The Mind of a Jihadist

With the Rep. Peter King hearings going on, it makes a certain amount of sense that Islam would be in the news, so here I am blogging about it today. I had planned a post on the 2nd Amendment, but then I read Mind of a Jihadist by Stephen Simpson over at the American Thinker and realized that it may be more important for the long term than another post on the 2A, important as that is.

The Mind of a Jihadist is a report on a new book by M. A. Khan, Islamic Jihad: A Legacy of Forced Conversion, Imperialism, and Slavery. The book can be ordered from Amazon here. I plan to order the book soon myself.  M. A. Khan is an editor for the website Islam Watch, which is a group of apostate former Muslims who came to the realization that Islam is not a true religion.

Mr. Khan describes the concept of Jihad as "the foundational creed of Islam." And the author should know. Born a Muslim in India, Mr. Khan grew up in a conservative background, while still considering himself a liberal Muslim. The events of 9/11 changed him dramatically and led him on an odyssey as to question how his religion -- and co-religionists -- sanctioned, and even reveled in this atrocity. The author himself candidly admits that he too believed that America had justifiably gotten a bloody nose, though he felt that the victims died unjustifiable deaths. As much of a paradox as these views seem, many Muslims felt the same way. The difference is that Mr. Khan looked in the mirror, asked penetrating questions, and had the intellectual honesty to answer these questions.

In the ensuing years after 9/11, Mr. Khan did extensive research on Islam, Islamic theology, and the history of Jihad which is the driving force behind all of Islam's conquests. The results of his findings led him to the conclusion to leave Islam completely, and to write this most masterful and educational book on a controversial aspect of a most controversial religion.

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It is a devastating indictment of a religion that is generally grouped with Judaism and Christianity. However, the commands of Jihad entail total war, are eternal, and cannot be revoked as they are enforced with absolute legitimacy by and through Sharia. The author leaves us with the question as to whether or not Jihad will return in the 21st century with a force comparable to previous centures. Islamic Jihad is a riveting book that will leave the reader armed with a knowledge he or she may never have had, and will also leave the reader with the disturbing question as to whether the religion of Islam can ever come to terms in a peaceful way with non-Islamic religions. Given the history of Jihad and the slaughter of 9/11, the reader can only come away with a pessimistic viewpoint.

Khan's book joins a growing list of people who have "come in from the cold" and reported on the horrors being perpetrated on them by Islam.  Like the Communists before, who would report occasionally to the West that life under the Soviets was a hell hole, you are being told not to believe these people.  CAIR spokesmen come out to say, in essence, that these are exaggerating sore heads, and that reasonably considered, Islam is a virtual paradise on earth.  Consider that in the 7th century, the West and Arab cultures were on a par.  But Arab culture has produced very little since, and indeed, must use our own technology against us.  In the The Victory of Reason Rodney Stark argues convincingly that Christianity was the spur for the West's great leap forward.  I believe God wants us to be prosperous, so that we can use our prosperity to help others.  Is it enough?  Well, no, it is never enough, though Americans have done more of it than any other country, as you would expect from her great prosperity.

I believe that Islam will only be stopped by a fight, God versus Allah.  Which side will you be on?