Did Prophet Muhammad Warn Us of ISIS 1,400 Years Ago?
I read and shared this post today about the Quran predicting the Islamic State. I don’t usually support using the biblical text to say that this or that particular event in modern times was prophesied. Similarly, I don’t support using the Quran that way.
The reason I like this article, though, is that it demonstrates prophets as what I DO think they are, not soothsayers but astute observers of politics and human nature who predict very well the way people will act based on their observations.
I don’t know the Quran as well as I know the Bible, but I do know the Bible says in many places and ways, valuing one part of creation over another, valuing one group over another, valuing one person over another, is the root of evil in the world and will lead to the downfall of a civilization. If the Quran predicted ISIS, what they predicted is that when one group thinks itself superior to others, it will bring evil to the world.
Similarly some say the Bible predicted the Holocaust, perpetrated in a Christian country by so-called “Christians”. It did in the same sense that the Quran predicts ISIS: when one group sees itself as superior to another, that path will culminate in evil.
Before we go too far in seeing even radical so-called “Muslims” as some species other than ourselves, it’s probably a good idea to look at ourselves and the ways we see ourselves, or our group, as better than others and the impact that has on the world.
I heard today that Illinois is among the states that are refusing to take in any Syrian immigrants. I kind of remember an Oklahoma City bombing conducted by bona fide Americans, not immigrants. And daily murders and mass shootings in cities all over this country by fellow Americans, not immigrants.
Does it make any sense at all to say these Syrian immigrants are so different from us, that we are better than they, that they are more likely than we to harbor evil-doers, people intent on killing us? Especially if we pause for a moment in the hysteria to consider the lengthy vetting process they will go through while living in a detention camp before they are admitted to this country.
The vast majority are middle class people like us, people forced to leave behind their homes and possessions and escape to find safety.
I shudder to think what would happen to the powers-that-be in Illinois who made this small-minded, fear-driven decision if they ended up in the same situation and the world responded to them as they are currently responding to others in the world less fortunate than they.
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This is beautifully said, Leslie.
I had no idea Illinois was one of the states “refusing” Syrian refugees–as if they could do this. The declaration is an outrageous act of cowardice. Despicable.
Thank you for your level-headedness, for your loving heart.
Thanks, Pam. I kind of hesitated to put it out there. I hate sounding like a preacher. It was either write or harangue my family, people I love and who are the proverbial choir anyway. Or choke on my frustration. All the states who are taking this position (and the number is growing rapidly) have Republican governors.
Well said, Leslie. I read your article to two friends that I’m with right now in FL, and it engendered a discussion that we’re having right now. It’s food for thought.
Thanks, Jane – and my goodness, the news just keeps getting worse and worse. 50 senators that are refusing to take refugees (creating a lousy climate for those refugees even if the government does force the states to take them, which they can do) – and a vote in Congress on Thursday about defunding the refugee program. We should probably send back the Statue of Liberty.