Posted on 08/02/2006 5:41:12 AM PDT by SJackson
A local landscaper, a Denver-born consultant, and a kid from Kansas - if you hung around Denver's largest mosque at 2071 S. Parker Road, it's likely you'd bump into them all. They reflect Islam's changing profile from foreign-born faith to American presence. On Sunday, I found myself in the company of the three - Mohammad Noorzai, Malik Taylor and Ammar Amonette - because I had heard big changes were coming to the mosque, whose formal name is the Colorado Muslim Society. It's a major, influential Islamic center where thousands of Colorado's estimated 15,000 Muslims worship, and where the demographics are changing.
Non-Arabs represent slightly more than half the mosque's members. The fastest growing segments are African Americans, whites and Latinos.
"We're a community that's more diverse than any (American) parish," says Amonette.
Three major firsts reflect the mosque's efforts to adapt.
• Amonette, 45, has been named the society's first American-born imam, or spiritual leader. He's believed to be the only American-born imam to run a major Islamic center in the U.S. His predecessor was the Egyptian-born Ahmed Nabhan, who left in December by "mutual decision."
• Later this week, the society will name its first executive director to guide the growing mosque and be a liaison of sorts to the wider, non-Muslim community.
• On Aug. 13, the mosque will hold an open house - the first of its kind - at 2 p.m. for non-Muslims to learn more about Islam. It's organized by Taylor, 39, a legal services consultant and among Islam's single largest convert group, African Americans.
Over a wide-ranging hour, we discussed Islam and how to adapt its universality to a secular society; trends among Muslim youth; Islamic values; and the vexing topic of politics.
From a previous interview, I knew Amonette, 45, was born in Kansas into a military family and grew up as (say the phrase at your peril) an Army brat.
"I hate that term," Amonette groused good-naturedly. "It's my fault for ever bringing it up. Now it's all over the Internet."
"That's OK - it's only part of your past," teased Noorzai, 48, who hails from a well-to-do Afghanistan family. Owner of a landscape business, he came to the U.S. at age 20 and expresses deep affection for America. Like Amonette, he married an American convert to Islam. He heads the Colorado Muslim Council, a coalition of 15 Muslim groups.
Their goal is to be good citizens and work toward the common good while recognizing that Islam's values transcend time and place.
Today, with the Mideast aflame, there was one question that I thought many Americans, rightly or wrongly, might want to ask: If America were attacked by terrorists who professed to do it in the name of Islam, whom would you support?
"I can't believe that question - I'm shocked," Amonette, open-mouthed, said. "You don't ask that kind of question of other people."
But Noorzai, the mediator, recognized the question as an opportunity to help Americans understand how Muslims express the values of their faith: "She just wants to shed light on it," he said. "Muslim loyalty - where is it?"
The first loyalty is to Islam's principle of not harming innocent people, ever. "We're going to be on the side that's just and fair," he said.
"Whites and Latinos (many of which are white)" are added so as not to scare anyone. Lying for Allah is required.
ping
When we're attacked their mosque will be history,
Sounds kinda ominous to me.
Oh yeah. We know what side they would be on.
Answering the question by not answering the question is an old political trick. Hillary does it well. It seems this new Leader has learned it well
The secret to the question is " If America were attacked by terrorists "
Anyone can answer that question. If America is attacked by terrorists an American will side with America. No matter what the religion of the terrorist.
The fact the question wasnt answred. Answers it.
If the FBI doesn't have survellence on this "mosque", they should have.
BTW, does anyone believe that when they have "open house" on the 13th, the house will be "open". I speculate that there will not be tours of all the mosque. The prayer rooms will be closed....the "open" part will be completely empty of anything islm....
Their loyalty will ALWAYS BE TO ISLAM FIRST!!!!
Remember the address....
Theologically - no. Because his allegiance is to Allah Jesus Christ.
Religiously - no. Because no other religion is accepted by Allah except Islam (Quran, 2:256) God. "I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me."
Socially - no. Because his allegiance to Islam Christianity forbids him to make friends with non-Christians. (Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?)
Politically - no. Because he must submit to the mullah local priest/minister (spiritual leaders), who teach annihilation of Israel and Destruction of America, the great Satan that any political leader that supports abortion may be excommunicated (http://www.excommunication.net/).
Domestically - no. Because he is instructed to marry four women and beat and scourge his wife when she disobeys him (Quran 4:34) permitted to have concubines and can divorce his wife if she is not a virgin (re: pretty much the entire Old Testament).
Intellectually - no. Because he cannot accept the American Constitution since it is based on Biblical principles and he believes the Bible to be corrupt.
