Jerry C. Brewer
EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is an email message I received from the website of The Gospel Preceptor in 2004. It was written in response to an article we published about our correspondence with the U. S. Postal Service concerning its “Eid” stamp. The message is here printed in its entirety, without grammatical correction. Paragraphs are numbered for reference in our reply which follows.
The Message
Dear Editor:
1-I read Jerry Brewer ’s commentary Islam and the U. S. Postal Service and almost vomited all over myself in disgust. I was entirely appalled. His request that the Post Office discontinue their line of Eid stamps seems to me both erroneous and, for lack of an altogether more appropriate word, idiotic. The Islamic celebration of Eid follows a month of fasting and, like Islam itself, is no way representative of the attacks on the World Trade Centers.
2-Ramadan, the holy month during which Muslims abstain from food, water, smoking, and sexual relations from dawn until sundown, is a time for spiritual renewal and a test of willpower for Muslims worldwide. The strength of the Islamic devotion to the One True God is most manifest during this month; the ‘brawn’ of Islam lays in the faith of its believers, not in the few misguided individuals who, as the Post Office reply explained, ‘hide behind an incorrect interpretation of the Muslim religion’.
3-Unfortunately, the terrorists who attacked our country on the 11th of September are not the only individuals who harbor this ‘incorrect interpretation’. Mr. Brewer is also guilty of an offense ultimately more dangerous than the threat of terrorism, and that is ignorance. His discussion of the Qu’ran demonstrated clearly an inability to analyze. Yes, the Qu’ran does appropriate punishment to the ‘infidels’ or non-Muslims. Christianity does the same because it preaches that those who do not trust in Jesus Christ (peace be upon him) as God’s son and mankind’s savior will be damned to hell.
4-It is our own ability to search out the truth and adhere to it that separates the ‘infidels’ from the ‘believers’ in any and every religion. The ‘punishment’ discussed in the Qu’ran is surely hell, not war waged against innocent non-Muslims.
5-Muslims are taught to respect the faith of others, and in a Muslim society that follows the word of the Qu’ran, all non-Muslims are guaranteed every basic civil, legal and human right guaranteed to Muslims, including the right to respect their respective religion.
6-Mr. Brewer also, and I assume inadvertently, revealed the simplest truth about Islamic warfare: ‘And fight for the cause of God against those who fight against you: but commit not the injustice of attacking them first: God loveth not such injustice’. In the Qu’ran, God guarantees his followers the right to protest himself or herself against physical attack, or religious persecution, but does not condone a Muslim to instigate any such violence. One can ‘fight for the cause of God’ against those and only those ‘who fight against you’.
7-A Muslim understands, as does a Christian, that this life on earth is merely a bridge into the hereafter. Therefore, if a Muslim is denied the right to worship God through Islam, he or she is allowed to defend themselves not only against bodily attack—warfare—but also against any oppressors that deny them their ability to fulfill their purpose on earth: to worship God and live for Him alone.
8-The United States is a country founded on the ideal of freedom, and one of those freedoms guaranteed to all of its citizens is that of religion. Not only is Islam a peaceful religion, demonstrated throughout the Qu’ran and by the life of the Prophet (peace be upon him), a man who only fought in defense of his religion or to protect those being persecuted for their beliefs, but the word ‘Islam’ itself is derived from the Arabic word ‘salam’ or ‘peace’.
9-It seems that Mr. Brewer ’s hatred for this religion, a hatred culminated in an infantile request to abolish a series of stamps, stems from his own insecurity about that which he preaches. Why else would he feel the need to falsely deride a religion that teaches humility, a submission to God, peace, and the brotherhood of man? Perhaps because Islam is also a religion that is the fastest growing faith not only in America, but also on Earth.”
