-Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir, and Al-Bukhari. Tasawwuf (Sufism) and modern progressive movements conniving to reform Islaam were not considered the real McCoy for they presented serious drawbacks and discrepancies that revealed an intentional divergence from Sunnah (the sanctioned practices, 74

sayings, or actions of Prophet Muhammad). The Saudi-based movement of Salafiyyah, heavily influenced by ibn Taymiyyah’s call to renounce innovation and return to the genuine Islaam, seemed to be a viable option. However, concluding that being “Muslim” was sufficient, I rejected any labels of sectarianism that would consequently divide the Islaamic ummah. Guidance and companionship from my brothers in Islaam gave me a sense of belonging. Being a “revert” signified the reversion to a state of fitrah (the inherently pure disposition a being was created with). Everyone adopted an Islaamic first name, shunned music, and only ate halaal. We new Muslims delightfully welcomed a “brainwashing” since years in kufr (disbelief, ungratefulness to Allaah) left us feeling filthy. An unadulterated Islaam was difficult for the kuffaar (unbelievers) to digest so deviants evidently had a higher success rate in their propagation of Islaam (da’wah) as they modified principles to suit the nafs (carnal self) of recipients. The moderate and sanitized version of Islaam that initially brought me to conversion had to be reassessed. Through the local masjid (mosque), always available was a handshake and anticipated hug. This was a comfort unavailable at home, especially from a mother always unsatisfied with my performance and father unconcerned with my progress. Encouraged by my Muslim brothers, I desired to excel in my religion; possibly get married, master the Arabic language and be a mujaahid (partaker in jihaad) and shaheed (martyr). We viewed contemporary Muslims as crippled by colonization and far adrift from the straight path. In much insecurity and drifting, I found fundamentalism a perdurable anchor. We romanticized the early generation of “pious predecessors” and sought to capture their vigor by imitation. To revive the Islamic spirit for a fresh renaissance, we propagated a fundamentalist version of Islaam to unite Muslims under one refined but exemplary model. Unislaamic programs such as communism, democracy, socialism, and capitalism were thought as destined for the dustbin. The ideal of freedom was vehemently rejected as implausible, even in a democracy; the latter we ridiculed as “democrazy.” The plan we envisioned was a homologous Islaamic ummah comprised of compliant Muslim nations willing to accept this nostalgic ideology, followed by a pan-Islaamic government. Funded by Arab petroleum sales, this jihaad could be sustained because Muslim countries held approximately 80% of the world’s readily accessible reserves of crude oil. This would enable the restoration of the Khilaafah, and thus usher in a Khaleefah. The military defeat of an emasculated mujaahideen brought about some promising perspective and reformation. Our focus was needed elsewhere, besides Chechnya, Kashmir, Mindanao, Pattani, Palestine, etc. We chose the alternative frontier in jihaad, Islaamic da’wah, to rectify the decadent affair of present-day Muslims. However, from the very get-go, politicized Islaam was a dud that failed to launch. The Salaf (pious predecessors of the first three generations of Muslims) of seventh-century Islaam were far from exemplary and their ummah was riddled by schism and assassinations. With a religion that advocated jihaad and casus belli, it was inevitable to have infighting factions. We had never achieved an Islaamic utopia and, without an appropriate method for reformation of Islaam, the future seemed not promising without a strategic platform to alleviate the plight of Muslims. With hindsight, I perceive the quintessential factor sustaining my Islaamic faith to be fear. I had buckled under the coercion. After embracing the notion of a Supreme Being, anxiety ensued while receiving admonishment from Allaah’s Book. A substantial amount of aayaat (verses) of the Qur’aan are intimidating threats against your personal well-being. Consequently, after departure from the masjid as a new Muslim, I sensed regret and remorse. By taking precautionary action, I had determined the expected value of submission to Allaah overweighing the value of punishment in Hellfire or emptiness of non-belief. This erroneous and biased wager sought the necessity of considering God for personal convenience, without considering the necessity of truth for the sake of truth itself. There lies Pascal’s Flaw. When emotions took precedence, in dire desperation, I abandoned my most cherished opinions and chose to surrender voluntarily as Allaah’s slave.

