Pigs & Monkeys

Emanuel A. Winston, a Middle East analyst & commentator

Strange, isn’t it, that a primitive people who worship death through the moon god, Zin, aka Allah, says that the Jews are Pigs and Monkeys.

Recall that it was Mohammed who lived among the Jewish tribes when he was chased out of Mecca. It was Mohammed who came to the Jews to offer his leadership if they would accept him and his laws. Like others before him, he offered to relieve them of their responsibilities under their Covenant with G-d, IF only they would add to the Covenant, his new vision of Allah and Islam. The Jews declined Mohammed’s offer, which enraged Mohammed and thus he institutionalized Jew-Hatred to be passed down and expanded in following generations.

But, today’s Imams tell their Muslim followers that Jews are Pigs and Monkeys and must be murdered according to Mohammed’s words and various ‘Hadith’. Most Muslims of today are ignorant of Koranic law and interpretation by early Muslim scholars. Most Muslims cannot read the Koran in the original Arabic.

The Jews could have pulled their half brothers out of Abraham up to a new level but, their tyrannical rulers both secular and religious, kept them in poverty and ignorance. They were taught to hate and kill and that would make them equal or even better than their victims. All of Islam suffers from a well-deserved inferiority complex. They have added nothing to the betterment of mankind but, when they compare themselves with what the Jews have given the world, they are enraged. They did not have to be inferior but, their clerics demanded it of them.

At this point, with the permission of my friend, Herb Zweibon of AFSI Americans For a Safe Israel, let us turn you on to a talk given at the December 5, 2004 AFSI Conference as follows:

This is an abridged version of Ibn Waraq’s talk at the Dec. 5, 2004 AFSI Conference in New York City. It was published in the January AFSI OUTPOST and may be read on the AFSI website: afsi.org.

How to Debate Muslims by Ibn Warraq

Muslims in general have a tendency to disarm any criticisms of Islam and in particular the Koran by asking if the critic has read the Koran in the original Arabic, as though all the difficulties of their Sacred Text will somehow disappear once the reader has mastered the holy language and has direct experience, aural and visual, of the very words of God, to which no translation can do justice.

However, the majority of Muslims are not Arabs or Arabic speaking peoples. The non-Arabic speaking nations of Indonesia with a population of 197 million, Pakistan with 133 million, Iran with 62 million, Turkey with 62 million, India with a Muslim population of about 95 million, outnumber by far the total number of native Arabic speakers in about thirty countries in the world estimated as 150 million. In other words, the majority of Muslims have to read the Koran in translation in order to understand it. Many educated Muslims whose native tongue is not Arabic do learn it in order to read the Koran, but then again the vast majority do not understand Arabic, even though many do learn parts of the Koran by heart without understanding a word.

In other words, the majority of Muslims have to read the Koran in translation in order to understand it. Contrary to what one might think, there have been translations of the Koran into, for instance, Persian since the tenth or eleventh century, and there are translations into Turkish and Urdu. The Koran has now been translated into over a hundred languages, many of them by Muslims themselves, despite some sort of disapproval from the religious authorities.

Even for contemporary Arabic-speaking peoples, reading the Koran is far from being a straightforward matter. The Koran is putatively (in fact it is very difficult to decide exactly what the language of the Koran is) written in what we call Classical Arabic, but modern Arab populations, leaving aside the problem of illiteracy in Arab countries, do not speak, read, or write, let alone think in Classical Arabic. For an average middle class Arab it would take considerable effort to construct even the simplest sentence, let alone talk, in Classical Arabic.

The style of the Koran is difficult, totally unlike the prose of today, and the Koran would be largely incomprehensible without glossaries, indeed entire commentaries. In conclusion, even the most educated of Arabs will need some sort of a translation if he or she wishes to make sense of that most gnomic, elusive and allusive of holy scriptures, the Koran.

Let us now turn to another argument or defensive tactic used by Muslims: the "You have quoted out of context" defense. What do they mean by "You have quoted out of context"? This could mean two things: first, the historical context to which the various verses refer, or second, the textual context, the actual place in a particular chapter that the verse quoted comes from. The historical context argument is not available in fact to Muslims, since the Koran is the eternal word of God and true and valid for always. Thus for Muslims themselves there is no historical context. Muslims did contradict themselves when they introduced the notion of abrogation, when a historically earlier verse was cancelled by a later one. This idea of abrogation was concocted to deal with the many contradictions in the Koran. What is more, it certainly backfires for those liberal Muslims who wish to give a moderate interpretation to the Koran since all the verses advocating tolerance (there are some but not many) have been abrogated by the verses of the sword.

