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Islam and Terrorism: What the Quran Really Teaches About Christianity, Violence and the Goals of the Islamic Jihad
The Western media declares that "at its core, Islam is moderate and tolerant of others" (New York Times Magazine). Author Mark A. Gabriel, former professor of Islamic history at Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt, disagrees. He says that terrorists are practicing Islam just as Muhammad intended. As a child, Gabriel grew up in a Muslim family in Egypt and was heavily indoctrinated. By the age of twelve he had memorized the entire Qur'an. He went on to become a top student at the most prestigious Islamic university in the world, Al-Azhar in Cairo, Egypt. As a student and professor of Islamic history, he rubbed shoulders with those who are at the forefront of propagating the tenets of Islamic terrorism. He actually took classes with Sheik Umar Abd al-Rahman, who was convicted of masterminding the 1993 World Trade Center bomb attack and is now in prison. In his book Gabriel explains: •How Islam was influenced by the warlike Arabian culture of the 7th century •Atrocities committed by Muhammad in the name of Allah •The story of the Egyptian student who came to study education in America and went on to write the first handbook of terrorism in the twentieth century •The prominence of jihad (war against infidels) in Islamic theology •How Egyptian fundamentalists murdered and robbed Christians to raise funds for terrorism •The difference between a moderate Muslim and a fundamentalist MuslimFor the readers of this book, the motive behind Islamic world activity will no longer be a mystery. Each action is obviously rooted in the philosophy of Islam. Now both the Christian and the political world must decide how to react to Muhammad's revelation.
256 pages, Paperback
First published February 28, 2002
21 people are currently reading
326 people want to read
About the author
Mark A. Gabriel
22 books34 followersDr. Mark Gabriel was born and raised in Egypt in an Islamic family. By the age of 12, Dr. Gabriel had the entire Quran memorized. He graduated from Al-Azhar University in Cairo and then became a professor of Islamic history at that university. He also served as the Imam (spiritual leader) of a mosque in Giza, where the pyramids are located.
In short, Dr. Gabriel was a highly prestigious figure in the Islamic world when one day he dared to question the authenticity of the Quran. That evening he was kidnapped by the Egyptian secret police and thrown in prison where he was tortured unmercifully for days due to questioning his religion. Miraculously, just as he was about to be executed, he was delivered from the prison by a relative with political connections.
During the next year while unemployed and living with his parents, Dr. Gabriel met a Christian pharmacist who gave him a Bible. That Bible led him to Jesus, and when he read the Sermon on the Mount, he decided to accept Jesus as his Lord and Savior. When his father discovered that Mark had become a Christian, he tried to kill him. Running for his life, Dr. Gabriel fled to South Africa where assassins were sent to kill him. Finally he fled to the United States where he was granted religious asylum.
Today Dr. Mark Gabriel is a Christian evangelist. He is also spreading the truth about Islam. He is the author of several books, including a best-seller entitled Islam and Terrorism. He has been asked by powerful governments as an adviser. He also travels the world to speak in churches, conferences and teaching in bible schools on many different topics such as, the Christian perspective on Islam, how to reach Muslems for Christ, Middle East affairs, world religions, end of time according to Islam and Christianity and the role of women in Islam and Christianity.
http://www.drmarkgabriel.com/about.html
In short, Dr. Gabriel was a highly prestigious figure in the Islamic world when one day he dared to question the authenticity of the Quran. That evening he was kidnapped by the Egyptian secret police and thrown in prison where he was tortured unmercifully for days due to questioning his religion. Miraculously, just as he was about to be executed, he was delivered from the prison by a relative with political connections.
During the next year while unemployed and living with his parents, Dr. Gabriel met a Christian pharmacist who gave him a Bible. That Bible led him to Jesus, and when he read the Sermon on the Mount, he decided to accept Jesus as his Lord and Savior. When his father discovered that Mark had become a Christian, he tried to kill him. Running for his life, Dr. Gabriel fled to South Africa where assassins were sent to kill him. Finally he fled to the United States where he was granted religious asylum.
Today Dr. Mark Gabriel is a Christian evangelist. He is also spreading the truth about Islam. He is the author of several books, including a best-seller entitled Islam and Terrorism. He has been asked by powerful governments as an adviser. He also travels the world to speak in churches, conferences and teaching in bible schools on many different topics such as, the Christian perspective on Islam, how to reach Muslems for Christ, Middle East affairs, world religions, end of time according to Islam and Christianity and the role of women in Islam and Christianity.
http://www.drmarkgabriel.com/about.html
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
January 19, 2010
I read this because some racist I have to talk to at work told me I should. Don't read it, it'll just piss you off.
February 15, 2016
At the very outset, it must be conceded that this book is highly polarising in nature. But, in the current scenarios, it provides a great insight into the psyche of an Islamic fundamentalist. Right from the difficult beginnings of Islam to it's current state of conflicts, both internal and external, this book develops a great narrative. Recommended.
December 24, 2016
New Arabic words, phrases and concepts learnt in this book include; Jizyah – tax imposed on unbelievers so that they can practice their religion; Hawiyah – Pit or Hell; Jihad – Struggle; Naskh – pronounced na-sick – to override, to become more important than something before; Al Muttaqun – The pious; Auliya – friend; Fitnah – disbelief and polytheism; Al Asram waal Mahrag – describes the spot in Jerusalem where Prophet Mohammed was miraculously transported to from the Arabian desert and subsequently went to meet God in heaven, the site is popularly known as the rock of the dome. Others are Quarysh – name of Mohammed’s tribe; El Kharij – one who goes out; Al Tokiya (method) – inside I hate you but outside I pretend to be your friend; Islam – submission; Muslim – one who submits to Allah.