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Surprisingly, the greatest challenge that threatened my servitude to Allaah came, neither from criticism by Islamophobic orientalists nor polemics by Neo-conservative Christians but, from Muhammad’s holy book itself. Muslims may interpret my doubt as possession by the whispers of Shaytaan (Satan). Prior to my conversion, I had read merely a third of the Qur’aan accompanied by a minuscule amount of ahaadeeth. Since Arabic is foreign to the majority of non-Muslims, conniving proselytizers with impunity can expurgate a compromising interpretation of the Qur’aan. Conceivably, had I examined Islaamic subjects more thoroughly, I likely would have never walked in a mosque, let alone convert. From my sincere study of al-Qur’aan wa Sunnah, at an occurrence when my credence to Islaam and servitude to Allaah was culminating, I would become disillusioned with an apparently incongruous Qur’aanic text. Once acquainted with a bona fide Islaam, I reevaluated my commitment and questioned whether or not to continue an adherence to the religion. A Muslim eventually stumbles across contestable matter in a Qur’aanic aayah or hadeeth. Paradoxically, we questioning Muslims had to use the very scripture under scrutiny that advises us to seek “the people of knowledge” (16:43), or the ‘Ulamaa (religious-legal scholars) for tafseer (Qur’aanic exegesis or commentary). As one brother put it, you either “believe in it or you don’t.” Now exposed to unadulterated Islaam, I would encounter a crucial test of submission. A decisive decision would follow; whether to blindly believe or independently scrutinize a book “wherein there is no doubt.” (10:37) The strongest evidence and proof for Islaam was al-Qur’aan (Arabic; lit. the recitation). As Muslims, we spuriously believed Jibreel (archangel Gabriel) was sent by Allaah to bestow the revelations to Prophet Muhammad. In fact, empirically speaking, the Qur’aan definitively disembarked from the vocal cord of Muhammad’s larynx to be heard by his companion’s eardrums. If Muhammad was truly illiterate, without the ability to read nor write, then he couldn’t adequately supervise the written compilation of the Qur’aan nor proofread. Our faith was reliant upon the fallible sahaaba (devoted companions of the Prophet), whom were not scholars, to manufacture the Qur’aan and preserve it. Devastatingly, most of the companions memorizing the Qur’aan were also illiterate and an enormously significant number of companions died in battle, before and after the death of Prophet Muhammad. Although our Qur’aan was transmitted, memorized, and later written by men, I pondered, could it also have been tampered by them in the process? Religion being the machine and believers the automatons, while avoiding the monumental task of thinking hard, many Muslims would ignore any possible inconvenient truths and say, “Allaah knows best.” Instead of a cold-blooded answer, the evasive responses I’d receive from the ‘Ulamaa were unsatisfactory. With the discovery of the Arabic Qur’aanic containing foreign linguistic influence, I doubted the claim of its preservation in “pure Arabic” (16:103). Our Qur’aanic text claimed to be “an exposition of everything” (16:89) and “the Book explained in detail” (6:114). Yet, the actual implementation of Islaam necessitated the assistance of ahaadeeth (narrations, the sayings or doings of Muhammad and his companions). Without a hadeeth, we could not properly perform salaat. Regardless if the creation of al-Qur’aan occured by Allaah or in the confines of Muhammad’s cerebrum or cerebellum, an unbiased exegete would conclude that nothing “new” arrived with seventh-century Islaam. Likewise, we Muslims postulated the Islaamic belief that Islaam had the same message revealed to previous Prophets such as Ibraaheem (Abraham), Eesa ibn Maryam (Jesus), or Musa (Moses), all of whom had the same religion. Truthfully, I found nothing “revealed” by Prophet Muhammad that couldn’t be influenced by or plagiarized from existing sources, especially from the Judeo-Christian tradition (Tanakh, Talmud, New testament, apocryphal works). Everything Islaamic could be traced to pre-Islaamic origins, from theology to pilgrimage rites. Islaam attempted to abolish idolatry when Muhammad, like Ibraaheem (Abraham) who was once an idolator (6:76-78), became disillusioned with idolatrous pagan rituals. Prophet Muhammad beseeched the monotheist deity of the Jewish constituents in the Arabian Peninsula but not without undertaking a reform of their Hebrew religion. Evidently so, Musa (Moses), considered the greatest Prophet to the Jews, is the most mentioned Prophet in the Qur’aan. Disdain for the Jewish people 76

