Masha’Allah. Thank you for saying what needed to be said, and expressing it VERY clearly! May Allah keep all of sane & grant us courage to remain steadfast in times of turmoil.

Salamu Alaykum
Thank you for logic and terminology which I can use to answer the increasingly uncomfortable questions I am getting from my kids.  My feelings have always been what you put into words so much more eloquently. 
Jazakum Allahu Khairan

Imam Zaid, thank you so much for your, as always, very thoughtful reflection.

What is your take on this article by Dr. Abbas Barzegar, wherein he calls for rethinking the approach we’re taking to the radicalization of our youth?

http://www.commongroundnews.org/article.php?id=28959&lan=en&sid=1&sp=0&isNew=1

Bravo, Imam Zaid!

This is tough, hard-hitting, and to-the-point. It needed to be said, and no one could’ve said it better.

I applaud this timely letter.

BarakAllahu feek.

May God grant us wisdom.

Imam Zaid has made a very objective point and I don’t believe he’s done so in order for me to say so. I pray to Allah that He increases him in guidance by way of most beneficial knowledge and I pray to Allah that he grant him patience and the best rewards. May Allah protect him and his family from living lives of destitution and protect him and his family from ever being overwhelmed by poverty. I pray to Allah that He grant him abundance from His bounty and entrance into paradise, and may Allah make him now and for ever more secure in Islam with those who are on the paths to safety and peace so as to remain at peace with Him the One True God, the Lord of the worlds. Ameen

Jazakum Allahu khayr shaykh.

In honesty though dear shaykh, this letter would be more credible if it were preceded by a like letter addressed to the American administration. An address to actual terrorists is more important than one to would-be terrorists after all.

It is unfortunate that shaykhs like yourself have adopted this approach of focusing your efforts on condemning and addressing the Muslim reaction, whilst giving relatively far less attention to the original provocation.

Ignoring root-causes is the way of Western Governments, not Islam.

So long as you adopt this approach, naturally it will not find currency amongst the broader Muslim people, because the contradiction is blatant.

The Muslims want their leaders to stand up for them against an enemy that is brutal and relentless. Yet you chose to ignore the true enemy, and concentrate on those who are merely reacting - in unjustifiable ways yes, which therefore do need to be condemned and addressed, but a reaction is a reaction, and a sense of perspective would contextualise it as a reaction.

May Allah increase you in knowledge and taqwa, and guide us all to ways that are better and more just.

Wasalam

Adam

I think Imam Zaid has tried his best to scare Muslims and stop them from fighting in the way of Allah. Qitaal is obligatory upon Muslims, Qitaal of taghoot that invade Muslim lands, torture and kill Muslims. How many people are fooled by CIA the way that Somali kid was fooled and how many Muslims have perpetrated terrorist attacks in USA or Europe?
Sorry but ‘Imams’ like the author above strengthen the arms of Kuffar, and they suffer as Palestinians suffered in Gaza by Jewish Zionists.
American might combined with their European allies has lost their war in Afghanistan because these Afghans didn’t have people like Imam Zaid to scare them off Qitaal fee sabilillah.

As salamu ‘alaykum,
Clear, concise and to the point!
How a simplistic and distorted opinion of His Lord is needed to be a would-be mujahid!
...“They plot and plan and Allah too plans but the best of planners is Allah”...
He-swt-has the broadest plan and He-swt-knows best.
Thank you for the article.

Imam Shakir - thank you for this wonderful letter -and all the other work that you do! Thank you for putting things into persepective for us - when everything is so confusing and deceitful! Your letter is very informative!! Looking forward to seeing you at the RIS!!

Imam Zaid, may I suggest the perfect forum where you might reach many of these would-be mujahids:

http://forums.islamicawakening.com/f18/

Browse and see.

*APPLAUDS*

Bravo!!!

Wish we had a few more brainy Imams like this feller here in SA….

THIS is what makes the difference to the world. THIS is how the values of our faith is spread. THIS is how all people should think.

(Though kinda sounds like MR T at the end.)

Salaams Shaykh. Jzk for this article. Real talk right here.

wow. this is deep stuff, and what you said is true. especially the part where you mentioned ” the courage to fly halfway around to world to engage in an armed struggle, but you do not have the courage to knock on your neighbor

Thank you for taking the time to write this. I have linked it on my Facebook so others can see it. It’s right on!

