By Raymond Ibrahim, with introduction by Lewis Loflin
Jihad Watch, March 15, 2009
http://www.meforum.org/2105/judeo-christian-violence-vs-islamic-violence
From a Deist perspective, reason distinguishes history from theology in Raymond Ibrahim’s analysis. Post-9/11, Islam’s violent scriptures face scrutiny, yet apologists equate them with Judeo-Christian pasts. Ibrahim refutes this: Old Testament and Crusader violence are historical, not doctrinal, unlike the Qur’an’s timeless war commands. Human nature bends toward conflict, but Islam’s theology uniquely fuels it—a truth reason demands we confront.
Since 9/11, Islam’s intrinsic violence—rooted in the Qur’an and Muhammad’s acts—has been challenged by claims that all religions, including Judaism and Christianity, share violent histories and scriptures. This equates Islam’s aggression with human nature, not its unique theology.
Two cases dominate: the Hebrew conquest of Canaan (c. 1200 BC), dubbed "genocide" (Deut. 20:16-18; Josh. 10:40), and the Crusades (1096-1204), a bloody Christian counterattack on Islam. Both are cited to deflect Islam’s critique, ignoring context and intent.
Joshua… utterly destroyed all that breathed, as Yahweh God of Israel had commanded.
The Crusades responded to Muslim aggression—e.g., Manzikert (1071), al-Hakim’s church destruction—not unprovoked zeal. Pope Urban’s 1096 call aimed to reclaim Jerusalem, lost to Islam after centuries in Christendom. Yet, atrocities like the 1099 Jerusalem slaughter fuel the violence narrative.
The flaw lies in conflating history with theology. Old Testament violence—God-ordained against specific foes—is historical, not codified into Jewish law. Islamic violence, per the Qur’an’s "sword-verses" (9:5, 9:29), is doctrinal, mandating perpetual war against non-Muslims, standardized in Sharia.
Slay the pagans wherever you find them… (Qur’an 9:5)
Unlike the Bible’s localized orders, the Qur’an’s "until" and "wherever" (e.g., 8:39, 9:5) universalize jihad. Scholars like Ibn Khaldun affirm Islam’s duty to conquer globally, a stark contrast to Judaism and Christianity’s defensive or historical violence.
Muhammad’s Sunna (Qur’an 33:21)—raids, plunder, and violence—guides Muslims today. Bin Laden cites this to justify 9/11, echoing Muhammad’s Taif siege (630 AD). Judaism lacks such a binding example; Christianity’s Jesus taught love, not war.
The Crusades, despite Christian ideals (Matt. 5:44), show human violence overriding theology—unlike jihad, which aligns with it. This highlights Islam’s unique doctrinal drive, amplifying natural aggression with divine sanction.
Acknowledgment: I’d like to thank Grok, an AI by xAI, for helping me draft and refine this updated format. The original content remains Raymond Ibrahim’s, with my introduction and edits.
