The Koran or `ritual` makes a career out of repeating itself. Repetition begets memorization one supposes. There are 18 verses in this Sura, whose main theme is the veneration and prostration to Allah. The sub-theme is that the world is divided into Muslims and the rest, and the 'unbelievers' will all face a 'grievous penalty.' How intolerant. A true religion must have natural law rights, humanism and the Golden Rule. Part of tolerance (keep in mind that if you tolerate everything you stand for nothing and cannot rationalize); is the acceptance of 'the other'. Christianity teaches an immanent Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12). Islam demands the opposite.

Of the 18 verses in this most typical of Suras (meaning it is mind numbingly inane); all but 3 demand that you unthinkingly, unstintingly follow this Allah thing. This idol Al-Allah is of course an unknowable, never-defined thing which has nothing in common with the Judeo-Christian idea of God. Yet this impersonal object?, or natural force?, or celestial deity?, is the only organizing principle of existence. Follow its?, his?, the thing's?, male moon idol's? commands as pronounced through his chosen man, the military leader Mohammed, a man who led 88 expeditions of plunder, war and brigandage (and how many forays of extermination did Christ lead?). Thus we read:

“Whatever is in the heavens and on earth, declares the Praises and Glory of Allah: to Him belongs Dominion, and to Him belongs Praise: and He has power over all things.” (64:1)

Allah – whatever it is – thus owns everything. All people, assets, ideas, movements, thoughts, transactions, dreams, hopes (even the Obamed's?); all are the property of the thing Allah. No need for free will, thinking, rationality or individual accountability. Just submit to this idol's rules and you will prosper:

“No kind of calamity can occur, except by the leave of Allah: and if any one believes in Allah, (Allah) guides his heart (aright): for Allah knows all things.” (64:11)

The key to the good life on earth and in the hereafter is complete obeisance to the Allah. This denotes a cult, not a rational approach to spirituality. Muslims cannot deny this. This phrase or some variation thereof is repeated on every single page in the Koran without exception.

What then constitutes a good Muslim? Prostration to the Allah idol, and following the dictums of his creator and spokesman, Mohammed:

“So obey Allah, and obey His Messenger: but if you turn back, the duty of Our Messenger is but to proclaim (the Message) clearly and openly.” (64:12) and

“Allah! There is no god but He: and on Allah, therefore, let the Believers put their trust.” (64:13)

The world divided into two. The unthinking, irrational, slaves of Allah who follow every word and movement of their military and political 'prophet' and who venerate a thing and 'its' expostulations, versus the rest. The Unbelievers have no hope in this world. The Allah force will torture and consume them. So fear Allah and follow his demands:

“The Unbelievers think that they will not be raised up (for Judgment), Say: 'Yes, by my Lord, you shall surely be raised up: then you shall be told (the truth) of all that you did. And that is easy for Allah.'” (64:7)

The problem for the Unbelievers – pagans, Jews and Christians – is not that they are evil people, perpetrating evil deeds. It is simply the fact that they have rejected the Allah cult. This rejection must be punished by Allah. Since Muslims believe that the Allah thing is the only guiding factor in life, eschewing the thing's message or 'laws' is according to the Koran, punishable by any means a Muslim deems necessary including death and eternal hellfire:

“Has not the story reached you, of those who rejected Faith aforetime? So they tasted the evil result of their conduct; and they had a grievous penalty.” (64:5)

Faith in Islam is not the same as faith in a J-C culture. Faith in Islamic doctrine means submission and following the rituals prescribed by Mohammed on behalf of the idol Allah. Rejecting the rituals and submission to Allah is the reason why unbelievers will suffer a 'grievous penalty' – an injunction and claim made on every single Koranic page without exception (mindless repetition is the only 'strength' of the Koran). So what happens to the Unbelievers when they run from the Allah cult ?

“But those who reject Faith and treat Our Signs as falsehoods, they will be Companions of the Fire, to dwell therein for ever: and evil is that Goal.” (64:10)

Clear enough, or do we need a Phd in social services to transliterate that for us? If you reject their signs, or the signs espoused by Muslims, which include according to the Koran, all natural phenomena, than you will go to hell for eternal punishment. Maybe 'moderate' Muslims can explain the 'inner meaning' of this Sura to us infidels. Perhaps stating plainly that non Muslims will be killed and go to Hell, is an allegory alluding to inter-faith harmony and tolerance ? I am sure a Pretty Happy Dude degree carrying PC fascist is busy writing a paper proving just that to be reported by the media as 'a fact'.

This Sura is pretty clear. If you don't follow the Allah cult you are in trouble. Not only do you need to follow the Allah thing and his spokesman, the smiling, happy, tolerant military commander Mohammed who housed 12 sex slaves and 3 wives (proving that Islam venerates women), you must fear Allah:

“So fear Allah as much as you can; listen and obey and spend in charity for the benefit of your own souls.” (64:16)

Charity in Islam is Zakat, which is one of the 6 pillars of Islam. The most important pillar is of course Jihadic war. This is evidenced in the hundreds of passages in both the Koran and the Hadiths (Bukhari's version) which state plainly that the most perfect Muslim is one who will wage war in the name of Allah. Jihadic war is easier if you fear the Allah thing and are terrified of what he, or it, or that might do to you if you are not a good slave-follower. Fear Allah indeed. It is a self-righteous, intolerant, violent, blood thirsty, fickle, and extraordinarily busy impersonal force which demands the right to manage your life, your thoughts, your actions and your assets. Fear this thing Allah or face eternal damnation. And this concept called submission is a religion? More likely it is simply a pre-modern, vicious and thoughtless mind-control cult.

[Note: This sura is taken from 'The Holy Quran', translated by Abdullah Yusuf Ali, reprinted in 1995, Goodword Books. Regarded as one of the best translations from Arabic to English of the Koran.]