The feud between two major political parties who alternate power in Bangladesh, left-leaning centrist Awami League (AL) and right-wing Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), almost borders on civil war like situation. Both parties are guilty of corruption, gross mismanagement, politicization of administration, and nepotism; but to each other they are nothing but mortal enemy. Recently The Economist published three articles on Bangladesh’s current political situation. It tried to shed some light, but failed to figure out the root causes. The answers to why some of Bangladesh’s problems are unique in nature and why there seem to have no solutions lie in the past brutal events and how each party views them.
Aug 15, 1975 was a turning point for Bangladesh. On that day, the founding father of the country Sheikh Mujib and all his family members but two daughters (who were abroad at the time) were brutally murdered. To outsiders, it would seem like an isolated event executed by few rogue Army officers. The meteoric rise of right-wing communal elements soon after Mujib’s murder points to a much bigger plot. When dictator Zia grabbed power, first thing he did was release all war criminals that committed atrocities against their own people during the war of liberation in 1971 from prison and bring back their top leaders, who went into hiding in the Middle East to escape justice. Next by lifting the ban from religion-based communal politics and removing secularism from constitution, Zia directly planted the seeds of communalism. Today’s bitter political culture in Bangladesh is the product of Zia’s reckless actions (parallel comparison to USA backed Pakistan’s late dictator Ziaul Haq).
Perhaps Bangladesh is the only country that ever sanctioned murders in parliament, and passed an indemnity bill to prevent killers from being prosecuted. Not only Mujib and his family were murdered on Aug 15, many others faced the same fate too. Entire families were executed in pre-planned and cold-blooded murder spree. The killers did not show any mercy to children and pregnant women. And again, on Nov 3, 1975 four top national leaders, who led the interim Bangladesh government during the war in Mujib’s absence, were brutally murdered inside prison by the same killers. In 1979 under the dictatorship of Zia, Bangladesh parliament ratified notorious Indemnity Ordinance that gave immunity from legal action to the persons involved in the murders; it subsequently became part of the country’s constitution. Zia not only tried to make sure life-long immunity for the killers from justice, but also rewarded them with most lucrative Foreign Service jobs. Zia, his family and his party’s firm siding with the cold-blooded murderers is one of the thorniest issues that damages any chance for reconciliation between AL and BNP.
The dirtiest political act in world politics today is the celebration of fake birthday by ex-prime minister Khaleda Zia, wife of dictator Zia. This year one ex-parliament member of Khaleda’s party exposed the dirty truth – Khaleda changed her birthday to Aug 15 in 1991 under the influence of some sycophants of her party only to demean top national leaders. Since 1991 she and her party henchmen have been celebrating it nationally with several huge cakes each weighing her years in pounds, on a tragic day when the country’s founding father was brutally murdered along with his family. He further stressed that today’s politics of vendetta, poisonous and rude political environment in Bangladesh are direct results of that and this lowly act is producing new generation of youths whose hearts and minds are getting filled with hate, intolerance, and vengeance. This one event can summarize the bitter animosities between top two parties. To one, it’s a sad day of mourning; to other, it’s a great day of celebration. The independence of Bangladesh brought Awami League to power, and the brutal killings of Aug 15 and Nov 3, 1975 were needed for the birth of BNP and revival of the extreme and retrogressive right-wing elements in Bangladesh. BNP has to celebrate the brutal killings. Recently their party secretary said it bluntly – this birthday celebration inspires them.
During Bangladesh’s war of independence in 1971, the role played by the extreme right-wing politico–religious circle under the leadership of Jama’ate Islami and Muslim League was nothing less than absolute evil. They and their student organizations formed para-militia groups to kill and rape dissenting Bengali population. They were in charge of leading the Pak Army to houses of Bengalis that they considered enemies. Many of their top leaders were involved in killing and raping, and sending girls and women to rape camps of Pak Army. Their most notorious act was the killings of Bengali intellectuals in dying hours of the war. Sensing imminent defeat of the Pak Army, they thought the new nation would not survive long without its intellectual base. Hundreds were dragged from their homes and slaughtered in various killing fields in less than a week. Soon after the war, the new Bangladeshi government was able to jail approximately 30,000 Bengali war criminals. Most leaders of the war criminals fled the country and took shelter in Saudi Arabia. But the fate of them soon changed after the murder of Mujib. Not only were they released from jail and brought back from abroad by dictator Zia, but also were given special status and power; and utilizing it fully, they have now become all powerful financed by petro dollar from the Middle East and sometimes backed by tacit Western support. Two of the most notorious and well-publicized war criminals served as ministers in previous BNP government.
The war crime issue is one of the bitterest that polarizes the whole nation into two diametrically opposing sides. One party’s political base is uncompromising on war trial issue – war criminals must be tried, the other is allied with the top war criminals and part of their base comprises pro-war-criminal supporters who are leading a strong movement to hide and distort the facts of war crimes committed by Pakistani Army and their local collaborators.
There were many others who contributed in Bangladesh’s struggle for independence, but Sheikh Mujib was the undisputable leader. There was no controversy in this regard before his death. When right-wing BNP was founded in Army cantonment by Dictator Zia, the supporters started portraying him as no less than a founding father. Zia was a mere Army Major, nobody heard about him and he had no contribution to country’s struggle for independence before the war. It was his fate that he was present near a small radio station on Mar 27, 1971. He was requested by the staff to re-announce the declaration of independence on behalf of Mujib. On the same day, a staff had already made one before, but the staffs at the station thought another declaration by a member of Armed forces would send a message to the public that the Bengali officers in Pakistani Army also joined the civilian struggle and it would encourage more people to join the war. When the war officially started, the interim Bangladeshi government formed 12 sectors to fight the invading Pak Army and they appointed mostly Majors in charge of each sector. Zia was just one of the sector commanders. But that did not make him any way the declarer of Independence. The head of the state declares war and the spokespersons deliver the message. A spokesperson cannot declare war on his/her own. If that ever happens, he/she will be arrested and prosecuted for treason.
But it’s shocking to see how relentlessly Zia’s followers have been twisting historical facts to establish a vicious lie. The way they emphasize Zia’s greatness as if nothing happened before Mar 27, 1971, and Zia appeared from nowhere on that day, declared the war of Independence and the whole nation blindly jumped in. Ironically, Zia himself never claimed to be the declarer. In an article in 1973, he unquestionably acknowledged Mujib to be the declarer of Independence. Moreover, it was Zia’s government that constituted an authentication committee on February 13, 1979 for writing and printing history of the Liberation War. The books were published by this committee in November 1982 and later were reprinted in December 2003. Both editions said Sheikh Mujib declared independence on March 26, 1971. It was only after Zia’s death, his fervent followers started to establish him as the ONLY leader the country ever had. To legitimatize their ulterior goal, Zia’s widow Khaleda formed a committee in 2004 with some sold out and blindly partisan intellectuals. The books that the committee published changed some of the facts from the first edition to establish Zia as the first and only declarer. Bangladesh celebrates its Independence Day on Mar 26. Why? Because that’s the day their undisputable leader Sheikh Mujib declared it. If Zia was the first and only declarer of the Independence, shouldn’t Bangladesh celebrate it on Mar 27 instead of Mar 26? Even after twisting so many facts, Zia’s followers still do not deny that Zia made his declaration (on behalf of Sheikh Mujib) on Mar 27.
Something shockingly unbelievable happened on Aug 21, 2004 in a political gathering of the then opposition party. Military grade grenades were thrown targeting the entire top leadership of AL. The goal was to kill the opposition leader Sheikh Hasina (daughter of Sheikh Mujib and current prime minister) and top leaders of her party at the same time. Hasina survived, but 24 people were killed including the wife of current President of Bangladesh and hundreds were severely injured, many became permanently handicapped.
