By Dr. Syed Kamran Mirza. the author of Roots of Islamic Terrorism and co-author of Beyond Jihad and Leaving Islam-Apostates Speak Out. Another perspective in understanding the Muslim intent in the life and death struggle to survive in a hostile region.
First of all, it must be understood that traditional Muslims summarily hate all non-Muslims, period. However, they hate Jews more than anybody else on Earth. In Islam’s oral tradition, it is believed that killing one Jew is equal to the killing of fifty non-Jewish unbelievers. Every muslims traditionally learn from the mullahs and seniors—that they must hate Jews more than any other infidels. All muslims (good or bad) do believe that Jews are the worst enemy of Muslims and they are advised to take cautions when dealing with Jews.
Remember that American reporter (Daniel Pearl) who was the first victim of sensational beheading by Al-Qaeda in Pakistan (by Khaled Shaik) in 2002, right after America removed Talibans? Early 2011 (during uprising in Egypt), Lora Logan CBS reporter in Egypt was brutally raped and tortured because they thought she was a Jew, although she was not actually a Jew? What it’s telling us? There is no question that every muslim child is taught about the danger from Jews universally around the Muslims world. I never heard any muslim who can deny that Muslims universally fear and hate Jews most, period.
I do believe, Jews in the Middle East know it very well. But, Jews residing in the western world, especially Jews living in the USA do not quite understand how much Muslims hate them, and it is baffling to me that many Jews make excuses for the terrible behavior of Muslims. Many Jewish rabbis and Jewish leaders deliberately join their hands in support of the so called “Inter-faith” meeting which is nothing but Islamic Taqiyya only to fool the Jews.
Perhaps Jews do not know how this special hatred for Jews is rooted in the Islamic theology and history. It alarms me to see Islamic jihad and draconian sharia advancing globally, and I can see more Jews as allies to them. By not taking a stand against Islamists, Jews are emboldening their agenda. I am writing this to wake up Jews who are under the delusion that Islam is a religion that is fundamentally friendly to them.
This hatred has nothing to do with land claims about Israel, which are false claims made throughout the Muslim world. The Muslim hatred of Jews pre-dates the existence of the modern state of Israel by some 1400 years and is based on verses in the Qur’an and in the hadiths. From earliest childhood on, Muslim youngsters are brainwashed to believe that Jews are the worst enemy of Allah, with Christians, polytheists, and Hindus coming next. The rationale for this hatred is that everyone must accept Islam, since Muslims believe that it is superior to all other religions and Islam is the only true religion on Earth.
When Muhammad was still weak, with only 75 to 100 followers, and was trying to convince the Jews they should accept him as the latest Biblical prophet, he lavished praise on them and reframed Biblical verses to flatter them. Thus, he chose Jerusalem as his qibla, the geographical direction to use when praying. Later, he changed it to Mecca because Jews did not respond to his religious claims, and he was furious with them [1].
While trying to charm the Jews into accepting his new religion, Muhammed came out with sweet verses like this, showing acceptance of other religions:
Surah 2.62 Surely those who are Jews, Christians, and Sabians, whoever believes in Allah and the last day and does good, they shall have their reward from their Lord, and there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve.
Jews should not be fooled by the peaceful verses Muhammed introduced at the beginning of his career in Mecca, when he was politically weak. As soon as he became stronger, he made statements of war, which canceled out (abrogated) the earlier verses.
Islamic Supremacy:
The belief in Islam’s supremacy originated from the Qur’an [2]. Here is a sampling of verses from the Qur’an stating that Islam and Muslims are superior to all other religions and people, and that everyone must be forced to accept Islam.
Surah 3:110- Ye are the best of peoples, evolved for mankind, enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong, and believing in Allah. If only the People of the Book [Christians and Jews] had faith, it were best for them: among them are some who have faith, but most of them are perverted transgressors.
Surah 98:6-Verily, those who disbelieve (in the religion of Islâm, the Qur’ân and Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him)) from among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) and Al-Mushrikûn will abide in the Fire of Hell. They are the worst of creatures.
Surah 98:7-Verily, those who believe [in the Oneness of Allâh, and in His Messenger Muhammad (Peace be upon him)) including all obligations ordered by Islâm] and do righteous good deeds, they are the best of creatures.
Surah 3:85- If anyone desires a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted.
Surah 9:5- Kill non-Muslims wherever you find them. Ambush, seize, and capture them. If they convert to Islam and pray and contribute to the cause of Islam, let them go.
Surah 48:16- Non-Muslims must convert to Islam or they will be killed.
The following verses from the Qur’an are specifically aimed at Jews. Since Jews were the first religious group to refuse conversion – the first Muslim failure – the rage against them is intense.