Subhanallah, so very well written and so needed.

There are too many young vulnerable Muslim men. So refreshing to read something so candid.

Thank you

Masha Allah Imam,
Insha Allah I hope my fellow young Muslims and all Muslims realize the kinds of tactics the government is using and stop falling for the same plot. When I saw the faced of the young Somali brother I could only frown ‘he’s my age’. Allahu Alim, a young man with an entire life ahead of him -confused? angry? misfit?....May Allah help us in these trying times, thank you Imam for this great reminder that Insha Allh will change the hearts of those ‘would- be’s’.

Well written brother, InshAllah someone will benefit from this and not end up on the road to hell..
Ameen sum ameen

Fantastic!

As much as I appreciate the message from our beloved, honored, and brilliant Imam Zaid Shakir, whose lectures have helped me enormously in trying to stay on the straight path, I think this article unfortunately reifies the conception of “mujahadah” as articulated by the mass media. Really, suicide bombers and terrorists are not “would-be-mujahids”. Giving them the label of “would-be-mujahids” both legitimizes their call and the call of far-right wingers as well. Perhaps another word-and I don’t think I’m quibbling here-would have been more appropriate.

But once again, may Allah show Imam Zaid with His protection, and allow him to keep on writing, speaking, and spreading the Message.

Thank you very much for taking the time to write this clever refreshing letter. May Allah reward you and guide us all. Ameen

Jazakallah Khair for a wise and much needed hard-hitting piece. I’m from the UK and I feel the same frustration as I can sense in your “letter” towards those idiots (nicest phrase I can think of for them) who decided to publicly burn the poppy on Remembrance Day.  Their short-sightedness and inability to perceive the profound counter-productiveness of their actions is utterly astounding.  They are pouring petrol onto a fire initially ignited by right-wingers and Islamaphobes.  The rest of us are fast getting full-time jobs trying to fight the flames.  May Allah be with us and protect us all - Ameen.  Thank you for an enlightening and inspiring piece.

I am confused, is this addressed to those who were taking part in attacks on innocent bystanders or those who are attacking the military of countries that are occupying Muslim countries? Till the article was targeting the prior group I followed you but when u changed tracked and started targeting those who fighting the occupiers u lost me!

“Now you think the mujahideen can win an all out war against the Americans. Look at what the mujahideen are doing to them in Afghanistan”

It was the rag tag mujahideen who defeated a USSR. And USSR was far more brutal than America is. How was it possible then not now? If the answer is that other Muslim countries were officially helping the mujahideen with money & men, then why not do the same now to defeat the current occupiers & colonizers?

Imam Zaid, Can you please respond to this article http://answering-muslimmatters.org/2010/12/17/letter-to-the-would-be-deceived/

It seems the would be mujahids started a site to refute us.

Our scholars should focus more
on justice than on peace. A people
who have their land occupied,
their resources plundered by major
Western corporations, their kings
and presidents are stooges who have
authority to oppress and steal but
no authority to act independently of
their Western masters, their children
and women are fair play for American
firepower; such a people do not need
to hear needless sermons on Islam
being the religion of peace. They
need to hear how Islam will bring
them justice and retribution. They
want to hear how Islam can help
them bring an end to occupation,
how Islam can allow them to live in
dignity under their own system of
government, and ruled by their own
people. They need to be empowered
and encouraged. This is the message
the Muslims are waiting to hear from
our esteemed scholars.

MashaAllah, I am very impressed by these words of wisdom and council. Hadil

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
اسلام عليكم و رحمتللّه و بركته

A Reply to a would be

A Would-be-Mujahid’s answer to Imam Zaid’s Letter

Dear Imam Zaid Shakir

I read your letter addressed to me very carefully. You have tried to incite my emotions with reason and intellectual arguments so that I may not pick up some ammunition and go on a killing spree. I am surprised that you did not touch the real reasons behind my actions and attacked a few men of straw here and there.

