Islamophobia and Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf

The interview with Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf on CNN the other night was instructive. I had no idea how almost fully in agreement he was with the critics of the Ground Zero Mosque.

If you read the transcript you'll see that his argument in favor of keeping the mosque in the planned location is "national security." Basically, if it is moved, he maintains that many in the "Muslim world" will decide that "Islam is under attack," and therefore they will be more inclined towards violence against Americans. His argument against the burning of Korans by that pastor in Florida is the same. Muslims will get angry, and violence will be the result.

Boiled down, it seems to me that what he is saying is just this: "Watch out for those violent Muslims! They get offended very easily and get extremely angry! We must be very afraid!"

Yet, isn't this rather similar to the kind of message that gets opponents of the Ground Zero Mosque, and critics of Islam generally, accused of bigotry and "Islamophobia"? I'm thinking of the likes of Pamela Geller, Geert Wilders and Robert Spencer, who will be at the protest against that mosque tomorrow at Ground Zero (where I expect to be lending my corporeal presence to the cause). It seems to me that their message is generally, "Beware of the march of Islam. There is something in this religion/ideology which predisposes many of its followers to violence in its name."

The difference between Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf and Geller/Wilders/Spencer seems not to be in the diagnosis of the problem, after all, but only in the recommended prescription for dealing with it.

Imam Rauf would maintain that we must do everything possible not to offend these easily-angered and violently disposed Muslims across the world

It would be an abomination -- on the bodies of the murdered.

" In Islam, every structure linked to the faith and its rituals has a precise function and character.
A mosque is a one-story gallery built around an atrium with a mihrab (a niche pointing to Mecca)
and one, or in the case of Shiites two, minarets.
This 13-story multifunctional structure couldn't be any of the above.
The groups fighting for the project know this; this is why they sometimes call it an Islamic cultural center.
But there is no such thing as an Islamic culture.
The Prophet imposed his rule on parts of Arabia through a series of ghazvas, or razzias (the origin of the English word "raid").

The ghazva was designed to terrorize the infidels, convince them that their civilization was doomed and force them to submit
to Islamic rule. Those who participated in the ghazva were known as the ghazis, or raiders.
After each ghazva, the Prophet ordered the creation of a rabat -- or a point of contact at the heart of the infidel territory raided.
The rabat consisted of an area for prayer, a section for the raiders to eat and rest and facilities to train and prepare
for future razzias. Later Muslim rulers used the tactic of ghazva to conquer territory in the Persian and Byzantine empires.
After each raid, they built a rabat to prepare for the next razzia.

It is no coincidence that Islamists routinely use the term ghazva to describe the 9/11 attacks against New York and Washington.
The terrorists who carried out the attack are referred to as ghazis or shahids (martyrs).
Thus, building a rabat close to Ground Zero would be in accordance with a tradition started by the Prophet.
To all those who believe and hope that the 9/11 ghazva would lead to the destruction of the American "Great Satan,"
this would be of great symbolic value."

“I’m going to build a victory mosque on the site of our biggest atrocity and you must not resist it or we will become very angry and kill more of you.” Rauf (paraphrased)

Hey Punk Feisal we do not fear you and Muslims, after 9/11 count yourself very lucky that your entire bunch of pedophile loving misfits were not very dead and still smoldering along with half the earth.A different American President would NOT have played with you scumbags,like compassionate George did.

All you have done is piss even more people off with your stupidity and the true Nature of Islam is being exposed.

In closing by all means PLEASE keep up the covert threats you Weasel faced wimp.

There is no islamophobia in the US. There is, however, islamophilia. Routinely connected with progressivism and quislingism, it seems to have infested most of the establishment.

I don’t care if they are pissed off. Just brings them out so we can kill them faster. If I am attacked for my view I don’t care what theirs is.

Actually we can prevent further violence against America and Americans from Jihadists by quickly forcibly converting all Americans to Islam. That is the implication of the threats made by Rauf and other imams and general paynim. Perhaps that should be undertaken by President Osama and his administration.

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