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Understanding Islamic terrorismWake up call!UNDERSTANDING ISLAMIC TERRORISM This is a book which should be essential reading for every political leader at least. It is subtitled, 'The Islamic Doctrine of War'. It is a disturbing read but does help the reader understand what is happening in international politics today. Many of us have been disturbed by the apparent lack of understanding of the Islamic mind shown by world leaders in recent years. They are responsible for the escalation in terrorism through their ignorance of the facts contained in this book. The writer is Director of the Institute for the Study of Islam and Christianity and has written helpfully on the Christian approach to the Muslim previously. In this book he first of all reviews the Islamic writings on this subject. We are often told by our leaders that Islam is a religion of peace. These writings shatter that concept. Individual Muslims may indeed be peace-loving, but their religious writers do not share that concept. In fact (p.84ff), peace is seen as an interval in the jihad process and will not be in place until the whole world is under the power of Islam. Treaties are only acceptable if they aid this process and may be broken as and when Islam is ready to march forward again. The Islamic history is founded and spread by war. Islam is spread not by theology but by oppression (p.118). Contrast the teaching of Christ about the sword! The role of WMDs is outlined on pages 81-82. There is a helpful section on their fund-raising (p.131). Similarly, the Muslim view of the Gulf War and current Iraqi conflict are enunciated (pp.156,167). One wonders where the advisers to the USA and UK were when their discussions were going on. Anyone with a basic knowledge of the Islamic mind could have told them that this would not be acceptable to the Muslim mind. Our strategies often aid the extremists. The book, therefore, moves on in the final chapters to discuss how the current debate should be pursued and gives advice to any who will read it as to how to turn down the temperature in this terrorist conflict. Let he who has eyes to read, read this book! John Peet, © Evangelicals Now - March 2005 |