Is Islam a Religion of Peace? Areopagus Journal of the Apologetics Resource Center. Volume 10, Number 1.

Is Islam a religion of peace? Well it depends on who you ask. The ultimate question is, "who officially speaks for Islam?" This journal examines the Islamic doctrine of "lesser jihad" which is an obligation for every Muslim to obey, as well as Islam's doctrine and practices towards women. Islam is based on the alleged revelation from god - Allah in the Quran and the practices (Sunnah) of their prophet Muhammad. One article examines the history of how the Muslim community and domination spread, mostly through Jihadic force, during Muhammad's reign as well as his successors. Another article reveals how the initially peaceful and favorable verses dealing with Christians and Jews in the Quran were later abrogated or annulled by "verses of the sword." Another charge of Islamic violence is manifested in its treatment of women. Although the mistreatment and inequality ranges in degree among different Muslim communities, an article notes the abuse has a Quramic and historical basis, as well as many examples under fundamentalist Islamic Sharia law. Another article responds to the Muslim's attempts to justify Jihadic warfare by comparing it to the Christian and Jews' "just war doctrine" of self defense. Muslims point to God's direction for the Israelites to kill and exterminate the pagan Canaanites, Amalekites, and Amorites from their occupation of the Promised Land. Our author's article demonstrates that such a comparison and justification is flawed because while it is a discerned judgment on those idolaters and is a protection for God's people, it was certainly not a paradigm for violence for Israel to pursue, and certainly was not for Christians. So, is Islam a peaceful religion - not scripturally, not historically, and ultimately not spiritually.