As a Muslim, i strongly condemn the beheading of Nick Berg

Cyrus ^ | 5/12/04 | Cyrus

[Cyrus the Great]

As an American [applied for citizenship here from Iran since 1999], and a Muslim i would like to strongly condemn the brutal beheading of a fellow American in the hands of Barbarians.

I also, condemn Islamic terrorism across the world and join millions of others in Iran and i'm sure other places across the middle east in condemning these horrible acts.

I moved here in 2000, i was a part of the student uprisings in 1999 in Iran. The very thing that the US is fighting right now in the middle east, are what students in Iran are fighting.

There is no difference between their fight and ours, nor the fight across the middle east between the modernized - moderate form of islam and the radical form.

Unfortunately, moderates have been unwilling to take arms or act aggressively against radical islam and when we have we've been condemned for human rights abuses.

That's all.. after reading some of the posts on here i just wanted to say i'm Muslim and i condemn these acts.

[vezke]

That's all.. after reading some of the posts on here i just wanted to say i'm Muslim and i condemn these acts.

This is very refreshing to hear. Thank you for posting it.

Im very hopeful for a "wind of change" in Iran.

And why do those mullahs have to go around obscuring all those beautiful Persian women? :^)

[UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide]

I appreciate your attitude and point of view.
But have you actually READ the Qur'an and Hadith????

[FITZ]

Magi were Zoroastrian priests. The three (actually the number is never given in scripture) were probably searching for the Saviour promised by Zoroaster.

That's pretty interesting --- I never knew that --- so the Zoroasterians were waiting for the Saviour also? It's always seemed an interesting religion --- too bad it was pretty much crushed out by that other one.

[Steve Van Doorn]

"Christians aren't doing what the Catholic Church did in 600 A.D., so why are certain Muslims following what Muslims did in 600 A.D.?"

I agree, that is how I see it. Turkey and Jordan (don’t know about Iran) are good examples of countries that are living in moderation. It seems to me the extremists are gaining ground around the world not just in the Middle East. I hope I am wrong.

There seems to be a good number of people in the US and on this site that do not see this transition that must take place. They need more patience and I am sorry for their very emotional words. I can only hope you don’t give up on us. I would like very much your insight and prospective of what is taking place it is most valuable.

Thank you

[Diddle E. Squat]

Funny, but I don't recall freepers being responsible for the death of anyone

But there is a crackpot segment that is constantly calling for the US to nuke this place or that. Words have meaning.

And your inference that I'm a leftist from DU is laughable, easily disproven by my posting history. Its all there and in the open, feel free to check it out.

[GOPJ]

Night bump

[CWOJackson]

Cyrus,

I would stand in line next to you any time. I don't care whether you are Muslim, Buddist, Hindu, Christian. You are an honorable person yearning for freedom.

Good evening.

[zip]

ping

[mercy]

Thank you.

Please do yourself a vavor. Go against the grain of your insulated and close minded faith and prove to yourself that it is worth your eternal soul.

Just like most westerners I severely questioned my religion as passed down to me by my parents. I studied. I compared. I even abandoned Christianity for many years but came back to it on deep reflection and analysis. I held my religion up to hard criticism and analysis. I read the critics as well as the proponents.

This is not what Moslems do as far as I can tell. Questions and doubt are not allowed. Not the mark of eternal veracity in my book.

Do you really know why you are a Muslim?

[F14 Pilot]

Thanks

[ladyinred]

Thank you Cyrus for speaking out against this horrific act. I heard a Muslim caller from my area call a local talk show today and say pretty much the same thing. It is appreciated very much.

[F14 Pilot]

Read this?

[Cronos]

You Cyrus, bear the name of the great Persian Empire builder. Why don't you give upIslam and return to the religion of your ancestors -- Zoroastrianism?

[lainde]

Thanks for having the integrity to post. We're praying and pulling for the Iranian students to overthrow their tyrannical government!

[AdmSmith]

tnlibertarian wrote: How do you interpret the following verses?

Seize them and put them to death wherever you find them, kill them wherever you find them, seek out the enemies of Islam relentlessly. (Sura 4:90)

Fight them until Islam reigns supreme. (Sura 2:193)

Cut off their heads, and cut off the tips of their fingers. (Sura 8:12)

Allah threatens the Muslim who does not make war on the "unbelievers" with death. (Sura 9:39)

I am sure that you will find strange things if you look in the Quran. I do not read Arabic so I have to use a translation. I use http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/
It has three translations

Sura 4:90

YUSUFALI: Except those who join a group between whom and you there is a treaty (of peace), or those who approach you with hearts restraining them from fighting you as well as fighting their own people. If Allah had pleased, He could have given them power over you, and they would have fought you: Therefore if they withdraw from you but fight you not, and (instead) send you (Guarantees of) peace, then Allah Hath opened no way for you (to war against them).

