THE SPIRIT OF ISLAM
New York, Madrid, Beslan

by Silas

INTRODUCTION

The world is awakening to true Islam. Even Muslims are now questioning and admitting the dark aspects of their faith. The world tastes Islam’s fruit and spits it out. Throughout the world devout Muslim men and women dedicate their lives to fly planes into buildings, blow up trains, murder little children, and butcher humanity in various ways.

Hardly a week goes by without yet another fresh atrocity committed by these devout Muslims. These men spend months, if not years, planning these attacks. They know full well that they would or could possibly die, not in committing suicide, but as brave Muslim soldiers giving their lives for Allah in jihad.

Have you wondered, "What drives these Muslims to commit these horrible crimes?"

This article is about the "spirit" of Islam, that spirit that motivates and drives these men. Somehow their consciences were seared and their hearts hardened to the point where they can purposefully target children and rend them. The world sees it and instinctively knows there is something dark within Islam.

The only thing lacking is that many people are unable to differentiate between what they call, "Islamist", and real Islam. Real Islam is what Muhammad did and taught. The terrorists today, the "Islamists", are the real Muslims. They are putting into practice what Muhammad taught. They are building their lives upon Muhammad’s foundation. Fortunately, I’m now beginning to see, hear, and read, that more and more people understand that the Islam of the "Islamists" is indeed the real Islam.

If you’ve wondered how Muhammad got his start, then read the following article that describes his initial experience: www.answering-islam.org/Silas/suicide.htm.

I’ll quote a few select passages from historic Islamic source materials to provide you a summary of his experience.

"So I [Muhammad] read it, and he departed from me. And I awoke from my sleep, and it was though these words were written on my heart. (Tabari: Now none of God's creatures was more hateful to me than an (ecstatic) poet or a man possessed: I could not even look at them. I thought, Woe is me poet or possessed - Never shall Quraysh say this of me! I will go to the top of the mountain and throw myself down that I may kill myself and gain rest. So I went forth to do so and then, when I was midway on the mountain, I heard a voice from heaven saying "O Muhammad! thou are the apostle of God and I am Gabriel." Quoted from Guillaume’s "The Life of Muhammad", [3], page 106, which is his rendition of Ibn Ishaq's "Sirat Rasulallah", the oldest available biography of Muhammad. Words in [ ] type brackets are mine. Words in ( ) brackets are the author's.

But after a few days Waraqa died and the Divine Inspiration was also paused for a while and the Prophet became so sad as we have heard that he intended several times to throw himself from the tops of high mountains and every time he went up the top of a mountain in order to throw himself down, Gabriel would appear before him and say, "O Muhammad! You are indeed Allah's Apostle in truth" whereupon his heart would become quiet and he would calm down and would return home. And whenever the period of the coming of the inspiration used to become long, he would do as before, but when he used to reach the top of a mountain, Gabriel would appear before him and say to him what he had said before. Quoted from the Sahih (authentic) Hadith (traditions) of Bukhari, Vol. 9, number 111.

The summary is that Muhammad was meditating in a cave when a spirit came upon him. It seized Muhammad, squeezed him, and commanded him to read or recite three times. Muhammad was confused and frightened not knowing how to respond. He was filled with fear and scared out of his wits! After this experience he left the cave and attempted suicide. He was going to kill himself! But this spirit, who then identified himself as the angel Gabriel, stopped him from carrying out his fateful deed. During the next three years or so Muhammad continued to live in deep depression and continued to attempt suicide. Each time, just before he could jump off a cliff to his death, the spirit appeared and spoke to him, telling him that he was the "apostle of God". This stopped Muhammad from jumping. Years later Muhammad began to believe what the spirit had been telling him: Muhammad was indeed the apostle of God.

Now I understand that there are readers who do not believe in demons, demonic power, spiritual forces, or Satan. If that is your case, then at least consider and ask yourself, "What kind of mental experience did Muhammad have that caused him to be depressed and suicidal for about three years?" What force or motivation affected his mind in such a detrimental way? I’m not a psychiatrist, but I know that if you ask them about depressed and suicidal people they will tell you that something is wrong and that depressed and suicidal people have a mental disease and need treatment. Either way, something powerful affected Muhammad.