Mark A. Gabriel PhD, was born in Egypt into a Muslim family. He memorised the Quran by age 12 and went to the foremost higher institution in the Islamic world, Al-Azhar University, Cairo where he spent 12 years studying Islamic history, and culture. After bagging his doctorate he became a lecturer at Al-Azhar University and also an Imam in a mosque in Giza, Egypt. He brings to bear his in-depth knowledge of Arabic, as a language, culture, religion, a system of government and his field of study to explain why and how some individuals have been able to use sections of the Muslim Holy book to perpetrate acts of violence around the world.
The book has 235 pages and 26 chapters which are grouped into 5 sections. The writing is mostly informal and its style is in the first person. However reference is made to several other documents and books which give the work a slightly formal slant.
The book starts by explaining the origins of Islam as the revelations given to Prophet Mohammed by Angel Gabriel over a period of 22 years. His revelations were recorded by those around him into a 144 chapter book called the Quran. The Hadith are another set of holy writings that record the verified accounts of things that were said and done by Mohammad. These recordings were done by those close to him like his friends, associates and wives. The hadith are a set of 6 books and are referred to by the editor of the book, E.g. hadith by Sahih Al Bukhari. Majority of Muslims consider hadith to be authoritative, Sunni Muslims accept all hadith while Shiites accept most but reject the hadith by Mohammad’s second wife.
Most Muslims practice Islam under its 5 pillars: 1) Statement of belief – there is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his messenger. 2) Prayer – Muslims are to pray 5 times daily while facing Mecca. Prayers are to be done at dawn, afternoon, late afternoon, after sunset and night. Special prayers are said on Friday. 3) Giving alms 4) Fasting – to be done in the month of Ramadan 5) Pilgrimage – to be done at least once in their life time where a 5 day ritual is followed.
Mark Gabriel categorises Muslims into three, namely; 1) The Secular Muslim, they are the majority of Muslims around the world, this is a good description of Muslims all over the world, they are nice and believe in the peaceful Islam, they reject any call to kill, they take on the cultural trappings of Islam 2) The Traditional Muslim, these are of 2 types, the first know and study Islam but have a problem with the concept of Jihad. Some consider jihad to be a spiritual battle like the Muslim Sufism movement. The second type is made up of those who believe jihad is about fighting non-Muslims but do not take action because they don’t have the ability to or they don’t want to be torn apart from their family or the pleasure of the peaceful life 3) The Fundamentalist Muslim, these are the ones who carry out acts of terrorism. They are a very tiny minority of Islam albeit very violent.
The author traces the history of Jihad from the first battle at Badr led by Prophet Muhammad to avenge the acts of spiting on him and pouring sand on him while he prayed by the Quarysh tribesmen, to the forefathers of jihad which he dates to a period between 600AD-1800. Uthman ibn Affan, the third leader of Islam after Muhammad, was killed by Muslims for numerous transgressions including moral failures and financial misappropriation. Ali ibn Abi Talib was chosen to be Islam’s fourth leader, he was respected because he was the prophets cousin and closest assistant. However the governor of El Sham (Syria) Muawiya, opposed him because the murdered Uthman was his family member. War broke out that led to two sides forming in Islam, the Sunnis were loyal to Muawiya while Ali had the Shiite following. After the death of Ali and Muawiya, Yazid, the son of Muawiya assumed leadership of Islam but Al Husayn felt he should be leader because his father Ali ibn Abi Talib, was Muhammad’s cousin and assistant and his mother was Muhammad’s daughter. Al Husayn was not powerful enough to fight Yazid both he still challenged for the title of sole leader of Islam. Both parties met in battle and Al Husayn was killed in a city called Kabala (currently in Iraq). This move made suicide missions acceptable to Muslim fighters, ‘fight even if you are going to die,’ and turned Al Husayn into a revered figure in Islam.
Ibn Taymiyah was a Syrian born Sunni in the 13th century he lived in Haran and fought against the Mongol invasion of Syria from 1299-1303. He preached a doctrine of ‘No tolerance’ and said that Mongols weren’t real Muslims and thus his countrymen shouldn’t submit to their authority. Anyone who did was killed.
Mohammed ibn Abd al-Wahhab (1703-1792) led the Wahhabi movement. This movement resisted and fought the Turkish government and overturned it. Abd al Wahhab established a new 100% Islamic nation which eventually became Saudi Arabia. The royal family of Saudi Arabia today are descendants of Abdul Aziz Bin Saud, the political leader who worked with Wahhab to establish the nation of Saudi Arabia.
The founding fathers of modern Jihad, according to the author can be traced to the 1920s when Muslim nations began to break from the authority of Europeans – British, French, Italians and Turkish – Egypt was one of those nations, it just had a president for the first time in its history. In 1924 the Turkish military leader established a secular state, upturning the succession system that had governed the Islamic world for 600 years. Fundamentalist throughout the Muslim world reacted negatively to this and those in Egypt took a prominent role. Led by Sheikh Hassan al Banna, they created the Muslim Brotherhood Movement, its goal was to re-establish the Islamic succession system as the sole form of governance for Muslims. With the formation of the state of Israel in 1948, more radical groups flourished and Arabs and Jews fought numerous wars. These groups taught their followers that leaders in Egypt and the rest of the Arab world weren’t true Muslims and should be killed until they reverted to the old forms of Islamic governance. Their activities were focused on high profile assassinations as they felt killing was the only way to make Islamic nations resubmit to Islamic law. In 1948 the Muslim brotherhood assassinated the Egyptian Prime Minister, in 1949 they made an attempt on the new Prime Minister, in 1949 they assassinated they Head of the Supreme Court of Egypt.
The author states several men as the philosophers of modern Jihad most have been killed but their works are the driving ideologies used by modern day fundamentalists. These works are banned in Muslim countries and can only be obtained in the black market. These men are;
Sayyid Qutb (pronounced Ku-tib) (1906-1965) He is the author of Signs Along the Road. He was executed by the Egyptian government for his writings, this only made him a hero amongst radicals. Though he never formed any radical group almost all extremists groups formed from the late 1940s use his work as their blue print.
