An Inquiry Into Islam

An Ethical Conflict Islam is Forcing Us to Resolve

I saw a video (which you can see here) where a man and a woman were walking together in a public park, and he slaps her face. Bystanders immediately stopped him.

Then she dresses in a hijab and they do the same thing: They walk along talking, this time in Arabic, and then he stops and slaps her. You could see that other people in the park were disturbed by it, but only one man eventually intervened. Everyone else looked on, didn't like it, but didn't do anything or even say anything.

The creators of the video implied that this meant the non-Muslims didn't care as much about Muslim women as they do about non-Muslim women. But I think that conclusion is off-base.

The video illustrates a deep conflict in our culture. And our increasing contact with Muslims is bringing this conflict more and more to the forefront. We will have to resolve it. We have rarely had to confront this conflict in the past, but Islam is exceedingly good at putting non-Muslims in double binds.

This ability to put us in double binds is, I believe, one of their most effective strategic ploys, and they are exploiting it wherever they can.

In case you didn't know exactly what a double bind was, I looked up a good definition to add the link above, but I also found this telling statement in the explanation: "Double binds are often utilized as a form of control without open coercion — the use of confusion makes them both difficult to respond to as well as to resist."

Islam is not strong enough and Muslims in most non-Muslim countries are not numerous enough to control non-Muslims through open coercion as they would in a Muslim country. So they use double binds to exert control.

What is the conflict illustrated in the video? One the one hand we want to be open, tolerant people. We don't want to be bigoted or narrow-minded. We don't want to be arrogant and insulting toward another's culture just because it's different. This is basic etiquette and manners, and for most of us, it is an important part of who we are.

On the other hand, what if the other culture is actually morally wrong? What if the other culture harms people? What if it interferes with others' freedoms?

Most cultural differences are very easy for us to accept. If someone wants to put a mark on their forehead or wear a cross or dress in a traditional dress from the old country or eat salted mackerel or pray in some way you are unfamiliar with, most of us don't think, "Look at those freaky foreigners. They are strange and therefore wrong and bad." We think, "That's their culture, and they have every right to live the way they want to."

The co-creator of the movie, Borat, (Dan Mazer) said he found most Americans "incredibly polite," even when the Borat character pushed them far beyond the limits of tolerance. We are the great melting pot. And one of the main reasons that people of all ethnic and religious backgrounds interact and work together with very little friction is that for the most part, we accept each other's differences. Some even embrace and celebrate those differences.

But the cultural-difference-acceptance ethic described above is being challenged more than Borat ever dreamed of. Islam puts our desire to accept cultural differences in direct conflict with our own humanity. In the video I mentioned above, the woman was slapped by a man. But when she dressed and talked like a Muslim, this created a conflict for onlookers. She was clearly a Muslim and a husband hitting a wife is a fairly common practice in Muslim culture (because the practice is encouraged in these Islamic doctrines).

For the onlookers, which ethical principle overrides which? It's wrong for a man to hit a woman. And it's wrong to condemn the practices of a different culture. We don't normally have to choose between them. But Islam is forcing us to choose, and doing their best to convince us to choose cultural acceptance.

What about FGM? Some girls have had this done to them in America. Should we accept this cultural difference, or impose our own morals on people with different cultural beliefs? What about segregation of men and women? What about nurses washing their hands? What about wearing a burka for a drivers licence photo? What about polygamy?

Orthodox Muslims keep putting us to the test. And they aren't doing it passively or accidentally. One of the core principles of Islamic doctrine is that Islam is a better political system and a better religion than any other, and that Muslims are better people than any other, and that ultimately the Islamic system of rules and law should override and supersede all others on earth. It is a pushy, domineering, assertive religion. It keeps pushing us into our double binds and most people don't know what to do about it. And to make matters worse, orthodox Muslims keep trying to prevent non-Muslims from even talking about Islam, so we're having a difficult time working it out and resolving it among ourselves. The issue is getting more and more tense and uncomfortable.

We will have to decide. When the principle of cultural inclusion and acceptance comes into conflict with the principles of women's rights, human rights, safety, freedom of speech, etc., which do we choose?

The Sacredness of Mohammad's Example

The Koran demands 91 times that Muslims imitate Mohammed in every way. These commands take two types — historical examples and direct commands. The Meccan Koran is filled with examples of the previous "prophet/messengers" who had to be obeyed or Allah punished them. Moses is an historical example. There are only 5 direct commands to follow Mohammed in Mecca.

Then in Medina there are 86 verses with a direct command to obey and follow Mohammed. Why the increase? In Medina, Mohammed was a political leader and needed total command in this world, not the next.

Below are the passages, divided up into different categories. First we'll start with verses from the Meccan period:

Historical Messages that Warn People to Obey their Prophet:

69:9 Pharaoh, too, and those who thrived before him, and the overthrown cities, all committed sin, and disobeyed the messenger sent by their Lord. That is why He punished them with an accumulated punishment.

26:141 The people of Thamud rejected the messengers. Their brother Salih said to them, “Will you not fear Allah? I am a faithful messenger worthy of all trust. Fear Allah and obey me. I ask for no reward. My reward comes only from the Lord of the worlds. Will you be left safely to enjoy all you have among gardens and fountains and grain-fields and palm-trees, heavy with fruit, and — insolent as you are — your homes carved from the mountain stone? Fear Allah and obey me. Do not obey the bidding of the extravagant who make mischief in the land, and do not reform.”

26:123 The people of Ad rejected the messengers. Their brother Hud said to them, “Will you not fear Allah? I am a faithful messenger worthy of all trust. Fear Allah and obey me. I ask for no reward. My reward comes only from the Lord of the worlds. What? Do you build monuments on every high place to amuse yourselves? Do you acquire fine buildings in the hope that you will live there forever? When you exert your power, do you do so like a tyrant? Fear Allah and obey me. Fear Him who has generously given you everything you know. Fear Him who has generously given you cattle, and children, and gardens, and fountains. Truly, I fear that you will have the punishment of a terrible day.”

26:176 The people who lived in the forest of Madian rejected the messengers. Their brother Shuaid said to them, “Will you not fear Allah? I am a faithful messenger worthy of all trust. Fear Allah and obey me. I ask for no reward. My reward comes only from the Lord of the worlds. Give just measure, and do not be one of those who give less than is due. Weigh with an exact balance. Do not cheat men of their goods, and do not do evil on the earth by making mischief. Fear Him who created you and your ancestors.”

71:1 We sent Noah to his people and said to him, “Warn your people before a terrible punishment befalls them.” He said, “My people, I come to you as a plain-speaking warner. Serve and fear Allah and obey me. He will forgive you your sins and give you respite until the appointed time, because when Allah’s appointed time has come, it can not be delayed. If only you knew this!”

