Al Qaeda Message: Invitation or Warning?
A videotape has been released by al Quaeda called “AnInvitation to Islam” which invites Westerners to convert toIslam, but cautions that they should hurry. Adam Gadahn,formerly Adam Pearlman of Orange County, Califonia, urgesconversion to Islam but then warns, “Decide today, becausetoday could be your last day.”
This relates to the idea, expressed by Salafi Muslims, whocontrol al Qaeda, that non-believers should first begiven a chance to convert, then attacked if they refuse todo so.Forced conversion after conquest was part of both Muslim and Christian expansion in the Middle Ages, and themessage suggests that, if an attack is immiment, it couldcause great loss of life and result in a situation whereforced conversion of the survivors would again be possible.
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