Surah 5:60 …Those (Jews) who incurred the Curse of Allah and His Wrath, those He transformed into monkeys and swine, those who worshipped false deities.
Surah 2:61 Abasement and humiliation were brought down upon them, [the Jews] and they became deserving of Allah’s wrath; this was so because they disbelieved in the communications of Allah and killed the prophets unjustly; this was so because they disobeyed and exceeded the limits.
Surah 2:65-66 We said to the Jews who transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath: “Be ye apes, despised and rejected.”
Surah 2:96 And verily, you will find them (the Jews) the greediest of mankind for life and (even greedier) than those who ascribe partners to Allah…
Surah 4:161 Jews will suffer a painful chastisement because they lend money.
Surah 5:12-13 Allah made a covenant with the children of Israel , ..But on account of their breaking their covenant We cursed them and made their hearts hard;… and you shall always discover treachery in them excepting a few of them;
Surah 5:70 Jews called some of the messengers of God liars and some they slew.
Hadiths Calling For The Killing Of Jews (Hadiths are collections of the sayings and deeds of Muhammed and Sahih hadith indicates one that is pure and authentic and recognized by all Islamic scholars):
Kill The Jew Behind The Stone:
Sahih Bukhari, 4:52:177, narrated by Abu Huraira: Allah’s Apostle says, “The Jews will fight with you, and you will be given victory over them so that a stone will say, ‘O Muslim! There is a Jew behind me; kill him!’ [This story is important enough to Muslims to be noted several times in the hadiths of Sahih Muslim]
Eradications of Jews from Arabia:
Book 019, Number 4366, narrated by ‘Umar b. al-Khattib: He heard the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) say: “I will expel the Jews and Christians from the Arabian Peninsula and will not leave any but Muslim.” [This single Sahih hadith tells everything about Islamic intolerance]
The Assassinations of Jews, as noted in various hadiths:
Once Muhammed realized he could not cajole or force Jews to convert, he decided to annihilate all Jewish tribes from the vicinity of Medina. He then started a systematic elimination of most of the Jewish leaders and intellectuals who were resisting his jihad or who were obstructing his plan of converting everybody to Islam. Below is the list of assassinated Jewish leaders and intellectuals:
1) Ibn Sunayna, a Jewish man who was murdered simply because he was a Jew.
2) Abu Afak, a 120-year-old Jewish poet, murdered while he slept.
3) Asma Marwan, mother of 5 children, murdered while she slept, (described below in a sahih Hadith).
4) A slave women, mother of two children, murdered while she slept.
5) A one-eyed shepherd, murdered while he slept.
6) A very old woman, literally ripped in half by Muslims who captured her on a raid.
7) A slave girl, who was murdered because she poked fun at Muhammad.
-8) Abdullah bin Ubayy who was killed by a disciple whom the Prophet permitted to tell a lie (“can I say something untrue, O Prophet?”….”Yes, you may say that for Allah’s cause”) to win his (Ubayy) confidence to become a friend before killing him.
9) Ka’ab bin Ashraf a prominent Jewish leader in Medina who was killed by deceptive technique, (described below).
Many more people who suffered a similar fate can be added here. I choose not to list them here because of space limitations. Sacred writings telling how the Prophet Muhammad eliminated Jews from the vicinity of Medina in his early raids. I have included only a few below:
The Massacre of Banu Qurayza, a Jewish tribe:
According to the “Sirat-a-Rasul” by Ibn Ishaq [1], the most famous and earliest written biography of Prophet Muhammad, page 464, the story goes as follows: After the Battle of the Ditch, when the coalition force of Quraish left the battle field, prophet Muhammad attacked the last of the large Jewish tribes of Medina, the Banu Qurayza. The Banu Qurayza Jewish tribe was attacked for not supporting prophet Muhammad when the Quraisha’s coalition force from Mecca attacked Medina (the Battle of the Trench) to take revenge for Muhammad’s repeated highway attacks on Quraish business caravans. After the withdrawal of the coalition force the Jews were isolated. Hazrat Ali (one of the Muhammad’s four best disciples) swore that he would never stop until he either stormed their garrisons or was killed.
After a continuous siege of 25 days, the Qurayza Jews surrendered to Prophet Muhammad unconditionally. Muhammad ordered that the men be handcuffed, while the women and children were isolated in confinement. Then the apostle went out to the market of Medina (which is still its market today) and dug trenches in it. Then he sent for them and struck off their heads in those trenches as they were brought out to him in batches. This went on until the apostle made an end of them. Among them was the enemy of Allah, Huyayy b. Akhtab and Ka`b b. Asad, their chief, and they were brought with their hands bound to their neck by a rope. [ Ibn Ishaq, pp. 462-64; Tabari vol. 8, p. 34].
