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kekasih 17.10.10 - 05:26pm
http://www.islamophobiatoday.com/2010/08/15/silencing-spencer-taqiyya-and-kitman-are-part-of-judeo-christian-belief-2/ *
kekasih 17.10.10 - 05:30pm
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Silencing Spencer: Taqiyya and Kitman are part of Judeo-Christian Belief
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15 AUGUST 2010
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What follows is a refutation of Lying: Its wrongexcept when it isnt, found in Chapter 6 (Islamic Law: Lie, Steal, and Kill) of Robert Spencers book, The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (and the Crusades).
Part of the grandiose anti-Muslim conspiracy theory espoused by Islamophobes today includes the idea that Muslims are, in the words of Robert Spencer, involved in large scale deception campaigns today. [1] Spencer dedicates chapter 6 of his book The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (and the Crusades) to convince his readers that Islamic law allows for and even encourages lying if it fosters the growth of Islam. [2] In this manner, moderate Muslim-Americans are cast away as stealth jihadists, who are simply using deception to further their belligerent faith. Any Muslim who says otherwise is accused of lying. When moderate Muslims express their peaceful views, these are dismissed as deception campaigns. On the other hand, when extremist and fundamentalist Muslims express their belligerent views, these are accepted as being real Islam.
Is Lying Acceptable in Certain Cir tances?
The Prophet Muhammad repeatedly commanded his followers to be truthful. Lying is no small sin in Islam, and in fact leads to Hell. Robert Spencer himself acknowledges as much, saying:
Muhammad minced no words about the necessity of telling the truth: It is obligatory for you to tell the truth, for truth leads to virtue and virtue leads to Paradise, and the man who continues to speak the truth and endeavors to tell the truth is eventually recorded as truthful with Allah, and beware of telling of a lie for telling of a lie leads to obscenity and obscenity leads to Hell-Fire, and the person who keeps telling lies and endeavors to tell a lie is recorded as a liar with Allah. [3]
There are dozens of other Prophetic traditions that say the same.
However, Spencer argues in his book that while lying is generally prohibited, Islam allows for lyingin certain cir tances. [4] Having established this, Spencer boldly entitles the chapter Islamic Law: Lie, Steal, and Kill, arguing that Islam is the one religion on earth that advocates lying. On the same page, Robert Spencer opposes the idea that Islam shares the general moral outlook of Judaism and Christianity. In particular, Islam doesnt have a moral code an*logous to the Ten Commandments. By this, he means to say that the religion of Islam does not hold fast to the 9th Commandment, which prohibits lying: Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
Before we proceed, it should be very clear that it is Robert Spencer himself who opens up the chapter by comparing the Judeo-Christian belief system to Islam. Therefore, when we question this comparison, let our opponents not cry tu quoque, tu qouque! as they always do whenever we point out their bold-faced hypocrisy and double standards. What Spencer is saying is quite clear: unlike other religions, Judaism and his own Christianity in particular, Islam advocates lying in certain cir tances.
The revelation, that Islam allows for lying in certain cir tances, is supposed to shock the mind. Ohmigosh, how could a religion sanction lying!? But if we move past sanctimonious outrage, we realize that any moral code, be it based in religious faith or atheistic humanism, should allow for lying in certain cir tances. Thats the most obvious thing in the world. If, for example, the s knock on your door and ask you are you hiding any Jews in your attic?, would Robert Spencer demand you to be truthful and say yes? In that cir tance, lying should not only be allowed, but encouraged or even obligated. A moral code that did not allow for a lie in this cir tance would be highly flawed. This is simply common sense. No moral code, be it religious or otherwise, ought to command honesty without exception. Its common sense that there should be some exceptions to truth-telling.
In Islam, the Prophet Muhammad allowed for three (and only three) exceptions to the rule of truth-telling:
Lying is not permitted except in three cases: (1) a mans speaking to his wife to make her happy; (2) lying at times of war; (3) and lying in order to reconcile between people. [5]
Let us review each of these scenarios one by one.
A Mans Speaking to His Wife to Make Her Happy
Under Islamic law, a husband is permitted to lie to his wife if she asks him do I look beautiful? So as not to hurt her feelings, the husband may claim she is the most beautiful woman on earth, even if in reality she looks horribly ugly. This permission is given to the husband, argue Islamic jurists, to safeguard the womans feelings. It would be cruel, they say, to be honest in this case. (One cannot help but be reminded of the epic Geico commercial.)
Lest our opponents, the self-proclaimed defenders of the Judeo-Christian tradition, doth protest too much, let us note that the Jewish tradition itself discussed this very situation in none other than the Talmud. In the book entitled The Book of Jewish Values, Rabbi Joseph Telushkin says:
When, If Ever, Is It Permitted to Lie? (2): Judaism and White Lies
The Talmud records an unusual debate between the houses of Hillel and Shammai concerning the words celebrants should sing when dancing in front of a newly married woman. According to the House of Hillel, the dancers should chant the same words in front of all brides: What a beautiful and graceful bride! Their opponents, the House of Shammai, disagree. If she is lame or blind, are you going to say of her, What a beautiful and graceful bride? Does not the Torah command, Stay away from falsehood? (Exodus 23:7) They thus oppose reciting a standard formula; rather, each bride should be described as she is (see Ketubot 17a). [6]
The opinion of the house of Hilel, that a lie should be uttered in this case, became accepted as Jewish law:
Hillels position is accepted as Jewish law. One praises the beauty of all brides. [7]
Rabbi Telushkin continues:
If somebody at a party asks you how they look, and you think they dont look well at all, a blunt statement of what you feel may cause the person terrible discomfort, and accomplish no good whatsoeverThere are indeed times when a petty lie is preferrable to an ugly truth. [8]
Christians have also debated this topic. Professor Michael Heiser, an instructor at the MEMRA Institute for Biblical & Ancient Studies and Academic Editor for Bible Study Magazine, argues that the 9th Commandment does not prohibit all lies. In a post entitled Lies and Deception, this professor gives his Biblical view that deception is sanctioned in certain cir tances:
Lets think about some real life situations. I do not believe the ninth commandment was given to force full, exhaustively detailed truth telling to questions like the following:
1. Do I look fat in this dress?
2. Doctor, did my little boy suffer before he died?
3. How do I look?
Not only is deception permitted to a Christian (in certain cir tances, of course), but the Christian God and a Christian prophet (Samuel) engaged in deception. Prof. Heiser writes:
In regard to the 1 Samuel 16 incident and the does God lie? question, I do not think God lied. He did, however, certainly deceiveSamuel also did not lieBut, again, he plainly withheld information and deceived Sauls men. Both God and Samuel were deceivers in this passage, but neither were liars. God may use deception to punish evil, but he does not lie.
