Islam And The West

​ PREFACE

In the contemporary world Islam is taking centre stage, not least in its appeal as a global religion with followers throughout Europe and the United States, as well as in its traditional heartlands, but also in the backdrop of the tragedy of 9/11, the subsequent toppling of the theocratic Taliban regime in Afghanistan and the sequence of events leading up to the occupation of Iraq and its bloody aftermath. The forgotten war in Chechnya, the genocide in Bosnia and the contentious 'Peace Process' between Israel and the Palestinians, the United States- led 'War on Terror' and the detention in Guantanamo Bay of suspected Al-Qaeda operatives in conditions defying the Geneva Convention, the ongoing war in Afghanistan and the continued threat of so-called Islamic terrorists or jihadists are just some of the factors that have brought about a renewed focus on Islam, both by the younger generation of Muslims and by non- Muslims. We must not underestimate the inspiration behind the Arab Spring and its potential to change the political landscape in the Arab World, not least the profound implications for international politics, regional security and global economic infrastructure.

Extremism has no place in Islam. At the same time extreme right-wing propaganda against Islam in all its shades and forms must be challenged.

I have seriously endeavoured through this book to bring to the reader a rational approach to the study of Islam, bringing the fundamental features of Islam into focus, stressing factual analysis and rational deduction. Numerous materials have been extensively sourced, meticulously studied and critically evaluated. I take this opportunity to apologize for any errors. I sincerely desire that this work will provide a platform that will inspire readers, especially young Muslims and non-Muslims, to engage in further faith-based research of their own and hopefully find answers to questions that trouble those young inquisitive minds.

This book should also be useful to anyone who wishes to gain a first-hand, lucid and brief introduction to a faith of vast magnitude at different academic levels. Knowledge of Islam is not and should not be the exclusive domain of so-called 'Mullahs'. Rather every Muslim must make a conscientious effort to understand the core message of Islam so that they may not be led astray. The quotations from the Holy Qur'an and numerous Ahadith collections are not always exhaustive in relation to the subject matter being dealt with. Here I have exercised discretion in the selection of relevant verses. I strongly believe that this treatise on Islam will challenge many misconceptions of the Islamic Faith often drummed up by vested interests in achieving their political agenda.

This discourse also seeks to address the contentious issue of whether Islam or its so-called radical interpretation presents the most significant challenge to the worldwide predominance of Western democracy and capitalism since the end of the Cold War, as well as exploring the issues relating to the revival of an Islamic caliphate.

This book is the first of five anticipated publications, with the second book expected to be completed in the near future. I would like to strongly reiterate that in the course of this work no deliberate attempt has been made to overtly criticise any individual dead or alive, nor to belittle, discredit or bring into disrepute any religion, belief or practice. Neither is this work intended to prejudice the reputation, interests or security of any country or nationality but rather to promote intellectual dialogue and a healthy exchange of ideas.

Sheikh Mohammed Jakir Ahmed Jabbar LL. B (Hons), ACILEx June 2014/Shaban 1435 A. H.

​ INTRODUCTION

From the appearance of Homo sapiens to the present day and beyond, the miracle of birth, the life we live and the certainty of death and their place in the cosmos have been, and will continue to be, the driving force behind faith. Faith in a supreme Deity above and beyond material comprehension provides order amid chaos. Man takes back a modicum of control through surrender to God via prayers, sacrifices, piety and charity - core characteristics emphasized by all major religions. Faith has played a pivotal role in sustaining humanity. All the major religions began their journey as rebellions against oppression, ignorance and indulgence. Essentially, faith has been Man's redemption from himself. Religion has only provided shape and form to his faith.

Islam is one of the success stories of the world's religions. From the deserts of an inconspicuous corner of Arabia a mere fourteen centuries ago re-emerged a monotheistic faith that now professes more than one and a half billion followers (nearly a quarter of mankind) spread across several continents. Islam, which means acceptance and surrender, commitment and submission to the one true God, is the dominant faith in the countries of the Middle East, North Africa, much of East Africa down to Kenya, Soviet Central Asia, Iran, Afghanistan eastwards to include the South Asian countries of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Maldives to Malaysia and Indonesia. Although they are a minority in India, Muslims there number more than 177 million. And while the official Chinese figure puts the number of Muslims at 17 million, at least 23 million is closer to the truth. Of the three major monotheistic religions, Islam embraces and embodies the fastest-growing body of religious believers in the contemporary world and after Christianity is the world's second largest religion.

Unlike Christianity, which is divided between Eastern Orthodoxy, Catholicism and Protestantism, Islam is far from being a private religion of personal conscience and ethics. Rather it is a complete way of life, governing every aspect of human interaction laid down by ALLAH through His Messenger, Muhammad.