Dr. Salah Serea founded Hezb al Tarir (Islamic Liberation Movement) he based his teachings on Qutb’s writing but added that leaders of Muslim countries are corrupt because they practice only 5 pillars of Islam. He said, “They enforce fasting and prayers but neglect the most important,” which he claims to be Jihad. In April 1974 Dr. Serea and his group attacked and seized an Egyptian military barrack, hoping to use it as a base for a larger war against the state. The government reacted swiftly, arresting him and all his members. In October 1975 except 29 who were given long jail terms, Dr. Serea and all members of his group were sentenced to death and executed.
Shokir Mustafa (1942-1977) founded Al Takfir wal Jijra (Repentance and Holy Flight) He authored Al Kalafa (The Leader) His philosophy was to attack Muslim institutions for conforming to circular dictates, then attack police and military formations for carrying out orders of heathen governments. He was executed by the Egyptian government in 1977.
In the early 1970s President Sadat wanted to curb the growing influence of communism in Egypt so he released jailed members of the Muslim brotherhood back in to society. The strategy worked and communism was buried but it also worked against him as these brotherhood men mentored a new group called Gama’a al-Islamiyya or Islamic Group Movement (IGM), its membership was drawn from high schools and universities. They had annual lectures that filled the football stadium, one of the key speakers at these events was a blind Sheihk called Omar Abdel Rahman (currently serving a life sentence in the USA for masterminding the 1993 truck bombing of the world trade centre) It was this group that planned and eventually carried out Sadat’s assassination in 1980. One of the regional leaders of IGM in the late 70s-early 80s was Ayman al-Zawahiri who later became Osama bin Laden’s right hand man and current head of Al Qaeda.
The author x rays The cassette War which refers to the mode in which Ayotollah Khomeni sent messages to Muslims in Iran reminding them of the suicidal sacrifice made by the father of Shiites, Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, Al Husayn. The messages led to the revolution in Iran which overthrew the monarchy of the Shah and installed an Islamic state in that country. This only makes more fundamentalists spring up in Muslim countries who want their own Islamic State.
The author states that most of the terrorism plaguing the world today was borne out of Egypt because Egypt is the highest source of Islamic knowledge. And many Muslim countries have been fighting these terrorists for decades before other nations mostly in the west knew what terrorism was.
This book is loaded and is a must read for anyone who wants to know the origins of the modern jihad, what its goals are and what motivates it.
From somewhere out there,
Michael Ombu.
Mark A. Gabriel PhD, was born in Egypt into a Muslim family. He memorised the Quran by age 12 and went to the foremost higher institution in the Islamic world, Al-Azhar University, Cairo where he spent 12 years studying Islamic history, and culture. After bagging his doctorate he became a lecturer at Al-Azhar University and also an Imam in a mosque in Giza, Egypt. He brings to bear his in-depth knowledge of Arabic, as a language, culture, religion, a system of government and his field of study to explain why and how some individuals have been able to use sections of the Muslim Holy book to perpetrate acts of violence around the world.
The book has 235 pages and 26 chapters which are grouped into 5 sections. The writing is mostly informal and its style is in the first person. However reference is made to several other documents and books which give the work a slightly formal slant.
The book starts by explaining the origins of Islam as the revelations given to Prophet Mohammed by Angel Gabriel over a period of 22 years. His revelations were recorded by those around him into a 144 chapter book called the Quran. The Hadith are another set of holy writings that record the verified accounts of things that were said and done by Mohammad. These recordings were done by those close to him like his friends, associates and wives. The hadith are a set of 6 books and are referred to by the editor of the book, E.g. hadith by Sahih Al Bukhari. Majority of Muslims consider hadith to be authoritative, Sunni Muslims accept all hadith while Shiites accept most but reject the hadith by Mohammad’s second wife.
Most Muslims practice Islam under its 5 pillars: 1) Statement of belief – there is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his messenger. 2) Prayer – Muslims are to pray 5 times daily while facing Mecca. Prayers are to be done at dawn, afternoon, late afternoon, after sunset and night. Special prayers are said on Friday. 3) Giving alms 4) Fasting – to be done in the month of Ramadan 5) Pilgrimage – to be done at least once in their life time where a 5 day ritual is followed.
Mark Gabriel categorises Muslims into three, namely; 1) The Secular Muslim, they are the majority of Muslims around the world, this is a good description of Muslims all over the world, they are nice and believe in the peaceful Islam, they reject any call to kill, they take on the cultural trappings of Islam 2) The Traditional Muslim, these are of 2 types, the first know and study Islam but have a problem with the concept of Jihad. Some consider jihad to be a spiritual battle like the Muslim Sufism movement. The second type is made up of those who believe jihad is about fighting non-Muslims but do not take action because they don’t have the ability to or they don’t want to be torn apart from their family or the pleasure of the peaceful life 3) The Fundamentalist Muslim, these are the ones who carry out acts of terrorism. They are a very tiny minority of Islam albeit very violent.
The author traces the history of Jihad from the first battle at Badr led by Prophet Muhammad to avenge the acts of spiting on him and pouring sand on him while he prayed by the Quarysh tribesmen, to the forefathers of jihad which he dates to a period between 600AD-1800. Uthman ibn Affan, the third leader of Islam after Muhammad, was killed by Muslims for numerous transgressions including moral failures and financial misappropriation. Ali ibn Abi Talib was chosen to be Islam’s fourth leader, he was respected because he was the prophets cousin and closest assistant. However the governor of El Sham (Syria) Muawiya, opposed him because the murdered Uthman was his family member. War broke out that led to two sides forming in Islam, the Sunnis were loyal to Muawiya while Ali had the Shiite following. After the death of Ali and Muawiya, Yazid, the son of Muawiya assumed leadership of Islam but Al Husayn felt he should be leader because his father Ali ibn Abi Talib, was Muhammad’s cousin and assistant and his mother was Muhammad’s daughter. Al Husayn was not powerful enough to fight Yazid both he still challenged for the title of sole leader of Islam. Both parties met in battle and Al Husayn was killed in a city called Kabala (currently in Iraq). This move made suicide missions acceptable to Muslim fighters, ‘fight even if you are going to die,’ and turned Al Husayn into a revered figure in Islam.