You may make arguments that you think are convincing but to me, “reason”, “intellect” and “arguments” are of secondary importance behind my rationale of going after the non-believers. When you and I accepted Quran as the final, uncorrupted and literal word of God, we made a huge leap of faith. Our trust in Quran was not proportional to the evidence available and the quality of it. We both trusted the word of Muhammad (SAW) when he said that it was God talking to him through an angel. Reason, intellect, evidence and other corruptions were left far behind in the labyrinth of this world. Imam Ali (RA) puts it beautifully when he says that if there was a place for “reason” in religion, we would have done masah on the bottom of our feet while making wudu. I think you would make more sense if you stick to the sacred texts. After all, how much of your daily routine, from prayer (both dua and salah) to innumerable rituals, is based on reason and intellect? I am sure that you base most of your life on sacred texts instead of reason and intellect but you expect me to do otherwise. The real difference between you and me is that you believe that eating frozen yogurt makes a man invisible while I believe that eating frozen yogurt OR frozen milk makes a man invisible.

I have also met your kind at seminars, mosques and Youtube. Please allow me to call you a “moderate” as I am sure you will find “apologist” too distasteful a term. After all, you called my ideology “bloody” and “anarchistic” so perhaps you should be happy in accepting this label.

I would like to comment on your “moderation” here before moving on. Moderation in Islam (and in any other faith) is nothing but an attempt to loosely interpret or simply ignoring much of the holy texts in the interest of living in the modern world. The first thing to note is that your retreat from scriptural literalism is not due to a new light that you have suddenly discovered from the Islamic texts one fine morning but it is the result of blows coming from the demonic achievements of modernity that have put certain tenants of your faith to doubt. Scientific advancements, concern for human rights, fruits of liberal-democratic politics, an end to cultural/geographic isolation and the emergence of a general tendency to value a proposition in proportion to the evidence for it, led you to your religious moderation. The door did not open from inside, it was rather a result of these ideas steam-rolling in with a force. You are just unhappy at the personal and social cost a full embrace of Quran imposes on you. I call verse 65:4 as my evidence and your test to my statements here. This verse is universally interpreted by ALL theologians (minus some “moderates” in the last 50 or so years) down the centuries as sanctifying marriage (and subsequent consummation of it) to a pre-pubescent girl but you will disagree due to one of the above reasons although I have no doubt that your disagreement will be carefully layered in between sacred sayings.

It seems to me that you see actions of my mujahid brethren as a result of some strategic misjudgement. I assure your that strategy also plays a second fiddle in the equation and the real inspiration comes from what Islam ordains ALL Muslims to do. Your voice of moderation can never make any sense to me when I hear Muhammad (SAW) himself saying that “a day and a night fighting on the frontier is better than a month of fasting and prayer” and that “he who dies without having taken part in a campaign dies in a kind of unbelief.” My resolve to lay down my life and take as many others as possible further strengthens when I hear the Hadith that A single endeavour (of fighting) in Allah’s Cause in the forenoon or in the afternoon is better than the world and whatever is in it. Tell me why I should not stick to what the Prophet of Islam (SAW) tells me and listen to you instead?

You mention an established Islamic principle of guaranteeing the protection of innocent life including the infidels. This principle does not look so established to me when I see Muhammad’s (SAW) God is himself in the process of “mocking,” “cursing,” “shaming,” “punishing,” “scourging,” “judging,” “burning,” “annihilating,” “not forgiving,” and “not reprieving” throughout the Quran. The Verse of the Sword also gives further sanctity to my tolerance of collateral plus intentional damage of innocent infidels. “But when the forbidden months are past, then fight and slay the Pagans wherever ye find them, an 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 Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful (9:5)”. I call Ibn-Kathir (I can name many other authentic names here), THE most quoted, esteemed, authoritative and authentic name in Quranic tafsir who weaves together Hadith, Seerah and other reports to conclude that The Verse of the Sword abrogates other more tolerant and peaceful verses of Quran. My trust in this established principle of yours further weakens when I hear Syyed Qutb, the most influential modern thinker in Islamic world, say “The Koran points to another contemptible characteristic of the Jews: their craven desire to live, no matter at what price and regardless of quality, honour, and dignity.” Please note that I am quoting some of the most trustworthy names in Quranic sciences here not some obscure, one-man-bands. I hope you have found the names of the commanders here in reply to your question when you amaze at my eagerness to “join a battle I do not even know who the commander is”.

I know that you will reply to all these verses and saying of the Prophet (SAW) by invoking the standard excuse of “reading Quran in context”. No doubt you will also repeat some peaceful verses you are so fond of. You will quote me the verse “whoever kills a soul .... it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one - it is as if he had saved mankind entirely (5:32)” but you will conveniently miss the next couple of lines. As a reminder, let me quote 5:33 here. “Indeed, the penalty for those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and strive upon earth [to cause] corruption is none but that they be killed or crucified or that their hands and feet be cut off from opposite sides or that they be exiled from the land. That is for them a disgrace in this world; and for them in the Hereafter is a great punishment”.