Islam belongs to the same family of religions as Judaism and Christianity. The Patriarch of the three is the Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham), a descendant of Nuh's (Noah's) son Shem as illustrated in Chapter 57, Al-Hadid, Verse 26 of the Holy Qur'an: And we sent Noah And Abraham, and established In their line Prophethood And Revelation. The three monotheistic religions are rays from the same lamp and barring some (albeit fundamental) differences (discussed later) have strikingly common grounds. All emphasize the unseen, eternal, omnipotent Creator, the most compassionate and merciful imposing His structured will on earth. Yet the seeds of enmity and distrust between Islam and Christianity planted many centuries ago between 1095, marking the seeds of the first Christian Crusade at the behest of the Papacy; 'Dues vult' (God wills it), and the penultimate Crusade of 1248, the tolerance preached by the Prophets, Iesa (Jesus) and Muhammad has been manipulated for vested political interests.

The medieval Crusades achieved nothing substantial in terms of real power and influence; in fact the second Christian Crusade ended in defeat, while the third Crusade was inconclusive. What the Crusades did achieve was the savage death of tens of thousands, violation of married women and widows and the sacking of wealth. The battle cry was more driven or inspired by an irrational craving for land and power dictated by the political realities of the day than spiritual advancement or the appeasement of God. The so-called 'Holy War' was sustained by barbarism and aggression in the name of glorifying God in the perceived defence of Christendom against the expanding and encroaching Islamic Empire.

However, it must be emphasized that like different strands of thread interwoven to make a fine tapestry, the affinity and heritage of the monotheistic religions is clearly narrated in Chapter 2, Al Baqarah, Verse 136 of the Holy Qur'an where it states: Say (O Muslims):We believe in ALLAH and that which has been sent down to us and that which has been sent down to Ibrahim (Abraham), Isma'il (Ishmael), Ishaq (Isaac), Ya'qub (Jacob), and to Al-Asbat [the offspring of the twelve sons of Ya'qub (Jacob], and that which has been given to Musa (Moses) and Isa (Jesus), and that which has been given to the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we have submitted (in Islam).

With a common monotheistic lineage, Islam requires Muslims to believe in all the revealed books mentioned in the Holy Qur'an. They are the Tawrat (Torah) revealed to Prophet Musa (Moses); the Zabur (Psalms) revealed to Prophet Dawud (David); the Injil (the original Gospel) revealed to Prophet Isa (Jesus) and the Qur'an revealed to the final Prophet and Messenger Muhammad. The Qur'an also mentions the Suhuf-i-Ibrahim (Scrolls of Abraham). By no measure or form therefore, is Islam an advancement or continuation of Arab paganism. In fact, the theme underlying the core message of Islam is its unrestrained rebellion against paganism, idolatry and religious bigotry repeatedly expressed in verses of the Holy Qur'an.

It is only when preceding revelation(s) became corrupted following distortions in the Divine texts as mentioned in Chapter 3, Al-Imran, Verse 78 of the Holy Qur'an, where it states: And Lo! there is a party of them who distort the Scripture with their tongues that ye may think that what they say is from the Scripture, when it is not from the Scripture. And they say: it is from ALLAH, when it is not from ALLAH; and they speak a lie concerning ALLAH knowingly, that a subsequent revelation followed with Islam being the last religion or revelation as illustrated in Chapter 5, Al-Ma'idah, verse 3 of the Holy Al-Quran, where ALLAH proclaims: This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed my favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.

Nothing comes between man and ALLAH in Islam. There is no requirement for spiritual intermediaries. The concept of priesthood is alien to classical Islamic tradition but is now prevalent in many Muslim countries, inspired by Christian missionary influence of the last few centuries. There is no hierarchy of authority to clutter the Islamic Faith. There is nothing comparable to an organised Church. Any personal financial contribution in the way of Islam, though encouraged, is nevertheless entirely voluntary. Though there are religious scholars (Ulema) there is no equivalent to the archdeacons, bishops, archbishops or popes that can be found in the Christian Church. Surely, there is nothing further from the truth than to compare the institution of the Vatican to the Holy sites of Mecca or for that matter Medina. When leading the prayer in the Mosque the Imam is only the first among equals. Religious authority in Islam resides in the Holy Qur'an and according to Sunni Islam the Hadith as well, to which every Muslim has ready access. The Holy Qur'an is available in its unaltered Arabic version (the standardized text commencing from the reign of Caliph Uthman) though it has been subsequently translated into numerous languages. Of the six authoritative collections of Hadith, the most authentic Ahadith are widely received as the Sahih Al- Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.

Followers of the Islamic Faith possess a collective morality. Though the nation-states comprising the 'Muslim Ummah' (world-wide community of Islam) may at times be immersed in bitter geo-political rivalry amongst themselves, in Faith, nevertheless, the vast majority of Muslims across the Globe (irrespective of national identity) are passionately united in their observance of the Five Pillars of Islam, if not in anything else, particularly in their declaration of the Shahada (oneness of God and the prophethood of Muhammad), as well as in their vehement acceptance of the Divine truth of the Holy Qur'an. It is this passionate affirmation that underlines the strength and mysticism that characterizes the rationale behind the resurgence of Islam as a global phenomenon, especially in the face of perceived persecution of Muslims, particularly in Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan and not too long ago in Chechnya, Bosnia and Lebanon.