permeates throughout al-Qur’aan and ahaadeeth for, when the Jewish people eventually rejected Muhammad as a possible Prophet, he vengefully sought against them in heartache. This is why Islaam harbours considerable disparagement and hatred for the Jews, a people exceptionally monotheist, rather than Christians or Zoroastrians who apparently commit shirk (polytheism, aligning partners with God). With the epiphany that al-Qur’aan was not Allaah’s infallible speech, subsequently, I would approach certain aspects of the religion as man-made. My expectations of a Supreme Being was in contrast to the conventional god of Prophet Muhammad. I yearned for a deity that was transcendent, incomparable, and an indefinable holy unable to be conceptualized. To my discovery, the Islaamic deity was actually the generic anthropomorphic Sky Father abound in popular mythology. He was afflicted with psychological infirmities such as megalomania, melancholy, and malevolence. Allaah suffered from ambivalence, claiming to be ar-Rahmaan, ar-Raheem (The Most Merciful, The Most Beneficent), while simultaneously being malicious or fastidious. As an omniscient entity, he should have exhibited irrevocable authorship in his scripture, instead of acting capricious by amending and abrogating revelations like a fallible redactor confused about what He should have written initially. On the one hand, there is the incapacity of man to grasp the nature of omnipotent Allaah, yet His Will can be altered by exterior forces such as the affects of human prayers. I could not worship a God that changed. As just another idol, Allaah was depicted and contained in the literary work of al-Qur’aan. According to one hadeeth (Sahih Bukhari: Volume 8, Book 74, Number 246), the Islaamic God created Aadam upon His soorah (form, shape, image), sixty cubits in height. Allaah rested upon His Throne (arsh) near His Footstool (kursi). He claimed to have an Eye (20:39), a Shin (68:42), a Face (55:27), a Foot (Sahih Bukhari: Volume 9, Book 93, Number 541), even both Right and Left Hands (39:67). Surely, there were many “comparable unto Him.” (112:4) Discovering Allaah to be as mythical as the elephant-god Ganesha or temper tantrum Yahweh was a devastating blow to my heart. Relying on tawheed, the initial attraction to Islaam, was ineffectual for I now discerned Allaah as fictitious like the rest of the idols. The god of Islaam, likely just Muhammad’s alter-ego, displayed masculinity, anger, indecision, misogyny, and other moral weaknesses unbefitting of a majestic deity. Between Muhammad and Allaah, there was an uncanny resemblance in personality. Similar to the 1939 musical fantasy film, ‘The Wizard of Oz’, I realized that the Wizard (Allaah) was a fabrication concocted by the man (Muhammad) behind the curtain. My withdrawal from Islaam occurred suddenly as I studied the Qur’aan and ahaadeeth. The same disillusionment I experienced as Buddhist and Christian began to now emerge while a Muslim. I found it difficult to believe in angels, jinn, or talking trees. My mind clustered with doubts and objections as I raged with discontent. The deity was fictitious and cruel, the founder deplorably barbaric and sinful, the scripture mediocre and uninspired, the laws primitive and unjust. I perceived Muhammad as a fraud and Allaah as his imaginary friend. Instantly, while holding the Qur’aan still open, I slammed the covers shut. I tossed the book across the room and ran downstairs. With two garbage bags, I eagerly erased Islaam from my life. This included every Qur’aan, Arabic course tutorial, hadeeth book, da’wah pamphlet, tape, and paperback book on Islaam into the trash. The texts nearly burst the bags. My prayer rug, favourite woolen kufi caps, thobe, and compass followed next. I stored the garbage in our garage until night in order to dump near a neighbour’s curb for pick-up in the morning. Never had I eagerly renounced an attachment with such certainty and resentment. When I accepted fundamentalism and uncovered the unadulterated religion of Islaam, I eventually became unimpressed. Besides tawheed, what the religion offered wasn’t much. To the naive, Islaam appeared divine with the hypnotic recitation of the Arabic Qur’aan, captivating Middle-Eastern architecture, and stunning Arabic calligraphy. Our Western culture and Judeo-Christian traditions just paled in comparison. However, just like in art, it only seems creative when the influences and sources are left unknown. Once you uncover the plagiarism, what remains is tediously pedestrian. 77