Please remember “corruption or fisaad” is a qualification that is ambiguous at best and I have yet to hear of a sane person, let alone a Muslim, who does not think that USA and its other cronies are not spreading corruption on the earth.

Also, why should I not interpret all the peaceful teachings of the scriptures in the light of the ones I mentioned earlier? Why not take “my” verses as standard-bearers and use these as a lens to understand the other more laid back ones? Your “context” could be my fiction because it is the result of a faulty human intellect altering the apparent meanings of Allah’s eternal and infallible words. Once again, I see it nothing but an attempt to forego the social and personal cost of a literal reading of Quran. I hope you keep in mind what Quran claims for itself when you try to alter, nudge or dilute the apparent message it contains specially when this message has been understood by all throughout the Islamic history in a specific way. Quran claims that it

Brilliant piece!!!

How ironic is it that some of the very fools you mention in your essay have read your piece and posted comments.

To the fools:  It may be worth reflecting on the fact that Allah has put trials and tribulations before all Muslims throughout the Ages. The grievances you bemoan are simply the tests that Allah has put before our current ummah.  If not these, Allah would have put tested us with something else.

It is through these trials that we are asked to exercise the Prophetic way and gain favor with Allah. Terrorism and extremism are not acts of war, they are acts of desperation; and Allah has forbidden us to despair of what he has sent us.

Dear Imam Zaid
Greetings to you friend,I am a simple man who is not a Muslim.I honour your bravery and every brave Muslim that chooses the road of peace,even in the face of such appalling atrocity.
What point is life, if I can not have you in my home as a guest and offer you comfort and shelter.
I too feel sorry for all the men and women deceived into violence on both sides,let us hope and pray that the Great one in his infinite mercy will still embrace them despite the trickery that has befallen them.
My deepest respect and warmest regards on your personal stand and your wisdom.
Justin

I am not a member of Al-Qaeda. I do not have any desire or intention to kill innocent women and children. I don’t know any other Muslims that have such intentions or desires.

Your (and many others)constant publicized condemnations of those misguided young Muslim men who you describe at the various points as divorced from reality, dupes of the CIA, and morally culpable for their bloody anarchistic ideology, betrays a grave misunderstanding of the real reality.

See response Letter to Collaborators at:
inescapableconclusions1 dot blogspot dot com

Hi

I just wanted to say a big thank you for a great blog post.

I always find that I learn great things from you and your work and could never appreciate it enough. You do a wonderful job at opening my eyes and I really feel like I have learnt something from you.

Keep up the fantastic blog posts and I have just tweeted the post on Twitter and will be joining your RSS feed.

Thanks again

Nicole

Assalam Alaikum Imam Zaid,
I am Mohammad Shahid Fazal from India…...I listen to your lectures frequently and I admire you a lot,follow you and other great scholars like Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad,Shaykh Hamza Yusuf,etc..I don’t know any means to Contact you.This is why I am raising the issue I had in my mind through this platform…..
I am a Muslim who lives in a Hindu Majority country…...Although Muslims sometimes face problems here which are many times caused due to increasing Hindu Nationalism,but these problems are very less compared to the problems that HINDUS FACE IN PAKISTAN…...Hindus,as other minorities, in Pakistan are subject to regular torture,Rape,Kidnappings,extortions,occupation of their properties,etc…...As an example,I cite an incident which I read about…....a hindu woman’s house was forcefully occupied by some people and She had a Cow at her house.The occupiers forced that woman to slaughter that Cow with her own hands and forced her to eat the bEEF…..This happened inspite of people knowing that Hindus are prohibited from Beef eating…...She was then forced to become a Muslim.
The reason for me writing these things is as a Muslim I am concerned.The actions of fellow ‘muslims’ in Pakistan have forced me to hang my head in shame….....I have heard many of your lectures and I hope many of your students must be Pakistanis(I don’t know exactly,I am just guessing,I never have been to USA)......I want/request you to do a Khutba/sermon or atleast a press release or a videocast(I have seen many of them from you) addressing this issue….... I request you to please give a word of advice to the Pakistani and other Muslims who abuse people of other faiths,in the light of Islamic scriptures,and the teachings of our Holy Messenger(pbuh).......I want/request you to specifically address the issue of HINDUS in Pakistan….......Please Please Please don’t ignore this for the Sake of Allah and His Prophet Muhammad(pbuh).........I also don’t have any ideo on how to contact Shaykh AHM….....If you can convey this concern of mine to him too and request him too to issue a sermon(or at best a Video message) addressing Hindu issue in Pakistan for the Blood thirsty vultures,Vampires(who have taken the garb of Muslims) in Pakistan to listen….....I will be very thankful to you if you do this….......I am already thankful to you,Shaykh Hamza and Shaykh AHM for instilling a new vigour of IMAN in me….......But please don’t ignore this issue…......I BEG with tears in my eyes!!!!!!!!

