Though some argue that it is not politically correct to say it, America and the Western Civilization are at war with Islamic terror. We are in World War Three whether we want to call it that or not.
When people do not understand history, God and religion (faith) they have no perspective and understanding of the stark reality of the current world situation. Sadly, most people want to bury their heads in the sand and do not want to listen.
There is some tough truth that most people will not mention about the world's war with terror. In order to fully understand the prevailing situation, an outline of the history of Islam sheds startling information on the war that is going on today.
Many Christians from different denominational backgrounds are being slaughtered and many are those who are feeling threatened when reading and viewing news content on all the social media of detailed barbaric acts that remind us of the dark medieval ages.
Some think that this is a new war emanating from some extremist and radical groups that have suddenly sprouted out of nowhere. But in reality it is an old war and it seems that old scores have not been settled.
As the world gazed with deep amaze at the Arab Spring as if some kind of revolution or renaissance was taking place, an evil power was brewing up the aim of which is world conquest and the persecution of those who do not agree with it.
Whereas before Gaddafi and Saddam Hussein had been viewed as tyrants, one could at least negotiate with them and they protected churches in their countries. Today there is wholesale massacre of Christians and churches have been burned to the ground.
What we are witnessing is a revival of the Ottoman Empire and the ground is being laid for the rise of a new barbaric world order run on a fascist-style religious regime. As you read right now people are being burned and beheaded and mistreated by this up-and-coming force.
Ironically, people took to the streets and rioted in cities across America over the killing of one young person but nobody seems to care that thousands upon thousands of Christians, Jews and people of other faiths and even moderate Muslims are being butchered by extreme radical Muslims who rally under the dark and sinister banner of ISIS or ISIL.
In Sura 95 of the Koran, we read, “Kill those who worship other gods beside Allah”. So right now the sentence of death is on your head if you do not subscribe to this.
It is interesting to note that in the Koran it is also stated that there should be no compulsion in following religion but later verses have taken up this previous verse and therefore the extremist interpretation of the Koran have given rise to radicalism where those who do not accept Islam have been subjected to wholesale slaughter. Many Muslims believe that these later pronouncements (often called "sword verses") should be interpreted in light of the earlier, more conciliatory revelations. They view calls to initiate violence in the same way Christians and Jews view God's commands to kill the Canaanites − essential in that formative period of Jewish history, but not precepts for us today.
Islam, which is followed by 1.7 billion adherents around the world, began with the Prophet Muhammad. Born in AD 570 in the Arabian city of Mecca, Muhammad ibn Abdallah grew to become a successful businessman in his community. Each year during the month of Ramadan (the ninth month on the Arab calendar), he would retreat to a nearby mountain called Mount Hira for contemplation and prayer.
On the 17th day of Ramadan in the year AD 610, he was gripped by an experience Muslims call "the Night of Power and Excellence". They believe that Muhammad was met by the angel Gabriel, and received the first in a series of revelations that became the Qur'an ("the Reading"). For the next 12 years, he shared these "revelations" with his family, friends, and community in Mecca. They centered in the assertion that there is only one God, and offered a conciliatory tone toward those who disagreed.
Towards the end of his life, Muhammad's preaching became even more militaristic. Within 100 years of its existence Islam had conquered all of the Middle East. Subsequently the first Muslim Caliphate had invaded Europe and took over what we now call Spain. The first Caliph of Islam was Abu Bakr. The Empire stretched up to parts of Hungary. When trying to invade France they were stopped by Charles Martel who defeated them at the Battle of Tours (732). This was the first major effort at world domination.
The second Caliphate was during World War One. Incidentally the First World War was sparked off when a young Muslim supporter from Serbia assassinated the Archduke of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and there was the resulting effort by the Ottoman Empire to link up with other nations to take over all of Europe and the world. They were defeated by the British from 1917 up to 1919.
Right now we are witnessing the third attempt at world domination by Islamic radicalism. They believe that the final Caliphate will usher in Islam's awaited Messiah.
Islam's goals of world domination through conquest, intermarriage and making converts is now taking on a fascist-style militaristic turn through extreme radicalism. Many are those who are taking a stand against this threat as they know what is happening all over the world where those who do not agree with the imposition of Sharia law are just killed, as is happening in Syria, Iraq and other places.
I am sure that nobody in their right senses wants his grandchildren to be forced in some horrific fascist religion implementing Sharia law. My prayer is that this war does not come to our shores. Indeed, the world is in a war of aggression. As Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday are approaching, this country should more than ever take up the sword of the spirit and pray and fast so that these islands will not be visited by this onslaught.
Anthony Zarb Dimech
Birkirkara