The House of War

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Islam is a well developed ideology. It has survived over time and now confronts modern civilization. The fundamentalist Muslim derives this ideology from the teachings and life example of Mohammed as recorded in the Quran and the Hadith. In this article, John Marion explains one basic concept of Islamic ideology, the division of the world into two sections, and how understanding this division can enable Americans to bring a biblical response to the challenge.

Islamic theology divides the world into two spheres. These spheres are called the House of Submission and the House of War.

The House of Submission (in Arabic, dar al-islam, دار الاسلام) are the lands under Muslim control. Ideally, from the perspective of the fundamentalist Muslim, the House of Submission includes those areas where Sharia law (شريعة) is the law of the land. Where Sharia law is implemented literally people live in submission to the teachings of Mohammed.

The goal of the orthodox Muslim is to bring the entire world system into submission to the teachings of Mohammed. This includes Muslim dominated areas too. One reason why the fundamentalist Muslims fight against seemingly moderate Muslim leaders, is because of the failure of the moderates to implement Sharia law to the fullest extent possible.

Idol worship & Christians and Jews

Within those territories considered to be part of the House of Islam, idol worship must be destroyed. The destruction of the ancient Buddhist statues in Afghanistan under the rule of the Taliban in March 2001 is an example of a Muslim leader bringing the area under his control into a greater level of submission to Islamic ideology, even though that area had been predominantly Muslim area for a long time.

The Times of London reported that after the destruction of the Buddhist statues, Taliban leader Mullah Omar said, "Muslims should be proud of smashing idols. It has given praise to God that we have destroyed them."

     While idol worship must be destroyed, Christian and Jewish worship is allowed within the House of Submission among those who do not convert to Islam. While these non-Muslims must live in submission as second class citizens under Muslim rule, they are not targeted for total elimination, such as is true for idol worshippers. Christians and Jews, however, cannot spread their faith among the Muslims. For these reasons, ancient Christian and Jewish communities continue to exist within some Muslim countries while proselytizing of any kind among Muslims is prohibited.

Islam Wants to Rule the World

The Muslim feels certain that one day the entire world will be in submission to Mohammed. The Muslim has a long view of history and many are patient to see this submission develop over time, generation after generation. Islam continues its long march through history, bringing the world into submission.

The places that are not yet considered to be within the House of Submission are called the House of War (dar al-harb, دار الحرب).

Islam requires that Muslims spread Islam to the extent that the entire world is under the submission of Muslim rule. This injunction to spread Islam is linked with the concept of jihad (جهاد), which is often translated "holy war" but which actually means "struggle".

Muslims refer to a "greater jihad" and a "lesser jihad". The greater jihad is the personal struggle an individual has to bring his own life into complete conformity to the life example of  Mohammed. The lesser jihad is the responsibility of the entire Muslim community to promote Islam, even by violent means.

While the violent acts of Muslims waging the lesser jihad get a lot of attention, the greater jihad and the non-violent acts of the lesser jihad are intertwined with the overall concept of jihad in the House of War.

     The correlation between the lesser jihad and the greater jihad enables even what might be perceived as moderate forms of Islam to advance the long term goal of Islam ruling the world.

Jihad: A Community Responsibility

The community obligations to Jihad are clear in Islamic theology. If some in the community are waging jihad effectively (such as organizations like al-qaida) then everyone in the community does not bear an individual responsibility for personally waging violent jihad. In other words, they are off the hook and can go about their lives using non-violent jihad.

However, if a jihad war needs to be waged and no one in the community is doing it, then every Muslim individually bears the responsibility and will be held accountable.

For this reason Muslims often seem complacent in the face of the minority who are advancing the jihad war. When in fact, non-violent forms of jihad among the seemingly complacent is actually a method of supporting the overall jihad effort to transform the House of War into the House of Submission.

Martyrs, Not Innocents

Muslims who live in the House of War are considered to be fighting a jihad, whether or not they are personally using violence to promote Islam. They are in a constant state of jihad just by living in the House of War.

Because Muslims in the west are viewed as being in an active, continual state of jihad by the fundamentalist Muslims, there is no such thing as "innocent Muslims" being killed. Instead they are Islamic warriors who have given their lives for the cause of Mohammed, In other words, they are martyrs.

This concept allows the violent jihadists to disregard the death of Muslims who the Western world view would otherwise regard as "innocent" by-standers. It also gives comfort to the families of those who are killed by the actions of violent jihad. Their family member died while being in a state of jihad, and thus is a martyr for the cause of Mohammed and the advancement of Islam.

Are American Muslims in a State of Jihad?

From the perspective of the violent jihadists, American Muslims are in a constant state of jihad. But do American Muslims honestly view themselves as living in a state of constant jihad until America comes into the House of Submission? Surely there must be various viewpoints on this question among Muslims in America.

The critical issue for Muslims in America is to evaluate the concept of dividing the world between the House of Submission and the House of War. It is important for them to clearly state and actively teach a new ideology that is compatible with the United States Constitution and the principles of freedom.

A Biblical Response

In contrast to Islamic ideology which views the world through a political system and describes it with the words "submission" and "war", the Bible views the spiritual heart condition of each person.

Jesus said, "The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy; I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly" (Gospel of John, 10:10) and "I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life" (Gospel of John, 8:12).

The Lord Jesus Christ views humanity as living in darkness. Through his love, demonstrated by his crucifixion, and his power, demonstrated by his resurrection, Jesus brings people from darkness and death to light and life!

What the Muslim in America needs is the love and life which only Jesus can bring. Their general phrases such as "Islam means peace" and "Fanatics have hijacked our religion" are not good enough to save them from the powers of darkness. The ideology of Islam has been too well developed over the centuries for it to go away that easily.

Deliverance

From the Islamic perspective, the problem is a political problem between the House of Submission and the House of War. But, in fact, the problem is a spiritual problem which has people trapped by the powers of darkness  As such, this ideology will not be eliminated by a small group of friendly, soft-spoken Muslims in America who make simplistic statements about Islam. Only Jesus Christ can deliver from the House of Submission and the House of War.

Spring 2007

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