Imagine Robert Spencers reaction if an Islamic scholar said that God deceives to punish the evil of unbelievers. Just imagine.
Lying in Order to Reconcile People
Another exception in Islam with regard to telling the truth is when it comes to reconciling people. This, argue Muslims, is based on Islams emphasis on peace. The Prophet Muhammad said:
He who makes peace between the people by inventing good information or saying good things, is not a liar. [9]
The Islamophobic website ReligionofPeace.com mocks this Prophetic saying, arguing that it justifies lying. Yet, these defenders of the Judeo-Christian tradition do not realize that the exact same thing is found in their own religious tradition. Rabbi Telushkin writes:
According to Jewish law, one also should not go about telling people critical comments you hear made about them. Indeed, if somebody asks you what another person said about him, you should leave out the negative comments by the other person
When it comes to trying to reconcile feuding parties, Jewish law is remarkably tolerant of white lies. Of Aaron, Moses brother and Israels first high priest, the Rabbis relate that he would utilize untruthful means to make peace between peopel who had fought. He would go to one, telling how sad his adversary was about the dispute, and how ashamed and disheartened he felt. Then he would go to the other and tell him the same thing. As the Midrash concludes, Later, when the two met, they would embrace and kiss each other (The Fathers According to Rabbi Nathan 12:3)
Jewish tradition endorses Aarons behaviorIn instances of personal feuding, when truth and peace conflict, peace usually should take precedence. [10]
Christian professor Dr. Michael Heiser recognizes something similar in his own religious belief system:
The ninth command was not given so evil could progress; it was given to STOP evil. It was not given to force us to hurt peoples feelings or crush their spirit, either. Withholding information is virtuous in these instances for reasons that should be obvious in context.
Will these self-declared defenders of the Judeo-Christian tradition now burn in their own fury?
Lying in Times of War
It is this third instance of permissible lying that Robert Spencer et al. make the most fuss about, especially the Prophet Muhammads statement that war is deceit/deception.
As mentioned by our very own Inconnu, the Prophet Muhammad made this statement during the Battle of the Trench. The Confederates were threatening to use their overwhelming numbers to destroy the fledgling Islamic city-state of Medina. They lay siege to the beleaguered city, and the entire religion of Islam was on the brink of being snuffed out entirely. It was in this particular cir tance that a man named Nuaym ibn Masud was instructed by the Prophet Muhammad to break the deadly siege. Nuaym said he could do this, but that this requires me to lie. The Prophet replied with those now infamous words war is deception. And so Nuaym went to the various factions making up the Confederates and convinced them of the supposed disloyalty of their own allies. This sowed discord and disunity in the enemy ranks, which the Muslims capitalized on to sna*ch victory from the jaws of defeat. [11]
Two things are of note here. First, the fact that Nuaym protested that this requires me to lie implies that he was cognizant of the fact that the Prophet Muhammad and the religion of Islam forbid lying in general. Otherwise, he would not have said it. It thus indicates that the early Muslims were known for their honesty. Second, the context of the statement is imperative to understand: The city of Medina was under siege, and the defenders of the city were heavily outnumbered by a ratio of more than 3:1. This was a situation of national importance. Lives would have been lost had these lies not been said. It is strange that the extreme right-wingers like Robert Spencer can justify the nuclear annihilation of Japanese cities because lives would have been lost but cant seem to understand why the Prophet Muhammad justified lying in this particular scenario. Which is worse? Nuclear annihilation or lying?
The idea that it would be necessary to lie during war is so self-explanatory that I feel a bit silly needing to draw this out. But because Robert Spencer makes a great fuss about this, let me go over the top with this. The idea that war is deceit/deception has been accepted since time immemorial. As our very own Inconnu writes:
In fact, War is deceit is one of the oldest military principles in history. It is found in none other than The Art of War by Sun Tzu, a Chinese strategist from the Sixth Century B.C. This book is the oldest military treatise in the world. In Part I, principle No. 18 says:
All warfare is based on deception.
This book forms the foundation of modern military thinking, and is listed in the United States Marine Corps Professional Reading Program. The book is required reading for CIA officers, and recommended reading for all U.S. military intelligence personnel. The book is required to be stocked in every major military library. Is Robert Spencer being unpatriotic and un-American by criticizing the foundation principle of our U.S. military, namely that all warfare is based on deception? But Spencers double standard is quite clear: its OK when Evangelical Christians in the U.S. military believe such a thing, but completely unacceptable if Muslims do.
Inconnu goes on:
How about the Trojan Horse, a story from one of the oldest poems in Western Civilization? Why doesnt Spencer condemn the Greeks, the Fathers of Western Civilization, for practicing deceit in times of war?
Not only did Sun Tzu write of deception in warfare, but Italian Renaissance thinker Niccolo Machiavelli wrote:
Though fraud in other activities may be detestable, in the management of war it is laudable and glorious, and he who overcomes the enemy by fraud is as much to be praised as he who does by force.
How about more recent times? During World War II, there was a military operation called Operation Fortitude. It was a disinformation campaign to deceive the Germans about the Normandy invasion:
Fortitude was the codename given to the decoy (or disinformation) mission mounted by the Allies to deceive the Germans about the date and above all the place of the landings[The Germans] had to be made to think that a whole group of [Allied] armies was present in Kent, opposite the Pas-de-Calais.
To deceive the German observation planesthe local estuaries, creeks and harbours were crammed with dummy landing craft, made out of bits and bobsFor the benefit of the Germans, a team of technicians maintained constant radio traffic between totally fictitious units.
Fortitude succeeded beyond anyones wildest dreams. Long after June 6th, Hitler remained convinced that the Normandy Landings were a diversionary tactic to induce him to move his troops away from the Pas-de-Calais, so that a decisive attack could then be launched there. He therefore kept his best units in readiness there, until the end of July, desperately scanning an empty horizon, while the fate of the war was being decided in Normandy.
Dr. Joseph Caddell, Lecturer on Military History at North Carolina State University, wrote in 2004:
Deception in warfare is probably as old as armed conflict itself. The logic of confusing an adversary is obvious, and the rewards can be realized very quickly.
