The History of Jihad
By Robert Spencer
Bombardier BooksReviewed by Jack Kettler
Robert Spencer’s bio:
Robert Spencer is the director of Jihad Watch, and the author of nineteen books, including the New York Times bestsellers The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (and the Crusades) and The Truth About Muhammad. His latest book is The History of Jihad.
Mr. Spencer has directed seminars on Islam and jihad for the FBI, the United States Central Command, United States Army Command and General Staff College, the U.S. Army’s Asymmetric Warfare Group, the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), the Justice Department’s Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council and the U.S. intelligence community. He has discussed jihad, Islam, and terrorism at a workshop sponsored by the U.S. State Department and the German Foreign Ministry. He is a consultant with the Center for Security Policy and vice president of the American Freedom Defense Initiative.
What others are saying about Robert Spencer:
“Robert Spencer is one of my heroes. He has once again produced an invaluable and much-needed book. Want to read the truth about Islam? Read this book. It depicts the terrible fate of the hundreds of millions of men, women, and children who, from the 7th century until today, were massacred or enslaved by Islam. It is a fate that awaits us all if we are not vigilant.” - Geert Wilders, member of Parliament in the Netherlands and leader of the Dutch Party for Freedom (PVV)
“Spencer argues, in brief, 'There has always been, with virtually no interruption, jihad.' Painstakingly, he documents in this important study how aggressive war on behalf of Islam has, for fourteen centuries and still now, befouled Muslim life. He hopes his study will awaken potential victims of jihad, but will they--will we--listen to his warning? Much hangs in the balance.” - Daniel Pipes, president, Middle East Forum and author of Slave Soldiers and Islam: The Genesis of a Military System
“Jihad is not mere terrorism. Ironic as it may seem, that is Western wishful thinking. From its inception, as Robert Spencer incontestably illustrates, jihad has been the outward, aggressive expression of a conquest ideology. The History of Jihad: From Muhammad to ISIS is as relentless in relating unvarnished truth as is the phenomenon it tracks in seeking domination--and never being satisfied with less, however long it takes. Those who care to preserve Western rationalism, civil liberties, and free societies must confront this history, and its implications, with eyes opened.” - Andrew C. McCarthy, bestselling author, former federal prosecutor, and National Review contributing editor
Important definitions:
Allah: One God (Allah in Arabic).
Caliph: (khalif,) the Caliph is a political-religious leader of the Muslim community.
Dhimmitude: The state of subjection and oppression of non-Muslims under Islamic rule. Enslavement or servitude of the non-Muslims then becomes a whole outlook on life and way of dealing with things.
Jihad: Commonly translated as Holy War, the defense of Islam against its enemies.
Kafir One who does not believe in Allah, or in the content of the Qur'an, or in the prophetic status of Muhammad.
Qur'an: The sacred text of Islam.
Taqiyya: not showing their faith openly by means of pretense, dissimulation, or concealment, is a special type of lying.
My thoughts on Spencer and this new book:
Mr. Spencer continues to distinguish himself as a champion of religious and civil liberties. This latest book, The History of Jihad is the first of its kind. The fake media and feckless politicians and ecumenical leaders who continue to promote the “religion of peace” canard are shown “To have no clothes,” paraphrasing “The emperor has no clothes.”
Never before has the wealth of information in this book been placed into one volume. Historically, Islam has been relentless in ongoing military campaigns. Spencer accounts how modern-day slavery and dhimmitude are dark realities of Islamic conquest. Spencer chronicles the1400 years of bloodshed, murder, rape, pillaging, and slavery done in the name of Islam since its inception. It cannot be disputed after reading Spencer’s book, that the history of Islam is the history of jihad. This is true if Islam in operating under an empire like that of the Ottoman Turks or an individual jihadist.
When a Muslim jihadist screaming “Allahu Akbar” runs over people on the streets or stabs them to death like Theo Van Gogh, in Holland, they are doing what Islam has always done. The acts of terrorism are what Muhammad taught. For example, Muhammad commanded in Quran 8:12 - “I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them.” References from the Quran and quotes from historical documents in Spencer’s book prove this beyond doubt.
In conclusion after reading Spencer’s book my thoughts are:
“Islam is a religious, political, genocidal ideology characterized by centuries of Jihadist warfare and brutal oppressive totalitarianism of those enslaved. This 7th Century malevolent ideology provides cover for unfathomable discrimination against non-Muslims, sadistic torture and unthinkable misogyny, even encouraging the rape of non-Muslim women and slavery that is practiced and sanctioned to this present day as witnessed by ISIS.”
“The religion of the New World Order is Islam. The selection of Islam as the religion of the New World Order explains the West's forced suicidal surrender to Islam and the relentless attacks upon anyone who dares to speak the truth about Islam, its history of violence and subjugation and supremacy over non-Muslims. The violent Mohammedans will be used to intimidate and suppress free speech, lectures, media interviews, and assemblies and terrorize people into submission.”
Islamophobia is a recently made up term, which can be defined as someone who has an irrational hatred and fear of Islam. This charge when made against Mr. Spencer is slanderous.
“…tolerance of intolerance is cowardice.” - Ayaan Hirsi Ali
“People that tell you Islam is a religion of peace are only announcing their ignorance.” - Brigitte Gabriel
In ending this review, those who have given in to political correctness and are willing to surrender Western freedoms brought to you by the Judeo/Christian world view, I will end with Mr. Spencer’s words: “And so, in closing, I have to say: Shame on you.”
Mr. Kettler has previously published articles in the Chalcedon Report and Contra Mundum. He and his wife Marea attend the Westminster, CO, RPCNA Church. Mr. Kettler is the author of the book The Religion That Started in a Hat. Available at: www.TheReligionThatStartedInAHat.com