Now for the textual context. First, of course, this argument could be turned against Muslims themselves. When they produce a verse preaching tolerance, we could also say that they have quoted out of context, or more pertinently (1) that such a verse has been cancelled by a more belligerent and intolerant one (2) that in the overall context of the Koran and the whole theological construct that we call Islam (i.e. in the widest possible context), the tolerant verses are anomalous, or have no meaning, since Muslim theologians ignored them completely in developing Islamic Law, or that (3) the verses do not say what they seem to say.

For instance, after September 11, 2001, many Muslims and apologists of Islam glibly came out with the following Koranic quote to show that Islam and the Koran disapproved of violence and killing: Sura V.32: "Whoever killed a human being shall be looked upon as though he had killed all mankind."

Unfortunately, these wonderful sounding words are being quoted out of context. Here is the entire quote: V.32: "That was why we laid it down for the Israelites that whoever killed a human being, except as a punishment for murder or other villainy in the land, shall be looked upon as though he had killed all mankind; and that whoever saved a human life shall be regarded as though he had saved all mankind. Our apostles brought them veritable proofs: yet it was not long before many of them committed great evils in the land. Those that make war against God and His apostle and spread disorder shall be put to death or crucified or have their hands and feet cut off on alternate sides, or be banished from the country."

The supposedly noble sentiments are in fact a warning to Jews. Behave or else is the message. Far from abjuring violence, these verses aggressively point out that anyone opposing the Prophet will be killed, crucified, mutilated and banished!

The context, far from helping Muslims get out of difficulties only makes the barbaric principle apparent in the offending quote more obvious, as we have seen from Sura V.32 just quoted. Let us take some other examples. Muslim scholars themselves refer to Sura VIII.67, VIII.39, and Sura II.216 to justify Holy War [Jihad]. Again the context makes it clear that it is the battlefield that is being referred to, and not some absurd moral struggle; these early Muslims were warriors after booty, land and women, not some existential heroes from the pages of Albert Camus or Jean-Paul Sartre.

Let us take another example: Sura IX. The whole context of Sura IX indeed makes it clear that "make war" in the literal and not some metaphorical sense is meant. Let us take a verse from this Sura, Sura IX.5: "Then, when the sacred months have passed away, kill the idolaters wherever you find them..." These words are usually cited to show what fate awaits idolaters. Well, what of the context? The words immediately after these just quoted say, 'and seize them, besiege them and lie in ambush everywhere for them.' Ah, you might say, you have deliberately left out the words that come after those. Let us quote them then, "If they repent and take to prayer and render the alms levy, allow them to go their way. God is forgiving and merciful." Surely these are words of tolerance, you plead. Hardly: they are saying that if they become Muslims then they will be left in peace. In fact, the whole Sura, which has 129 verses (approximately 14 pages in the Penguin translation by Dawood), in other words, the whole context, is totally intolerant; and is indeed the source of many totalitarian Islamic laws and principles, such as the concepts of Jihad and dhimmis, the latter proclaiming the inferior status of Christians and Jews in an Islamic state.

[The following are all from Sura IX]:

First the idolaters, how can you trust them? Most of them are evildoers (IX. 8); fight them (IX. 12, 14); they must not visit mosques (IX. 18); they are unclean (IX. 28); you may fight the idolaters even during the sacred months (IX. 36). "It is not for the Prophet, and those who believe, to pray for the forgiveness of idolaters even though they may be near of kin after it has become clear they are people of hell-fire." (IX.113) "O you who believe! Choose not your fathers nor your brethren for friends if they take pleasure in disbelief rather than faith. Whoso of you takes them for friends, such are wrong-doers." IX. 23 In other words if you are friendly with your parents who are not Muslims, you are being immoral.

As for the intolerance against Jews and Christians, and their inferior status as dhimmis, we have IX verses 29 -35: "Fight against such of those to whom the Scriptures were given as believe neither in God nor the Last Day, who do not forbid what God and His apostle have forbidden, and do not embrace the true faith, until they pay tribute out of hand and are utterly subdued.

"The Jews say Ezra is the son of God, while the Christians say the Messiah is the son of God. Such are their assertions, by which they imitate the infidels of old. God confound them! How perverse they are!

"They make of their clerics and their monks, and of the Messiah, the son of Mary, Lords besides God; though they were ordered to serve one God only. There is no god but Him. Exalted be He above those whom they deify besides Him!..

"It is He who has sent forth His apostle with guidance and the true Faith to make it triumphant over all religions, however much the idolaters may dislike it. "O you who believe! Lo! Many of the Jewish rabbis and the Christian monks devour the wealth of mankind wantonly and debar men from the way of Allah; They who hoard up gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah, unto them give tidings of painful doom .,,"

The moral of all the above is clear: Islam is the only true religion, Jews and Christians are devious and money-grubbing, not to be trusted, and even have to pay a tax in the most humiliating way.