26:105 The people of Noah rejected the messengers when their brother Noah said to them, “Will you not fear Allah? I am a faithful messenger worthy of all trust. Fear Allah and obey me. I ask no reward from you for this because my reward comes only from the Lord of the worlds. Fear Allah and obey me.”

26:160 The people of Lot rejected the messengers. Their brother Lot said to them, “Will you not fear Allah? I am a faithful messenger worthy of all trust. Fear Allah and obey me. I ask for no reward. My reward comes only from the Lord of the worlds. What? Of all the creatures of the world, will you have sexual relations with men? Will you ignore your wives whom Allah has created for you? You people exceed all limits!”

20:90 Aaron had already told them, “People, You are being tested. Surely your Lord is the god of Mercy: Follow and obey me.”

43:64 When Jesus came with clear proof of Allah’s sovereignty, he said, “I come to you with wisdom and to clear up some things which you dispute. Therefore fear Allah and obey me. Allah is my Lord and yours. Worship Him. This is the right path.”

36:20 A man [Habib, the carpenter] came running from the outskirts of the city and said, “My people, listen to the messengers! Obey those who do not ask any reward and who follow the right path. It would be unreasonable of me not to serve Him who created me, and to Whom we will all return. Should I worship other gods besides Him? If Allah wished to afflict me their intercession could not help me at all, nor could they save me. If I did worship other gods, I would be in clear error. I believe in your Lord, so listen to me.” It was said to him, “Enter the Garden of Paradise.” The man replied, “Oh, if only my people knew how gracious Allah has been to me and that He has made me one of the honored ones!”

Historical Messages that Warn People to Listen to Allah's Messenger:

15:80 The people who lived in the rocky place [the people of Thamud] also rejected Allah’s messengers. We sent Our signs to them, but they turned away from them. They cut their homes into the rock, feeling secure, but the cry overtook them in the morning, and all their efforts did nothing to help them.

23:42 After them, We created other generations. No people may either hasten or delay their appointed time. Then We sent Our messengers one after another. Every time a messenger went forth to a nation, its people accused him of lying, so We caused them to follow one another into disaster, and We made them examples. So, away with the unbelievers.

25:35 Long ago, We gave Moses the Book, and appointed his brother Aaron as his aide. We commanded them, “Both of you go to the people who have rejected Our signs.” We absolutely destroyed those people. And the people of Noah, when they rejected the messengers, We drowned them and made them a sign for all men. We have prepared a terrible penalty for all the wicked.

7:157 Those who follow the Messenger — the Prophet who neither reads nor writes, whom they shall find described in the Torah and the Gospel, who commands good and forbids evil; allows the pure and healthful and prohibits the impure; releases them from the burdens and shackles that were upon them — those who believe in him, honor and help him and follow the light [the Koran] that was sent down with him, they are the successful.

34:43 For when Our clear signs are recited to them, they say, “This is merely a man who would turn you away from your father’s religion.” They say, “This (Koran) is only a lie.” And when they hear the truth, the unbelievers say, “This is nothing but clear sorcery.” Yet We did not give them any books to study deeply, nor have We sent them a messenger with warnings. Those before them rejected the truth, but they have not given Us a tenth of what We have given to them. When they rejected My messengers, My vengeance was terrible.

10:13 We have destroyed generations before you when they acted wickedly. Messengers came to them with clear signs from Allah, but they would not believe. This is how We reward the wicked.

40:21 Have they not traveled this land to see what has been the end of those who disbelieved before them? They were even mightier than these in strength and in their traces left in the land; yet Allah destroyed them for their sins, and they had no protector against Allah. That was because messengers came to them with clear proofs, but they rejected them, so Allah took them in hand for He is mighty and vehement in punishing.

28:56 You [Mohammed] truly cannot guide everyone whom you desire, but Allah guides whom He will. He knows best who follows His guidance. But they say, “If we follow your guidance, we will be driven from our land.” Have We not settled them in a sacred, secure territory where fruits of every kind are gathered together — Our gift for their support? But most of them do not understand. And how many communities have We destroyed that were thankless for the livelihoods We provided? These dwellings have not been inhabited since their time save by a few, and We are their inheritors. Your Lord did not destroy the cities until He had sent a messenger to their city to recite Our signs to its people. We never destroy cities unless its people are unjust.

13:32 Many messengers who came before you were mocked. For a long time We allowed the unbelievers to go unpunished, but finally We punished them. Then how terrible was Our punishment!

52:7 Truly, a punishment from your Lord is coming, and no one can stop it. That day heaven will heave from side to side, and the mountains will shake to pieces. Woe on that day to those who called the messengers liars, who wasted their time in vain disputes.

18:103 Say: Shall We tell you whose actions will make them the biggest losers? Those whose efforts are lost in this world’s life even while they thought that they were doing good deeds. These are the people who disbelieve in their Lord’s revelations and who do not believe they will meet Him in the afterlife. Their deeds will have been done in vain, and on the Judgment Day, We will not give them any weight. Their reward is Hell, because they disbelieved and mocked Our revelations and Our messengers. As for those who believe and do good deeds, they have the Gardens of Paradise for their entertainment where they will dwell forever, never wishing to leave.

38:12 Before them the people of Noah and Ad and Pharaoh, the impaler, rejected their prophets. The people of Thamud [the people of a ruined Nabatean city near Medina] and Lot and the people who lived in the forest also rejected their prophets. They all called My messengers liars; therefore, their punishment was justified.

36:28 After the man [Habib] from the outskirts died, We sent no army down from heaven against his people. We did not need to do so. It was nothing more than a single cry, and they were extinct. Oh! The misery that falls upon My servants! Every messenger sent to them has been mocked. Do they not see how many earlier generations We have destroyed? Everyone of them will be brought before Us for judgment.

43:21 Are they clinging to a scripture that We had given them earlier? No! They say, “Our fathers followed a certain religion, and we are guided by their footsteps.” And so, whenever We sent a messenger before you to an erring people, their wealthy said, “Our fathers followed a certain religion, and we are guided by their footsteps.” The messenger said, “What! Even if I bring you better guidance than your fathers had?” They replied, “We do not believe what you say.” So We punished them. Now see what comes to those who reject truth!

16:112 Allah gives a parable about a city [Mecca] that is safe and secure, abundantly supplied with everything it needs, and yet, it is ungrateful for the favors of Allah. Allah gives it a taste of hunger and fear because of the evil it has done. A messenger from themselves came to them, but they rejected him and a punishment overtook them while they were unjust.

11:59 The men of Ad [an ancient people of southern Arabia] rejected signs of their Lord, rebelled against His messengers, and followed the bidding of every proud, defiant person. They were cursed in this world, and on Resurrection Day it will be said to them, “Did Ad not reject their Lord?” The people of Ad were cast far away.

