A Question Concerning the Muslim Religion

Question... Isn't it against the Muslim religion to practice "holy war" and terrorism?

Bible Bell has not studied the Muslim faith, so we are not qualified to comment on this question. Accordingly, we will merely quote-without-comment from the Koran, the main book setting forth the Muslim beliefs...

Quotations from Chapter 9 of the Koran [9.5] So when the sacred months have passed away, then slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them captives and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush, then if they repent and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, leave their way free to them; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. [9.29] Fight those who do not believe in Allah, nor in the latter day, nor do they prohibit what Allah and His Apostle have prohibited, nor follow the religion of truth, out of those who have been given the Book, until they pay the tax in acknowledgment of superiority and they are in a state of subjection. [9.30] And the Jews say: Uzair is the son of Allah; and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah; these are the words of their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved before; may Allah destroy them; how they are turned away!

Quotations from Al-Jalalein Commentary on 9.29 of the Koran "Fight those who do not believe in Allah, nor in the latter day, nor do they prohibit what Allah and His Apostle have prohibited, nor follow the religion of truth, (which is Islam that abolishes all other religions) of the people of the Book, (meaning the Jews and the Christians) until they pay the Jizya (the tax imposed upon them) with willing submission and feel themselves subdued. (with humiliation and submission to the government of Islam.) 9:29 ." Words in parentheses are quoted from the Tafsir Al-Jalalein, which is the Al-Jalalein Commentary or Interpretation of the Koran.

Please bear in mind -- Bible Bell has quoted the above verses without their full context. To read the full context, you can find the translated text of the Koran at the following website... http://www.hti.umich.edu/k/koran/browse.html

On 7/20/03, a reader named Kal sent the following comments via eMail... On your site, you have quoted some verses from the Quran regarding holy war and Allah ordering Muslims to kill non-Muslims and so forth. I am not a Muslim (never been) but I think doing so is the equivalent of someone quoting Exodus and Joshua to claim that the Bible orders us to eliminate entire ethnic groups and slaughter even women and children. Just like the Bible, the Quran was ordering a specific group of people, in a specific era that does not necessarily apply to our time. I know that you admitted on the same page that you have not included the full context, but that is not enough. Not only have you left out the textual context, but also the historical context. The Quran itself is not a record of full history (like the Bible) where it's easy to figure out that some things are specific to their time. The Quran includes many isolated verses that even in their textual context sound general in purpose. That's why Muslims have interpretations of the Quran, and so-called holy traditions to support the meaning and purpose of specific verses and passages. I think it would be misleading and unethical to not point that out. And I am not claiming that you've done that on purpose. Kal

Who is a Jew? Can a Jew cease to be a Jew? Will Jews have a King?
Galilee writes - My ancestors came from Portugal. Recently, my cousin informed me about a Sephardic Jewish name that applies to my family. I asked God to let me know if I was a Jew or not. A few days later I was praying and I heard a voice come from the center of my body, just below my heart area. He said, "You are of the Jewish Kingdom." I felt blown away when I heard that, because it audibly came from inside me. I am soon to be 48 years old. I know God is gathering us. I grew up Christian. My question, will the Jews have a King in the New Jerusalem?		Definition of "Sephardic Jew" Se·phar·di n., pl. Se·phar·dim (-d¹m). A descendant of the Jews who lived in Spain and Portugal during the Middle Ages until persecution culminating in expulsion in 1492 forced them to leave. --Se·phar“dic (-d¹k) adj. American Heritage Dictionary
Dear Galilee, Your message raises three interesting questions... #1(Implied) Who is a Jew? #2 (Implied) If a Jew receives Jesus (Yeshua) as Messiah, does he or she cease to be a Jew? #3 (Explicit) Will the Jews have a King in the New Jerusalem? My brief answers to these questions are as follows...

#1 Who is a Jew? The term "Jew" has two meanings... Racial meaning - "Jew" designates a race of people. In the racial sense, a Jew is anyone who is a blood descendent of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Religious meaning - "Jew" can also be used to designate a person who adheres to the religion of Judaism. Discussion... A "Gentile" is any person who is NOT a blood descendent of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. If a Gentile person converts to the Jewish faith, it can be confusing (even misleading) to refer to that person as a Jew. It is far more accurate to say that such a person is "a Gentile believer in the Jewish faith."

#2 Does a Jew cease to be a Jew if he or she believes on Yeshua as Messiah? Racially, NOTHING a Jew can do will cause that person to cease being a Jew. From the religious standpoint, a racially Jewish person may cease to believe in the Jewish faith (or may never have believed it in the first place). It would be confusing (even misleading) to say that such a person is not a Jew. It is far more accurate to say that such a person is "a Jew who is not of the Jewish faith." Now, the follow-up question is this -- If a racially Jewish person believes in Yeshua as Messiah, has that person rejected the Jewish faith? The answer is NO, because... "Messiah" is an integral doctrine of Judaism, based on numerous Old Testament passages. A Jewish person who believes that Yeshua is the promised Messiah is not rejecting Jewish doctrine. Rather, he or she believes that a particular person (Yeshua of Nazareth) IS that promised Messiah. A Jewish person who believes that Yeshua is the promised Messiah will (or should) continue to believe and obey the Torah and all other Old Testament-based doctrines of the Jewish faith. It can be confusing (even misleading) to say that a Jew who believes on Yeshua as Messiah is no longer of the Jewish faith. It is far more accurate to say that such a person is "a Jew who has found his or her Messiah."

#3 Will the Jews have a King in the New Jerusalem? The Bible tells us that, following His second coming, Messiah will be King of the entire earth...

(God's promise to King David...) When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 2 Sam 7.12-13 For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. Isa 9.6-7

At that yet-future time, King David will be resurrected by God to reign, under Messiah, over all Israel. So the answer is Yes - the Jews will have a King. Messiah will be King of kings, ruling over all the world, and David will reign in Israel.

(God said...) But they (Israel) shall serve the Lord their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up for them. Jer 30.9

I hope this information answers your questions. If you would like to contact other Jewish believers in Yeshua as Messiah, CLICK HERE.

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