I have seen how well respected Ayutollah Khomeini is in the Islamic world. Most especially among those who are the most orthodox of muslim. It would behoove us then to consider his view on jihad and how it relates to the muslim and the world at large.
The following is a quote from Khomeini in response to aplogists who took a more tolerant view of jihad.
"Islam makes it incumbent on all adult males, provided they are not disabled and incapacitated, to prepare themselves for the conquest of [other] countries so that the writ of Islam is obeyed in every country in the world.
But those who study Islamic Holy War will understand why Islam wants to conquer the whole world.... Those who know nothing of Islam pretend that Islam counsels against war. Those [who say this] are witless. Islam says: Kill all the unbelievers just as they would kill you all! Does this mean that Muslims should sit back until they are devoured by [the unbelievers]? Islam says: Kill them [the non-muslims], put them to the sword and scatter [their armies]. Does this mean sitting back until [non-muslims] overcome us? Islam says: Kill in the service of Allah those who may want to kill you! Does this mean that we should surrender to the enemy? Islam says: Whatever good there is exists thanks to the sword and in the shadow of the sword! People cannot be made obedient except with the sword! The sword is the key to Paradise, which can be opened only for Holy Warriors! There are hundreds of other [koranic] psalms and Hadiths [sayings of the Prophet] urging Muslims to value war and to fight. Does all that mean that Islam is a religion that prevents men from waging war? I spit upon those foolish souls who make such a claim."
While Jesus understood and taught that a change of heart was needed in order for people to be obedient Muhammad taught, as Khomeini pointed out, that a sword pointed at that heart is what is required for obedience. I wonder then where such declarations leave those who fancy Islam a religion of peace and tolerance. Like the Ayutollah I have a few questions of my own. Should we wait until Islam has conqered the world to admit it is a threat? Should we wait until Sharia law is our Constitution to acknowledge Islam is not tolerant of other views? If Muhammad were alive today do we truly believe he would counsel his followers to tolerate and live in harmony with people of other religions?
I would also like to give the Dictionary of Islam's definition of jihad since it is succint and to the point.
jihad- a religious war with those who are unbelievers in the mission of Muhammad,k It is an incumbent religious duty, established in the Quran and in the traditions as a divine institution, enjoined specially for the purpose of advancing Islam and of repelling evil from Muslims.
A wise person once said, "All it takes for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing." And that has become the modum operandi for much of the world in relation to Islam for years now. It is time to shed this crippling political correctness and call this disgusting ideology to account.