On the website of the Air University, the military education system for the United States Air Force, there is a list of numerous books, documents, and periodicals that chronicle deception in WW I and WW II. Here is just some of the examples of the books written about deception in warfare:
Barros, James and Gregor, James. Double Deception: Stalin, Hitler, and the Invasion of Russia. DeKalb, IL, Northern Illinois University Press, 1995. 307 p. Book call no.: 940.532247 B277d
Basic Deception and the Normandy Invasion. New York, Garland, 1989. 1 vol. Book call no.: 940.5485 C873 v.15
Breuer, William B. Hoodwinking Hitler: The Normandy Deception. Westport, CT, Praeger, 1993. 263 p. Book call no.: 940.54 B846h
Breuer, William B. The Secret War with Germany: Deception, Espionage, and Dirty Tricks 1939-1945. Novato, CA, 1988. 318 p. Book call no.: 940.5485 B846s
I think Inconnu makes his point very clear, but allow me to give another example: The U.S. military used deception during the invasion of Iraq:
Its war plan successfully deceived the Iraqis regarding disposition of allied ground forces
Is Robert Spencer being unpatriotic and un-American for criticizing the U.S.s tactic of using deception in their invasion of a Muslim-majority country? If the U.S. military can be justified in its use of deception to invade and occupy a far weaker country, then how is the Prophet Muhammad to be faulted for using deception during war to defend his city-state from attack and destruction by a far superior force?
How about CIA officers trying to infiltrate the ranks of Al-Qaeda? Should they not utilize deceit in order to safeguard their cover?
This is of course a completely absurd line of attack Robert Spencer has employed against Islamic law. But to completely cripple Spencers argument, let us once again turn to the Judeo-Christian tradition that Spencer so valiantly defends and promotes in his book. Once again, a familiar pattern emerges: Spencer criticizes something about Islam that is found in his own religious belief system as well.
The Menorah: A Monthly Magazine for the Jewish Home expounds:
Deception in waris legitimate according to Jewish law. Joshua used stratagem in capturing the city of Ai (Josh. viii), and the same was copied against Bejamin (Jud. xx). Ehud ben Gera killed Eglon, King of Moab, by disguise and deceit (Jud. iii., 20-22)In our own times Gen. Fred Funston devised an artful plan to entrap Emilio Aguinaldo. Such deceit, however, is recommended in order to avoid needless bloodshed and hasten peace. [12]
Notice that the excerpt above seems to indicate that deceit is not only permitted in Jewish law but recommended in times of war. Rabbi Telushkin says the same in his book entitled A Code of Jewish Ethics, and even indicates that assassinations by stealth are permitted according to the Bible:
During a war, one may deceive enemies. The Bible relates how Yael, a Kenite woman, invited the fleeing Canaanite general Sisera into her tent: Turn aside, my Lord, turn aside to me; have no fear, she told him, before lulling Sisera to sleep and then killing himThe prophetess Deborah praised Yael for her deception of Sisera (Judges 5:24-26; see also Judges 4:17-21)
In short, in the proper cir tances, deception is not only tolerated, but applauded. [13]
In the example of Yael and Sisera, we have Biblically-sanctioned treachery and assassination. To bring this topic closer to home for Robert Spencer, let us quote from the Christian tradition. The British and Foreign Evangelical Review says of Yael and Sisera:
That there was treachery, is admitted on all hands. The whole question resolves itself into this: Did Sisera deserve to be treacherously dealt with? Was Jael [Ya'el] justified in taking the advantage of him [as] she did? If the deceptions of war we noticed just now [in the Bible] are not immoral, then we regard Jaels act as morally defensibleShe must use stratagem to kill him. [14]
In a section entitled When Deceptions becomes Legitimate, The British and Foreign Evangelical Review writes:
Again, we find in the conquest that the Israelites were directed [by God] to practise certain deceptions upon their enemiesThe moral aspect of these cases of deception on the part of God[are justified by the] general understanding that in such cir tances everything is fair that can secure an advantageThere is no moral delinquency, therefore, in denying the whole truth to men, that is, in practising deception upon them, when it is understood that deception is part of the risk of war. [15]
Should we berate Christians for their belief in lying during war and that everything is fair that can secure an advantage? Can one imagine Robert Spencers reaction if a Muslim said that everything is fair if it secures an advantage for Islam?
Dr. Hans Martensen, the nineteenth century Catholic bishop who penned the epic book Christian Dogmatics: Compendium of the Doctrines of Christianity, writes in his book entitled Christian Ethics:
Mutual deception cannot in this respect be condemned, since both sides are agreed in employing against each not force alone, but craft, together with all the artifices of war. [16]
Dr. Mortensen is stressing an important point here, which I will return to later: deception is mutually expected in war.
In any case, it could be saidusing the emotive language of Robert Spencerthat deception in war is part of Christian ethics. Christian professor Dr. Michael Heiser concurs that the act of deception and even outright lie is tolerated in war, even HOLY war. In a post entitled Does God lie, Prof. Heiser says that God uses deception, and even argues that Jesus himself used deception:
We know that there are specific statements asserting very clearly that God does not tell lies (e.g., Num. 23:19; Titus 1:2). However, God does use deception. Some of you no doubt will want to define lying so that it includes deception, but that is not only unwise, it puts you (and God) in a theological pickleWhy did Jesus demand deception (withholding the truth) on occasion? Why is that permissible?
Why is it that Robert Spencer takes great offense to the Islamic prophet using deception in war to defend his city-state and religion from being wiped off the map, but on the other hand takes no issue with the Biblical prophet Joshua using deception in war, by the Command of God no less, to invade the city of Ai? In a book entitled The Art of Darkness: Deception and Urban Operations, we read:
In roughly 1200 BC, Joshua captured the city of Ai by means of deception. [17]
The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, after citing numerous examples of Biblically sanctioned deception during war, concludes:
Many people have been honored for deceiving the enemy during wartime and saving innocent lives, and this was war! [18]
The gentleman Robert Spencer doth protest too much methinks.
Lying to Unbelievers?