Ibn Taymiyah was a Syrian born Sunni in the 13th century he lived in Haran and fought against the Mongol invasion of Syria from 1299-1303. He preached a doctrine of ‘No tolerance’ and said that Mongols weren’t real Muslims and thus his countrymen shouldn’t submit to their authority. Anyone who did was killed.
Mohammed ibn Abd al-Wahhab (1703-1792) led the Wahhabi movement. This movement resisted and fought the Turkish government and overturned it. Abd al Wahhab established a new 100% Islamic nation which eventually became Saudi Arabia. The royal family of Saudi Arabia today are descendants of Abdul Aziz Bin Saud, the political leader who worked with Wahhab to establish the nation of Saudi Arabia.
The founding fathers of modern Jihad, according to the author can be traced to the 1920s when Muslim nations began to break from the authority of Europeans – British, French, Italians and Turkish – Egypt was one of those nations, it just had a president for the first time in its history. In 1924 the Turkish military leader established a secular state, upturning the succession system that had governed the Islamic world for 600 years. Fundamentalist throughout the Muslim world reacted negatively to this and those in Egypt took a prominent role. Led by Sheikh Hassan al Banna, they created the Muslim Brotherhood Movement, its goal was to re-establish the Islamic succession system as the sole form of governance for Muslims. With the formation of the state of Israel in 1948, more radical groups flourished and Arabs and Jews fought numerous wars. These groups taught their followers that leaders in Egypt and the rest of the Arab world weren’t true Muslims and should be killed until they reverted to the old forms of Islamic governance. Their activities were focused on high profile assassinations as they felt killing was the only way to make Islamic nations resubmit to Islamic law. In 1948 the Muslim brotherhood assassinated the Egyptian Prime Minister, in 1949 they made an attempt on the new Prime Minister, in 1949 they assassinated they Head of the Supreme Court of Egypt.
The author states several men as the philosophers of modern Jihad most have been killed but their works are the driving ideologies used by modern day fundamentalists. These works are banned in Muslim countries and can only be obtained in the black market. These men are;
Sayyid Qutb (pronounced Ku-tib) (1906-1965) He is the author of Signs Along the Road. He was executed by the Egyptian government for his writings, this only made him a hero amongst radicals. Though he never formed any radical group almost all extremists groups formed from the late 1940s use his work as their blue print.
Dr. Salah Serea founded Hezb al Tarir (Islamic Liberation Movement) he based his teachings on Qutb’s writing but added that leaders of Muslim countries are corrupt because they practice only 5 pillars of Islam. He said, “They enforce fasting and prayers but neglect the most important,” which he claims to be Jihad. In April 1974 Dr. Serea and his group attacked and seized an Egyptian military barrack, hoping to use it as a base for a larger war against the state. The government reacted swiftly, arresting him and all his members. In October 1975 except 29 who were given long jail terms, Dr. Serea and all members of his group were sentenced to death and executed.
Shokir Mustafa (1942-1977) founded Al Takfir wal Jijra (Repentance and Holy Flight) He authored Al Kalafa (The Leader) His philosophy was to attack Muslim institutions for conforming to circular dictates, then attack police and military formations for carrying out orders of heathen governments. He was executed by the Egyptian government in 1977.
In the early 1970s President Sadat wanted to curb the growing influence of communism in Egypt so he released jailed members of the Muslim brotherhood back in to society. The strategy worked and communism was buried but it also worked against him as these brotherhood men mentored a new group called Gama’a al-Islamiyya or Islamic Group Movement (IGM), its membership was drawn from high schools and universities. They had annual lectures that filled the football stadium, one of the key speakers at these events was a blind Sheihk called Omar Abdel Rahman (currently serving a life sentence in the USA for masterminding the 1993 truck bombing of the world trade centre) It was this group that planned and eventually carried out Sadat’s assassination in 1980. One of the regional leaders of IGM in the late 70s-early 80s was Ayman al-Zawahiri who later became Osama bin Laden’s right hand man and current head of Al Qaeda.
The author x rays The cassette War which refers to the mode in which Ayotollah Khomeni sent messages to Muslims in Iran reminding them of the suicidal sacrifice made by the father of Shiites, Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, Al Husayn. The messages led to the revolution in Iran which overthrew the monarchy of the Shah and installed an Islamic state in that country. This only makes more fundamentalists spring up in Muslim countries who want their own Islamic State.
The author states that most of the terrorism plaguing the world today was borne out of Egypt because Egypt is the highest source of Islamic knowledge. And many Muslim countries have been fighting these terrorists for decades before other nations mostly in the west knew what terrorism was.
This book is loaded and is a must read for anyone who wants to know the origins of the modern jihad, what its goals are and what motivates it.
From somewhere out there,
Michael Ombu.
October 29, 2008
I found this book useful, given my general lack of understanding of Islam and it's connection to modern Islamic terror. What better person to learn from than one who was a professor of Islamic History at Egypt's Al-Azhar University? Mark Gabriel is on the run literally for his life. He gave himself this name and lives wondering if he will be found out and captured or killed.
The book is an easy read divided into roughly three parts. The first part is the story of this man's conversion from Islam to Christianity. It is a fascinating story. He tells how even as a professor of Islam, by asking reasonable questions and raising issues of the Quran, he was kidnapped, tortured, and even threatened death by his own father. This was not because he converted, only because he raised questions.
