The History of Islamic Violence, Enslavement, and Ransom is Important for People to Know About

Tuesday

Yesterday I was talking with some of my fellow co-workers on a break and we were talking about the Charlie Hebdo massacre. One of them said, "The French brought this on themselves, you know."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

He said, "Algiers used to be a French colony, so of course, a lot of the Muslims there could speak French, and since it was a colony, the French said anybody from Algiers could move to France. So now they have a huge Muslim population."

I thought this was a good opportunity to add some history. I think Islam's contact with the West down through history is important for people to know because many people still think of Islamic "extremism" as a modern phenomenon. Whenever someone brings up a recent news story involving Islamic violence, I try to think of some way to add a little historical context. So I asked, "Do you know why Algiers became a French colony? It's an interesting story."

Everyone likes an interesting story. I was talking to three people. I had their attention. "Have you ever heard of the Barbary Coast Pirates?" I was surprised when everybody said no. "They were Muslim countries along the Mediterranean coast of north Africa — Tunisia, Algiers, Morocco, and Tripoli (now known as Libya) — that captured ships doing business in the Mediterranean and took the ship, stole the cargo on board, and sold the crew into slavery. They did this for hundreds of years. And when a country complained, they said, 'If you pay us a yearly tribute, we will not attack ships from your country.' Many countries paid this tribute. It was cheaper than war. And paying the tribute effectively allowed them to harass their fellow European countries (their economic competitors) without being blamed for it. The United States didn't have a navy to protect their merchant ships, so they paid the tribute too.

"Of course all this tribute money made the Barbary Pirates more powerful. But when Jefferson became president, the U.S. built a navy and defeated Tripoli. It was the beginning of the end of the whole Barbary racket. Eventually the British, the Dutch and the French brought their own navies to bear on the Barbary coast, and the pirate raiding by these Muslim countries slowed down. Algiers was the last one still doing it, so France completely conquered Algiers and made it into a colony."

Sometimes I get on a roll, and while I had them all in rapt attention, something else occurred to me. "Do you know why Jefferson was so decisive about this? That's another interesting story."

None of them knew the answer and they all looked like they wanted to know, so I said, "Back before he was President, he was an ambassador to France and he found an opportunity to speak with the ambassador from Tripoli, and he asked him, 'Why does your country attack our ships? We have no hostility with your nation.'

"The Tripoli ambassador was honest. He said, 'It is written in our Koran that we must attack and enslave any country that doesn't acknowledge the sanctity of our Prophet.'

"After that conversation, Jefferson bought a Koran and read it. And he realized that there is no bargaining with these people. There is no such thing as peaceful coexistence or mutually beneficial commerce unless you come to them from a position of power. So when he became president, he put a stop to the tribute for good by force."

At this point, we had to get back to work, so the conversation ended.

Telling interesting historical facts like this, without being too heavy-handed with the Islamic doctrine, allows people to slowly come to realize the truth about Islam, without me ever getting into an argument with them about it. They come to their own conclusions. Historical tidbits like these make the task a whole lot easier.

16 comments:

Elsa 5:21 AM  

I love this bit of history. We are all so used to hearing: bad bad white colonialists hurting nice indigenous people. Great to hear, re the NOrth African countries: they brought it on themselves!!! And very much so! They kept attacking and enslaving - ENSLAVING, not seen positively in the West - and so finally they were conquered by the people they were attacking and enslaving. Bad thing: to let them go back to their own ways. Even wore: to let millions into the countries with religions their religion told them to attack and subjugate. I mean, how dumb can you get!! Shows the lots of the West was not keeping up on history!!

Nick 8:37 AM  

Absolutely true. I usually ask people if they have ever read "White Gold" by Giles Milton. If they haven't, then I tell them the story ...

Anonymous 8:51 AM  

I am always amazed how it happens that nobody knows the real history about islam or it's "prophet".

Asking "How much do you know about mohamed?" always gives me a stare and a "no". Let alone different other stories about the pirates or for instance the Janissaries, Christian boys enslaved to fight for the mozlims....

Anonymous 9:00 AM  

This is very inaccurate information. First and foremost; how did Jefferson read the Korran whe the english translated version only came out about 10 years ago? Secondly the Holy Koran speaks no such thing about "attacking" non believers. And the prophet, the prophet was merely a messenger of God, and was sent to show mankind how to live life in a fair, peaceful and a healthy manner. It is said in the koran to leave the unbelievers alone because if they don't beleive then you can't make them beleive. Also in terms of "extremists", they are not to be easily mistaken as Terrorrists because there is a huge difference; Sometimes we have people implementing they're own rules and ways into the religion, but that doesn't meen it is the fault of Islam, it is the fault of the individual himself. We cannot continue to paint a people of 1.6 BILLION people or nearly 24% of the world with the same brush, we are showing plain ignorance. There is no place in Islam for terrorism: Allah says in the Koran "...whosoever kills an innocent human being, it shall be as if he has killed all of man kind, and whosoever saves the life of one, it shall be as if he has saved the life of all mankind..." Qur'an 5:32. If you want to know what the Koran actually says, pick it up, use your own brain and knowledge to interpret what is actually says. Before you speak unfairly of 1.6 Billion people I think it's fair to say that you should do you're research from the most accurate and easily accessible resource which is what you so "quote" or speak of.

