Calling a spade a shovel

To keep things easy to understand, My words are this color, and Other’s words will appear in this color.

The following was sent by Rudy M., and I’ll not disclose where he works. I’ve pared down the article, but full attribution goes to Jim Garamone American Forces Press Service, who wrote the original article, which can be found at http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Jun2006/20060622_5489.html.

The pen is mightier than the sword, and sometimes in the war of words we unwittingly give the advantage to the enemy.

A case in point is the term "jihadist." Many leaders use the term jihadist or jihadi as a synonym for Islamic extremist. Jihad has been commonly adapted in English as meaning "holy war." But to Muslims it means much more. In Arabic - the language of the Koran - jihad literally means striving and generally occurs as part of the expression 'jihad fi sabil illah,' striving in the path of God.

This is a good thing for all Muslims. Calling our enemies jihadis and their movement a global jihad thus indicates that we recognize their doctrines and actions as being in the path of God and for Muslims, legitimate. By countering jihadis, the West and moderate Muslims are enemies of true Islam.

Muslim scholars say the correct term for Islamic extremists should be "hirabah." This word specifically refers to those engaged in sinful warfare, warfare contrary to Islamic law. We should describe the Islamic totalitarian movement as the global hirabah, not the global jihad.

Another word constantly misused in the West is mujahdeen. Again, in American dictionaries this word refers to a holy warrior - again a good thing. So calling an al Qaeda terrorist a mujahid legitimizes him. The correct term for these killers is "mufsidun,” This refers to an evil or
corrupt person. There is no moral ambiguity and the specific denotation of corruption carries enormous weight in most of the Islamic world.

People can apply other words instead. "Fitna/fattan: fitna literally means temptation or trial, but has come to refer to discord and strife among Muslims; a fattan is a tempter or subversive. Applying these terms to our enemies and their works condemns their current activities as divisive and harmful.

We need to stop using the term "caliphate" as the goal of al Qaeda and associated groups. The Caliphate refers to the successors of the Prophet Mohammed as the political leaders of the Muslim community. Sunni Muslims traditionally regard the era of the first four caliphs (A.D. 632-661) as an era of just rule. Accepting our enemies' description of their goal as the restoration of a historical caliphate again validates an aspect of their ideology.

An al Qaeda caliphate would not mean the establishment of just rule, but rather a global totalitarian state where women would be treated as chattel, music banned and any kind of difference severely punished. Anyone who needs a preview of how such a state would act merely has to review the conduct of the Taliban in Afghanistan before Sept. 11, 2001.

The correct term for the al Qaeda goal is global totalitarian state - something no one in the world wants.

Westerners need to translate Allah into God. Using Allah to refer to God would be like using Jehovah to refer to a Hebrew God. In fact, Muslims, Christians and Jews all worship the God of Abraham. Using different names exaggerates the divisions among the religions.

So, I’ve come up with a list to help people remember the proper words to use for Blogging:

Instead of: Jihadist/Fattan

Use: Hirabah, Asshat, Shithead, Fuckstick, Cocksucker, or Terrorist

Instead of: Mujahdeen/Mujahid

Use: Mufsidun, Asshat, Shithead, Fuckstick, Cocksucker or Terrorist

Instead of: Caliphate

Use: Global totalitarian state, Asshatville, Shitheadistan, Religifacistown

Instead of: Allah

Use: False God, Perverted God of the confused, befuddled, and oppressors

Instead of: Mohammed

Use: False Prophet, 4^th Stooge (MOEhammed), the great Pedophile

(*Moe had a “wife” Aisha (only 6 when married) SIX!?! And she believed whatever Muhammad told her about his divine inspiration (Creighton is six, and he believes me when I tell him lo mein is made from worms). Muhammad claimed that he used to get revelations from Allah only when he slept with Aisha. )

Go here for a wonderful history and refutation of all things Islam.

--Chuck