Very interesting post, I did not know that opinion existed. It may be that European-based scholars came down more strongly on muslamic religion than did the Middle-east/north africa based scholars such as Rambam.
What did the Vilna Gaon, source of most of HaRav Kahane's theology and by extension Chaim's, say about this?
Again, I've posted about this before, but the Vilna Gaon is not the primary source of Rabbi Kahane, and he selected from a variety of sources in his writings. There are certain haredim who are claiming to base themselves entirely on the halachic approach of the Gaon, and their hashkafa is far from Rabbi Kahane's. But I think that is because Rav Kahane was not a 'primarily' anything rabbi, but drew from all areas of truth. His opinions on warfare and running a Jewish state were undoubtedly predominantly based on Rambam, who was one of the few Jewish sages who even wrote on such subjects in any detail. But he did of course draw from Vilna Gaon, because how could one not do so!
A good question though, and I cannot find anything at the moment. I did see something interesting, but sort of tangential. It does imply that Vilna Gaon did not believe the Muslim belief in Allah was pagan or non-monotheistic belief. But I hesitate to quote it. It is a secondary account of a student in the name of the Gaon, and it is also a tangentially related case. However it is a prominant student who became a big authority himself. In such cases it is assumed he is authentically making a claim in his rabbi's name. He would not falsify that, and otherwise he could simply claim it in his own name.
That's true, but the likely source of that opinion Chaim cites (Rambam) is also of the opinion that Islam is NOT avoda zara. Anyway, good points.
Throughout the Middle Ages, Christianity was more anti-Semitic than Islam. There wasn't a whole lot of Christian Zionism back then. The Islamic world tolerated Jews as dhimmis at many times in this period because they wanted Jews to enrich their kingdoms and contribute their great expertise in technical, legal, and educational areas. Could it be that this explains why Jewish scholars living in Islamic lands would be more tolerant of Islam than those living outside of them?
It might be for some, but not in the case of Rambam. He based his opinion on his conception of pure monotheism (he was unique in Judaism in some of his views here), and that Islam also fit the bill of said monotheism despite being evil and a heretical faith for a Jew. And of course he does assert that Islam is complete falsehood, forbidden to adopt and other such statements. He refers to Muhammad as the madman.
But I do accept the idea in general that the environment/treatment can influence the opinions on the surrounding group in question. It will influence how we will be instructed to interact with such groups in many complicated halachot, no doubt.
Rambam however, had no misconceptions about the treatment of Jews by Islam. He and his family personally experienced the persecution of Islam and fled his home country, and he consoled those Jews of areas in North Africa and in Yemen who were put to the sword of Islam and faced massive forced conversion attacks. They sent Rambam letters appealing for halachic guidance amidst their turmoil.
Topic: question about debating other religions (Read 5373 times)