But what followed after was more shocking. Not only the military and civilian security forces arranged safe passages for the Al-Qaeda and Taliban aligned terrorists, but also started beating and throwing tear gas shells at angry opposition supporters who were trying to apprehend the grenade throwers. Khaleda, and her ministers started blaming AL, India and RAW (Indian intelligence service). They said repeatedly - Hasina’s staying alive proved that she herself brought the grenades to kill her own party people so that she could start an uprising to uproot the government. The government and administration led by Khaleda and her son Tareq soon started diverting investigation by destroying hard evidence, arresting workers of AL and members of minority communities. Many completely innocents were brutally tortured in police custody. They were told to testify against some of the leaders of AL. But Khaleda’s government could not make them confess under duress. They then staged a drama by arresting a petty criminal named Joj Miah. The story related to Joj Miah was so ridiculous that even elementary school graders would find it hard to believe. Their cat finally came out of the bag when Joj Miah’s sister told the journalists that Khaleda’s intelligence officers had been paying her family monthly allowance since her brother’s arrest. Almost everyone sensed that Khaleda’s government was trying desperately to protect somebody very BIG in her party.
The chiefs of intelligence agencies with the help of Khaleda’s home minister arranged escape routes for the killers (helped one mastermind flee to Pakistan) and sheltered some after the attack. Today some ministers and parliament members of Khaleda’s party along with the Al-Qaeda and Taliban aligned terrorists are being tried for this heinous terrorist attack. The finger of suspicion for BNP’s desperate attempts to cover up point to once most powerful Tareq Zia, the son of Zia and Khaleda and now fugitive Haris Chowdhury, Khaleda’s right-hand man and political secretary as the main planners.
It all boils down to one hypothesis; Zia’s family is out to wipe out the remaining family members of Sheikh Mujib, and life-threatening violence against them will never stop until the job is completely done. Dictator Zia rewarded and sheltered the cruel cold-blooded murderers of Sheikh Mujib’s family and top Awami League leaders, his wife proudly celebrates her fake birthday on the day Mujib was murdered, Zia rehabilitated the war criminals, and not only Zia and his family developed special close relationship with them, but also shared power, how is reconciliation possible between these two major political parties?
Monday, November 7, 2011
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Shafik Rehman and Neutral Journalism
শফিক রেহমান ও নিরপেক্ষ সাংবাদিকতা
১৯৮৩ সালে যখন আমি বুয়েটে ক্লাস শুরু করি স্বৈরশাসক এরশাদ তখন দোর্দন্ড প্রতাপের সাথে ক্ষমতায়। বুয়েট থেকে পাস করে যখন বের হই তখনও এরশাদ বিনপি আওয়ামি লীগসহ সব বিরোধিদলের আন্দোলন ব্যর্থ করে দিয়ে বহাল তবিয়তে রাষ্ট্রপ্রধান পদ আকড়ে আছেন। ১৯৯০তে যখন এরশাদের পতন তখন আমি আমেরিকাতে মাস্টার্স ডিগ্রীর ছাত্র। দেশে সেই আনন্দঘন মুহুর্তে থাকতে পারলাম না বলে খুব আফসোস হয়েছিল। পুরো বুয়েটে পড়ার সময় আমাদের সহপাঠী সবার প্রবল ইচ্ছে ছিল এরশাদের করুন পরিনতি নিজেদের চোখের সামনে দেখা (নিয়তির কি পরিহাস আজ দেশের বড় দুটি দলের কাছেই এরশাদ মহামূল্যবান ব্যক্তি তাকে নিয়ে রীতিমত দর কষাকষি হয়, অবশ্য ৭১এর যুদ্ধাপরাধিদের কল্পনাতিত উত্থানের কথা ভাবলে মনের কষ্ট অনেকটা লাঘব হয়)| সেই নৈরাশ্যজনক সময়ে শফিক রেহমান সাহেবের যায় যায় দিন এরশাদ বিরোধিতায় একটি নতুন মাত্রা যোগ করেছিল। সেটা ছিল, না বিনপি ঘেষা, না আওয়ামি লীগ ঘেষা। দেশের নিরপেক্ষ সাধারন মানুষের প্রতিফলন ছিল সেটি। সম্ভবত সে কারনেই এটি এত দ্রুত জনপ্রিয় হতে পেরেছিল।
বিনপির ১৯৯১-৯৬ শাসনামলেও যায় যায় দিন নিরপেক্ষতা বজায় রেখেছিল। বিনপির সেই আমলের বিভিন্ন ব্যর্থতা নিয়ে যায় যায় দিনে লেখা হত প্রচুর। কিন্তু ২০০১ সালে বিনপি আবার ক্ষমতায় ফিরে আসার পর আমরা সম্পূর্ন ভিন্ন আরেক শফিক রেহমানের সাথে পরিচিত হই। সাংবাদিক হিসেবে উনার নিরপেক্ষতা হয়ে উঠে প্রশ্নবিদ্ধ। দুঃখজনকভাবে বলতে বাধ্য হচ্ছি তিনি একটি বড় দলের মূখপাত্রে পরিনত হন। নিরপেক্ষ সাংবাদিকতা থেকে শফিক রেহমানের প্রস্থান দেশের জন্য একটি ক্ষতি ছাড়া আর কিছুই নয়। ২০০১ এর পর থেকে উনার লেখাতে একটি দিকই জোরালোভাবে প্রকাশ পায় সেটি হলো - যা কিছু ভালো সব বিনপির, ব্যর্থতা সব আওয়ামি লীগের, বিনপির সমালোচনা করার কিছুই নেই, সবকিছুই প্রশ্নাতিতভাবে প্রশংসনীয় আর আওয়ামি লীগের সমালোচনা লিখে শেষ করা যাবে না। উনার ২০০৪ সালের ২১শে আগস্টের গ্রেনেড আক্রমনোত্তর লেখা আমাকে দারুনভাবে হতাশ করেছিল যেগুলোকে বিনপি সরকারের তদন্ত ধামাচাপা দেবার সহায়ক বলে মনে হতে পারে।
আমি এই লেখাতে বিডিনিউজে ৬ সেপ্টেম্বর প্রকাশিত শফিক সাহেবের লেখা “ডিয়ার ইনডিয়ান প্রাইম মিনিস্টার: নেড়িকুকুরের ইমেইল” লেখাটির কিছু সমালোচনা করতে চাই যদিও আমার মত অধমের জন্য এটি একধরনের ধৃষ্টতা।
শফিক রেহমান সাহেব সেখানে লিখেছেন শেখ হাসিনা দিল্লী সফরের আগে ও পরে বিরোধিদলের নেত্রী খালেদা জিয়াকে উপেক্ষা ও অবহেলিত করেছেন। তবে অনেস্ট প্রশ্ন হলো খালেদা জিয়া যখন ক্ষমতায় ছিলেন তখন বিরোধিদলের নেত্রী শেখ হাসিনার কোন্ ইচ্ছাকে তিনি ক্ষমতার দম্ভে উপেক্ষা করেন নি? শফিক সাহেবের হয়ত মনে নেই ২১শে আগস্টের ভয়াবহ ট্র্যাজেডি নিয়ে খালেদা জিয়া বিরোধিদল ও জনগনের ইচ্ছা ও দাবিগুলোকে শুধু উপেক্ষাই করেন নি, তাচ্ছিল্য করেছিলেন।
শফিক সাহেব ৩০শে জুলাই ইকনমিস্ট পত্রিকার উদ্ধৃতি দিয়েছেন বাংলাদেশের ২০০৮ সালের নির্বাচন নিয়ে। তবে তিনি দুঃখজনকভাবে এড়িয়ে গেলেন ১৩ই আগস্টে ইকনমিস্ট পত্রিকার The Poisonous Politics of Bangladesh টাইটেলের আর্টিকেলটি যেখানে এই ইলেকশনকে বাংলাদেশের ইতিহাসে সবচেয়ে সুষ্ঠু বলে রায় দিয়েছে (তিনি সে আর্টিকেলটি পড়েন নি সেটি আমার বিশ্বাস করতে কষ্ট হয়)| লেখক এই আর্টিকেলটির দ্বিতীয় লাইনে লিখেছে:
In the fairest poll in the country’s four-decade history, the Awami League, led by Sheikh Hasina (pictured), swept to power in a landslide, on a wave of national optimism.