40:5 The people of Noah, and the factions after them, denied their messengers before these, and every nation schemed against their messenger to destroy him. They argued falsely to refute the truth. Then I seized them, and how great was my punishment. So the word of the Lord proved true against the unbelievers. They truly are companions to the Fire.

6:42 We have already sent messengers to many nations before you [the Meccans], and We seized them with terror and suffering that they might humble themselves. If only they had been humbled when Our disaster came on them. On the contrary, their hearts were hardened, and Satan made their sinful acts seem good to them. And when they had forgotten the warning they had received, We opened the gates of all good things to them until, as they were rejoicing in Our gifts, We seized them, and they were plunged into despair. So the unbelievers were annihilated. All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds!

Historical Examples Warning People Not to Reject a Prophet's Message:

23:68 Do they not consider the Word of Allah, or has nothing new come to them since the time of their ancestors? Is it that they do not recognize their messenger and so reject him? Or do they say, “He is possessed.”? No, he has brought the truth to them, but most of them hate the truth. If the truth did not contradict their desires, then the heavens and the earth and everything contained in them would have been corrupted and ruined. No! We have brought them their warning, but they turn away.

50:12 Other men before these rejected their prophets: the people of Noah and the men of Ar-Rass [unknown city] and the tribe of Thamud [the people of a ruined Nabatean city near Medina] and Ad [an ancient people of southern Arabia] and Pharaoh and the brethren of Lot and the people of the forest and the people of Tubba [the people of Himyar in Arabia]. All rejected their prophets; therefore, they were justly punished.

The Five Direct Meccan Commands:

44:9 They [the Meccans] fool around in doubt, but watch them the day the sky emits a visible smoke that will cover mankind. This will be a terrible punishment. They will cry, “Lord, take away our punishment. We are believers.” But how did warning them help when Our messenger went to them, and they rejected him and said, “He learned it from others, he is insane!”? If We were to give you any respite, you would surely revert to wickedness. On the day when We seize you with a terrible onslaught, We will certainly inflict punishment!

7:158 Say: Oh, people, I am sent to you as the messenger of Allah, whose kingdom is the heavens and the earth. There is no god but He. He gives both life and death. So believe in Allah and His messenger, the unlettered Prophet, who believes in Allah and His word. Follow Him so that you may be led aright.

40:70 Those who reject the Book and the revelations with which We have sent our messengers will soon know the truth. When the yokes and the chains are on their necks, they will be dragged into the boiling waters then they will be thrust into the Fire and burned.

72:22 Say: Surely, no one but Allah can protect me. Nor can I find any refuge except Him. My only task is to convey Allah’s truth and His message. Those who rebel against Allah and His apostle have the fire of Hell, and they will remain there forever! They will doubt until they see with their own eyes what they are promised. Then they will know who is weaker in allies and fewer in number.

35:3 Oh, men, call to mind Allah’s grace toward you. Is there a creator other than Allah who provides for you from heaven and earth? There is no god but Allah. How are you turned away from Him? If they reject you [Mohammed], then messengers have been rejected before you, but to Allah all things will return.

— now we come to the Medinan passages —

Warning People to Obey the Messenger:

3:30 Say: If you love Allah, then follow me. Allah will love you and forgive you of your sins. Allah is forgiving and merciful. Say: Obey Allah and His messenger, but if they reject it, then truly, Allah does not love those who reject the faith.

3:131 Obey Allah and His messenger so that you may receive mercy. Urge each other on to earn forgiveness from your Lord, and the Paradise as wide as heaven and earth is prepared for the righteous. Those who give freely, whether they are prosperous or poor; who control their anger; who are forgiving (for Allah loves those who do good); who, when they have sinned or wronged themselves, go to Allah and implore His forgiveness for their sins (for who except Allah can forgive you of your sins?) and do not knowingly continue in their sinning; these will be rewarded with their Lord’s forgiveness and with the Garden watered by flowing rivers where they will live forever. The reward is great for those who serve Him!

33:63 When the people ask you about the Hour of Doom, say: Knowledge of it is Allah’s alone. And who can tell whether the Hour is not nearly upon us? Truly, Allah has cursed the unbelievers and has prepared the Fire for them, where they will live forever with no friend or helper to be found! On the day their faces are rolling in the Fire they will cry out, “If only we had obeyed Allah and His Messenger!” And they will say, “Our Lord! Truly we obeyed our chiefs and great men, but they led us astray from Your path. Our Lord! Give them a double punishment, and curse them with a heavy curse.”

33:69 Believers! Do not be like those who disrespected Moses. Allah cleared him of the insults they spoke of him [There were complaints about Mohammed’s distribution of the spoils of war], and he was highly exalted in Allah’s sight. Believers! Fear Allah and speak only the truth so that He may guide your works and forgive your sins. And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger will be greatly blessed.

47:32 The unbelievers who turn others away from Allah’s path and do not obey the messenger after they have clearly received his guidance will in no manner bring injury to Allah. He will bring all their actions to nothing.

4:41 How will it be for them when We produce a witness from every nation and bring you [Mohammed] forth to testify against them? On that day, the unbelievers and those who disobeyed the Messenger will wish they could sink into the earth for they cannot hide a single thing from Allah.

9:71 The faithful of both sexes are mutual friends. They command what is just and forbid what is evil. They observe regular prayer, contribute regularly to charity, and they obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah will show His mercy to these. Allah is mighty and wise. Allah promised the faithful, both men and women, Gardens beneath which the rivers flow in which they shall abide, and blessed mansions in the Gardens. The best, though, will be Allah’s good pleasure in them. This is the supreme triumph.

64:11 Nothing misfortunate occurs unless Allah wills it. Whoever believes in Allah, He will guide his heart. Allah knows all things. So obey Allah and His messenger. But if you turn your backs to them, Our messenger is not to blame, for his duty is only to deliver Our warning clearly. Allah! There is no god but Him! Let the faithful put their trust in Allah.

24:47 There are those who say, “We believe in Allah and His Messenger and we obey.” But just as soon as this is said, they turn their backs. These are not the believers. And when they are summoned before Allah and His Messenger so that He may judge them, some of them refuse to come. But if truth had been on their side, they would have come to Him obediently. Are their hearts diseased or do they have doubt? Are they afraid that Allah and His Messenger will judge them unjustly? No, they are the unjust.

24:51 But when Allah and His Messenger call the true believers to judge between them, their response is, “We have heard, and we obey.” These are the ones who will be successful. Those who obey Allah and His Messenger and who dread and fear Allah will be the winners. And they have sworn by Allah, a most solemn oath, that if they are given the order, they would certainly march forth. Say to them, “Do not swear. It is worth more to show your obedience. Truly, Allah is well aware of all you do.”

