What is the exact statement in the Quran? I have seen it quoted as "all infidels must die" meaning any non-Muslims living near them (i.e. Jews, Christians, all Westerners, Europeans, Americans,...). If that's the core of Muslim education and development efforts, then how could those populations ever thrive in the modern world?
What is the exact statement in the Quran? I have seen it quoted as "all infidels must die" meaning any non-Muslims living near them (i.e. Jews, Christians, all Westerners, Europeans, Americans,...). If that's the core of Muslim education and development efforts, then how could those populations ever thrive in the modern world?
"Indeed, those who disbelieve [kafaru] from the People of the Book and the polytheists will be in the Fire of Hell, to stay there forever. They are the worst of all creatures." (98:6)
People of the Book are the Jews, polytheists are the Christians and pagans.
There are apologists on the Muslim side who claim that this merely condemns "People of the Book" who don't believe their own Book. But the verse before it says: "And they [the People of the Book] have been commanded no more than this: To worship Allah..." So the imams are honest who teach that verse 6 means the Jewish people - because in holding onto the Jewish Bible, they "disbelieve" in Islam and withhold the worship that Allah demands.
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BTW those who claim this obnoxious and murderous viewpoint is not 'real Islam' are practicing what devout Muslims consider a necessary deception, Taqiyya, based on these verses:
тАЬLet believers not take for friends and allies infidels instead of believers. Whoever does this shall have no relationship left with Allah тАУ unless you but guard yourselves against them, taking precautions.тАЭ (Quran 3:28; see also 2:173; 2:185; 4:29; 22:78; 40:28.)
Islamic expert Raymond Ibrahim explained how Islamic scholars interpret "taking precautions":
"Al-TabariтАЩs (838-923 AD) Tafsir, or Quranic exegeses, is essentially a standard reference in the entire Muslim world. Regarding 3:28, he wrote: 'If you [Muslims] are under their [infidelsтАЩ] authority, fearing for yourselves, behave loyally to them, with your tongue, while harbouring inner animosity for them... Allah has forbidden believers from being friendly or on intimate terms with the infidels in place of believers тАУ except when infidels are above them [in authority]. In such a scenario, let them act friendly towards them.'тАЭ
In answer to your last question:
Faithful Muslims don't WANT to "thrive in the modern world" - they want to use it to further their world domination goals. The few who do assimilate into European and American culture are regarded by Islam as either apostates or practitioners of Taqiyya.
Thank you for the detailed reply. Unfortunately, it gives me less hope for world stability ahead. Clearly, self-serving mass media promotes simple-minded, less/non-productive solutions to populations that have little interest in understanding the necessary complexities of any functioning civilization. Islam appears to be incompatible with any modern egalitarian civilization.
What is the exact statement in the Quran? I have seen it quoted as "all infidels must die" meaning any non-Muslims living near them (i.e. Jews, Christians, all Westerners, Europeans, Americans,...). If that's the core of Muslim education and development efforts, then how could those populations ever thrive in the modern world?
Here is the main one:
"Indeed, those who disbelieve [kafaru] from the People of the Book and the polytheists will be in the Fire of Hell, to stay there forever. They are the worst of all creatures." (98:6)
People of the Book are the Jews, polytheists are the Christians and pagans.
There are apologists on the Muslim side who claim that this merely condemns "People of the Book" who don't believe their own Book. But the verse before it says: "And they [the People of the Book] have been commanded no more than this: To worship Allah..." So the imams are honest who teach that verse 6 means the Jewish people - because in holding onto the Jewish Bible, they "disbelieve" in Islam and withhold the worship that Allah demands.
--------------
BTW those who claim this obnoxious and murderous viewpoint is not 'real Islam' are practicing what devout Muslims consider a necessary deception, Taqiyya, based on these verses:
тАЬLet believers not take for friends and allies infidels instead of believers. Whoever does this shall have no relationship left with Allah тАУ unless you but guard yourselves against them, taking precautions.тАЭ (Quran 3:28; see also 2:173; 2:185; 4:29; 22:78; 40:28.)
Islamic expert Raymond Ibrahim explained how Islamic scholars interpret "taking precautions":
"Al-TabariтАЩs (838-923 AD) Tafsir, or Quranic exegeses, is essentially a standard reference in the entire Muslim world. Regarding 3:28, he wrote: 'If you [Muslims] are under their [infidelsтАЩ] authority, fearing for yourselves, behave loyally to them, with your tongue, while harbouring inner animosity for them... Allah has forbidden believers from being friendly or on intimate terms with the infidels in place of believers тАУ except when infidels are above them [in authority]. In such a scenario, let them act friendly towards them.'тАЭ
In answer to your last question:
Faithful Muslims don't WANT to "thrive in the modern world" - they want to use it to further their world domination goals. The few who do assimilate into European and American culture are regarded by Islam as either apostates or practitioners of Taqiyya.
Thank you for the detailed reply. Unfortunately, it gives me less hope for world stability ahead. Clearly, self-serving mass media promotes simple-minded, less/non-productive solutions to populations that have little interest in understanding the necessary complexities of any functioning civilization. Islam appears to be incompatible with any modern egalitarian civilization.