এটাতে আরো লিখেছে (যে বিষয়ে শফিক সাহেবের লেখার কোন আগ্রহ নেই বলেই প্রতীয়মান হয়, এ বিষয়ে উনার অবস্থান হচ্ছে মৌনতাই শ্রেয়):
As prime minister, most recently from 2001-06, Mrs Zia presided over a brutal kleptocracy.
১৩ই আগস্টে ইকনমিস্ট পত্রিকার In The Name of The Father টাইটেলের আর্টিকেলটিতে তারা আরো লিখেছে (আমার চেয়ে শফিক সাহেবের ভালো জানার কথা):
Her Awami League romped to an electoral win in December 2008. Her popularity has since dipped, but not disastrously. Nearly half the respondents to an AC-Nielsen survey in January, the most recent one, thought her government did a good job. Few backed the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which spurns parliament, calls public strikes and is remembered for the brutality and corruption of its rule in 2001-06.
এটা খুবই রহস্যজনক শফিক রেহমান সাহেব ২০০৮ সালের ইলেকশন নিয়ে জুলাই মাসের ইকনমিস্ট পত্রিকার রিপোর্টকে বলছেন বাংলাদেশের মানুষ (শতকরা কতজন বলেননি বা বলেননি শুধু বিনপির ঘোরতর সমর্থকরাই) নাকি তা সত্য হিসেবে মনে করে। অথচ উনার স্ত্রী তালেয়া রহমানের বেসরকারি নির্বাচন পর্যবেক্ষন সংস্থা ডেমক্রেসি ওয়াচ ২০০৮ সালের নির্বাচনকে অবাধ, নিরপেক্ষ ও সুষ্ঠু বলে সার্টিফাই করেছিল। প্রশ্ন হচ্ছে কে সত্য বলছেন? উনি নাকি উনার স্ত্রী? শফিক সাহেব সত্য হলে দেশের মানুষ যদি ধরে নেয় উনার স্ত্রীও ভারতের ব্যাগভর্তি টাকা ও পরামর্শ নিয়েছিলেন, তবে কি তা অন্যায় হবে?
শফিক সাহেবের স্ত্রী তালেয়া রেহমানের বেসরকারি নির্বাচন পর্যবেক্ষন সংস্থা ডেমক্রেসি ওয়াচের সাইটম্যাপ http://www.dwatch-bd.org/sitemap.html লিংকে http://www.dwatch-bd.org/National%20Election%20Final%20Report-2008.pdf আর্টিকেলের পৃষ্ঠা ২৩ এ Summary তে লেখা আছে:
Apart from these very few incidents the 9th Parliamentary Election 2008 was held in a free, fair and peaceful environment. In all the polling centers including Dhaka, voters seemed to vote enthusiastically. The numbers of women voters in the voters’ queues were remarkable and the overall turnout of voters was high. The irregularities that have so far been reported are very minor and do not affect the overall election results throughout the country.
Democracywatch expects all political parties will accept the results and build an authentic democratic culture in Bangladesh by showing tolerance and lead the nation towards prosperity.
শফিক সাহেবের মতে বাংলাদেশের এই বুদ্ধিমান ও চৌকস মানুষকে প্রতারিত করা কারো পক্ষেই নাকি সম্ভব হবে না, তাদেরকে বোকা বানানো সহজ নয়। এই বুদ্ধিমান ও চৌকস মানুষকদেরই শেখ হাসিনা ভারত থেকে ব্যাগ ভর্তি টাকা ও পরামর্শ দিয়ে ২০০৮ সালের নির্বাচনে কিনে ফেলল, বিষয়টি একটু হাস্যকরের পর্যায়ে চলে যায় না কি? এটা যে উনার একটি বড় ধরনের স্ববিরোধি বক্তব্য হয়ে গেল তিনি বোধহয় তা বুঝতে পারেন নি। যে ভারতের টাকা ও পরামর্শে বাংলাদেশের বুদ্ধিমান ও চৌকস মানুষগুলো ২০০৮ সালে প্রতারিত হলো, তাদের প্রধানমন্ত্রিকে বানী শুনানো কি বুদ্ধিমানের কাজ? নাকি তিনি পরোক্ষভাবে বলতে চান ভারতীরা বাংলাদেশিদের চেয়েও আরো বেশি বুদ্ধিমান ও চৌকস? শফিক সাহেবই তা ভালো বলতে পারবেন।
খুবই আশ্চর্যজনক যে দলীয় ক্ষুদ্রস্বার্থে সরকার ও ভারতবিরোধি সমালোচনার খাতিরে শফিক রেহমান সাহেবকে আজ ঘরের ঠাকুর ফেলে ভিনদেশি রিপোর্টের আশ্রয় নিতে হলো।
কোন প্রমান ছাড়া ড: ইউনুসের ব্যাপারে প্রধানমন্ত্রি শেখ হাসিনা ও হিলারী ক্লিনটনের সাথে ফোনালাপ তিনি এমনভাবে উপস্থাপন করেছেন যা উনার লেখা অন্য সব আপাতদৃষ্টিতে সিরিয়াস বিষয়বস্তুগুলোকেও হালকা করে দেয়। যদি জনগনের ভোটে নির্বাচিত না হয়ে আমেরিকা ও ভারতের সহায়তায় আওয়ামি লীগ ক্ষমতারোহন করে থাকে, তাহলে হিলারীর ধমকে চুপসে যেয়ে ড: ইউনুসের ব্যাপারে আর ঘাটাঘাটি না করে তাকে স্বস্থানে বহাল রাখাই কি শেখ হাসিনার জন্য যুক্তিসঙ্গত হত না? শেখ হাসিনা কি উল্টোটা করেননি? শফিক রেহমান কি উদ্দেশ্যে এই কাল্পনিক সাক্ষাত্কার উপস্থাপন করেছেন বলা মুশকিল, তবে এটাকে বিলু্প্ত যায় যায় দিন সাপ্তাহিকীর দিনের পর দিন কলামে মিলা ও মইনের পরকিয়া আলাপচারিতার অংশবিশেষ বলে মনে হতে পারে।
বাংলাদেশের পাট শিল্প পড়ে যাবার কথা বলেছেন, কিন্তু উল্লেখ করেননি বিশ্বব্যাংকের এজেন্ডা বাস্তবায়ন করতে গিয়ে কোন্ কট্টর ভারতবিরোধি সরকারের দেশের ইতিহাসে সবচেয়ে দীর্ঘ সময়ের অর্থমন্ত্রির বিশাল অবদানের কারনে পাটশিল্প আজ প্রতিবেশি দেশের করতলগত হয়ে গিয়েছে অনেক আগেই।
সত্য গুজরাটে মুসলিম হত্যার মতো কোনো ঘটনা বাংলাদেশে ঘটে নি, কিন্তু ২০০২ সালে গুজরাট হত্যাকান্ডের ঘটার আগে ২০০১ সালে বাংলাদেশের নির্বাচনোত্তর সহিংসতার শিকার হাজার হাজার বিরোধিদলের কর্মি ও সংখ্যালঘুরা এব্যাপারে ভিন্নমত প্রকাশ করতে পারে। তাদের উপর কি পরিমান ভয়াবহ নির্যাতন নেমে এসেছিল তা সেসময়কার প্রধান প্রধান দৈনিক পত্রিকাগুলোতে আরেকবার চোখ বুলালেই যথেষ্ট হবে। শফিক রেহমান সাহেব সে সময় এব্যাপারে সম্পূর্ন নিরব ছিলেন বলেই আমার ধারনা। উনার মত দলীয় বুদ্ধিজীবিরা এসমস্ত সন্ত্রাসি তান্ডবে আওয়ামি লীগ, প্রতিবেশি দেশ ও তাদের গোয়েন্দা সংস্থার জড়িত থাকার প্রমান খুজে খুজে হয়রান হচ্ছিলেন।
সত্য গুজরাটের মুখ্যমন্ত্রী নরেন্দ্র মোদির মতো কোনো ঘোর শক্তিশালী সাম্প্রদায়িক নেতা বাংলাদেশে নেই; তবে গোলাম আযম, মাওলানা নিজামি, আলি আহসান মুজাহিদ, দেলোয়ার হোসেন সাঈদি, কাদের মোল্লা, কামারুজ্জামানের মত ঘোর শক্তিশালী ধর্ম ব্যবসায়ি আছে যারা তাদের দলের প্রয়োজনে এত নিচে নেমে যেতে পারে যখন তাদের নিজেদের মা বোনরাও তাদের কাছে থাকা নিরাপদ মনে করবে না। ৭১ সালে এই যুদ্ধাপরাধিরা ভীনজাতীয় প্রভুর মনোরঞ্জনে স্বজাতি ও স্বধর্মের লোকের উপর যা করেছে তা পৃথিবীর ইতিহাসে বিরল। নরেন্দ্র মোদিরা যত খারাপই হোক তারা এখনো নিজ ধর্মের লোকের উপর হামলা চালায় নি।
আগের এক লেখায় শফিক রেহমান উনার নেত্রী খালেদা জিয়ার প্রশংসা করে লিখেছিলেন তিনি অসাধারন সৌন্দর্যের অধিকারি (যদি তা সত্যও হয় তা পুরোপুরি আল্লাহ প্রদত্ত যেখানে মানুষের কোন কৃতিত্ব নেই) যে কারনে নাকি শেখ হাসিনা তার প্রতি ইর্ষাপরায়ন। শফিক সাহেবকে আমি সবিনয় অনুরোধ করব তিনি আমাদের জন্য লিখুন উনার নেত্রীর ১৫ই আগস্টে মিথ্যে জন্মদিন পালন করা কোনধরনের সৌন্দর্য বহন করে সে সম্বন্ধে। এটাকে অসাধারন মানসিক কদর্যতার (যার জন্য উনার নেত্রী নিজে সম্পূর্ন দায়ি) একটি কুত্সিত দৃষ্টান্ত বললে কি অত্যুক্তি হবে?
