Jewish Myths on Islam

8/9/2019 Jewish Myths on Islam

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Jewish Myths on Islam

Educating the Sincere Jews

1. Myth: Islam - A Religion of Terror? The truth about Jihad, suicide bombings, terrorism, and the media

. Myth: In Islam !omen are inferior to men

". Myth: Muslims !orshi# Muhammad

$. Myth: Je!ish %dhimmi& ta' ()* in Islamic countries

(. Myth: Muslims re+ect or hate Jesus

. Myth: nation of Islam is a Muslim grou#

. Myth: Islam is a religion only for Arabs

/. Myth: Islam !as s#read by the s!ord

0. Myth: Islam is intolerant of other faiths

1).Myth: Islam #roduces a lay, uneducated society

11.Myth: Muslims !orshi# a roc2 3stone 4euteronomy /:$5

1.Myth: The 6uran is anti-7emitic

1".Myth: The 6uran borro!ed from the 8ible

1$.Myth: Muhammad ordered 0)) Je!s 2illed

Islam - A Religion of Terror ?


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A bomb goes off in a mar2et#lace in Jerusalem. A suicide bomber launcheshimself into a bus full of !omen and children in Tel A9i9. oreign touristsget massacred at a holiday resort in ;u'or, Islamic terror> are endless.

rom the times in the )>s and /)>s !hen an Am and T@A aero #lanes!ould be high+ac2ed, to the mid /)>s in !ar torn ;ebanon !here Americansand s #robably got an AC$ stashed some!here on his #erson.Muslim !omen !ho are 9eiled can>t go any!here in the @estern !orld!ithout being taunted as being o##ressed or being mad %for co9ering u#&.Do!e9er, are such beliefs and o#inions about Islam really +ustified?

Exploring the myth

Ene of the many short comings !hich has arisen in the @est, is +udgingIslam by the conduct of a minority of its #eo#le. 8y doing this, segments of@estern society ha9e deliberately #layed off the des#erate actions of manyMuslims, and ha9e gi9en it the name of Islam. 7uch beha9ior is clearly notob+ecti9e and see2s to distort the reality of Islam.

or if such a thing !as done Judge a religion by the conduct of its #eo#le&then !e too could say that all Fhristianity is about is child molesting andhomose'uality 315 !hilst Dinduism !as all about looting and brea2ing u#

mosGues 35. Heneraliing in such a manner is not seen as being ob+ecti9e,yet !e find that the @estern !orld is foremost in #ro#agating this outloo2 onIslam. 7o !hat is the reality of Islam?

Do! does one dis#el the myths, !hich ha9e been created and s#read so9iciously? The only !ay to e'amine Islam is to sim#ly e'amine its beliefsystem. ;oo2 at its sources, the 6ur>an and 7unna, and see !hat they ha9e to

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say. This is the !ay to find the truth about !hat Islam says about terror,terrorism and terrorists. Ene !ho is sincerely searching for the truth, !ill doit no other !ay. The 9ery name Islam comes from the Arabic root !ord>salama> !hich means #eace.

Islam is a religion !hich is based u#on achie9ing #eace through thesubmission to the !ill of Allah. Thus, by this 9ery sim#le linguisticdefinition, one can ascertain as to !hat the nature of this religion is. If such areligion is based on the notion of #eace, then ho! is it that so many actsdone by its adherents are contrary to #eace? The ans!er is sim#le. 7uchactions, if not sanctioned by the religion, ha9e no #lace !ith it. They are notIslamic and should not be thought of as Islamic.

Jihad

The !ord +ihad sends shi9ers do!n the s#ines of many @esterners. Theyreadily eGuate this term !ith 9iolence and o##ression. Do!e9er, it must besaid that the meaning of +ihad, as a >holy !ar>, is something !hich is totallyforeign and not from Islam. If anything, such a descri#tion belongs more soto Fhristianity and its adherents. It !as terms li2e this !hich !ere used to

+ustify the slaughter and #illage of to!ns and cities during the crusades bythe Fhristians.

8y sim#ly loo2ing into the sources of Islam, one is able to 2no! that the true

meaning of +ihad is to stri9eBma2e effort in the !ay of Allah. Thus stri9ing inthe !ay of Allah can be both #eaceful and #hysical. The ro#hetMuhammed %sa!s& said:

The best +ihad is %by& the one !ho stri9es against his o!n self for Allah,The Mighty and Ma+estic 3"5

In the 6ur>an, Allah also says:

7o obey not the disbelie9ers, but ma2e a great +ihad %effort& against them%by #reaching& !ith it %the 6ur>an&

%7urah Al-urGan (:(&

8y controlling and fighting against ones desires, the Muslims can then also #hysically e'ert themsel9es in the #ath of Allah. It is this #hysical orcombati9e +ihad !hich recei9es so much criticism. 8ecause of the sheerignorance of this ty#e of +ihad Islam is regarded as terror, and Muslims are

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regarded as terrorists. Do!e9er, the 9ery #ur#ose of this #hysical +ihad is toraise the !ord of Allah u##ermost.

8y doing this, it liberates and emanci#ates all those !ho are crying out forfreedom all o9er the !orld. If the li2es of the #acifists of this !orld had their !ay, then the !orld !ould indeed be full of anarchy and mischief. Thecombati9e +ihad see2s to correct this as Allah says in the 6ur>an:

And if Allah did not chec2 one set of #eo#le by means of another, the


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liberation from centuries of tyranny. In fact, !ith the 8yantine Ma2e not mischief on the , they say >@e

are only #eace ma2ers>. Indeed they are the ones !ho ma2e mischief, butthey #ercei9e it not%7urah Al-8aGarah :11-1&

The hy#ocrisy of the @est is indeed astounding.

8y loo2ing at the rules and regulations of this combati9e +ihad it !ill beclear to any sincere #erson that this is indeed the religion of truth. @henfighting an un+ust enemy, no matter ho! un+ust they are, it is forbidden byIslam that their retreating forces are mutilated, tortured or slaughtered. Thetreacherous 9iolation of treaties and carrying out assassinations after a ceasefire, are also #rohibited. Allah says in the 6ur>an:

And fight in the !ay of Allah those !ho fight you. 8ut do not transgress the

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limits. Truly Allah lo9es not the transgressors%7urah Al-8aGarah :10)&

ot transgressing the limits means not to 2ill !omen and children, for theMessenger of Allah %sa!s& forbade the 2illing of !omen and children 3(5.

ot transgressing the limits means that the elderly, the sic2, mon2s,!orshi##ers and hired laborers are not attac2ed. ot transgressing the limitsmeans not 2illing animals !antonly, burning cro#s and 9egetation, #olluting!aters and destroying homes, monasteries, churches and synagogues:

Allah does not forbid you to deal +ustly and 2indly !ith those !ho foughtnot against you on account of religion, nor dro9e you out of your homes.

Indeed, Allah lo9es those !ho deal !ith eGuity%7urah Al-Mumtahinah ):/&

After reading such #assages from the 6ur>an and 2no!ing about !hat Islamcommands and #rohibits in +ihad, the rules of !arfare are gi9en a ne!meaning a meaning of +ustice. Do! sad it is then, that !hilst Islam iscondemned for stri2ing terror into the hearts of the #eo#le, the li2es of the7erbs, the Indian army in Cashmir and the Israeli soldiers in alestine areleft untarnished for the atrocities they ha9e committed in the name of!arfare.

7o !hat about suicide bombing, is this too a #art of +ihad in Allah>s #ath?

rom !hat has already been stated abo9e, it can be deduced that this is notfrom the religion. Do!e9er, unfortunately many Muslims ha9e ta2en suicide

bombing as being a 9irtuous act by !hich one recei9es re!ard. This couldnot be further from the truth. The ro#het %sa!s& said: Those !ho go toe'tremes are destroyed 35. 7uicide bombing is undoubtedly an e'tremity!hich has reached the ran2s of the Muslims. In the rules of !arfare, !e findno sanction for such an act from the beha9ior and !ords of the ro#hetMuhammed %sa!s& and his com#anions.