Now stop and think for a moment about what could have transpired to have caused a man to live in such an anguished mental state. Who or what did Muhammad encounter in that cave? What dark force drove him into the depths of depression, to the mental abyss of suicide?

We do have several clues! The first is Muhammad’s own words: "I thought, Woe is me poet or possessed". Muhammad initially believed that he was either insane (a poet), or had encountered a demon which possessed him. This was what he continued to believe for some time.

The second clue is that we have a reference to judge his experience by: the Biblical prophets. Muhammad believed in the Biblical prophets and he used them as an example in his lifestyle and teachings. But none of the Biblical prophets ever became suicidal and depressed because of their experience with God. For more details check out the article mentioned above at the beginning of this section. The point is that people who encounter the real God do not react as Muhammad reacted. God’s presence brought strength and healing to these people not anguish, fear, and depression.

The third clue is the fruit of Muhammad’s life. As Muhammad lived the trail of blood behind him grew ever wider. The fruit of his life was not one of peace and construction; rather it was one of violence and destruction. You can read about Muhammad’s dark side in many articles found in this index: www.answering-islam.org/Muhammad/

The fourth clue are the actions, or the fruit, of his closest followers. These men and women loved and obeyed Muhammad. Their deeds would represent what they knew he wanted them to do. And their hands are very bloody. Tens of thousands of people left Islam after Muhammad died. But the Muslim leaders forced these people to rejoin Islam, or die. Thousands were killed simply because they never wanted to be Muslims in the first place. They only became Muslims out of fear for their lives. They hoped to leave Islam after Muhammad died, but that was not to be. Finally, these very same Muslim leaders turned upon each other and within a generation, the Muslims were at each other’s throats. If you want more information about these internal Muslim conflicts and wars, read the following series of articles starting here: www.answering-islam.org/Silas/rf1_mhd_wealth.htm.

Based upon those four evidences, I agree with Muhammad’s initial analysis, that he encountered a demon or Satan himself. I believe that his life was influenced by a demonic spirit. I believe that Satan reached deep within Muhammad’s mind and soul and secured a prize.

Muhammad’s heart was darkened and he chose to believe in and obey that dark spirit. In the end, "the devil didn’t make him do it", instead Muhammad was responsible and he made that choice. Later, that choice bore terrible fruit.

MUHAMMAD’S LIFE: THE SPIRIT OF ISLAM’S POWER

As Muhammad gained power over those that rejected his claim as prophet he perpetrated crimes against them. He started out with robbery, which led to murder. Later he ordered assassinations of men and women. As he grew in power he attacked various Arab tribes killing the men and enslaving the women and children. Finally he attacked small towns. You can peruse the index given above for examples.

The point is that as his power grew, his crimes against non-Muslim people grew in number and brutality. And in many cases they parallel what the Muslims today are doing! Do the beheadings of innocent men shock you? Muhammad had hundreds of men beheaded!

To illustrate what I am talking about, I want to focus briefly on one of his crimes: Muhammad’s treatment of the Banu Qaynuqa Jews. You can find a detailed account of this, as "Incident #3," here: www.answering-islam.org/Silas/jihad.htm.

The summary of this event is that Muhammad and the Jews fought a battle. Muhammad besieged the Jews and after a couple weeks they surrendered. Note in the quote below that one of Muhammad’s conditions of surrender (in blue bold), was that the Jews would be able to leave Medina with their wives and children. However, Muhammad lied and broke his word. This account is found in Ibn Sa’d’s "Kitab al Tabaqat al Kabir", volume 2, page 32:

They shut themselves up in their fortress, so he (Prophet) strongly besieged them, till Allah cast fear in their hearts. They submitted to the orders of the Apostle of Allah, that their property would be for the Prophet while they would take their women and children with them. Then under his orders their hands were tied behind their backs. The Apostle of Allah appointed al-Mudhir Ibn Qadamah al-Slimi, of the Banu al-Silm, the tribe of Sa’d Ibn Khaythamah to tie their hands behind their backs. Abd Allah Ibn Ubayyi had a talk with the Apostle of Allah about them and entreated him (to release them). Thereupon he (Prophet) said: Leave them, may Allah curse them and curse him who is with them! He abandoned the idea of their killing and ordered them to be banished from Madinah.