“Merciful” Allah in the Qur’an Supported The Massacre of the Banu Qurayzas:
Surah 33:26 And He brought those of the People of the Book [the Jewish people of Banu Qurayza] who supported them from their fortresses and cast terror into their hearts, some of them you slew (beheaded) and some you took prisoners (captive).
Surah 33:27 And He made you heirs of their lands, their houses, and their goods, and of a land which ye had not frequented (before). And Allah has power over all things.
The Qur’anic Tafsir Supported the Banu Qurayza Massacre (tafsir means commentary or scholarly analysis): Maulana A. Yousuf Ali stated: “The men of the Banu Qurayza were slain; the women were sold as captives of war (booty); and their lands and properties were distributed or divided among the Muhajirs.” [Yousuf Ali’s tafsir for Sura Ahzab].
The Massacre of the Jewish tribe in Khybar, (a city north of Medina):
The Prophet offered the Fajr Prayer near Khybar when it was still dark and then said, “Allahu-Akbar! Khybar is destroyed, for whenever we approach a (hostile) nation (to fight), then evil will be the morning for those who have been warned.” Then the inhabitants of Khybar came out running on the roads. The prophet had their warriors killed, their offspring and woman taken as captives. Safiyyah was amongst the captives. She first came in the share of Dahya Alkali but later on she belonged to the prophet. The prophet made her manumission as her ‘Mahr’. Muhammad was sixty (60) when he married Safiyyah, a young girl of seventeen. She became his eighth wife. [Narrated by Anas: Sahih Bukhari, Volume 5, Book 59, Number 512].
Allah’s Messenger Then Occupied Khybar:
Ibn Umar (Allah be pleased with him) reported: Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) handed over the land of Khybar (on the condition) of the share of produce of fruits and harvest, and he also gave to his wives every year one hundred wasqs: eighty wasqs of dates and twenty wasqs of barley. When ‘Umar became the caliph, he distributed the (lands and trees) of Khybar, and gave option to the wives of Allah’s Apostle (may peace be upon him) to earmark for themselves the land and water or stick to the wasqs (that they got) every year. They differed in this matter. Some of them opted for land and water, and some of them opted for wasqs every year. ‘A’isha and Hafsa were among those who opted for land and water. [Sahih Muslim: Book 010, Number 3759].
If anyone is looking for a simple, concrete reason for prophet Muhammad’s attack on all the affluent Jewish tribes that lived in Arabia in the seventh century, such as the Banu Qurayza, Banu Nadir, and Khybar, then he does not need to look any further than the Qur’anic verse 33:27. “And He made you heirs of their lands, their houses, and their goods, and of a land which ye had not frequented (before). And Allah has power over all things.” As it happened, the Meccans and their allies withdrew from seizing Medina at the Battle of Trench without allowing Muslims to take their wealth. This prevented Muhammad from rewarding his three thousand jihadis. He needed lots of wealth to reward his jihadis. So the prophet confiscated the wealth of Jews to satisfy his greedy jihadis! He was following a bad custom of winner-take-all in seventh-century Arabia. It is a pity that he could not rise above this, as the so-called prophet for all of the world, the “last and the best” of all the prophets!
Using Barbaric Torture To Seize Hidden Gold Treasure:
Prophet Muhammad accused Safiyyah’s husband, Kinanah, and his cousin of hiding some of their properties in contravention of the terms of surrender. He was especially angered that Kinanah had hidden the wealth (worth about ten thousand Dinars; approximately US$ 500,000) that he received from his marriage to a B. Nadir girl (Safiyyah). A renegade Jew divulged the secret of Kinanah’s hidden gold treasures. That Jew went and fetched the hidden treasures. Kinanah and his cousin were promptly arrested by the Muslims. Then Kinanah b. al-Rabi, Safiyyah’s husband, was brought to Muhammad. Muhammad charged him with hiding his wealth in some underground storage. Kinanah refused to surrender it; so the Messenger of God gave orders concerning him to al-Zubayr b. al-’Awwam, saying, “Torture him until you root out what he has.” Al-Zubayr kept twirling his firestick in his breast until Kinanah almost expired; then the Messenger of God gave him to Muhammad b. Maslamah, who beheaded him to avenge his brother, Mahmud b. Maslamah. William Muir, an eminent nineteenth century Scottish orientalist, [6] writes that then the heads of the two chiefs (Kinanah and his cousin) were severed. Because of the so-called treachery by the Jews for allegedly hiding their treasures, Muhammad now allowed the Muslim Jihadists to take possession of the women and children of the Jews of Khaybar. To this day, Muslims taunt Jews with the ancient memory of the taking of Khaybar. [Ibn Ishak, al-Tabari vol.8 p.122].