Knfortunately, today %some misguided& Muslims belie9e that such acts are #a9ing the !ay for an Islamic re9i9al and a return to the rule of Islam>sglorious la!. Do!e9er, !e fail to bear in mind that the ro#het %sa!s& said:

4o not be delighted by the action of anyone, until you see ho! he ends u#35

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7o, for e'am#le !hat is the end of a suicide bomber in alestine?, a leg here,an arm there. Massi9e retaliation by the Israeli>s in the @est 8an2 and Haa.More Muslims 2illed and #ersecuted. Do! can !e be delighted !ith such anend? @hat really hammers the final nail in the coffin of this act, is that it issuicide something !hich is clearly forbidden in Islam. The Messenger ofAllah %sa!s& said:

De !ho 2ills himself !ith anything, Allah !ill torment him !ith that in thefire of Dell 3/5

7ome are under the misconce#tion that by 2illing oneself for an Islamiccause, one commits an act !hich deser9es aradise. Ence !hen a man 2illedhimself, the ro#het %sa!s& said: De is a d!eller of the ire. @hen the

#eo#le !ere sur#rised at this, the ro#het %sa!s& said:

A #erson #erforms the deeds !hich to the #eo#le a##ears to be the deeds befitting the d!eller of aradise, but he is in fact one of the d!ellers of the

ire 305

The ta2ing of ones life !hich Allah has gi9en as a trust to the human, is agreat sin. ;i2e!ise the ta2ing of other li9es %!hich is so often the case !ithsuicide bombing& is also forbidden, as human life is indeed #recious:

...If anyone 2illed a #erson not in retaliation for murder or to s#read

mischief in the land, it !ould be as if he 2illed the !hole of man2ind. And%li2e!ise& if anyone sa9ed a life, it !ould be as if he sa9ed the !hole of

man2ind%7urah Al-Maaida (:"&

Thus, all other ty#es of e'tremities such as hostage ta2ing, hi+ac2ing and #lanting bombs in #ublic #laces, are clearly forbidden in Islam.

The Media

8y going through the teachings of Islam, it is clear that such a religion hasonly come to benefit man2ind - not to destroy it. 7o !hy is there so muchhatred for this noble religion in the @est? The ans!er is sim#le, the media. Itis the Je!ish influenced media of the @est !hich has #ortrayed Islam to besomething that it is not. 4uring the )>s and /)>s !hen the ;E %alestine;iberation Erganiation& !ere carrying out daring high+ac2s on the !orldsair!ays, the media in the @est #ortrayed it as being Islamic.

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@hen the 7hi>ite suicide bombers of the /)>s !ere causing so much ha9oc inthe ;ebanon and in the Hulf region, the media in the @est #ortrayed it as a

#art of Islam. Do!e9er, it is 2no!n by the heads of the media that the li2esof the ;E !ere not an Islamic organiation, and that according to Islam,7hi>ites are outside the fold of Islam 31)5. Let such facts are ne9er #ortrayed

by a media !hich see2s to co9er the truth of this religion.

A number of years ago, !hen the E2lahoma Fity bomb !ent off, a headlinein one of the ne!s#a#ers, >Today> 3115, summed u# this attitude. @ith a

#icture of a fire fighter holding a dead child in his arms, the headline read:In The ame of Islam Time has of course #ro9en that this bigotedassum#tion !as incorrect, as Timothy Mc=eigh, a right !ing radical no!faces the death #enalty for the crime 315. ;i2e!ise the bombs !hich !entoff in the aris metro in 100(, !ere also blamed on Muslim fanatics. It has

no! emerged that the Algerian secret ser9ice !ho ha9ing routinely bribedmany


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@estern media, sim#ly because to do so !ould be against their 9eryinterests.

@ith such immense #ressure against it, it is indeed a blessing from Allah thatIslam goes from strength to strength. It continues to gro! faster then anyother religion in the @estern !orld, conGuering the hearts and minds ofthousands. All this should not e9en sur#rise us though, for Allah has

#romised us that this religion !ill #re9ail:

It is De !ho has sent Dis Messenger !ith the guidance and the religion of truth, so that De may ma2e it 9ictorious o9er all other religions, e9en though

the disbelie9ers detest it%7urah As-7aff 1:0&

It is a must that humanity comes to!ards the religion of Islam. @ithout it,!e !ill continue to sli# do!n the road of ineGuity and dar2ness. @ith it !ecan establish a society of +ustice and #eace. Religion of terror? ... no. The!ay for!ard? ... yes.

There is no com#ulsion in religion. The right #ath has indeed becomedistinct from the !rong. 7o !hoe9er re+ects false !orshi# and belie9es inAllah, then he has gras#ed the most trust!orthy handhold that !ill ne9er

brea2. And Allah is All Dearing, All Cno!ing%7urah Al-8aGarah :(&

ootnotes

1 8y using the many cases of child abuse and homose'uality by #riests,7uch a generaliation about Fhristianity could be made 8y using the incident of the destruction of the 8abri mosGue in Ayodya,India in 4ecember 100 by Dindu ealots, such generaliations could bemade about Dinduism

" Authentic - Re#orted by At-Tabaranee$ Lears of se'ual liaison !ith a @hite Douse aide, Monica ;e!ins2i, has

been #ro9ed against Mr Flinton. 7ince this time, a number of other !omenha9e also claimed that they ha9e had affairs !ith the #resident. And this isthe same man !ho #ro#agates family 9alues and to !hom millions loo2 u#to( Re#orted by 8u2hari -


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Authentic - Re#orted by Ahmed Authentic - Re#orted by Ahmed/ Re#orted by Muslim - democratic #eace lo9ing nation> %li2e the K7A&has bothered to im#lement it

Myth! In Islam" women are inferior to men

This !idely held misconce#tion does not remotely follo! from the reasons

gi9en. The first and most im#ortant obser9ation to ma2e about the #o#ularGuestion Are men and !omen eGual? is that it is a badly-formed,unans!erable Guestion. The #roblem !hich many #eo#le con9enientlyignore is that eGual is not defined. This is a 9ery critical #oint: the eGualitymust be s#ecified !ith res#ect to some measurable #ro#erty. or e'am#le,!omen on a9erage are su#erior to men if !e as2 !ho is shorter in heightthan the other %Hro!th and 4e9elo#ment,


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@hat then, is the really im#ortant #ro#erty !hich !e are !orried about interms of gender eGuality? aturally, from the #oint of 9ie! of the 6ur>an and7unnah, the ob9ious im#ortant #ro#erty is who is dearer to Allah, men orwomen? This Guestion is em#hatically ans!ered in the 6ur>an %translation&,

#$!%&$' If any do deeds of righteousness - (e they male or

female - and ha)e faith" they will enter *aradise" and not the

least in+ustice will (e done to them,

#!.' or Muslim men and women" for (elie)ing men and

women" for de)out men and women" for truthful men and

women" for men and women who are patient and constant"

for men and women who hum(le themsel)es" for men and

women who gi)e in charity" for men and women who fast"

for men and women who guard their chastity" and for menand women who engage much in Allah/s praise" for them

has Allah prepared forgi)eness and great reward,

The 6ur>an and 7unnah re#eat o9er and o9er again that Allah only favorsone person over another based on that person's awareness, consciousness,

fear, love, and hope of Allah %the Arabic !ord is difficult to translate:Taqwa&. All other criteria are e'cluded: gender, ethnic grou#, country,ancestry, etc.

Hi9en that Allah does not fa9or one gender o9er the other in Dis attention tous %and it hel#s to remember that Allah is neither male nor female&, !e canno! address the differences bet!een the genders in Islam. irst, men and!omen are not the same as !e 2no!. The Freator states in the 6ur>an%translation&,

#!0',,,and the male is not li1e the female,,,

Men and !omen are different in their com#osition, and in theirres#onsibilities under Islam. Do!e9er, both are bound by obligations to oneanother, es#ecially the follo!ing im#ortant one !hich must be understood inany discussion on men and !omen. rom the 6ur>an %translation&,

#&$!&' And marry those among you who are single and

those who are fit among your male sla)es and your female

sla)es2 if they are needy" Allah will ma1e them free from

want out of 3is grace2 and Allah is Ample-gi)ing" 4nowing,


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In this 9erse, the Freator em#hasies that marriage is to be vigorously pursued by the Muslims: the state of being single is not to be maintained.@ith this in mind, !e can begin to understand the four reasons cited abo9efor the nonetheless erroneous conclusion.