24:54 Say: Obey Allah and the Messenger. But if you turn away, He is still responsible for fulfilling His duty as you are bound to fulfilling yours. If you are obedient, then you will guided on the right path. The sole duty of the Messenger is to warn you clearly.

24:55 Allah has promised those who believe and do good works that they will be leaders in the land as He did with those who came before them, and He will establish their religion which He has chosen for them and will exchange their feelings of fear for security. They will worship Him and no others besides Him. Those who do not believe in Him after this are truly wicked. Observe your prayers, pay the poor tax, and obey the Messenger so that you may receive mercy. Never think that the unbelievers can thwart Allah’s plan on earth. Their destination will be the Fire, a wretched home.

8:1 When they ask you about the spoils of war say: The spoils belong to Allah and His messenger. [This sura was written after the Battle of Badr.] Therefore, fear Allah and settle your arguments. Obey Allah and His messenger if you are truly believers.

8:20 Believers! Be obedient to Allah and His messenger, and do not turn your backs now that you know the truth. Do not be like the ones who say, “We hear,” but do not obey.

8:45 Believers! When you confront their army stand fast and pray to Allah without ceasing so that you will be victorious. Obey Allah and His messenger, and do not argue with one another for fear that you will lose courage and strength. Be patient for Allah is with the patient. Do not be like the Meccans who left home bragging and full of vainglory. They prevent others from following Allah’s path, but Allah knows all that they do.

47:33 Believers! Obey Allah and the messenger, and do not let your effort be in vain. Those who do not believe and who prevent others from following Allah’s path and then die as unbelievers will not receive Allah’s forgiveness. Therefore, do not be weak and offer the unbelievers peace when you have the upper hand, for Allah is with you and will not begrudge you the reward of your deeds.

59:3 And if Allah had not decreed their exile, surely He would have punished them in this world. And in the world to come they will receive the punishment of the Fire because they had disobeyed Allah and His Messenger. Whoever disobeys Allah, knows that Allah is truly severe in His punishment.

24:62 Only those who believe in Allah and His Messenger are the true believers, and when they are gathered together, do not leave until they have sought his permission. Those who ask your permission are the ones who truly believe in Allah and His Messenger. And when they ask your permission to leave for personal reasons, give permission to whom you please, and ask Allah for His indulgence on their behalf, for Allah is indulgent, merciful.

24:63 Do not address the Messenger in the same way you address one another. Allah knows which of you leave quietly from the assemblies, hiding behind others. And let those who disobey his commands beware, for fear that some terrible punishment will come upon them.

4:64 We have sent messengers only so that people will obey them by Allah’s permission. If the people hurt themselves by their own error, and they came to you to ask Allah’s forgiveness, and you asked Allah’s forgiveness on their behalf, they would certainly have found Allah forgiving and merciful. But no, I swear by your Lord, they will not believe until they make you judge in all their disputes. Then they will have no doubt in the fairness of your judgment and will entirely submit to you.

4:69 Those who obey Allah and His Messenger will live with the messengers and the faithful and the martyrs and the righteous. What wonderful company! This is the bounty of Allah, and Allah’s infinite knowledge is sufficient. Believers! Be cautious, and either march forward in groups or advance all together. There are some among you who are sure to hang back, and if a disaster came upon you, would say, “Allah has dealt with us graciously because we were not in the battle.” If, however, you were met with victory, they, as if there were no friendship between you, would say, “If only I had been with them! Surely I would have been greatly successful!”

4:79 Whatever good comes to you is from Allah, but whatever evil happens to you is from yourself. We have sent you to mankind as a Messenger, and Allah is sufficient as your witness. Those who obey the Messenger obey Allah. As for those who turn away from you, We have not sent you to watch over them.

49:14 The Arabs of the desert say, “We believe.” [A tribe of desert Arabs came to Medina during a famine. They converted to Islam and received charity.] Say: You do not believe, but you only say, ‘We profess Islam,’ for the faith has not yet found its way into your hearts. If you obey Allah and His Messenger, He will not withhold any of the rewards of your actions. Allah is indulgent and merciful. The true believers are only those who believe in Allah and His Messenger without doubts and who strive with their lives and their wealth on Allah’s cause [jihad]. These are the sincere.

33:30 Wives of the Messenger! If any of you are proven guilty of public indecency, then you will be doubly punished; that is easy for Allah. But those of you who obey Allah and His Messenger and do good works will be doubly rewarded. We have prepared honorable provisions for you.

33:32 Wives of the Messenger! You are not like any other women. If you fear Allah, then do not be too lax in your speech for fear that lecherous-hearted men will lust after you. Stay in your homes and do not go out in public dressed in your fine clothes as they did in the time of ignorance [all non-Islamic history, civilization and customs are of the time of ignorance], but pray regularly, pay the poor tax and obey Allah and His Messenger. It is Allah’s desire to remove all that is unclean from you, People of His House, and to make you pure. And remember what is said to you in your homes of Allah’s revelations and wisdom, for surely Allah knows all mysteries and is aware of all.

33:36 And it is not the place of a believer, either man or woman, to have a choice in his or her affairs when Allah and His Messenger have decided on a matter. Those who disobey Allah and His Messenger are clearly on the wrong path. And remember when you said to your adopted son [Zaid], the one who had received Allah’s favor [converted to Islam], “Keep your wife to yourself and fear Allah,” and you hid in your heart what Allah was to reveal, and you feared men [what people would say if he married his daughter-in-law], when it would have been right that you should fear Allah. And when Zaid divorced his wife, We gave her to you as your wife, so it would not be a sin for believers to marry the wives of their adopted sons, after they have divorced them. And Allah’s will must be carried out.

48:17 It will be no crime on the part of the blind, the lame, or the sick if they do not go to the fight [participate in jihad], but whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger, He will bring him into the Gardens beneath which the rivers flow, but whoever turns back, He will punish him with a sore punishment.

60:12 Oh, Messenger, when believing women come to you and pledge an oath of allegiance to you and ascribe no other gods as partners to Allah and that they will not steal, they will not commit adultery, they will not kill their children, they will not slander or lie, and that they will not disobey you in any just matter, then receive their allegiance and ask pardon for them from Allah. Allah is indulgent and merciful.

58:12 Believers, when you speak privately with the Messenger, give to charity before you meet. This will be better for you and will purify you. But if you do not have the means to do so, Allah is forgiving and merciful. Do you hesitate to give to charity before you meet with him? If you do not do it (and Allah will forgive you), then at least observe your prayers and pay the poor tax, and obey Allah and His Messenger, for Allah is aware of all that you do.

9:95 They will swear to you by Allah when you come back to them that you may leave them alone. So leave them alone for they are unclean. Their dwelling will be Hell in payment for their deeds. They will swear to you [Mohammed] that you will be pleased with them. But if you are pleased with them, Allah will not be pleased with those who disobey.

