Helpful Book on Islam
January 31, 2008
David Cloud, Way of Life Literature, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061
866-295-4143,
fbns@wayoflife.org
Peril of Islam: Telling the Truth is by Gene Gurganus, who was a missionary to a Muslim nation for 17 years and has been in the ministry for 53 years. The book, which was published in 2004, is available from Truth Publishers, P.O. Box 1525, Taylors, SC 29687, http://www.truthpublisher.com/index.php?main_page=index.

Christians need to understand the Islamic religion and aspirations more today than ever before. This would be a good book to read privately as well as with the family, to use in home schooling, and even to use as a Sunday School course.

Gurganus exposes the error of those who claim that Islam is a religion of peace. He explains that the goal of Islam, from the days of Mohammed, has been to “impose the Islamic faith and rule (
sharia) in all the world.”

According to Islam, the world is divided into the world of
Dar al-Harb (the world of war, non-Islamic people) and the Dar al-Islam (the world of peace, the Muslim world). Therefore, peace, by Islamic definition, is Islamic control over any part of the world, and full peace would not be achieved until Islam rules the whole world. “The presumption is that the duty of jihad will continue, interrupted only by truces, until all the world either adopts the Muslim faith or subjects to the Muslim rule” (pp. 59, 60).

Gurganus shows that MOHAMMED’S MINISTRY WAS DIVIDED INTO TWO PARTS: the tolerant years in Mecca and the aggressive years in Medina. In Mecca, he used teaching in an attempt to convert the people. During that period, he wrote prophecies along the lines of being at peace with non-Muslims and not forcing your religion upon others. For example, Surah 2:256 in the Koran says, “Let there be no compulsion in religion. Truth stands out clear from Error.” When that plan failed, he picked up the sword, and for the rest of his life he used the sword to force adherence to Islam. Many of the prophecies Mohammed gave during this later period contradict the earlier prophecies and demand war against unbelievers. Those who quote from Surah 2:256 and similar ones from Mohammed’s early life ignore the fact that these written before he picked up the sword and changed his policy.

Gurganus explains that there are THREE STAGES OF JIHAD (pp. 114-115). First, there is the weakened stage, which applies to Muslims living as a minority in a non-Muslim country. “At this stage, Muslims follow the word given to Mohammed in Mecca: ‘There is no compulsion in religion’ (Surah 2:256).” Second, there is the preparation stage, which is reached when Muslims are a reasonably influential minority. At this stage, they make preparations in every possible area--financial, physical, military, mental and any other. Surah 8:59-60 says, “Against them [unbelievers] make ready your strength to the utmost of your power, including steeds of war, to strike terror into (the hearts) of the enemies of Allah and your enemies, and others besides whom you may not know, but whom Allah knows.” The third stage is the jihad stage, which commences “when Muslims are a minority with strength, influence and power.” At this stage, “... every Muslim’s duty is to actively fight the enemy, overturning the system of the non-Muslim country and establishing Islamic authority.” This stage is based on the final revelation Mohammed received concerning jihad, which is Surah 9:5 -- “Fight and slay the Pagans wherever you find them, and seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem [of war].” Thus, “Muslims are commanded to kill everyone who chooses not to convert to Islam. The verse says wherever you find them. There are no geographical limits” (
Peril of Islam, p. 114).

Gurganus explains THE DOCTRINE OF “ABROGATION” in the Islamic religion. According to this doctrine, Allah caused some parts of the Koran to be abrogated or abolished by later commandments. “The practice application of this principle is that when there is a contradiction between two verses in the Koran, the newer revelation overrides the previous revelation. Then the new cancels the old. You can still read the words, ‘There is no compulsion in religion’ in the Koran, but they no longer have authority because Surah 2:193 says, “And fight with them until there is no persecution, and religion should be only for Allah, but if they desist, then there should be no hostility except against oppressors.” So the ‘no compulsion in religion’ verse has been
mansookh (canceled) by revelations that came later.” Professor Gabriel helps us understand how the Muslims interpret the Koran in this way: ‘This principle of abrogation is known in Arabic as nasikh. It means that Allah led Muhammad in a progressive revelation. Many copies of the Quran have a table that shows whether a surah is from Mecca or Medina in order to help readers know which is a newer revelation’” (Peril of Islam, p. 69).

