Dean Esmay { 06.09.08 at 7:29 pm }No one's paying any attention to your cherry-picked, out-of-context quotes. No one who's studied the subject with an open mind and heart, anyway.
None of those who take the time to talk to an actual Imam who's part of the Western world, or any of the actual practicing, believing, proud Muslims who comment around here would give you the time of day. As well they shouldn't. The "facts" you spew are factoids from a paranoid, ignorant, out-of-context point of view.
Go jack off to pseudoscholars like Robert Spencer. The only Muslims who think like you are people like Bin Laden. Congrats on validating their worldview, traitor.
Your inability to debate the facts is noted; your gratuitous insults accepted as a negative reflection of your own character. Robert Spencer previously dissected Esmay, at Jihad Watch.
Now its time to rehash the facts Dean Esmay prefers to ignore, one by one in a series of posts, beginning with Al Anfal 12.
8:12 (Remember) when your Lord inspired the angels, "Verily, I am with you, so keep firm those who have believed. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who have disbelieved, so strike them over the necks, and smite over all their fingers and toes."Hilali & Khan do not supply commentary for this ayeh, but Abdullah Yusuf Ali does.
v.12 : The vulnerable parts of an armed man are above the neck. A blow on the neck, face or head, finishes him off. If he has armour it is difficult to get at his heart. But if his hands are put out of action, he is unable to wield his sword or lance or other weapon, and easily becomes a prisoner.Tafsir al-Jalalayn has an interesting cast on this ayeh.
When your Lord inspired the angels, with whom He reinforced the Muslims, [saying]: "�I am with you, with assistance and victorious help, so make the believers stand firm, by helping [them] and giving [them] good tidings. I shall cast terror, fear, into the hearts of the disbelievers; so smite above the necks, that is, the heads, and smite of them every finger!", that is, [smite] the extremities of their hands and feet: thus, when one of them went to strike an disbeliever's head, it would roll off before his sword reached it. The Prophet (s) threw a handful of pebbles against them and every single idolater was struck in his eye, and thus they were defeated.Tanwir al-Miqbas min Tafsir Ibn �Abbas is slightly different.
(When your Lord inspired the angels) it is also said that this means: when your Lord commanded the angels, ((saying:) I am with you) I will help you. (So make those who believe stand firm) in war; it is also said that this means: give those who believe the good news of victory. (I will throw) cast (fear into the hearts of those who disbelieve) the fear of Muhammad (pbuh) and his Companions. (Then smite the necks) their heads (and smite of them each finger) each shaped finger.Notice that in this tafsir, fear of Moe and his Companions is specified. This interpretation is consistent with another ayeh.
59:13 Verily, you (believers in the Oneness of Allah - Islamic Monotheism) are more awful as a fear in their (Jews of Bani An-Nadir) breasts than Allah. That is because they are a people who comprehend not (the Majesty and Power of Allah).Of which Ibn Kathir says:
(Verily, you are more fearful in their breasts than Allah.) meaning, the hypocrites fear you more than they fear Allah, as He says; (Behold! a section of them fear men as they fear Allah or even more.)(4:77) This is why Allah said, (That is because they are a people who comprehend not.) Allah then said, (They fight not against you even together, except in fortified townships, or from behind walls.) meaning, they will not fight Muslims except from behind besieged fortified forts, because of their cowardice and fear of Muslims. They only fight when they have to defend themselves (even though they threaten Muslims of reprisals).
Muhammad Assad says the Angels were not directly involved in fighting. Ibn Kathir interprets it differently.
Allah's statement, (I will cast terror into the hearts of those who have disbelieved.) means, `you -- angels -- support the believers, strengthen their (battle) front against their enemies, thus, implementing My command to you. I will cast fear, disgrace and humiliation over those who defied My command and denied My Messenger, (so strike them over the necks, and smite over all their fingers and toes.) strike them on their foreheads to tear them apart and over the necks to cut them off, and cut off their limbs, hands and feet. It was said that, (over the necks) refers to striking the forehead, or the neck, according to Ad-Dahhak and `Atiyyah Al-`Awfi. In support of the latter, Allah commanded the believers, (So, when you meet (in fight Jihad in Allah's cause) those who disbelieve, smite (their) necks till when you have killed and wounded many of them, then bind a bond firmly (on them, take them as captives).) )47:4( Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said, "In the aftermath of Badr, the people used to recognize whomever the angels killed from those whom they killed, by the wounds over their necks, fingers and toes, because those parts had a mark as if they were branded by fire.''Note the additional elements of disgrace & humiliation.
I will conclude this installment with relevant ahadith which indicate that casting terror was more than prophecy.
Bukhari 1.7.331 ...Allah made me victorious by awe, (by His frightening my enemies) for a distance of one month's journey...
Bukhari 4.52.220 ...I have been made victorious with terror (cast in the hearts of the enemy), ...Allah said that he would cast terror into the hearts of the Kuffar and commanded Muslims to attack mutilate & kill them.Allah described the Kuffar as being cowardly, afraid of Moe & his army. Moe said that awe/terror made him victorious. From the readily available tafsir and related ayat, we see that the meaning of 8:12 is clear on its face. Terror is a sanctified battle tactic.
Ben 06/10/08
Edited 16:35
Edited 16:50
Labels: Dean Esmay, Hadith, Islam, Qur'an, tafsir, terrorism
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