You see that when Muhammad ordered the Jews to be tied up it meant that he intended to massacre them. That is why the Pagan leader, Abd Allah Ibn Ubayy, confronted Muhammad immediately and demanded that he not murder them for they were his friends. Muhammad backed down from Ubayy and let the Jews leave.

What does this event reveal to us about Muhammad’s character? Look at the deception and brutality in his heart, this so-called "prophet of Allah". He gave his word to let a defeated people leave, but then lied, tied up the hundreds of men, who had laid down their arms, and prepared to massacre them.

Is this, "an example for humanity" that the Quran claims Muhammad to be? Only the higher morality and character of a Pagan saved those Jews’ lives.

A final note on this is that a few years later Muhammad succeeded in massacring a different tribe of Jews, the Banu Qurayza. You can read about it here: www.answering-islam.org/Muhammad/Jews/BQurayza/.

THE EARLY MUSLIMS’ LIVES: THAT DARK FORCE AT WORK

The early Muslims were devoted to Muhammad. They loved him and obeyed his commands; they fought and died for him. They partook of and received into their hearts that same spirit that drove Muhammad. Like prophet, like followers.

I want to bring to light two instances that demonstrate the same dark power lived in the hearts and minds of these early Muslims.

1. The Murder of Ibn Sunayna

From Guillaume, "The Life of Muhammad", page 369:

"The apostle said, "Kill any Jew that falls into your power." Thereupon Muhayyisa b. Masud leapt upon Ibn Sunayna, a Jewish merchant with whom they had social and business relations, and killed him. Huwayyisa was not a Muslim at the time though he was the elder brother. When Muhayyisa killed him Huwayyisa began to beat him, saying, 'You enemy of God, did you kill him when much of the fat on your belly comes from his wealth?' Muhayyisa answered, 'Had the one who ordered me to kill him ordered me to kill you I would have cut your head off.'"

2. The Murder of Umm Qirfa

From Guillaume, page 665:

"... and Umm Qirfa Fatima was taken prisoner. She was a very old woman, wife of Malik. Her daughter and Abdullah Masada were also taken. Zayd ordered Qays to kill Umm Qirfa and he killed her cruelly (Tabari, by putting a rope to her two legs and to two camels and driving them until they rent her in two.)

These early Muslims could murder people at the drop of a hat. People who had once been good friends to the Muslims, like Ibn Sunayna, were slaughtered simply because they refused to believe in Muhammad. And note how the Muslim told his brother that upon Muhammad’s command he would murder him too! And look at how the Muslims treated their prisoners. They ripped apart an 80 year old woman!

Do their deeds remind you of what you see the Muslims doing today? They should. These early Muslims were motivated and driven by the same spirit that drove Muhammad.

Muhammad is Islam. Muslims are commanded to follow and obey Muhammad. His teachings, his life, and his actions are studied intensely. These Muslims adore Muhammad, they dream about him, they imitate him. In their imaginations they eat with him, fight alongside him, and endure with him. They feel his pain and weep when they remember his early sufferings. They speak of his life and say that they wish they could have been there to aid Muhammad, to fight and die for him. I know this firsthand. You can hear it in their voices. These Muslims today receive the same spirit that Muhammad received. The spiritual force that commanded Muhammad continues to live in these Muslims today.

If Muhammad and the early Muslims could commit those types of crimes then Muslims today are certainly capable of committing similar crimes. And we are seeing this happen!

