Order Robert Spencer’s new book, Holy Hell: Islam’s Abuse of Women and the Infidels Who Enable It: HERE.Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Libya are all among the world’s top oil producers, and mega-rich oil sheikhs have been a fixture of the international cultural landscape for decades. But there were wealthy and powerful Islamic states before anyone had need for massive quantities of petroleum, and the way that they became wealthy and powerful should make Western political leaders think carefully about their foreign and domestic policies. Not that they will actually do so, of course.
The wealthy and powerful Islamic states of the past, including the great caliphates as well as the Mughal empire in India and others, weren’t great centers of manufacturing or agriculture, or of mercantile acumen. Rather, they gained their wealth and power through jihad. The Qur’an tells Muslims to fight unbelievers, including the “people of the book” (that is, primarily Jews and Christians): “Fight against those who do not believe in Allah or the last day, and do not forbid what Allah and his messenger have forbidden, and do not follow the religion of truth, even if they are among the people of the book, until they pay the jizya [a poll tax] with willing submission and feel themselves subdued.” (Qur’an 9:29)
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