The letter is entitled “Strike Their Necks and Strike Each One of Their Sons.” It says: “Let every Muslim know that the blood of those combatant Christians and their money is permissible and that taking any of them as hostages for ransom or to swap with a Muslim prisoner is also permissible.”

Strike their necks? Kill them or take hostages for ransom? Where did the Islamic State get these ideas? Could it be from this? “So when you meet those who disbelieve, strike necks until, when you have inflicted slaughter upon them, then secure their bonds, and either favor afterwards or ransom until the war lays down its burdens.” (Qur’an 47:4)

In what way is ISIS hijacking or misinterpreting that passage? Could some moderate Muslim spokesman in the U.S. explain it for us? Or maybe Pope Francis or H.R. McMaster or some other learned imam? No?

“ISIS Tells Muslims to Kidnap and Murder Christians in Russian-Occupied Areas,” by Cristina Maza, Newsweek, February 23, 2018 (thanks to The Religion of Peace):