Signed: Lora AlKhawam, Elmhurst, IL
Our Reply
Paragraph 1-Despite her near-vomiting experience, “disgust” and characterization of the editor as “idiotic”, one cannot really believe that Lora AlKhawham is a Muslim. She writes, “…Islam…is in no way representative of the attacks on the World Trade Center,” yet every thug who participated in the hijacking of those planes and the commission of mass murder on Sept. 11, 2001 was a Muslim seeking the martyrdom which is taught in the Qu’ran.
Islam was born of the violence and profligacy of Muhammed and propagated at the point of a sword. The Qu’ran demands death for those who refuse to embrace it.
The view of modern Islamic activists, that ‘Islam must rule the world and until Islam does rule the world we will sacrifice our lives,’ (Al-Badr spokesman Mustaq Aksari, CNN, Sept. 19, 2001) is neither extreme nor even remarkable from the standpoint of traditional Islam. It has been divinely sanctioned from the moment Muhammed had established a safe power base in Medina: ‘O Prophet, Rouse the believers to the fight,’ the Qu’ran orders (8:65), and promises that 20 Muslims, ‘patient and persevering,’ would vanquish 200 unbelievers; if a hundred they will vanquish a thousand. Allah further orders the faithful to fight the unbelievers and be firm with them (9:123) (Serge Trifkovic, The Sword of The Prophet, Regina Orthodox Press Inc., Boston, 2002, p. 87).
On Sept. 11, 2001 there were only 18 Muslims who were ‘patient and persevering’ who murdered thousands of innocent men, women and children. AlKhawam surely cannot be a Muslim if she denies this fundamental teaching of Muhammed’s book.
Paragraph 2-Now the U. S. Postal Service is an authority on Islam! AlKhawam needs to read her own “holy book” instead of parroting the misguided, politically correct, and ignorant, theological meanderings of a lower level postal bureaucrat. See the reply in paragraph 1.
Paragraph 3-The charge is made that my discussion demonstrates “an inability to analyze”. I can read the Qu’ran. What “analysis” is necessary? When Muslims are commanded to kill us “infidels,” what analysis is needed? That’s pretty plain language for anyone—even a Muslim—who can see through a ladder.
Perhaps AlKhawam will “analyze” this from the Qu’ran: “O, Prophet, exhort the believers to fight. If there be of you twenty steadfast, they will overcome two hundred and if there be of you a hundred, they shall overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve, because they (the disbelievers) are a folk without intelligence” (Sura 8:65).
Not only does the ‘All forgiving Allah’ command his followers to kill anyone who is not a Muslim, but he is also says that all non-Muslims are so stupid that they will be unable to defend themselves and therefore deserve death (Rick Popejoy, “Religious Toleration of Muslims In Islamic States,” Islam—From God or Man?, Spring Bible Institute Lectureship, Spring, Texas, 2003, Ed. David P. Brown, p. 433).
AlKhawam then says that Christianity also teaches punishment of unbelievers. But there is one major difference in punishment of unbelievers in the two religions. In Christianity, God will take vengeance on unbelievers at the last day (2 Thess. 1:6-10). That’s a far cry from Muhammed’s bloody religion which authorizes its followers to act as judge, jury and executioner of innocent “unbelievers”. You see, in Christianity final vengeance is God’s, not man’s. But Islam looses its hordes upon the “kafir” (infidels according to them) in “holy” pogroms in this life.
Paragraph 4-Some of the punishment discussed in the Qu’ran is hell. But AlKhawam ignores the obvious references in that evil book which not only authorize, but demand, Muslims to murder unbelievers.
Paragraph 5-This one borders on what AlKhawam calls, “idiotic”. Here it is in its entirety that readers may have it before them: “Muslims are taught to respect the faith of others, and in a Muslim society that follows the word of the Qu’ran, all non-Muslims are guaranteed every basic civil, legal and human right guaranteed to Muslims, including the right to respect their respective religion.”