PICKTHAL: Except those who seek refuge with a people between whom and you there is a covenant, or (those who) come unto you because their hearts forbid them to make war on you or make war on their own folk. Had Allah willed He could have given them power over you so that assuredly they would have fought you. So, if they hold aloof from you and wage not war against you and offer you peace, Allah alloweth you no way against them.

SHAKIR: Except those who reach a people between whom and you there is an alliance, or who come to you, their hearts shrinking from fighting you or fighting their own people; and if Allah had pleased, He would have given them power over you, so that they should have certainly fought you; therefore if they withdraw from you and do not fight you and offer you peace, then Allah has not given you a way against them.

Perhaps the Sura you mentioned was another Sura?

Sura 2:193

YUSUFALI: And fight them on until there is no more Tumult or oppression, and there prevail justice and faith in Allah; but if they cease, Let there be no hostility except to those who practise oppression.

PICKTHAL: And fight them until persecution is no more, and religion is for Allah. But if they desist, then let there be no hostility except against wrong-doers.

SHAKIR: And fight with them until there is no persecution, and religion should be only for Allah, but if they desist, then there should be no hostility except against the oppressors.

This was approximately correct.

Sura 8:12

YUSUFALI: Remember thy Lord inspired the angels (with the message): "I am with you: give firmness to the Believers: I will instil terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers: smite ye above their necks and smite all their finger-tips off them."

PICKTHAL: When thy Lord inspired the angels, (saying): I am with you. So make those who believe stand firm. I will throw fear into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Then smite the necks and smite of them each finger.
SHAKIR: When your Lord revealed to the angels: I am with you, therefore make firm those who believe. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them.

This seems to be directed to the angles and not to the humans.

Sura 9:39

YUSUFALI: Unless ye go forth, He will punish you with a grievous penalty, and put others in your place; but Him ye would not harm in the least. For Allah hath power over all things.

PICKTHAL: If ye go not forth He will afflict you with a painful doom, and will choose instead of you a folk other than you. Ye cannot harm Him at all. Allah is Able to do all things.

SHAKIR: If you do not go forth, He will chastise you with a painful chastisement and bring in your place a people other than you, and you will do Him no harm; and Allah has power over all things.

This is not the same as you mentioned, but perhaps Allah has switched to "other people". Many Muslim countries are poor. This is strange for Sura 17:30 says: YUSUFALI: Verily thy Lord doth provide sustenance in abundance for whom He pleaseth, and He provideth in a just measure. For He doth know and regard all His servants.

PICKTHAL: Lo! thy Lord enlargeth the provision for whom He will, and straiteneth (it for whom He will). Lo, He was ever Knower, Seer of His slaves.

SHAKIR: Surely your Lord makes plentiful the means of subsistence for whom He pleases and He straitens (them); surely He is ever Aware of, Seeing, His servants.

Perhaps poor Muslim countries are full of people who do not please Allah? (this is especially true for Saudi Arabia as their income per capita has dwindled from about $20,000 to $8,000 the last decades)

But, the Quran is probably of Syriac Arameic origin http://syrcom.cua.edu/Hugoye/Vol6No1/HV6N1PRPhenixHorn.html and many interpretations are wrong for instance the 72 virgins in Paradise = 72 grapes in the garden!

[Happy2BMe]

"The very thing that the US is fighting right now in the middle east, are what students in Iran are fighting."

Unfortunately, the longer moderate Muslims fail to rise up against radical Islam, the more damaging it will be for the image of Islam everywhere - especially here in the United States.

Too little - too late. Egypt, Syria, Qatar, Iran, Lybia, etc. government heads have not and do not publicly outright condemn these acts of Islamic terror such as we have seen this week of the American being beheaded for the glory of Allah.

[F14 Pilot]

Those governments you named will never condemn that publicly cause they are behind such acts.
You can't expect Terrorists to condemn each other.

[Happy2BMe]

"You can't expect Terrorists to condemn each other."

Excellent point.

CAIR came out condmning the behaeding this week.

What is your take on CAIR?

[F14 Pilot]

They are DANGEROUS

[Types_with_Fist]

Cyrus was busy making his case against "Christian barbarism" on another thread on this topic. Glad to see he's turned around in less than 24 hours.