October 11, 2005

Robert Spencer on Key Distinctions between the Judeo-Christian Tradition, and the Islamic Tradition

Last night in Los Angeles, Robert Spencer and Tashbih Sayeed spoke about Islam and jihad.  

Robert Spencer (at podium), Moderator Avi Davis, and Tashbih Sayeed, editor of Muslim World Today. Click for a larger image. Note: this image is merged from three smaller images.

Spencer's book, The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (And the Crusades), is in its eighth week on the NY Times bestseller list -- despite having had no MSM publicity:

The American people realize that they aren't getting the truth, and are seeking out the book themselves. 

Spencer noted that the text of the Koran is not presented in the order in which it was written. It was written in three major sections. The first, calls for peaceful co-existence with other religions, and was written when Muhammad was just starting out. The second calls for Muslims to require the non-Muslims among them to have a second-class status. The third, written when Mohammed's armies were at their greatest strength, calls for Muslims to kill non-Muslims unless the non-Muslims convert or accept second-class status. Muslim scholars believe that the third and final part of the Koran abrogates all the previous parts. I don't have a transcription of that part of Spencer's observations last night, but he made a similar point in the following comment posted at LGF in 2003:

The Qur'an is not arranged chronologically. Rather, the longest sura is first (after the opening sura, the Fatiha), and the shortest sura is last. But Muslim tradition assigns a general chronological order to the revelation of the Qur'an, according to which sura 109 is far from one of the last revealed. In fact, it was one of the first. The short suras at the end of the Qur'an are generally chronologically early, and the long ones at its beginning are generally late. The last sura of all to be revealed in full was sura 9, which contains the Verse of the Sword ("slay the unbelievers wherever you find them," 9:5), and the command to fight Jews and Christians until they either become Muslim or submit as inferiors under Islamic rule (9:29). Those, unfortunately, are the Qur'an's last words on jihad, and Muslim thinkers have long held that they abrogate words of peace and tolerance such as those in 109. 

Spencer observed that there are no core teachings in the Judeo-Christian tradition that instruct people to kill those who are of another faith. However, such teachings are an overwhelming part of the Koran. Spencer's comments (from my handwritten notes from last night):

The idea that Muslims must fight against Jews and Christians is contained in over 100 versus in the Koran. The fighting is not to be just by words, but is to be in the most literal sense.

Sayeed, a Muslim, called for a reformation of Islam in which Islam would discard its traditions of attacking those of other faiths, and would learn to co-exist with those of other religions. When asked by an audience member to name one other Muslim who was willing to publicly make the same call, Sayeed was unable to provide one. This emphasizes the courage of Sayeed.