Men and !omen are different in their res#onsibilities to!ards the familiesthat they are strongly encouraged to set u#. @omen are not obligated to!or2, !hereas men are obligated. The man must #ro9ide for the family, butthe !oman does not ha9e to s#end out of her money for it, though she gets are!ard for doing so. Allah says in the 6ur>an %translation&,

#$!$' Men are in charge of women" (ecause Allah hath

made the one of them to excel the other" and (ecause they

spend of their property 5for the support of women6, So good

women are the o(edient" guarding in secret that which Allahhath guarded, As for those from whom ye fear re(ellion"

admonish them and (anish them to (eds apart" and scourge

them, Then if they o(ey you" see1 not a way against them,

7o8 Allah is e)er 3igh" Exalted" 9reat,

rom the 7unnah, s#ecifically in the study of the 7unnah called 7ahih8u2hari, !e find:

[22!"!"# $arrated %Amr bin Al&arith (ainab, the wife of

%Abdullah said, )* was in the Mosque and saw the +rophetp-b-u-h. saying, %/ women 0 1ive alms even from your

ornaments-' ) (ainab used to provide for %Abdullah and those

orphans who were under her protection- o she said to

%Abdullah, )3ill you as4 Allah's Apostle whether it will be

sufficient for me to spend part of the (a4at on you and the

orphans who are under my protection?) e replied )3ill you

yourself as4 Allah's Apostle ?) (ainab added. o * went to the

+rophet and * saw there an Ansari woman who was standing at

the door of the +rophet . with a similar problem as mine- 5ilal passed by us and we as4ed him, %As4 the +rophet whether it is

permissible for me to spend the (a4at. on my husband and the

orphans under my protection-' And we requested 5ilal not to

inform the +rophet about us- o 5ilal went inside and as4ed the

+rophet regarding our problem- The +rophet p-b-u-h. as4ed,

)3ho are those two?) 5ilal replied that she was (ainab- The


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+rophet said, )3hich (ainab?) 5ilal said, )The wife of

%Adullah bin Masud.-) The +rophet said, )6es, it is sufficient

for her. and she will receive a double rewards for that. /ne

for helping relatives, and the other for giving (a4at-)

Hi9en that husbands are obligated to #ro9ide for !i9es, and that marriage isa highly recommended goal of Islam, it is easy to see !hy !omen>sinheritance share is half that of men. @e note also that men are obligated to

#ro9ide a suitable do!ry to !omen on marriage. In fact, it is #referable atthis #oint to s#ea2 in terms of husbands and !i9es instead of men and!omen. Allah says in the 6ur>an %translation&,

#$!$' And gi)e women their dowries as a free gift" (ut if they

of themsel)es (e pleased to gi)e up to you a portion of it"

then eat it with en+oyment and with wholesome result,

Allah says in the 6ur>an %translation&,

#&!&&:',,,And they 5women6 ha)e rights similar to those 5of

men6 o)er them in 1indness" and men are a degree a(o)e

them,,,

This one degree in no !ay affects the #osition of the Freator in !hich Dehas stated that De does not hold !omen dearer to him than men, or 9ice

9ersa. Rather it is sim#ly a !ay of #artitioning res#onsibilities in ahousehold of t!o adults: someone must ma2e the final decision on dailymatters. As !ill be sho!n belo! in a section on a different misconce#tion,though the final decision rests !ith the husband, it is through mutualconsultation that decisions are best reached at.

@hile men are allo!ed to marry u# to four !i9es, they are also commandedto meet the #reconditions of being able to financially su##ort them. Theymust also deal !ith each !ife +ustly and fairly !ith res#ect to marital andeconomic obligations. Allah says in the 6ur>an %translation&,

#$!' If ye fear that ye shall not (e a(le to deal +ustly with

the orphans" Marry women of your choice" Two or three or

four2 (ut if ye fear that ye shall not (e a(le to deal +ustly

5with them6" then only one" or 5a capti)e6 that your right

hands possess" that will (e more suita(le" to pre)ent you

from doing in+ustice,


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Moreo9er, !omen are allo!ed to re+ect any marriage #ro#osal made to her by #ros#ecti9e suitors, thus if she does not feel she can abide by the rules ofthe 6ur>an and 7unnah if she marries a certain #erson, she can re+ect his

#ro#osal. @hile it is irrele9ant to Islam, it is !orth!hile to note that bothJudaism and Fhristianity allo! #olygamy. The idea is not as foreign to thenon-Muslims as is often claimed.

inally, the !earing of the 9eil by !omen is also an illogical #remise toclaim that !omen are inferior to men. It is more a##ro#riate to indict asociety of female e'#loitation if it tolerates #ornogra#hy rather than if itenforces the 9eil. Hi9en that Allah is neither male nor female, gi9en that Dedoes not endear #eo#le to Dimself based on their gender, gi9en that theFreator cares about all of us male or female, gi9en that the se'ual and9iolent dri9e of men is stronger than that of !omen...gi9en all this, it is

illogical to cast a negati9e light on the follo!ing in+unctions contained in the6ur>an %translation&,

#!.;' < *rophet" tell your wi)es and daughters and the

(elie)ing women to draw their outer garments around them

5when they go out or are among men6, That is (etter in

order that they may (e 1nown 5to (e Muslims6 and not (e

annoyed,,,

#&$!=-%' Say to the (elie)ing man that they should lower

their ga>e and guard their modesty2 that will ma1e forgreater purity for them2 and Allah is well acuainted with

all that they do, And say to the (elie)ing women that they

should lower their ga>e and guard their modesty2 and that

they should not display their (eauty and ornaments except

what must ordinarily appear thereof2 that they should draw

their )eils o)er their (osoms and not display their (eauty

except to their hus(ands,,,

En this misconce#tion, there is a great deal more to !rite, most of itsho!ing ho! current #ractices in many Muslim lands go against !hat the6ur>an and 7unnah ha9e ordained, lands in !hich !omen are treated as

#ro#erty %unIslamic&, are not educated %unIslamic&, are forbidden theireconomic rights %unIslamic&, and more. En this #oint in #articular, !eencourage e9eryone to consult the 6ur>an and 7unnah before incriminatingIslam. Al!ays remember that Islam is a com#lete !ay of life from the


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Freator, and that Muslims are #eo#le !ho claim to follo! that !ay of life. AMuslim may claim to follo! Islam, but be !rong.

Myth! Muslims worship Muhammad

According to Islamic belief, the ro#het Muhammad !as the last Messenger of Hod. De, li2e all of Hod>s #ro#hets and messengers - such as oah,Abraham, Moses and Jesus -- !as only a human being.

Je!s came to the mista2en assum#tion that Muslims !orshi# Muhammad byformulating an incorrect analogy - they !orshi# Jesus so they assumedMuslims !orshi# Muhammad.

This is one of the reasons that they called Muslims by the incorrect name)Mohammedans) for so many years Muhammad, li2e Jesus, ne9er claimeddi9ine status. De called #eo#le to !orshi# only Almighty Hod, and hecontinually em#hasied his humanity so that #eo#le !ould not fall into thesame errors as Fhristians did in regards to Jesus.

In order to #re9ent his deification, the ro#het Muhammad al!ays said torefer to him as )the Messenger of 1od and is slave) . Muhammad !aschosen to be Hod>s final messenger --- to communicate the message not only

in !ords but to be a li9ing e'am#le of the message.

Muslims lo9e and res#ect him because he !as of the highest moral character and he brought the Truth from Hod - !hich is the ure Monotheism ofIslam.


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7uffice it to say that !orshi##ing Muhammad --- or anyone else --- along!ith Almighty Hod is considered to be the !orst sin in Islam. ya 5Bhimmi #non-Muslim' tax6

According to the commentaries by Lusif Ali 31/15, the root meaning ofJiya is com#ensation. The deri9ed meaning, !hich became the technicalmeaning, !as a #oll-ta' le9ied from those !ho did not acce#t Islam, but!ere !illing to li9e under the #rotection of Islam 3rotection againstsurrounding Fhristian Frusaders and agans5 and !ere thus tacitly !illing tosubmit to its ideals being enforced in the Muslim 7tate.

Bid All Jews ha)e to pay Ji>yha ?

According to Islamic la! as Guoted by Mali2>s Mu!atta 5oo4 :;, $umber:;-2!-!


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In other !ords, men of military age, !ere e'cused from +oining the army ine'change for #aying +iyha. According to Abu Danifa, there are alsoe'ce#tions for the #oor, sla9es, mon2s and hermits.

3ow much tax did the Jews ha)e to pay ?

Islamic ;a! states that OifN Je!s trade in Muslim countries, coming andgoing in them, a tenth is ta2en from !hat they in9est in such trade. This is

because +iya is only im#osed on them on conditions, !hich they ha9eagreed on. PMu!atta 8oo2 1, umber 1.$.$Q. ;i9e stoc2 !asacce#ted as #ayment 8oo2 1, umber 1.$.$(& . Therefore, the trueIslamic ta' rate for non-military +oining Je!s !as 1)*, not the mythicalamount of ()*

Bid Muslims or Jews pay more in tax ?

8oth Je!s and Muslims !ere reGuired to #ay ta' in Islamic countries. TheMuslim ta' !as called Oa2atN, !hich !as much more broad.

Je!s did not ha9e to #ay any a2at on any of their #ro#erty, li9estoc2, #roduce or cro#s !hile Muslims Sdid-. a2at also 9aried de#ending on theMuslim>s situation, de#ending on the sie of #ro#erty, number of li9e stoc2,amount of sa9ings, on a9erage, the Muslim #aid more ta'es than the non-Muslim.

