Islam: The West’s 'Most Formidable and Persistent Enemy'

American Thinker ^ | Raymond Ibrahim

[RoosterRedux]

At the height of Western dominance over Islam in the early twentieth century, the European historian Hilaire Belloc (b. 1870) made a remarkably prescient observation that may have seemed exaggerated at the time:

Millions of modern people of the white civilization -- that is, the civilization of Europe and America -- have forgotten all about Islam. They have never come in contact with it. They take for granted that it is decaying, and that, anyway, it is just a foreign religion which will not concern them. It is, as a fact, the most formidable and persistent enemy which our civilization has had, and may at any moment become as large a menace in the future as it has been in the past” (from Belloc’s The Great Heresies, emphasis added).

Anyone who doubts that Islam has been “the most formidable and persistent enemy which our civilization has had,” should familiarize themselves with that civilization’s long militant history vis-à-vis the West.

According to Islamic history, in 628, Muhammed, the Arabic founder of Islam, called on the Byzantine Emperor, Heraclius -- the symbolic head of Christendom -- to recant Christianity and embrace Islam. The emperor refused, jihad was declared, and the Arabs invaded Christian Syria, defeating the imperial army at the pivotal Battle of Yarmuk in 636 [... which one prominent historian described as the world’s “most consequential”].

This victory enabled the Muslims to swarm in all directions, so that, less than a century later, they had conquered the greater, older, and richer part of Christendom, including Syria, Egypt, and North Africa.

Their drive into Europe from the east was repeatedly frustrated by the Walls of Constantinople; after the spectacularly failed siege of 717-718, many centuries would pass before any Muslim power thought to capture the imperial city.

[Hoosier-Daddy]

Nuke it from orbit. It’s the only way to be sure.

[CommerceComet]

Don’t forget the attempts to sneak Sharia law into our courts like has been done in Great Britain. I’m surprised that liberal women aren’t up in arms against Shariah that makes women only a little higher than chattel. Could you imagine the outrage that would ensue if someone proposed the principle from the Koran that the testimony of one man is equal to the testimony of two women be adopted in any domestic setting?

[litehaus]

Charlemagne , Sobieski etc etc ‘saved’ what we now have from dying many moons ago....

[Hoosier-Daddy]

I would have to guess that over the past millennium, Islam has given Socialists a run for their money wrt killing people.

[Albion Wilde]

bump for later

[Capt. Tom]

I call all Americans to read the Koran. After reading it you will understand that it is indeed the religion of absolute conquest and submission.

I would caution anyone reading then Koran to understand the chapters are not in order as given to Muhammad by Allah thru the angel Gabriel.

There are two groups of chapters, the earlier ones when Muhammad was in Mecca for about 13 years founding the religion by preaching and using no violence
The later chapters were from Medina,200 miles to the north, where Muhammad and his friend abu Bakhr fled for their lives, and was there for about 10 years until his death.
In Medina Muhammad preached and successfully used the sword for conversions, these are the violent chapters.

On the internet you can find out the order of the chapters and I would suggest you read in order the Mecca chapters first and then the Medina chapters last.
Also read Bukharis hadiths as they are also a big part of Islam as are other Hadiths. - Tom

[aimhigh]

Islam is also the Middle East’s worst enemy. It has subjugated them for too long.

[Machavelli]

Yes, I do know that the suras (chapters) are not in chronologic order. It became evident, however, which suras were from time in Mecca and those written in Medina. Keep spreading the truth.