Muslim apologists will blithely tell you that jihad means “striving for Allah” e.g. in one’s personal life or perhaps war to defend Islam knowing full well that it can be offensive war to spread Islam. They will tell you that Islam is a religion of peace and tolerance when there are dozens of examples of belligerence and intolerance in the Qur’an, for example (9:5), (98:6), (9:29), (9:14), (8:39), (9:123), (48:29),(60:4), (5:72-73), …

Their main reply when these verses are quoted to them is that “they are quoted out of context” or applied to certain conditions pertaining at that time. But this is pure dissimulation: fundamentalists will say that the verses do apply today and have never been abrogated.

As a general rule, do your own research. Many fundamentalist web sites do not hide the truth of their aims and doctrines. They are proud not to dissemble.

Added 6/6/02

Muhammad permitted lying if it was in the interests of Islam

Sahih Bukhari 5:369

Allah's Apostle said, "Who is willing to kill Ka'b bin Al-Ashraf who has hurt Allah and His Apostle?" Thereupon Muhammad bin Maslama got up saying, "O Allah's Apostle! Would you like that I kill him?" The Prophet said, "Yes," Muhammad bin Maslama said, "Then allow me to say a (false) thing (i.e. to deceive Kab). "The Prophet said, "You may say it." ...

Islam’s #1 theologian allows lying in the interests of Islam

• Imam Abu Hammid Ghazali says: "Speaking is a means to achieve objectives. If a praiseworthy aim is attainable through both telling the truth and lying, it is unlawful to accomplish through lying because there is no need for it. When it is possible to achieve such an aim by lying but not by telling the truth, it is permissible to lie if attaining the goal is permissible." (Ahmad ibn Naqib al-Misri, “The Reliance of the Traveller”)

“On the battlefield” (dealing with non-Muslims) outwittings are necessary.

Hadrat Ali said that in the battlefield one could not observe the highest standard of truth as a Muslim has been exhorted to do in matters of religion. For example in the battlefield one has to hide facts and outwit the enemy." (Hadith Sahih Muslim, Vol. 2, ft. #1446)

Tauriya or twisting of meanings

" A type of lie which is not a serious sin is tauriya or double-entendre which means using a word, an expression or a phrase, which has an obvious meaning and intending thereby another meaning to which it applies, but which is contrary to the obvious one." (Sahih Muslim Vol. 1, ft. 402, English version)