Note to to those who have written comments stating the the author of this letter should be discussing the perpetrators that have begun wars and all other other injustices inflicted by them, and that some Mujhadis are only reacting - this letter is not about those countries or governments (USA, Isreal etc.)! This letter/article is written for persons who are obvioulsy upset at the several wars and other conflicts, and rightly to be so, and wonder what they could do to make things right - which may be by plotting some kind of attack in a Western country - the Imam’s advice is that there are other ways to make matters right.

To Mustafa Farooq (commenter) -you seem to be on a the opposite side of Imam Shakir -I dont think Imam Shakir considers some men who want to take action against the American government or other groups part of the war in Muslim countries, terrorist. Suicide bombers in Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan - are not terrorists, they dont know and dont have the means of defending themselves in other ways. Other attacks that have taken place in Western countries were not committed by simply ‘terrorists’ - they were young men who were misled and took actions that have only made matters worse- but their ultimate intention was that of a ‘mujahid’. I think you may have given into American and right-wing politics yourself - by simply labelling those men as terrorists.

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Thank you for logic and terminology which I can use to answer the increasingly uncomfortable questions I am getting from my kids.  My feelings have always been what you put into words so much more eloquently.

So you talk about the problem but what do you propose as a solution? I do not agree with killing innocent people and I do not agree with them killing Muslims.

Those who are doing most of the killing of innocent and bombing of Masjids are not even Muslims, they are just people on the payroll.

One truth we know is that there would always be those who are in the cause of Al-h Haqq. And Allah knows best.

Allah yubaariik feekum
parts of this remind me of Malcolm X..
may Allah increase and protect you and those like you

This “Imam” loves kuffar. But what about Rasulallah (saw), Abu Bakr and Umar (ra) sending military to Rome. The Romans were also feeling INSECURITY from the Persian Empire! You care about their insecurity while they are exporting their filthy democracy? Shariah does not differentiate people to civilians and military. Shariah divides them into fighters and non-fighters. Fighters can be with their hand, with their opinion, wealth, and with their sons. You love kuffar. You have no baraah in your aqeeda. May Allah guide you.

My response located here:

http://inescapableconclusions1.blogspot.com/

A Would-be-Mujahid’s answer to Imam Zaid’s Letter

(A Theoretical response from a “would-be-mujahid”)

Dear Imam Zaid Shakir

I read your letter addressed to me very carefully. You have tried to incite my emotions with reason and intellectual arguments so that I may not pick up some ammunition and go on a killing spree. I am surprised that you did not touch the real reasons behind my actions and attacked a few men of straw here and there.

You may make arguments that you think are convincing but to me, “reason”, “intellect” and “arguments” are of secondary importance behind my rationale of going after the non-believers. When you and I accepted Quran as the final, uncorrupted and literal word of God, we made a huge leap of faith. Our trust in Quran was not proportional to the evidence available and the quality of it. We both trusted the word of Muhammad (SAW) when he said that it was God talking to him through an angel. Reason, intellect, evidence and other corruptions were left far behind in the labyrinth of this world. Imam Ali (RA) puts it beautifully when he says that if there was a place for “reason” in religion, we would have done masah on the bottom of our feet while making wudu. I think you would make more sense if you stick to the sacred texts. After all, how much of your daily routine, from prayer (both dua and salah) to innumerable rituals, is based on reason and intellect? I am sure that you base most of your life on sacred texts instead of reason and intellect but you expect me to do otherwise. The real difference between you and me is that you believe that eating frozen yogurt makes a man invisible while I believe that eating frozen yogurt OR frozen milk makes a man invisible.

