Ayesha Khan is Wrong... based on the Research
Reader comment on item: Analyst Calls for Redefinition of 'War on Terror'
in response to reader comment: You guys have it all wrong

Submitted by Russ R (United States), Dec 4, 2006 at 10:57

Nice try Ayesha Khan. I have done the research: al-Tabari, Ibn Ishaq, Ibn Kathir, the hadith of al-Bukhari and Imam Muslim, the writings of al-Mawardi, Ibn Taymayyah and Ibn Qayyim. I have done my homework.

Isn't it amazing that for being purely "defensive" how Islam spread across all of Arabia during the Prophet's life? Why not tell us that Muhammad used marginal excuses to engage in war, such as the exile of Banu al-Nadir and the destruction of the Banu Qurayzah? By the way... if the Qurayzah really had "betrayed" the Muslims during the Battle of the Trench (al-Khandaq), why did Muhammad go home to take a bath and have to have Jibril come and tell him to attack the Qurayzah? Why does Sura 59 give us none of the reasons for the exile of the al-Nadir EXCEPT that they had rejected Allah's Messenger?

And why not tell us about how Muhammad overtly violated the Treaty of al-Hudaybiah when he allowed women to migrate to Madinah against its provisions? Or how he also refused to negotiate with Abu Sufyan, using a minor skirmish between allies of the Muslims and Quraysh to justify his full-scale invasion of Makkah. Or please, do tell us about the Riddah, or Apostates War, where Abu Bakr al-Siddiq demanded that the Arabian tribes pay zakat, the so-called "charity" tax, or that he would FIGHT them for it.

And oh, please do tell us how Muhammad called on the expulsion of all Christians and Jews from Arabia, which Umar finished when he expelled the Jews of Khaybar and the Christians from Najran (despite early treaties with them). Or please also tell us how Muhammad ordered the torture (yes, TORTURE) of the treasurer of Khaybar after its conquest ("Allahu Akbar!" cried the Prophet. "It is a bad morning when Allah's army shows up in the square of a people who have been warned!"), simply because he wanted the man to give up the town's loot (he didn't, but instead died under duress). Amazingly, after having this man tortured, he then siezed and married the man's wife (even though another Muslim claimed Saffiyah for himself... but how dare you deny the "first pick" to the sayyid, right?). In fact, as the Prophet humbled her that night, a Muslim stood guard outside his tent to ensure his safety... I guess he doubted the girl's willingness in all this.

And please, from the hadith, tell us what "no compulsion in religion REALLY means," as laid out by the Tafsir of Ibn Kathir... that it means that no Muslim (for according to the Prophet, ALL children are initially born Muslims, and then trained in other religions) should be trained by their parents to become a Christian or Jew. I thought "we all worship the same god?" Of course, that should mean that my shahadah could be, "there is no god but Jehovah, and Moses is his prophet," right? Or how about, "there is no god but Jesus, and Paul is his prophet?" But noooo... it MUST be "there is no god (illiah) but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger."

Amazing that Ayesha Khan could be so blantant in her deceit. But then again, Muhammad himself in the hadith of al-Bukhari told us that "war is deceit."

---

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened for relevance, substance, and tone, and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome, but comments are rejected if scurrilous, off-topic, vulgar, ad hominem, or otherwise viewed as inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the Guidelines for Comments. For informational purposes, we identify countries from which comments are sent.