A lesson in Taqiyya

This post is by way of being a reference, in this case, an article on the concept of "Taqiyya" or deceit, in Islam, by Raymond Ibrahim at the Middle East Quarterly. I have a lot of respect for Ibrahim. One of his books is, or should be, a must-read for western policy-makers, though it seems to have been read by virtually none.  

That's  "The Al-Qaeda Reader"in which Ibrahim translates key documents from Al Qaeda that he found in Arabic in the Library of Congress, ignored and unread. I've read that book and it certainly opened my eyes to the real motivation of the group Obama's administration has fingered as our "existential enemy”. 

In short, Al Qaeda's motivation is NOT grievances (Iraq/Afghanistan wars, Israel/Palestine and so on), it is a world-view of the necessary global dominance of Islam and Sharia law.  

One of the tools to that end is Taqiyya.  Even the concept of "taqiyya" itself is subject to Taqiyya: there's a reference work on Islamic terms that I have in my library, one by an Islamic apologist, in which the term "taqiyya" does not even appear!  And yet, it is well known... to Muslims.  And now, settle down, print out and follow:  Ibrahim on Taqiyya...

Islam must seem a paradoxical religion to non-Muslims. On the one hand, it is constantly being portrayed as the religion of peace; on the other, its adherents are responsible for the majority of terror attacks around the world. Apologists for Islam emphasize that it is a faith built upon high ethical standards; others stress that it is a religion of the law.

Islam's dual notions of truth and falsehood further reveal its paradoxical nature: While the Qur'an is against believers deceiving other believers—for "surely God guides not him who is prodigal and a liar"[1]—deception directed at non-Muslims, generally known in Arabic astaqiyya, also has Qur'anic support and falls within the legal category of things that are permissible for Muslims.

Read on (if the link rots, see pdf here )