In chapter 8 Gurganus gives some suggestions for evangelizing Muslims.

In chapter 13 Gurganus gives the historical and religious reasons why so many Muslims hate America.

FOLLOWING ARE SOME EXCERPTS FROM THIS IMPORTANT BOOK:

“Islam attacks Christianity with a vengeance. The crux of Christianity centers in the incarnation, the crucifixion, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Islam denies all three of these vital doctrines of the Christian faith. Not only that but they teach that our Holy Bible has been corrupted. The trinity is abominable because God has no wife called Mary, and therefore Jesus Christ is not the Son of God. Christians are polytheists who believe in three gods. Although favoring Jesus with titles such as Word of God, Spirit of God, Messiah, etc., they believe he is only a prophet and a great man, but not the Son of God or Savior or Lord” (pp. 47, 48).

“PLAN TO ISLAMIZE EUROPE. Serge Trifvocic gives startling statistics as to present developments and future Islamic goals: ‘In 30 years, the Muslim population of Great Britain rose from 82,000 to 2 million. In Germany, there are 4 million Muslims, mostly Turks, and over 5 million in France, mostly North Africans. ... Almost a tenth of all babies born in EU countries are Muslims, and in the moribund Brussels, the figure was over 50 percent. With the expanding numbers and the creation of distinctly Muslim neighborhoods in Western, primarily European cities, the initial detachment of culture from territory has been reversed, and the bold notion of conquest by demographic rather than military means entered the activist’s minds. The blueprint was developed over two decades ago, in 1981, when the Third Islamic Summit Conference of Kaaba adopted the
Mecca Declaration. It stated as follows: We have resolved to conduct Jihad with all the means at our disposal so as to free our territory from occupation. [The whole world is their territory.] We declare that the oppression suffered by Muslim minorities and communities in many countries is a flagrant offense against the rights and dignity of man. We appeal to all states in which there are Islamic minorities to allow them full liberty. We are convinced of the need to propagate the precepts of Islam and its cultural influence in Muslim societies and throughout the world’” (pp. 53, 54).

“After living in a Muslim country for seventeen years and observing the treatment of non-Muslims, I can truthfully say that non-Muslims are indeed second-class citizens. Few amenities or privileges are theirs. Civil rights? Are you kidding!” (p. 80).

“WHEN LIES ARE JUSTIFIED. Philosopher Ibn Taymiyah (1263-1328) wrote a book titled
The Sword on the Neck of the Accuser of Muhammad. In it he described how Muslims should live when they are in the minority. ‘Believers when in a weakened stage in a non-Muslim country should forgive and be patient with People of the Book [Jews and Christians] when they insult Allah and his prophet by any means. Believers should lie to People of the Book to protect their lives and religion.’ ... There’s an Islamic proverb that says, ‘If you can’t cut your enemies’ hand, kiss it.’ When Mohammed was weak in Mecca, he was a lamb. When he was strong in Medina, he was a lion. Muslims living in predominantly Muslim countries do not hesitate to oppress and persecute Christians and Jews. On the other hand, Muslims living in Christian nations or nations where the majority profess to be Christians are very good at presenting themselves as loving, caring and forgiving people” (p. 107).