When you do debate with a Muslim make sure you are armed with all your references from the original Arabic sources. The major sources are all available in English, as are the Koran, the Sira or the Life of Muhammad by Ibn Ishaq, and the Hadith, the sayings and deeds of the Prophet and his companions. You must make the effort to familiarize yourself with these.

Start with the Koran. It is not a very long text, about four hundred pages in the Penguin translation Acquire at least four different translations, at least one of which should be by a Muslim. Yusuf Ali and, despite his name, Marmaduke Pickthall were Muslims, and their translations are easily available in paperbacks. At least one should be by someone whose mother tongue was Arabic, such as N.J.Dawood, an Iraqi scholar whose translation is quite readable.

If you have read the Koran, you are already better informed of its contents than the majority of Muslims. Indeed, many Muslims have been genuinely surprised when I have apprised them of the verses preaching war, hatred of Jews and Christians, misogyny, cruel punishments, etc.

Here are some more anti-Jewish sentiments from the Koran:

II.61: Wretchedness and baseness were stamped upon them (that is, the Jews), and they were visited with wrath from Allah. That was because they disbelieved in Allah's revelations and slew the prophets wrongfully. That was for their disobedience and transgression.

V.63-64: Why do not the rabbis and the priests forbid their evil-speaking and devouring of illicit gain? Verily evil is their handiwork. The Jews say, 'Allah's hands are fettered.’ Their hands are fettered, and they are cursed for what they have said! On the contrary, His hands are spread open. He bestows as He wills. That which has been revealed to you from your Lord will surely increase the arrogance and unbelief of many among them. We have cast enmity and hatred among them until the Day of Resurrection. Every time they light the fire of war, Allah extinguishes it. They hasten to spread corruption throughout the earth, but Allah does not love corrupters!

V.70-71: We made a covenant with the Israelites and sent forth apostles among them. But whenever an apostle came to them with a message that did not suit their fancies, some they accused of lying and others they put to death. They thought no harm would follow: they were blind and deaf. God is ever watching their actions.

V.82: Indeed, you will surely find that the most vehement of men in enmity to those who believe are the Jews and the polytheists.

V.51: O you who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians for friends. They are friends one to another. He among you who takes them for friends is one of them.

V.59: Say: O, People of the Scripture [Jews and Christians]! Do you blame us for aught else than that we believe in Allah and that which is revealed unto us and that which was revealed aforetime, and because most of you are evildoers?

V.60: Say: 'Shall I tell you who will receive a worse reward from God? Those whom [i.e. Jews] God has cursed and with whom He has been angry, transforming them into apes and swine, and those who serve the devil. Worse is the plight of these, and they have strayed farther from the right path.'

Then pass onto the oldest source on the life of the Prophet, the Sira by Ibn Ishaq as quoted by Ibn Hisham. It is also available in an English translation. The biography is full of violence, cruelty, intolerance and anti-Semitism.

Here are some passages from the Sira revealing Muhammad's hatred of the Jews :

1. "Kill any Jews that fall into your power" said the Prophet: p.369

2. The killing of Ibn Sunayna, and its admiration leading someone to convert to Islam: p.369

3. The killing of Sallam ibn Abu'l-Huqayq: pp.482-483

4. The assassination of Ka'b.al-Ashraf, who wrote verses against Muhammad: pp.364-369

5. The raid against the Jewish tribe of the Banu'l-Nadir, and their banishment. pp.437-445

6. The extermination of the Banu Qurayza, between 600-800 men. pp.461-469

Finally, pass onto the Hadith or Traditions, which are also, fortunately, available in English. The collection by Bukhari, who died in 870 C.E., is the best place to start. The Hadith or the Books of Tradition are a collection of sayings and doings attributed to the Prophet and traced back to him through a series of putatively trustworthy witnesses. Apart from what Muhammad did and enjoined, these traditions include what was done in his presence that he did not forbid, and even the authoritative sayings and doings of the companions of the Prophet. These traditions serve as the theoretical basis of the Sharia or Islamic Law, and hence of Islam itself.

Here you will find all that you suspected about Islam; Jihad, anti-Semitism, misogyny, and the usual litany of violence and cruelty.

Thus furnished with precise references to and quotes from the Koran, the Sira and the Hadith, you are well-equipped to debate any Muslim.

Ibn Warraq is the pseudonym for a scholar on Islam, and author of "Why I Am Not a Muslim".

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