1. The Adapting Methods of Islamic Supremacists in Western Society 1
The Adapting Methods of Islamic Supremacists in Western Society
A Review of Stealth Jihad and Robert Spencer
Brian Chausse
Liberty University

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“Muslims trying to take over the USA? You’ve got to be kidding...” This question, the
title of the first chapter of Robert Spencer’s controversial 2008 book Stealth Jihad, is answered
by Spencer’s hypothesis that radical Islamists have infiltrated the American society, government,
and education system through covert means. In proving this hypothesis, Stealth Jihad explains
how Islamic extremists are succeeding without the more traditional terrorism and/or violence. A
well know critic of Islam and jihad, Spencer outlines the grand strategy of Islamic domination of
the United States and other western societies, while addressing the doubt and blindness of many
political, military, and media leaders. The book compiles evidence of various ‘moderate’ and
extremist Muslim groups who, in their expertise, have successfully manipulated much of
Western society. While the concepts of Spencer’s 2008 Stealth Jihad are both accurate and
prophetic, his authorship is slightly tainted by personal experience and opinion.
Spencer’s brief introduction titled “Terrorism without Terror,” outlines the denial and
minimization of the ideological or religious motives, which link Islamic values to terrorism, by
both American media personnel and public officials. Stealth jihad is a means towards “the
imposition of jihadists’ ideology over the world–over their fellow Muslims and non-Muslims
alike” (p. 5). Stealth jihad, unlike violent jihad, is performed in the public square, while
harboring a secret agenda. There are many moderate Islamic organizations in America which
employ stealth jihad, and Spencer details this in the chapters that follow.
The first chapter explains that, employed by Islamic radicals, stealth jihad is an adaptive
method to the more traditional jihad. Spencer defines jihad as “a struggle to advance the cause of
Islam, the cause of Allah” (p. 12). The Muslim Brotherhood is the chief proprietor of stealth
jihad with their ultimate goal being “the elimination of Western civilization” (p. 16). Spencer
indicates that the Brotherhood is working to absorb and consolidate groups such as the Muslim

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Students Association (MSA), the Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the Islamic
Society of North America (ISNA), and more. Spencer evidences this with statements from
Muslim brotherhood operators calling for Muslims to influence the various realms of American
life, including media, art, and politics. There is a significant level of ignorance regarding the true
agenda of these organizations by the American people, media, and government.
In Chapter 2, titled “Forget ‘Why Do They Hate Us?’ The Real Question Is ‘What do
They Want,” Spencer challenges the American understanding that it is somehow “within our
power to make them like us” by “winning Hearts and Minds” (p. 31, 33). The chapter presents
jihadist teachings from Islamic scholars and leaders, along with numerous Qur’anic texts. Some
examples of this include the object of war/ jihad taught by all four schools of Sunni
jurisprudence, Al-Azhar University, Osama bin Laden, and other Islamic contributors. What is
the object of this war? Spencer points to Qur’an 9:29, which calls for the subjugation of non-
believers, or dhimmis, into willing submission and a tax called the jizya (p. 40). In order to bring
about subjugation under Islamic law, stealth jihadists will slowly and quietly undermine the
United States and Western societies. Spencer warns of the supremacist impulse of the Islamic
religion and the non-existence of freedom under Sharia law. The final section of the chapter
exhibits the ongoing conflation of Christian and Muslim beliefs in the United States, into what
Spencer coins as “Judeo-Christian-Islamic values” (p. 47).
Chapter’s three and four discuss the silencing of Islamic critics in the United States and
on an international scale. Chapter three displays numerous examples of the vilification of critics
of Islam and the Qur’an, including Spender himself. Spencer specifies how American critics of
Islam are often silenced through fear of either being labeled “Islamophobic,” which he attributes
to American Islamic groups such as CAIR saying:

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“This is the group’s modus operandi– trumping up and exaggerating hate crimes,
deflecting attention away from anything Muslims are doing that might cause non-Muslim
concern, and doing everything possible to portray Muslims as victims who need a special
protected status.” (p. 63)
The chapter continues with examples of accommodations made by the United States government
in order to accommodate Islam, including: the forbiddance of the words ‘jihad’ or ‘jihadists’ in
reference to Islamic terrorism, the reliance upon American Muslim groups for perspective, and
the voluntarily deference of “their [politicians] responsibility to understand the traditional
obligation to violent jihad in Islam to Islamic apologists” (p. 70). Chapter four exemplifies more
silencing, and even criminalization, of critics, from an international perspective. Titled “The
International Jihad against Free Speech,” the chapter delves into European countries’ limits upon
free speech and their legal protection of Islam from criticism. Spencer points out a victory for
stealth jihadists at the United Nations Human Rights Council in June 2008. Following David G.
Littman’s denouncement of the various human rights violations that originate in Islamic law and
the Qur’an, complaints from UN representatives as well as the Organization of the Islamic
Conference (OIC) led the UNHRC to no longer “discuss religious matters in depth” (p. 76).
Spencer then discusses the violent reactions spawned by the Danish cartoons, which maliciously
depicted Mohammed, and by the film Fitna, which partnered Qur’anic verses with graphic
videos of Islamic terror attacks. These reactions throughout Muslim countries and communities
were blamed upon the producers of the controversial content (often without condemnation of
those acting violently) and used as a justification to limit free speech throughout Europe. And
thus, Spencer describes, is how violence has become a justifiable and acceptable tool for Islam
groups to indirectly employ when silencing or criminalizing critics. The final topic of the chapter