I suggest that AlKhawam go to Saudi Arabia and hand out Bibles or some of A. G. Hobbs’ tracts on the streets of Mecca or Riyadh. Saudi Arabia is the cradle of Islam and a “Muslim society”. But distribution of Bibles or tracts which teach New Testament Christianity will be punished by death in that land, and any Muslim who converts to Christianity in that society will meet the same fate. Let AlKhawam do those things in Saudi Arabia and demonstrate to us how “tolerant” Islam is. Note the following:
Although the Qu’ran states that ‘there is no compulsion in religion,’ Islamic states often interpret (“analyze?”, JCB) that to mean that, ‘there is no competition within religion’ within their borders. Iraq, Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Pakistan, Indonesia, Kuwait and Egypt are among the countries blasted by the State Department’s year 2000 Report on International Religious Freedom. In hard core Muslim countries, any Muslim who violates tawhid by becoming a Christian may forfeit his life, family, or property. In several ‘moderate’ Muslim countries are stowed behind walls within which Bibles and church bulletins must remain (Jack Evans, The Cross or The Crescent?, Wichita Falls, TX: Western Christian Foundation, 1977, p. 9).
Paragraph 6-The Qu’ran demands death for all “kafir” (infidels) who do not embrace Islam. If AlKhawam were a true Muslim, she would know that from Sura 8:65.
Paragraph 7-Here is an “inadvertent” statement from AlKhawam. Christianity demands all Christians to submit to the governing powers (Rom. 13), but to obey God if those powers’ laws conflict with His (Acts 5:29). The Bible does not authorize Christians to inflict bodily harm on those who persecute them (Matt. 5:11-12, 43-45). But AlKhawam admits that the Qu’ran authorizes a Muslim to fight and kill their persecutors. The Christian is enjoined to pray for his enemies, while Islam says to lop off their enemies’ heads. A “peaceful religion?” You decide.
Paragraph 8-“The life of the prophet” demonstrates that Islam is a religion of “peace?” This statement again shows that AlKhawam is not a true Muslim. The life of Muhammed was one of treachery, murder, fearful vengeance, robbery, and hatred of all who disagreed with his profligacy. After his flight to Medina, which had a sizable Jewish population, Muhammed began plotting vengeance against the merchants of Mecca with a small gang of criminals.
This was the beginning of Muhammed’s trail of violence, hatred and bloodshed that would soon destroy the once flourishing culture of Arabia. The story has been documented in detail by his biographers: surprise raids on trade caravans and tribal settlements, the use of plunder to recruit an ever growing army of greedy desperadoes, assassinations of opponents, blackmail, expulsion and massacre of Jews of Medina, attack and enslavement of the Jews in Khayber, rape of women and children, sale of these victims after rape, trickery, treachery and bribery employed to their fullest extent to grow the numbers of his religion, Islam, which, ironically, was supposed to mean ‘Peace’” (Popejoy, 429, 430).
Does true Islam, demonstrated by ISIS, come to mind?
Paragraph 9-AlKhawam’s argumentum ad hominem is the last refuge of scoundrels who have no defense for their evil doctrines. Saying, “Mr. Brewer’s hatred for this religion, a hatred culminated in an infantile request to abolish a series of stamps, stems from his own insecurity about that which he preaches”, she attacks the messenger instead of addressing the issues. But that’s Islam for you. Kill the “unbelievers”. “Mr. Brewer’s…own insecurity?” “…I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day” (2 Tim. 1:12). Yes, I hate Islam. “Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way” (Psalms 119:104), but I do not hate Muslims. Jesus Christ tasted “death for every man” (Heb. 1:9) and that includes every Muslim—one of which AlKhawam is.
Moreover, AlKhawam’s statement that Islam is, “the fastest growing faith not only in America but also on Earth,” neither proves her case nor negates the facts of Islam’s bloody beginning and perpetuation through the centuries. I’m sure those wicked people who surrounded Noah could have said, “Noah, we are the largest group in the world, so that proves you are a first class nut for building this silly ark.” Numbers do not constitute truth (Ex. 23:2; Matt. 7:13-14) and there is absolutely no truth from God in Islam.
