The true believers speak at IslamOnline.net

The article is about an attempt to distance Muslims from a petition drawn up by CAIR imploring non-Muslims not to believe that killing of innocents by Muslims is part of the religion.

The petition was drawn up in response to the release of a video of the alleged beheading of an American Jew, Nick Berg. I say alleged because that is what it is up to now — alleged.

Everything from the anthrax attacks to the Oklahoma City bombing was falsely blamed on Muslims. Even if the wars on Afghanistan and Iraq were handled in a properly conventional manner, without prisoner abuse and the like, they’re still daily attacks and violence.

How do we explain to a pacifist that the Qur’an states “…Say: ‘Fighting therein is a grave (offence); but graver is it in the sight of God to prevent access to the path of God, to deny Him, to prevent access to the Sacred Mosque, and drive out its members.’ Tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter,” (2:217)?

About the author - Samir Jerez is Executive Director and certified Islamic Chaplain of the 5-Pillar Foundation, Inc. of South Florida, as well as Vice President of Operations for the National Islamic Chaplains Organization in Portland, Oregon.