Warner - A Self-Study Course on Political Islam, Level 1

A SELF-STUDY COURSE ON POLITICAL ISLAM

LEVEL 1

A THREE LEVEL COURSE

BILL WARNER, EDITOR

CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF POLITICAL ISLAM

COPYRIGHT 2011 CSPI, LLC

ISBN13 978-1-936659-09-8

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

V 06.13.11

PUBLISHED BY CSPI, LLC

WWW.CSPIPUBLISHING.COM

PRINTED IN THE USA

INTRODUCTION

LESSON 1

THIS BOOK

Until now studying Islam has always been done by scholarsuniversity scholars and Islamic scholars. The university scholars are from the history, Arabic language, religion and Middle East studies departments. Each of these areas has its own narrow view of Islam. In the past, theyve told us that Islam is very complicated and difficult to understand. Why? A university professor wants to be viewed as learned and intelligent. He wants you to think that he is the master of a very difficult and obscure topic. The same thing is true of an imam (a religious leader of Islam).

After September 11, 2001, the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, Islam started receiving attention of a new kind of scholarship, scholarship that is not based on Arabic, history or religion. This new scholarship uses critical thought and analytic techniques that are based on science.

The scientific method is a new method to study Islam. Critical analysis shows that Islam is both a religion and a political system and that the political system is the greatest part of Islamic doctrine.

THE TRILOGY

Most people think that Islam is based on the Koran. However, there is not enough information to practice the religion of Islam. The Koran says in 91 verses for every Muslim to copy Mohammed in the smallest detail of life. There are two books that give us Mohammedthe Sira (his biography) and the Hadith (small stories and sayings).

The Trilogy is made up of three books

• The Koran is what Mohammed said that the angel Gabriel said that Allah said. But the Koran does not contain enough guidance for one to be a Muslim, except by repeatedly telling us that all of the world should imitate Mohammed in every way. Mohammeds words and deeds are called the Sunna. The Sunna is found in two different textsthe Sira and Hadith.
• The first source of the Sunna is the Sira which is Mohammeds biography.
• The other source of the Sunna is the Hadith, the Traditions of Mohammed. There are several versions of the Hadith, but the most commonly used is by Bukhari.

So the Trilogy is the Koran, Sira and Hadith. The Koran is the smallest part of Islams bible. If we count the words in each text we find that Islam is 16% Allah and 84% Mohammed.

All of the foundations of Islamic doctrine are found in the Trilogy. Once you know the Trilogy, you know all of the foundations of Islam.

There is very good news here. If you understand Mohammeds life, you understand the greatest part of Islam. Anybody can understand the biography of a man. Mohammed was born, was raised an orphan, became a businessman, then a prophet. In his last phase of life, he became a politician and warrior. When he died every Arab in his sphere was a Muslim and he did not have an enemy left standing. Anyone can read and understand his life and therefore understand Islam.

KAFIR

The word, Kafir, is usually translated as unbeliever but this translation is wrong. The word unbeliever is logically and emotionally neutral, whereas Kafir is the most abusive, prejudiced and hateful word in any language. The Koran says that the Kafir may be deceived, plotted against, hated, enslaved, mocked, tortured and worse.

There are many religious names for Kafirs: polytheists, idolaters, People of the Book (Christians and Jews), Buddhists, atheists, agnostics, and pagans. Kafir covers them all, because no matter what the religious name is, they can all be treated in the same way. What Mohammed said and did to polytheists can be done to any other category of Kafir.

Islam devotes a great amount of energy to the Kafir. The majority (64%) of the Koran is devoted to the Kafir, and nearly all of the Sira (81%) deals with Mohammeds struggle with them. The Hadith (Traditions) devotes 32% of the text to Kafirs . Overall, the Trilogy devotes 60% of its content to the Kafir.

Here are a few of the Koran references:

A Kafir can be mocked

Koran83:34 On that day the faithful will mock the Kafirs, while they sit on bridal couches and watch them. Should not the Kafirs be paid back for what they did?

A Kafir can be beheaded

Koran47:4 When you encounter the Kafirs on the battlefield, cut off their heads until you have thoroughly defeated them and then take the prisoners and tie them up firmly.

A Kafir can be plotted against

Koran86:15 They plot and scheme against you [Mohammed], and I plot and scheme against them. Therefore, deal calmly with the Kafirs and leave them alone for a while.

A Kafir can be terrorized

Koran8:12 Then your Lord spoke to His angels and said, I will be with you. Give strength to the believers. I will send terror into the Kafirs hearts, cut off their heads and even the tips of their fingers!

A Muslim is not the friend of a Kafir

Koran3:28 Believers should not take Kafirs as friends in preference to other believers. Those who do this will have none of Allahs protection and will only have themselves as guards. Allah warns you to fear Him for all will return to Him.

A Kafir is evil

Koran23:97 And say: Oh my Lord! I seek refuge with You from the suggestions of the evil ones [Kafirs]. And I seek refuge with you, my Lord, from their presence.

A Kafir is disgraced

Koran37:18 Tell them, Yes! And you [Kafirs] will be disgraced.

A Kafir is cursed

Koran33:60 They [Kafirs] will be cursed, and wherever they are found, they will be seized and murdered. It was Allahs same practice with those who came before them, and you will find no change in Allahs ways.

KAFIRS AND PEOPLE OF THE BOOK

Muslims tell Christians and Jews that they are special. They are People of the Book and are brothers in the Abrahamic faith. But in Islam you are a Christian, if and only if, you believe that Christ was a man who was a prophet of Allah; there is no Trinity; Jesus was not crucified nor resurrected and that He will return to establish Sharia law. To be a true Jew you must believe that Mohammed is the last in the line of Jewish prophets.

This verse is positive:

Koran5:77 Say: Oh, People of the Book, do not step out of the bounds of truth in your religion, and do not follow the desires of those who have gone wrong and led many astray. They have themselves gone astray from the even way.

Islamic doctrine is dualistic, so there is an opposite view as well. Here is the last verse written about the People of the Book (A later verse abrogates or nullifies an earlier verse. See page 26.). This is the final word. It calls for Muslims to make war on the People of the Book who do not believe in the religion of truth, Islam.

Koran9:29 Make war on those who have received the Scriptures [Jews and Christians] but do not believe in Allah or in the Last Day. They do not forbid what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden. The Christians and Jews do not follow the religion of truth until they submit and pay the poll tax [jizya] and they are humiliated.