8esides an a9erage of Muslims #aying more ta'es, Muslims also had to #ay!ith their li9es, they had to +oin the army and defend the country, !hereasnon-Muslims in the country !ere not reGuired to enlist, again dis#laying the

#rice for the Muslims !as higher than for the non-Muslims.

Coth Muslims and non-Muslims ali1e faced force if the tax was not

paid!

Follecting a2at %Muslim ta'& 8oo2 1, umber 1.1/."1: Lahya related to

me from Mali2 that he had heard that Abu 8a2r as-7iddiG said, If they!ithhold e9en a hobbling cord I !ill fight them o9er it.


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Ta' amounts in Islamic com#ared to non-Islamic countries

In Islamic countries" military aged capa(le Jewish men are reuired

to pay %=@ tax" how much tax do non-Muslims and Muslims ali1e

ha)e to pay in non-Islamic countries? 3ere is a international

comparison of tax (urden ratio chart2

Fountry Lear Ta' 8urden Ratio #ercent

Ja#an 100 "."

K7A 100 .0

Hermany 100 ").1

rance 100 "$."

Italy 100 "(.

KC 100 ".

7!eden 100 ($.$

ote: Ta' 8urden Ratio: Ratio of ta' burden in national income. 7ource:Annual Re#ort on ational Accounts s annual re#ort for 1000 noted, Israel>s marginal ta'rate is higher than that of all but t!o E


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3ow much tax do Muslims pay in the ionist country ?

As documented, Je!s did not #ay () #ercent of their income in ta'es, alsocited, Muslims VVdoVV ha9e to #ay E9er () ercent in ta'es for li9ing inIsrael. @hen alestine %Israel& !as forcefully ta2en from Muslims anddri9en into a ionist country, Muslims !ere ordered to #ay one of thehighest ta' rates in the !orld or face arrest and im#risonment in a torturousIsraeli +ail.

In conclusion, the accusation that Je!s !ere forced into #aying ()* oftheir income is a myth, the sultans in Islamic countries follo!ed strictIslamic la! to stay in #o!er, !hich dictated that !illing and able Je!ishmen only had to #ay 1)* on their trade income. Eur study also documentsho! the Islamic ta'ation system !as one of the best in history !hen

com#ared to non-Islamic countries, namely Israel. 9ent frustration on ha9ingto #ay o9er () #ercent of ones income for ta'es in Israel. @e also concludethat this myth may be an attem#t by Je!s to 9ent frustration on ha9ing to

#ay o9er () #ercent of ones income for ta'es in Israel.

Myth! Muslims re+ect or hate Jesus

In both the Hos#el %the e! Testament& and the Coran %the inal Testament&the mission and identity of Jesus is echoed in unison.

Fhristians and Muslims are in accord, consent, ac2no!ledgment,corroboration, harmony , unanimity, solidarity, coe'istence, attunement,settlement, com#atibility, that Jesus !as:

W The statement of the truth %Coran10:"$& and %John 1$:&W A !ord of Hod %Coran 1):10& and %John 1:1&W A#ostle of Hod %Coran $:1(& and %Debre!s ":1&W A sign %Coran 10:1& and %;u2e :"$&W 8orn faultless %Coran 10:10& and %John /:$&W 7er9ant of Hod %Coran 10:"1& and %halinthians :&W Mary his Mother, !as gi9en glad tidings of the coming ofJesus by Angel Habriel %Coran ":$(& and %;u2e 1:")&


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W @as born from a 9irgin %Coran ":$& and %;u2e 1:"$&W @as the Messiah %Coran 0:"1& and %John 1:$1&W reformed many miracles %Coran (:11)& and %Matthe! $:$&W @as !ith the s#irit from Hod %Coran $:11& and %Matthe! 1:1/&W Ascended to Dea9en %Coran ":((& and %John ":1"&W @ill return to earth %Coran 10:""& and %Re9elation ):(&

Along !ith other similarities, such as that !e both belie9e !e !ill #ass byJesus on the 4ay of Judgment 3as Jesus is Guoted as saying >no one !ill go to

the Freator e'ce#t by me>5, !e both belie9e Jesus is a descendant of ro#hetAbraham, that Jesus !as born in Israel, the Je!s !ere 9iolent to!ards Jesus.

Therefore, Muslims are not anti-Fhrists as a fe! se#aratists teach, !e are

!orshi##ers of the Hod of Abraham as our fello! Fhristians are, !e ha9e aFhristology similar to millions of other Fhristians.

Millions of educated 8ible follo!ing Fhristians also ha9e similar 9ie!s asMuslims regarding the ro#hethood of Jesus

The 9ery first grou#s of Fhristians such as the Hod>s su#reme agent>


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The Roman Fatholic Fhurch no longer belie9es Fhrist is the only single !ay

to attain sal9ation The Fhurch>s relationshi# !ith the Muslims. The #lanof sal9ation also includes those !ho ac2no!ledge the Freator, in the first

#lace amongst !hom are the Muslims these #rofess to hold the faith ofAbraham, and together !ith us they adore the one, merciful Hod, man2ind>s

+udge on the last day.3"")5 =atican>s e! Fatechism /$1.

Fatholics are the largest grou# of Fhristians !ho also recently declare thate9en !ithout Fhrist, you can be sa9ed This affirmation is not aimed atthose !ho, through no fault of their o!n, do not 2no! Fhrist and hisFhurch: Those !ho, through no fault of their o!n, do not 2no! the Hos#elof Fhrist or his Fhurch, but !ho ne9ertheless see2 Hod !ith a sincere heart,and, mo9ed by grace, try in their actions to do his !ill as they 2no! it

through the dictates of their conscience - those too may achie9e eternalsal9ation.3""5 =atican>s e! Fatechism /$.

Myth! Fnation of IslamF is a Muslim group

Ene of the great misconce#tions of the t!entieth century is that the so-calledXation of Islam> is a Muslim community, or more #recisely: a community!hich submits to Allah by follo!ing the 6ur>an and 7unnah. The Xation of

Islam> is a man-made !ay of life !hich borro!ed some elements of Islamand then mi'ed them !ith a large number of in9entions and lies to reachtheir #resent doctrines.

It suffices to #oint out the Xation of Islam>s de9iation in t!o areas. irst,they re+ect the essence of Islam by concocting a story !herein the Freatorta2es the form of a blac2 man. rom their on-line #ublications, !e find thatthe Xation of Islam> belie9es in

...one Hod %Allah& and that Allah %Hod& a##eared in the ersonof Master @. ard Muhammad, July, 10") the long a!aitedXMessiah> of the Fhristians and the XMahdi> of the Muslims...

Do!e9er, the Freator states in the 6ur>an %translation&,


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#0!%=' Go )ision can grasp 3im" (ut 3is grasp is o)er all

)ision! 3e is a(o)e all comprehension" yet is acuainted

with all things,

The Xation of Islam> also claims that !hite men are Xde9ils>, and that blac2 #eo#le are in general su#erior to all other races. Do!e9er, from the 7unnah,s#ecifically in the Messenger of Allah>s fare!ell sermon, !e find theMessenger %#buh& saying:

All man4ind is from Adam and =ve, an Arab has no superiority

over a non&Arab nor a non&Arab has any superiority over an

Arab> also a white has no superiority over a blac4 nor a blac4

has any superiority over a white & e9cept by piety and good

action-

There are many other beliefs !hich the Xation of Islam> holds !hich ta2e itoutside of Islam. It is interesting to note that in the mid-10)>s, theo9er!helming ma+ority of the grou# realied its errors and con9erted to trueIslam. There is, ho!e9er, a s#linter grou# !hich remains acti9e today.

Myth! Islam is a religion only for Ara(s

The fastest !ay to #ro9e that this is com#letely false is to state the fact thatonly about 1(* to )* of the Muslims in the !orld are Arabs. There aremore Indian Muslims than Arab Muslims, and more Indonesian Muslimsthan Indian Muslims

8elie9ing that Islam is only a religion for Arabs is a myth that !as s#read bythe enemies of Islam early in its history. This mista2en assum#tion is

#ossibly based on the fact that most of the first generation of Muslims !ereArabs, the 6ur>an is in Arabic and the ro#het Muhammad !as an Arab.

Do!e9er, both the teachings of Islam and the history of its s#read sho! thatthe early Muslims made e9ery effort to s#read their message of Truth to allnations, races and #eo#les. urthermore, it should be clarified that not allArabs are Muslims and not all Muslims are Arabs.


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An Arab can be a Muslim, Fhristian, Je!, atheist - or of any other religion or ideology. Also, many countries that some #eo#le consider to be )Arab) arenot )Arab) at all -- such as Tur2ey and Iran %ersia&.