Reverts from a Christian upbringing, because of their dire hatred for Christianity, were blinded to the core principles as taught by Jesus. The grass seemed greener on the other side. But the reality is, where Christians sought forgiveness for sinners, Muslims sought punishment. Muslims prayed towards an inanimate object (i.e., the Ka’bah at Makkah), while Christians prayed towards the heavens. Ahl us-Sunnah proudly ate on the floor with their hands like animals, while the kuffar used chairs and utensils like rightly guided people. As for the corpus of Islaam, unable to find a shred of originality, I concluded the Qur’aan as the most unoriginal composition in religion. I’ve read beautifully written books without any errors, but that doesn’t mean they’re divine. Judaism was actually more Islaamic than Muhammad’s religion for Yahweh forbid angels and humankind from bowing to creation, whereas Allaah commanded the angels to bow before Aadam. Religion should have man change for God, not vice versa. Allaah would make changes to suit the whims and desires of Muhammad. We reverts were lied to, though none admitted it. Islaam did not mean peace but “submission.” Even those religious groups - the Jews and Christians - which share theological similarities with the Islaamic faith are not to be taken as auliya’ (friends, protectors, helpers). There was a legal hatred for the Jews, fully sanctioned by our scripture. It was a very politicized religion pushing much propaganda. The longer I was Muslim, the more ahaadeeth and less Qur’aanic aayaat we would receive. Sunnah became the obsession as man-made laws and traditions basically replaced Allaah’s revelations. For an unbiased investigation, I examined the veracity of Islaamic Creationism. Muslims claim that the perfection of “creation” implies intelligent design. According to creationists, certain natural systems are too sophisticated to be adequately explained without help from an intelligent agent. Using their logic, for the sake of my argument, I will claim that Allaah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) alMutakabbir (The Supremely Great, The Majestic) is greater than any evidence found in “creation.” The Qur’aan agrees that not everything has a cause. However, since Allaah merely “exists” Himself in arbitrariness, without any given antecedents, given purpose, nor given meaning, so can the universe itself. If the anomalistic existence of Allaah al-Kabeer (The Most Great) can just be without cause, no logical explanation should be required for the lessor entities in the universe such as bacteria, planets, cells, or DNA. This is their logic. Ironically, instead of perhaps concluding that the universe always existed, Muslims create the idol or anomaly of God in partnership with the universe. No longer impartial by blind faith and delusion, I rationally dismissed the Islamic assertion of a Creator in their absence of compelling evidences. Although the non-zero probability of the existence of God was and will remain present, the same probability exists for gods, ghosts, monsters, and boogie-men. The stated entities have been encountered in every civilization during every time period throughout history. Primitive man once believed everything from trees to rocks contained a spirit. Animism is still practiced today by native populations around the globe. Even the Islaamic tradition has kept a few spirits, such as angels and jinn. Eventually, two spirits remained in mainstream belief, because of atheism. Those two are God and the human soul. No reason surfaced to suggest Muhammad’s Allaah was any more significant than the other quadrillion gods contrived throughout human history. Like all theists, Prophet Muhammad approached the “chicken or and egg” dilemma by guessing that a motherless chicken once upon a time created everything. The whimsical being of Allaah, the epitome of arbitrariness and fortuitousness, exists superficially and accidentally by chance with no given purpose or meaning. He is the fiction of imaginative hope. The Islaamic understanding conclusively bypasses the probability consideration and boldly begins at a mind-boggling refutable truth: “There is no deity but God.” Certain rituals and conditions required by Sunnah for the ibaadah (worship) of Allaah actually were a distraction from worship itself. One must be in a purified condition for acts of worship, and to facilitate this, a ritual of purification known as wudoo (partial ablution) or ghusl (full ablution) must be conducted. The wudoo would be rendered nullified if, for example, the Muslim defecated, 78