His forced estrangement from Egypt led him to eventual salvation and now has a passion for reaching other Muslims for Christ.
The middle section of the book is a very condensed history of Islam. It is well-informed, because Gabriel obviously knows what he is talking about, but you do get a sense that he's leaving a lot of details out as he covers "highlights" in chapters spanning 100 years at a time. Once he gets to the 20th century, the history pacing changes and slows considerably so that the reader has a better understanding of the connections to middle east conflicts and modern day terror.
The final section is very useful and could be taken out of the book and made into a pamphlet, though having the entire book for context wouldn't hurt. The short final section deals with evangelizing Muslims, how they perceive the Bible and Jesus, issues of their conversion and discipleship, and how difficult the transition from a life of bondage to Islam can be to move to a life of freedom in Christ.
One of the things Gabriel mentioned several times was the fact that the Muslim can never be certain of Allah's approval (except through martyrdom). Yet in Christ, salvation is assured for the believer: "I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life." (I John 5:13)
The book is an easy read divided into roughly three parts. The first part is the story of this man's conversion from Islam to Christianity. It is a fascinating story. He tells how even as a professor of Islam, by asking reasonable questions and raising issues of the Quran, he was kidnapped, tortured, and even threatened death by his own father. This was not because he converted, only because he raised questions.
His forced estrangement from Egypt led him to eventual salvation and now has a passion for reaching other Muslims for Christ.
The middle section of the book is a very condensed history of Islam. It is well-informed, because Gabriel obviously knows what he is talking about, but you do get a sense that he's leaving a lot of details out as he covers "highlights" in chapters spanning 100 years at a time. Once he gets to the 20th century, the history pacing changes and slows considerably so that the reader has a better understanding of the connections to middle east conflicts and modern day terror.
The final section is very useful and could be taken out of the book and made into a pamphlet, though having the entire book for context wouldn't hurt. The short final section deals with evangelizing Muslims, how they perceive the Bible and Jesus, issues of their conversion and discipleship, and how difficult the transition from a life of bondage to Islam can be to move to a life of freedom in Christ.
One of the things Gabriel mentioned several times was the fact that the Muslim can never be certain of Allah's approval (except through martyrdom). Yet in Christ, salvation is assured for the believer: "I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life." (I John 5:13)
December 14, 2015
It looks like this book written only to please a certain group of people. Writers own intro is in conflict being a converter from Muslim to a Christian. He only shared his own thoughts without any solid reasoning to defend his believes. He said he met a Christian women/ family and converted. If his family was cruel to him, his country was cruel to him it does not mean that the Religion of Islam is wrong but the people who misinterpret Islam due to the lack of their knowledge and lack of their understanding.
No one could be Muslim until he recognized and accept the Jesus/Christ. But Muslims also believe in Muhammad (PBUH) & His preaching based on Quran & Hadees. This is the difference between Muslims and Christians/non-believers. We believe in Jesus and Christ but we also believe in Muhammad (PBUH) then why Christians are so rigid not to accept and believe in Muhammad. If they do definitely they will be Muslims. Islam refined to its extent after Jesus/Christ by Muhammad (PBUH).
I can feel sorry for the writer he moved from light to darkness and now defending himself by writing such books. He even could do the same to be a Muslim but there are certain ways. But he also chose the same way, he was already criticizing.
The truth of the Universe is ''Everyone will die'' & then everyone will know the truth but that time would be too late. Before this happens, every human is responsible to find the truth no matter which religion he/she belongs to. Without being biased you will find the truth if you wanted to, otherwise lives of human beings will remain in dark.
No one could be Muslim until he recognized and accept the Jesus/Christ. But Muslims also believe in Muhammad (PBUH) & His preaching based on Quran & Hadees. This is the difference between Muslims and Christians/non-believers. We believe in Jesus and Christ but we also believe in Muhammad (PBUH) then why Christians are so rigid not to accept and believe in Muhammad. If they do definitely they will be Muslims. Islam refined to its extent after Jesus/Christ by Muhammad (PBUH).
I can feel sorry for the writer he moved from light to darkness and now defending himself by writing such books. He even could do the same to be a Muslim but there are certain ways. But he also chose the same way, he was already criticizing.
The truth of the Universe is ''Everyone will die'' & then everyone will know the truth but that time would be too late. Before this happens, every human is responsible to find the truth no matter which religion he/she belongs to. Without being biased you will find the truth if you wanted to, otherwise lives of human beings will remain in dark.
March 23, 2021
Excellent book that not only provides an in depth background to the development of Islamic terrorism but also a mirror to view the West’s responses and actions that have helped and even accelerated the growth of extremist groups across the globe.
A very good starting point for anyone interested in gaining a better understanding of the at times complicated study of Islamic terrorism.
A very good starting point for anyone interested in gaining a better understanding of the at times complicated study of Islamic terrorism.
August 11, 2018
Written by a former Islamic history professor and clergyman from Egypt, this book gives an insider’s view of what the purportedly “peaceful” religion of Islam is really about. It starts with the author’s testimony of how he became disillusioned with his religion, and then eventually became a Christian. Abducted and tortured by Egyptian authorities and then threatened by his father with death for abandoning the Islamic religion, he eventually fled to the United States. Since 911, he has felt compelled to not only tell people about Christ, but also to warn them about the true agenda of Muslim adherents.
Although I have read other books by and about Islam, this one was unique in how systematically it relates the background, teachings, interpretation and application of the Koran and other traditional and modern texts of Mohamed and his followers.
