Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Harvard Islamic Chaplain Advocates Death For Apostates
As sharia law becomes more accepted as 'just another religious tradition' in America, its adherents become bolder and more outspoken as the need for taqia ( dissembling to advance Islam) lessens:
Harvard Islamic chaplain Taha Abdul-Basser ’96 has recently come under fire for controversial statements in which he allegedly endorsed death as a punishment for Islamic apostates.
In a private e-mail to a student last week, Abdul-Basserwrote that there was “great wisdom (hikma) associated with the established and preserved position (capital punishment [for apostates]) and so, even if it makes some uncomfortable in the face of the hegemonic modern human rights discourse, one should not dismiss it out of hand.”
The e-mail was forwarded over Muslim student e-mail lists and later picked up by the blogosphere, sparking debate and, in many cases, criticism of Abdul-Basserfrom those who have interpreted his statement as supporting the execution of those who leave the Islamic religion.
“I believe he doesn’t belong as the official chaplain,” said one Islamic student, who asked that he not be named to avoid conflicts with Muslim religious authorities.“If the Christian ministers said that people who converted from Christianity should be killed, don’t you think the University should do something?”
According to the student, many of Abdul-Basser’s other views are “not in line with liberal values, such as notions of human rights. He privileges the medieval discourse of the Islamic jurists, and is not willing to exercise independent thought and judgment beyond a certain limit,” the student said.
Keep in mind that Abdul-Basser is not a private individual, but has an official position as a Harvard chaplain.
Samad Khurram ’09-’10 said Abdul-Basser’s remarks conflicted with the Harvard United Ministry’s support of freedom of religion.
“I support free speech, freedom of belief and association, so this came as a big shock to me,” Khurram said.
“[His remarks] are the first step towards inciting intolerance and inciting people towards violence,” said a Muslim Harvard student, who requested that he not be named for fear of harming his relationship with the Islamic community.
Aqil Sajjad, a Harvard graduate student, also said that Abdul-Basser’s statements were “totally wrong, definitely out of line for somebody in that position. I wouldn’t go and seek religious advice from one who is saying this.”
A Muslim student at MIT, who also asked to remain anonymous to preserve his relationship with the Islamic community, said the chaplain’s remarks wrongly suggested that only Westerners and Westernized Muslims who did not fully understand Islam would find the killing of apostates objectionable.
“If what he said was what I thought, then it is very shocking and not something that I would expect or want coming out of a chaplain at any major American university,” he said.
Notice how many of these Muslim students who disagreed with the party line insisted on remaining anonymous? After all, since the Muslim chaplain involved is asserting that Islamic sharia law demands the death penalty for apostates. Did the anonymous students have some concerns for their well-being if they were seen as opposing Islamic sharia law?
The party line itself it unequivocal, and Abdul-Basser should not be criticized being honest about it.
Here is precisely what Muhammad ordered, as recorded in the Hadith:
The Messenger of Allah said, “Whoever changes his (Islamic) religion, kill him.” Al-Bukhary (number 6922)
Abdul-Basher is correctly stating the commands of his religion, as seen by the majority of Muslims around the world.Is there a consensus of rational American Muslims prepared to repudiate this utterly?
And if there isn't, are non-Muslim Americans prepared to insist that Islam conform to our laws, our Constitution, our democratic principles, and our tradition of respect for human rights and religious freedom...just as we have with other religions in the past?
That's the question, in a nutshell.And it's one we had better answer quickly, for the sake of both American Muslims and ourselves.
Scenes From The Tea Parties..
Nashville, Tennessee
Louisville, Kentucky
Fayetteville, North Carolina ( courtesy of long-time Joshua's Army member Zeb)
Denver, Colorado
Greensburg, PA
Oklahoma City
Lansing, Michigan
Toledo, OhioThe dinosaur media is largely ignoring this ( a Google search reveals that coverage is almost exclusively on the blogosphere)when they're not ridiculing it,but I think this is a more significant development that snarky, full-of-themselves commentators like MSNBC's Rachel Maddow and CNN's Anderson Cooper realize.
For one thing, this is not usually the segment of society that attends demonstrations.
Normally, they're done by the left because the foot soldiers ( students and 'activists) are not usually people with jobs and responsibilities. And theafterparty 'hookup' atmosphere at those things is usually a big part of theattraction, as anyone involved in Obama rallies will testify if they're being even a little honest.
