Good and/or Bad Muslim

John R. Houk
© January 9, 2010

Bill Warner writes an essay on what is a good or bad Muslim.

In essence Warner says a good Muslim is one who follows the example of Mohammed exactly. That example incorporates intolerance, supremacy ideology, sex-slavery, marauding for slaves and booty from non-Muslims, all around violence against the kafir or Muslim apostates. The implication is that all Muslims that follow the WHOLE example of Mohammed are good Muslims. Those that do not follow the WHOLE example of Mohammed are bad Muslims. Hence the bad Muslim is that Muslim neighbor or co-worker that exemplifies what is good by Western Standards which Warner uses the Christian Golden Rule as the example. The Wikipedia citation claiming Islam has a Golden Rule is a bit deceptive. The Quranic references to the closest example of the Golden rule only apply to fellow Muslims. The Medina-Quranic references which call for humiliating violence against kafir abrogate the more peaceful Suras.

Frankly I believe Warner is right on the mark. However, I sense he misses a point about Muslims in goodness and badness. I am certain there are Muslims that are not practicing deception and follow the doctrine they are taught which has been publicized to Westerners as the Greater Jihad. The Greater Jihad is thought to be an inner struggle to overcome that which haram or haraam (closest thing to Western sin). The Lesser Jihad is the Jihad that the West is all to clear on its outward actions; i.e. the employment of violence to terrorize kafir to convert to Islam or die.

Those Muslims that emphasize “Greater Jihad” in their lives (wittingly or unwittingly) would be the individuals that the West calls moderate. Then there are the Muslims who pretend to be moderate toward Westerners as Taqiyya (deception) in order not to be persecuted (in their minds) for the belief in the practice of pure Islam according to the example of Mohammed.

JRH 1/9/10