Saturday 27 May 2017

Amir Khan accuses terrorists of "twisting Islam" as he urges people to turn in would-be bombers - Mirror Online

When it comes to the latest jihadist atrocity, one of the variations of the "it's-nothing-to-do-with-Islam" crowd is that the murderous jihadis are "twisting Islam".
So says British boxer Amir Khan.
As usual with such apologists they never say in what way the murdering jihadis are "twisting", or "perverting" or "hijacking" their Religion of Peace™.
Amir Khan says killing of "innocents" is not allowed in the Koran. Problem is, that's not correct. First: if you're an unbeliever, that is not a Muslim I are by definition not innocent. You're fair game.
The one and only verse that mentions innocents (5.32) is qualified. And in any case has a monster loophole -- creating "corruption in the land", renders the innocent guilty, with "corruption" widely defined.

Note the above clip from the images of a google search of 5.32.  It is typical of the way this verse is quoted by apologists. It's the source of the apologia that the Koran does not allow the killing of "innocents".
But note what is left out.  Here's the verse in its entirety (from Sahih Muslim, one of the best interpretations of the Koranwith the ignored parts in blue italics:
Because of that, We decreed upon the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul [innocent] unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land - it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one - it is as if he had saved mankind entirely. And our messengers had certainly come to them with clear proofs. Then indeed many of them, [even] after that, throughout the land, were transgressors.
So, first up, it's directed at the "Children of Israel" (ie. Jews), not at Muslims! And then you have the verse immediately after, namely 5.33. This one covers what can be done (or must be done) to those who have done corruption. It's pretty bloodthirsty.
Indeed, the penalty for those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and strive upon earth [to cause] corruption is none but that they be killed or crucified or that their hands and feet be cut off from opposite sides or that they be exiled from the land. That is for them a disgrace in this world; and for them in the Hereafter is a great punishment,
It is very clear that this is not the peaceable verse that apologists would have us believe, when put in its full context.  Indeed the opposite.  Directed at the jews, who, if they cause "corruption" -- which "many of them" have done -- must be dismembered or crucified.
Khan may not know this. Or if he does, he hides it as do many Muslim apologists.
The plain fact of the matter is that the Koran is chock full of verses that tell Muslims to kill infidels. You don't have to cherry pick to find these verses. They are in every page. The cherry picking is to find the peaceable passages. They're few and far between and even then qualified, as is the one mentioned above.
Boxer Amir Khan has another angle: that there are good and bad in every religion. Yes. But. Has he not noticed that it's virtually always it's Muslims?
Just today we hear that 38 Coptic Christians in Egypt were randomly gunned down on a bus. Murdered for being Christian. One guess the religion of the shooters.

[I should give Khan his due: asking fellow Muslims to turn in suspected bombers is good!]

LATER. I just heard the main Imam of Manchester say they the Manchester mass murderer had issues, psychological, familial and so forth. A twist on the "nothingtodowithislam" line.
Why not more self-reflection from a religion that makes such claims for itself. Instead of reflexive defensiveness and deflection.
Also says Salman Abedi "twisted" Islam.  Of course not saying how.