There was so much to fit in on this sura that I had to push that to next week. So, as you will see, this week covers verses 1-27, and next week verses 21-73. A small bit of overlap. I left Zaynab for next week also, although she is foreshadowed in verses 1-8 and so I had to give a hint of what is to come in this week’s entry.

033.021
YUSUFALI: Ye have indeed in the Messenger of Allah a beautiful pattern (of conduct) for any one whose hope is in Allah and the Final Day, and who engages much in the Praise of Allah.

Beautiful beheadings of POWs for example.

That being Mohammed as perfect exemplar of conduct, “al-insan al-kamil” (thanks Hugh for repeating it) the foundation of the Sunnah, or “Prophet’s Traditions”. Pious Muslims ofter refer to the Quran and Sunnah, sometimes before a “martyrdom operation” for example.

You got the wrong the guy.

That should of course be:

“You got the wrong guy.”

There I go again! Dumber than dirt!

I think all religious people are dumber than dirt.

Very well. You have made it very clear that you think I’m dumber than dirt. Now: are you aware that you’re contradicting yourself below when you say that I write accurately about Islam? How could I do that, being “dumber than dirt”?

I’m sure you’ve had enough arguments with atheists, as I have had with believers, to know it’s a waste of time to argue about it.

Actually, no, I am not interested in arguing with atheists.

I never said that Christians can’t “speak accurately about Islam”. I don’t think there is any other writer I have ever read that writes more accurately about Islam than you do.

What you said was this: “When Christians argue with Muslims, or criticize Islam, you’re like Superman fans arguing about Batman.” Your position in that statement as well as here below seems to be that someone who believes in one religion cannot speak about another, for to do so would be simply to jockey for market share.

But you’re never going to get anywhere. The people who really need to read you won’t. Why? Because most people seem to think you’re Jewish, and once they find out you’re a Christian that just gives them more reason to take everything you write as being biased. They don’t care that you are actually quoting Islamic sources. They won’t even get that far.

So I guess I should just give up, eh?

What you apparently fail to realize is how thorough and indefatigable is the Islamic apologetic propaganda machine. If they weren’t saying I’m doing this because I’m Jewish, or Christian, they’d be saying something else. They say anything that they think will get people to turn away. Does it work? Certainly. But I would say that I’ve already “gotten somewhere,” and I’m certainly not going to give up because there are obstacles.

Or perhaps you would have me discard my own religion in order to be able to resist the jihad more effectively. Well, sorry. I just don’t see atheists, with the exception of a few like my friend Hugh Fitzgerald, Sam Harris, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, etc., on the front lines of this battle. And it just doesn’t keep me up nights that you think I’m “dumber than dirt.”

As far as how all of you religious people think of atheists who think you’re dumb? You know what? When you can all summon up the same amount of outrage and offense against the people who want you dead as you can about being called stupid, then maybe we might have a chance.

I don’t spend any outrage on atheists at all. You got the wrong the guy.

But that won’t happen. I suspect that is because none of you can bring yourselves to admit that another religion might not be true. Might make you think about your own too much. And we can’t have that, can we?

I’ve thought about my own religion a great deal, thank you. But of course, I’m “dumber than dirt,” so that’s what I get for thinking.

For the interested, please sign a petition demanding Barack Hussein Obama furnish America with a legal, certified, readable birth certificate. Because, the images of Barack Hussein Obama’s birth certificate that have been posted on the Daily KOS, and on Obama’s web sites, have been analysed as being FORGED.

Birth Certificate Now

Since you think I am “dumber than dirt,” I doubt you are interested in discussing these matters, but I took issue last week with your claim that Christians could not speak accurately about Islam. If that were true, it would also seem to disqualify atheists from speaking about Islam as well.

Robert Spencer on July 6, 2008 at 4:29 PM

I think all religious people are dumber than dirt. I’m sure you’ve had enough arguments with atheists, as I have had with believers, to know it’s a waste of time to argue about it.

I never said that Christians can’t “speak accurately about Islam”. I don’t think there is any other writer I have ever read that writes more accurately about Islam than you do.

But you’re never going to get anywhere. The people who really need to read you won’t. Why? Because most people seem to think you’re Jewish, and once they find out you’re a Christian that just gives them more reason to take everything you write as being biased. They don’t care that you are actually quoting Islamic sources. They won’t even get that far.