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exhibits various cases of ‘legal jihad’ or ‘libel tourists’: Muslim groups or individuals suing
authors and media personnel in European countries where there are limits to free speech.
In chapter 5, Spencer challenges the true nature of so-called “moderate” Muslim groups.
He starts by indicting “moderate” groups such as CAIR and MPAC (Muslim Public Affairs
Council) as having ties to terrorism and Islamic supremacism. Spencer points out a number of
CAIR’s questionable representatives and connections, including that of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Spencer then outlines his beliefs that MPAC’s denouncements of terrorism are weak and don’t
clearly define terror-related terms such as ‘innocent,’ ‘civilian,’ and ‘suicide.’ Spencer declares
that CAIR and MPAC are active engaging in stealth jihad to accommodate Islamic law in the
United States.
In chapters six and seven, Spencer discusses the push from Islamic organizations for the
accommodation of Islam in American society. “Your House Is Our House: Accommodating
Islam” is the title of sixth chapter, where Spencer investigates numerous lawsuits as well as
accommodations made by government and private organizations that have enabled Islamic law
and culture. The first section is titled “The Ugly Muslim?” and plays off of the title of a 1958
political novel The Ugly American- written about traveling Americans’ disregard for cultural
norms. Spencer proposes that the disregard for culture norms, and demand for local
accommodation that was attributed to Americans, now applies to Muslims within western
societies. Spencer summarizes Islamic accommodations by saying: “History? Heritage?
Tradition? Forget them all. An insult to Islam–whether real or imaginary–meant that they all had
to be swept aside” (p. 139). Accommodations discussed by Spencer in this chapter include:
Sharia cab drivers (not servicing passengers with alcohol), footbaths in airports, and time and a
space for prayer in workplaces and universities. He contends that these changes are not simply

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“growing pains of a multicultural society” and that “a footbath is not just a footbath” but rather,
they are political and social statements part of the grand strategy of stealth jihad (p. 140, 144).
Chapter seven characterizes Islamic accommodation as supremacist separatism. The US
civil rights movement of the 1960s is the opposite of the Islamic ‘civil rights movement’ which
demands separation and segregation based on the Qur’anic teachings non-Muslim inequality.
Although Muslim accommodation is often done in the name of multicultural tolerance, Spencer
contends that many Muslims hold a hidden supremacist agenda. Examples provided in the
chapter include Muslim-only swimming and gym times, private/ closed Muslim communities in
several US states, and sharia banking with no-interest loans.
In chapters eight and nine, Spencer displays the active stealth jihad within American
academia and public schools. The Islamic indoctrination in public schools includes a white-
washed view of Muhammed and Islamic history, a non-violent definition of jihad, and an
antagonistic view of the western civilization and Christianity.
“If students learn that medieval Muslims were tolerant, magnanimous, and peaceful, while
Christians were bigoted, rapacious, and brutal, they internalize paradigms that they’ll use in
evaluating current events- and all too many teachers are no doubt very happy to help them
with this exercise.” (p. 196-197)
Spencer blames the leftist ‘mandate for tolerance,’ but also includes Saudi Arabia, the Council of
Islamic Education (CIE), and the Arabic Language Institute Foundation (ALIF), as contributors
to the Islamization of school textbooks and curriculum. Spencer continues to illuminate the
Islamic influence on American education in chapter nine, with what he deems as the “Islamic
ideological straitjacket in American universities” (p. 227). He explains how the commitment to
pursuing truth in education has been lost, and indicts professors and scholars, such as Omid Safi