Robert Spencer has implied in his book and website that Muslims are instructed to be honest only to fellow Muslims, and that they can lie to unbelievers. Says Spencer:
Muhammad minced no words about the necessity of telling the truthHowever, as with so many other Islamic principles, this is largely a matter between believers. When it comes to unbelieversparticularly those who are at war with MuslimsMuhammad enunciated a quite different principle: War is deceit. Specifically, he taught that lying was permissible in battle. [19]
As I have said in my previous article criticizing Robert Spencers methodology, he mixes half-truths (70% of his writings) with outright lies (the remaining 30%). Here is where Spencer slips in a bold-faced lie. (The irony of using deception while writing an article on deception should not be lost.) In the text above, Spencer implies that Muslims dont have to be honest with non-Muslims. However, the reality is that the Prophet Muhammad never said that a Muslim can lie to a non-Muslim. What he did say was:
Lying is not permitted except in three cases: (1) a mans speaking to his wife to make her happy; (2) lying at times of war; (3) and lying in order to reconcile between people. [20]
Do you see the word unbeliever, non-Muslim, or infidel anywhere there? No, no, and no. Lying is permitted during war, and this has nothing to do with being a Muslim or non-Muslim. Being a non-Muslim in this case is merely incidental. Spencers insinuation to the contrary is dishonest anddeceitful. Had the Prophet Muhammad wanted to say that lying to unbelievers is permitted, then he would simply have said as much: Lying is not permitted except in three cases(2) lying to unbelievers. But he didnt. And I challenge Spencer to bring forth a single quote from the Quran or the Prophetic traditions saying anything of the sort.
In fact, the early Muslims fought a civil war ( *
kekasih 17.10.10 - 05:33pm
Taqiyya and Kitman
One of the favorite buzz words of Islamophobes is taqiyya! They translate it to mean holy lying (alternatively as holy hypocrisy or religious deception) and say that it is a central tenet of Islam that Muslims are allowed to lie to non-Muslims. When moderate Muslim spokesmen declare Islam to be a religion of peace, Islamophobes like Robert Spencer will accuse these Muslims of taqiyya! Spencer explains in his book:
The doctrines of religious deception (taqiyya and kitman) are most often identified with Shiite Islam and are ostensibly rejected by Sunnis (over 85 percent of Muslims worldwide) because they were sanctioned by the Prophet. However, they can still be found in traditions that Sunni Muslims consider most reliableWhen Shiite Muslims were persecuted by Sunnis, they developed the doctrine of taqiyya, or concealment
Closely related to this is the doctrine of kitman, or mental reservation, which is telling the truth, but not the whole truth, with an intention to mislead. Sunnis have also practiced them throughout Islamic history, because of their Quranic foundation. Ibn Kathir, who was no Shiite, explains that the scholars agreed that if a person is forced into disbelief, it is permissible for him to either go along with them in the interests of self-preservation, or to refuse. [25]
Taqiyya is a doctrine that developed in Shiism, exactly for the reason that Spencer stated, namely persecution at the hands of the majority Sunnis. Based on this belief, Shiites could pretend to be Sunnis in order to avoid torture and death. In other words, if a Sunni tyrant threatened to kill a Shiite, that Shiite could claim to be a pious Sunni and thereby save his life. Although it is a Shiite-specific doctrine, it is true that there is some justification for such a belief in Sunni canonical sources. In fact, Robert Spencer himself quotes the relevant Quranic verse, namely 16:106, which reads:
Anyone who, after having once accepted faith in God, verbally renounces his faith and of his own accord opens his heart to unbelief, on such falls the condemnation of God, and a tremendous penalty awaits such. This, to be sure, does not apply to those who do it under duress if their hearts are full of faith. (Quran, 16:106)
If we read Azbab ul-Nuzul (The Reasons for Revelation), we find the context of this verse:
Said Ibn Abbas said: This verse was revealed about Ammar ibn Yasir. The idolaters had taken him away along with his father Yasir, his mother Sumayyah, [etc.]and tortured them. As for Sumayyah, she was tied up between two camels and stabbed with a spear in her female organ[and] killed. Her husband Yasir was also killedAs for Ammar, he was coerced to let them hear what they wanted to hear [i.e. renunciation of Islam]. Gods Messenger was told that Ammar has renounced faith, but he said: Never, Ammar is filled with faith from his head to his toes; faith is admixed with his flesh and blood! Ammar then went to see Gods Messenger, crying. Gods Messenger used his hands to wipe Ammars tears, and said: If they return to you, let them hear again what you told them. Then Almighty God revealed this verse [16:1o6].
Mujahid said: This verse was revealed about some Meccans who accepted faith [i.e. Islam] The Quraysh caught up with themand coerced them to renounce their faith. It is about them that this verse was revealed.
It amazes me that Robert Spencer would take any issue with this. If Al-Qaeda captured some Christian missionaries and threatened to kill them unless they declare belief in Islam, would any sane person take issue with a feigned confession? Even U.S. law takes into account acts done under duress.
This, i.e. renouncing Islam under duress, is the only application of taqiyya that exists in Sunni Islam, which 85% of Muslims follow. Virtually all Shiites believe in a similar restriction of taqiyya. Did some fringe Shiite sects of the past develop the doctrine of Taqiyya more elaborately? I honestly dont know because I havent studied such a topic (and neither has Robert Spencer). I have read accusations by Sunnis against Shiism that say so (and Robert Spencer often reproduces these charges), but excuse me if I take that with a grain of salt. Its a bit like taking information about Catholicism from a fundamentalist Evangelical Protestant. But in any case, what is 1,000% certain is that Sunni Muslims do not believe in any other application of taqiyya except renouncing Islam under duress, i.e. torture and death.
Once again, we find Robert Spencer throwing stones from his glass house. Taqiyya is permitted in the Judeo-Christian tradition itself. Although there is some debate wether renouncing ones faith is permitted or not, Judaism permits lying to save ones own life. JLaw.com, a website dedicated to expounding Jewish law, declares:
There is no question that Jewish law obligates one to prevaricate in order to save ones own life or the life of another person.
Rabbi Michael Broyde writes:
It can be clearly demonstrated that lying to save the life of an innocent person is permissible. Thus, this lie becomes legally justifiable to save ones own life too.
Rabbi Joseph Telushkin writes:
Jewish law condemns as foolish and immoral both telling the truth to an evil person and thereby enabling him to go on doing evil, or telling the truth to an evil person that leads to your [own] murder.
And he says further:
We are permitted to lie, or otherwise deceive, unscrupulous people even if we only suspect that our lives may be in danger. [26]
The Christian tradition has generally been less tolerant towards lying, as Rabbi Telushkin explains:
Some of the greatest figures in Christian theology and Western thought have argued that lying is always wrong, even when life is at stake. Saint Augustine, the great fourth-century Church Father (in his treatise On Lying) argued that lying bars one from eternal life; hence, it makes no sense to give up ones place in the next world to save another life if it means having to lie: Does he not speak most perversely who says that one person ought to die spiritually, so another may live? Since, then, eternal life is lost by lying, a lie may never be told for the preservation of the temporal life of another.