I have also met your kind at seminars, mosques and Youtube. Please allow me to call you a “moderate” as I am sure you will find “apologist” too distasteful a term. After all, you called my ideology “bloody” and “anarchistic” so perhaps you should be happy in accepting this label.

I would like to comment on your “moderation” here before moving on. Moderation in Islam (and in any other faith) is nothing but an attempt to loosely interpret or simply ignoring much of the holy texts in the interest of living in the modern world. The first thing to note is that your retreat from scriptural literalism is not due to a new light that you have suddenly discovered from the Islamic texts one fine morning but it is the result of blows coming from the demonic achievements of modernity that have put certain tenants of your faith to doubt. Scientific advancements, concern for human rights, fruits of liberal-democratic politics, an end to cultural/geographic isolation and the emergence of a general tendency to value a proposition in proportion to the evidence for it, led you to your religious moderation. The door did not open from inside, it was rather a result of these ideas steam-rolling in with a force. You are just unhappy at the personal and social cost a full embrace of Quran imposes on you. I call verse 65:4 as my evidence and your test to my statements here. This verse is universally interpreted by ALL theologians (minus some “moderates” in the last 50 or so years) down the centuries as sanctifying marriage (and subsequent consummation of it) to a pre-pubescent girl but you will disagree due to one of the above reasons although I have no doubt that your disagreement will be carefully layered in between sacred sayings.

It seems to me that you see actions of my mujahid brethren as a result of some strategic misjudgement. I assure your that strategy also plays a second fiddle in the equation and the real inspiration comes from what Islam ordains ALL Muslims to do. Your voice of moderation can never make any sense to me when I hear Muhammad (SAW) himself saying that “a day and a night fighting on the frontier is better than a month of fasting and prayer” and that “he who dies without having taken part in a campaign dies in a kind of unbelief.” My resolve to lay down my life and take as many others as possible further strengthens when I hear the Hadith that A single endeavour (of fighting) in Allah’s Cause in the forenoon or in the afternoon is better than the world and whatever is in it. Tell me why I should not stick to what the Prophet of Islam (SAW) tells me and listen to you instead?

You mention an established Islamic principle of guaranteeing the protection of innocent life including the infidels. This principle does not look so established to me when I see Muhammad’s (SAW) God is himself in the process of “mocking,” “cursing,” “shaming,” “punishing,” “scourging,” “judging,” “burning,” “annihilating,” “not forgiving,” and “not reprieving” throughout the Quran. The Verse of the Sword also gives further sanctity to my tolerance of collateral plus intentional damage of innocent infidels. “But when the forbidden months are past, then fight and slay the Pagans wherever ye find them, an 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 Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful (9:5)”. I call Ibn-Kathir (I can name many other authentic names here), THE most quoted, esteemed, authoritative and authentic name in Quranic tafsir who weaves together Hadith, Seerah and other reports to conclude that The Verse of the Sword abrogates other more tolerant and peaceful verses of Quran. My trust in this established principle of yours further weakens when I hear Syyed Qutb, the most influential modern thinker in Islamic world, say “The Koran points to another contemptible characteristic of the Jews: their craven desire to live, no matter at what price and regardless of quality, honour, and dignity.” Please note that I am quoting some of the most trustworthy names in Quranic sciences here not some obscure, one-man-bands. I hope you have found the names of the commanders here in reply to your question when you amaze at my eagerness to “join a battle I do not even know who the commander is”.

I know that you will reply to all these verses and saying of the Prophet (SAW) by invoking the standard excuse of “reading Quran in context”. No doubt you will also repeat some peaceful verses you are so fond of. You will quote me the verse “whoever kills a soul .... it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one - it is as if he had saved mankind entirely (5:32)” but you will conveniently miss the next couple of lines. As a reminder, let me quote 5:33 here. “Indeed, the penalty for those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and strive upon earth [to cause] corruption is none but that they be killed or crucified or that their hands and feet be cut off from opposite sides or that they be exiled from the land. That is for them a disgrace in this world; and for them in the Hereafter is a great punishment”.

Please remember “corruption or fisaad” is a qualification that is ambiguous at best and I have yet to hear of a sane person, let alone a Muslim, who does not think that USA and its other cronies are not spreading corruption on the earth.