The #eo#le !ho li9e in these countries s#ea2 languages other than Arabic astheir nati9e tongues and are of a different ethnic heritage than the Arabs. It isim#ortant to realie that from the 9ery beginning of the mission of ro#hetMuhammad, #eace be u#on him, his follo!ers came from a !ide s#ectrumof indi9iduals -- there !as 8ilal, the African sla9e 7uhaib, the 8yantineRoman Ibn 7ailam, the Je!ish Rabbi and 7alman, the ersian.

7ince religious truth is eternal and unchanging, and man2ind is oneuni9ersal brotherhood, Islam teaches that Almighty Hod>s re9elations toman2ind ha9e al!ays been consistent, clear and uni9ersal. The Truth of

Islam is meant for all #eo#le regardless of race, nationality or linguistic bac2ground.

Ta2ing a loo2 at the Muslim @orld, from igeria to 8osnia and fromMalaysia to Israel enough to #ro9e that Islam is a Kni9ersal message for allof man2ind --- not to mention the fact that significant numbers of an in the other. This myth, !hich !as made #o#ular inan clearly says )et there be nocompulsion in religion) . In addition to this, Islam teaches that a

#erson>s faith must be #ure and sincere, so it is certainly not

something that can be forced on someone.

In debun2ing the myth that Islam !as )spread by the sword) ,the %non-Muslim& historian 4e ;acy E> ;eary !rote:

)istory ma4es it clear, however, that the legend of fanatical

Muslims sweeping through the world and forcing *slam at the


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point of the sword upon conquered races is one of the most

fantastically absurd myths that historians have ever accepted-) % Islam at the Crossroads, ;ondon, 10", #. /.&.

It should also be 2no!n that Muslims ruled 7#ain for roughly/)) years. 4uring this time, and u# to !hen they !ere finallyforced out, the non-Muslims there !ere ali9e and flourishing.Additionally, Fhristian and Je!ish minorities ha9e sur9i9ed inthe Muslim lands of the Middle


25/47

battles fought there 7o !here !as the s!ord? Do! couldsomeone be forced to adhere to a s#iritually re!arding anddemanding religion li2e Islam?

Myth! Islam is intolerant of other religions

The Freator has taught us in the 6ur>an and 7unnah that all other Xreligions>and !ays of life are unacce#table to Dim if a #erson is a!are of Islam. The6ur>an states %translation&,

#!:.' And whoe)er desires a religion other than Islam" it

shall not (e accepted from him" and in the hereafter he shall

(e one of the losers,

Do!e9er, e9en though the Freator has clearly s#ecified that no other !ay oflife is acce#table to Dim e'ce#t Islam %i.e. submission to Dim as embodiedin the 6ur>an and 7unnah&, De has also commanded the Muslims to betolerant of #eo#le !ho es#ouse other creeds. rom the 7unnah, s#ecificallyin the study of the 7unnah called Al-A!sat by Al-Tabarani, !e findregarding those non-Muslims li9ing in the Islamic state,

The Messenger of Allah saas. said, )/ne who 4ills a non&

Muslim person under protection Arabic dhimmi. will not even smell the fragrance of +aradise-)

Also from the 7unnah, s#ecifically in a re#ort from Al-Chatib, !e find thatthe Messenger of Allah %saas& also said:

3hoever hurts a non&Muslim person under protection, * am his

adversary, and * shall be an adversary to him on the 7ay of

@esurrection-

In short, Islam is intolerant of false ideas, ho!e9er it is tolerant of the people !ho hold to those ideas. Ene historical e'am#le of Muslims li9ing u#to the standard of Islam can be found from the time of the 7#anishInGuisition. 4uring that disaster s#rung by misguided Fatholics, some7#anish Je!s fled to Muslim Tur2ey and to this day, there is a community of 7#anish-s#ea2ing Je!s in Tur2ey. Another e'am#le may be found duringone of the Frusader in9asions from @estern


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Fatholic @estern an state %translation&,

#%0!.' The worshippers of false gods say! FIf Allah had so

willed" we should not ha)e worshipped anything (ut 3im -

neither we nor our fathers"- nor should we ha)e prescri(edprohi(itions other than 3is,F So did those who went (efore

them, Cut what is the mission of messengers (ut to preach

the Hlear Message?

#$!&=' They 5the idolators6 say" FIf it had (een the will of

5Allah6 the Most Merciful" we should not ha)e worshipped

such 5deities68F an and 7unnah that !e all ha9e a certainamount of free !ill. This free !ill must be e'ercised #ro#erly in accordance!ith the 6ur>an and 7unnah to #lease the Freator. This is #lenty ofmoti9ation for all Muslims to #ush themsel9es to be the most2no!ledgeable, effecti9e Muslims they can be. If Muslim societies today arenot meeting their #otential, it is surely not due to their 2no!ledge of Islam,rather it is their ignorance of this !ay of life. The im#ortance of see2ing2no!ledge and !or2ing are made clear in the 7unnah.rom the 7unnah, s#ecifically in the study of the 7unnah called 7unan Abu-

4a!ud, !e find:

[:


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part of which we spread on the ground., and a wooden bowl

from which we drin4 water-

e said 5ring them to me- e then brought these articles to

him and he the +rophet. too4 them in his hands and as4ed

3ho will buy these? A man said * shall buy them for one

dirham- e said twice or thrice 3ho will offer more than one

dirham? A man said * shall buy them for two dirhams-

e gave these to him and too4 the two dirhams and, giving

them to the Ansari, he said 5uy food with one of them and

hand it to your family, and buy an a9e and bring it to me- e

then brought it to him- The Apostle of Allah pbuh. fi9ed a

handle on it with his own hands and said 1o, gather firewood

and sell it, and do not let me see you for a fortnight- The manwent away and gathered firewood and sold it- 3hen he had

earned ten dirhams, he came to him and bought a garment with

some of them and food with the others-

The Apostle of Allah pbuh. then said This is better for you

than that begging should come as a spot on your face on the

7ay of Cudgment- 5egging is right only for three people one

who is in grinding poverty, one who is seriously in debt, or one

who is responsible for compensation and finds it difficult to

pay-

Also from the 7unnah, s#ecifically in the study of the 7unnah called 7unanIbn Ma+ah, !e find that the Messenger of Allah said:

ee4ing 4nowledge is a duty upon every Muslim-

Cno!ledge of the 6ur>an and 7unnah are clearly the best ty#es of2no!ledge, and 2no!ledge !hich benefits humanity is good as !ell. The6ur>an and 7unnah do not condemn the study of this earth and in fact the

Freator encourages us to in9estigate the !orld !e li9e in according to thefollo!ing 9erse from the 6ur>an %translation&,

[B:D&::# 5ehold0 in the creation of the heavens and the

earth, and the alternation of night and day, there are indeed

igns for people of understanding- +eople who celebrate the

praises of Allah, standing, sitting, and lying down on their


28/47

sides, and contemplate the wonders of. creation in the heavens

and the earth, with the thought. )/ur ord0 not for nothing

have 6ou created all. this0 1lory to 6ou0 1ive us salvation

from the penalty of the 8ire-)

Myth! Muslims worship a roc1 #stone Beuteronomy &:!0$'

8yAbdul Daleem

Je!s claiming that Muslims !orshi# the 8lac2 7tone at the Caaba inMa22ah.

4euteronomy /:$ And DA7D


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arrated >Abis bin Rabia: Kmar came near the 8lac2 7tone and 2issed it andsaid E 4EK8T, I CE@ TDAT LEK AR< A 7TE< A4 FA


30/47

The scholars agree that !a9ing in the direction of the 8lac2 7tone issufficient recognition of its location as the start and sto# of Ta!aaf.

In actuality, !a9ing in direction of the 8lac2 7tone is the best you !ill #robably do at ha++ time

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

The 8lac2 7tone has had an interesting history during the Islamic #eriod. In0") A4 a ruler of 8ahrain - !ho belonged to a branch of Ismailism 2no!nas the Carmatians - sac2ed Ma22ah and carried the 8lac2 7tone a!ay forsome ) years until it !as ransomed.

In the #rocess, the 8lac2 7tone !as crac2ed. It is no! held together by asil9er band. The fact that Islam !as able to function !ithout the 8lac27tone for ) years is one of the best illustrations that it is but a mar2er forTa!aaf - and ET an ob+ect of !orshi#.

If Islam is so against any form of idol !orshi#, !hy do they bo! to the2aaba? @hy do they call it Hod>s Douse? 4o they belie9e De li9es there?