You mean Biblical principles like Freedom of Religion?
Philosophically - no. Because Islam, Muhammad, and the Quran do not allow freedom of religion and expression Democracy and Islam cannot coexist. Every Muslim government is either dictatorial or autocratic.
Not unlike so-called "Christian" government for the past 1500 years?
Spiritually - no. Because when we declare "one nation under God," the Christian's God is loving and kind, while Allah is NEVER referred to as heavenly father, nor is he ever called love in The Quran's 99 excellent names.
Spiritually, no, because when we declare “one nation under God,” Allah has 99 excellent names and the Christian God’s name is jealous. "For thou shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God." (Exodus 34:14)
Therefore after much study and deliberation.....perhaps we should be very suspicious of ALL MUSLIMS in this country. They obviously cannot be both good" Muslims and good Americans. Call it what you wish....it's still the truth.
I couldn't possible be more offended by such a bigoted blanket statement of a religion. As for calling this type of witless proselytizing "the truth", I wonder if the Klansman who wrote this garbage ever took at look at his own Bible and realized that the Christian religion is just as intolerant, misogynistic, corrupt, and violent as Islam... just put into a better looking suit with TV cameras and makeup.
Call me nit picky but aren't 'whites' worthy of a capital W?
I'm sure it's not indicative of bias...
(and technically, shouldn't it be Caucasian or European American?)
We have a mosque right here in little ol Columbia, MO. The FBI has busted several leaders for various terrorist-related activities. The director of the Islamic Charity Center left town on 911. It was later found that he had purchased a satellite phone for OBL--imagine that. He was characterized by several acquaintances as being "a nice, friendly, and gentle man."
Before I create an email from your post, did you actually do this, or did you get it from someone else?
This guy agrees with you and he is an Arab that has converted to Christianity.
http://www.islamreview.com/articles/facade.htm
Why capitalize a color?
"I wonder if the Klansman who wrote this garbage ever took at look at his own Bible and realized that the Christian religion is just as intolerant, misogynistic, corrupt, and violent as Islam..."
Yeah? How many rapes and murders did Jesus Christ commit in His time on the earth. What was His philosophy? How did he think we should conduct our selves in our lives? In sspreading The Word? With respect to our neighbor?
Drop the word "fringe" from your screenname.
One was of putting it. A post 9/11 interview.
Imam: Koran doesn't justify attacks
By JEAN TORKELSON
Scripps Howard News Service
24-SEP-01
DENVER -- As a 5-year-old boy in Egypt, Ahmad Nabhan learned the Koran, Islam's holy book, by heart.
"I can tell you passages in the Quran faster than a computer," says Nabhan, 39, and the spiritual leader, or imam, of the Colorado Muslim Society mosque.
Nabhan insists there's nothing in Islam's holy book that justifies last week's terrorist attacks, "and there's no relationship between Islam and those people."
Still, he's frank about other ferocious feelings, which he once shared.
"I grew up hating America," he said. "The feeling is America controls all the world, and that there is no justice between the Palestinians and Israel _ America helps Israel in everything."
Until that political reality changes, he says, hatred for Americans will remain entrenched in Islamic countries.
So why, in 1993, did he emigrate to a country he hated _ and become an American citizen?
"That is an appropriate question," he said. "I wanted to understand this country. I have come to see there are differences between the American people and the American government."
Nabhan says he returns every other year to Egypt, where he gives pro-American speeches before crowds of thousands, telling them, "The American people are very, very, very nice, and in many ways, they have better manners than Muslims in their help, caring about others and honesty."
Even the American government is earning some kudos from Nabhan. After President Bush visited a mosque last week, "I respect him more and more."
What of infidels, or non-believers? The Koran teaches that while Islam is the true religion, followers must treat Christians and Jews with respect because they, too, are "People of the Book" and believe in the same, supreme God. The great leaders of Judaism and Christianity _ Abraham, Moses and Jesus _ are considered good Muslims as well as prophets, he said.
In any and every case, "Even if you're fighting an enemy, you cannot kill women and children."
Muslims have different standards toward those who are neither Christian nor Jew: "(Muslims have) no relationship with them," he said.
Would America's diversity and secularism be a reason for radical Muslims to consider all Americans infidels and feel justified to slaughter with impunity?
Nabhan believes not; he considers the United States a Christian country _ and besides, he does not accept that radical Muslims either respect or follow the Koran.
While individual Jews are to be respected and welcomed as People of the Book, "The first enemy is Israel. When they take your home, take your money, your schools _ for that you can fight."
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