Some fifteen hundred years after Saint Augustine, Immanuel Kant, in an effort to establish a universally binding secular ethic, also condemned all lying, whatever the cir tances. Thus, Kant taught (in his Critique of Practical Reason) that if a man fleeing for his life is hiding in our house, and the would-be murderer asks whether our friend who is pursued by him has taken refuge in our house, we are forbidden to lie or mislead him.
The Catholic Encyclopedia expounds:
According to the common Catholic teaching it is never allowable to tell a lie, not even to save human life.
The stricter Christian position can be partially explained by the fact that after the rise of Augustine the Christians were never generally faced with a situation like the Inquisition. In other words, they had the convenience of theorizing about the greatness of martyrs, without facing the fear of having their religion being wiped off the face of the earth by those in power. (Contrary to the misconception harbored by Islamophobes, the Christians under Islamic law were generally never forced to convert en mass to Islam as Jews and Muslims were in many parts of Christendom.)
After World War II, this absolutist position against lying became less tenable. The question arose: was it permissible to lie to stormtroopers when they ask you are you hiding any Jews in your attic? Should we now berate Robert Spencers Catholic faith, and say that it is his faith that is responsible for the killing of so many Jews during the Holocaust? Should we impugn his entire faith for the lackluster response of the Catholic church to the plight of Jews during this period of intense persecution?
In any case, many Christians now believe that lying to save life is generally permitted. Christian professor Dr. Michael Heiser includes the question Are you hiding Jews in your attic? as one of those instances in which it is permitted to lie. Surely this is the more sensible position. If the church permitted lying to further Christianity, as Martin Luther and others believed, then surely it would be permitted to lie to save life.
Eric Sammons, a Catholic speaker and head of evangelization at St. John Neumann parish, writes (emphasis is ours):
Can we lie to save lives?
One of the classic moral dilemmas of the 20th century was the case of hiding Jews during Germany. If a officer comes to the door asking if any Jews are in the house, are you morally permitted to lie to the officer in order to protect the lives of those Jews hiding within? The answer is that telling an untruth in such a situation is not a lie, and therefore it can be moral to be deceptive in such situationsSo we cannot lie to save a life, but we can tell an untruth if necessary, but in doing so, that is not a lie.
Similarly, Islamic jurists discussed and debated this situation. Their rulings are remarkably similar to Jewish and Christian opinions on the matter. George F. Hourani discusses how Islamic jurists of one theological school argued that lying was permitted in such a case, whereas another argued one can always escape from such a dilemma by insinuations or silence[instead of] a direct lie. [27] An application of this came during World War II, when for example a French mosque hid and saved almost two thousand Jews from their tormentors. Is this the kitman (i.e. mental reservation or half-truths) that Spencer so opposes?
All three Abrahamic traditions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) discussed the hypothetical situation in which hoodlumsbent on murdering a man hiding inside your houseknock on your door and ask if that man is inside. The Jewish tradition, as we have seen, is unequivocal in the fact that in this case lying is permitted. As for Christianity, the Catholic Encyclopedia says (emphasis is ours):
According to the common Catholic teaching it is never allowable to tell a lie, not even to save human life. A lie is something intrinsically evil, and as evil may not be done that good may come of it, we are never allowed to tell a lie. However, we are also under an obligation to keep secrets faithfully, and sometimes the easiest way of fulfilling that duty is to say what is false, or to tell a lie. Writers of all creeds and of none, both ancient and modern, have frankly accepted this position. They admit the doctrine of the lie of necessity, and maintain that when there is a conflict between justice and veracity it is justice that should prevail. The common Catholic teaching has formulated the theory of mental reservation as a means by which the claims of both justice and veracity can be satisfied.
The entry goes on to talk about the Catholic doctrine of mental reservation. If, for example, hoodlums demand to know if a man is hiding inside your home, it is permissible to deceive them using mental reservation: *
kekasih 17.10.10 - 05:34pm
Such expressions as He is not at home were called equivocations, or amphibologies, and when there was good reason for using them their lawfulness was admitted by all. If the person inquired for was really at home, but did not wish to see the visitor, the meaning of the phrase He is not at home was restricted by the mind of the speaker to this sense, He is not at home for you, or to see you. Hence equivocations and amphibologies came to be called mental restrictions or reservations
All Catholic writers were, and are, agreed that when there is good reason, such expressions as the above may be made use of, and that they are not lies. Those who hear them may understand them in a sense which is not true, but their self-deception may be permitted by the speaker for a good reason.
Deception using mental reservation is therefore permitted in Catholicism, if for a good reason. Whats quite surprising is that this is in fact the exact same belief in Shiism that Robert Spencer takes offense to, namely kitman. Lets recall Spencers own definition of kitman, as follows:
Closely related to this [i.e. taqiyya] is the doctrine of kitman, or mental reservation, which is telling the truth, but not the whole truth, with an intention to mislead. [28]
What is truly mind-boggling is that Robert Spencer takes offense to kitman which he himself translates as mental reservation when in fact his own religious creed believes in mental reservation! Spencer didnt even choose to translate the word kitman differently! To reiterate: Spencer opposes Shiite Islams belief in mental reservation, but either ignores or is oblivious to the Catholic doctrine in support of mental reservation! This is truly amazing, and really makes me think that Spencer seriously thought nobody would challenge his writing. His own religious doctrine sanctions the use of kitman if there is a good reason to use it.
When the s rounded up Jews, many Jews claimed to be Christians in order to save themselves and their children. This is taqiyya in every sense of the word. (The word taqiyya is properly translated to religious dissimulation and is accepted in Judaism as it is in Shiism.) Would Robert Spencer like to condemn these Jews for engaging in taqiyya? As we can see, taqiyya and kitman are both found in the Judeo-Christian tradition.
Of course, the reality is that most Muslims have never even heard of the words taqiyya or kitman until Islamophobes bring them up. Usually what happens is that an Islamophobe will mention these words, and then the bewildered Muslim will have to go look up the meaning of these words, usually finding definitions on an Islamophobic website. Taqiyya and kitman are obscure words that were only found in any real significance in old Shiite texts, mostly in regards to situations of mass religious persecution. Today, these two words have fallen into utter disuse and are only invoked by Islamophobes. Contrary to the claims made by Robert Spencer and co., taqiyya and kitman do not form a fundamental part of Islam. Rather, these are two doctrines that have fallen into disuse and obscurity, and were in fact never developed doctrines in mainstream Islam.