4:13 These are the limits set up by Allah. Those who obey Allah and His Messenger will be led into the Gardens watered by flowing rivers to live forever.

4:14 This is the ultimate reward! But those who disobey Allah and His Messenger and go beyond His limits, will be led into the Fire to live forever, and it will be a humiliating torment!

5:90 Oh, believers, surely wine and games of chance, and idols, and the divining arrows [an Arabian method of foretelling the future] are an abomination of Satan. Avoid them so that you may prosper. Only Satan would sow hatred and strife among you using wine and games of chance and turning you away from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer. Will you not, then, abstain from them? Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger, and be on your guard. If you do turn back, know that our Messenger is only bound to deliver a plain announcement.

Warnings Not to Oppose Allah's Messenger:

9:63 Do they not know that whoever opposes Allah and His Messenger will abide in the Fire of Hell, where they will remain forever? This is the great shame.

4:115 Anyone who opposes the Messenger after having received Our guidance and follows a path other than that of the true believer will be left to their own devices. We will lead them into Hell, an evil home.

58:18 On the day Allah will raise them all to life, they will swear to Him as they swear to you now, thinking that their words will help them. Are they not the liars? Satan has possessed them and caused them to forget their praise of Allah. They are of Satan’s company. Truly, will it not be Satan’s company who will be the losers? Those who oppose Allah and His Messenger will be laid low. Allah has declared, “Surely I will be victorious, along with My messengers.” Truly Allah is strong and mighty.

58:22 You will find no one who is a believer in Allah and the Last Day loving those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even if it is their fathers, sons, brothers, or closest relations. Allah has engraved the faith on their hearts and with His own spirit He has strengthened them. He will lead them into the Gardens beneath which rivers flow, to live forever. Allah is very pleased with them, as they are with Him. This is Allah’s company. And truly, will it not be Allah’s company who will be victorious?

58:5 Those who oppose Allah and His Messenger will be laid low, just as those who came before them. And now that We have sent down clear signs, the unbelievers will receive a humiliating punishment. On the day Allah raises all of them to life, He will tell them of what they did. Allah has recorded it even though they do not remember it, and Allah witnesses all things.

8:12 Then your Lord spoke to His angels and said, “I will be with you. Give strength to the believers. I will send terror into the unbelievers’ hearts, cut off their heads and even the tips of their fingers!” This was because they opposed Allah and His messenger. Ones who oppose Allah and His messenger will be severely punished by Allah. We said, “This is for you! Taste it and know that the unbelievers will receive the torment of the Fire.”

Warnings to Those Who Reject Allah's Messenger:

9:79 They who slander such of the faithful as give charity freely, and those who find nothing to give but the fruits of their labor, and scoff at them, Allah will scoff at them, and there is a grievous torment in store for them. Whether you ask forgiveness for them, Mohammed, or do not ask for it, it will be the same. If you ask forgiveness for them seventy times, Allah will by no means forgive them. This is because they have rejected Allah and His Messenger. Allah does not guide ungodly people.

3:59 This is the truth from your Lord, so do not doubt it. If anyone one argues with you about him after they have received the knowledge say, “Come, let us call together our sons and your sons, our wives and your wives, and ourselves and yourselves. Then we will humbly pray and ask for Allah’s curse to come down upon all the liars.” [A method of resolving religious disputes was for each party to call down the curses of their god upon the other party.] This is an entirely true account. There is no god except Allah, and truly Allah is mighty and wise. But if they reject you, surely Allah knows those who cause corruption.

22:42 And if they reject you, remember that so did the people of Noah, and of Ad and Thamud [ancient Arabic cities], and the people of Abraham and Lot, and those who lived in Midian [a city on the Red Sea] have also denied their messengers. Moses, too, was rejected. I endured the unbelievers for a long while; then I seized them, and how terrible was My rejection of them.

9:53 Say: Pay your offerings willingly or unwillingly. It cannot be accepted from you because you are a wicked people. The only reasons their contributions are not accepted are because they reject Allah and His Messenger. They do not keep prayer but with sluggishness, and they do not make offerings willingly.

9:90 Some Arabs of the desert came with excuses to avoid fighting. They who had rejected Allah and His Messenger sat at home. A painful doom will fall on those who do not believe. It will be no crime in the weak, in the sick, or in those who find no resources to contribute to Allah’s cause [jihad] to stay at home provided they are sincere with Allah and His Messenger. There is no cause of blame against those who act virtuously. Allah is gracious and merciful. Nor is their blame against those who, when they came to you asking to be provided with mounts, were told, “I do not find mounts for you.” They turned their backs, their eyes shedding tears of grief, because they found no means to contribute.

Warnings to Those Who Resist or Deny Allah's Messenger:

4:150 Those who deny Allah and His Messenger and those who seek to separate Allah from His messengers saying, “We believe in some, but reject others,” therefore seeking a middle ground, these are truly unbelievers. And for the unbelievers We have prepared a disgraceful punishment. But those who believe in Allah and His messengers and make no distinction between them, they will be rewarded by Him. Allah is forgiving and merciful!

4:136 Believers! Believe in Allah and His Messenger and in the Scriptures which were sent down to His Messenger and in the Scriptures He sent down before him. Those who deny Allah, His angels, His Scriptures, His messengers, and the Last Day have gone far astray. Those who are believers, then deny the faith, then believe again and deny again and go on in increasing disbelief, Allah will not forgive them or guide them on the right path.

47:1 Those who deny Allah and prevent others from following Allah’s path, He will make their plans fail. Those who believe and do good works, however, and believe in what Mohammed has revealed, as it is the truth sent down from their Lord, He will cleanse them of their sins and improve their circumstances.

Warnings to Believe in Allah's Messenger:

4:171 People of the Book [Christians]! Do not overstep the boundaries of your religion and speak only what is true about Allah. The Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, is only Allah’s messenger and his Word which he sent into Mary was a spirit from Him. Therefore, believe in Allah and His messengers and do not say, “Trinity.” Hold back and it will be better for you. Allah is only one god. Far be it from Allah to have a son! All in the heavens and earth are His. Allah is the sufficient as a protector. The Messiah does not condescend to be Allah’s servant, nor do His favored angels. Those who disdain service to Him, and are filled with arrogance, Allah will gather them all together before Him.

4:53 Should those who would fail to give even a penny to their fellow man have a share in the kingdom? Do they envy the people for what they have received from Allah’s bounty? We gave the Scriptures and wisdom to the children of Abraham, and a grand kingdom. Some of them believe in His Messenger while others turn away from him. The flames of Hell are sufficient punishment for them! Those who reject Our revelations We will cast into the Fire. As soon as their skins are burnt away, We will give them new skins so that they will truly experience the torment. Truly Allah is mighty and wise!