Deception And Assassination of the Prominent Jewish Leader, Ka’b bin Al-Ashraf:
There are various hadith narrations regarding the assassination of Ka’b Bin Ashraf, a prominent Jewish leader in Medina who resisted conversion. He was so menacing to the Muslims that he was called “the evil genius of the Jews.” Salah Bukhari 4:52:271, narrated by Jabir; Sahih Bukhari 5:59:369, narrated by Jabir bin ‘Abdullah; Sahih Bukhari 7:67:427, narrated by Zahdam. I have included just one such hadiths below.
Narrated by Jabir bin ‘Abdullah: “Allah’s Apostle said, “Who would kill Ka’b bin Al-Ashraf as he has harmed Allah and His Apostle?” Muhammad bin Maslama (got up and) said, “I will kill him.” So, Muhammad bin Maslama went to Ka’b and said, “I want a loan of one or two Wasqs of food grains.” Ka’b said, “Mortgage your women to me.” Muhammad bin Maslama said, “How can we mortgage our women, and you are the most handsome among the Arabs?” He said, “Then mortgage your sons to me.” Muhammad said, “How can we mortgage our sons, as the people will abuse them for being mortgaged for one or two Wasqs of food grains? It is shameful for us. But we will mortgage our arms to you.” So, Muhammad bin Maslama promised him that he would come to him next time. They (Muhammad bin Maslama and his companions) came to him as promised and murdered him. Then they went to the Prophet and told him about it.” [ Sahih Bukhari 3:45:687].
The Killing of a Jewish poetess for Taunting The Prophet of Islam:
Asma bint Marwan was the mother of 5 infants. She was of B. Umayya b. Zayd. When Abu ‘Afak had been killed she displayed disaffection. ‘Abdullah b. al-Harith b. al-Fudayl from his father said that she was married to a man of B. Khatma called Yazid b. Zayd [sic]. Blaming Islam and its followers she said: I despise B. Salik, and al-Nabit ‘Auf, and B. al-Khazraj. She wrote a poem despising prophet Muhammad. When the apostle heard what she had said, he said, ‘Who will rid me of Marwan’s daughter?’ ‘ Umayr b. Adiy al-Khatmi who was with him heard him, and that very night he went to her house and killed her. Umayr, the assassin, pierced her chest (heart) with his sword while she was asleep (It was the middle of the night, and one of her babies was sucking at her breast for milk.).
In the morning he came to the apostle and told him what he had done and he said, “You have helped God and His apostle, O ‘Umayr.” When he asked if he would have to bear any evil consequences, the apostle said, “Two goats won’t butt their heads about her,” so ‘Umayr went back to his people.
Now there was a great commotion among B. Khatma that day about the affair of Bint Marwan. She had five sons, and when ‘Umayr went to them from the apostle, he said, “I have killed Bint Marwan, O sons of Khatma. Withstand me if you can; don’t keep me waiting.” That was the first day that Islam became powerful among B. Khatma; before that, those who were Muslims concealed the fact. The first of them to accept Islam was ‘Umayr b. Adiy who was called ‘the Reader’, and ‘Abdullah b. Aus and Khuzayma b. Thabit. The day after Bint Marwan was killed the men of B. Khatma became Muslims because they saw the power of Islam. Siraat-e-Rasul by Ibn Ishaq, pg. 676. [This is a glaring example how Islam was spread in Arabia, very “peacefully” indeed.]
The Assassination of Abu Rafi,’ another prominent Jewish leader:
Abu Rafi’ used to hurt Allah’s Apostle and help his enemies against him. He lived in his castle in the land of Hijaz. So this was probably for military reasons. Tabari says, “The reason for his being killed was, it is said that he used to take the part of Ka’b b. al-Ashraf against the Messenger of God.” [Bukhari vol.5 book 59 no.371 p.251].
The Blood Money System in Islamic Sharia Shows Contempt for Jews:
As per Islamic Sharia, there is a concept of “blood money” and this draconian compensatory justice system is still practiced in Saudi Arabia (According to the Wall Street Journal, April 9, 2002). Under this system, if a person has been killed or caused to die by another, the latter has to pay “blood money” or compensation, as follows:
100,000 riyals if the victim is a Muslim man
50,000 riyals if a Muslim woman
50,000 riyals if a Christian man
25,000 riyals if a Christian woman
6,666 riyals if a Hindu (or idolaters) man
3,333 riyals if a Hindu (or idolaters) woman
That is, a Muslim man’s life is worth 33 times that of a Hindu woman.