Showing Friendship to Disbelievers Outwardly but not Inwardly?
In the same chapter of his book, Robert Spencer quotes verse 3:28 in the Quran, which reads as follows:
Let not the believers take the disbelievers for awliya rather than believers; and whoever does this God will have nothing to do with him, except by way of precaution when you fear them. (Quran, 3:28)
Spencer follows this verse by saying:
Remember that the next time you see a Muslim [American] spokesman on television professing his friendship with non-Muslim Americans and his loyalty to the United States. [29]
In this manner, Spencer uses verse 3:28 to support his xenophobic conspiracy theory: Muslim-Americans, especially their nefarious spokesmen, are just professing loyalty to the United States (taqiyya!) but in reality plotting to overthrow Western democracy to replace it with Islamist Sharia. This is the basis for his alarmist claim that Muslim-American organizations are involved in stealth jihad. His claim seems outlandish at first, but he convinces his audience by pointing to the verse above, which says that you can only take non-Muslims as friends by way of precaution, i.e. taqiyya. Spencer then quotes the tafsir (commentary) of this verse, written by Ibn Kathir, a prominent medieval jurist. Spencer explains verse 3:28 as follows:
In other words, dont make friends with unbelievers except to guard yourselves from them: Pretend to be their friends so that you can strengthen yourself against them. The distinguished Quranic commentator Ibn Kathir explains that, in this verse, Allah prohibited His believing servants from becoming supporters of the disbelievers, or to take them as comrades with whom they develop friendships, rather than the believers. However, exempted from this rule were those believers who in some areas or times fear for their safety from the disbelievers. In this case, such believers are allowed to show friendship to the disbelievers outwardly, but never inwardly.
In fact, Ibn Kathir goes on to say:
Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu Ad-Darda said, We smile in the face of some people although our hearts curse them.
Based on this, the Islamophobes argue that the Muslim-Americans, especially those pesky spokesmen, are smiling at our faces while their hearts curse us! Its right there in the Quran and the classical commentary of the Quran!
Case closed? Not really. A closer an*lysis of verse 3:28 gives another picture. While it is true that many fundamentalist Muslims believe it is forbidden to become friends with non-Muslims, moderate Muslims believe the term awliya does not properly translate to friends. Rather, the Arabic term awliya refers to a specific type of friendship, an unequal friendship to be exact. It refers to a relationship wherein a Muslim is considered an inferior, receiving protection from the non-Muslim; in particular, the Muslim is at the mercy of the non-Muslim. A better translation of the word awliya would be protecting friends, or simply patrons. There is abundant proof for this, but to do the topic justice I will write another article on it in the near future.
Suffice to say, there are very similar verses in the Bible that seem to say that a Christian should not be friends with infidels. In particular, 2 Corinthians 6:14 forbids being friends with infidels, i.e. do not be yoked with unbelievers, but many Christians understand it to mean do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers, very similar to how Muslims view 3:28 as referring to unequal friendships.
The prohibition of taking disbelievers as awliya is repeated in verse 60:1, wherein God says:
O you who believer, do not take My enemieswho are your enemies as wellas your awliyaoffering them your love, even though they have rejected the Truth that has come to you, and have on the contrary driven out the Prophet and yourselves from your homes, simply because you believe in your Lord God! (Quran, 60:1)
Just a few lines down, God clarifies that He is only talking about those disbelievers who oppress the Muslims by fighting them for their faith and driving the Muslims out of their homes:
As for those disbelievers who do not fight against you on account of your faith, and who do not expel you from your homelands, God does not forbid you to show them kindness and equity, for verily God loves the equitable! God only forbids you from taking as awliya (protecting friends) those who fight you for your faith, and who drive you out of your homes and support others in driving you out. Those who seek their protection are indeed wrongdoers. (Quran, 60:8-9)
We see here quite clearly how the Islamophobes take verses out of context, reproducing the first part but not the second part which explains that the Quran is only referring to those disbelievers who oppress the Muslims. Even if wefor arguments sakeaccept the definition of awliya as simply friends, the Quranic verse would only prohibit taking those disbelievers as friends who oppress the Muslimsnot all non-Muslims.
Furthermore, 3:28 was revealed in a certain context: the Prophet Muhammad had begun preaching his new religion in Mecca, his birthplace. The pagans of Mecca oppressed and tortured his followers. As has been discussed earlier, the Prophet Muhammad gave permission to some of the weaker and more vulnerable converts to pretend to renounce their faith in order to avoid being tortured and killed. (This developed into the Shiite doctrine of taqiyya.) Eventually, the persecution reached such a level that the Prophet ordered his followers to flee to the city of Yathrib (Medina), an event that came to be known as the Hijra (Emigration). However, some of the early Muslims were too weak to travel and/or were prevented from leaving by the pagans of Mecca. It was these that were permitted to use taqiyya to save their lives.
The pagans of Mecca threatened to destroy the city-state of Medina, and with it the religion of Islam. They established a network of spies in Medina, by reaching out to some of the non-Muslims of Medina as well as some of the Muslims weak in faith. The looming threat of a pagan conquest of Medina caused many of the weaker willed Muslims to lose their faith in the Prophet; many of them sought the protection of the Meccan pagans. It was these Muslims that the Quran was calling out in verse 3:28 and 60:1, urging the Muslims not to take the disbelievers (i.e. the pagans plotting to overthrow Medina) for awliya (protecting friends) rather than believers (the Prophet and the defenders of Medina).
The words except by way of precaution when you fear them was referring to those Muslims left behind in Mecca, reassuring them that they were not to be faulted for trying to save their lives (from torture and death) by using taqiyya. However, a key point here is that the Muslims of Mecca were commanded to flee to Medina, and whoever did not do so was considered sinful, except those physically incapable of doing so. The Quran says:
When the angels collect the souls of those who die in sin against themselves (because they did not emigrate from Mecca), the angels will ask: What was wrong with you? The people will answer: We were too weak on earth. The angels will say: Was Gods earth not spacious enough for you to migrate to some other place? For such the goal is Hell, what an evil refuge! Except those who are truly weak and prevented by the oppressors, those men, women, and children who have no means in their power to emigrate. For these, there is hope that God will forgive them: for God blots out sins and forgives again and again. He who forsakes his home in the Cause of God finds the earth wide and spacious, with many places of refuge. Should he die as a refugee from his home, his reward from God is sure. God is Most Forgiving and Most Merciful. (Quran, 4:97-100)
Clearly, it is not appropriate to an*logize the cir tance in verse 3:28 to the situation of Muslim-Americans today. Unlike the Muslims of pagan Mecca who were tortured and killed if they professed their faith in Islam, Muslim-Americans have freedom of religion. The state will not kill Muslim-Americans for being Muslim. Yes, if Muslim-Americans are ever rounded up and sent to concentration camps, as some of the Islamophobes so desire, then in that situation a Muslim-American could use taqiyya to deny that he is a Muslim. But what relevance is taqiyya when their lives are not at stake? Even the verse that Spencer himself quotes, verse 3:28, says except by way of precaution when you fear them. Do Muslim-Americans fear for their lives? Spencer doesnt even believe that Islamophobia is real, let alone the idea that Muslim-Americans fear for their lives due to their profession of faith, so how does this verse apply at all?
