Re: Fighting terrorism using Islamic Law

Post #13,568 by JayMehaffey 10/16/01 10:53:25 AM Reply	Re: Fighting terrorism using Islamic Law Off the top of my head I can see problems with your second premise, fifth and sixth premise. And I'm left to wonder why you included the fourth at all. The problem with the second premise you give below is that Muslims believe that Muhammad was sent to correct the misinterpretations of the previous prophets and the mistakes of their followers. This is important because the OT as quoted in the Koran doesn't match the one of Christian Bibles or Jewish Torah. Thus where Muhammad and the previous prophets appear to conflict, they must give way to Muhammad's practice and belief. The fifth premise you give below has a serious flaw. The Koran isn't nearly as clear cut in this regards as you would like to think. The following quote for instance explains when you can kill for revenge. O you who believe! retaliation is prescribed for you in the matter of the slain, the free for the free, and the slave for the slave, and the female for the female, but if any remission is made to any one by his (aggrieved) brother, then prosecution (for the bloodwit) should be made according to usage, and payment should be made to him in a good manner; this is an alleviation from your Lord and a mercy; so whoever exceeds the limit after this he shall have a painful chastisement. and I'm sure Bin Laden places great weight in this section. The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His apostle 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, The sixth premise you list has at least one problem. Every civilization, every group of people, and even most individuals have pride in their intelligence and wisdom. That doesn't actually mean that they have any. Jay
Post #13,720 by brettj 10/17/01 4:42:17 AM Reply	It's all about perspective? I think that's what you are getting at. I tried to figure out a way to justify suicide and murder from the Islamic perspective but what I think you are telling me was that I was still relying on the Bible for background logic. You, on the other hand, see a vastly different justification based upon Islamic pride in their prophet, ignoring the prior prophets that Islam is supposed to respect and admire. You think Islamic believers think Muhammad was the wisest of the prophets, even though he couldn't preform miracles and had numerous human shortcomings. I suspect you are right, even if it sounds mildly dis-logical. When pride, prejudice and power come into play, people can justify almost anything, even committing mass murder in the name of Allah.
Post #13,792 by JayMehaffey 10/17/01 2:39:12 PM Reply	Partially I actually thought you where trying to refute terrorism, but yes, your logic was littered with Christian thinking. I don't think a Muslim would ever raise the point about Jesus. A Muslim will refer to Muhammad when possible, but if there isn't a saying by him to use I suspect they would be more likely to appeal to Moses then Jesus. I suspect the long history of conflict between Muslims and Christians has something to do with this though. The Koran does have a fair amount of space talking about Jesus, but modern Muslims don't refer to it. Jesus is a non-issue to them, unless they want to play up the compatibility between their religion and others. As for you final point, yes I think most Muslims would consider Muhammad the wisest of the prophets. But from a religious perspective, his most important trait was that he was the last, his word is the final word. And in case, I would still argue that Islam is a more militant religion then Christianity in general. Jay
Post #13,900 by brettj 10/18/01 12:19:38 AM Reply	Re: refuting terrorism and Bible ties Sorry bout that. I was trying to refute terrorism using Islamic laws (but trying to understand murder/revenge from a Islamic extremist justification). Apparently the radical Islam extremists do not give as much credit to prior Bible Prophets as I thought they would.

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