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I believe in Allah and America
Wednesday November 28, 2001 | Arsalan Iftikhar

Posted on 11/29/2001 10:30:57 AM PST by EclipseVI

Myself included, there are over one billion humans on earth who call God by his Arabic name, Allah. Out of that billion, over seven million of us call America our home. Many of us are born as Americans, study in American institutions and go on to work and pay American dollars to our tax system. Like everyone else, we eventually find our better half, have chubby babies, go to zoos, get season tickets to the Chicago Bulls, go on our childrens' field trips and fix the leak in our roofs. With all the growing pains in the life that we lead as normal Americans, everyday we turn our face to Mecca to pray to what our Christian brothers call God, our Jewish sisters call Yahweh and whom we call Allah.

Islam, Christianity and Judaism have exactly the same origin. We each believe in the monotheistic deity of Abraham, who was the father of all three of these noble religions. Islam's moral and ethical standards are equivalent, if not more stringent, than those of modern day Christianity and Judaism. We, as Muslims, believe in every prophet of both Judaism and Christianity. We believe the world began with Adam and Eve and great prophets, namely Moses, Aaron, Jacob, Joseph and Jesus (peace be upon all of them) were all divinely inspired by God.

We revere Jesus as a great prophet and the messiah of God. He is mentioned by name in the Quran 33 times. We equally revere the Virgin Mary as the mother of the Messiah. She is the only woman mentioned by name in the Quran and she is mentioned 34 times. Anyone who says Muslims don't respect women, read the entire chapter dedicated to Mary (peace be upon her). How many times was our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) mentioned by name in the Quran? Five.

In Islam, a woman receives a monetary dowry from her husband, of which he has no legal claim. A woman is not obligated to change her maiden name. CNN happily broadcasts women being oppressed by the Taliban regime. Islam abhors the oppression of women. The Taliban says women are not allowed to work, yet the Prophet Muhammad's wife, Khadijah, was one of the most successful merchants in all of Arabia. Should we base our belief on a bunch of tribal warlords or the teachings of our Prophet?

In Islam, both men and women have to dress modestly. One aspect of this modest dress for women is the hijab (head covering). This is a religious mandate, but whether a woman decides to wear it or not, is an issue between her and Allah, because as the Quran categorically states, "there is no compulsion in religion." The hijab symbolizes empowerment, not oppression of women. It allows women to be judged on the content of their character, rather than the physical features that we men today objectify onto them. When we see a nun covered from head to toe in her habit, we commend her on her devotion to God. But when we see a Muslim woman wearing hijab, she is oppressed. In how many likenesses of the Virgin Mary, sculptures or paintings, is her hair not covered? Not one. Was she oppressed? Hardly.

Muslim American is not a paradox. As Muslim Americans we currently live in a diaspora having to deal with an attack on our, yes, our, country. We also have a dual anxiety because our way of life, which is not far different from our Christian and Jewish counterparts, is under attack.

I am a law student. I study international human rights. I have been to U2, Sarah Maclachlan, Dido and Outkast concerts. I have been a ball boy for the Chicago Bulls. I have owned a Ford Mustang. I pray for peace and have read Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech ninety-six times. I may be a dreamer, but I promise you, I am not the only one.

I am a Muslim and I am an American. I am proud of both and will compromise neither.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial
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To: JoJo the Clown
Of course those 6000 innocent Americans who went to work on the morning of Sept 11 were not abortionists. The Muslims killed them for really no reason, at least the ones you condemn are killing people who themselves believe in killing.
161 posted on 11/29/2001 6:23:34 PM PST by FITZ
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To: Patria One
The man Jesus sent was Muhammad. ....

Allah may or may not be believable; the problem is with Muhammed. There is no such thing as prophesy in our own age, and anybody, including both Muhammed and Joseph Smith, who claims to be a prophet in our age, is perpetrating a fraud upon the public.

162 posted on 11/29/2001 6:27:43 PM PST by medved
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To: FITZ
We know Americans invented cars, airplanes, bicycles, and so on and discovered uses for electricity and so on. What is one great Muslim invention?

I was going to try and type or cut and paste some information for you here but, the site was too extensive. I have however provided the link. http://www.ummah.org.uk/science/default.html

163 posted on 11/29/2001 6:29:40 PM PST by EclipseVI
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To: JoJo the Clown
# 156: Just to set the record straight, you need not be either a Christian or a nutcase to be against murdering innocent babies, all that is neccessary is that one be sane and a human.

Tell me you clown-would you call someone a nut case or Christian, if they shot someone to prevent the wholesale slaughter of innocent adults? Don't try to explain that sh*t to me-didn't it cause your shrink to wind up in intensive mental care??

164 posted on 11/29/2001 6:30:43 PM PST by F.J. Mitchell
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To: TopQuark
Would you agree that it would be wrong to attribure these acts to some "intrinsic viciousness" of Christians...

To be honest, many religions are prone to go astray from their founding principles, at least in those that I know of from inquiry into the subject.

And there seem to be regular attempts at "reformation" as well, common to many religions, Christianity, Judaism and Islam being good examples of such.

And you have to concede that if certain trends become "normative", then that ipso facto defines the religion as a whole.

For example: Some of the things you speak of did "define" the official pronouncements of the powers-that-were in, say, the Roman Catholic Church at the time of Galileo, or the Inquisition. Cardinal Ximenez, for example, was commissioned specifically BY THE POPE HIMSELF, to prosecute the Inquisition, and the "trial" of Galileo took place in the Vatican.

