Ayaan Hirsi Ali: `Islam is a religion.. with violence and oppression at its heart.'

The Washington Post has been running a series on Islam entitled `On Faith' featuring various voices of Islam.

Until now,the series has been dominated by Islamists like Tariq Ramadan who have done an excellent job of taqiya ( dissembling to unbelievers to advance Islam), but this week it's Ayaan Hirsi Ali's turn:

The undisputed definition of Islam by all her adherents is “submission to the will of Allah.” This divine will is outlined in the Koran and in the teachings and deeds of Muhammad, as recorded in the Hadith or Sunna. {...)

On the issues of holy war (jihad), apostasy and the treatment of women, the Koran and Sunna are clear. It is the obligation of every Muslim to spread Islam to unbelievers first through dawa, or proselytizing, then through jihad, if the unbelievers refuse to convert. It is the obligation of the unbelievers to accept Islam. Exempted from this edict of conversion are the people of the book: Christians and Jews. Both peoples have a choice. They may adopt Islam and enjoy the same rights as other Muslims, or they may stick to their book and lead the life of a dhimmi (lower citizen). Legally, the rights of the dhimmi are not equal to those of a Muslim. For instance, a Muslim man may take a Jewish or Christian wife, but Jews and Christians are not allowed to marry Muslim women. If a Christian or a Jew kills a Muslim man, they should be killed immediately. In contrast, the blood of a Muslim should never be shed in recompense for the blood of Christians or Jews.

{...}

Under sharia law (Islamic law), such as governs in Saudi Arabia, Iran and parts of Nigeria, the civil rights of women are dramatically reduced. Threat of violent punishment in the form of whipping and stoning makes the prospect of financial independence and sexual freedom for women all but impossible. Miraculously, even in such harsh circumstances you will find women who are relatively well educated, have some say in choosing a husband and manage to earn a living. Let us be clear that these exceptions are due to the compassion and progressiveness of families who have been influenced by the West, and not to rules derived from Islam.{...}

...the western world would be wise to recognize the realities of Islam, a religion laid down in writing over a millennium ago with violence and oppression at its heart.

Read the whole thing here

To my Muslim readers, I would only add this...we both know that there are many decent people who practice Islam, just as we also know that there are great many who use it as a vehicle of violent domination and terrorism against `the other', and Ali, a Muslim apostate makes that same point.

In order to end this, it will be necessary for both decent Muslims and non-Muslims to confront this violent, oppressive, imperialist streak in Islam head on..and I urge you to take that stand.