64:7 The unbelievers think that they will not be raised to life on the Day of Judgment. Say: Yes, you will be raised by my Lord, and you will be informed of everything you have ever done! That is easy for Allah. Therefore, believe in Allah and His messenger and in the light which we have sent down to you. Allah knows all your actions.

2:285 The messenger believes in what has been shown to him by his Lord, and the believers do too. They all believe in Allah, His angels, His Scriptures, and His messengers. We treat His messengers equally, and they say, “We hear and obey our Lord. We ask for Your forgiveness Lord. We will return to You.”

57:19 Those who believe in Allah and His messenger are truthful ones who will testify [against the unbelievers] before the presence of their Lord. They will receive their reward and their light, but those who deny Allah will be the prisoners of Hell.

57:21 Therefore, urge one another on in seeking forgiveness from your Lord and in earning admittance into a Paradise as vast as the heavens and earth prepared for those who believe in Allah and His messengers. That is the grace of Allah, and He gives it to whom He pleases. Allah’s grace is boundless.

57:7 Believe in Allah and His messenger, and give charitably of the inheritance which He has given you for those of you who believe and give generously will be greatly rewarded. What reason do you have that you should not believe in Allah when His messenger has called you to believe in your Lord, and He has already made a covenant with you if you are true believers? It is He who sends clear signs down to His messenger so he may lead you out of the darkness and into the light, for Allah is kind and merciful to you.

61:10 Believers! Should I show you a profitable exchange that will keep you from severe torment? Believe in Allah and His messenger and fight valiantly for Allah’s cause [jihad] with both your wealth and your lives. It would be better for you, if you only knew it!

3:178 It is not Allah’s will that the believers should remain in their present condition but only until He divides the bad from the good [reveals the hypocrites]. Neither is it Allah’s will to reveal the secrets of the unknown, but Allah chooses those of His messengers whom pleases to know them. Therefore, believe in Allah and His messengers, and if you have faith and fear Allah, then you will receive a great reward.

5:12 Allah did, of old, make a covenant with the children of Israel, and We appointed twelve leaders among them, and Allah said, “I will be with you if you observe regular prayer, practice regular charity, believe in My messengers and help them, and offer Allah goodly gifts. I will surely wipe away your sins, and I will bring you into Gardens beneath which the rivers flow. Whoever of you does not believe this has gone astray from the even path.”

48:11 The desert Arabs [Bedouins] who did not accompany you into war will say, “Our flocks and our families kept us busy, so we ask you to pardon us.” They speak with their tongues what is not in their hearts. Say: Who can have any power over Allah in your behalf, whether he intends that you have some loss or he intends that you have an advantage? Yes, Allah is acquainted with your doings. You [the desert Arabs] thought that the Messenger and the faithful could never come back to their families, and this seemed pleasing to your hearts, and you thought an evil thought, for you are a people lost in wickedness. We have prepared a blazing Fire for these unbelievers who do not believe in Allah and His Messenger. Allah’s is the kingdom of the heavens and of the earth. He will forgive whom He will, and He will punish whom He will. Allah is gracious and merciful.

9:85 Do not let their riches or their children astonish you. Through these Allah is inclined to punish them in this world and to let their souls depart while they are still unbelievers. When a sura [chapter] was sent down saying, “Believe in Allah and strive and go to war with His Messenger,” those of them who are possessed of riches demanded exemption saying, “Leave us behind that we may be with those who sit at home.” They are well contented to be with those who stay behind for their hearts are sealed. They do not understand.
9:84 Never pray over nor stand over the grave of anyone of them who dies because they did not believe in Allah and His Messenger and died in their wickedness.

9:61 There are some of them who injure the Messenger and say, “He is only a hearer.” Say: He is a hearer of good for you. He believes in Allah and believes in the faithful. He is a mercy to those of you who believe, but those who injure the Messenger of Allah will suffer a painful doom. They swear to you by Allah to please you, but Allah and His Messenger are worthier, so they should please Him if they are believers.

5:78 Those among the Children of Israel who disbelieved were cursed by the tongue of David and of Jesus, Son of Mary, because they were rebellious and persisted in excesses. They did not restrain one another from the iniquity they committed. Their actions were detestable. You will see many of them make friends with the unbelievers. They have sent their evil works on before them. Allah is angry with them, and they will abide in torment forever. If they had believed in Allah, the Messenger, and the Koran that was revealed to him, they would not choose them for their friends, but most of them are rebellious wrongdoers.

2:177 Righteousness is not determined by whether you face the east or the west. The one who is righteous believes in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Scripture, and the messengers; he gives his wealth for love of Allah to his family, to orphans, to the needy, to the wayfaring traveler, to the beggar, and for the ransom of slaves. The righteous one observes his prayers and pays the poor tax. The righteous one keeps his promises and stands firm in the face of suffering and hardship and war. These are the true believers, the Allah-fearing.

57:28 Believers! Fear Allah and trust in His messenger. He will give you a double portion of His mercy and will give you a light in which to walk. He will forgive you, for Allah is forgiving and merciful

65:8 How many cities have turned away from the command of their Lord and His messengers! Therefore, We judged them severely and punished them with a harsh punishment. They tasted the evil consequences of their own behavior, and the consequences of their behavior were ruinous.

33:57 Truly, those who speak evil of Allah and His Messenger will have Allah’s curse upon them in this world and the world to come. He has prepared a torturous punishment for them. And those who speak evil of believing men and women, when they have done nothing to deserve it, will carry the guilt and a clear sin.

8:27 Believers! Do not betray the trust of Allah and His messenger or knowingly betray His secrets. And know that your children and your wealth are merely temptations and that Allah’s reward is immense. Believers! If you fear Allah, He will give you wisdom to discern right from wrong, He will cleanse you of evil and forgive your sins. Allah is the Lord of boundless grace.

57:25 We have sent Our messengers with clear signs, and We have caused the Scriptures and the balance of justice to come down through them. We have sent down iron with its strength for war as well as its many other uses for mankind so that Allah would know those who would help Him and His messengers, although unseen. Allah is powerful and mighty.

4:60 Have you not noticed those who act like they believe in that which has been revealed to you and that which was revealed before you? They wish to seek the judgment of Satan, although they have been commanded to deny him, and Satan wishes to lead them astray into grievous sin. And when it is said to them, “Come and be judged by what Allah has revealed and by His Messenger,” you see them turn their heads in disgust. But how would they act if some disaster came upon them because of what they have done with their own hands? They would come to you, swearing by Allah, “We wish nothing but goodwill and reconciliation.” But Allah knows the secrets of their hearts. Therefore, turn away from them and warn them, speaking words that will pierce their souls.