The crowd here is very different -composed largely of people with families, jobs and a myriad of excuses not to find time to attend a demonstration during a work day. You rarely see them out on the streets like this, and especially not in these numbers.
And as my friend Dave Schuler from the Glittering Eye points out, the number of Americans who have zero income tax liability is the highest it’s been in over a half century. The people at the tea parties are part of the roughly 55% of Americans who actually pay taxes.
If the horse is getting tired of carrying the load and shows it this publicly, it's an important change in the weather. I fully expect to see more signs of this in the near future...especially given the current climate in Washington..
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Watcher's Council Nominations. 4/15/09
The Watcher's Council is a group of some of the most incisive blogs in the`sphere. Every week, the members nominate two posts each, one of their own and one from outside the group for consideration by the whole Council.
So, let's see what we have this week in the council's Tax Day edition- and do check out the
Watcher's take on the tea parties and the recent DHS report targeting 'right wing extremists'...
COUNCIL
Joshuapundit - A Few Inconvenient Truths About Israel And ‘Settlements’
Right Truth - Radical Leftist Appointments -Radicals appoint their fellow radicals to government positions when they win elections. Right Truth documents some of President Obama's choices.
Rhymes With Right - Lege Considering Campus Carry Bill, Chron Says “No” - I'm amazed that this is even a subject for debate in Texas, an admirably sensible place. As Greg points out, state law provides that law abiding citizens have the right of concealed carry, something criminals have justly learned to fear if the statistics are any indication. One armed and motivated professor or student could have saved a lot of lives at Virginia Tech.
Bookworm Room - Separation does not mean destruction - The always scintillating Ms. Bookworm takes on a particularly egregious instance of the secular gestapo coming down on two college students...as opposed to the tacit acceptance of leftist pronouncements in the public schools.
The Glittering Eye - Majority of Those Who Pay No Income Taxes Believe the Tax System is Fair - Dave parses a ridiculous poll showing that the majority of Americans like the current tax system..without making allowance for the fact that the percentage of people who don't pay any taxes is higher than ever in our history!
Mere Rhetoric - Obama Refuses To Visit Normandy Memorial Because It Might Offend Germany -Omri notes that President Obama decided to cater to German sensibilities by passing on a visit to the Normandy memorial.
Aside from the fact that I think most Germans (many of whom respect the virtue of patriotism) wouldn't have been offended in the least, I'm rather happy the current occupant of the White House chose to give Normandy a miss. Given his views on America and on our military, I'm sure the spirits of the American patriots who inhabit Pont Du Hoc were happy not to be sullied by his presence and gratified to be left to slumber in peace without being intruded on for an Obama photo-op.
The Colossus of Rhodey - Do we really need fear Republicans shooting up the place? - Hube takes on some Leftard bloggers in the state that elected Joe Biden who fear the wrath of evil Republicans...which ties in, I suppose with the recent DHS report...
The Provocateur - Krugman, the Tea Parties, and Alinsky’s Rule #13 - Mike Volpe looks at a recent Paul Krugman column on the tea parties and smells the putrid scent of Obama mentor Saul Alinsky.
The Razor - What is a Man? - Well, what is he? Scott gives us his thoughts on this question, including incorporating lines from one of my favorite poems.
NON-COUNCIL
Submitted By: Right Truth - Dr. Melissa Clouthier - Tea Parties And Liberal Angst
Submitted By: Joshuapundit - Shrinkwrapped - On demographics And Meaning, Part IV
Submitted By: Rhymes With Right - Gay Patriot - Anti-Tea Party Hysteria: Opposition to Big Government Doesn’t Meet Netroots Standard for Acceptable Political Grievances
Submitted By: Bookworm Room - Jerusalem Post - Caroline Glick -Surviving in a post-American world
Submitted By: The Glittering Eye - Information Dissemination - Observing the Obama Administration Somali Piracy Policy
Submitted By: Mere Rhetoric - Mark Steyn - Our Reprimitivized Future
Submitted By: The Colossus of Rhodey - The Times Online - From Fatwa to Jihad: The Rushdie Affair and Its Legacy by Kenan Malik
Submitted By: The Provocateur - New Ledger - The PUMA: GM Has a good PR Day
Submitted By: The Razor - Macs Mind - About that Obama Iraq Visit
Submitted By: The Watcher - American Thinker - DHS, ‘RightwingExtremism’ and Information Warfare
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