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and Carl Ernst, as being part of the propagandist mill in academia. He goes further, spending a
large portion of the chapter investigating the actions of the Muslim Students Association (MSA)
in sponsoring incendiary speakers, reinforcing anti-Western ideology, and calling for restrictions
upon freedom of speech. Next, Spencer describes how Edward Said’s Orientalism developed the
“foundation for the anti-Americanism and a benign view of jihadist activity and Islamic
supremacism that now prevail almost everywhere” (p. 237). This prevailing anti-Western agenda
is often rewarded with career positions or money from “humanitarian” donors (p. 239-240).
“Compromised” is the title of chapter ten within which Spencer describes the infiltration
of stealth jihadists and Islamic supremacists into US political and military positions. He
summarizes this infiltration as part of an:
“…unsettling larger picture within the government and military of political correctness
trumping security concerns, whistleblowers being summarily dismissed from their
positions, and proven infiltrators receiving startlingly light punishments.” (p. 259)
Spencer also quotes Paul Sperry’s 2005 book Infiltration saying that jihadists have “infiltrated
every security agency from the FBI to the Pentagon to the prison system” (p. 257). A lot of this
infiltration, Spencer specifically points out, comes in the form of the questionable selection
process and actions taken by Muslim Arabic translators.
Spencer’s conclusion titled “What Is to Be Done?” restates Spencer’s hypothesis that
stealth jihads will continue to pursue dominance in the public sphere, and he offers some steps to
counter this. Spencer first affirms Sue Myrick’s (now retired Republican senator of North
Carolina) 10-point counter-jihadist strategy, including the examination the non-profit status of
CAIR, an investigation into the selection process of Arabic translators, auditing sovereign wealth
funds in the US, and more. Spencer then adds some of his own recommendations including

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reclassifying Muslim organizations, taking pride in American culture, and eventually ending
Muslim immigration.
Robert Spencer’s hypothesis in Stealth Jihad is a very well evidenced and borderline
prophetic. Written in 2008, Spencer’s description and characterization of Islamic supremacism
are undeniably accurate today. Spencer’s account of the Danish cartoons and the film Fitna,
mirror the recent Charlie Hebdo incident in Paris. Also, with a voluntary Sharia tribunal now
residing in Texas, it is safe to say that the Islamic crusade for American accommodations wages
on (Geller, 2015, n.p.). Spencer repeatedly mentioned the willful blindness by United States
officials towards the violent roots in Islamic ideology. Recently, Obama has made clear that the
government will continue to cater to the desired Islamic context, saying in reference to ISIL:
“We are not at war with Islam; we are at war with those who have perverted Islam” (Liptak,
2015, n.p.). Stealth jihad remains alive and active, and, as Spencer predicted, is subverting
virtually every realm of American society.
Robert Spencer has a number of presuppositions that can leave the reader of Stealth Jihad
hard-pressed to distinguish evidence from opinion. First, Spencer represents his personal
interpretation of Islam writing in the introduction:
“I have long contended that Islam is unique among the major world religions in having a
developed doctrine, theology, and legal system mandating warfare against and the
subjugation of unbelievers. There is no orthodox sect or school of Islam that teaches that
Muslims must coexist peacefully as equals with non-Muslims on an indefinite basis.”
(p. 5)
Spencer seemingly holds a disdain and/ or intolerance for Islam. Although he was careful to state
that not all Muslims are involved in stealth jihad (or any form of jihad) in chapter one, his

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recommendation of ending Muslim immigration paints another picture (p. 13, 278). As
evidenced by the book, stealth jihad is undeniably a national security concern, and it is also
nearly impossible to screen the motives of Muslim immigrants; however, his recommendation is
a bit far-fetched. Bias can be attributed to both Spencer’s authorship and his audience; Spencer
dedicates Stealth Jihad: “[to] all those who recognize the danger of stealth jihad and are ready to
resist” (p. I). Furthermore, in chapter 6, Spencer displays a support for religious freedom and
cultural diversity – unless it is Muslim. Besides his ostensible contempt for Islam, Spencer has
had encounters with many of the Islamic scholars and organizations that he refers to. For
example, Spencer recounts Carl Ernst’s (whom Spencer indicts as a member of the Islam
propagandist mill) comments about Spencer saying that his “books were non-scholarly and were
published by presses that he believed reflected a conservative political fence” (p. 233). While
Spencer repeatedly points out that those whom criticize him often don’t offer a rebuttal for his
claims, Ernst’s remarks are not all too inaccurate. Regnery Publishing’s homepage displays an
array of conservative spokespersons and topics. Additionally, Spencer’s personal opinion is
undeniably existent within his writing, evidenced by his repeated use of first person. Although
his information is extremely valuable and pertinent, Spencer should pursue a more scholarly
method of authorship that provides more truly objective information.
Spencer’s authorship and evidence in this work illuminate the existence and activity of
stealth jihad in the United States and throughout Europe. I would highly recommend this book to
any American citizen whom wishes to be well-informed and/or cares for the future of the nation.
More specifically, to those whom aspire to enter a career in political, military, or intelligence
realms.

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References
Geller, P. (2015, January 28). 'Voluntary' Sharia Tribunal in Texas: This Is How It Starts.
Breitbart. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
Liptak, K. (2015, February 18). Obama summit aims to battle extremists, Islamic and otherwise.
CNN. Retrieved April 19, 2015.
Regnery Publishing. (2015, January 1). Retrieved April 18, 2015.
Spencer, R. (2008). Stealth jihad: How radical Islam is subverting America without guns or
bombs. Washington, DC: Regnery Pub.