V. Appendix

Qaddafi's New Year Message to the Statesmen of the Christian Nations

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Tripoli, Rabi Awal 28, January 1

Jamahiriya News Agency

The Revolution's Leader today sent a letter to the heads of Christian countries to mark the beginning of the New Year. the letter reads:

"I congratulate you on the occasion of the New Year and the passage of 1984 years on the birth of Jesus, 'may the Lord's peace be upon him', of whom we would have known nothing were this not revealed to Muhammad. 'peace be upon him'. It was Muhammad who recited the complete story of Jesus and his mother Mary, daughter of Umran. We Muslims have believed, through the Qur'an which was revealed to Muhammad and which you have unfortunately not recognised, in the miracle of Jesus' birth and prophecy. This story has not reached us clearly either through the Torah or the Bible, because the current copies of the Old and New testaments have been forged and distorted and the name of the prophet Muhammad and many other things have been intentionally dropped from them. For Jesus says in the true Bible, addressing the Israelites who deserted him and tried to kill him: 'O ye sons of Israel, I am the prophet of god sent to you to attest the Torah and Bible and to bring glad tidings of a prophet called Ahmad who will come after me.'

"On this holy occasion, I call upon the new generation in the Christian world to read the Qur'an to discover the truth about Jesus Christ, 'may peace be upon him', his mother Mary and brother Aaron, I call upon them to read the Qur'an to see how the virgin Mary was approached by Gabriel who brought glad tidings Of Jesus and how Jesus was born in a distant place. They will also learn how God provided her with food from heaven and a palm tree and how her people attacked her... How the child Jesus spoke and convinced people that he is a blessed prophet and that Muhammad will come as a prophet after him... How he was forsaken by the Israelites who tried to kill him, putting his look-alike to the cross, while God lifted Jesus to the heavens... How Jesus, through God brought life back to the dead and healed the lepers and the dumb.

"All these details have made us, we the Muslims, believe in the miracle of the birth of Jesus, his prophecy, his beginning and end, the Israelites war against him and the Hiwaris support for him... We have learned all this only from the Qur'an which you have not read and do not believe in because of the blind nationalistic fanaticism against the Arab nation, misleading Israeli propaganda and the ignorant which has prevented you from seeking the truth of the Qur'an and the prophet Muhammad who recited in detail the story of Jesus and the stories of other prophets in the Qur'an.

"Therefore, I call upon the new generation in the Christian world to carry out a cultural revolution to transform the beliefs of the Christian world which is now in the process of disintegration and decline and is now in need of men like Savonarola, Martin Luther and Calvin.

"May peace befall all the righteous..."

Colonel Muammar al-Qaddafi

(The Times of India)

Extracts from the Law of Retaliation

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The Law of Retaliation was passed by the cabinet of the government of Radjai (Iran) during the first days of February in the year 1981.

Through this law, which contains 80 articles, the criminal law is shortened. One differentiates between two main parts. The first part relates to crimes of homicide, the second to bodily injury.

Article 1

For premeditated murder the law of retaliation is valid. On the approval of the Imam of the Muslims or his representatives, the relatives of the slain person on the side of the father may punish the accused in accord with the fulfilment of the conditions in the following articles.

Article 2

In the case of premeditated murder the following conditions are valid:

a) When the guilty person intentionally acted to kill someone. It is not important whether he succeeded in killing the person as long as the intention was death.

b) When the guilty person consciously undertook an attempted murder, even when the murder was not premeditated.

c) When the guilty person did not have the intention to kill, but the attempt itself resulted in the death of the victim by reason of the victims age, sickness, weakness... and when the accused was conscious and aware of these conditions.

Article 3

There are three cases of homicide to be distinguished: cognisant homicide, nearly cognisant homicide and negligent homicide. The regulations for both of the last two cases ensue in the column regarding the blood price (compensation).

Forced Homicide

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Article 4

The fact that one acted under coercion cannot be used to justify a homicide. Therefore the offender is condemned under the law of retaliation.