Also, why should I not interpret all the peaceful teachings of the scriptures in the light of the ones I mentioned earlier? Why not take “my” verses as standard-bearers and use these as a lens to understand the other more laid back ones? Your “context” could be my fiction because it is the result of a faulty human intellect altering the apparent meanings of Allah’s eternal and infallible words. Once again, I see it nothing but an attempt to forego the social and personal cost of a literal reading of Quran. I hope you keep in mind what Quran claims for itself when you try to alter, nudge or dilute the apparent message it contains specially when this message has been understood by all throughout the Islamic history in a specific way. Quran claims that it “makes things clear and manifest”, is” easy to understand”, it is in a language that is “pure and clear”, the “God thus clarifies the revelations” and that it is a book that “provide(s) explanations for everything” and “there is no doubt in it” Now you tell me that suddenly, Quran is not so clear and pure and context should be added before its application in my various projects.

You invoke the smile of my friendly neighbour John Smith to beg for mercy on his soul (I take a sigh of relief that at least you did not mention Jenny Smith here). I am afraid Our Lord sees him in a different light. Allah orders me that “Let the believers not make friends with infidels in preference to the faithful—he that does this has nothing to hope for from God—except in self-defense” (3:28). Also, “Believers, do not make friends with any but your own people. They will spare no pains to corrupt you. They desire nothing but your ruin. Their hatred is evident from what they utter with their mouths, but greater is the hatred which their breasts conceal” (3:118). Further, “Believers, do not seek the friendship of the infidels and those who were given the Book before you, who have made of your religion a jest and a pastime” (5:57). No doubt Allah’s final instructions to mankind for all times are pure and clear just like He promised in the Quran.

At the end, you have tried to install fear in me of the dungeons of Abu Ghuraib and Guantanamo Bay. My Lord has already promised me that “Those that suffered persecution for My sake and fought and were slain: I shall forgive them their sins and admit them to gardens watered by running streams, as a reward from God; God holds the richest recompense. Do not be deceived by the fortunes of the unbelievers in the land. Their prosperity is brief. Hell shall be their home, a dismal resting place” (3:195-96).

I end here with a note that I seriously and sincerely hope that you can see the desperation and ineffectiveness of your moderation compared to my “bloody” and “anarchistic” ideology. You may have the best of intentions but moderation, reason, intellect have an eternal, damned dilemma to contemplate with. Once you cross a certain bridge without using these very tools, you can not invoke them later on to save yourself. You just cannot base most of your life on vague beliefs and expect more fervent adherents to dispose off what you do not like by reasoning.

To see what I mean, here is a link for a Letter from a Mujahid to his wife.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kS7_z1b5Mg
Wassalam

A Would-Be-Mujahid

Everybody want to be a mujahid must listen to ulama’s voice. That’s the voice of truth. The same voice since hundred of years ago.

It is an enthralling and useful article. It has been very helpful in understanding of different things. I’m sure many people will agree with me.

I disagree with the Sheikh simply because his letter itself is obviously as formal as the American Administrations spokesperson’s own words.

Also he did not give any authentic hadith or reference from the Quran on his points. He knows himself that in the Quran the innocent is referred to as Muslims when Allah (Swt) speaks of them. To know this, just go to the Tafseer to see when the Ayat was revealed and why and due to what. Its called logic.

All this is from a political and international point of view. I do not have to be a Muslim to see books and come up with solid references. It is something we learn in our western universities. So why not use that to show that we are educated and atleast can proof our arguement. Every generation will have its debates, especially in wars. There will be those that wants to be neutral for their own safety and peace with another nation that is hostile in another way.. all twisted, but when you want to proof a point, give references knowing that people can always verify it themselves. If a Jew or Christian wanted to proof something from their religion, they would have to use their primary sources which is their scriptures. If it is something for interpretation, than they would have to explain and give references where people can check themselves instead of believing him or her.

May Allah (Swt) forgive the Sheikh for his misunderstandings and guide him.

I’m imrpesesd! You’ve managed the almost impossible.

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and when the kuffar reject your “invitation” to Islam because in America we have the freedom to choose and change our religion, THEN what?

We are on to you and your Grand Jihad.  We know your tactics. So keep crying about you being victims as you rape and stone and kill and burn Christians and Hindus and Jews and Buddhist because your cries fall on deaf ears.

You severely underestimate the average American.  We are peaceful until you back us in a corner.  Just say your prayers and refrain from pork and alcohol and leave us the F**K alone… or you will see the waking giant arise again!

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