OTOH, the "jihadists" are a fringe group, an outgrowth of (but not necessarily in total concert with) the "Wahhabi" movement in the Suni Muslim faith. Outside of a handful of clerics, considered renegade by the greater body of Islamic clerics, there is no real "authority" for their doing what they have done.

Thus to condemn ALL OF ISLAM for the actions of a comparative few outlaws is simply untenable. It is as if you were to look at the incidents you mention, and decide that "all Christians" want to kill Jews and stifle scientific inquiry.

165 posted on 11/29/2001 6:31:08 PM PST by Illbay
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To: JoJo the Clown
TopQuark, I want to alert you to something very disconcerting. It appears some bigotted moron has been posting on this board using the name "TopQuark." This is something I thought you should know. In your service, JoJo the Clown.

Coming from Clown, I do not know whether this is a joke, sarcasm, or a serious note. If it is the latter, could you kindly let me know where you noticed such postings? Thanks in advance.

166 posted on 11/29/2001 6:32:00 PM PST by TopQuark
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To: EclipseVI
LOL!!! Other than claiming to have invented and discovered everything, there is no specific invention the Muslims can claim. The Islamic countries show pretty well the lack of Muslim inventions, they pretty much import all cars, computers, food, medicine and the rest.
167 posted on 11/29/2001 6:36:57 PM PST by FITZ
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Comment #168 Removed by Moderator

To: FITZ
FITZ, I see your point. It is a stupid one. Thanks for your time. HEy, did you know I am a clown?
169 posted on 11/29/2001 6:39:31 PM PST by JoJo the Clown
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To: EclipseVI
...the Quran categorically states, "there is no compulsion in religion."

Sure, that's why muslims in half a dozen countries are executed if they convert to another faith, why they can be sentenced to death for merely "blaspheming" the name of Mohammed, why so many muslims believe in a "convert or die" philosophy, why non-believers are second class citizens, why one can be beaten in Saudi Arabia if caught not praying during designated times, why Christians are murdered daily in Indonesia, Sudan, Sierra Leone...

170 posted on 11/29/2001 6:39:45 PM PST by agrace
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To: JoJo the Clown
"We don't blame Christianity few the few zealots....[yada,yada,yada]"

"WE"??

So glad the "bozos" of the world are in a forgiving mood.

Must have booked a Catskills gig, eh?

171 posted on 11/29/2001 6:42:23 PM PST by F16Fighter
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To: mombonn
"I am a Christian, and I am an American. I am proud of both and will compromise neither. Jesus is LORD."

"My god's better than your... god

My god's better than yooooours"

I really don't see any difference between fundie muslims, fundie jews, and fundie christians. Any will defend their hallucinations to the death, regardless of the human cost.

172 posted on 11/29/2001 6:42:45 PM PST by Anchoragite
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To: EclipseVI
# 163: Let me help you EclipseVI, Muslims invented the stone age, tornados, hurricanes, floods, famine, stupidity, suffering, pain, depression, excuses, homosexuality, lesbinism, beastality, hatred, envy, and a damn good example of why some choose athieism. THe only relationship between God and Islam is that it's existance desecrates the world that he created.
173 posted on 11/29/2001 6:45:09 PM PST by F.J. Mitchell
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To: F.J. Mitchell
F.J.: "Just to set the record straight, you need not be either a Christian or a nutcase to be against murdering innocent babies, all that is neccessary is that one be sane and a human." JoJo: The nutcases who kill the abortion doctors are not justified in doing so, not in a civilized society that has laws prohibiting it. Maybe you have a tough time understanding that, but 95 percent of the public would disagree with you. My point earlier was that we don't accuse all Christians of being murderers just because a few of them are. F.J.: "Tell me you clown-would you call someone a nut case or Christian, if they shot someone to prevent the wholesale slaughter of innocent adults? Don't try to explain that sh*t to me-didn't it cause your shrink to wind up in intensive mental care??" JoJo: Yes, and so does 95 percent of the public. Almost everyone understands that the idiots who kill the abortion doctors are terrorists. No one approves of their actions except dimwits like you. BTW, do you like clowns? I am a very smart one, but a poor one.
174 posted on 11/29/2001 6:46:53 PM PST by JoJo the Clown
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To: Anchoragite
# 172: Christians derive their power from God-Allah derives his power from Muslim violence. Any questions?
175 posted on 11/29/2001 6:49:57 PM PST by F.J. Mitchell
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To: JoJo the Clown
I think your point was stupid. A "Christian" killing people who kill for money like an abortionist is illegal, just like it is for someone to kill someone in a bad drug deal but it isn't even close to Muslims killing 6000 people who were just going to regular jobs. Your analogy is very stupid actually.
176 posted on 11/29/2001 6:51:24 PM PST by FITZ
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To: EclipseVI
Those who call GOD allah do not know him. The Muslums Do not worship the God in the Bible. Sence there is only one the muslums follow satan. If you don't like it to bad. The GOD of the Bible is the only GOD and the only way to him is though JESUS Christ
177 posted on 11/29/2001 6:51:51 PM PST by RMrattlesnake
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To: jdhmichigan
jdhmichigan: "So please, you and Katie Couric, Peter Jennings, Morris Dees, and whomever call being a true Christian a form of "hate" are deceived and without true understanding. In other words, you are stupid - at least in this area." JoJo: Your post is filled with hate. You are filled with hate. You are a hateful person, and a stupid one. Do you like clowns? I think you do. I am a clown, you know.
178 posted on 11/29/2001 6:52:15 PM PST by JoJo the Clown
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Comment #179 Removed by Moderator

Comment #180 Removed by Moderator


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