…and fake “reformers”:
Sura 9:60 explicitly says that one category of Muslims to whom alms are to be given is those toiling “in the cause of Allah.” This passage is interpreted by classical Islamic scholarship to refer to those engaged in violent jihadist operations — a proposition for which I cite Reliance of the Traveller and the annotations to the official Saudi version of the Koran that interpret sura 9:60.
It is not an answer to this to say, as Ms. Qudosi does, “I am not an Islamic scholar.” She makes that concession, by the way, in order chastise National Review because “all it takes is a little bit of research and fact-checking to make sure you know what you’re talking about, rather than indulging in bigoted statements that ensure higher readership among a fringe audience.” But who is the one who has failed to do the research and fact-checking? I’d be delighted if Ms. Qudosi’s jihad-bleached version of Islam enjoyed such broad acceptance among Muslims that the interpretation I am writing about could be described as “fringe.” Unfortunately, it is accepted by millions of Muslims the world over, precisely because it represents the Islam of authoritative Islamic scholars and jurisprudents. Saying, “I’m not a scholar,” and putting your head in the sand rather than giving us a compelling reason why these scholars have it wrong may win you applause from Westerners desperate to be convinced, or from Muslims whose idea of “reform” is to pretend that the bad stuff is not in the doctrine. But it is not going to get you anywhere with the millions of Muslims who believe al-Azhar sheikhs and other scholars who’ve spent their lives studying authoritative sources like Reliance of the Traveller are a more reliable guide.
If it were only them sticking their heads in the sand, it would be one thing, but they insist that we all do.
Because of lack of clarity or simple complicity American taxpayers currently pay the zakat.
It may not be too much longer before we’re paying the jizha.
“It won’t be long before we are paying the Jizah”
A money shot by any other name just isn’t the same.
Sorry I goofed the quotation, David H. Tried to post that from my Winphone and it just ain’t the same without a mouse.
“It won’t be long before we are paying the Jizah”
Doesn’t taxpayer funding of lefty-run schools amount to a secular form of jizya?
Rand, that critic is still correct. There is a range of interpretations of this, and of many other phrases in the Koran. The first thing that any Muslim will admit, freely is that the book is very ambiguous. The meaning of “jihad” is under discussion, for example, on whether the real “struggle” is supposed to be external, or internal within each believer’s heart.
There is a massive ongoing conflict going on within Islam over the interpretation of some of the most basic concepts. We don’t help the more peaceful and well-intentioned Muslims one tiny bit, when outsiders help the violent faction to dominate those arguments.
And no, Mr. Henderson, when you pay taxes to support public education you are paying the rent to live in a civilized society. Your comment begs the question: what have you done lately to help your own local schools to improve? (Hint: shouting at school boards does not count.)
The entire West has been paying jizyah since the 1920s or so. What, exactly, have the Arabs done to earn the countless trillions of dollars the West has paid them?