Appeasing Islam

"In our group of hostages there were a few who converted, and they were practising Islam with the required routine."
"They practised the five daily prayers and would even sometimes perform two extra prayers that are not mandatory at night."
"Sometimes they would fast on Mondays and Thursdays, which are extra fasts."
Nicolas Henin, 39, French freelance journalist

"He also told us ... that at some point during her captivity the German woman, Marianne Petzold, had converted to Islam. But while we had yet to set eyes on Marianne and Gabriella Burco Greiner, those who had were not crowing over this fine Islamic victory. When I did see them a few hours later, I understood why. A few of the young and foolish among the assembled mujahideen boasted of the conversion victory but those with any sense knew it to be utterly hollow or much worse. Belmokhtar's troops were aghast. They had spent all that time explaining that Islam did not wage war on women, children, or old people, but here were these two women, both sick. One of them -- old, frail, and confused -- had clearly been horribly treated even though she had chosen to become their Muslim sister. It was evident in Jack's face that he found Abou Zeid's handling of these women unconscionable."
Robert R. Fowler, former UN Envoy in Africa

In his memoir of his high-value capture and imprisonment by al-Qaeda in 2008 in the Sahara, Robert Fowler describes, among other things, how incessantly he and Louis Guay were importuned by their captors to surrender to Islam, to become a "brother". Conversion of the unfortunate unbelievers is, after all, a key duty of all pious Muslims. To successfully persuade a non-Muslim to embrace Islam, is considered a signal triumph. It does not, however, ensure that the converted will be treated with any special consideration.

Many foreigners abducted by Islamists and held for ransom, or for shock appeal as in the current state of affairs where the Islamic State terrorists dispense with the lives of such captives by the most gruesome means their little reptile brains can conceive; beheading, but not cleanly and swiftly by the sword or scimitar, but with the use of a small, serrated carving knife, to ensure that optimal suffering will ensue, for those whose very existence insults Islam.

Mr. Henin, for his part, was writing of his own personal experience as a hostage among other hostages, and in particular his knowledge of Peter Kassig, 26, an American humanitarian who had dedicated himself to alleviating the plight of Syrian civilians caught in the pincers of a civil war, victimized both by the Syrian Sunni rebels fighting to unseat the Shia-led regime, and through vicious lethal attacks by that regime led by Alawite President Bashar al-Assad.

Mr. Henin, before he was finally freed, spent four months as an al-Qaeda captive, sharing a cell with Mr. Kassig and British journalist John Cantlie. France has been agreeable to advancing the millions demanded as ransom for its nationals. Britain and the United States refuse to bargain for the lives of their nationals. And Mr. Cantlie, 43, appears to have resigned himself to his fate. Even so, he is being used as a propaganda tool by ISIS; grateful for the opportunity to extend his life.

Captive: A still from the newly-released video of British Hostage John Cantlie. The photojournalist has been a captive of IS for two years

A fourth propaganda video has now been released, featuring British journalist John Cantlie. Where he speaks of his imprisonment in a "clean and comfortable room [which] for a man in my position, it is enough. Four of my cellmates have already been executed by the Islamic State in the most visceral way possible after the British and American governments apparently made a joint decision not to discuss terms for our release with our captors.

"If these executions force public outcry or a policy change, that is a huge victory. And if they only goad our governments into dropping more bombs and spending millions more dollars, making our countries weaker in the process, that is a victory too. Anyone hoping for a nice neat surgical operation without getting their hands dirty is in for a horrible surprise once it gets underway [U.S.-led airstrikes coalition]."


Now, Peter Kassis who with his self-elected conversion to Islam has changed his name to Abdul Rahman, appears next in line to be slaughtered by beheading by the ISIS fanatics who hold him hostage. The Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham introduced the world to his fate when they issued the video of the beheading of Briton Alan Henning, another man who envisioned himself as a protector of Syrian children made homeless by brutal uncivil war.

Ed and Paula Kassig listen to a speaker during a prayer vigil for their son Abdul-Rahman Kassig on the Butler University campus. Photograph: Steve C Mitchell/EPA

"The routine was mostly waiting for food, because we never received enough. Peter would share a lot of his food with others, but was always looking for sweets. He was always looking for some extra marmalade in exchange for something salty", Mr. Henin reminisced about his ordeal, sharing captivity with Peter Kassig and John Cantlie.

Regularly beaten by their guards, their spirits in hell, it seemed practical, no doubt, to convert to Islam, and perhaps by this process of vulnerable agreeableness, disarm the viral contempt evinced by their Islamist guards. Why would they kill other Muslims? seems as reasonable a line of thought as any, other than for the fact that they will, and they do, and think little of it.

Mr. Kassig might well find solace in practising Islam. But appeasing the god of Islam by prostrating himself repeatedly throughout the day, in an excess of devotion will do little to save him, even though the Islamists claim that all they do is the will of god, Inshallah!

Or perhaps because all they do is the will of god.