islamic-jihad-legacy-of-forced-conversion-imperialism-slavery

The Last WordWe said (to non-Muslims): either become Muslim and enjoy equal rights, or they have tolive as second grade citizens under our rule. Otherwise come to the open field and let thesword resolve the issue.In Palestine, Hassan El-Masalmeh, a member of the Bethlehem City Council and Hamas leader, advocated forthe imposition of discriminatory tax, the jiziyah, on non-Muslim residents in 2006. It was abandoned but El-Masalmeh promised, ‘We in Hamas intend to implement this tax some day.’ 955Even Malaysia, a modern Muslim state, has set up economic, educational and social privileges forMuslim citizens, a form of modern-day institution of dhimmitude and jiziyah. The non-Muslim minority in2006 called for the removal of this state-sponsored apartheid that had been in force for three-and-a-halfdecades. In response, the ruling party activists and leaders, in the annual convention of the party in December2006, raised a fever-pitch outcry demanding that the privileged rights of Muslims over non-Muslim subjectsbe maintained. In emotive speeches, some delegates even offered to shed blood to defend the higher rights ofMuslims; the youth chief of the party even unsheathed a sword (keris) to warn the non-Muslim subjectsagainst demanding eqaulity.The radical Islamic movements have been gaining fast ascendancy in the Muslim world, while theSharia laws creeping into the legal system bit by bit even in the West. It remains to be seen whether or not thecentral professions of Jihad—forced conversion, imperialism and slavery along with economic exploitationsand social disabilities of non-Muslims—return to the world-stage with its medieval glories.955. Weiner, op cit272