It would only apply to a situation such as the Inquisition in Spain. And even in this case, the first option would not be taqiyya. Rather, the Muslims would be commanded to emigrate to another place, such as to the Muslim majority world, wherein they could freely practice their religion. Any Muslim who willingly stayed behind in Spain and pretended to become Christian would be considered sinful (and go to Hell!). God would only forgive those Muslims who were physically incapable of leaving Spain, due to handicap or prevention by the Spanish authorities. Therefore, we see that taqiyya is a last case option, and only when there is no other choice. Even if a Muslim-American felt like he was tortured or killed for his faith in the United States, he would still have the option of migrating to another country. Taqiyya would simply not be an option, and anyone who resorted to that would be considered sinful and Hell-bound.
Furthermore, taqiyya has nothing to do with lying about Islam, or lying to further ones religion. Rather, taqiyya simply means lying about ones own faith, denying ones Muslim identity in order to save ones life. So how does it make sense for Robert Spencer and co. to claim that Muslim-American spokesmen are doing taqiyya? Those spokesmen are not only boldly claiming their Muslim-ness, but they are claiming to be the spokesmen of Muslims! Surely, Spencer should only accuse non-Muslims of taqiyya; for example, nutty Spencer has alluded to the fact that President Obama may be a Muslim doing taqiyya. But even that doesnt make sense, since it is not as if Obama would be killed if he openly stated he was Muslim!
One astute reader of ours pointed out that there is a fundamental contradiction here: if the jihadists follow real Islam, then why arent they using taqqiya (which is supposedly a religious obligation)? After all, Spencer says that it is the jihadists themselves who have supposedly discussed the advantages of using taqiyya. If taqiyya means to lie about ones religious belief, then why do jihadists like Al-Qaeda and co. not practice taqiyya? Why do they openly advocate war and hatred against infidels? Does this make any sense? Surely it does not.
The reality is that Robert Spencer et al. throw around the word taqiyya with little care for its actual meaning. Its an attempt to prey on the ignorance of the masses, who have no idea what the word means. It is quite sloppy rhetoric, with no real substantive value.
Kol Nidre
If Robert Spencer vilifies Islam because of the concept of taqiyya, then let him also vilify Judaism for the belief in Kol Nidre. This is a prayer said by Jews every year on Yom Kippur, which reads as follows:
All vows and oaths, all promises and obligations, all renunciations and responses, that we shall make from this Yom Kippur till the nextmay it come to us in peaceall of them we retract. May we be absolved of them all, may we be released from them all, may they all be null and void, may they all be of no effect. May these vows not be vows, may these oaths not be oaths, may these responses not be responses.
Anti-Semites have used this Jewish prayer to vilify Judaism, arguing that it exonerates Jews from all truth-telling to Gentiles (non-Jews): all vows, oaths, promises, and obligations to infidelsfor the entire yearcan be broken. Just imagine, simply imagine, if this prayer was an Islamic one! Imagine the reaction of Robert Spencer!
Jewish apologists argue, quite rightfully, that this prayer was historically used in a time of great persecution, and must therefore be understood in that context: Christian authorities were forcing Jews to take oaths against their own faith. But an anti-Semite would not care for such details, and still rejoice in the fact that Judaism allows its adherents to lie to infidels! How is Spencers argument against Islam any different? If anything, due to the seemingly explicit text of the Kol Nidre, a stronger argument could be made against Judaisms Kol Nidre than s**te Islams taqiyya.
Benjamin Sarlin of The Daily Beast noted the marked similarity between the Islamophobic taqiyya line of argument with the Kol Nidre tool used by anti-Semites:
Have you heard of taqiyya? [Geert] Wilders said, referring to a provision in Islamic law in which believers can conceal their faith in order to escape physical harm and persecution. Taqiyya means Muslims can lie. They are even rewarded to lie, and they should lie. Im not saying all do, but most of the time its Muslims living under non-Muslim rule in non-Muslim countries. Taqiyya means that they can fool and lie and are allowed, even have incentive, to lie until they become stronger and change their tune.
The explanation bore a creeping resemblance to anti-Semites historic use of the Kol Nidre prayer on Yom Kippur, in which religious oaths made before God are declared void, to inaccurately claim that Jews had carte blanche to lie.
The white supremacist website WhiteRevolution.com boasts an article entitled Kol Nidre: Judaisms License to Lie. How remarkably similar is this to an Islamophobic website entitled Taqiyya is Islamic license to lie. The racist white supremacist website explains what Kol Nidre is, and then asks the readers: Can you trust your Jewish Congressman? (Ill give you one guess as to what the answer is!) And once again, quite similarly, we find that Islamophobessuch as this website that links back to Spencers Jihad Watchasks about a Muslim Congressman: Will he be allowed to practice taqiyya?
If a Jewish person says that he doesnt believe in Kol Nidreat least not in the way the anti-Semite claimsthen the anti-Semite nullifies this by saying that the Jew is just lying (and will be forgiven because of Kol Nidre). Likewise, if a Muslim claims that he doesnt believe in taqiyyaat least not in the way that the Islamophobe claimsthen this will be nullified by saying that the Muslim is just lying (and using taqiyya).
An anti-Semite asks How can a Jew take an oath of loyalty to America, when he is allowed by his religion to lie and disregard this oath if it benefits him or his people? Likewise, Robert Spencers Jihad Watch argues that a Muslim-American taking an oath of loyalty to America is the purest taqiyya, or kitman, or combination of both and that such an oath, given to an Infidel polity is invalid in Islam.