urinated, bled, fell asleep, or passed gas. Since Sunnah allocated a limited time frame for each of the five prayers, the result would be disastrous. If you completed al-wudoo to begin an obligatory salaah, and suddenly released gas, the entire cleansing ritual had to be redone. This entailed getting semi-undressed, making niyyah (intention), doing recitations (e.g., bismillah, shahaahah), washing the face, neck, arms, head, nasal cavity, mouth, ears, feet, including the repetition of each act three times. By desperately undertaking to postpone flatulence and the call of nature, during prayer, a worshipper would experience consciousness of one’s own bowel movements, rather than consciousness of God. Instead of praying to God alone, we Muslims were submitting to the automatic prayers constituted by mere men. During worship in jamaa’ah (congregation), especially for ‘Eid or Jumu’ah salaat, you had to prostrate behind men. This position gave one a view of the carpet below, the masculine buttocks of the worshipper in front, or the holes in his socks. For any heterosexual revert, this was an uncomfortable predicament. Truthfully said, for this reason is why brothers came early to reserve a spot in the front row. If a Muslimah was allowed in the masjid, she’d unfortunately be behind a man’s behind or in an enclosed section separated by a screen. Islaam was vehemently against idolatry, yet when we Muslims performed salaat, there was always a figure before us. And if you traveled to Makkah following the qiblah (direction of worship), you’d discover Muslims prostrating, touching, caressing, and even kissing the Ka’bah. During hajj (pilgrimage) at Mina, hundreds would be killed and thousands injured following the idolatrous ritual known as the “stoning of the devil.” Al-Jamaraat, the three symbols representing the devil, have been since renovated into 26-metre-long walls in the hopes that more Muslims don’t die trying to make an impression on the idols. The Arabic Qur’aan, believed to be incarcerated Truth and the literal speech of Allaah, also became an idol for Muslims. With washed hands, we held our Holy Book and many would actually kiss it. For Christians, Jesus was the Word of God made flesh, while Muslims held the Qur’aan as the Word of God made text. I questioned the necessity of prayers and Qur’aanic recitation being reserved only in Arabic, simply for the “pleasure of Allaah.” Clearly, we were following traditions for the sake of Arab supremacy. Most Muslims were not fluent in Arabic, so instead of reaping the benefits in our native languages, we recited in a foreign tongue what many could neither articulate with nor understand. If Allaah was omnipotent, he could understand English. In Islaam, instead of being Muslim for Allaah, we had to become Arab to be Muslim. The Islamic world was a catastrophe for we Muslims were unable to reconcile the discrepancies in our religion, the bedrock of all predominantly Muslim states. In the Qur’aan, particular Madinan revelations conflicted with Makkan ones. Our foundation was an incomplete sacred text quite ambiguous, inconsistent, and without chronological order. With the Qur’aan lacking proper substance to be a constitution for a civilization, we implored man-made ahaadeeth to help a divine revelation. Although this combination provided substance to implement Sharee’ah (Islaamic law), it brought more discrepancies into the religion. According to the Qur’aan, all men and women are born in a state of fitrah as Muslims. However, the Sunnah demands the adhaan (call to prayer) and shahaadah to be yelled into our infant’s ears at birth. While the Qur’aan commanded worship in “neither aloud nor in a low voice,” (17:110) Sunnah instructed a Muslim to scream at pedestrians the adhaan (call to prayer) from the top of buildings. Allaah’s Creation is perfect, but Sunnah mandates that Muslim infants should be corrected with circumcision. The Qur’aan says to make no distinction between the Prophets, yet, the hadeeth-inspired Islaam with “Allaah and His Messenger” was awfully similar to the “Father and His Son” in Christianity. Islaam has elevated the Prophet Muhammad to an infallible hero with almost godlike status. However, when Allaah commanded fifty prayers a day in the night of al-Israa’ and Mi’raaj, Muhammad could not “submit” and disobediently sought to reduce the amount repeatedly until it was down to five. Women could legally have no more than one husband, while the Prophet Muhammad could and did have several in one day. Allaah created everything perfect, especially the Qur’aan which is considered to be the ultimate miracle (17:88) proving Islaam by containing aayaat (signs, verses, proofs, evidences, miracles). Non-Muslims who doubt the Qur’aan are challenged by Allaah to 79

