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WHY ISLAM TOOK HOLD & THE ISIS FLAG

Victor M. Eskew

 

            As we look at the various components of Islam, we are astounded that such a religion could have lasted.  We are also amazed that it is presently embraced by one-sixth of the world’s population.  In this article, we will examine exactly what Muhammad did when he founded Islam.  This will help us to understand why it was accepted both then and now.  For a more detailed study, one can read the book, Cruel and Usual Punishment, by Nonie Darwish.

            First, we must consider some background of the Middle East in Muhammad’s day.  The environment was dry and dusty.  Much of the land could be described as desert.  In such an environment there was a need for clothing such as robes and veils.  There was no centralized government at the time.  The land was ruled by families, clans, and tribes.  One of the ways wealth was accumulated was by obtaining the spoils of other families and clans.  Thus, fighting was a way of life.  Leaders were determined by strength and victory.  Women and children were extremely vulnerable.  They were drawn to strong men for both support and protection.  A valiant warrior could have several wives.  Some of those wives were part of the spoils of war. 

            Within this environment, the Jewish and Christian religions had been introduced.  These religious groups were evangelical.  They sought to spread their message throughout the world.  Slowly, they were making headway into the Arabian Peninsula.  There were three tribes of Jews within the city of Medina itself.  The teachings of these two groups were having an adverse effect on the culture of the Arabian Bedouin.  Marriage was said to be between one man and one woman for life.  Teachings like the Golden Rule, “do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” would end much of the fighting in the region.  This would have an impact upon the wealth of the clans and tribes.  In essence, the Arabs began to feel their culture and way of life slipping away from them.

            Muhammad happened to be born at the right time and place in history.  The religion that he founded was also a very successful attempt to preserve the Arabian culture.  The Qur’an preserves the Arabic language.  Sharia law protects many of the old cultural practices:  subjugation of women, how to dress, dietary laws for the people, rules concerning marriage, how to treat the enemy, etc.  There is no centralized government.  Men who can assume and maintain power are the leaders.  Power is the key.  Military might and prowess is absolutely essential.  The spoils of war are still vital to wealth accumulation.  In his book, Darwish states:  “With Islam replacing Judaism and Christianity, the Arabian culture and language would dominate, preventing any challenge to the supremacy of the culture of Arabia and its male warrior Bedouin” (Cruel and Usual Punishment, p. 14).

            Muhammad not only founded a religion, he also preserved a culture.  All those who embrace Islam will take a step back in time.  A seventh and eighth century culture finds itself surviving in the midst of a twenty-first century society.  One truth that should be understood by those who desire to embrace Islam is that not one nation that has accepted Islam and become wealthier or better for its citizens. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    THE ISIS FLAG

Victor M. Eskew

 

http://th09.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/f/2013/357/0/2/isis_by_gultalibk-d6z2j9w.png

            The ISIS flag has been seen by many who watch television.  When ISIS marches and protests against their enemies, these flags are constantly being waved.  One writer made this statement about the ISIS flag:  “The black and white ISIS flag has rapidly become a powerful, evocative and terrifying image to many of us” (http://arabicquick.com/isis-flag-meaning/).  Sometimes we forget that flags have meaning.  In this article, we will explain a few things about this unique flag.

            The first thing that stands out is the black background.  In the past, just the Black Banner or Black Standard was flown.  “It was historically used by Abu Muslim in his uprising leading to the Abbasid Revolution in 747 and is therefore associated with the Abbasid Caliphate in particular(www.wikipedia.com, “Black Standard”).  It is one of the most important features of the flag.  This was Muhammad’s war banner or flag of war.  It represents what some “believers” see as the final battle and day of resurrection.  “Essentially, then, the flag signals that the IS forces are on what they understand as a sacred mission – to destroy the current world order and to put a caliphate in its place” (Unmasking Islamic State, Patrick Sookhdeo, p. 3).

            The letters at the top of the flag say:  La ‘ilaha ‘illa-llah.  These words mean:  “There is no God but Allah {God].”  Having the name Allah on the flag renders it a sacred object.  Haider El Roi, an Islamic scholar from London states:  “The power of this flag is in the fact that the word Allah appears…” (https://www.jerusalemonline.com/news/israel-the-middle-east/the-arab-world/what-is-the-significance-of-the-isis-flag-8080).

            Inside the circle are the words:  “Allah Messenger Muhammad.”  This is a copy of “The Seal of Muhammad.”  This seal, it is said, is the one that Muhammad used to authenticate his letters to foreign leaders.  Muhammad’s name also makes the flag important.  He is said to be the last prophet of Allah.

            This flag is used by other Islamic groups.  However, ISIS has seized this flag for its own purposes.  “The ISIS flag is now iconic. It’s stark” (http://arabicquick.com/isis-flag-meaning/).  It is now impossible to divorce this flag from the concepts of jihad and terrorism.