Let me recap on a world wide scale: Muslims in Thailand murder Buddhists, Muslims in Kashmir murder Hindus, Muslims in the Philippines murder Christians, Muslims in Indonesia murder Christians, Sunni Muslims in Pakistan murder Christians and also Shia Muslims, and Muslims from Chechnya murder children in a region that is not involved with their conflict (North Ossetia). Muslims in Spain blow up trains of commuters, Muslims in Turkey murder various types of non-Muslims, or nominal Muslims, or atheists, Muslims in Iran murder Christians and Bahais, Muslims in Egypt murder Christians, and Muslims in Iraq murder Christians and other Muslims. Muslims in Sudan murder other Muslims, Christians, and Animists. I could go on but by now you should have caught my drift.

We are seeing that the spirit of Islam present, is the same as the spirit of Islam past. It is dark and brutal. It will use any excuse to commit and justify a crime. Osama bin Laden has said that he has a religious ruling that allows him to murder civilians because they pay taxes which support the military. In his view Islam allows him to kill civilians because they are indirect combatants. That point can be argued but many Muslims agree with and support his view.

CASE IN POINT

1) A few years ago, a young American-born male, Adam Pearlman, converted to Islam. He wrote up his conversion testimony here: www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/newmuslims/yahiye.html.

Below is an interesting quote from this testimony:

Having been around Muslims in my formative years, I knew well that they were not the bloodthirsty, barbaric terrorists that the news media and the televangelists paint them to be. Yahiye Adam Gadahn

But in October 2004, he is now quoted as issuing terrorist threats here: www.drudgereportarchives.com/data/2004/10/28/20041028_151613_abct.htm.

Compare the quote below to his earlier quote above:

The terrorist claims on tape the next attack will dwarf 9/11. "The streets will run with blood," and "America will mourn in silence" because they will be unable to count the number of the dead. Further claims: America has brought this on itself for electing George Bush who has made war on Islam by destroying the Taliban and making war on Al Qaeda. Adam Gadhan - aka Adam Pearlman, a California native

Well, it looks like Adam has proved the televangelists right! He has become a bloodthirsty, barbaric terrorist! It only took the spirit of Islam, time, and the true teachings of Islam to sear this young man’s mind and heart. Today this man will murder your parents, give him and the spirit of Islam a couple more years, and he would probably murder his own parents.

What does the future hold for the relationship between that which is Islamic and that which is non-Islamic? The same thing that it held for them in the past.

The spread of Islam was checked principally by countries that were able to fight back and defend themselves. That is what history tells you. Islam’s track record is one of war and conquest. Within 100 years after Muhammad’s death the Muslim crusaders carved out a huge empire that extended into southern France and Western China. Later, Muslim armies pushed throughout Eastern Europe and brutally subjected those peoples. They took those lands by force, killing and plundering those in their path. The European peoples had to fight to reclaim their lands and throw out the Muslim invaders.

You better expect this same track record for the future! When the Muslims feel themselves capable they will be violent. When they feel weak they will seek peace and work towards getting strong. They put into practice two contrasting principles commanded by the Quran:

When the Muslims are strong:

Therefore do not falter or sue for peace when you have gained the upper hand. God is on your side and will not grudge you the reward of your labors. (47:35)

When the Muslims are weak:

But if the enemy incline towards peace, do thou (also) incline towards peace. (8:61)

One of the difficulties in understanding Islam is that there are many rules for different occasions that can be applied. Hence, Muslims in the West will proclaim, "Islam is peace" while Muslims in the Mideast and Asia murder non-Muslims. It’s all the same Islam just different rules being applied for differing circumstances. Naive Westerners have always been easy to fool.

CASE IN POINT

In October 2004 a new video was released by Osama bin Laden. Details are found here: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20041030/ap_on_re_mi_ea/bin_laden_tape&cid=540&ncid=716.

Osama bin Laden changed his usual lofty, sharply militant rhetoric to address Americans in a more conciliatory tone - though one tinged with threat - in his new video, dropped off at the Pakistan offices of Al-Jazeera television days ahead of the U.S. presidential elections.

He said the United States must stop threatening the security of Muslims if it wants to avoid "another Manhattan" and while he did not directly warn of new attacks, he warned: "There are still reasons to repeat what happened."

"Your security is not in the hands of Kerry, Bush or al-Qaida. Your security is in your own hands," bin Laden said, referring to President Bush and his Democratic opponent, John Kerry. "Any state that does not mess with our security has naturally guaranteed its own security."

