It has been said that those who will not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. The wisdom of this saying is being demonstrated on the stage of world history in the present hour. Osama bin Laden has called America’s response to September 11, a "new crusade and Jewish campaign led by the big crusader Bush under the flag of the cross." His meaning is clear. Osama bin Laden is linking the present military campaign to Europeans that took place over a thousand years ago during which time Christian warriors attacked Islamic strongholds in and around Palestine and in other Muslim lands.

By making this connection bin Laden is sharing with the Western world that a large part of the Middle East is psychologically living in a far distant century not only politically but socially. Whatever modern day advances in science, technology and social freedoms (especially for women) that have been made can be and should be reversed according to Shariah Law. My concern is that the Western world still is not taking war with Islam seriously for several reasons.

First, ignorance of history.

Second, ignorance of the Koran.

Third, an unwillingness to believe that humans could be as brutal as the rhetoric and reality says they are. In short the Islamic community is fighting a real war to a real death in order to advance the Islamic faith.

A large part of the world once refused to believe the rhetoric and the writings of a man named Adolf Hitler in his book Mein Kampf (My Struggles) despite the reality of his aggressive movements into the Rhineland and the Sudetenland. History is repeating itself in so far as people are not reading the Koran and believing its contents are serious despite the reality of aggression in the Middle East and here in America on 9/11. When a person bothers to study the history of Muhammad and the Koran, even on a surface level, several startling facts emerge.

A Man Named Muhammad

Muhammad came from the Quraysh tribe, which traced its origins back to Ishmael, the son of Abraham. They were a wealthy and powerful tribe which controlled the Kaba but were given to idolatry. Muhammad was born c. 570 AD. He was an orphan and worked for his uncle, who was a caravan trader. At age 25, Muhammad married a wealthy widow named Kadija who was ten to fifteen years older than he was. His new financial freedom gave Muhammad time for leisure and meditation. While visiting a cave near Mecca, Muhammad announced at age 40 that the angel Gabriel had appeared to him with the first of many revelations that would continue for the next twenty two years. The message Muhammad was given to proclaim was that of monotheism meaning a belief in one God apart from a Trinitarian concept.

At first the message was not well received and Muhammad was persecuted. In the year AD 619 at age 49 Muhammad claimed he was transported to Jerusalem on a winged horse having the face of a woman and the tail of a peacock and then to the seventh heaven.

In the year AD 622 at age 52 Muhammad and followers moved to Medina. This event is called the "Hijrah" and the beginning of the Muslim calendar. In Medina, Muhammad was received as an honored ruler by many but not by the Jews. In retaliation, Muhammad arrested 600 wealthy Jewish men and cut off their heads, sold their wives and children into slavery and confiscated their property. With the proceeds from these atrocities he was able to equip an army for conquest of other villages in Arabia. The blood bath would not end even with the re-conquest of Mecca in AD 630.

In the year AD 632 the prophet died suddenly in the arms of his favorite wife Aisha. Muhammad was 52 and Aisha was only 9 (nine) years old when they married and sexually consummated their marriage. Aisha was the youngest of Muhammad’s eleven wives.

The death of Muhammad would be honored and his cause advanced in the Koran. The cause was simple: kill the Christians and the Jews and make Islam the supreme religion of the world with all nations bowing down to five pillars of faith.

The Creed of the Koran

The creed of Islam states: "There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet."

Profession (Shahadah). A profession of faith is numbered among the "five pillars of Islam".

Prayer (Salah). It is said Muhammad referred to prayer as the "pillar of religion, the key to Paradise, and that which causes a man to be a true believer."

Giving alms (Zakat). Alms are given in order to purify the rest of a Muslim’s property and to gain blessing and merit from God. It is mentioned at least 82 times in the Koran.

Fasting (Sawm). In the Muslim’s lunar calendar, in the month of Ramadan fasting is mandatory for all according to Sura 2:163-185. The purpose of Ramadan is to purify the soul and guard against evil.

Pilgrimage (Hajj). Unless too poor or too ill every adult Muslim is expected to make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in his lifetime.

The Teachings of the Koran (Quran)

This is the sacred book of Islam said to be revealed to Muhammad. Since Muhammad himself could not read or write he had to rely upon those who heard him speak to write without error what he was saying. There are 114 chapters (Suras) in the Koran of varying lengths. The Koran is treated with great respect. Devout Muslims will not touch it without ceremonial cleansing and will not hold it below the waist or allow it to touch the ground.

