A Key Question on Jihad and the Qur’an

Many religious articles are concerned with what I will call a Key Question on the minds of Christians (and indeed, peace-loving people everywhere) towards jihadists.

How can jihadists be convinced that Allah doesn’t want them to kill infidels?

A friend brought my attention to one particular article that focuses on this topic recently published in Crisis Magazine, “A Critical Look at the Koran” by William Kilpatrick.

Reading through our brother Mr. Kilpatrick’s approach to this question, several concerns and questions came to mind.

• First of all, he misses a crucial opportunity in his analysis. Instead of asking critical questions about the origin of religious terrorists’ philosophy, he actually encourages jihadists by concluding (with them) that their “[radical] interpretation of the Koran is strongly supported both by the text and by the example of Muhammad,” and thus cannot be successfully contested.
• Secondly, for him to assume that one cannot convince Muslim radicals of a peaceful interpretation of the Qur’an, but somehow one could persuade jihadists to accept that the Qur’an in entirety is a man-made fabrication… well, good luck! This is of course reversing their position against themselves.
• Thirdly, it is tremendously ironic that “religious” people assume reason alone will convince jihadist radicals to transform their thinking and denounce their holy book. Would Christians cast aside the Bible with argumentation by an atheist? Doubtful. So why would anyone else steeped in their faith?

So is there an answer to the Key Question? Christians know the Scripture clearly states that we are “transformed by the renewing of our minds.” Yet we so often do not put this truth into practice. How do we accomplish that? It is not by human power, but by the power of the Spirit of YHWH!

How might we get a radical terrorist to a state of willingness to renew their minds and receive truth from the Spirit of God? How did any of us, before our belief in the Messiah, when we were like “dirty rags”? Murderers, adulterers, cheats, liars and radicals…all of us! Were we debated or insulted into the “truth,” or led by the Spirit?

I have had the exceptional privilege to experience the spiritual phenomenon of the likes of Esther & Nehemiah. They respectfully approached kings with a God inspired objective, which opened minds to what they had to say. Then the kings’ hearts slowly opened and the Spirit did all the work. “Not by might, but by the Spirit…” If transforming radicals is up to us, it will fail, but if it is up to the Spirit it will succeed!

We are following a spiritual path to accomplish what is impossible in the flesh. This is the answer to the Key Question. It is a simple, but crucial understanding for the way forward.