I had no idea that Mohamed’s earlier peaceful texts were overruled by his later, more militant writings. When Muslims were the minority, Mohamed’s teachings were more winsome and conciliatory. These are the passages that proponents of Islam like to quote to assure Westerners that only the extremist minority are out to destroy them. However, as Mark Gabriel masterfully explains, devout Muslims know that their prophet later revealed that true Muslims are called to spread their religion to the whole world. They are authorized, commanded and commended to use deception, violence and extortion to promote their ideals. Their objective is to incorporate Islamic law not only into the religious but civic sectors of every nation until every person on the planet is numbered among the faithful or properly contrite.
The author shows how Egypt has been a breeding ground for Muslim extremism and terrorist movements. He quotes from books by jihadists that have been banned and are available only through the black market, yet they are the primers of modern terrorists. He warns that their latest objective is to take the war to Western nations—to subvert them through lies and subject them by inflicting heavy civilian casualties that leave them fearful and weak.
What is especially wonderful about this book is that the final section focuses on how to minister to Muslims and point them to Christ. The author explains cultural sensitivities, such as not placing a Bible on the floor or dressing immodestly. He also gives instruction on what your message should be to win Muslim souls.
Every minister should read this book in order to understand the hearts of these people. Political and military leaders should read it, so that they are aware of the schemes and tactics of those who oppose any government but those devoted to the advancement of Islam. I also recommend this book to any average individual who wants to know what Islam is really about and not be fooled by the unsuspecting liberal media or Islamic propaganda.
Although I have read other books by and about Islam, this one was unique in how systematically it relates the background, teachings, interpretation and application of the Koran and other traditional and modern texts of Mohamed and his followers.
I had no idea that Mohamed’s earlier peaceful texts were overruled by his later, more militant writings. When Muslims were the minority, Mohamed’s teachings were more winsome and conciliatory. These are the passages that proponents of Islam like to quote to assure Westerners that only the extremist minority are out to destroy them. However, as Mark Gabriel masterfully explains, devout Muslims know that their prophet later revealed that true Muslims are called to spread their religion to the whole world. They are authorized, commanded and commended to use deception, violence and extortion to promote their ideals. Their objective is to incorporate Islamic law not only into the religious but civic sectors of every nation until every person on the planet is numbered among the faithful or properly contrite.
The author shows how Egypt has been a breeding ground for Muslim extremism and terrorist movements. He quotes from books by jihadists that have been banned and are available only through the black market, yet they are the primers of modern terrorists. He warns that their latest objective is to take the war to Western nations—to subvert them through lies and subject them by inflicting heavy civilian casualties that leave them fearful and weak.
What is especially wonderful about this book is that the final section focuses on how to minister to Muslims and point them to Christ. The author explains cultural sensitivities, such as not placing a Bible on the floor or dressing immodestly. He also gives instruction on what your message should be to win Muslim souls.
Every minister should read this book in order to understand the hearts of these people. Political and military leaders should read it, so that they are aware of the schemes and tactics of those who oppose any government but those devoted to the advancement of Islam. I also recommend this book to any average individual who wants to know what Islam is really about and not be fooled by the unsuspecting liberal media or Islamic propaganda.
May 19, 2017
4.5 stars [Islam]
The best book on Islam I have read. It doesn't have the depth of abd el Schafi's work, or the breadth of Elass's, but it is written from perhaps the highest "ranking" Muslim ever to find Jesus--a professor of Al-Azhar. And it is the best book for the novice to pick up. All from someone of unimpeachable Islamic theological credentials.
Gabriel (not his birth name) also provides an ideological history of jihad, of course detailing the ideas of Muhammad and the Four Rightly-Guided Caliphs, but also talking about El-Kharij, ibn Taymiya, Sayyid Qutb, the IGM, Dr. Salah Serea, Shoukri Moustafa, and Sheikh Abdel Rahman. He himself studied under Abdel Rahman.
Finally, the already-informative book raised itself from a low 4.5 star to a high one when it spent a chapter talking about the positive things that a Christian can do to show love and set captives free.
Highest recommendation.
The best book on Islam I have read. It doesn't have the depth of abd el Schafi's work, or the breadth of Elass's, but it is written from perhaps the highest "ranking" Muslim ever to find Jesus--a professor of Al-Azhar. And it is the best book for the novice to pick up. All from someone of unimpeachable Islamic theological credentials.
Gabriel (not his birth name) also provides an ideological history of jihad, of course detailing the ideas of Muhammad and the Four Rightly-Guided Caliphs, but also talking about El-Kharij, ibn Taymiya, Sayyid Qutb, the IGM, Dr. Salah Serea, Shoukri Moustafa, and Sheikh Abdel Rahman. He himself studied under Abdel Rahman.
Finally, the already-informative book raised itself from a low 4.5 star to a high one when it spent a chapter talking about the positive things that a Christian can do to show love and set captives free.
Highest recommendation.
August 12, 2017
This book was written by a former top professor on Islamic History at one of the top Islamic Universities, if not the top Islamic University - so, you could say that this guy knows his stuff. In this book, Mark Gabriel (his psuedo-name) reviews the facts of the history of Muhammad, Islamic roots, Islamic factions, and shows from their own book(s) that their mission is to take over the world, with one rule - use whatever means you find most effective! That's truly scarey, but we see it today - Look at America! Our corrupt government has been letting in Muslims by the tens of thousands! And slowly but surely leaders are bowing under their pressure. The only escapes: prayer to the One True God, and preaching the Truth! Jesus defined Islam as " The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy...". Jesus is right!
February 11, 2011
This is an excellent look at Islam from a former professor of Islamic History at Al-Azhar University (the leading Islamic school in the world), in Cairo, Egypt. He left Islam, and explains the roots of Islam, the teachings of Muhammad, the principles of Nasihk and al Taquiya, and the core of Islam as taught in the Quran. It is interesting to note, however, that most Muslims in the world do not follow the teachings of Muhammad as laid out in the Quran... most reject his philosophy of jihad. Very very interesting read, and sheds some light on the current plight in Egypt.
