re: #2 sliv_the_eli

I just want to point out two things as briefly as possible.

1.) The well-known hadith you refer to has a context which Hamas has apparently (and not surprisingly) stripped it of. It refers to the approach of Judgement Day and a specific number (1000) of Jews who have gone over to the dark side, i.e. taken the side of al-Dajjal (the false messiah). Let me back up a little…

It goes like this: In Islamic eschatology, first the Mahdi (rightly guided one) arrives to correct religion and reestablish rectitude & harmony. Righteous people of all faiths will pledge allegiance to him. Around this time, the Dajjal will also show up and other people will pledge allegiance to him (among them are mentioned 70K each of Tartars, Jews, and people of Khorasan in Iran, so this would obliviously also include wayward Muslims). The two personages (and their armies) will commence battling each other. The Dajjal will start conquering the world country by country.

In the midst of all this upheaval is when Jesus (a.s.), the true Messiah, returns. He descends in Jerusalem and upon opening the gate of the city is confronted with the Dajjal and 1000 of his armed Jewish followers. Jesus (a.s.) then takes over leading the righteous against al-Dajjal. When the Dajjal sees Jesus he dissolves and runs away, but Jesus (a.s.) catches up with him and kills him. It is at this point that the treasonous Jews who had taken his side try to hide and are given up by the stones & trees.

The reference to “O Muslims” would be a reference to all the righteous people who had pledged allegiance to the Mahdi (i.e. the people who “submitted” to God, not Muslims as we understand the term right now). This is the context of the hadith.

Obviously, the reference isn’t to the present-day Jews as the neither the Mahdi nor the Dajjal have arrived, nor has Jesus (a.s.) returned. And, again, it refers to a very specific subset of Jews in a very specific place (outside one of the gates of Jerusalem—I’m not sure which one). Hamas is cherry-picking and leaving out the context, no doubt counting on people’s ignorance + their fear/anger/resentment. Or maybe they have their own “scholars” who interpret things to their benefit.

2.) During each one of our five daily prayers we’re required to send “greetings” to the Prophet (s.a.w.s.). This consists of asking God to bless Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) and his family/progeny as well as He blessed the prophet Ibrahim (a.s.) and his family/progeny, which, in Islam, would include the descendants of both Ishmael and Isaac. The greetings, roughly translated:

O Allah, bestow grace on Muhammad and the people of Muhammad as you have bestowed grace on Ibrahim and the people of Ibrahim. O Allah, bestow blessings on Muhammad and the people of Muhammad as you bestowed blessings on Ibrahim and the people of Ibrahim. Surely You are the Most Praiseworthy, the Most Glorious.

My point is how can we revere Ibrahim (a.s.), wish peace upon him whenever we mention his name¹, ask God for the same type of blessings on our own Prophet that he & his people got, and yet simultaneously hate all his descendants? I don’t know how the hate got to where it is and I’m no scholar, but I’m pretty sure things are not supposed to be like this.

So much for brevity, huh? //

Anyway, carry on. I don’t want to get in the middle of whatever dust-up you guys are having.
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1. a.s. = alayhi salaam = peace be upon him