[ May 4, 2024 ]
[Extracted from a full essay published yesterday, 9/10/18, at here, which includes Leo III’s historical background and remarkable insights into Islam, written 1300 years ago, including the creed’s unique misogyny—even by 8th century standards!]
Today, Tuesday (9/11/2018) marks the 17th anniversary of the cataclysmic jihad terror attacks in the United States on September 11, 2001. Thirteen centuries ago, August 15, 718, under the wise and stalwart leadership of Byzantium’s Leo III, the Arab Muslim jihad siege of Constantinople was broken, and the invaders—and Islamdom—suffered an ignominious defeat. These events are described with unique lucidity, and unbowdlerized knowledge of their animating Islamic, and Christian motivations, in Raymond Ibrahim’s compelling new book, Sword and Scimitar. Would that today’s U.S., and other “western” leaders re-consider their largely feckless policies against the resurgent jihad depredations of our era (~34,000 acts of jihad terror since 9/11/2001), and re-examine Leo III’s timeless words, and actions.
Leo III’s alleged eighth century reply letter to the contemporary Muslim Caliph Umar II, who had invited the Byzantine Emperor to renounce Christianity, and adopt Islam, was preserved by the eighth (to tenth?) century Armenian chronicler, Ghevond. Ibrahim’s Sword and Scimitar re-introduced me to both Leo III’s letter, and the great linguist and Islamologist Arthur Jeffrey’s (d. 1959) annotated 1944 English translation, and analysis of Ghevond’s rendering of it, which was succinctly characterized in my 2005 compendium on jihad:
Story continues below advertisement
Leo’s reply is an extensive and well-written defense of the major tenets of the Christian religion. In it the Byzantine emperor, who was as zealous in his Christian faith as Umar was in his, refuted Islam on the basis of the Christian Gospel, as well as the basis of the Koran.
Together, Jeffrey’s translation, with its guiding commentary, and Ibrahim’s equally learned, but broader, historical analysis in Sword and Scimitar, make plain that Leo III thoroughly understood, Islam, and its core jihadist doctrine, in both theory and practice…
Marshalling persuasive evidence, Ibrahim avers that it was Leo III’s devout Christian piety, courage, and studied, unapologetic understanding of Islam, and the tactics of jihad warfare, which enabled him to be the “architect” of the devastating triumph over an enormous Muslim jihadist army at Constantinople in August, 718. Endorsing Byzantine historian par excellence A.A. Vasiliev’s (d. 1953) assessment, that Leo III’s “genius and energy…saved not only the Byzantine Empire, and the eastern Christian world, but also all of Western civilization,” Ibrahim concludes:
It would be some seven centuries before any Islamic power would again attempt to breach the stone walls of Islam’s archenemy…That the Eastern Orthodox Christian kingdom was able to repulse the hitherto unstoppable forces of Islam is one of Western history’s most decisive moments.
Leo III’s successful example must be re-affirmed as a living lesson for combating jihad warfare against the willfully blind heirs of Western civilization, a full thirteen centuries later.
“The pictures are by Robert Clark, and were shot from the window of his studio in Brooklyn. Others shot the second plane hitting the tower, but I think there are elements in Clark’s photographs that make them special. To me the wider shots not only give context to the tragedy, but also portray the normalcy of the day in every respect except at the Towers. I generally prefer tighter shots, but in this case I think the overall context of Manhattan makes a stronger image. And, the fact that Clark shot the pictures from his studio indicates how the events of 9/11 literally hit home. I find these images very compellingÑin fact, whenever I see them they force me to study them in great detail.”
The Truth Must be Told
Your contribution supports independent journalism
Please take a moment to consider this. Now, more than ever, people are reading Geller Report for news they won't get anywhere else. But advertising revenues have all but disappeared. Google Adsense is the online advertising monopoly and they have banned us. Social media giants like Facebook and Twitter have blocked and shadow-banned our accounts. But we won't put up a paywall. Because never has the free world needed independent journalism more.
Everyone who reads our reporting knows the Geller Report covers the news the media won't. We cannot do our ground-breaking report without your support. We must continue to report on the global jihad and the left's war on freedom. Our readers’ contributions make that possible.
