Islam’s World Peace: Now or Later?

By William J. Federer

Islam claims to be a religion of peace, but in the world of paradoxical definitions, perhaps some explanation is needed.

The word “Islam” means submission to the will of Allah. A “Muslim” is one who has submitted. Whereas most think world peace will be when people just learn how to get along, faithful Muslims think world peace will be when the whole world submits to the will of Allah. In other words, world peace means world Islam.

To a fundamental Muslim, submission to Allah means submitting to Islamic law, called Shariah. Islamic Shariah law governs every aspect of human life, including: what to believe, what to eat, how to dress, when to pray, in what direction to pray, what position to be in when you pray, how many wives to have, the correct way to beat a wife, who must accompany a woman in public, who cannot be your friends, how to treat a non-Muslim infidel, whether to drink alcohol, when to lie, when to kill an apostate, how to run a government, how to cut off the hand of a thief, how many times to whip a woman who has been raped, whether one can listen to music, whether one can play a musical instrument, what pets are permitted, how to wash parts of your body, the correct way to clean you teeth with a twig, and even what direction to face when using the restroom!

Islamic Shariah law is the complete submission of one’s life, marriage, family, community and country to the will of Allah as revealed to Muhammad.

In its fullest sense, the word “Islam” actually means the opposite of the words “freedom” and “liberty.”

But what about the majority of moderate Muslims?

Moderate Muslims believe the world will submit to Allah later, maybe at the end of the world, or maybe just figuratively. Since it is so far off in the distant future, moderate Muslims have a more relaxed, patient attitude that allows them to get along in a friendly way with non-Muslim infidels. Moderate Muslims can live comfortably in a free, democratic society.

Fundamental Muslims, on the other hand, think the world is in the process of submitting to Allah now. They are very excited and want to establish Shariah law, even justifying threats of violence and terrorism.

What are moderate Muslims, who believe the world will submit to Allah later, supposed to think when they see unprecedented acts of acceptance of Islam right now such as: The U.S. Postal Service issuing Islamic postage stamps (September 2001; October 2002); President Bush removing his shoes and visiting a mosque (Dec. 5, 2002); President Bush putting a Quran in the Presidential Library (October 2005); President Bush celebrating Ramadan for the first time in the White House (Oct. 18, 2005); U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison, a Muslim, taking his oath of office upon a Quran (2007); Presidential candidate Obama reciting Muslim prayers in Arabic, saying it is “one of the prettiest sounds on Earth at sunset” (New York Times, Feb. 27, 2007); U.S. Speaker Nancy Pelosi putting on Muslim hijab veil during a trip to Syria (April 2007); President Bush appointing a Muslim, Zalmay Khalilzad, to be the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations (April 17, 2007); President Bush removing his shoes and visiting a Mosque a second time (July 27, 2007); First Lady Laura Bush putting on Muslim hijab veil during trip to Persian Gulf (Oct. 29, 2007, Jerusalem Post); A second Muslim, Andre Carson, is elected to the U.S. Congress (2008); Presidential candidate Obama mistakenly says in a George Stephanopoulos interview, “My Muslim faith” (Sep. 7, 2008); President Barack Hussein Obama elected, whose middle name is that of Muhammad’s grandson (November 2008); President Obama bows to Saudi King Abdullah (April 1, 2009); President Obama says America is not a Christian nation (April 6, 2009); President Obama appoints devout Muslim Arif Alikhan to key position in the Department of Homeland Security (May 6, 2009); President Obama does NOT publicly recognize America’s traditional National Day of Prayer (May 6, 2009); President Obama says America is one of the largest Muslim countries (June 3, 2009); President Obama appoints Syrian-born devout Muslim Kareem Shora to key position in the Department of Homeland Security (June 5, 2009); President Obama broadcasts a Ramadan message to Muslims of the world (Aug. 22, 2009); President Obama publicly recognizes the Muslim Ramadan with a dinner at the White House (Sept. 1, 2009); Hundreds of Muslims gather at the U.S. Capitol to bow toward Mecca (Sept. 25, 2009); White House’s first full-veiled Muslim woman adviser, Egyptian-born Dalia Mogahed, praised Shariah law as “gender justice” (Oct. 4, 2009, on London-based TV discussion program “Muslimah Dilemma,” hosted by Ibtihal Bsis, a member of the extremist Hizb ut Tahrir party).

Again, the question is, what is a moderate Muslim, who believes the world will submit to Allah later, supposed to think when they see these unprecedented acts of acceptance of Islam right now, especially in a nation where 77 percent still identify themselves as Christian, 2 percent Jewish, etc.,...and only 0.6 percent Muslim? (Pew Religious Landscape Survey, 2008).

Understandably, the bipartisan actions of America’s leaders showing tolerance and acceptance of Islam are exciting for Muslims, resulting in an increased enthusiasm for their faith. As a result, many moderate Muslims are being persuaded that the world is submitting to Allah now rather than later.

Thus, the dilemma for the West is that the more it bends over backwards in unprecedented ways to show acceptance of Islam, the more moderate Muslims become enthused and gravitate to become Fundamental Muslims. They move from the moderate “LATER” peaceful camp into the fundamental “NOW” camp, which advocates Shariah law and justifies threats of violence and terrorism.

So in the world of paradoxical definitions, world peace means world Islam, and the more the West accepts Islam, the more it can expect threats of violence.

Now or later - are you ready for Islam’s world peace?

William J. Federer is a nationally known speaker and best-selling author of such books as Treasury of Presidential Quotes and America’s God and County. To order books or to contact him for speaking engagements visit www.AmericanMinute.com or call 1-888-USA-WORD (1-888-872-9673).