February 3, 2015
This book begins with an biography of the author's perspective and experiences after he converted to Christianity in a society and nation built up by the religion Islam. In my opinion, it's disturbing what he's being put through in his own nation, for being a non-believer.
The author of this book writes in a somewhat narrow perspective, and not as a general introduction to Islam's many parts and aspects. If we want anything meaningful to convey to the Islam world, there must be an unconditional solidarity. You should read the book, and judge for yourself.
The author of this book writes in a somewhat narrow perspective, and not as a general introduction to Islam's many parts and aspects. If we want anything meaningful to convey to the Islam world, there must be an unconditional solidarity. You should read the book, and judge for yourself.
October 16, 2017
Outstanding! Highly recommend this book if you want to understand Islam and what's happening in the world. Incredible testimony from Egyptian Muslim Professor (changed his name) when converted to believe in Jesus. Explains so you can understand the history of Islam and why America, Europe, Jews and Christians are the targets of Jihad. Eye opener and written with love and a Christian call to prayer!
March 17, 2010
This book provided a comprehensive overview of Islam from a man who studied the Quran and the history of Islam his whole life. He gives facts and quotes from the Quran to give insight into what it truly teaches. He even gives thoughts about how to speak to Muslims about the deception of Islam. It's a quick and informative read.
May 10, 2015
Good intro to Islam and history of terrorism. The author also explains the teachings of Islam concerning Jesus Christ. He gives his personal testimony of coming to Christ while he was a professor of Islamic studied and the persecution he experienced before fleeing Egypt. An easy but worthwhile read.
September 11, 2007
Very interesting look at the teaching of Islam and how they relate to radical terrorists. Plus, a personal story of the Egyptian author (professor of Islam) who converted to Christianity and was almost murdered by his family several times before escaping to the US.
August 22, 2008
Very good and informative book, i found radical islam very well explained, was surprised a couple times throughout the book, a must read for anyone interested in knowing more about radical islam and terrorism.
August 13, 2013
Very informating and exposing. I was so into the book that i finished in 3days, something I have never done with any other book plus 256 pages! You need to read.
October 6, 2014
Very interesting and enlightening.
March 9, 2015
Excellent read on the truth about Islam and its history to date. A must-read for all in our pluralistic society.
March 17, 2018
very informative book about a Muslim who converted to Christianity. a little terrifying to know the truth about the Koran
March 18, 2019
Great info and learned a lot of details I was missing. Strongly recommend the book to all.
May 30, 2022
I read this book as a sort of a crash course into Islam, particularly the radical aspects of the faith. I wanted to know, why there were people who were willing to strap a bomb to their chests and blow themselves to kingdom come?No mercy, no negotiations , no pardons and no exceptions.
I have to admit that the person who asked those questions and the one who finished the book are different people. Hindsight being 20 twenty and all. To answer the question, according to the book, the reason is faith. Duh ! That’s a knee jerk response, I’d think. However the longer I considered the answer as I read the book, the more complex the answer seemed to become. Faith as a word is simple enough it entails, belief and is entangled with hope. As a concept it becomes more, I considered how throughout history, wars have been fought for various reasons, but to a greater extent, they have been fought in the name of faith.
It brought into question what I or any random individual would consider “ worth dying for”, family or close loved ones would be at the top of the list, followed by what is ours like our home, maybe prized belongings. Such would be the answer any of us would give, and various statistics and daily news would prove us right ,but history teaches a different lesson, on a grander scale mankind has killed and been killed over ideals, concepts like Freedom, Democracy, Patriotism, and yes, Faith. So why do it, why sacrifice all, family, common decency, ones’ very life? “ Faith is the reason”. So says the author. But faith in what, what rationale or story can you possibly spew in my face to make me believe that This particular brand of faith is more worthy of life, yours, mine and everyone else’s ?
The book makes an attempt to decipher this question, but this book takes the approach from the authors’ own experience and life. In that the reason for the faith is not sound or worth it, due mostly to the fundamentalists’ flawed interpretation of the Quran, leads them to take an antiquated viewpoint that translates poorly in the modern world, we’re not in mecca or Medina fighting the holy war, no, that’s where those billionaires with the silk white robes and pet leopards with the diamond studded collars live now!
That’s not the point though, the point is that the holy war is for man’s eternal soul right, life of excess and lavishness and immorality doesn’t warrant this much violence does it? But culture of excess and immorality and pornography and a culture of alcoholics and drug addicts that stand as role models for society is exactly what the fundamentalists saw when they looked at America, stopping that from reaching their own shores seemed like a good justification to hijack four planes and yeet them at the World Trade Center and Pentagon buildings. To preserve their way of life, and to strike back at those who have impeded their way towards establishing their dar ul Islam ( place of peace)! How ironic.
I have much to learn on the subject, but this book is good start, the author really tried to remain dispassionate on his approach. Considering the task and his experiences, he did a great job.
I have to admit that the person who asked those questions and the one who finished the book are different people. Hindsight being 20 twenty and all. To answer the question, according to the book, the reason is faith. Duh ! That’s a knee jerk response, I’d think. However the longer I considered the answer as I read the book, the more complex the answer seemed to become. Faith as a word is simple enough it entails, belief and is entangled with hope. As a concept it becomes more, I considered how throughout history, wars have been fought for various reasons, but to a greater extent, they have been fought in the name of faith.
It brought into question what I or any random individual would consider “ worth dying for”, family or close loved ones would be at the top of the list, followed by what is ours like our home, maybe prized belongings. Such would be the answer any of us would give, and various statistics and daily news would prove us right ,but history teaches a different lesson, on a grander scale mankind has killed and been killed over ideals, concepts like Freedom, Democracy, Patriotism, and yes, Faith. So why do it, why sacrifice all, family, common decency, ones’ very life? “ Faith is the reason”. So says the author. But faith in what, what rationale or story can you possibly spew in my face to make me believe that This particular brand of faith is more worthy of life, yours, mine and everyone else’s ?