“SHUTTING DOWN THE DEBATE. The Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) is one of the more aggressive intimidators. It fronts as a civil rights organization protecting Muslims from Harassment. Its main agenda is helping Hamas against Israel and promoting militant Islam’s agenda in the United States. Steve Pomerantz, a former chief of counterterrorism for the FBI, explains that ‘any objective assessment ... leads to the conclusion that CAIR, leaders, and its activities, effectively give aid to international terrorist groups. Unfortunately, CAIR is but one of a new generation of new groups in the United States that hide under a veneer of civil rights or academic status but in fact are tethered to a platform that supports terrorism.’ ... They picketed the
Dallas Morning News for revealing the Hamas infrastructure in Texas. Muslims launched a campaign against the Tampa Tribune for uncovering the Islamic Jihad in Tampa. ... CAIR also denounced the Atlantic Monthly for an article on militant Islamic violence in Sudan and a Senate Subcommittee for holding hearings on Foreign Terrorists in America: Five Years after the World Trade Center Bombing. As CAIR promotes militant Islam in the United States, it focuses on one main point: silencing those who have anything negative to say about militant Islam. ... It went after Reader’s Digest for documenting the repression of Christians in several Muslim countries” (pp. 105, 106).

“The Chairman of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Omar M. Ahmad, told a crowd of California Muslims in July 1998, ‘Islam isn’t in America to be equal to any other faith, but to become dominant. The Koran ... should be the highest authority in America and Islam the only accepted religion on Earth’ (report in
San Ramon Valley Herald of a speech to California Muslims in July 1998, quoted by Daniel Pipes in “CAIR: Moderate Friends of Terror,” New York Post, April 22, 2002)” (p. 151).

“America welcomes immigrants from all over the world. Most of these immigrants now consider themselves Americans and try to fit in with the scheme of things. Note the words of Serge Trifkovic, a journalist and learned scholar: ‘The Muslim population within North America, and the rest of the West is not like any other, for it is the only immigrant group that harbors a substantial segment of individuals who share the key objectives with the terrorists, even if they do not all approve of their methods. IT WOULD BE IDLE FOR EVEN ARDENT ISLAMIC APOLOGISTS TO PRETEND THAT MANY MUSLIM IMMIGRANTS DO NOT DESPISE THE WEST IN GENERAL AND THE UNITED STATES IN PARTICULAR, ITS INSTITUTIONS AND ALL IT STANDS FOR. TO THEM THEIR HOST COUNTRY IS A MINE TO BE STRIPPED, USED AND CONVERTED OR DESTROYED. This was not what other newcomers to America had in mind as they flocked here to enjoy the unique opportunities of freedom. ... As is evident in the actions and words of many American Muslims a sizeable minority of them wishes to transform their host country into a Muslim country--by whatever means, violent or otherwise, justified by the supposed sanctity of the goal and a corresponding Koranic injunction’” (p. 121).

“THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA is the most intolerant Islamic government in the world. The practice of any religion besides Islam is strictly forbidden. ... Saudi Arabia funds the building of three to four mosques a week in our country while thousands of Christians working in Saudi Arabia have no religious freedom at all. ... Of the more than 1,200 mosques in America, more than 80 percent have been built with Saudi money. Saudi Arabia alone has spent $87 billion since 1973 to spread Islam throughout the United States and the Western hemisphere. ... Saudis are embracing ‘Wahabbism,’ an acute and violent strain of Islam. Osama bin Laden considers himself a ‘Wahabbi.’ So one has every reason to believe that what is being taught in these mosques and Islamic centers supported by Saudi Arabia is Wahbbism. Black converts make up the fastest-growing segment of the Muslim population in America. An estimated 60 to 90 percent of all U.S. converts to Islam are black” (pp. 123, 143).

“BILL CLINTON said, ‘Islam is American as apple pie.’ I think he does not know much about America or Islam. America’s basic values are individualism, freedom, rule of law based on our Constitution and the law of God (Ten Commandments), democracy, and the ownership of private property. Islam is absolutist with not one shred of freedom to the human spirit. Submit or die! Our government’s attitude toward Islam has serious implications. Their scolding of citizens that tell the truth about Islam and their noisy espousal of Islam’s virtues causes our government to be an apologete for Islam making it an adjunct to Islamic organizations” (p. 136).

“In Virginia Beach, VA, an Afghan Muslim has been converted to Christ through kindness shown to him after an accident by members of a church. In the land of the free this new Christian is now hiding in fear of being killed by an American Islamic group. The liberal news media does not consider this news worth telling. The media is suppressing and holding down the truth” (p. 146).



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