produce a soorah like it (2:23). Yet, throughout Muhammad’s prophetic career, Allaah would abrogate verses to “substitute one revelation for another” (2:106, 16:101) as if the “Truth” needed correction. He claimed throughout the Qur’aan to be the “The Most Merciful” and “The Most Beneficent” while simultaneously threatening man in detail the prepared punishments and tortures awaiting him in Hellfire. Although the Qur’aan claimed to be the “best hadeeth” (39:23) and contained Sunnah, fundamentalists were not satisfied with the Qur’aan. Indeed, they abandoned the Qur’aan in the process as the Prophet Muhammad said of his people (25:30). With such inconsistencies, no wonder a schism in the Islamic ummah occurred immediately after the Prophet’s funeral. The evolution and behaviour of a Muslim revert has always been predictable. Soofiyyah (Sufism) was what attracted the ample majority of today’s converts. In fact, without a military conquest by the sword, this has basically been the endorsed ideology for the amicable expansions of Islaam. Indeed, Islaam wasn’t completely spread by the sword but was welcomed by many. However, to be downright and straightforward, Sufism isn’t Islaam but a deviation from it. Tasawwuf or Soofiyyah ingratiated Islaam to the kaafir by accommodating a rigid theology into a compromising spiritual mysticism. Islaam almost took the backseat for some individuals. Instead of pursuing the Muslim identity, many reverts would become obsessed with their Arab wardrobe, the Arab language, and Arab politics. If they converted in a predominantly South Asian neighbourhood, you’d notice the reverts mimicking desi culture in an attempt to assimilate. It’s a daunting task, especially for Muslims, to rectify the confusion of Islaam with culture and culture with Islaam. From firsthand experience, I’d generously estimate that merely a quarter of all converts actually remain Muslim by their first year. Oftentimes, a serious revert would exhaust him/herself to the point of burn-out and would slowly disappear into apostasy. The latter individuals were never spoken of as we ignored anything that could possibly jeopardize eemaan (faith) and taqwaa (piety, fear of Allaah). Judging by their facial expression and physical posture, I could differentiate between a now moderate Muslim and a timid apostate trying to go undetected. Those Mu’minoon (faithful believers) that actually kept their Islaam, now keen on fundamentalism, eventually disowned their native culture and decidedly lived and dressed as seventh century Arabian Muslims, even in a North American metropolitan city. The first turban I actually saw was on a Canadian, a Caucasian convert trying desperately hard to “be one” with his Pakistani congregation. These particular reverts - ripe for a picking by the Salafiyoon - would willingly yearn for a strict adherence to the fundamentals of Islam. As reverts, readily dupable and persuadable, our dependence and submission was crucial for a successful brainwashing. Reverts to Islaam, ever so gullible and naive, were easily susceptible to the prevalent dysfunctional behaviours and propaganda infecting most Muslim societies. By striving to not conform with the kuffaar, we duly had to be ignorant by circumnavigating anything unislamic. We believed, if a Muslim concealed the faults of another in this world, his own faults would be concealed by Allaah on the Day (i.e., Day of Resurrection). One revert declared that Usama bin Laden was better than “a million George Bushes” and “a thousand Tony Blairs” simply because he’s a “Muslim”. Arrogantly speaking, we Muslims were “the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind.” (3:110) So when an atrocity occurred that was obviously committed by Muslims in the name of Allaah, my fellow brothers and sisters were complacent. We obsequiously forsook the human rights violations in Muslim countries, even when the victims were Muslims. The conspiracy theories widespread in my Muslim society were outright delusion. Not even the moderate Muslims, who neglected salaat and committed zinaa (illegal sex; fornication, adultery, etc.), could accept the Muslim identities of the 9/11 pilots. As my Afghani classmate remarked, “It was the Jews!” When the opportunity arose for self-criticism, inevitably, we instead blamed the Jews, our favourite scapegoat. Homogenizing oneself into the Islaamic ummah was ostensibly clinched if one supported the latest Arab-Muslim agenda, grew an outstanding beard, abstained from using beads during tasbeeh, expressed hatred for the Jews, uttered the word “bid’ah” occasionally, and repudiated the modern state of Israel. We 80