তবে শফিক সাহেবকে এসব নিয়ে মাথা ঘামানোর বিশেষ কোন কারন দেখি না, উনার অসংখ্য ডানপন্থী ভক্তরা উনার একপেশে লেখাগুলোকে সবসময়ই বাহবা দিয়ে যাবেন। খালি আমার মত বামপন্থী অধমের অনেক দিনের শখ শফিক রেহমান যদি সত্যিকার অর্থে নিরপেক্ষ সাংবাদিক হয়ে থাকেন অথবা আমাদেরকে আনন্দে আত্মহারা করে দিয়ে এরশাদ ও খালেদা জিয়ার প্রথম আমলের সেই হারিয়ে যাওয়া শফিক রেহমান হঠাত্ করে ফিরে আসেন তাহলে তিনি একদিন লিখবেন ২০০১ থেকে ২০০৬ সাল এই পাচ বছর তারেক জিয়া ও হাওয়া ভবনের কর্মকান্ড নিয়ে; তার দলের মত উইকিলিকসে লীগের কিছু বের হলে আন্তর্জাতিক স্বীকৃত বড় বড় পত্রিকার শিরোনাম এবং নিজ দলের হলে ষড়যন্ত্র বলেন কিনা; লিখবেন কি করে ৭১ এর কুখ্যাত আলবদর বাহিনীর নেতা মাওলানা নিজামি ও আলি আহসান মুজাহিদ স্বাধিন বাংলাদেশে সরকারের মন্ত্রি হয়; লিখবেন কি করে জিয়া ও বিনপি বঙ্গবন্ধু, তার পরিবার, ও জেলে চার নেতার নির্মম হত্যাকান্ডের আত্মস্বীকৃত কুখ্যাত খুনীদের শুধু বিচার বিঘ্নিত করাই নয় তাদেরকে দারুনভাবে রক্ষা ও পুরষ্কৃত করে; লিখবেন তার নেত্রি খালেদা ও তার দল কি ভয়ংকরভাবে ২১শে আগস্টের ভয়াবহ গ্রেনেড আক্রমনের তদন্তের নামে সারা দেশবাসির সাথে তামাশা করেছিল; লিখবেন জজমিয়া নাটককে তিনি কি দৃ্ষ্টিতে দেখেন অথবা তার দলের মত জজমিয়াই ২১শে আগস্টের ঘটনার নায়ক তা মনে করেন কিনা। এরকম অনেক ইচ্ছা প্রবলভাবে মনের মধ্যে ঘুরপাক খায়। আশা একদিন হয়ত শফিক সাহেব সাংবাদিক পেশার প্রতি শ্রদ্ধা দেখিয়ে সততার সাথে এসমস্ত বিষয়ে উনার জ্ঞানগর্ভ তথ্য ও বিশ্লেষন দিয়ে আমাদের মুগ্ধ করবেন। সেদিন মনে করব বাংলাদেশে সত্যিকারের গুনগত পরিবর্তন হতে চলেছে।
Friday, February 15, 2008
Hypocrisies and Lies of Ali Sina
Recently I spent some time at faithfreedom.org to check out some outlandish claims by Ali Sina who is so scared of a live debate with Dr. Zakir Naik. As time went by, my heart sank deeper and deeper into sadness. I could not believe what I was reading. That was definitely the most hateful website in the world. I don’t know whether Hitler and the Nazis hated the Jews so much as Ali Sina and his partners in hate and intolerance hate Islam, its Prophet and all Muslims. How can you respond to so much hate? How can you respond to them who reject the well known historians from all ages and religious backgrounds, and only quote the notorious Islamophobes? I am not a scholar in Islam or Christianity. I am afraid I may not rebut his claims perfectly with my shallow knowledge. I leave it up to the scholars.
But I noticed sheer hypocrisies in Sina’s argument which even a layman like me can discover without any toil. Even though Sina claims to have no affiliation with any organized religion, his obvious bias toward Christianity and Israel, his biased defense of Dr. William Campbell’s debate with Dr. Zakir Naik which Campbell lost miserably (Sina thinks Campbell won that debate!), showcasing articles from well-known Islamophobe and Christian Evangelical Zionist Robert Spencer, can make someone suspect that Sina is tied with the Evangelical Zionists. Just check the following statements from Ali Sina’s website and discover the sheer hypocrisy:
(The vast majority of the Christians believe that Jesus is God or partner of God. He is part of the trinity or divinity. “Jesus is LORD” is the assertion of the most hateful Christian groups, the evangelical Zionists. If he is God, then whatever we attribute and accredit to God, Jesus should get his fair share too. If he is God, then he should get 100 %. Now we will prove using the verses from Holy Bible only that Jesus ordered mass murders, rapes, incest etc. like nobody in history. He propagated hate and intolerance against non-Christians, gays, and many others. We do not need to analyze anything, just reading the Bible verses will prove these accusations.)
Jesus threw out a lot of the Old Testament ideas. He said, “Turn the other cheek,” when the Old Testament says, “pluck out the evil-doer’s eye” or “eye for an eye.” Was it another God who sent down the Old Testament? Where was Jesus during that time? Had he not been born yet? But he said he is the beginning and he is the end in New Testament. So if it was another God, then who was responsible for the Old Testament; did Jesus kill or imprison that God and grabbed God’s throne and declared himself God?
(Turning the other cheek -nobody can show one example of the Christian world where they turned their other cheeks in the last 2,000 years. Let alone turning the other cheeks, they always took overwhelming and disproportionate revenge against their enemies even for very minor offenses. They never showed love and forgiveness, the core teachings of the religion they claim to practice.)
Mr. Sina and Spencer, can you answer to the above verses from your essentially good Holy Bible? Don’t you guys think that the violent verses from your holy Bible should be removed first before you make any suggestion about Holy Qur’an or any other holy books? That will be a less hypocritical thing to do.
