I would not recommend any anti-Islamic book to bob. Bob is investigating about Islam. So it is better to read some different kind of book that will introduce Islam to bob in a better way. I would recommend reading:
- “Bible, Science and Quran” by Maurice Bucaille, A frenchman.
- “Jesus is heavens on earth”, by Nazir Ahmed.
- “Revelation, rationality, knowledge and Truth.” by Tahir Ahmad.
There is a wrong concept of Jihad amongst Muslims, i.e. to use force to spread Islam, even to kill the non-believers, apostates etc. That is all foolishness. Of course some great religious leaders (Bigots) put that idea into the head of the poor Muslims to take up arms and acrry out armed struggle.
The real rason for the Jihad being carried out today was well explained in few words by Kadaveri in the first few posts.
Islam did not teach such things. Real Jihad is the purification of the soul from the lower desires of the self, from the bad desires. In this age there is no Jihad with weapons.
Even if there was any need for Military type Jihad, there are very serious conditions to do Jihad and those conditions are not fulfilled in this age. For instance:
- There should be a real Muslim spiritual leader to conduct fighting type of jihad.
- The Muslims should have the means to be able to fight (which they do not have).
- There should be a definite serious cause to go ahead for Jihad.
- Any individual cannot make the call for Jihad.
In short, There is no justification for any Jihad. Osama B laden may have been thinking that he was legally justified to carry out some kind of Jihad. But he was wrong. Islam does not allow any such activity. It is a sin to in Islam to start any religious war. It is a sin. That is the ruling of the Book and the sayings of the prophet Muhammad.
The condition for Jihad do not exist. There are many other foolish ideas in the heads of the Muslim religious leaders, such as killing the apostates, or enforcing Sharia laws in name sake Muslim countries or in the western countries. It is all foolish matter. There is no such injunction in the Quran.
If there is any slight matter concerning these things, the leaders have completely misunderstood the real meaning. There is no need for any political activity too. In Islam there is the principle of LIve and let live.
I have stated my opinion that there is no killing type of Jihad in islam. If it is being done some where it was advised by some religious leaders of India and pakistan and Sudan and Egypt and Syria. That was all wrong.