Posted on 11/16/2001 1:20:36 PM PST by Pokey78
PRESIDENT BUSH, eager to improve America's reputation in the Muslim world, will welcome 50 ambassadors from Islamic countries for a traditional meal and prayer at the White House on Monday to mark the start of Ramadan.
It is thought to be the first time that Muslims will have knelt and touched the floor with their foreheads in a formal ceremony in the official home of American presidents.
In another unprecedented event, the Muslim chaplain of Georgetown University officiated at the opening prayers of the House of Representatives on Capitol Hill yesterday.
Charlotte Beers, who has been chosen to take charge of an American-led campaign to build support in the Muslim world, said that the White House and State Department wanted to show sensitivity to the importance of Ramadan.
By Hanna Rosin Washington Post Staff Writer Monday, October 29, 2001; Page A03
"CLEVELAND -- Fawaz Damra, imam of the Cleveland Islamic Center, takes as his informal title "ambassador for Islam in America." He invites Jews to celebrate the end of Ramadan and kibitzes with them.-SNIP-Damra also stood before a crowd of fellow Palestinians in Chicago to raise money for the Islamic Jihad, the terrorist group dedicated to holy war against Israel. "The Jihad stabs Jews," he said in a 1991 meeting that was videotaped. "Twelve Jews. . . . Who will give $500?" His fellow warriors, he said, should direct "a rifle at the first and last enemy of the Islamic nation, and that is the sons of monkeys and pigs, the Jews."
But that's ok. Bush is also kicking about a thousand times as much Talibottom as Xlinton ever did.
"Allah" is actually the Arabic word for "God." Christian Arabs (there are quite a few) also worship "Allah."
"God" is the English word for the same entity. We don't really know which language God himself uses, or whether he uses ANY human languages, but we have to assume that an All-Knowing God understands them all. I imagine He hears prayers regardless of which term is used to address him. I never heard that he had enacted an English only rule.
Incidentally, if this dinner takes place, GWB will not be the first Christian to engage in prayers alongside Muslims. The Pope has done it several times -- both in the Holy Land and in Italy.
They had a Muslim preacher reading from the Qur'an, for the morning prayer.
Don't remember his name.
LOL...Oh come now!
Perhaps GW understands that he is the #1 representative of a country that guarantees religious freedom to all people..and that it is not his place as President of the United States to judge and condemn those who profess other religions to hell.
The protests I see on this board remind me of the Pharisees condeming Jesus because he dared dine or associate with Samaritans, prostitutes, tax-collectors and others whom the religious snobs looked down on.
I suppose it's likely that he's doing it, particularly with the emphasis on Ramadan, to counteract what is sure to be an outcry from the Muslim countries when we continue bombing and fighting in Afghanistan through Ramadan.
I still think it's a bad idea, though.... It really is past time for us to be doing things just for appearances' sake...
-penny
Muslims in America: Profile 2001 -- by Abdul Malik Mujahid
"Demographics:
About 79% of all Muslims fall between the ages of 16 and 65. Muslims' average household size is 4.9 persons.
A very significant part of the Muslim community in North America is in prison since 30% of all incarcerated African-Americans are Muslims who have accepted Islam in prison in the tradition of Malik Shabaz (Malcom X) and Imam Jamil Al-Amin (the former H. Rap Brown"
. . .this makes me sick. . .
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