Geller Report's independent, investigative journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce. But we do it because we believe our work is critical in the fight for freedom and because it is your fight, too.
Please contribute here.
or
Make a monthly commitment to support The Geller Report – choose the option that suits you best.
Quick note: We cannot do this without your support. Fact. Our work is made possible by you and only you. We receive no grants, government handouts, or major funding.Tech giants are shutting us down. You know this. Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Adsense, Pinterest permanently banned us. Facebook, Google search et al have shadow-banned, suspended and deleted us from your news feeds. They are disappearing us. But we are here.
Subscribe to Geller Report newsletter here— it’s free and it’s essential NOW when informed decision making and opinion is essential to America's survival. Share our posts on your social channels and with your email contacts. Fight the great fight.
Follow Pamela Geller on Gettr. I am there. click here.
Follow Pamela Geller on Trump's social media platform, Truth Social. It's open and free.
Remember, YOU make the work possible. If you can, please contribute to Geller Report.
Join The Conversation. Leave a Comment.
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spammy or unhelpful, click the - symbol under the comment to let us know. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.
If you would like to join the conversation, but don't have an account, you can sign up for one right here.
If you are having problems leaving a comment, it's likely because you are using an ad blocker, something that break ads, of course, but also breaks the comments section of our site. If you are using an ad blocker, and would like to share your thoughts, please disable your ad blocker. We look forward to seeing your comments below.
11 Comments
5 years ago
5 years ago
Reply to
Halal Bacon
Always keep at least on copy of the Koran in my personal mosque, AKA my outhouse. The ones printed in the middle east have paper that just about matches the quality of Charmin.
5 years ago
Interesting article. Yet, today, what was then Constantinople, now Istanbul, is controlled by Islam. The creeping disease that is Islam continues unfettered. The “politically correct” fools seem to turn a blind eye to the written and active intent of Islam to put all mankind into its slavery. These fools accuse those who recognize that intent of Islamophobia, claiming it is irrational. How they can turn a blind eye to reality is what concerns me the most. They are contributing to their own enslavement or death by this vile belief system. 9-11 should be a constant reminder of what us non-believers face. To refuse to both understand and prepare for the reality that Islam poses is the height of stupidity. We all must learn from history, because history is the ultimate truth.
5 years ago
Reply to
Dennis
No empire lasts. None have, none will.
Free men will seek freedom, to live, to choose, to be adults.
The history of man is war, conflict, violence, dissension, and so shall it be. Life is struggle, means struggle.
Men will always wage war, it is our lot. It is good to know what we are dealing with.
Preparedness cannot be overstated.
5 years ago
Left/Liberals Muslims are pathological liars. share this if anyone believes their Lies http://bit.ly/2rF8pfo
They protect jihadis.
5 years ago
When will someone have the guts to say that
islam
is not only the Scourge of G-d
but the enemy of Humanity.
If it does not deserve utter annihilation, then
no fly deserves to be swatted.
5 years ago
If only Europe could stand truly united today. They would be truly unstoppable, if their faith could be reignited once more.
5 years ago
Reply to
R. Arandas
Soon…
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> NEWS FLASH! <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< In Solidarity with western EU Christian patriots betrayed by their own governments, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic invaded Western Europe on two broad fronts this afternoon. The threat posed by 4 new muslim nuclear powers in about 10 years, Iran, France, Germany and Britain, was too great to ignore any longer. German Chancellor Angela Merkel retreated to Berchtesgaden with her muslim refugee sycophants chanting, Allahu Akbar! Sieg Heil! France is expected to surrender out of hand. Britain threatens to flood the English Chunnel to stop them. Italy will join the winning side, as usual. Cheer on the Christian Warsaw Pact! Updates at 11 PM.
5 years ago
Author of Tactica, a manual for defeating muslims in battle, one of the great strategists of all time.
5 years ago
Islam and communism are easily defeated as they are inferior to the West. However, we do not attack them unless they called you “Little” Boosh.
However, they would not hesitate to attack you if they knew you could be easily defeated. That is why we must never EVER give up on our military superiority and why you should never EVER elect a Demoncrap who are communist in the midst of your government.
5 years ago
The west will wait till the Muslim become a Goliath that will need a real David to slay it . In the mean time good people will die.