Whoever instigates a homicide is condemned to life-long imprisonment. However:

if the offender is an under-aged child who doesn't know what he is doing, or a mentally retarded person, then the instigator alone is condemned by the law of retaliation.
if the offender is an under-aged child, who is conscious and aware of the act, he will be judged according to the law of retaliation. In such a case his guardian is obligated to pay the blood price (compensation). The instigator is condemned to life-long imprisonment.

Article 5

If a Muslim man kills a Muslim woman he is condemned according to the law of retaliation. But before the execution the relatives of the woman on her father's side must pay the murderer half of the blood price (compensation), which is customary in a case involving the death of a man.

Article 6

If a Muslim woman consciously kills a Muslim man, she alone is condemned by the law of retaliation, and does not have to pay the relatives of the victim.

Article 7

If a non-Muslim kills a non-Muslim, the offender is condemned by the law of retaliation, even if the murderer and the victim do not belong to the same religion. If the victim is a non-Muslim woman, her relatives on the side of her father must pay the blood price to the murderer (compensation), which is customary in a case involving the death of a man.

Part two: Conditions under which the law of retaliation is applied.

Article 15

The retaliation can only be exercised if the relatives of the victim are in agreement. Otherwise the one carrying out the execution is himself condemned under the law of retaliation.

Article 16

If a father or grandfather kills one of his offspring, the law of retaliation does not apply. He must merely pay the heirs of the victim the blood price (compensation). In addition, the religious judge must reprimand the man.

Article 23

For homicide, the law of retaliation is valid if the victim did not deserve to be killed in a religious sense. Causes for retaliation exist with the death penalty, however, if the victim insults the Prophet, the Imams, or Zahra, the daughter of the Prophet;

the victim attempted to force his way into a private residence and the owner could only defend himself by killing the intruder.
a married man kills his wife, whom he surprises committing flagrant adultery. He may also kill the lover.

The execution of these articles relate to the law of Allah, and if someone in all of these cases is against the one who has murdered, then he must make a statement under oath, otherwise the law of retaliation is valid.

Part Five: Modalities for the Application of Retaliation

Article 45

Retaliation is made use of in the cases of cognisant homicide, but can, however, with the approval of the relatives of the victim on the father's side and the agreement of the murderer, be commuted into the payment of a corresponding blood price (compensation), that is, in the paying of more or less large sum. Yet neither the relatives nor the murderer can propose this exchange alone.

Article 49

Among the heirs, those of the victim on the father's side alone have the right to demand the use of retaliation. Neither the married man nor the wife have the right to pardon or the right to have retaliation implemented.

Article 50

A pregnant woman, who is condemned under the law of retaliation, may only be executed after the birth of the child. If the implementation of retaliation after the birth may bring fatal harm to the child, the execution must be postponed, until the danger is no longer present.

Article 51

It is not allowed to carry out the retaliation with an instrument that is not sharp enough, and which could be used to torture the delinquent. One must behead him with a good sharpened sword or shoot him with a gun or a suitable weapon so that he will die without difficulties. It is forbidden to mutilate the one condemned to die.

Article 52

If there are many relatives of the victim on the father's side, then every one of them must be asked his opinion. If they are all united over the implementation of retaliation, then the murderer must be executed. Also, when only a part of them favour retaliation and the other favour blood price (compensation), retaliation can still be carried out. In this case those who demanded retaliation must pay the blood price (compensation) to those who gave in to the retaliation. If some of the relatives give a pardon without blood price (compensation), the others can exercise retaliation, as long as they have previously paid the blood price (compensation) to those who had granted pardon.

Article 53

The relatives of the victim on the father's side can carry out the retaliation with their own hands or, if they have the permission of the imam, commission an authorised agent, without being prevented in doing so or being prosecuted for corruption.