If we were to use the tactics of Robert Spencer against any other religion, including Judaism and Christianity, we could fill pages and pages with alarmist accusations. For example, in his book entitled A Code of Jewish Ethics Rabbi Telushkin lists over thirty different instances in which a Jew is permitted to lie. If Islam is to be considered a lying religion for permitting three instances of lying, then what can be said of a religion that permits 30+ instances of lying? Rabbi Telushkin says that one of those instances of permitted lying in the Bible was with regard to lying to idolaters in order to kill them for their idolatry:
Jewish law normally opposes sting operations in which police or other government officials lie and attempt to bribe or otherwise induce a person to commit a crimeHowever, the Bible does record a sting operation that was set up to catch only those who were engaging in behavior that Judaism regards as abhorrent: idolatry. Fifty-one of the Torahs 613 commandments oppose idol worship. During a spread of such worship in ancient Israela veritable life-and-death struggle betwene the God of Israel and the god BaalKing Jehu pretended to be a follower of Baal (as his father, Ahab, had been). The king then invited the priests of Baal to a large religious gathering. When they arrived, the Bible reports, Jehu acted with guile in order to exterminate the worshippers of Baal (II Kings 10:18-19). [30]
Can one imagine the reaction of Robert Spencer and co. if it had been an Islamic cleric that cited the Quran to claim that it is permitted to lie to infidels in order to kill them?
Spencer Tries to Slip Another Lie into His Work
As I was reviewing the section entitled Lying: Its wrongexcept when it isnt in order to ensure that I had refuted each and every line Robert Spencer wrote, I noticed this doozie here:
Jihadists today have spoken of the usefulness of deceptive practices. [31]
Oh yeah, which ones? Who and where? What have they said? Notice Spencer slips this in, without providing a single quote or reference to back his claim. Ive never seen an Al-Qaeda member or some other jihadist invoke taqiyya or kitman. Far from it: they seem to openly declare their enmity and hatred for infidels. They may have brutish beliefs, but they are painfully honest about these beliefs. Although Al-Qaeda and co. operate sleeper cells, Ive never seen any proof that they justify these based on any doctrine of taqiyya or kitman. Ive never seen any of the jihadists invoke taqiyya; instead, they vilify Shiites for believing in this doctrine.
Conclusion
The irony is not lost on the perceptive reader that Robert Spencer and the Islamophobes use deceptive arguments to claim that Muslims are engaging in large-scale deception campaigns today. [32] It is paranoid alarmism of the worst order, designed to spread anti-Muslim sentiment. Spencers vitriol is similar to the anti-Muslim polemic used by the Church during the Crusades, which does not come as a surprise, considering that his book opens up with the Crusader slogan Deus Vult! (God wills it!) and the very last word in it is Crusade. What is contained between Deus Vult! and Crusade is the propaganda needed to wage this Crusade that God so willed.
Taqiyya simply means that a Muslim can renounce his faith in order to save his life from torture or death. The doctrine of taqiyya is found in Judaism, which commands its followers to save their own lives even by lying. Many Christian thinkers also believe this is something permissible. As for kitman, this means mental reservation (i.e. telling half the truth in order to mislead someone), and is a doctrine accepted by the Church. Kitman is also accepted in Judaism.
If Muslims are to be vilified for believing in lying and using deceit in war, then Jews are to be condemned even more for believing that lying is permissible to kill idolaters for their idolatry. If Muslims are to be vilified for allowing lying to save life, then Christians are to be vilified more for the belief that lying is permitted to further the interests of the Church. Naturally, our opponents will balk and cry tu quoque, tu quoque! They wish Islam to be judged by a standard that their own religious belief cannot withstand. These Islamophobes engage in mental reservation when they mention half-truths about Islam. One must wonder if Robert Spencer believes it is permissible to lie in order to further the interests of the Catholic church? Considering that he is a fervent anti-Muslim Catholic apologist, it would not be hard to believe.
Footnotes
refer back to article 1. Robert Spencer, The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (and the Crusades), p.79. ISBN 0-89526-013-1
refer back to article 2. Ibid.
refer back to article 3. Ibid.
refer back to article 4. Ibid.
refer back to article 5. Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Sahih al-Muslim
refer back to article 6. Joseph Telushkin, The Book of Jewish Values: A Day-by-Day Guide to Ethical Living, p.102. ISBN 0609603302, 9780609603307
refer back to article 7. Ibid.
refer back to article 8. Ibid., p.104
refer back to article 9. Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol.3, Book 49, 85
refer back to article 10. Telushkin, p.103
refer back to article 11. see N.K. Singhs The Prophet Muhammad and His Companions, pp.259-263. ISBN 8187746467, 9788187746461
refer back to article 12. Bnai Brith, Jewish Chautauqua Society; The Menorah: a monthly magazine for the Jewish home, Volume 33; p. 35. Menorah Pub. Co., 1902
refer back to article 13. Joseph Telushkin, A Code of Jewish Ethics, p.429. ISBN 1400048354, 9781400048359
refer back to article 14. Robert MCheyne Edgar, British and Foreign Evangelical Review, p.30. Published in 1878. Oxford University
refer back to article 15. Ibid.
refer back to article 16. Hans Mortensen, Christian Ethic: Special Part, Vol. 2, Published in 1884, p.233
refer back to article 17. Scott Gerwehr, The Art of Darkness: Deception and Urban Operations, p.32. ISBN 0833027875, 9780833027870
refer back to article 18. Warren W. Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, p.386. ISBN 078144540X, 9780781445405
refer back to article 19. Spencer, pp.79-80
refer back to article 20. Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Sahih al-Muslim
refer back to article 21. Sahih al-Muslim, 1731
refer back to article 22. Spencer, p.79
refer back to article 23. T. Joyner Drolsum, Unholy Writ: An Infidels Critique of the Bible, p.132. ISBN 1434300374, 9781434300379
refer back to article 24. Herant Katchadourian, Guilt: The Bite of Conscience, p.44. ISBN 0804763615, 9780804763615
refer back to article 25. Spencer, pp.80-81
refer back to article 26. Joseph Telushkin, A Code of Jewish Ethics, p.428
refer back to article 27. George F. Hourani, Reason and Tradition in Islamic Ethics, p.104. ISBN 0521035635, 9780521035637
refer back to article 28. Spencer, p.81
refer back to article 29. Ibid., pp.80-81
refer back to article 30. Joseph Telushkin, A Code of Jewish Ethics, p.430
refer back to article 31. Spencer, p.81
refer back to article 32. Ibid., p.79
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Posted on 15 August 2010 in Spencer Watch No Comments
Tags: Christianity, Islam, Islamophobes, Jihadists, Judaism, Muslims, Robert Spencer, The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (and the Crusades)
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