Warnings to Avoid Opposing, Rejecting, or Denying Allah's Messenger:

33:21 You have an excellent example in Allah’s Messenger for those of you who put your hope in Allah and the Last Day and who praise Allah continually. And when the believers saw the confederates they said, “This is what Allah and His Messenger promised us, and Allah and His Messenger spoke the truth,” and this served to increase their faith and devotion.

They Oppressed the Wrong Woman

Waris Dirie was born in the desert of Somalia. Her family were Muslim nomads. When she was 13 years old, her father announced to her he'd found her a husband and she would soon be wed. Her "groom to be" was an old man. She protested and begged, but the old man had already paid her father, so the deal was done.

The next morning, before her father awoke, she ran away. She took off into the desert knowing only that somewhere was a city named Mogadishu and somewhere in that city she had an aunt. Amazingly, after a very difficult journey, she found her aunt and stayed with her a short time. Then one of her uncles became the Somalian ambassador to the UK and would be stationed in London. Waris begged her uncle to take her with him to be a maid. He consented.

She eventually became a fashion model whose face adorned the covers of many glamour magazines.

At one point in her career, Waris had been interviewed many times. The interviews were always about how a barefoot Somalian nomad became a famous model. But one day as another of these interviews was beginning, Waris took a bold step. She said the rags to riches story had already been told. "Would you like a real story?" she asked.

She told the interviewer about the day she experienced female genital mutilation (FGM), an ancient practice of removing a woman's clitoris, labia minora, and labia majora. Waris was then sewn up with a small hole for urination, which is usually how it's done. This procedure guarantees that she will be a virgin when she gets married, and it ensures she will not feel pleasure during sex (and thus helps prevent infidelity). A girl is not considered marriageable if she is "uncut" — she is considered no better than a whore, so parents make sure she undergoes FGM.

The interviewer was moved and shaken by Waris's story. And the magazine had the guts to print it. This was the beginning of an increasing global awareness of FGM and a movement to do away with it, in the same way that binding girl's feet was banned in China in the early 1900s. Already several countries have committed themselves to eradicating the practice.

Banning FGM would not only save millions of girls from the horror, pain, and death caused by this barbaric practice (it is done to 8,000 girls a day worldwide, with one out of four girls dying from the procedure), it would also help to marginalize, discredit, and disempower orthodox Islam.

The practice is over 4000 years old, and it was taken for granted during Muhammad's lifetime that all women underwent FGM, so he mentioned it a few times as a forgone conclusion, and his mention was written down, so it has now been enshrined in Islamic doctrine as an Islamic practice. Fundamentalists want it to continue because whatever Muhammad said is right for all time.

Banning the procedure would stop this orthodox practice, which would help disempower the fundamentalism itself. Everywhere we can prevent an orthodox practice, like covering women or beating them for disobedience or FGM, we weaken the forces of orthodoxy. If some Islamic fundamentals can be abandoned or seen as wrong, other fundamentals might be more easily abandoned as well.

I encourage you to help your friends and family become aware of FGM. You don't even have to mention the word "Islam." Read Waris's story in her excellent book, Desert Flower (written with Cathleen Miller). And then share the book with people you know. Talk it up. And watch National Geographic's movie by the same name and share that too. This is a way to help innocent girls, a way to pit humanistic empathy against Islamic domination, and a way to get people involved in marginalizing orthodox Islam — people who might never otherwise get involved. The Islamic oppression of women can and should be stopped. Let's start by saving the weakest and most innocent victims: Girls.

You Are the Cure

On our Facebook page, someone wrote (I'm paraphrasing), "I'm not able to say how disgusted and angry orthodox Muslims make me feel. No words can convey it. I'm just hoping mankind can find a cure for this deadly social cancer."

That last sentence is a very common comment by people who have discovered the intolerance and hostility and calls to violence embedded in core Islamic doctrines. My answer to the commenter is a message I want to give to everyone:

YOU are the cure. When someone is running a scam on people, what's "the cure?" Can you track them all down and stop them? Not a chance. Can you eradicate scams once and for all? No, you can't. Can you "ban" scams? It wouldn't do any good. But you don't need to even try any of these things. You only need to blow the lid off the game.

Here's how we deal with scams: We share information when we find out about a scam, and then other people are wise to the scam and don't fall for it. That's all we need.

Orthodox Muslims are making inroads in the free world only because too many of us don't know the scam. Too many of us don't understand the true nature of Islamic doctrine. That's where YOU come in. We can't rely on the media. We sure as hell can't rely on politicians. That leaves personal relationships.

Reach people. If you are having trouble doing that, here is a handbook on the subject: Getting Through.

What's the Difference Between a Habit and a Headscarf?

Why are some people vehemently against a Muslim headscarf but have no objection to a nun's habit? What's the difference?

The main difference is the ideology represented by the clothing. Islam's ideology is 51 percent political and only 49 percent religious. That is, 51 percent of the Koran is about what Muslims should do with non-Muslims.

A Muslim is obligated to strive to establish the law of Allah in all nations, imposing it against the will of non-Muslims if necessary. Islamic law is very detailed and specific, and includes the death penalty for apostates and gays, women are legally only worth a half a man, etc. The Muslim headscarf is one of the few visible signs of a commitment to the fundamental principles of Islam. That's why people are bothered by it.

But aren't Christians obliged to "establish the rule of Christ in all nations?" Isn't a nun's habit a visible sign of commitment to the fundamental principles of Christianity?

That's seems like a legitimate counter-argument, but are there "Christian countries?" That is, a country where the "laws of Christianity" are imposed on everyone in that country?

So far, there are 58 Muslim countries, and orthodox Muslims are dedicated to expanding that. These countries have joined together to form the largest global organization outside the UN, and they form the largest voting bloc in the UN. They have been pushing to legally impose Islamic blasphemy laws on the entire world, which means legally nobody would be able to have this conversation, even in "free nations." It would be illegal to criticize Islamic doctrine. It is already illegal in many countries.

Islam is having a huge and growing influence on world affairs. Everyone should learn more about this ideology. It isn't like other religions. The closest religion to it is Scientology, and it's not even close.

The assumptions people make about Islam are mostly wrong. But those assumptions are guiding our legal policies, and that is dangerous.

But wait a minute. Doesn't all this only apply to the most extreme and fundamentalist followers of Islam? Wouldn't the views of extreme and fundamentalist Christians be just as disturbing? It isn't fair to paint all Muslims with this same brush, is it? We could say all Scientologists are bad people, but that isn't the case either.

First of all, we're not talking about Muslims. We're talking about Islam, which is a set of written documents. It is a written ideology. When we say "orthodox Muslim," we mean someone who follows the principles written in Islamic doctrine. Yes, of course, there are many Muslims who do not follow the doctrine, just as there are Christians who don't follow the written doctrine in the Bible.

