
Cover of the Quran (Photo: Wikipedia)
In a lecture posted online, Al Qaeda offers advice on friendship in which it asserts that Muslims should never become friends with non-Muslims, who are considered to be a perpetual enemy.
“Enmity towards infidels is a must,” says Abdul Samad, a militant Pakistani cleric in an audio lecture posted on jihadi online forums by Al Qaeda broadcaster Al-Sahab.
The lecture, "Standards of Friendship and Enmity in Islam," focuses on Islamic rules for relationships with non-Muslims, according to the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) which translated an excerpt.
Abdul Samad uses the Koran to make the point that those who do not believe in Allah - even if they are relatives - are foes; that Jews, Christians and atheists are “enemies” of Islam; and that jihad is needed in order to get rid of “infidels” and spread Islam worldwide.
Cover of the Quran (Photo: Wikipedia)
Here are some highlights from the lecture as described by MEMRI (emphasis added):
The cleric’s words suggest that animosity in the Muslim world toward the U.S. and Israel is not connected to politics, but is rather a matter of faith:
“Our enmity towards Hindus is not due to the Kashmir issue; our enmity towards America is not due to Iraq and Afghanistan; the enmity between us and the Jews is not due to the Palestine; the real cause is that they do not accept our system and Islam,” he said (emphasis added).
“Our enmity towards them (the non-believers) will continue even if they renounce all their crimes,” he added.
According to the cleric, hostility is a requirement. “Enmity towards infidels is a must. It is part of our faith. Islam says the Muslims should stay away from the infidels and their countries,” he said.
And the solution is jihad: “The best way to get rid of them (infidels) is to continue jihad until the Allah's faith (Islam) is completely enforced all over the world.”
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