Western societies and governments fail to understand this and therefore fail to comprehend the Muslim 'psyche'. Capitalising on this, radical groups stir themselves into expressions of extremism. This only emphasises the importance of understanding and advocating the correct interpretation of the Holy Qur'an and not its dissection to single verses or even phrases from verses that serve extremist agenda, deliberately distorting the true meaning of the Holy Qur'an. While some will argue that the majority of Qur'anic verses are stand-alone verses imparting a separate call to the Divine, the caveat is that such verses must not be read out of context. Instead the Qur'anic verses must be read and understood within the Spirit of the Divine Call and Guidance.

From an inconspicuous corner of the Arab peninsula, within two centuries of the Prophet Muhammad's death, the Islamic Empire under its successive caliphs spanned three continents from Spain to the gates of China, absorbing the then formidable Sassanid Empire and two-thirds of the Byzantine Empire, ranking the emerging Islamic Empire larger than the self-destroying Roman Empire. This is not to say that Islam advocates aggression or war for the sole purpose of sacking lands, power or wealth, or to forcibly convert unbelievers. In fact this is flatly prohibited in Chapter 2, Al-Baqarah, Verse 256, of the Holy Qur'an, where ALLAH says: Let there be no compulsion in religion:Truth stands out Clear from Error: whosoever Rejects Tagut (anything worshipped other than ALLAH) and believes in ALLAH hath grasped the most trustworthy Handhold that never breaks. And ALLAH heareth and knoweth all.

There is however, a clear obligation of self-defence upon Muslims. This is expressed in Chapter 2, Al-Baqarah, Verses 190- 193 of the Holy Qur'an: Fight in the cause of ALLAH Those who fight you But do not transgress limits; For ALLAH loveth not transgressors. And slay them Wherever ye catch them, And turn them out From where they have Turned you out; For persecution Is 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 reject faith. But if they cease, ALLAH is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. And fight them on Until there is no more persecution And the religion becomes ALLAH's. But if they cease, Let there be no hostility except to those Who practice oppression..

Unfortunately, in reality the distinction between aggression and self-defence has often been blurred, giving rise to misconceptions about the Islamic duty of Jihad. While this will be analysed in some detail later, simply put, acts of 'terror' resulting in the death of innocent civilians clearly transgress limits. Muslims are required to provide a measured but effective response to persecution that must be appropriately directed. Consequently, innocent civilians can never be legitimate targets of war or jihad. In fact such a course of conduct is prohibited in Islam.

Regrettably, however, in recent military campaigns where Muslims have been on the receiving end, Muslim civilians and non-combatants have been legitimate game, often dismissed in military terminology as 'collateral damage'. To take some contemporary examples: The Soviet invasion and occupation of Afghanistan between December 1979 and February 1989 resulted in more than a million fatalities, with more than five million Afghans fleeing to Pakistan and Iran. It is reported that in the 1980s half of the world's refugees were Afghan nationals. It is also estimated that another two million Afghans were displaced within the country, while three million Afghans, mostly non-combatants, were maimed or wounded. In July 2006, Israeli military incursions into Lebanon, in what is referred to as the second Lebanon War, resulted in 1200 people being killed, mostly Lebanese citizens, with UNICEF estimating 30% of them to be children. The Israeli authorities have persistently denied such claims, while the Israeli-government appointed Winograd Commission found that Israeli defence forces did not target civilians and that evidence of war crimes was biased and without basis. On the contrary, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International alleged the use of indiscriminate air strikes by Israel that resulted in civilian deaths.

The Bosnian War between April 1992 and December 1995 bears testimony to targeted ethnic cleansing of the civilian Muslim population of Bosnia and Herzegovina. With UN Security Council Resolution 713 enforcing an arms embargo in the former Yugoslavia, the Bosnian Muslim civilian population (Muslim Bosniaks) were effectively denied their inalienable right to defend themselves against the subsequent Bosnian Serb onslaught that was supported by the Serbian government of Slobodan Miloševic and the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA). The genocide of Muslim Bosniaks will forever be remembered by the Srebrenica massacre and the systematic and targeted rape of Muslim women and girls, particularly in Eastern Bosnia during the Foca massacres. Many Bosniak women and girls were gang-raped repeatedly by Bosnian Serb Forces and sold as sex slaves. Estimates of the numbers raped are above 20 thousand. This was the most potent way Serbs could assert superiority and victory over the Muslim Bosniaks. The Srebrenica Massacre is Europe's worst massacre since World War II, and witnessed the execution of 8000 unarmed men and boys, with the United Nations proving impotent to stop the Massacre.

As a consequence of the Second Gulf