Islam does not allo! bo!ing do!n to idols in !orshi#. Ene of the forms of

!orshi#ing Allah Almighty in Islam is to bo! do!n to Dim. 7ince AllahAlmighty ordered Abraham the father of Ishmael and Isaac #eace be u#onthem to build the Caaba %the cubic blac2 building in the city of Mecca, in7audi Arabia today&, #eo#le called it the house of HE4 Almighty, and it

became the direction for us to bo! do!n to Allah Almighty in !orshi#. Soin other words" we Muslims worship Allah Almighty in the direction of

the location of the 4aa(a 5The 3ouse of Allah Almighty in Islam6" (ut

not through the image of the 4aa(a,

@hen Muslims bo! do!n to Allah Almighty in !orshi# at their homes, they

do not bo! do!n to the sofa, or to the #air of shoes, or to the table, or to the!all, or to the door, or to any ob+ect that is in front of them in their homes.

o, they bo! do!n to Allah Almighty only. The Caaba is the same thing.@e do not bo! do!n to it in !orshi# in any sha#e or form @e bo! do!nto Allah Almighty in its direction.


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Ether!ise, if e9eryone !ere to #ic2 their o!n directions and their o!nmethods in bo!ing do!n to Allah Almighty, then !e !ould end u# ha9ingMuslims bo!ing do!n to idols such as stones, and gods made from !ood intheir !orshi#s.

@e do not belie9e that Allah Almighty li9es there. Allah Almighty isunlimited and is e9ery !here @here9er you turn, there is the face of Hod.%The oble 6uran, :1)0&. My ather, if it is

#ossible, may this cu# be ta2en from me. Let not as I !ill, but as you !ill.>%rom the I= 8ible, Matthe! :"0&

Although I can>t #ro9e this theory, but I #ersonally belie9e that !hen Jesus

bo!ed do!n to HE4 Almighty, he !as bo!ing do!n in the direction ofCaaba, since it !as called HE4>s house and !as built by Abraham #eace beu#on him. Is there a single Fhristian out there that bo!s do!n to HE4Almighty in !orshi#?

Je!s too bo! do!n to HE4 Almighty in !orshi#. 8elo! is a #icture ofho! Je!s !orshi# Allah Almighty:

Myth! The uran is anti-Semitic

The Je!ish 8ible has more anti-7emitism than the 6uran and Hos#elcombined.


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Ahab, Jehoram, Aha, and Manasseh are +ust a fe! of the Je!ish 2ings ofIsrael demonied in the Je!ish 8ible. The are de#icted as #lotting,scheming, and 2illing off #ro#hets !ho s#o2e against them.

Moses in the Je!ish 8ible, s#ea2ing about Je!s of the future says

or I 2no! that after my death you !ill act corru#tly and turn from the !ay!hich I ha9e commanded you and e9il !ill befall you in the latter days, foryou !ill do that !hich is e9il in the sight of the ;ord, #ro9o2ing Dim toanger !ith the !or2 of your hands %4eut. "1:0&.

7o all these curses shall come on you and #ursue you ando9erta2e you until you are destroyed, because you !ould notobey the ;ord your Hod by 2ee#ing Dis commandments and

Dis statutes !hich De commanded you. And they shall becomea sign and a !onder on you and your descendants fore9er%4eut. /:$(-$&.

Jeremiah recorded the ;ord>s !arning to Israel: I !ill bring e9il from thenorth, and a great destruction. The lion is come u# from his thic2et ... he isgone forth from his #lace to ma2e thy land desolate and thy cities shall belaid !aste, !ithout an inhabitant %Jeremiah $:, &.rom 4aniel and Dosea:

Indeed all Israel has transgressed Thy la! and turned aside,not obeying Thy 9oice so the curse has been #oured out on us,along !ith the oath !hich is !ritten in the la! of Moses theser9ant of Hod, for !e ha9e sinned against Dim %4an 0:11&.

;isten to the !ord of the ;ord, E sons of Israel, or the ;ordhas a case against the inhabitants of the land, 8ecause there isno faithfulness or 2indness Er 2no!ledge of Hod in the land.There is s!earing, dece#tion, murder, stealing, and adultery.They em#loy 9iolence, so that bloodshed follo!s bloodshed

%Dos. $:1-&.

Isaiah #roclaimed: E Assyrian, the rod of mine anger ... I !ill send himagainst an hy#ocritical nation, and against the #eo#le of my !rath !ill I gi9ehim a charge, to ta2e the s#oil, and to ta2e the #rey, and to tread them do!nli2e the mire of the streets %Isaiah 1):(&.


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Isaiah 1:$ >Ah, sinful nation, a #eo#le loaded !ith guilt, a brood of e9ildoers>4oes the 6uran s#ea2 any !orse about Israel then this ?

an could not ha9e been co#iedfrom the 8ible. Ta2e for e'am#le the story of the flood thatoccurred in the days of the #ro#het oah, on !hom be #eace.This e9ent is narrated in both the 8ible and the 6ur>an.

A careful e'amination of the t!o 9ersions !ill sho! that the6ur>anic 9ersion could ha9e come from no other source but Hodalone . Ene im#ortant difference bet!een the t!o accounts is that!hereas the 8ible describes the flood as a !orld!ide flood %see


34/47

Henesis Fh. & the 6ur>an mentions it as a local flood affectingthe #eo#le of oah %see 6ur>an :(0-$&.

Today it is ac2no!ledged that no record e'ists of a !orld!ide

flood occurring at the time s#ecified in te 8ible. Do! did theauthor of the 6ur>an a9oid this mista2e unless the author !as HodDimself? The closest thing in history to a flood li2e the onedescribed in the 8ible and the 6ur>an, is a disco9ery made byArchaeologist 7ir Fharles ;eonard @ooley.

In 100 he disco9ered remains from a flood !hich occurredaround $))) 8.F. Dis findings are described in the boo2 entitledThe 5ible as istory by @erner Celler. Celler tells us: Theincredible disco9ery at Kr made headline ne!s in the Knited7tates and in 8ritain %The 8ible as Distory, nd Re9ised a local occurrence> %#./&. In other !ords. !rites Celler.that flood !as ob9iously not of sufficient magnitude for the8iblical lood %#.0&.

urthermore, he says A flood of the unimaginable e'tentdescribed in the 8ible still remains >archaeologically notdemonstrated %##.0-")&. Another com#arison !ill againdemonstrate that the 6ur>an !as not co#ied from the 8ible. In the8ible !e are told that Hod dro!ned the haraoh and his army!hen they #ursued Moses, on !hom be #eace. and his #eo#le %see


35/47

trans#orted to Fairo. an deri9e thisinformation? Do! did the author of the 6ur>an 2no! that theharaoh>s body !as #reser9ed !hereas the 2no!ledge that theancient an #redict that the

body of the haraoh !ill be disco9ered later, unless the author !as Hod Dimself?

Myth! Muhammad ordered ;== Jews 1illed

rom Cournal of the @oyal Asiatic ociety of 1reat 5ritain and *reland ,%10&, ##. 1))-1).

IT I7 @


36/47

Mu>adh, a member of the A!s tribe, allies of 6uraya. De ruled that thegro!n-u# males should be #ut to death and the !omen and childrensub+ected to sla9ery. FonseGuentiy, trenches !ere dug in the mar2et-#lace inMedina, and the men of 6uraya !ere brought out in grou#s and their nec2s!ere struc2.


37/47

9ariety of #ersons he names, including Muslim descendants of the Je!s of6uraya.

Against these late and uncertain sources must be #laced the onlycontem#orary and entirely authentic source, the 6ur>an. There, the referencein 7ura [[[III, is 9ery brief:

De caused those of the eo#le of the 8oo2 !ho hel#ed them %i.e. the6uraysh& to come out of their forts. 7ome you 2illed, some you too2

#risoner. There is no reference to numbers.

Ibn IshaG sets out his direct sources as he o#ens the rele9ant cha#ter on thesiege of Medina. These !ere: a client of the family of al-ubayr and others!hom he did not sus#ect. They told #arts of the story on the authority of

>Abdullah b. Ca>b b. Mali2, al uhri, >Asim b. >Kmar b. 6atada, >Abdullab b.Abi 8a2r, Muhammad b. Ca>b of 6uraya, and others among our men oflearning, as he #ut it. s 9ersion is the sum total of the collecti9e re#orts, #ieced together. At alater stage Ibn IshaG Guotes another descendant of 6uraya, >Attiyya1" byname, !ho had been s#ared, and, directly, a certain descendant of al-abir b.8ata, a #rominent member of the tribe of 6uraya !ho figures in thenarrati9e.