Since Ali Sina made a few outlandish claims - “There is nothing good in his (Prophet Muhammad) teachings. All other religions have something good to contribute. Islam has none. It is sheer evil. ”, if I can show that there are just ONE thing in Islam that teaches goodness, and ONE thing in Christianity that teaches otherwise (e.g., the above verses from the Bible), that will be more than enough to prove Ali Sina false. I gathered a few sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him):
There was a famous companion of the Prophet who before accepting Islam buried his daughter as a pre-Islamic practice prevalent among the pagan Arabs in sixth century. That companion could not kill his daughter when she was born. She was very beautiful and was very beloved of her mother. Her mother would be around the little girl whenever he was at home. He tried to take the baby away from her mother few times, sometimes even tortured his wife in doing so. He waited and waited but did not get a chance to bury her for few years. The little girl was so beautiful that everyone who saw her used to praise her beauty and innocent laughs. But her father never cared for that. One day he found her alone and took her to the desert without wasting any time. She watched her father digging the ground not knowing why, and she even wiped sweat from his face. All this did not create a bit of sympathy into the heart of that companion. He buried her anyway. When he came home and told her wife about his successful mission, she screamed so loud, that probably shook even the throne of God in heaven. The Prophet heard this story after he became Muslim. The Prophet was so moved by this that he would request that companion to repeat it. Tears would roll down his cheeks upon hearing this heart-wrenching story. He would say, “What a story! How could you do this? It didn’t invoke a little mercy in your heart!” All the anti-Islamic hate-mongers should remember one thing - if you guys don't want to give the Prophet of Islam any credit at all - completely abolishing the barbaric practice of burying the daughters in pre-Islamic Arabia was one of his great accomplishments nobody can ever dispute.
Bilal Ibn Rabah was an emancipated slave of key importance in Islam and Prophet Muhammad chose Bilal as the first official muezzin (a person in the mosque who leads the call to Friday service and five daily prayers) of the Islamic faith. He is said to have been one of the most trusted and loyal companions of Prophet Muhammad. His respected stature during the birth of Islam is often cited by Muslims as evidence of the importance of pluralism and racial equality in the foundations of the religion. The story of Bilal demonstrates that in Muhammad's eyes, the measure of a man was neither nationality nor social status nor race, but piety.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilal_ibn_Ribah
Also there is the story of Julaybib, who was small and short. More than that, he is described as being ugly, deformed, or of repulsive appearance. Julaybib's lineage was unknown and there is no record of his parents or what tribe he belonged to. He was shunned in his society. The story in the following link shows how the Prophet of Islam uplifted him to such great level:
http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/history/biographies/sahaabah/bio.JULAYBIB.html
Besides Abu Bakr, Uthman, Ali and many others who succeeded them, Omar, the second Caliph, has been appreciated in almost every age as one of the most just and greatest statesmen ever to have lived. He used to say: “If a sheep falls from a bridge even on the river Tigris and dies, God will call me to account for it on the Day of Judgment.” When we compare Omar before his conversion and Omar after he became a Muslim, we can easily see the sharp contrast between the two and understand how radically Islam changes people.
There are many reports of the hard and difficult times which Fatimah, Prophet's beloved daughter, had to face. Often there was no food in her or the Prophet's house. The Prophet would save some food for her whenever he could. In one occassion, the Prophet was hungry and eventually found some meat and bread after searching for food in few places. He took a piece of meat and placed it in a loaf and said to one of his companions, “Take this to Fatimah. She has not tasted the like of this for days.” Fatimah also knew that the Prophet was without food for long periods and she in turn would take food to him when she could. Once she took a piece of barley bread and he, said to her: "This is the first food your father has eaten for three days." The story about Prophet's very beloved daughter Fatima in the following link shows what kind of life she (and also he) had:
http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/history/biographies/sahaabah/bio.FATIMAH_BINT_MUHAMMAD.html
After reading few items in Ali Sina's website, somebody who never studied Islam from an authentic source might get a very wrong and unfair impression of the Prophet of Islam. They might think he was like a ruthless authoritarian ruler who piled up enormous wealth by all means. Just check the following saying of Prophet's most beloved wife:
In refuting Dr. Zakir Naik’s argument in debate with Dr. William Campbell, in the topic called “The Test of Bible”, Ali Sina makes the following very sympathetic statement in favor of the Bible and Dr. Campbell:
Mr. Sina also does not recall anything about the intelligence of the followers of Jesus who recorded all the miracles of Jesus. According to the canonical Gospels, Jesus worked many miracles in the course of his ministry, which may be categorized into cures, exorcisms, dominion over nature, three instances of raising the dead, and various others. To many Christians, the miracles represent actual historical events The Feeding of the 5000 and of the 4000 men - Jesus, praying to God and using only a few loaves of bread and fish, feeds thousands of men, along with an unspecified number of women and children; there are even a number of baskets of leftovers afterward.
One of his site authors, one Mohammed Ashgar wrote in his website:
One of his extremist Hindu disciples wrote with lots of love from Hindus for Sina:
Arundhati Roy in “Democracy: Who’s She When She’s at Home?” in Outlook India magazine, May 6, 2002:
Indian Muslims 'have lowest rank':
In another place Ali Sina wrote: “When Amnesty International talks about the human rights of the terrorists in Guantanamo Bay I want to puke. These people have no clue what the heck these monsters are. Terrorists are not humans and human rights should not apply to them. Where is Amnesty International when Iranians are constantly being hung and tortured by the Islamic regime? The Amnesty International no longer has moral authority to decide what is right and what is wrong.”
This is one example which exposes Sina as a neo-conservative Christian Zionist player. Amnesty International does the best to handle human rights violations as they happen around the world. Obviously they are not going to invade Iran and kill and maim millions to fix Iranian human rights issues. They do things within their capacity. Do they condone Iranian human right violations? Of course not. Every year they publish reports based on violations in countries around the world including Ali’s beloved Bush-Cheney America. Does Sina know about sending Canadian telecommunications engineer Maher Arar, who was tortured in a prison for a year, to Syria by USA under US policy of rendition? He claims to be a lot better human being than any practicing Muslims (according to him, they are nothing but animals). Did he write any article, even a few sentences condemning this brutal treatment? Or does he care? You cannot condemn Iran and Syria on one hand and praise the western power for their abuses on the other. Sounds like Evangelical Christian Zionist type super hypocrisy. No Mr. Sina, by exposing yourself as a total hypocrite, you have no moral authority to decide who is right and who is wrong.
Robert Spencer, who is in charge of Islamophobe hate site Jihad Watch, wrote in Sina’s site defending bloody crusades: "Islam originated in Arabia in the seventh century. At that time Egypt, Libya, and all of North Africa were Christian, and had been so for hundreds of years. So were Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and Asia Minor. But then Muhammad and his Muslim armies arose out of the desert, and — as most modern textbooks would put it — these lands became Muslim. But in fact the transition was cataclysmic. Muslims won these lands by conquest and, in obedience to the words of the Qur’an and the Prophet, put to the sword the infidels therein who refused to submit to the new Islamic regime. Those who remained alive lived in humiliating second-class status."
Well Mr. Spencer, Islam does not consider Christians and the Jews as infidels, you know it very well. Even though you don’t have any proper education in Islamic studies, you brag about yourself as a self-styled scholar on Islam. Then why is this hypocrisy? The Philippines, many countries in Africa, the North and South America were not Christians. But then Christian armies arose out of Europe, and – as most modern textbooks would put it – these lands became Christians. But in fact the transition was cataclysmic. Christians won these lands by conquest and, in obedience to the words of the Bible and their God, Jesus, put to the sword the infidels therein who refused to submit to the new Christian regime. How do you like that Mr. Spencer?
Christianity Was Spread by Swords - Two Huge Examples:
The Christians destroyed the Aztec:
The Christians destroyed the Inca Civilization:
Ali Sina, the leftover of the Franko-Mongol and Armeno-Mongol terrorists (who brutally murdered and raped almost everyone in the conquered city, and sacked cities after cities in 12 and 13th centuries, and the Muslims bore the most brutal brunt of their attack) and Robert Spencer, the leftover of the European Crusading terrorists, again formed unholy alliance follwoing the footsteps of their ancestors. Sina and his partners in hate unilaterally attack Islam and Muslims. They never mention the atrocities the whole world suffered at the hand of the European Christians for centuries in the name of colonization; brutalities of the crusaders who massacred all Jews, Muslims, and even eastern Christians in Jerusalem; the murders, expulsions and forced conversions of all Jews and Muslims in Spain during inquisition; tens of millions of Jews who were brutally persecuted and murdered all over Europe for more than 1,000 years.