proudly acknowledged the jihaad, yet acted stupid if questioned by a kaafir and responded to their accusations with, for example, “How do you know it was done by Muslims? Where is the evidence?” Although they were not blind to the videotaped confessions by boasting Muslim terrorists, they chose to be. Not all Muslims were terrorists, although it was unequivocally but agonizingly true that most terrorists were Muslims. Sunni Muslims, to be exact. If some Americans or Jews died, there was sympathetic joy and I observed this particular behaviour genially absorbed by one Muslimah just five years old. Reverts hopelessly adopted a rigid interpretation of Islam taught by immigrants from oppressive theocracies that incarcerated ijtihaad to keep freethinking and dissent criminal and their rule immutable. The greatest threat to dogmatism is doubt because thinking leads to kufr (disbelief). Islaam thought for us. My classmate Mohammed once said, “You know what your problem is? You think too much!” Ironically, freethinking and open-mindedness brought me to tolerate their da’wah and convert. I embraced Islaam and gave Allaah my undivided worship. But because I now kindly disagree, Islaamic scholars say I should be killed. Even moderate Muslims living in the West concede with my death sentence. All Muslims encountered aayaat and ahaadeeth too unpalatable to digest. Did submission (Islaam) mean accepting not just everything, but anything? I realized that I could not be a muqallid (follower who imitates another blindly and unquestioningly). I found it deplorable that Muhammad, a man over fifty years of age, married six year-old ‘Aishah and then consummated the marriage when she was nine. His hatred for the Jews rivaled the antisemitism of Adolf Hitler. The Prophet, supposedly guided by God, did not abolish slavery but actually possessed slaves. He waged systematic campaigns to exterminate opponents. I came from a civilization where murder was considered, believe it or not, wrong? I had to draw the line somewhere. Yielding to fundamentals and authority is a legitimate endeavour, while fundamentalism and authoritarianism is not. In the pursuit of a strict monotheistic belief system, I incidently had accepted the irrational and illogical along with the absurd. In the process of wishful thinking, we fell into willful delusion. As blindly obedient slaves of Allaah, resultantly, believers became subdued as mentally comatose Islamobots without the ability to doubt, question, or scrutinize. This dogmatic approach by theists favoured delusion and coercion that intentionally set believers as sheep to be led by shepherds into justifying anything they so desired (e.g., Jonestown by Jim Jones, 9/11 by Khalid Sheikh Mohammed). We harboured the delusion that Islaam was perfect, while Muslims just did not live up to Islaam. We had to agree with the inferiority of women, the amputation of the hand for thieves, and antisemitic hatred of the Jews. There was stoning of women and animal sacrifices. Even the incentives of Islaam were ignoble. Paradise, an apparent Club Med in the sky, contained earthly sensuality and materialism catering to primitive man, such as numerous women, wine, and couches. A married Muslimah would spend eternity attending her husband as he titillated with numerous women in bed. A sensible man should expect better treatment for his wife (i.e., an equal human being that is someone’s daughter, sister, or mother). No progressive interpretation of such scripture could hide the ignominiousness. Although the Qur’aan alone was a revelation unto itself, to deny a saheeh hadeeth was an intellectual cop-out. One had to simultaneously obey Allaah and the Rasool (messenger), without bias to sound evidence. Reason can exist, but so long as its conclusions conflict not with the institutionalized logic frozen in seventh-century Islaamic orthodoxy. To be a Muslim, one had to absolutely relinquish heterodoxy, as the name of the game is literally “submission” (Islaam). No Muslim could rationally reform a religion that had been “perfected” (5:3) by an omniscient and omnipotent God. I realized that Islaam could likely not be reformed. Surprisingly, even as an apostate of Islaam, I contemplated on reverting back to the religion on numerous of occasions. To outsiders, Islaam was an unfashionable and demanding faith tradition to adopt. However, contrary to most apostates, I view my experience with Islam as a blessing. I enjoyed the obligations and would establish my salaah regardless if I was under a staircase in a 81

