PrintIslam(ists) and religious world domination
Islamic terrorism may eventually be defeated in its large manifestations, like the one we saw on 9/11, but built into earliest Islam is an ultimate goal of religious world domoination, whether carried out by violent or peaceful means, as seen in the Quran, the Hadith (the record of the deeds and sayings of Muhammad), and the sunna (the example or path of Muhammad).
Osama bin Laden and Abu—Musab al—Zarqawi, the Jordanian who beheads innocent workers in Iraq, are open about this goal, as we see in these fatwas, statements, and interviews before and after 9/11.
In Osama's August 1996 fatwa declaring war against the US, he claims that Islamic revival is occurring around world, and especially around the Muslim world:
Under the present circumstances [of Zionist—Crusader aggressions], and under the banner of the blessed awakening which is sweeping the world in general and the Islamic world in particular, I meet with you today.
In March 1997 Peter Arnett interviews Osama, who says the goal of jihad is to exalt God's word [the Quran] to the heights, in other words, until the message of his Holy Book goes around the world.
For [subordination to the Jews and occupation of Arabia] and other acts of aggression and injustice, we have declared jihad against the US, because in our religion it is our duty to make jihad so that God's word is the one exalted to the heights and so that we drive the Americans away from all Muslim countries.
His absurd goal of driving out Americans from all Islamic lands has been answered here.
In May 1998 Jonathan Miller, then a reporter with ABC News, now a consultant on terrorism for Los Angeles, interviews Osama, who believes that he is a servant of Allah and that his primary mission is to spread by fighting the religion of light.
I am one of the servants of Allah. We do our duty of fighting for the sake of the religion of Allah. It is also our duty to send a call to all the people of the world to enjoy this great light and to embrace Islam and experience the happiness in Islam. Our primary mission is nothing but the furthering of this religion. ...
In November 2001, after 9/11, Osama allows an interview with Hamid Mir, the editor of an Arabic—language journal. The terrorist pulls back a little from his wish to slaughter innocent people, though he has said in numerous other statements and interviews that he is justified in doing so. His mission is to spread the Quran:
Hamid Mir: Can it be said that you are against the American government, not the American people?
Osama: Yes! We are carrying on the mission of our Prophet, Muhammad (peace be upon him). The mission is to spread the word of God, not to indulge [in] massacring people.
In December 2001 Osama records a video in which he and a sheikh extol the 9/11 attacks. He states his goal clearly:
I was ordered to fight the people until they say there is no god but Allah, and his prophet Muhammad.
In that same video Osama reports that after the attacks many converted to Islam, and many others were at least curious about true Islam, in the sense of possibly converting to it.
Some of them said that in Holland, at one of the centers, the number of people who accepted Islam during the days that followed the operations were more than the people who accepted Islam in the last eleven years. I heard someone on Islamic radio who owns a school in America say: 'We don't have time to keep up with the demands of those who are asking
about Islamic books to learn about Islam.' This event made people think (about true Islam) which benefited Islam greatly.
On September 11, 2004, the three—year anniversary of 9/11, al—Zarqawi assumes that spreading Islam around the world is difficult, but that the holy warriors should not give up:
As for you, fighters who came from afar, by Allah, missions of da'wa [the propagation of Islam] have never been a road lined with roses and sweet basil; the price of da'wa missions is heavy, and the price of bringing principles to the land of reality is a lot of torn limbs and blood. The light of dawn shall not be lit in this darkness save by Jihad fighters and shahids.
Thus, in the words of these two visible terrorists—and even non—violent radicals and zealots agree, as we will see, below—the ultimate goal of Islam is to spread the message and ways of Allah around the world because Islam is the gift of God, the greatest seal and capstone of inferior Judaism and Christianity. How is this goal best manifested and carried out? In following the Quran and sharia (Islamic law), which expresses God's will and ways in a pristine form. Ultimately, violent and non—violent radicals want religious world domination.
Where do Osama and al—Zarqawi get this goal of spreading Islam around the world? Out of thin air? Why do not Evangelical Christians use violence and other extreme means to spread their message? After all, Christ said to go into all the world and preach the gospel. What is the difference between the two religions in their outlook and methods of promulgation?
As for Islam, the Quran states unequivocally the superiority and triumph of Islam over all religions in three different verses: 61:9, 48:28, and 9:33. We analyze these three verses methodically. First, it is better to use the translations of Muslim scholars, not those of Western scholars, in order to forestall the criticism of Western bias. Next, it is also crucial that we analyze the historical context and the literary context of each verse. The historical context reveals the occasion in which Muhammad received his revelations—traditionally thought to be transmitted to him from God through Gabriel. Sometimes this is difficult to discover, but not with these three verses, fortunately. The literary or textual context is important because other verses surrounding these three illuminate their meaning more clearly than the three verses standing in isolation. Then, we interpret the import of the verses, and finally we draw some inferences.
Quran 61:9 is analyzed first:
Maulana Muhammad Ali is an apologist (defender) for Islam, more than an objective scholar, and he translates as follows:
61:9 He it is Who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the Religion of Truth that He may make it prevail over all religions, though the polytheists are averse. (Maulana)
The following translation is approved and funded by the Saudi Royal family; the parenthetical explanations are original:
61:9 He it is Who has sent His Messenger (Muhammad) with guidance and the religion of truth (Islamic monotheism) to make it victorious over all (other) religions even though the Mushrik