Very recently in Bosnia - dogs, men who carry HIV virus and gangs taking turns were used in rape camps where naked Muslim girls and women were kept like cattle. Soldiers gang-raped small girls in front of their mothers. Civilians, administrators, students – ordinary people – were all involved as active participants or as spectators in the Bosnian rape camps. In most of the cases Serbian Orthodox priests blessed the perpetrators.
Ali Sina shows Islam as one-sided, misleading and incomplete. Unfortunately, his biased piece suggests that Muslims all along have been intolerant to other faiths, which is completely untrue. Ali Sina strongly believes that Islam will be totally extinct soon. The scientists predict our solar system will die out in approximately 4 billion years. I don't know whether 4 billion years is too soon to Ali Sina or not.
After the Muslim conquered Jerusalem in 638, Omar, the second Caliph of Islam, demonstrated the utmost respect for members of the other faiths living in the city. He signed a charter, called the Omariyya Covenant, to say that the Christians must keep their holy places intact. In Christian Jerusalem, Jews had not been allowed permanent residence in the city. Caliph Omar decided that this must stop and he eventually brought back Jewish families and settled them alongside the Temple Mount. According to the Encyclopedia Judaica, seventy Jewish families took up residence in the city. For the first time in 500 years since their expulsion from the Holy Land, Jews were allowed to practice their religion freely and live in the vicinity of Jerusalem.
(According to both Muslim and Christian accounts - Omar entered the city humbly, walking beside a donkey upon which his servant was sitting.)
In an article Israeli author and former Knesset member Uri Avnery wrote: “For many centuries, the Muslims ruled Greece...the Bulgarians, Serbs, Romanians, Hungarians and other European nations…Nobody compelled them to become Muslims and all of them remained devoutly Christian…There is no evidence whatsoever of any attempt to impose Islam on the Jews…In Islamic society, a special place was reserved for Jews and Christians.
“All along Jews and Christians prospered under Muslim rule from Spain to Middle East. Churches, mosques and synagogues can still be seen standing next to each other in the Muslim world. On the contrary, in 15th century Spain, Muslims and Jews were given just three options to choose: death, expulsion or conversion to Christianity and their houses of worship were all converted to Christian churches.”
The following is from Jewish Timeline:
900-1090:
The Golden age of Jewish culture in Spain. Abd-ar-Rahman III becomes Caliph of Spain in 912, ushering in the height of tolerance. Muslims granted Jews and Christians exemptions from military service, the right to their own courts of law, and a guarantee of safety of their property. Jewish poets, scholars, scientists, statesmen and philosophers flourished in and were an integral part of the extensive Arab civilization. This ended with the invasion of Almoravides in 1090. (But they flourished again later.)
940:
In Iraq Saadia Gaon compiles his siddur(Jewish prayer book.)
1013-1073:
Rabbi Yitchaki Alfassi (from Morocco, later Spain) writes the Rif, an important work of Jewish law.
1040-1105:
Rabbi Shlomo Yitzhaki (Rashi) writes important commentaries on almost the entire Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) and Talmud.
1095-1291:
Christian Crusades begin, sparking warfare with Islam in Palestine. Crusaders temporarily capture Jerusalem in 1099. Tens of thousands of Jews are killed by European crusaders throughout Europe and in the Middle East.
1135-1204:
Rabbi Moses ben Maimon, aka Maimonides is the leading rabbi of Sephardic Jewry. Among his many accomplishments, he writes an influential code of law (The Mishneh Torah as well as, in Arabic, the most influential philosophical work (Guide for the Perplexedem) in Jewish history.
Córdoba became a capital once more during the Independent Emirate and the Western Umayyad Caliphate, the period of its apogee, with a population ranging between 250,000 and 500,000 inhabitants. In the 10th century, Córdoba was one of the largest cities in the world, as well as a great cultural, political and economic centre. The Mosque of Córdoba dates back to this time. In the present, Córdoba is a major cultural focal point in Southern Europe, considered as one of the most beautifully preserved cities, and a city with great quality of life in Spain. . (Source: Wikipedia)
Few Verses from the Holy Qur’an:
Sayings from Hadith Qudsi (Sayings of God not through the Quran):
But I noticed sheer hypocrisies in Sina’s argument which even a layman like me can discover without any toil. Even though Sina claims to have no affiliation with any organized religion, his obvious bias toward Christianity and Israel, his biased defense of Dr. William Campbell’s debate with Dr. Zakir Naik which Campbell lost miserably (Sina thinks Campbell won that debate!), showcasing articles from well-known Islamophobe and Christian Evangelical Zionist Robert Spencer, can make someone suspect that Sina is tied with the Evangelical Zionists. Just check the following statements from Ali Sina’s website and discover the sheer hypocrisy:
There is no comparison between Islam and Christianity or any other religion for that matter. Christianity is essentially a good religion. Christ taught: “Let the one who has not sinned throw the first stone”, “forgive the sins of others so yours can be forgiven”, “love thy neighbor”, “You have been told not to sin, I tell you not to think of sin for you would be committing sin in your mind”. These are beautiful teachings. They are eternal truths. All religions have beautiful teachings that inspire the heart and make believers steadfast. Jesus led a saintly life. He was not a mass murderer, a pedophile, an assassin, a lecher, a looter and a terrorist. Muhammad was all the above. He was a fiend. There is nothing good in his teachings. The Quran is evil, violent and hateful. The Quran says that the non-Muslims must be killed, that they are despised, that God hates them, and that they are fuel for hell.But the self-styled scholar Ali Sina, and his bosom friend Robert Spencer - who wrote a book called “Religion of Peace?: Why Christianity Is and Islam Isn't” and who think Qur’an should be revised and violent verses be removed - conveniently miss the following verses from their Holy Bible:
I should also mentions that all religions have evolved and they are now positive forces of change. Islam is the only religion that has not changed and cannot change. Therefore Islam is the only dangerous religion that must be eradicated. All other religions have something good to contribute. Islam has none. It is sheer evil.
(The vast majority of the Christians believe that Jesus is God or partner of God. He is part of the trinity or divinity. “Jesus is LORD” is the assertion of the most hateful Christian groups, the evangelical Zionists. If he is God, then whatever we attribute and accredit to God, Jesus should get his fair share too. If he is God, then he should get 100 %. Now we will prove using the verses from Holy Bible only that Jesus ordered mass murders, rapes, incest etc. like nobody in history. He propagated hate and intolerance against non-Christians, gays, and many others. We do not need to analyze anything, just reading the Bible verses will prove these accusations.)
When the Lord your God (i.e., Jesus) brings you into the land you are entering to possess and drives out before you many nations . . . then you must destroy them totally. Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy. (Deuteronomy 7:1-2)
When you march up to attack a city, make its people an offer of peace. If they accept and open their gates, all the people in it shall be subject to forced labor and shall work for you. If they refuse to make peace and they engage you in battle, lay siege to that city. When the Lord your God delivers it into your hand, put to the sword all the men in it. As for the women, the children, the livestock and everything else in the city, you may take these as plunder for yourselves. . . . This is how you are to treat all the cities that are at a distance from you and do not belong to the nations nearby.
However, in the cities of the nations the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, do not leave alive anything that breathes. Completely destroy them—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—as the Lord your God (i.e., Jesus) has commanded you. (Deuteronomy 20:10-17)
(The book of Deuteronomy alone is filled with a great deal of barbaric atrocities that the God of Bible commanded, condoned, or he himself carried out.)
Every one that is found shall be thrust through; and every ne that is joined unto them shall fall by the sword. Their children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled, and their wives ravished. (Isaiah 13:15-16)
Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass. (I Samuel 15:2-3)If Bible is infallible, then how can we accept these verses as God inspired? Killing children? Raping women? Spreading hatred? Condoning slavery? If Jesus is God, then, is not he responsible for all these atrocities? Either Jesus is God and responsible for all these atrocities or he is not God and not responsible for these.
