Brad Alles

This blog series continues with the future according to Islam.  The real solution to humanity’s problem is Jesus Christ, the Savior from the world’s sinfulness.  However, different worldviews have solutions to make life better on planet Earth.  These worldviews will be explained so you can understand your world better.   (For more, see my book Starting at the End.)

In order to help bring a global Islamic government to reality, some Muslims use the 109 war verses in the Quran to justify jihad. For example, Sura 5:33 says, “The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His messenger and strive to make mischief in the land is only this, that they should be murdered or crucified or their hands and their feet should be cut off on opposite sides or they should be imprisoned; this shall be as a disgrace for them in this world, and in the hereafter they shall have a grievous chastisement.”

Likewise, Sura 9:5 states, “So when the sacred months have passed away, then slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them captives and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush, then if they repent and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, leave their way free to them; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.” Understand the motivation: it is not a country’s president or king instructing people to conduct jihad; it is Allah, the Almighty.

This is religious motivation, much stronger than civic duty. Using the Quran’s 109 war verses, this minority in the Islamic faith believes it is doing Allah’s will by killing unbelievers and ushering in an Islamic global government. And if the jihadist dies in the process, he or she will automatically enter Paradise.

Notice that according to Sura 9:5, if people convert to Islam, they will be spared. (Presently in some Islamic countries, if people will not convert, reclassification as a second-class citizen may be possible, but not all classes are given this option.) That’s why Daniel Pipes explained, “Islam (a religion) is not the problem, but Islamism (a totalitarian ideology) is. Islamism is not so much a distortion of Islam, but a radically new interpretation. It politicizes the religion, turning it into a blueprint for establishing a coerced utopia.” By coercion, or force, humanity can convert to Islam out of fear, thus bringing about a Muslim world. That’s why Osama bin Laden encouraged people to “embrace Islam,” and not just to end the Iraq war.

Furthermore, forced conversion is simply following in the footsteps of Mohammed. After preaching relative peace and tolerance at Mecca—a 13-year span that gained less than 100 followers—Mohammad changed tactics during his last ten years.  Quoting the Quran and other Islamic sources, the website ReligionofPeace.com states, “Once he obtained the power to do so, he began forcing others into accepting his claims about himself at the point of a sword. In many places in the Hadith, he tells his followers that he has been commanded by Allah to fight unbelievers until they profess their faith in Islam.”

This blog series will continue with more on the future according to Islam.