What I read in this is what the article’s writer perceived: Osama is holding out an implicit olive branch to his enemies. Why? I’ll let Adam Gadahn answer, www.drudgereportarchives.com/data/2004/10/28/20041028_151613_abct.htm:

Further claims: America has brought this on itself for electing George Bush who has made war on Islam by destroying the Taliban and making war on Al Qaeda.

Look at it from the Muslim’s perspective: America and her allies have destroyed the Taliban and wounded Al Qaeda. Afghanistan is lost, the Muslims are being watched and moved against in Europe, and even moderate Muslim states are fighting and killing the Muslim fundamentalists. The terrorist’s effort has been wounded severely. Hence Osama is implicitly asking for a "truce". Only naive and foolish Americans, like Mark Levine, would go for it: www.answering-islam.org/Silas/levine_truce.htm.

CONTEMPORARY TRACK RECORD: THE SEEDS FOR THE FUTURE

Let’s take a look at today’s Islamic track record and see what it holds for the future. Start with Pakistan. Historically, Pakistan received a great deal of foreign aid in many forms. Some of this was nuclear technology. The Pakistani government promised that they were in no way developing nuclear weapons. But they lied. They used the foolishness and naivety of Canadian benevolence, the cold war mentality of America, and the careless callousness of various European countries and secured all the pieces of the nuclear puzzle. You can read about it here: cns.miis.edu/pubs/reports/pdfs/9707paki.pdf, www.ccnr.org/myth_2.html.

To make matters worse they began to give nuclear weapon technology to other countries. You can read about it here: www.newyorker.com/fact/content/?040308fa_fact.

Because they are motivated by the spirit of Islam, Pakistanis lied, developed, and then gave away nuclear weapon technology to other rogue states. Khan understands fully the power of the weapon and he wants his side to triumph.

What do the Muslims intend to do with nuclear weapons? What do you think? Have a look at what one of Iran’s leaders has stated. He is not the only Muslim leader to say such things (http://216.26.163.62/2001/me_iran_12_17b.html).

Iran would willingly engage Israel in a nuclear war because they feel they can withstand the damage. They are not concerned about their people, they are not concerned about their neighbors who will suffer the effects of nuclear fallout, they only want to destroy those they hate: those that can successfully withstand them. And make no mistake about it, after Israel, the Iranians would turn these weapons on someone else. These Iranian leaders are motivated by the same spirit that motivates the Pakistani scientists, government officials, et. al., this same spirit that drove Muhammad.

I’m an American citizen now. What does the future hold for America and the Muslims? This is what I think will happen: www.abrahamic-faith.com/silas/Destroying%20America.html.

There is a deep, dark, power that drives these Muslims. This power is more powerful than Muhammad.

With all due respect to Dickens, I’ve used his format to illustrate real Islam. I’ve shown briefly what Islam was in the past, what it is now in the present, and what it will be in the future. I am no prophet but the character and the teachings of Islam are well established and their next steps are easily deciphered. Hang tight! You are going to be reading about more Muslim atrocities. Let your imagination run wild.

So, the question is:

Who or what is this evil power, this vile spirit, that affected Muhammad so greatly that he attempted suicide many times? Who is this spirit that motivated Abu Bakr to massacre thousands who left Islam? Who is this spirit that drove those Muslims to fly planes into buildings, blow up trains of commuters, and murder those little children?

The Bible tells us that there are spiritual powers at work that influence men’s minds. Take a look at Ephesians 6:12

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world-forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Jesus commented on the spirit we are talking about:

John 8:44: You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him.

I am saying that Satan was behind Muhammad’s experience. I say that Muhammad’s own words, found in his initial analysis, were correct. He got it right! He had an encounter with a demonic power indeed and during those years of mental anguish Satan slowly but surely warped Muhammad and during later times influenced his actions and teachings.

Muhammad was able to ‘forgive’ many sins, but he could not accept those who rejected his claim as prophet. Why? Because if their denial were true, then it would mean that Muhammad was indeed influenced, or possessed by a demon. Then suicide would once again be his only option.