The story o#ens !ith a descri#tion of the effort of named Je!ish leaders to

organie against the Muslims an alliance of the hostile forces. The leadersnamed included three from the 8anu al-adir and t!o of the tribe of @a>il,another Je!ish tribe together !ith other Je!ish fello!-tribesmen unnamed.Da9ing #ersuaded the neighbouring 8edouin tribes of Hhatafan, Murra,aara, 7ulaym, and Ash+a> to ta2e u# arms, they no! #roceeded to Mecca!here they succeeded in #ersuading the 6uraysh. Da9ing gathered togethera besieging force, one of the adir leaders, Duyayy b. A2htab, in effectforced himself on the third Je!ish tribe still in Medina, the 8anu 6uraya,and, against the better +udgement of their leader, Ca>b b. Asad, he #ersuadedthem to brea2 faith !ith the ro#het in the ho#e, #resented as a certainty,that the Muslims !ould not stand u# to the combined attac2ing forces andthat 6uraya and the other Je!s !ould be restored to inde#endentsu#remacy. The siege of Medina failed and the Je!ish tribes suffered fortheir #art in the !hole o#eration.


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The attitude of scholars and historians to Ibn lshaG>s 9ersion of the story has been either one of com#lacency, sometimes mingled !ith uncertainty, or atleast in t!o im#ortant cases, one of condemnatlon and outright re+ection.

The com#lacent attitude is one of acce#ting the biogra#hy of the ro#het andthe stories of the cam#aigns at they !ere recei9ed by later generations!ithout the meticulous care or the a##lication of the critical criteria !hichcollectors of traditions or +urists em#loyed. It !as not necessary to chec2 the9eracity of authorities !hen transmitting or recording #arts of the story ofthe ro#het>s life.1$ It !as not essential to #ro9ide a continuous chain ofauthorities or e9en to gi9e authorities at all. That is ob9ious in Ibn IshaG>sira. En the other hand reliable authority and a continuous line oftransmission !ere essential !hen la! !as the issue. That is !hy Mali2 the

+urist had no regard for Ibn IshaG.1(

Ene finds, therefore, that later historians and e9en e'egetes either re#eat the9ery !ords of Ibn IshaG or else abbre9iate the !hole story. Distorians ga9eit, as it !ere, a cold rece#tion. A>isha.1

A#art from mild com#lacency or doubtful acce#tance of the story itself, IbnIshaG as an author !as in fact sub+ected to de9astating attac2s by scholars,contem#orary or later, on t!o #articular accounts. Ene !as his uncriticalinclusion in his ira of so much s#urious or forged #oetry1 the other hisunGuestioning acce#tance of +ust such a story as that of the slaughter of8anu 6uraya.

Dis contem#orary, the early traditionist and +urist Mali2, called himuneGui9ocally a liar and an im#ostor1/ !ho transmits his stories fromthe Je!s.10 In other !ords, a##lying his o!n criteria, Mali2 im#ugned the9eracity of Ibn IshaG>s sources and re+ected his a##roach. Indeed, neither IbnIshaG>s list of informants nor his method of collecting and #iecing togethersuch a story !ould he acce#table to Mali2 the +urist.


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In a later age Ibn Da+ar further e'#lained the #oint of Mali2>s condemnationof Ibn IshaG. Mali2, he said,) condemned Ibn IshaG because he made a #ointof see2ing out descendants of the Je!s of Medina in order to obtain fromthem accounts of the ro#het>s cam#aigns as handed do!n by theirforefathers. Ibn Da+ar 1 then re+ected the stories in Guestion in the strongestterms: such odd tales as the story of 6uraya and al-adir. othing could

be more damning than this outright re+ection.

Against the late and uncertain sources on the one hand, and the condemningauthorities on the other, must be set the only contem#orary and entirelyauthentic source, the 6ur>an. There the reference in 7ura [[[III, is 9ery

brief: De caused those of the eo#le of the 8oo2 !ho hel#ed them %i.e. the6uraysh& to come out of their forts. 7ome you 2illed, some you too2

#risoner.


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%iii& To 2ill such a large number is diametrically o##osed to the Islamic senseof +ustice and to the basic #rinci#les laid do!n in the 6ur>an - #articularlythe 9erse. o soul shall bear another>s burden. It is ob9ious in the storythat the leaders !ere numbered and !ere !ell 2no!n. They !ere named.

%i9& It it also against the 6ur>anic rule regarding #risoners of !ar, !hich is:either they are to be granted their freedom or else they are to be allo!ed to

be ransomed."

%9& It is unli2ely that the 8anu 6uraya should be slaughtered !hen the other Je!ish grou#s !ho surrendered before 8anu 6uraya and after them !eretreated leniently and allo!ed to go. Indeed Abu >Kbayd b. 7allam relates inhis Fitab al&amwal $ that !hen Chaybar felt to the Muslims there !ereamong the residents a #articular family or clan !ho had distinguished

themsel9es by e'ecesi9e unseemly abuse of the ro#het. Let in that hour thero#het addressed them in !ords !hich are no more than a rebu2e: 7ons ofAbu al-DuGayG %he said to them& I ha9e 2no!n the e'tent of your hostility toHod and to Dis a#ostle, yet that does not #re9ent me from treating you as Itreated your brethren. That !as after the surrender of 8anu 6uraya.

%9i& If indeed so many hundreds of #eo#le had actually been #ut to death inthe mar2et-#lace, and trenches !ere dug for the o#eration, it is 9ery strangethat there should be no trace !hate9er of all that - no sign or !ord to #oint tothe #lace, and no reference to a 9isible mar2.(

%9ii& Dad this slaughter actually ha##ened, +urists !ould ha9e ado#ted it as a #recedent. In fact e'actly the o##osite has been the case. The attitude of +urists, and their rulings, ha9e been more according to the 6ur>anic rule inthe 9erse, o soul shall bear another>s burden.

Indeed, Abu >Kbayd b. 7allam relates a 9ery significant incident in his boo2 Fifab al&amwal , !hich, it must be noted, is a boo2 of +uris#rudence, of la!,not a sira or a biogra#hy. De tells us that in the time of the Imam al-A!a>i

there !as a case of trouble among a grou# of the eo#le of the 8oo2 in the;ebanon !hen >Abdullab b. >All !as regional go9ernor. De #ut do!n thesedition and ordered the community in Guestion to be mo9ed else!here. Al-A!a>i in his ca#acity as the leading +urist immediately ob+ected. Disargument !as that the incident !as not the result of the cormmunity>sunanimous agreement. At far as I 2no! %he argued& it is not a rule of Hod


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that Hod should #unish the many for the fault of the fe! but #unish the fe!for the fault of the many.

o!, had the Imam al-A!a>i acce#ted the story of the slaughter of 8anu6uraya, he !ould ha9e treated it as a #recedent, and !ould not ha9e comeout !ith an argument against Authority, re#resented in >Abdullah b. >Ali. Al-A!a>i, it should be remembered, !as a younger contem#orary of Ibn IshaG.

%9iii& In the story of 6uraya a fe! s#ecific #ersons !ere named as ha9ing been #ut to death, some of !hom !ere described as #articularly acti9e intheir hostility. It is the reasonable conclusion that those !ere the ones !holed the sedition and !ho !ere conseGuently #unished - not the !hole tribe.

%i'& The details gi9en in the story clearly and of necessity im#ly inside

2no!ledge, i.e. from among the Je!s themsel9es. 7uch are the details oftheir consultation !hen they !ere besieged, the harangue of Ca>b b. Asad astheir leader and the suggestion that they should 2ill their !omen andchildren and then ma2e a last des#erate attac2 against the Muslims.

%'& Just as the descendants of 6uraya !ould !ant to glorify their ancestors,so did the descendants of the Madanese connected !ith the e9ent. Enenotices that that #art of the story !hich concerned the +udgement of 7a>d b.Mu>adh against 6uraya, !as transmitted from one of his direct descendants.According to this #art the ro#het said to Mu>adh: Lou ha9e #ronounced

Hod>s +udgement u#on them 3as ins#ired5 through 7e9en =eils./

o! it is !ell 2no!n that for the #ur#oses of glorifying their ancestors or!hite !ashing those !ho !ere inimical to Islam at the beginning, manystories !ere in9ented by later generations and a 9ast amount of 9erse !asforged, much of !hich !as transmitted by Ibn IshaG. The story and thestatement concerning 7a>d are one such detail.

%'i& Ether details are difficult to acce#t. Do! could so many hundreds of #ersons he incarcerated in the house belonging to a !oman of 8anu al-

a++ar?0

%'ii& The history of the Je!ish tribes after the establishment of Islam is notreally clear at all. The idea that they all de#arted on the s#ot seems to be inneed of re9ision, as can be seen on e'amining the sources. or e'am#le, inhis Camharat al&ansab,") Ibn Dam occasionally refers to Je!s still li9ing inMedina. In t!o #laces al-@aGidi"1 mentions Je!s !ho !ere still in Medina


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!hen the ro#het #re#ared to march against Chaybar - i.e. after thesu##osed liGuidation of all three tribes, including 6uraya. In one case tenMadanese Je!s actually +oined the ro#het in an e'cursion to Chaybar, andin the other the Je!s !ho had made their #eace !ith him in Medina !eree'tremely !orried !hen he #re#ared to attac2 Chaybar. Al-@aGadi e'#lainsthat they tried to #re9ent the de#arture of any Muslim !ho o!ed themmoney.

