Following the terrible attack on the World Trade Center on September 11th, 2001, the mass media made the Islam their main subject. Books that deal with that subject were sold out within days. Select countries arranged for a special day, holding an "open house" in their mosques to inform the non-Muslims about the Islamic beliefs. They had never before seen that many people attend. Most people say and realise that the world will never be the same since that remarkable day. The air traffic suffers worldwide and also all the business branches which are connected internationally. The day of October 7th, 2001, when the USA started their military retaliation in Afghanistan, will also go down in history. Many are convinced that a better reaction would have been to follow the example Christ set for us, »Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.« And: »Recompense to no man evil for evil  …  Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves but rather give place unto wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the LORD. «

The terrorist attack on the USA as well as the attack by the USA on the terrorists in Afghanistan, with innocent people suffering every time, are still unbelievable, they are incomprehensible. Osama Bin Laden and his terror organisation carried out their well-planned attack and destroyed the World Trade Center in New York. The proud twin-towers were brought to the ground, reduced to dust and ashes in Just 105 minutes. There were people from about 60 nations among the thousands who died in that incomparable inferno. The White House, the Home of the President of the United States of America, the greatest nation on earth, was the main target. Missing its intended target, the plane crashed into the Pentagon instead. There 189 people – military personnel, civilian clerks and passengers – found a sudden death. The intended hit on Camp David failed, because the passengers interfered with the hijackers. Up till that day the term »terror« was mainly used for the various Islamic terrorist organisations aiming their attacks on Israel. Now they have also made their way across the Atlantic Ocean. Only after that event did the whole world realise their evil existence. Their capability for causing terror in various countries was known, but with the attack on the USA the entire matter has taken on a new dimension.

What had the thousands of innocent people done who were just earning their daily bread by doing their jobs in the World Trade Center? What has the USA done to Bin Laden, the Taliban or to any of the other Islamic terrorist organisations? Anyone who is acquainted with the recent history knows that after World War II we were left with two super powers. The British Empire no longer existed and the German Empire was shattered, with all of Europe in ruins. The world was divided into East and West, the Soviet Union here, the USA there. The dividing line extended its reach throughout the whole world. Germany and even the German capital Berlin were partitioned into the East and West Sector and Europe was split up.

The four decades that followed were known as the time of the »Cold War«. The super powers clashed repeatedly during those years, like they did in 1961 and 1962, for example, when we had the crisis in Berlin, where the opposing tanks were facing each other, and also the Cuba-crisis. In December 1979 the Soviet troops occupied Afghanistan. The US government in June 1980 found it necessary to place an embargo upon the USSR. At that time the CIA began to train Bin Laden and his Taliban group to resist the occupying forces. Altogether, 35,000 men from 43 Islamic countries were recruited. At first the entire action was directed against the Soviet troops, and the US government spent 3 billion dollars during this action in the 1980-ies.

It is incomprehensible, how Osama Bin Laden, the protégé of the USA, would grow to hate the United States. Is it not beyond any reason, that he, who himself most certainly is not ready to die, is training young people at the same time, promising them paradise and their bereaved families' financial security before sending them into death? The first attempt was made by blasting the American embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in East Africa in 1998. This time the targets were the political capital of the USA and the commercial headquarters of this world. It cannot be imagined what kind of character and brutality it takes to murder the pilots and to navigate the planes with all the passengers on board directly into those buildings.

Nobody can fathom the torment those passengers in the aircrafts went through in the last moments of their lives. Altogether, several thousand children were left without one or both of their parents. There is no excuse for the actions of those who bear the responsibility. The Secret Service, busy internationally, found among the documents of the 19 hijackers – 11 of them were from Saudi Arabia, the birth country of Mohammed and the Islam -their last, religiously motivated statements. For example, "This life is terrible, but that in paradise into which we shall go tomorrow is full of flowers, rivers and glory to enjoy life for ever.” Even while reading the last words written by some of the "Pilots of death" during their last night, the question arises about what Mohammed actually said, the one who all these murderers believed to be their prophet.

On October 8th, 2001, the whole world could see the video with the statement Osama bin Laden made, »The holy war against the Jews and the Christians has begun!  …  God has prepared a group of the Muslim avant-garde to destroy America. God bless them and give them a place in heaven!« Thereby it was confirmed that the Islamic terrorist organisation Al Khaida was responsible for the attacks. The entire world is asking what is going to happen next. Therefore it comes as no surprise that now Muslims and non-Muslims are searching in Islamic literature, to know what is being taught about the »Holy War«. In Germany, for instance, the Koran was sold out within days after the attack. Also Mohammed as a person and his teachings have become the focal point of interest.

In view of what is happening now, many people even fear that the apocalyptic events of the Bible are coming upon them. Only those who really know the Scriptures are aware that the "holy wars" are actually mentioned in biblical prophecies. Due to the current events, the necessity for a biblical explanation of the role the Islam plays in the present and in the near future, the way it is written in the Book of all books, seems self-evident for those who can see.

In this brief exposition I shall try to stay with the golden rule, »Therefore, all things whatever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them, for that is the law and the prophets.« (Mt. 7:12). Actually, we are all in search for the truth, which must be shared with all people of good will. Truth is

not found with human beings, but only with the true God (Rom. 3:4). The highest commandment for us should be that we do not touch the dignity of God and do not ascribe to Him the actions of men. With the respect towards any faith and religion, the whole world does have a right to be informed about Islam, considering the recent events. There is nothing on earth or in the universe, be it good or bad, right or wrong, that does not have the right to exist. This also applies to all religions. We have to entrust the entire creation to the responsibility of the Creator. The spiritual/religious realm we must also leave to the ultimate Judge, who will pronounce the verdict according to his word.