Written by Dr. Cheri Yecke
Harding’s American Studies Institute recently hosted Nonie Darwish, a Muslim convert to Christianity, who spoke forcefully about the Islamic threat to the American way of life.
Unfortunately, a recent guest commentary reacted to her presentation with a simplistic point of view that revealed a dangerous level of naiveté. Any such attempt to establish a moral equivalence between Christianity and Islam is an exercise in futility because, sadly for those who hold this view, inconvenient facts get in the way.
The proclamation that Christians and Muslims “are fighting for the same political and religious ideology” is patently absurd. Christians believe in the divinity of Jesus, while the Quran proclaims that “Christ Jesus the son of Mary was no more than a messenger of Allah” in Surah 4:171 and “Christians call Christ the Son of Allah. This is a saying from their mouth … Allah’s curse be on them” in Surah 2:87.These don’t sound like comparable religious ideologies to me.In a similar vein, the assertion that “both sides use violence to achieve their goals” begs for clarification. Is the lone prolife activist who kills an abortion doctor the moral equivalent of jihadists who fly planes into buildings? I don’t think so. The right-wing assassin works alone, and his actions are almost universally condemned by Christians, who know that their religion denounces such acts of violence. In contrast, Islamic extremists who kill Americans are almost universally lauded as heroes who are merely fulfilling Allah’s will. Or have we forgotten the scenes of Palestinians, Libyans, Egyptians and Syrians who were filmed by the thousands dancing and celebrating in the streets on 9/11?
Furthermore, and contrary to what some believe, acts of Islamic terrorism are not “rogue examples” or “uncommon events.” They are actions guided by the commands of Muhammad as stated in the Quran. However, it is not enough to be familiar with the words of that religious text. The doctrine that actualizes the text must be explained and understood for us to have a full appreciation for the prioritization of Muhammad’s commands.
The Quran is divided into chapters called surah. The writings of each surah have different levels of applicability based on the Islamic doctrine of abrogation, which proclaims that the later writings of Muhammad negate and supersede his earlier writings.According to Muslim scholar Farooq Ibrahim, “For many Muslims, this concept that Allah as the absolute sovereign can alter his commands and replace them at will, appears at harmony with their view of God.”For example, consider this early quote from Muhammad in Surah 2:62: “Those who believe (in the Quran) and those who follow the Jewish (scriptures) and the Christians and the Sabians, any who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and work righteousness, shall have their reward with their Lord: on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.”Why do radical Muslims not follow this teaching? Because it is superseded by such later statements as “the unbelievers are open enemies to you” (Surah 4:101) and “seize them and slay them wherever you find them” (Surah 4:89).Further complicating an understanding of this issue is that the surah (seven chapters for Sunnis; nine for Shiites) are not compiled in chronologic order.Some might try to claim that Christians, by following the teachings in the New Testament rather than the Old Testament, have their own doctrine of abrogation. Again, such a belief indicates a naive understanding regarding the differences between Christianity and Islam. Jesus fulfilled the promises of the old law and set it aside, and as Christians we know quite clearly that we no longer are held to the commands of the Old Testament. (Who among us sacrifices animals?) Islam, however, presents all of Muhammad’s writings without purging those that are no longer in effect.While it is argued that very few Muslims are extremists, again, the facts show otherwise. Although estimates vary by country, surveys from sources such as Daniel Yankelovich (2005) and Gallup (2008) suggest that between 10 and 13.5 percent of Muslims worldwide can be characterized as radical, respectively. It should be noted that the Gallup study defined “radical” Muslims according to the respondents’ level of belief regarding whether the 9/11 attacks were justified. Using a standard five-point Likert scale, the response choices ranged from “totally unjustified” (1) to “completely justified” (5). Nearly 14 percent of respondents self-selected the highest two responses (4s and 5s).Nonetheless, if we take the lower of these two estimates, then 90 percent of Muslims around the world should object to the violent teachings of the mullahs. So where are the ringing statements of condemnation, if indeed, more tolerant Muslims disagree with what they perceive to be a defamation of their faith?To some, the idea of “only” ten percent of all Muslims adhering to extremism may not seem like much of a threat, even though this comes to over 100 million people. However, there is other evidence that suggests the percent of radical Muslims in some countries may be much higher. For example, a 2008 survey in Great Britain found that 32 percent of Muslim students in that country believe that killing in the name of Islam is justified. In another survey of British Muslims, one-third of respondents agreed with this statement: “Western society is decadent and immoral, and Muslims should seek to bring it to an end.”In our own country, many Muslim immigrants have chosen not to assimilate — a decision with far-reaching consequences. According to Kambiz Ghanea Bassiri, the author of a seminal work on Muslims in America, half of all Muslims surveyed do not see themselves as “an integrated member of what is commonly regarded as American society or culture.” Furthermore, Bassiri found that 90 percent of the Muslim immigrants living in Los Angeles did not hold a primary loyalty to the United States. In response to this finding, political analyst John Fonte noted: “Perhaps the greatest long-range strategic weakness in the [current] global conflict is the existence in democratic nation-states of immigration without assimilation.”Failure by Muslims to assimilate politically is fostering a danger to our country from within; and even by the most conservative estimates, we face an external threat that is supported by over 100 million Muslim extremists.Are there moderate Muslims with whom we could peacefully coexist? Absolutely; however, their voices are generally silenced by the vocal and activist minority. The claim that Ms. Darwish is “using the same fear tactics” as Muslims in order to “manipulate Christians into fearing Muslims” is a slap in the face to a woman who is risking her life to educate Americans regarding the very real threat we face from Muslim extremists.
To believe otherwise is to embrace a worldview that is supported by a flawed understanding of the most basic tenets of Islam. Sun Tzu’s admonition — “Know your enemy” – can be applied to radical Muslims today. This ancient Chinese warning is ours to heed or ignore.