As far as how all of you religious people think of atheists who think you’re dumb? You know what? When you can all summon up the same amount of outrage and offense against the people who want you dead as you can about being called stupid, then maybe we might have a chance.

But that won’t happen. I suspect that is because none of you can bring yourselves to admit that another religion might not be true. Might make you think about your own too much. And we can’t have that, can we?

Aisha was strong enough, after Muhammad’s death, and in a time when women were essentially commodities, to lead an army against Ali in one of the early Sunni-Shi’ite clashes.

Thanks for pointing that out, Robert. After my last comment, I wondered what became of her after Muhammad’s death. She was only in her teens at the time, as I recall, and so could easily have lived another 40 years. One wonders what she thought of her husband’s successors. (Aside from Ali. Her feelings there are clear. :) )

From what I’ve read of Aisha’s words these last few years, I’ve come to a couple of conclusions about her: first, she was a very perceptive and at least mildly cynical woman. Second, she had a very dry, very funny wit. :)

Yes, I’ve always found Aisha a fascinating figure, much more complex and interesting than dull-witted fanatics like Abu Bakr. She seems to have been a true believer, with perhaps (as this comment shows) a trace of wry skepticism about her husband — all the more remarkable since he took her when she was six, clutching her dolls, and consummated the marriage when she was nine. One may have assumed that she would have remained in awe and fear of him ever after.

Aisha was strong enough, after Muhammad’s death, and in a time when women were essentially commodities, to lead an army against Ali in one of the early Sunni-Shi’ite clashes. She never forgave Ali for remarking to Muhammad, when she was accused of adultery, that he shouldn’t be pining away over Aisha, since women were not hard to come by, and they could always get him another one.

It adequately blows a gaping hole in the rationalization of the Islamic apologists who attempt to attribute the violence we see today commited by Muslims solely as a by-product of the existence of Israel and US imperialism.

Unfortunately for them, the Qur’an is not a classified document.

Thank you, Robert.

Aisha herself, Muhammad’s favorite wife, said it: “I feel that your Lord hastens in fulfilling your wishes and desires.”

From what I’ve read of Aisha’s words these last few years, I’ve come to a couple of conclusions about her: first, she was a very perceptive and at least mildly cynical woman. Second, she had a very dry, very funny wit. :)

They missed the opportunity to be surprised.

Oh, they’ll be surprised, all right. A lot of very self-satisfied people will be very surprised. But it won’t happen soon, and I am not talking about a terrorist attack, either, or any act of violence.

Yet the principle is the same.

Robert Spencer on July 6, 2008 at 10:10 PM

So it is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you will fight without danger in battles.
If you only know yourself, but not your opponent, you may win or may lose.
If you know neither yourself nor your enemy, you will always endanger yourself.

–Sun Tzu

They missed the opportunity to be surprised.

Usually the reaction was on of indignation that anyone would bother studying the Qur’an.

Odd. Did you see the movie Patton with George C. Scott? Remember when he read Rommel’s book on military strategy? I know that part of the movie is familiar to some people who are not friends or supporters of what I am doing. Yet the principle is the same.

since Americans generally assume that religions are generically things that teach universal benevolence and charity, they can’t conceive of the possibility of a religion that would not extend that benevolence and charity to those outside the fold.

precisely.

You got flamed for it on what grounds? Can you possibly point me to the Free Republic thread?

I just went over and searched for them and they aren’t even showing up in their search engine. Even searching the archives. I found one of them here using Google. This one wasn’t a problem. Usually the reaction was on of indignation that anyone would bother studying the Qur’an. I think a lot of them must have assumed, as you mentioned above, the book would be filled with universal benevolence and hence was propaganda. Between that and the general apathy, I gave up.

That idea is indeed part of it, regarding Israel, but by no means all. Qur’an 5:82 says that the worst enemies of the Muslims will be the Jews — this will still be taken seriously by some Muslims even if Israel disappeared tomorrow.

Few people seem to know why the Muslims hate the Jews. Most people think it has to do with Israel and have no idea how it’s codified in the Qur’an….

TheBigOldDog on July 6, 2008 at 8:46 PM

Earlier in the series Mr. Spencer discussed something about once a country becomes “Islamic” (think Palistine) it must remain that way or there will be discord. I believe that is part of it, but I do not remember what it is called. Spain is also used as an example of this.