Indeed Ibn Cathir " ta2es the trouble to #oint out that >Kmar e'#elled onlythose Je!s of Chaybar !ho had not made a #eace agreement !ith thero#het. Ibn Cathir then #roceeds to e'#lain that at a much later date, i.e.after the year ")) A.D., the Je!s of Chaybar claimed that they had in their

#ossession a document allegedly gi9en them by the ro#het !hich e'em#tedthem from #oll-ta'. De said that some scholars !ere ta2en in by this

document so that they ruled that the Je!s of Chaybar should be e'em#ted.Do!e9er, that !as a forged letter and had been refuted in detail. It Guoted

#ersons !ho !ere already dead, it used technical terms !hich came into being at a later time, it claimed that Mu>a!iya b. Abi 7ufyan !itnessed it,!hen in fact he had not e9en been con9erted to Islam at that time, and so on.

7o then the real source of this unacce#table story of slaughter !as thedescendants of the Je!s of Medina, from !hom Ibn IshaG too2 these oddtales. or doing so Ibn IshaG !as se9erely criticied by other scholars andhistorians and !as called by Mali2 an im#ostor.

The sources of the story are, therefore, e'tremely doubtful and the details arediametrically o##osed to the s#irit of Islam and the rules of the 6ur>an toma2e the story credible. Fredible authority is lac2ing, and circumstantiale9idence does not su##ort it. This means that the story is more than doubtful.

Do!e9er, the story, in my 9ie!, has its origins in earlier e9ents. Is can besho!n that it re#roduces similar stories !hich sur9i9ed from the account ofthe Je!ish rebellion against the Romans, !hich ended in the destruction ofthe tem#le in the year A4. ", the night of the Je!ish ealots and sicarii tothe roc2 fortress of Masada, and the final liGuidation of the besieged. 7toriesof their e'#erience !ere naturally transmitted by Je!ish sur9i9ors !ho fledsouth. Indeed one of the more #lausible theories of the origin of the Je!s ofMedina is that they came after the Je!ish !ars. This !as the theory

#referred by the late rofessor Huillaume.""


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As is !ell 2no!n, the source of the details of the Je!ish !ars is la9iusJose#hus, himself a Je! and a contem#orary !itness !ho held office underthe Romans, !ho disa##ro9ed of certain actions !hich some of the rebelscommitted, but !ho ne9ertheless ne9er ceased to be a Je! at heart. It is inhis !ritings that !e read of details !hich are closely similar to thosetransmitted to us in the ira about the actions and the resistance of the Je!s,e'ce#t that no! !e see the res#onsibility for the actions #laced on theMuslims.

In considering details of the story of 8anu 6uraya as told by thedescendants of that tribe, !e may note the follo!ing similar details in theaccount of Jose#hus:

%i& According to Jose#hus,"$ Ale'ander, !ho ruled in Jerusalem before Derod

the Hreat, hung u#on crosses /)) Je!ish ca#ti9es, and slaughtered their!i9es and children before their eyes.

%ii& 7imilarly, large numbers !ere 2illed by others.

%iii& Im#ortant details of the t!o stories are remar2ably similar, #articularlythe numbers of those 2illed. At Masada the number of those !ho died at theend !as 0)."( The hot-headed sicarii !ho !ere e9entually also 2illednumbered ))." @e also read that !hen they reached the #oint of des#airthey !ere addressed by their leader b b. Asad

addressed the 8anu 6uraya&," !ho suggested to them the 2illing of their!omen and children. At the ultimate #oint of com#lete des#air the #lan of2illing each other to the last man !as #ro#osed.

Flearly the similarity of details is most stri2ing. ot only are the suggestionsof mass suicide similar but e9en the numbers are almost the same.


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it !ithout comment or !ith cold lac2 of interest, they only e'#ressed lac2 ofenthusiasm for a strange tale, as Ibn Da+ar called it.

Ene last #oint. 7ince the abo9e !as first !ritten, I ha9e seen re#orts"0 of a #a#er gi9en in August 10" at the @orld Fongress of Je!ish 7tudies by 4r.Trude @eiss-Rosmarin, in !hich she challenges Jose#hus> assertion that 0)

besieged Je!s committed suicide at Masada. This is highly interesting sincein the story of 6uraya the 0) or so Je!s refused to commit suicide. @ho2no!s, #erha#s the 7tory of 8anu 6uraya is an e9en more accurate form ofthe original 9ersion.

ootnotes

1. Ibn IshaG, ira %ed. @ustenfeld, Hottingen, 1/)&, ($(- %ed. 7aGGa et

al ., Fairo, 10((&, II, $-0. 7ee also al-@aGidi, Fitab al&maghaEi %ed. M.Jones, ;ondon, 10&, II, $$) ff. 7uhayl, al&@awd al&unuf %Fairo, 101$&, I,1/ et passim Ibn Cathir, al&ira al&$abawiya %ed. Mustafa XAbd al-@ahid,Fairo, 1"/$-(B10$-&, II, (, et passim.

. ira, ($(-(, (-1BII, (1-, 10)-) Ibn Cathir, oo#. cit., III, 1$( ff.

". ira, ((-, 0BII, "/-(", "(, etc. More on Chaybar follo!s belo!.

$. ibid., BII, "("-$.

(. ibid., /-/$BII, 1$-"".

. ibid., /$-))BII, ""-($.

. ibid., /0BII, $) %Gyun al&athar %Fairo, 1"( A.D.&, II, " Ibn Cathir, II,"0.

/. In his introduction to %Gyun al&athar , I, , Ibn 7ayyid al-as %d- "$A.D.&, ha9ing e'#lained his #lan for his biogra#hy of the ro#het, e'#ressly

states that his main source !as Ibn IshaG, !ho indeed !as the chief sourcefor e9eryone.

0. Tahdhib al&tahdhib, I[, $(. 7ee also %Gyun al&athar , I, 1, !here theauthor uses the same !ords, !ithout gi9ing a reference, in his introductionon the 9eracity of Ibn IshaG and the criteria he a##lied.


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1). d- 10.

11. %Gyun al&athar , I, 1.

1. ibid, I, 1.

1". ira, 01-BII, $, $$ %Gyun al&athar , II, $, (.

1$. Ibn 7ayyid al-as %o#. cit., I, 11& ma2es #recisely this #oint in relationto the story of the 8anu 6aynuGa> and the s#urious 9erse !hich !as said toha9e a##eared in 7ura ;III of the 6ur>an and at the time !as ta2en by

#olytheist Meccans as a recognition of their deities. The author e'#lains ho!9arious scholars dis#osed of the #roblem and then sums u# by stating that inhis 9ie!, this story is to be treated on the same le9el as tales of the maghaEi and accounts of the ira %i.e. not to be accorded unGualified acce#tance&.Most scholars, he asserts, usually treated more liberally Guestions of minorim#ortance and any material !hich did not in9ol9e a #oint of la!, such asstories of the maghaEi and similar re#orts. In such cases data !ould beacce#ted !hich !ould not be acce#table as a basis of deciding !hat is la!fulor unla!ful.

1(. 7ee n. 1/ belo!.

1. Tabari, Tari4h, I, 1$00 %!here the reference is to al-@aGidi, MaghaEi, II,

(1"& (ad al&ma%ad %ed. T. A. Taha, Fairo, 10)&, II, / Ibn Cathir, o#. cit.,I=, 11/.

1. En this see @. Arafat,


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. 6ur>an, [[[=, 1/.

". 6ur>an, [;I, $.

$. ed. Chalil Muhammad Darras, Fairo, 1"//B10/, $1.

(. 7ignificantly, little or no information is to be found in general or s#ecialgeogra#hical dictionaries, such as al-8a2ri>s, Mu%Ham ma'sta%Ham al-airuabadi>s al&Maghanim al&mutaba fi ma%alim taba %ed. Damad al-Jasir,4ar al-Lamama, 1"/0B100& i9 treatises % @asa'il fi tari4h al&Madina ed.Damad al-Jasir, 4ar al-Lamama, 1"0B10& al-7amhudi, 3afa' al&wafa' bi&a4hbar dar al&Mustafa %Fairo, 1"&, etc.


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". ira, /(-BII, "(-.

"/. ira, "(, "0BI, (1$, (.

"0. The Times, 1/ August 10" and The 1uardian, ) August 10".

Documents

Jewish Myths on Islam