And we utterly destroyed them, as we did unto Sihon king of Hesbon, utterly destroying the men, women, and children, of every city. But all the cattle, and the spoil of the cities we took for a prey to ourselves. (Deuteronomy 3:6-7)
The Lord said to Moses, "Take vengeance on the Midianites for the Israelites. After that, you will be gathered to your people." So Moses said to the people, "Arm some of your men to go to war against the Midianites and to carry out the Lord's vengeance on them. They burned all the towns where the Midianites had settled, as well as all their camps. "Have you allowed all the women to live?" he asked them. "They were the ones who followed Balaam's advice and were the means of turning the Israelites away from the Lord in what happened at Peor, so that a plague struck the Lord's people. Now kill all the boys. And kill every woman who has slept with a man, but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man.
The Lord said to Moses, "You and Eleazar the priest and the family heads of the community are to count all the people and animals that were captured. Divide the spoils between the soldiers who took part in the battle and the rest of the community. From the soldiers who fought in the battle, set apart as tribute for the Lord one out of every five hundred, whether persons, cattle, donkeys, sheep or goats. Take this tribute from their half share and give it to Eleazar the priest as the Lord's part. From the Israelites' half, select one out of every fifty, whether persons, cattle, donkeys, sheep, goats or other animals. Give them to the Levites, who are responsible for the care of the Lord's tabernacle."
So Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the Lord commanded Moses. The plunder remaining from the spoils that the soldiers took was 675,000 sheep, 72,000 cattle, 61,000 and 32,000 women who had never slept with a man. The half share of those who fought in the battle was: 337,500 sheep, of which the tribute for the LORD was 675; 36,000 cattle, of which the tribute for the Lord was 72; 30,500 donkeys, of which the tribute for the Lord was 61; 16,000 people, of which the tribute for the Lord was 32. (Numbers 31)
If anyone curses his father or mother, he must be put to death. If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife—with the wife of his neighbor—both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death. (Leviticus 20:9-10) Oh! My God! Our civilization is doomed!
If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death. (Leviticus 20:13) Here is Mr. Spencers’s biblical gay rights.
If, however, the charge is true and no proof of the girl’s virginity can be found, she shall be brought to the door of her father’s house and there the men of her town shall stone her to death. She has done a disgraceful thing in Israel by being promiscuous while still in her father’s house. (Deuteronomy 22:20-21) This civilization is doomed! Ali Sina! Ali Sina! Where art thou?
For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a Sabbath of rest to the LORD (i.e., Jesus). Whoever does any work on it must be put to death. (Exodus 35:2) Mr. Spencer, I can’t believe what I am reading!
On Biblical Law:
I also gave them over to statutes that were not good and laws they could not live by; I let them become defiled through their gifts—the sacrifice of every firstborn—that I might fill them with horror so they would know that I am the LORD.( Ezekiel 20:25-26)
On Slavery & Dealing with that Sticky Issue of Women:
Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. (Ephesians 5:22-24) Here goes equality for the women in the Bible.
If a man beats his male or female slave with a rod and the slave dies as a direct result, he must be punished, but he is not to be punished if the slave gets up after a day or two, since the slave is his property. (Exodus 21:20-21)
Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men.(1 Peter 2:13)
Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. (1 Peter 2:18) Hail Slavery!
Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves. You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property.( Leviticus 25:44-45)
And the LORD our God (i.e., Jesus) delivered him before us; nd we smote him, and his sons, and all his people. And we took all his cities at that time, and utterly destroyed the men, and the women, and the little ones, of every city, we left none to remain. (Deuteronomy 2:33-34)
Only the Christians are Good, Everyone Else is Evil:
Christians are "of God;" everyone else is wicked (i.e., will live in hell). (John 5:19)
Those who worship "other gods" are wicked (i.e., will live in hell). (Jeremiah 1:16)
Non-Christians are deceivers and antichrists (i.e., will live in hell). (2 John 7)
God will set the entire earth on fire so that he can burn non-believers to death (i.e., will live in hell). (2 Peter 3:7)
Shun those who disagree with your religious views. (Roman 16:17)
Those who refuse to obey will face the wrath of God (i.e., will live in hell). (Ephesians 5:6)
But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me. (Luke 19:27)
Jesus Came to Create Division!:
"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I am come to SET A MAN AT VARIANCE AGAINST HIS FATHER, and the daughter against the mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a MAN'S FOES SHALL BE THEY OF HIS OWN HOUSEHOLD." (Matthew 10:34-36)
"If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." (Luke 14:26)
"He that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one." (Luke 22:36)
"Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law." (Luke 12:51-53)
Jesus threw out a lot of the Old Testament ideas. He said, “Turn the other cheek,” when the Old Testament says, “pluck out the evil-doer’s eye” or “eye for an eye.” Was it another God who sent down the Old Testament? Where was Jesus during that time? Had he not been born yet? But he said he is the beginning and he is the end in New Testament. So if it was another God, then who was responsible for the Old Testament; did Jesus kill or imprison that God and grabbed God’s throne and declared himself God?
(Turning the other cheek -nobody can show one example of the Christian world where they turned their other cheeks in the last 2,000 years. Let alone turning the other cheeks, they always took overwhelming and disproportionate revenge against their enemies even for very minor offenses. They never showed love and forgiveness, the core teachings of the religion they claim to practice.)
Mr. Sina and Spencer, can you answer to the above verses from your essentially good Holy Bible? Don’t you guys think that the violent verses from your holy Bible should be removed first before you make any suggestion about Holy Qur’an or any other holy books? That will be a less hypocritical thing to do.
Since Ali Sina made a few outlandish claims - “There is nothing good in his (Prophet Muhammad) teachings. All other religions have something good to contribute. Islam has none. It is sheer evil. ”, if I can show that there are just ONE thing in Islam that teaches goodness, and ONE thing in Christianity that teaches otherwise (e.g., the above verses from the Bible), that will be more than enough to prove Ali Sina false. I gathered a few sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him):
God and His angels, the dwellers of the Heavens and of the Earth, even an ant in its hole and fish (in the depths of the sea), invoke blessings on (a scholar) who teaches people goodness.One of Prophet's Great Accomplishments:
"By God, he does not believe! By God, he does not believe! By God, he does not believe!" When asked who he was referring to, the Prophet replied: "That person whose neighbor does not feel safe from his evil."
There are as many ways to God as there are created souls.
There is nothing in the two worlds but God.
An hour of contemplation is better than a year of prayer.
Avoid stubbornness, for it begins in ignorance and ends in regret.
Would you have me tell you about actions that are better than fasting, prayer, and charity? Bring goodness and high principles between people.
It is said that when you take only one step toward Him, He advances ten steps toward you. But the complete trust is that God is always with you.
Be in this world as though you were a stranger or a traveller, with your clothes and shoes full of dust. Sometimes you will sit under the shade of a tree, sometimes you will walk in the desert. Be a passerby always, for this world is not your home.
Whoever loves to meet God, God loves to meet him.
He who makes peace between the people by inventing good information or saying good things, is not a liar.
Whoever is killed while protecting his property then he is a martyr.
Happy are those whose own faults preoccupy them too much to think of the faults of others.
Generations before you were destroyed because they decline to punish the powerful thieves yet were relentless in punishing the small pickpockets.
It is better for a leader to make a mistake in forgiving than to make a mistake in punishing.
If you want to live more freely, borrow less.
The most ignorant among you is the one who does not learn from the changes in the world.
The richest among you is the one who is not entrapped by greed.
The strongest among you is the one who controls his anger.
God will not show mercy to him who does not show mercy to others.
A man once asked the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh): "What is Islam?" The Prophet replied: "Pleasant talk and serving food (to guests and to the needy)." The man then Asked: "What is faith?" The Prophet said: "Endurance and benevolence." Next, the man asked: "Which (Muslim) is best?" The Prophet said: "One who safeguards (others) against harm caused by his tongue and hand."
Verily, God…will say on the Day of Resurrection…O son of Adam, I asked you for food but you did not feed Me. The person will respond: My Lord, how could I feed Thee when Thou art the Lord of the worlds? (God) will (then) say: Didn't you know that a servant of Mine asked you for food but you did not feed him, and were you not aware that if you had fed him you would have found him by My side?
