Raymond Ibrahim's Blog, page 19

When Muslims Are More 'Radical' than Islamists

What are the differences between the traditional Muslim and the so-called "Islamist"? As words dealing with Islam continue to morph and multiply, it is important to differentiate, for there are real, if subtle, differences. A recent Arabic talk show on...

The Real Iran

In a globalized world where debate and diplomacy predominate, there is one sure way to discern the sincerity of any particular government: see how it behaves at home, where it is in power; see especially how it treats its minorities. Consider the...

A Tale of Two Apostasies

Cases dealing with apostasy in Islam—whereby Muslims who convert to other religions are tortured and executed—are on the rise and need to be acknowledged for what they are: one of Islam's most visible attempts to suppress the human conscience—a...

Exposed: Ron Paul's Foreign Policy Ignorance and Naivety

Among other qualities, a good presidential candidate must be knowledgeable and able to think outside the box; equally important, he must not be naïve or gullible — certainly not swallow everything the enemy says hook, line, and sinker. During the recent...

Winning the Battle Against Al-Qaeda, Losing the War Against Jihad

So long as the West focuses on names and faces in the so-called "war on terror"—as opposed to focusing on ideas and motivations—so long will it possibly win battles, even as it slowly loses the war. As we approach the ten-year anniversary of 9/11, we win...

Are We Safer?

In order to decide whether we are safer today, a decade after the events of 9/11, we must first establish who "we" are. If "we" means the immediate us, you and me, this particular generation, then the situation is slightly improved: Osama bin Laden, who...

Why 'Christian' Persecution?

Some are asking why my new monthly series, "Muslim Persecution of Christians," wherein I collate and assess some of the atrocities committed by Muslims against Christians, does not include the persecution of other religious minority groups; others are...

Why the Muslim Beard Bodes Trouble

To develop a thorough understanding of Islam, one must learn to "connect the dots." For instance, Muslims who adhere to non problematic aspects of Islam, indirectly indicate their acceptance of problematic aspects of Islam—such as enmity for infidels,...

Muslim Persecution of Christians: August, 2011

This series was developed in order to collate some—by no means all—of the foulest instances of Muslim persecution of Christians that surface each month. It serves two purposes: Intrinsically, to document that which the mainstream media does not:...

"Muslim Radicalization": In the Eyes of the Beholder

Because the phrase "Muslim radicalization" has become increasingly popular in American discourse, it behooves us to establish once and for all what it means. Without an agreed upon definition, it may be that we are each talking about different things—or...