The book makes an attempt to decipher this question, but this book takes the approach from the authors’ own experience and life. In that the reason for the faith is not sound or worth it, due mostly to the fundamentalists’ flawed interpretation of the Quran, leads them to take an antiquated viewpoint that translates poorly in the modern world, we’re not in mecca or Medina fighting the holy war, no, that’s where those billionaires with the silk white robes and pet leopards with the diamond studded collars live now!
That’s not the point though, the point is that the holy war is for man’s eternal soul right, life of excess and lavishness and immorality doesn’t warrant this much violence does it? But culture of excess and immorality and pornography and a culture of alcoholics and drug addicts that stand as role models for society is exactly what the fundamentalists saw when they looked at America, stopping that from reaching their own shores seemed like a good justification to hijack four planes and yeet them at the World Trade Center and Pentagon buildings. To preserve their way of life, and to strike back at those who have impeded their way towards establishing their dar ul Islam ( place of peace)! How ironic.
I have much to learn on the subject, but this book is good start, the author really tried to remain dispassionate on his approach. Considering the task and his experiences, he did a great job.
Read
October 29, 2021In
Islam and Terrorism: What the Quran Really Teaches About Christianity, Violence and the Goals of the Islamic Jihad
by Mark A. Gabriel, a former professor of Islamic history at Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt, we see that terrorists are practicing Islam just as Muhammad intended.
Mark was a student of Sheik Umar Abd al-Rahman, who was convicted of masterminding the 1993 World Trade Center bomb attack. When one day he challenged the Sheikh on his insistence on the use of force, the Sheikh was inflamed though he managed to mask it. He says that Islam is not a religion of freedom - when you convert to Islam, you can not convert back to wherever the hell you came from or defect to another religion (this is debatable, there are examples of Islamic defectors). He says that when he converted to Christianity, Islamic assassins wanted to kill him for many year. But that might be the Islam of years ago.
Mark shows how Islam was influenced by the warlike Arabian culture of the 7th century -Atrocities committed by Muhammad in the name of Allah, the philosophy of jihad (war against infidels) in Islamic theology. For instance, Egyptian fundamentalists murdered and robbed Christians to raise funds for terrorism, how some Islamic extremists use the name of the Allah to kill innocent people, just like Mohammed did.
There is a lot of literature out there about Islam, most of it serving the interests of their writers, or presenting (sometimes) biased view of their authors. Generally, I know that in any religion there are moderates and fundamentalists, and Islam is not spared.
Principally, there is no religion that is exclusively about peace or war. There will be extremes, and fanatics will be born out of necessity of such extremes. Every religion is about absolute belief in its own superiority and the divine right to impose its version of truth upon others, and whichever religion gets more believers, it becomes more dominant, powerful, and superior than others.
But well, I ain't gonna lose sleep over what the right religion is --- no religion lasts forever. They live up to 3,666 years, and they die, others come up.
Mark was a student of Sheik Umar Abd al-Rahman, who was convicted of masterminding the 1993 World Trade Center bomb attack. When one day he challenged the Sheikh on his insistence on the use of force, the Sheikh was inflamed though he managed to mask it. He says that Islam is not a religion of freedom - when you convert to Islam, you can not convert back to wherever the hell you came from or defect to another religion (this is debatable, there are examples of Islamic defectors). He says that when he converted to Christianity, Islamic assassins wanted to kill him for many year. But that might be the Islam of years ago.
Mark shows how Islam was influenced by the warlike Arabian culture of the 7th century -Atrocities committed by Muhammad in the name of Allah, the philosophy of jihad (war against infidels) in Islamic theology. For instance, Egyptian fundamentalists murdered and robbed Christians to raise funds for terrorism, how some Islamic extremists use the name of the Allah to kill innocent people, just like Mohammed did.
There is a lot of literature out there about Islam, most of it serving the interests of their writers, or presenting (sometimes) biased view of their authors. Generally, I know that in any religion there are moderates and fundamentalists, and Islam is not spared.
Principally, there is no religion that is exclusively about peace or war. There will be extremes, and fanatics will be born out of necessity of such extremes. Every religion is about absolute belief in its own superiority and the divine right to impose its version of truth upon others, and whichever religion gets more believers, it becomes more dominant, powerful, and superior than others.
But well, I ain't gonna lose sleep over what the right religion is --- no religion lasts forever. They live up to 3,666 years, and they die, others come up.
October 27, 2023
The book provides a thought-provoking exploration of the Quran's teachings and their relation to violence and jihad, offering valuable insights into a complex and critical subject. It's a must-read for those seeking a deeper understanding of the intersection of religion and extremism in the contemporary world.
April 13, 2024
First of all, I mean no disrespect to anyone of any religion.
The Author begins by saying that he was raised and taught about the Quran all the way to earning a PhD from a highly prestigious University.
I think it is an honest answer to what is occurring in our World every day.
Read it our not, your choice! Read on fellow readers👍
The Author begins by saying that he was raised and taught about the Quran all the way to earning a PhD from a highly prestigious University.
I think it is an honest answer to what is occurring in our World every day.
Read it our not, your choice! Read on fellow readers👍
Read
January 14, 2020Stop spreading falsehoods about islam. If anybody is honest in their desire to look for the truth, please read this web page I stumbled upon: https://www.alislam.org/articles/isla...
Read
December 28, 2020really couldn't stand stand the author at most times, it felt like he was writing out of anger or something and in most cases felt to actually provide any logical reasoning or facts besides this was done to me, i went through this and we are just to take that as fact of what happens to everyone,
March 29, 2019
Pretty disturbing.
December 27, 2020
einfach und verständlich geschrieben; sehr informativ.
January 11, 2021
The testimonial is very interesting. The rest of the book is a bit meh; commentary on the Quran
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