Major Hasan's Hidden Militancy ("He was more anti-American than American.")

thedailybeast.com ^ | Nov. 7, 2009 | Asra Q. Nomani

[Free ThinkerNY]

The alleged Fort Hood gunman had revealed a hard-line Islamist streak to acquaintances in the Muslim Community Center that he made his mosque. The Daily Beast's Asra Q. Nomani reports.

Not long ago, inside the quiet library of the Muslim Community Center here in Silver Spring, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, D.C., Golam Akhter, a local Bangladeshi-American civil engineer, 67, got into a fierce debate with a young Muslim doctor over how to interpret the concept of “jihad” within Islam. Akhter argued, “Jihad means an inner struggle, fighting against corruption and injustice.”

The young doctor responded. “That’s not a correct interpretation. Jihad means holy war. When your religion isn’t safe, you have to fight for it. If someone attacks you, you must fight them. That is jihad. You can kill someone who is harming you.”

A closer look reveals a complex picture of a young first-generation American Muslim man living a life of dissonance between his identity as an American and his ideology as a Muslim who had accepted a literal, rigid interpretation of Islam.

The conversation would be just another theological debate, interesting but irrelevant, except that the doctor was Maj. Nidal Hasan, 39, the gunman in the tragic Fort Hood rampage. After being posted to Walter Reed Hospital as a psychiatrist, Hasan called the Muslim Community Center his local mosque. It’s just a short drive away from Walter Reed.

In interviews with the media, leaders of the Muslim Community Center have painted a portrait of Hasan as a quiet, unassuming Muslim more interested in finding a wife than debating world politics. They express shock at his killing spree and, appropriately, condemn it.

[ETL]

"Major Nidal Malik Hasan, who allegedly killed 11 people before being shot and wounded by police at Fort Hood, had said Muslims should "rise up" and attack Americans in retaliation for the US war in Iraq, a former army colleague said."

"He said Muslims should stand up and fight the aggressor and that we should not be in the war in the first place." He said that Major Hasan said he was "happy" when a US soldier was killed in an attack on a military recruitment centre in Arkansas in June. An American convert to Islam was accused of the shootings.

Col Lee alleged that other officers had told him that Major Hasan had said "maybe people should strap bombs on themselves and go to Times Square" in New York."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/6511591/Fort-Hood-shooting-Nidal-Malik-Hasan-said-Muslims-should-rise-up.html
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"Soldiers reported that the gunman shouted "Allahu Akbar!" — an Arabic phrase for "God is great!" — before opening fire, said Lt. Gen. Robert Cone, the base commander."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/alert/sns-ap-us-fort-hood-shooting,0,4218901.story?track=rss

[exnavy]

In the left wingnut world of the dems, to be anti-american is to be the most american.

[Infidel Heather]

I’m sorry but he’s deserves the ultimate penalty...either hang him or a firing squad. He’s a traitor.

[Wild Irish Rogue]

” He used to hate America as a whole.
He was more anti-American than American.”
Despite all the conversations, Akther said,
“I couldn’t get through to him.
He was a typical fundamentalist Muslim.”

[JoSixChip]

So what, he’s no more anti-American then your president.

[Joe Boucher]

Isn’t that quaint,” alleged”.
To hell with alleged, Hang him.
Oh yeah, and he was a muslim terrorist.

[jessduntno]

I wonder if it is too late for Bammy to make him a Czar?

[DMZFrank]

(”He was more anti-American than American.”)

That makes him a perfect fit for his C-inC.

[Carley]

He was hiding in plain sight.

None so blind as those who will not see.

[SonOfDarkSkies]

Excellent article! Answers the question as to whether the shooting at Fort Hood was merely murder or jihad!

The Ft Hood shooter was definitely killing for his faith!

[TaxPayer2000]

Oh yeah, and he was a muslim terrorist.

"This is a disgruntled, mistreated guy who was picked on because he’s muslim."

/s>

[WilliamofCarmichael]

If American Muslims want to avoid our stereotyping let them shun and denounce Islamism as we shun and denounce racist white supremacy.

But they won't -- except for a very few who now have Islamist fat wads after them and fear for their lives.

"Islamism is a very specific approach, one that holds that Muslims would be powerful and rich were Muslims to follow the Islamic law in its complete detail. Islamists aspire to apply that law everywhere in the world, and see non-Muslims as inferior, and to be defeated. It’s an ideology that has its roots at the origins of Islam, but developed in its present state about 80 years ago. It is part of Islam, but not the whole of Islam."

Maybe the American Muslims who badger us not to stereotype them are afraid to speak out against Islamists.

Whatever the reason the ball is in the American Muslims' court. It's up to them.

[Beloved Levinite]

Yeah. He’ll make him “Religious Freedom Czar.”

[dalebert]

did he train with binladen

[john in springfield]

Darn good article, if you ask me. Written by Asra Nomani.

[El Cid]

...“So many time I talked with him,” said Akhter, a community leader who is sort of like a mosque gadfly, challenging congregants to reject literal, rigid interpretations of Islam. “I was trying to modernize him. I tried my best. He used to hate America as a whole. He was more anti-American than American.”...

Aye, there's the rub... The non-believing muslim ("gadfly") understanding in his gut that this book of 'hate' can't be right - therefore he allegorizes it as best he is able - to come up with a doctrine/philosophy that is compatible with life... God bless him, and thank God that most muslims try to navigate this path... Unfortunately it is the Bin Ladins, and Hasans that adhere to what the koran preaches... People need to leave that book behind, and search for the Truth in the Bible. They'll find it there. All the allegorizing of the world isn't going to turn the koranic sow's ear into a silk purse...

[Joe Boucher]

No excuse to go on a killing rampage.
I mean if you think this guy was teased, most Jews suffer from harassment their whole lives. don’t see them Jews going on killing rampages.
And how about young black males? Ya know they are harassed.
It’s moosies that kill.
But hey there isn’t anything to see so move along.