Now I’m going to take this a step farther and have a deeper look. If you study the teachings of real Islam, you will learn that it has never condoned the deliberate murder of children. Yet Muslims have been murdering children for a long time. If you go back some ten years you will find Muslims in Algeria slitting the throats of Muslim children and throwing them down farm wells. You can look up photos of this in Time magazine. So it is no surprise that if devout Muslims are driven to murder Muslim children, they certainly will murder non-Muslim children. But these actions are clearly non-Islamic. Why then are these devout Muslims murdering children? Because the strong power that is behind Islam cares little for Muhammad’s man-made rules.

Satan is a destroyer. He was a murderer and liar from the beginning and so he is now. He uses people to accomplish his work. He scoffs at their weak rules. Instead, he dominates their minds and hearts and bends them to do his will. This is what he did with Muhammad. That is why the trail of blood grew ever wider behind Muhammad.

Over time, Muhammad’s new revelations became more brutal. The Quran’s chapter 9 is one of the last, and most violent, chapters in the Quran. In it Satan was able to command words of destruction. There Muhammad commands the Muslims to make war upon the unbelievers, Christians and Jews. All people were to come under Islam’s subjection or be killed. Have a look at the following articles to see just how violent authentic Islam really is!

I have shown that the spirit that dealt with Muhammad caused him great suffering and that over time it bent his mind and heart to do its bidding. This same spirit continued to live in the lives of both contemporary and later Muslims. We see this same spirit at work today in the lives of devout Muslims.

Satan’s power and strength is greater than Muhammad’s rules; Satan will have his way. Just as Satan used men to kill infants to prevent Moses’ and Jesus’ births so too Muslims today follow in those steps and kill children. You can see "Satan laughing with delight" as the Muslims throughout the world do his work. Satan is the real power behind Islam and he is having his way. Jesus came to undo the work of Satan, Muhammad was used by Satan to undo the work of Christ.

We are engaged in both a physical and spiritual war. It is going to get worse. Satan has mustered his troops and captured the hearts and minds of many a Muslim. They are intelligent, motivated, and dedicated Muslims and they are willing to die on the spot if they can effectively harm their enemies. They are waiting simply for the right time to strike. There are no guarantees about who will win in the end. Throughout history armies have murdered millions and there is nothing special about the non-Islamic world today that causes God to protect them. The unleashing of nuclear, biological, or chemical weapons in cities around the world is indeed on the table. You are dealing with men who are distorted, and their desire to kill and destroy their enemies, for Allah’s sake, is stronger than any other.

One piece of good news is that more and more Muslims are realizing this about their faith and are leaving it: Here are some links to testimonies of ex-Muslims:

The fruit is ripe and they too know it is bad. Some Muslims today are acknowledging Islam’s role in leading the world in terrorism. For example, here: msnbc.msn.com/id/5912071/. If you’re a Muslim I encourage you to review your faith, read your books for yourself, and see the dark and bloody history of Islam. Leave Islam; it’s path takes you into Satan’s jaws. Ask God to guide you, to truly guide you to the truth.

If you wish to learn more about the rationale for following the Messiah, Jesus Christ, have a look at the article, "Does Goodness Live In You?", available here: http://www.answering-islam.org/authors/oksnevad/goodness.html

The decision to follow Christ will be difficult for some people who live in anti-Christian environments. That decision needs to be supported with prayer and study. I encourage each person to think about the reality of Christ in this world.

If you are interested in starting an obedient relationship with God, examine and consider the prayer below. This prayer is written for anyone. This includes Muslims who are seeking the truth and who want to know God in a personal and truthful way.

"Lord Jesus, I believe in You. I believe that You are the Son of God and the Lord. I believe that You died for my sins and were raised from the dead. I confess that I am a sinner and I ask You to come into my heart, cleanse me from my sins, and forgive me for my sins. I turn to follow and obey You – I put my faith in you. I now receive You as Messiah and Lord and totally commit my life to You." Amen.

MARANATHA, COME LORD JESUS

November, 2004