But what this argument obscures is that the orthodox Muslims are not misguided. They are doing what it says they must do in their written holy book. It says in the Koran 91 times that a Muslim should follow the example of Muhammad in every aspect. And Muhammad (according to biographies of Muhammad written by Muslims for Muslims) raided caravans, led battles, tortured people, ordered assassinations, and personally oversaw the beheading of 800 Jews. He captured and held slaves. He raped women. He started having sex with his favorite wife when she was nine years old. This is not slanderous rumor aimed to discredit Muhammad. This is taught with a straight face in Islamic universities, without any hint of embarrassment. This was the messenger of Allah and he could do no wrong.

A fundamentalist is one who follows the teachings closely. So the actual teachings make a big difference. And all we're saying is that the teachings of Islam are dangerous to non-Muslims. In Islamic doctrine, Muslims are the best of people and non-Muslims are the worst of creatures. This is not a conspiracy theory. This stuff is very easy to find out. You don't have to trust anyone's opinion. Just read the Koran. The Muslims who are true believers (orthodox) are counting on people not wanting to know.

In a conversation about this the other day, someone brought up a good example: the Amish. They have special dress and customs but they don't seek to impose it on anyone else. That's the difference. And it's a big difference.

Look up the Holy Land Foundation trial. The FBI raided the house of a member of the Muslim Brotherhood in America and found a document laying out their plan for our country. So far they have 73 legal organizations in America bent on replacing our laws with Islamic law. One organization has been altering the way Islam is portrayed in school textbooks. One organization puts pressure on Hollywood to make sure Islam is portrayed positively in movies. One organization sues people who try to educate others about what Islam is, or gets them fired from their jobs.

Scientologists aren't bad people, by the way. Most people who read the statements above would think I was slandering Scientologists. But I was talking about Scientology, the ideology. Specifically, I was referring to the "fair game" policy of Scientology. Again, it is a written document, and followed by the true believers. It says that if someone leaves Scientology (becomes an apostate), they are fair game. They can be tricked, lied to, sued, harassed.

But that's not as bad as Islamic doctrine. Islam says the penalty for apostasy is death.

Think about something for a minute. If someone says they're a member of a group that has a written ideology, would you assume they believe in at least some of the tenets of that ideology? Of course. Otherwise, why claim your membership? It's not always the case, of course. Oskar Schindler was a member of the Nazi party, after all.

But if you could choose who would be your next door neighbor or who would date your daughter, would you voluntarily choose someone who claims membership in a dangerous ideology? They might not be "true believers." But on the other hand, many Muslims who were perfectly nice people and not true believers were reached by the more orthodox who educated them on their obligations as a Muslim. They said, "You say you're a Muslim, but have you read the Koran? Do you know what you should be doing?" And they are "radicalized" which is a politically correct way of saying they began following the written doctrine and the example of the founder of Islam.

By the way, I'm not a Christian. I'm not any religion. And I'm not out to slander any particular religion. All I did was read Islamic doctrine and biographies of Muhammad. I wasn't trying to find out that Islam is evil. I just wanted to know what was really true because we've got some people saying it's a religion of peace and some people saying it's a religion of violence. I wanted to know for myself rather than listen to the opinions of others.

I went on a decade-long program of reading, including lots of pro-Islam books and the Koran, which I read twice from beginning to end. It's a fascinating subject to study. Especially the life story of Muhammad. It is completely mind blowing that someone like that founded a religion. And that the religion (the doctrine, not the people) reflects his personality. I would never have believed it, and over time, it has become obvious to me that many people don't believe it and don't want to believe it. But if they want to be well-rounded, if they want to be an educated member of the modern world, it seems to me that one of the things they should really know about is Islam as it is, and not how they wish it was or how others want them to think about it. They should find out for themselves.

Back to the headscarf. The reason people don't like it is that the headscarf says, "I believe in the tenets of Islam" and any non-Muslim who knows what those tenets are will not like them. Also, researchers have discovered that when the women in an area with a high Muslim population begin wearing headscarves, it is a signal that the Muslims in the area are becoming more devout (more "extreme," more fundamentalist). It is a visible sign of increasing devotion to the fundamental principles of Islamic doctrine, which includes an intolerance for non-Muslims and non-Islamic laws, and usually foreshadows violence to non-Muslims and those Muslims who are "insufficiently Islamic." That's why people make such a big deal about Islamic head and face coverings. That's why France and other countries have banned them and many are considering it.

I personally think it's foolish. If you have a visible sign of growing fundamentalism, why would you ban it? To blind yourself? On the other hand, maybe it would help weaken the fundamentalism. And it would certainly help women be free of the obligation to do it in those countries.

What about the nun's habit? The answer is that being a nun is voluntary. But if a woman is born a Muslim, she is considered a Muslim and the penalty for her leaving Islam is death.

Catholic men are not likely to beat nuns if they don't wear their habits, but orthodox Muslims have been known to beat Muslim and non-Muslim women who don't cover up, and I have yet to read a report of a Catholic man throwing acid into the face of a woman because she was not wearing her habit. Orthodox Muslim men have been doing that to Muslim women in many places in the world.

People who are relatively ignorant of Islam are puzzled by the push toward banning headscarves, and would like to write it off as just ignorant bigotry. But if they looked a little deeper, they might find sensible reasons for it.

Seeing More Headscarves

When I was a kid, I never saw Islamic-style headscarves worn by anyone in my town. I first saw one a few years ago. Now I see them all the time. And it bothers me. Does that make me a racist?

People all over the free world are seeing the same thing, and are feeling disturbed by it. Concerned. Frightened even. Does that mean we are xenophobic bigots? The answer is no. I'm sure there are racist xenophobes among us, but for those of us aware of Islamic ideology and Islamic history, the reason we are uncomfortable with a growing number of Muslims in our midst is simple and reasonable: It has traditionally spelled doom for the existing culture. Islam annihilates cultures.

Islamic headscarves are indicative of ideology. If a Muslim woman believes in Islamic ideology, she will wear a headscarf. A headscarf is one of the few publicly visible signs of Islamic devotion. And if she believes in Islamic ideology, she will probably have lots of children and indoctrinate her children with the ideology too (Islamic texts encourage fecundity and indoctrination). And Islamic ideology is dangerous to non-Muslims. The higher the percentage of Muslims in a given population, the more dangerous they are (because of Islam's rule of numbers).

But I'm not a bigot or a xenophobe, and here's how I can tell: When I see a Hindu woman in a headscarf, it doesn't bother me a bit. Hindu ideology is not dangerous to non-Hindus. When I see a Buddhist monk, I don't feel concerned. If I saw a growing number of Buddhist monks in my town, it wouldn't bother me at all.

And I'm not a racist. If I saw more and more Japanese people in my town, it wouldn't disturb me at all.

It's the ideology. Anyone who understands what it says in Islamic texts should be concerned at the growing number of Muslims in our midst.