Islam's rules for POWs (Geneva Convention comes second)

News24.com ^ | March 24th, 2003

[Sabertooth]

London - Prisoners of war in Iraqi hands will be treated in accordance with "the teachings of Islam," Iraq's Foreign Minister Naji Sabri told the BBC on Monday.

Sabri, in Egypt to rally Arab governments against what he called US and British "colonialism, neo-colonialism and war," said Islamic principles took precedence over the Geneva Convention.

"First of all, we are committed to the teachings of Islam. We are faithful Muslims. We take care of our prisoners of war in accordance with our teachings of Islam," he told BBC radio's The World At One program.

"We are committed first of all to the teachings of Islam, and second we are committed to the conventions of Geneva in dealing with the prisoners of war," he said.

"We are the people who created law when the grandfathers of Mr Blair and Mr Bush (British Prime Minister Tony Blair and US President George W Bush) were living like animals in the caves," he said.

Sabri left Baghdad under heavy bombardment to travel via Syria to the Egyptian capital Cairo where the 22-nation Arab League was meeting to try and reach consensus over the US-led invasion to oust Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

He spoke to the BBC amid US and British outrage that five captured US soldiers had been shown on Iraqi television in a weekend broadcast that also included footage of four US corpses.

Sabri would not comment on military tactics, except to claim that the latest situation was "excellent."

[Verginius Rufus]

Actually, Saladin was a Kurd from Tikrit (Saddam's home town--he was born in a village near Tikrit). Saladin retook Jerusalem, but the Crusaders held some places in the Holy Land for about another 100 years (and even regained Jerusalem briefly).

The Kurdish language is written in the Arabic script, but it is an Indo-European language, more closely related to English than to Arabic.

[infowarrior]

Saladin wasn't an Arab, but a "despised" Kurd...

the infowarrior

[BlackVeil]

"The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and his messenger and strive after corruption in the land will be to be killed or crucified, or have their hands and feet and genitals cut off, or to be expelled out of the land. Such will be their humiliation in the world, and in the next world they will face an awful horror." (Koran, 5:33-34)

Where did you get that one from? I have noticed that quotations from the Koran are often falsified - words put in or out. In that case, the mention of cutting off genitals is not in the original text. Here is one standard translation:

The only recompense of those who make war against Allah and His Messenger and who strive hard to create disorder in the land, is (according to the nature of the crime) that they be executed or crucified to death, or that their hands and feet be cut off on account of their opposiiton, or the free movement in land be banned, by exile or imprisonment. This would mean ignominy for them in this world, and there awaits them in the Hereafter a severe punishment.

Different, however, is the case of those who turn with repentance before you overpower them. And know that, surely, Allah is the Great Protector, Ever Merciful.

[Verginius Rufus]

So what's the use of having any treaties with Islamic countries, if they can unilaterally decide at any moment that they don't have to keep their commitments on the grounds that Islamic law supersedes the treaty?

[skinkinthegrass]

Good Response.. :|

[skinkinthegrass]

I think your right... :)

[skinkinthegrass]

...reincarnation of King Nebuchadnezzer...

It was Saladin, the Great...I pretty sure.

[BlackVeil]

Saddam is reported to see himself as a modern-day successor to Saladin Yes, and I wonder how he dares. Saladin was very humane and merciful to his prisoners (they were sorry to leave him) and also to people under his rule. Other Islamic rulers, such as Suleiman the Magnificent, were very cruel to their prisoners, even forcing them to kill each other. Reading out verses of the Koran doesn't give the full picture - it is up to whoever has power to set his own standards.

[Silent_Friend]

Just wanted to mention that the last picture you posted is a Russian poster saying:

"Thank our dear Stalin and our (communist) party for a happy and joyful youth years."

The similarity of these two evil man is striking.

[Lorenb420]

Where did you get that one from? I have noticed that quotations from the Koran are often falsified - words put in or out. In that case, the mention of cutting off genitals is not in the original text

I actually got it from another thread here on FR. I don't recall which one specifically, but I'll see if I can dig it out.

That's interesting about the quotes, I'll have to check that out, thanks for pointing it out.

[johnfl61]

Evil Islam is at it again

[Maeve]

Thank you for your very informative posts on this thread.

[Maeve]

I understand in Hebrew and Aramaic that "feet" are sometimes used as a euphimism for genitalia. I will have to ask my mother how that is in Arabic as I only know a little bit and she is fluent.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

OFFICIAL BUMP(TOPIC)LIST

[Verginius Rufus]

In Judges 3.24, the expression "covering his feet" is used to mean "relieving himself."

[Kozak]

According to Islam prisoners can:

Convert to Islam

Become slaves
or

Die......

[Madcelt]

Lt! Why is Hussiens legs blown off!!! We'll Sir, We stopped to verify our position near the minefield, we did'nt think the crazy SOB would try to run through it! Well lt where are the Rest of the war criminals? Sir Policing the minefield for Saddam toes. Good!! Your keeping the environment clean.

[Natural Law]

In the course of human history history each time the philosophies of the east have clashed with free men of the west they have been dealt humiliating defeats. We are about to extend the streak.

[Victoria Delsoul]

"First of all, we are committed to the teachings of Islam. We are faithful Muslims. We take care of our prisoners of war in accordance with our teachings of Islam," he told BBC radio's The World At One program. "We are committed first of all to the teachings of Islam, and second we are committed to the conventions of Geneva in dealing with the prisoners of war," he said.

What does this mean? Torture and abuse?