Unknown 9:35 AM  

White Gold - Giles Milton a must read on this subject.

Citizen Warrior 1:59 PM  

Jefferson couldn't have read an English translation of the Koran? How would you explain its existence?

When Keith Ellison was sworn into office as a congressman, he wanted to swear on a Koran instead of a Bible, so they used Thomas Jefferson's Koran, which they borrowed for the occasion from the Library of Congress.

This was a very public occasion and newsworthy event. Look it up. And Jefferson's Koran can be confirmed to exist in the Library of Congress.

Anonymous 4:37 AM  

I've read several books by world renowned and a credited Islamic critics, and what you say is the usual Islamic victim mode rubbish. If you trace back far enough, the buck stops with Mohammed as the original aggressor.

Anonymous 8:44 AM  

Mohammad peaceful? He was not! He did a lot of head chopping himself, and he married a 6 year old girl.

rockribbedrushy 12:21 PM  

"It is said in the koran to leave the unbelievers alone because if they don't beleive then you can't make them beleive."

Can you show us the verse where this is said?

Anonymous 3:22 PM  

What do you mean the Koran speaks no such thing about "attacking" non believers???

The Quran has I believe 109 verses calling for such action against non believers..

one such verse!


Qur'an 9:123
"O you who believe! fight those of the unbelievers who are near to you and let them find in you hardness."


Anonymous 6:51 AM  

Anonymous said:

"This is very inaccurate information. First and foremost; how did Jefferson read the Korran whe the english translated version only came out about 10 years ago?"

Wrong. Jefferson purchased his copy of George Sale's translation of the Koran.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Sale

" Secondly the Holy Koran speaks no such thing about "attacking" non believers."

Really?

(Koran 8:12) "Remember Thy Lord inspired the angels
(with the message): "I am with you: give firmness to the
believers, I will instill terror into the hearts of the
unbelievers, Smite ye above their necks and smite all
their finger tips of them."

In the above verse the great prophet of Islam, Mohammed, is giving step by step instructions on how to torture and kill the unbelievers if they don't follow Islam. Looks like you belong to a category of people who never opened their Korans even once.


" And the prophet, the prophet was merely a messenger of God, and was sent to show mankind how to live life in a fair, peaceful and a healthy manner."


Tabari IX:131"My mother came to me while I was being swung on a swing between two branches and got me down. My nurse took over and wiped my face with some water and started leading me. When I was at the door she stopped so I could catch my breath. I was brought in while Muhammad was sitting on a bed in our house. My mother made me sit on his lap. The other men and women got up and left. The Prophet CONSUMMATED his marriage with me in my house when I was NINE years old."

What a nice "messenger of God" - baby Aisha sat on his lap and he raped her. What kind of god could approve such moral perversion and depravity!? Only in Islam!



"It is said in the koran to leave the unbelievers alone because if they don't beleive then you can't make them beleive."

Very nice . But how come that 105,000 Christians are being killed every year by Muslims simply because of their faith? http://www.christianpost.com/news/shocking-figures-reveal-105000-christians-martyred-each-year-50976/


"Also in terms of "extremists", they are not to be easily mistaken as Terrorrists because there is a huge difference; Sometimes we have people implementing they're own rules and ways into the religion, but that doesn't meen it is the fault of Islam, it is the fault of the individual himself. "

OK. If those people (bad Muslims) "implementing their own rules" in Islam , where then are good Muslims , good Mullahs and good Imams who would step forward and say "not in our name!"? Where are their million Muslim men marches , sort of worldwide anti cartoon hysteria , condemning those who terrorize and murder kafirs in the name of Allah?

"We cannot continue to paint a people of 1.6 BILLION people or nearly 24% of the world with the same brush, we are showing plain ignorance. "

It doesn't matter 24% of the world or 0.0024% . Islamic terrorists by themselves cannot live in isolation. Islamic terrorists for their existence need money, food, lodging, and support. All these things are available to Islamic terrorists from those 24% of the world who are not terrorists themselves but are sympathetic to the Islamic terrorists cause. So every other time a bloody atrocity has been perpetrated by Muslims in the name of Islam , we can say for sure that those 24% made it happen.

Anonymous 6:54 AM  

Anonimous said:

"There is no place in Islam for terrorism: Allah says in the Koran "...whosoever kills an innocent human being, it shall be as if he has killed all of man kind, and whosoever saves the life of one, it shall be as if he has saved the life of all mankind..." Qur'an 5:32."

which is not even meant to apply to Muslims ......

Q5:32 We ordained for the CHILDREN OF ISRAEL that if anyone slew a person unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if anyone saved a life it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people.