Faithful Muslims try to memorize the Koran and a teacher must memorize it entirely prior to being qualified to teach it. Muslims believe in the law of abrogation which means they believe later revelations cancel earlier ones in the Koran. The law of abrogation is the law which the Western world must take most seriously because it is that which allows for the violent Jihad and justifies killing in the name of God. In over one hundred passages in the Koran the wholesale slaughter of enemies is commanded. This command naturally extends to Jews and Christians as "infidels" and "unbelievers". A few examples should suffice to establish the violence of a faith that is more than willing to fight. 

• "And slay them wherever ye find them, and drive them out of the places whence they drove you out, for persecution is worse than slaughter. And fight not with them at the Inviolable Place of Worship until they first attack you there, but if they attack you (there) then slay them. Such is the reward of disbelievers" (Koran 2:191).

• 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 on 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" (Koran 5:33).

• The Koran instructs its followers not to become friends with Jews and Christians. "O ye who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians for friends. They are friends one to another. He among you who taketh them for friends is (one) of them. Lo! Allah guideth not wrongdoing folk" (Koran 5:51).

• "Then, when the sacred months have passed, slay the idolaters 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" (Koran 9:5).

• "Fight against such of those who have been given the Scripture as believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, and forbid not that which Allah hath forbidden by His messenger, and follow not the religion of truth, until they pay the tribute readily, being brought low"(Koran 9:29).

• "O Prophet! Strive against the disbelievers and the hypocrites! Be harsh with them. Their ultimate abode is hell, a hapless journey’s end" (Koran 9: 73).

• "O ye who believe! Fight those of the disbelievers who are near to you, and let them find harshness in you, and know that Allah is with those who keep their duty (unto Him)" (Koran 9:123).

• "These twins (the believers and disbelievers) are two opponents who contend concerning their Lord. But as for those who disbelieve, garments of fire will be cut out for them; boiling fluid will be poured down on their heads, Whereby that which is in their bellies, and the skins too will be melted; And for them are hooked rods of iron" (Koran 22:19-22)

Decapitating infidels is commanded in the name of Allah. "Now when ye meet in battle those who disbelieve, then it is smiting of the necks until, when ye have routed them, then making fast of bonds; and afterwards either grace or ransom till the wary lay down its burdens. That (is the ordinance). And if Allah willed He could have punished them (without you) but (thus it is ordained) that He may try some of you by means of others. And those who are slain in the way of Allah, He rendereth not their actions vain" (Koran 47:4).

These acts of terrorism are justified by saying that God [Allah] is really the one doing the killing and using Muslims as tools to carry out death and destruction. "Ye (Muslims) slew them not, but Allah slew them. And thou (Muhammad) threwest not when thou didst throw, but Allah threw, that He might test the believers by a fair test from Him. Lo! Allah is Hearer. Knower" (Koran 8:17). "Fight them! Allah will chastise them at your hands, and He will lay them low and give you victory over them, and He will heal the breasts of folk who are believers" (Koran 9:14).

The Muslims claim that Jihad is mandatory. "O ye who believe! When ye meet those who disbelieve in battle, turn not your backs to them. Whoso on that day turneth his back to them, unless maneuvering for battle or intent to join a company, the truth hath incurred wrath from Allah, and his habitation will be hell, a hapless journey’s end"(Koran 8:15-16).

It is acceptable to break treaties and obligations with pagans and make war on them whenever strong enough to do so. "And a proclamation from Allah and His messenger to all men on the day of the Greater Pilgrimage that Allah is free from obligations to the idolaters, and (so is) His messenger. So, if ye repent, it will be better for you; but if ye are averse, then know that ye cannot escape Allah. Give tidings (O Muhammad) of a painful doom to those who disbelieve" (Koran 9:3). "If you go not forth [to Jihad] He [Allah] will afflict you with a painful doom, and will choose instead of you a folk other than you. Ye cannot harm Him at all. Allah is Able to do all things "(Koran 9:38-39).

The purpose of pointing out these basic facts is to alert Americans in general that this country is faced with a real enemy. The second purpose is to mobilize the church for the first weapon of defense against this enemy is not the military but prayer, faith and the power of the gospel of redeeming grace. Proverbs 24:20 says, "For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out." How is evil destroyed? How is the candle of wickedness put out? The church believes it is primarily put out through prayer and the exercise of Christian love, not bloodshed and violence. Jesus said, "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust" (Matthew 5:44-45).

While history teaches that national liberties and securities often come through military victories on fields of battle, history also teaches the power of the gospel of Christ to redeem the most violent of regimes be they political or religious in origin. Because of that the church has a weapon of warfare but it is spiritual in nature. 2 Corinthians 10:4, "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds. The exhortation comes for the church to use her weapons in a new and effective way. When deployed the time will come sooner rather than later when nations "shall be able to beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more" (Isaiah 2:4).