Stipulations for the Employment of Retaliation Involving Mutilation and Injuries

Article 59

The stipulations for the employment of retaliation involving mutilation or injuries are the same as those in the case of a homicide. For situations involving limbs of the body, however, one must employ the principle of reciprocity, and take into consideration whether the limbs are healthy and essential for life. This reciprocity obligates one, moreover, to consider which part of the body is involved. One cannot overreact, and the death of the guilty one must be prevented, or that a greater injury not be inflicted upon him than that which he caused.

Modalities for the Implementation of Retaliation Involving Mutilation or Injuries

Article 66

So that the retaliation for the mutilation exactly corresponds, one has to evaluate the injury, so that the retaliation can be equivalent. Everything that could prevent retaliation, or bring danger with it, or could precipitate exaggeration, must be avoided. If, for example, hair would interrupt the carrying out of the correct retaliation, it must be cut off. If the guilty person has open wounds on arms or legs, they must first be healed, so that the use of retaliation will not be disproportionate.

Article 67

If, through the carrying out of the retaliation, the guilty person moves and thus causes a worse mutilation, the executioner is not responsible. If the retaliation exceeds mutilation, however, and the condemned one did not move, the executioner is to be condemned to retaliation in like measure, in case he acted intentionally. In case it was not intentional, the executioner must pay compensation in an amount proportional to the excess.

Article 68

If the danger of necrosis exists because of heat or cold, the retaliation must be carried out in moderate temperatures.

Article 69

The instruments for carrying out the retaliation must be sharp and sterile, in accordance with the manner of retaliation, and be suited for such purpose. It is not allowed to inflict greater injuries on the wrongdoer than he caused.

Article 70

If someone gauges out the eye of another, he can be condemned in accordance with the law of retaliation, even if he himself has only one eye and will be blind as a consequence. No reason exists for him not to pay compensation.

This excerpt is from the translated texts of the law of retaliation (in Iran) and originates from the magazine "Conscience and Freedom" 19/1982 (Bern, Switzerland).

Ways to Understanding Muslims

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Not many Christians are shaken by the spirit and the practices of Islam. Others grow furious over the apologetic explanations put forth by Islam. But those desirous to evangelise ask: "How can we bring Muslims nearer to Jesus?"

In observing Islam and in conversation with Muslims we realise there are different methods that should not be confused with each other. Otherwise endless misunderstandings can arise.

The self-understanding of Muslims is frequently different than that which we can easily grasp or sympathise with. Nevertheless, we should endeavour to grasp their teaching, laws, prayers and conceptions, especially if we want to declare the gospel to them.
An evangelical diagnosis of Islam is substantially different from a scientific description of this religious culture and their self-understanding. In such a diagnosis the teaching and life of Islam must be measured by the New Testament. Christ is also the standard for Islam. His spirit uncovers the false spirit of Islam and shows the spiritual bondage of Muslims.
A New Testament therapy for a Muslim places as a prerequisite the comprehension of his self-understanding and sets forth the fact that an evangelical diagnosis exists. But like a doctor who frequently cannot explain to his patients the substance and details of their sickness, but leads them, nevertheless, on the road to recovery, even so it would be unkind and unwise to explain to Muslims about their bondage and the shortcomings of Muhammad. We want much more to take Jesus clear to them and to portray His love, holiness, words and deeds before their eyes. Only in the recognition of Jesus does a Muslim gain a new measure for his life, recognise his own guilt, discover the justification prepared for him, and receive strength and hope for his salvation.
An open question. Christ did not come to judge mankind, but to save it. He sacrificed Himself in our stead, because we all have fallen under the judgement of God. Scarcely anyone had understood His sacrifice or recognised that it was necessary. But He completed His salvation for everyone - for Muslims too.

So, therefore the question is posed: Who will tell them more about this gospel and hold His power before them, that they might recognise Jesus, and through faith in Him receive eternal life? We love Muslims and guest workers only as far as we pray for them. Whoever prays receives guidance, open doors and contacts, along with necessary words for discussion with them. Jesus desires to meet the 800 million Muslims living today. Who will be His messenger?

He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. John 3:36