Hogwash Muslim apology

Ali Sina

Letter to the editor of Washington Post

I am responding to the comment of Lubina Ghani of Halifax who wrote about the tolerance of Islam that you published with the title ”Breathing Fire Into Islam”. 

As an ex-Muslim I found that article a demonstration of Islamic intellectual dishonesty and lack of objectivity.  Lubina Ghani wrote that when the Prophet bent to perform his prayer, his grandson jumped on his back and he remained in sajda (prostration) until his grandson got off and ran to play with his brother. Then the author concluded, “This is the true spirit of Islam” and decided that this shows how Muhammad and therefore Islam is a tolerant religion. What a facile hogwash! 

It is time that someone reminds Ms. Ghani and other deluded Muslims that the fact that a grandfather lets his little grandsons jump on his back is not an indication that he is tolerant. Any brutal dictator, even Saddam Hussein is kind to his grand children. To decide whether Muhammad was tolerant or not we have to read his biography and his words in the Quran. Let us quickly review both:

Volume 4, Book 52, Number 280:

Narrated Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri:

When the tribe of Bani Quraiza was ready to accept Sad's judgment, Allah's Apostle sent for Sad who was near to him. Sad came, riding a donkey and when he came near, Allah's Apostle said (to the Ansar), "Stand up for your leader." Then Sad came and sat beside Allah's Apostle who said to him. "These people are ready to accept your judgment." Sad said, "I give the judgment that their warriors should be killed and their children and women should be taken as prisoners." The Prophet then remarked, "O Sad! You have judged amongst them with (or similar to) the judgment of the King Allah."

Bani Quraiza were a Jewish tribe living in Medina 2000 year prior to Muhammad. Their crime was that they were wealthy and did not want to accept Islam giving the Zakat to the holy Prophet. So he killed them all, confiscated their belongings and enslaved their wives and children.

Here is another tradition left from the holy Prophet that shows how tolerant he was:

Volume 4, Book 53, Number 380:

Narrated Ibn 'Umar:

Umar bin Al-Khattab expelled all the Jews and Christians from the land of Hijaz. Allah's Apostle after conquering Khaibar, thought of expelling the Jews from the land which, after he conquered it belonged to Allah, Allah's Apostle and the Muslims. But the Jews requested Allah's Apostle to leave them there on the condition that they would do the labor and get half of the fruits (the land would yield). Allah's Apostle said, "We shall keep you on these terms as long as we wish." Thus they stayed till the time of 'Umar's Caliphate when he expelled them to Taima and Ariha.

Now to let us see how tolerant is the Quran:

Quran tells Muslims to kill the disbelievers wherever they find them (Q; 2:191), murder them and treat them harshly (Q; 9:123), slay them (Q; 9:5), fight with them, (Q; 8:65 ). It tells its followes to humiliate the Christians and the Jews and impose on them a penalty tax (Q; 9:29). Quran takes away the freedom of belief from all humanity and tells clearly that no other religion except Islam is accepted (Q;3:85). It relegates those who disbelieve in it it to hell  (Q;5:10), calls them najis (filthy, untouchable, impure) (Q;9:28) and orders the Muslims to fight the unbelievers until no other religion except Islam is left (Q;2:193). Quran states that the non-believers will go to hell and will drink boiling water (Q;14:17); it asks the Muslims to slay or crucify or cut the hands and feet of the unbelievers, and expel them from the land with disgrace and that “they shall have a great punishment in world hereafter” (Q;5:34). It says that for the disbelievers "garments of fire shall be cut and there shall be poured over their heads boiling water whereby whatever is in their bowels and skin shall be dissolved and they will be punished with hooked iron rods” (Q;22:19). Quran prohibits Muslims to befriend their own brothers and fathers if they are non-believers (Q;9:23), (Q;3:28). It asks the Muslims to “strive against the unbelievers with great endeavor (Q;25:52) and be stern with them because they belong to hell (Q;66:9).  The holy Prophet demanded his followers to “strike off the heads of the disbelievers”; then after making a “wide slaughter among them, carefully tie up the remaining captives” for ransom (Q;47:4). 

What is really unfortunate is the unwillingness of the Muslims to face the obvious and plain truth that the root of Islamic terrorism and intolerance is in the Quran and in the examples that Muhammad left of himself. Islamic terrorists are not aberrations but they are the true Muslims following their scriptures to the letter. If the Muslims are unable to wake up, may be it is time that the ultra liberal politically correct Muslim appeaser westerners wake up.

16 Nov. 2002