…venues for this point of view continue to shrink, the fogs of political correctness and naive complacency continue to spread and mingle

And that is to our shame. Much thanks to Michelle for hosting this series on HotAir, and much thanks to you as well, Mr. Spencer, for doing this incredibly educational series…not to mention your good work at JihadWatch, and for coming back to answer our questions.

I feel like I’m getting a free college course!

Again, many thanks!

No kidding! When Blogging the Quran first started, I spread the word on a blog I was contributing to at the time – and I was similarly flamed for it. I was excited to learn about the religion and scripture that continues to influence *billions*, but I guess not. In fact, QBlog was the sole reason I signed up for HotAir.

Same questions as I addressed above to TheBigOldDog. I’d be interested to know what reaction people had to this, as generally I’ve gotten virtually no feedback outside of the comments here.

There is a prevailing assumption, even among some people you might expect to be friendly to this enterprise, that it is somehow “bigoted.” I fail to see how it is “bigoted” to report accurately on what Islamic teachings are, and I refer you to Jihad Watch for daily reports showing Muslims around the world taking those Islamic teachings seriously.

Nevertheless, some even say that to explore Islamic teachings with an eye toward understanding the sources of Islamic violence and supremacism would be only to enflame Muslims further, and that these things are better off ignored. They have not learned their Sun Tzu. Others believe that with U.S. victories in Iraq, the “war on terror” will soon be over and Islam will resume being a “religion of peace,” and that therefore this exercise is useless at best. I invite them to look in again in a year’s time.

In the meantime, however, venues for this point of view continue to shrink, the fogs of political correctness and naive complacency continue to spread and mingle, and I thank Michelle Malkin for her ongoing kindness and support.

Few people seem to know why the Muslims hate the Jews. Most people think it has to do with Israel and have no idea how it’s codified in the Qur’an.

Indeed.

Like most Americans, I was at a Cookout for the 4th and began explaining this to people when the subject came up and they were truly surprised. These were otherwise educated, middle aged adults who simply had no clue.

Educated, middle aged adults in the U.S. generally learn nothing about Islam except possibly the five pillars and the fact that it is one of the World’s Great Religions. And since Americans generally assume that religions are generically things that teach universal benevolence and charity, they can’t conceive of the possibility of a religion that would not extend that benevolence and charity to those outside the fold.

Unfortunately, few people seem eager to learn the truth. When this series first started I was trying to spread the word via FreeRepublic and basically got flamed for it. It seemed most people were content to be against something without at least fully appreciating what is was.

You got flamed for it on what grounds? Can you possibly point me to the Free Republic thread? Was it because it would be boring? The Qur’an certainly can be — or, that is, I can understand people who find it such, although I never have. Or was it because of the common conservative view that it is wrong and counterproductive to explore Islam in order to understand what is going on in the world today, since some Muslims are on our side, and to do so might offend them? Or because all things called religions are good, or because all religions are irrelevant, or because of some variant on these?

Or was it because I myself am supposed to be incorrigibly biased, although no one who makes that charge has ever come up with the contrary material I am allegedly leaving out?

Bostom just wrote another book on Islamic antisemitism.

It’s a great book, too. It destroys, by sheer weight of evidence, the fashionable notion that Islamic antisemitism is an import from Christian Europe, and is not intrinsic to Islam itself.

TheBigOldDog on July 6, 2008 at 8:46 PM
When this series first started I was trying to spread the word via FreeRepublic and basically got flamed for it.

No kidding! When Blogging the Quran first started, I spread the word on a blog I was contributing to at the time – and I was similarly flamed for it. I was excited to learn about the religion and scripture that continues to influence *billions*, but I guess not. In fact, QBlog was the sole reason I signed up for HotAir.

What gives??

Robert Spencer on July 6, 2008 at 12:25 PM

Few people seem to know why the Muslims hate the Jews. Most people think it has to do with Israel and have no idea how it’s codified in the Qur’an.

Like most Americans, I was at a Cookout for the 4th and began explaining this to people when the subject came up and they were truly surprised. These were otherwise educated, middle aged adults who simply had no clue.

Several years ago I was corresponding with a popular conservative radio personality in Boston. I asked him the question and he simply did not know.

Unfortunately, few people seem eager to learn the truth. When this series first started I was trying to spread the word via FreeRepublic and basically got flamed for it. It seemed most people were content to be against something without at least fully appreciating what is was.

Anyway, that’s my rant for today. I appreciate all the effort you’ve put into this Robert. You’ve truly enlightened me thus far and those around me who are willing to listen.