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Journey Inside The Mind Of an Islamic Terrorist: Why They Hate Us and How We Can Change Their Minds

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Another fine book by a former professor of Islamic history at Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt. This Egyptian author memorized the Muslim's holy book: the Koran/Quran in Arabic, but later questioned Islam's validity and converted to Christianity. Thus, the author brings that rare insight of a former Muslim believer in explaining the little-understood underpinnings of Islamic beliefs. Rather than exploring the what, where, when and how of Islamic suicide-bent terrorists, the author details what is behind the "why" of their Islamikaze justifications that they have found in their Muslim beliefs. The author either translates or researches translations of the speeches or documents of the Al-Quida leaders and explains their relevance in noting how the Islamic terrorists trace their theological and political concepts to Mohammad and the Quran. Following are some of this book's topics: The Constitution of Al-Jihad; Inner conflict; Hasan al-Banna spreads the Great Awakening; the relationship between Qutb and Mawdudi; Dr. Salah Sariah: Proving Apostasy; Shokri Mustafa: Separation from infidels; Bin Laden: Finding jihad in Afghanistan; Al-Zawahiri: Al-Qaeda's key recruiter; 1998 Fatwa against Jews and Crusaders; Bin Laden's Letter to America--2002; Justifying Unintended victims of suicide bombings; What binds radical groups together; The Five Pillars of Radical Islamic Philosophy: (1) No law but Islamic law, (2) Infidels are all around, (3) Islam must rule, (4) Jihad is the only way to win, (5) Faith is the Reason; Deception: An art of war practiced by radicals; Al-Zawahiri's teachings on deceit; Muhammad: Uncensored (a) cooperation and tolerance, (b) the book of jihad, (c) the next stage; The unrelenting bloodbath: (details the warfare between various Muslim sects -- the Umayyads v. the Abbasids); the importance of the Muslim scholar Ibn Taymiyyah (how he is the link between Muhammad and today's Islamikazes); the relevance of the militant booklet 'River of Memories'; and how the 'Silent Muslim Majority' opposes the Islamic militants -- at least in not flocking to them. The author explores the Muslim mind in explaining how today's Islamikaze's justify their terrorist attacks based upon the military campaigns of Mohammad against the Jewish and Christian 'unbelievers.' The author notes how Islamikazes today look to Ibn Taymiyyah's (c. 1300 A.D.) writings and "conclude that if a government refuses any part of Islamic law, then that government has chosen to follow man instead of Allah. Therefore, whether that government claims to be Muslim or not, it must be fought" (p.147). The author claims that Ibn Taymiyyah's philosophy of Islam was used by Sayyid Qutb's Egyptian Brotherhood to justify its assassination of President Anwar Sadat and used by Osama bin Laden (c.1990-2006 A.D.) to justify his attacks against the Russian occupation of Afghanistan, the United States, as well as the 'Crusader' attempts in Iraq to establish democracy there. The author argues that hard-core Muslims fear the 'democracy of the secularists' -- as the public might not really be all that enamored with the painful punishments for sinful crimes that are mandated in the Quran. The author does a fine job in tracing the linkage of the theological history of the Islamikazes from Mohammad, to Ibn Taymiyyah, to the Egyptian Brotherhood and finally to those following the Quran's "straight path" as traveled by bin Laden and his cohorts: Ayman al-Zawahiri and Abu M. al-Zarqawi. Liberal and moderate Muslims won't like this book as the author illuminates how the Quran begat today's Islamikazes, which is why fundamentalist Muslims should like this book as it propagates their militant strategy. (Okay, one critique: the author could have used more footnotes to his hadith quotations.)

Since 9/11 we in the United States and the West have come full circle. For years we looked at events in the Middle East as just something happening "over there" but now we know that Islamic terrorist want nothing more than the entire world to be under the control of an Islamic government. Dr. Mark Gabriel's book solidifies that point.

In this work Gabriel does a good job of presenting what it is that Islamic terrorist really want. It has nothing to do with money, or with Iraq, Iran, or even with the United States itself but with Islam. Gabriel, a former Muslim cleric, knows from his own first hand experience what goes on in the minds of sincere Muslims who desire to obey the Qu'ran and live their lives after "the Prophet."

The book does a good job of presenting facts from the writings of Muslim clerics and radicals themselves as well as from the Qu'ran and the Hadiths. He also presents biblical teachings against Islam.

Overall this is a solid work. For Christians desiring to know more about Islam see his other works. For better understanding of what Islamic terrorist think and why they do what they do, read this book.

This is an insider's look into the Muslim world. I don't think he bashes the Muslim faith, but it does provide an understanding of their teaching, faith, rules, goals, and beliefs.
It was nice to read something that was not second hand knowledge.
It is a very quick read.

This is a fantastic book that delves into the machinations of extremist Islamist dogma. Gabriel discusses and illustrates this contemptible and intentional misinterpretation of the Quran by radical Islamists and jihadists alike for their usurpation, in which they seek legitimization for their agenda of terror. He covers everything which deals with this new form of transnational terrorism which was created by the Muslim Brotherhood and extended to the extremist Islamists and for their operational elements such as al Qaeda, al Shabab and the Taliban to implement.

This is a must read for all who are interested. The prospect of not comprehending this new wave of terror and its severity upon the free world is unforgettable. This troubling mindset is contagious as it continues to spread across North America and Europe, and with the self-radicalization of their naturalized citizens, perplexing their governments and publics as well.

This isn't a problem of the Middle East any longer, it has been placed at our door steps. Like it or not, Islamist terrorists have become a western problem to resolve, as like no other form of terrorism has before.

This one of the earliest books by Doctor Gabriel, and one of my favorites for those who in the West who are in academia, Intelligence in fact, I highly recommend it as mandatory reading for everyone in the US government, military etc. Actually, every single American, none Muslim even Muslims can stand to learn lots about the agenda, end game, true motivations and roots for this global conflict that the US leaders refuse to call it what it is, a religious war against ALL none Muslims that was initiated by Mohammad 14 centuries ago.
This book is well outlined, nicely written and provides a wealth of accurate referential material on Islam's history of world conquest. Read it, check the facts and judge for yourselves.

As his others books the author who was an Islamic preacher at a Cairo Mosque, use the verses in the Quran to explain what make tic the religious extremists. Why they behave as they do, what they are thinking, what they believed and why. He at the same time makes some sad accounts as in his others books about his live in the Middle East.

This book talks about real-life, real culture in the mind of Islamic Terrorists. It's good to know how they think of other people outside of their religion, culture and tradition of other nations.

Helpful in better understanding the terrorist mindset and Islam. Book was extremely interesting as were Mark Gabriel's other books.