busy subway terminal or outdoors bracing the elements. I immensely miss fajr (dawn) salaah and cleansing myself by wudhoo (ablution), a reinvigorating ritual leaving your body, heart, mind, and soul in rejuvenation. Never had I felt so pure. Islaam was intentionally my chosen faith out of sincere submission to God, not for conniving to woo a Muslimah or it being adopted by my forefathers as my birthright. Only with the Qur’aan could I facilitate a belief in God. There seems to exist a religiosity innate in man, including the atheist. Considerably, Allaah proved to be a comforting solace, though one day I contemplated on why none of my modest supplications had ever been answered. And I begged Allaah (swt) to keep me Muslim. If I could sustain the belief in Allaah, I would remain Muslim and try to courageously reform Islaam from the clutches of fascists. Eventually, I accepted the fact that I was plagued with doubt from the veritable onset. Although once again skeptical of religion, I continued to uphold ethics and ideals such as pacifism and vegetarianism. I had faith, just not in a particular god or religion and held my quintessential identity to be as ex-Muslim. No longer a Muslim, life now was a vacuum and I knew Islaam could never fill that void. As an apostate of Islaam, similar to all dissidents, I keep my views hidden. But on one occassion, I confessed about my apostasy and opinions to one Muslim and was almost physically assaulted. Living with fundamentalist Muslims certainly made for a tense situation. For safety reasons, I kept up appearances and preferred to pose as a nominal or nonpracticing Muslim instead of an apostate. As an atheist, I view all religions as man-made institutions. Unfortunately, due to inadequate evidence, I’d concede the existence of God as highly unlikely. Most definitely, this “God” described in all world religions is but a trivial idol. The whole premise of my conversion to Islaam was to embrace a monotheistic view of God and fully submit to Him. I presumably accepted an omniscient, transcendent, and sublime deity, but after delving into Islaam, I realized that Allaah was just another conventional god. God could still exist, but equally, so could the other supernatural beings abound in mythology. The time has come for adults to grow-up and discard their imaginary friends. I’d estimate that 99.99% of believers adhere to a particular religion, not by choice, but because their parents indoctrinated them. Before I was an agnostic, but after my experience with Islaam, I’ve become an atheist. This testimony ideally must bear criticism of Islaam, but don’t be fooled. From my intimate experience with Islaam, I’ve encountered much truth and good. For that, I’m truthfully appreciative. Some of the best people I’ve met are, in fact, Muslims. Before my conversion, I despised the religion of Prophet Muhammad. However, I now respect Islaam, but notwithstanding that I kindly choose to disagree with Muhammad. Leaving Islaam was likely the greatest decision I’ve ever had to make. The religion of Prophet Muhammad kept me shackled from the diverse richness that is life. I rediscovered love; the unconditional loving-kindness and equal respect for all humankind, irrespective of gender, caste, race, language, nationality, religion, or lack there of. By doubt, I scrutinized and by questioning, I sought. In seeking, I increase the possibility that I may come upon more truths. But I’m not as arrogant to claim I possess “The Truth”, with a capital tee. In conclusion, for the Muslims in the audience, a quotation from Stephen F. Roberts who eloquently said it best: “I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.”

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Sources and references for above articles Must Read For All Muslims (As Well As Non-Muslims) Website of Ali Sina www.faithfreedom.org Website of Craig Winn www.prophetofdoom.net Website of answering islam www.answering-islam.org Website of satyameva jayete Book by Ibn Warraq, “Why I Am Not a Muslim” Books by Tasleema Nasreen, Salman Rushdie www.voi.org/books www.Yoel.Info Articles on www.bahai-faith.com

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