This verse and its teaching applies to the Jews only, not Muslims.


" If you want to know what the Koran actually says, pick it up, use your own brain and knowledge to interpret what is actually says."

Sure.
(Koran 69:30-37) "It is not for any Prophet to have
captives until he hath made slaughter in the land. You
desire the lure of this world and Allah desires for you
the hereafter and Allah is Mighty, Wise.. Now enjoy what
you have won as lawful and good and keep your duty to
Allah. Lo! Allah is forgiving, merciful."

If you use your "own brain and knowledge" after reading this verse , it reveals you :
the "Merciful" Allah is saying that all the non-believers deserve to be killed. In addition, forgiving Allah conveniently commenting that whatever loot Mohammed has plundered is "lawful and good" because it was done in service to Allah. So murder, rape, plunder and destruction are all perfectly legal with the Islamic god as long as they are done in the name of Islam. This is exactly what the Koran says.

"Before you speak unfairly of 1.6 Billion people I think it's fair to say that you should do you're research from the most accurate and easily accessible resource which is what you so "quote" or speak of. "

The best, most accurate and easily accessible resources are the Koran, Sira and Hadits -the Trilogy. If it is in the Trilogy (Koran, Sira, Hadith), then it is Islam. If something is not in the Trilogy, then it is not Islam. Just use "your own brain" and you get everything you need to know about Islam.

Anonymous 7:19 PM  

I have been studying some of the history of the barbary pirates, and of the muslim push into the countries of which they now claim posession. All of these incidents were perpetrated with great amounts of violence. Every incident where Christians or Jews were involved the violence was greater. The one stand out I have found is that in all cases where some individual attempts to defend islam, and the prophet mohamed lies and outright deceat are the prevailing rule. Taqia (forgive the spelling) is the prevailing issue. In the old testament of the Bible it is spoken of something called corbin. The two ideas are similar in that they both say that it is okay as long as the ends justify the means. I forget the exact meaning of corbin, but it is something along these lines. My guess is that mohamed used the idea of corbin, but massively enhanced the idea to further his agenda. The cruxt of my message is that islam is a religion that follows the quran. The quran from what little I have learned is a book of violence against all that do not bow to the religion of islam. I am no scholar, but I have learned from those that have both been involved in the religion and reformed. I have learned from those actively living islam. Those that are practicing muslims devout to the teachings of the quran believe that all must be converted, or they must be dealt with according to the quran. WAKE UP!

Walter Sieruk 11:04 AM  

First, Sharia law allows, as in permits, kidnapping of non –Muslim girls and women by Muslim men for sex slaves.


Second. in the history of Islam and also now, as in current times, some of the many females, both girls and young women have been kidnapped and uses as sex-slaves for Muslim man. Many of those girls and women are European females.



As explain by two Christian scholars on Islam. For in the book they inform the reader that “Islam has enslaved more people than any other culture… “A little known fact is that the highest priced slave in Macca was always a while women. The Sunna is that Muhammad’s favorite sex-slave wads white Christian woman. [1] Also a former Muslim in his book had revealed that “Slavery is recognized as an institution, and the slave is considered both a person and a thing.” [2]




Furthermore, another scholar on Islam is uses to live in one of those Middle Eastern countries but is now an American had in her book exposed that ”Female freedom and independence is one of the greatest sins in Islam and one of devout Muslim purists’ greatest justifications for terrorism against Western societies.” [3] The Europeans would do well to be aware ,informed and valiant with vigilance.



[1] Jesus and the Jihadis by Craig A. Evens and Jeremiah J. Johnston, page 125.
[2] The Islam in Islamic Terrorism by Ibn Warraq , page 85.

Walter Sieruk 11:07 AM  

Slavery is a heinous part of Islam is a topic that the apologists for that religion don’t like have people bring up .Nevertheless one writer revealed that “The senior clerics of Saudi Arabia’s highest body declared “Slavery is part of Islam and whoever wants it abolished is an infidel.” [1]



Likewise, a former Muslim had exposed in his book that “Slavery is recognized as an institution and slave is considered both a thing as a person.” [2]


In addition, two Christian writers in their book had also informs their readers that “Islam has enslaved more people than any other culture.” [3] Therefore Islam regardless of what the apologist for this religion do claim has no regard for human rights


[1] THEY MUST BE STOPPED by Brigitte Gabriel page 187
[2] THE ISLAM IN ISLAMIC TERRORISM by Ibn Warraq page 85
[3] Jesus and the Jihadis, by Craig A Evens and Jeremiah J Johnston page 125.

Walter Sieruk 8:46 PM  

The former Muslim , Ibn Warraq,in his book entitled THE ISLAM In ISLAMIC TERRORISM concerning the subject of the cruel and dehumanizing slavery which is one ofthe many evil things about Islam.

This author reveals that within Islam "Slavery is recognized as an institution ,and the slave is considered both a thing and as a person." page 85

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