Jews are not eligible for blood money compensation: Sharia is silent on the blood money for a Jew. The above authentic blood money chart practicing in Saudi Arabia (The cradle of Islam) has not included Jews; although, it has included all other most famous organized religions of the world. Reason is very clear; Jews do not deserve any blood money. Because, Jews are the arch enemies of Allah. Actually, it is negative blood money. That is, if any Muslim kills a Jew, the killer gets reward in this world and in the hereafter. Every time, whenever we read Palestinian kills a Jew—what do we read? The entire Muslim ummah praises the killer (muslim killer I mean). The Palestinian authority even rewards the killer. If the Muslim killer kills a Jewish child, he receives more accolades!
Conclusion:
This article has delved into the most sensitive historical incidents that happened at the very start of Islam. Naturally, to understand history correctly, we must rely upon the most relevant sources: the Qur’an, the Hadiths, and Islamic history as recorded by respected biographers of the prophet Muhammad. In this article we have used authentic information from the above sources most scrupulously. We have used verses from the Qur’an, a number of related hadiths as found in Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sahih Tabari, and passages from the life of prophet Muhammad as recorded by Ibn Ishaq in his work, Sirat Rasul Allah, available in the abridged edition of Ibn Hisham, and translated by A. Guillaume under the title The Life of Muhammad. This is believed to be the earliest written account of the prophet Muhammad’s life, making it regarded as the most reliable.
A careful search did not show up any information about the extermination of Jews from Arabia that contradicts what I have mentioned in this article. Scores of Sahih (pure and authentic) hadiths continuously brag shamelessly, without any shred of remorse, about how “heroically” the prophet of Islam eliminated all the “scoundrel Jews” from Medina. For almost fourteen hundred years all the vicious Qur’anic verses and Sahih hadiths that are used here were respected and believed by all the faithful Muslim believers without any question. Not one pious Muslim, respected Mullah, Maoulana, or any other prominent Islamic scholar ever questioned their authenticity or validity in Islam. Rather, all Muslim authorities readily believed in the authenticity of these verses and used them regularly to write thousands of books celebrating and eulogizing the prophet of Islam.
According to Islamic Sharia and Koranic teachings—Jews have no right to live in this Earth of Allah! Christians, and all other un-believers (Hindus and idolaters) are less human than Muslims and their rights are less than the rights of Muslims. This is the very reason why pure Muslims (al-Qaeda jihadis, Mullahs, Imams) earnestly believe that it is the most sacred duty of the Muslims to correct, convert, or kill all non-Muslims/infidels to purify this earth, which belongs only to Allah.
I have no idea how Muhammed can be called ‘merciful’ and Islam can be called the ‘religion of peace.’ Hopefully, my former experiences within the Muslim world will arm people of good will with the necessary truths to fight this growing evil. Jews in particular must free themselves from the delusion that Islam is not a threat to them. They are a central target of Islamic annihilation. It is my heartfelt desire that militant Islam be stopped in its quest for global domination and that Jews and other non-Muslims can live in safety.
References:
1. Ibn Ishaq, Sirat Rasul Allah, Life of Muhammad, trans. A. Guillaume, Oxford University Press, 1955, pages: 363-64; 437-45, and pages: 675-676
2. The Holy Qur’an, Translated by A. Yousuf Ali, Published by Amana Corporation, Brentwood, Maryland, 1983
3.Students’ Britannica India, Volumes 1-5, by Encyclopaedia Britannica (India)http://books.google.com/books?id=ISFBJarYX7YC&pg=PA224#v=onepage&q&f=false
4. Hadiths by Bukhari, Muslim, Tabari, Ibn Ishaq.
5. Tabari, The Foundation of the Community, translated by M.V. McDonald and annotated by W. M. Watt (SUNYP, 1987), pp. 85-87; 156-61.
6. Sir William Muir, Life of Mahomet, 1861.
cross post from http://www.faithfreedom.org/articles/quran-koran/muslims-hate-jews-up-to-their-bones/
I was born in a traditional Muslim family of Bangladesh. My parents were devout Muslims and their mother tongue was Bengali. In my early childhood days, I was attending religious education every morning (6-8 am) in the Maktab (religious school in the Mosque) before I went to primary school of general education at 10 AM. There in the Maktab I learned all those Suras/rules/methods required to observe five time prayers, and also learned reading the Qur’an in Arabic. However, I never understood the meaning of any word of the Qur’an or Suras, which used to bother me very much.