If anyone has a female child, and does not bury her alive (a pre-Islamic practice), or slight her, or prefer his (male) children to her, God will bring him into Paradise.
Once following a military expedition, the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) saw the body of a woman on the battlefield. He therefore issued an order prohibiting the killing of women and children.
Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, a close companion and successor of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), told one of his military commanders: "I advise you of ten things (relating to the rules of war.) Do not kill women or children or an aged, infirm person. Do not cut down fruit-bearing trees. Do not destroy an inhabited place. Do not slaughter [animals] except for food. Do not burn bees and do not scatter them. Do not steal from the materials captured in combat, and do not be cowardly."
One who treats badly those under his authority will not enter Paradise.
A man asked the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh): "To whom should I show kindness?" The Prophet replied: "Your mother, next your mother, next your mother, and then your father."
He whose property exceed his needs, let him support the one whose property does not (meet his needs), and he whose food exceeds his needs, let him share it with those who do not have food.
Seeking knowledge in (the company of others) for an hour in the night is better than spending the whole night in prayer.
The seeking of knowledge is obligatory for every Muslim (man or woman).
A man once told the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh): "I have come to take the oath of allegiance to you for emigration, and I left my parents weeping." The Prophet said: "Return to them and make them laugh as you made them weep."
There is nothing heavier put on the scale of a believer on the Day of Resurrection than good character.
Avoid envy, for envy destroys good deeds just as fire devours grass. Beware of suspicion, for suspicion is the worst of false tales.
A man once told the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh): "My sister has taken a vow to perform (the pilgrimage to Mecca) on foot." The Prophet replied: "God gets no good from the affliction your sister imposed on herself, so let her perform (the pilgrimage) riding."
Shall I guide you to the best (form of) charity? It is to provide for your daughter when she (returns) to you (because of divorce or other circumstances) and has no one but you to provide for her.
The angels call out each day: "O people, come to your Lord. What is little and sufficient is better than what is abundant and causes negligence."
Once when two people, one Muslim and the other Jewish, quarreled over the relative status of the Prophets Moses and Muhammad (peace be upon them both), Prophet Muhammad told them: "Do not give one prophet superiority over another."
Narrated Anas ibn Malik - The Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) said to me: "My son, if you are in a position to pass your morning and evening keeping your heart free from malice against anyone, then act according to (this high ideal)." He then said: "That is my Sunnah (example), and he who loves my Sunnah loves me."
If you guarantee me six things on your part, I shall guarantee you Paradise. Speak the truth when you talk, keep a promise when you make it, when you are trusted with something fulfill your trust, avoid sexual immorality, lower your gaze (in modesty), and restrain your hands from injustice.
I guarantee a house in the surroundings of Paradise for a man who avoids quarrelling even if he is in the right, a house in the middle of Paradise for a man who avoids lying even if he is joking, and a house in the upper part of Paradise for a man who makes his character good.
The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) once told a newly-appointed government official: "Fear the cry of the oppressed, for there is no barrier between it and God."
There are (two kinds) of people worth envying: Someone whom God has made rich and who spends his money righteously; and someone whom God has given wisdom and who acts according to it and teaches it to others.
Charity is prescribed for each descendant of Adam every day the sun rises. He was then asked: "From what do we give charity every day?" The Prophet answered: "The doors of goodness are many...enjoining good, forbidding evil, removing harm from the road, listening to the deaf, leading the blind, guiding one to the object of his need, hurrying with the strength of one's legs to one in sorrow who is asking for help, and supporting the feeble with the strength of one's arms--all of these are charity prescribed for you.
Whoever has three daughters, care and provides for them, and show them mercy, will enter Paradise.
A man once told the Prophet that he had many children but did not kiss any of them. The Prophet (pbuh) replied: “Verily, God will only show mercy to those of His servants who do good to others.”
The following are excerpts from the Prophet Muhammad's (pbuh) last sermon:
"O People, lend me an attentive ear, for I don't know whether, after this year, I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore listen to what I am saying to you carefully and take these words to those who could not be present here today...
"Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you. Remember that you will indeed meet your Lord, and that He will indeed reckon your deeds...
"O People, it is true that you have certain rights with regard to your women, but they also have rights over you...Do treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners and committed helpers...
"You are all equal. Nobody has superiority over other except by piety and good action...”
There was a famous companion of the Prophet who before accepting Islam buried his daughter as a pre-Islamic practice prevalent among the pagan Arabs in sixth century. That companion could not kill his daughter when she was born. She was very beautiful and was very beloved of her mother. Her mother would be around the little girl whenever he was at home. He tried to take the baby away from her mother few times, sometimes even tortured his wife in doing so. He waited and waited but did not get a chance to bury her for few years. The little girl was so beautiful that everyone who saw her used to praise her beauty and innocent laughs. But her father never cared for that. One day he found her alone and took her to the desert without wasting any time. She watched her father digging the ground not knowing why, and she even wiped sweat from his face. All this did not create a bit of sympathy into the heart of that companion. He buried her anyway. When he came home and told her wife about his successful mission, she screamed so loud, that probably shook even the throne of God in heaven. The Prophet heard this story after he became Muslim. The Prophet was so moved by this that he would request that companion to repeat it. Tears would roll down his cheeks upon hearing this heart-wrenching story. He would say, “What a story! How could you do this? It didn’t invoke a little mercy in your heart!” All the anti-Islamic hate-mongers should remember one thing - if you guys don't want to give the Prophet of Islam any credit at all - completely abolishing the barbaric practice of burying the daughters in pre-Islamic Arabia was one of his great accomplishments nobody can ever dispute.
Bilal Ibn Rabah was an emancipated slave of key importance in Islam and Prophet Muhammad chose Bilal as the first official muezzin (a person in the mosque who leads the call to Friday service and five daily prayers) of the Islamic faith. He is said to have been one of the most trusted and loyal companions of Prophet Muhammad. His respected stature during the birth of Islam is often cited by Muslims as evidence of the importance of pluralism and racial equality in the foundations of the religion. The story of Bilal demonstrates that in Muhammad's eyes, the measure of a man was neither nationality nor social status nor race, but piety.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilal_ibn_Ribah
Also there is the story of Julaybib, who was small and short. More than that, he is described as being ugly, deformed, or of repulsive appearance. Julaybib's lineage was unknown and there is no record of his parents or what tribe he belonged to. He was shunned in his society. The story in the following link shows how the Prophet of Islam uplifted him to such great level:
http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/history/biographies/sahaabah/bio.JULAYBIB.html
Besides Abu Bakr, Uthman, Ali and many others who succeeded them, Omar, the second Caliph, has been appreciated in almost every age as one of the most just and greatest statesmen ever to have lived. He used to say: “If a sheep falls from a bridge even on the river Tigris and dies, God will call me to account for it on the Day of Judgment.” When we compare Omar before his conversion and Omar after he became a Muslim, we can easily see the sharp contrast between the two and understand how radically Islam changes people.
There are many reports of the hard and difficult times which Fatimah, Prophet's beloved daughter, had to face. Often there was no food in her or the Prophet's house. The Prophet would save some food for her whenever he could. In one occassion, the Prophet was hungry and eventually found some meat and bread after searching for food in few places. He took a piece of meat and placed it in a loaf and said to one of his companions, “Take this to Fatimah. She has not tasted the like of this for days.” Fatimah also knew that the Prophet was without food for long periods and she in turn would take food to him when she could. Once she took a piece of barley bread and he, said to her: "This is the first food your father has eaten for three days." The story about Prophet's very beloved daughter Fatima in the following link shows what kind of life she (and also he) had:
http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/history/biographies/sahaabah/bio.FATIMAH_BINT_MUHAMMAD.html
After reading few items in Ali Sina's website, somebody who never studied Islam from an authentic source might get a very wrong and unfair impression of the Prophet of Islam. They might think he was like a ruthless authoritarian ruler who piled up enormous wealth by all means. Just check the following saying of Prophet's most beloved wife:
Narrated 'Aisha: The family of Muhammad had not eaten bread to their satisfaction for three consecutive days since his arrival at Medina till he died. (Sahih Bukhari Vol 7, Book 65:334) And that is almost ten years.Jeremiah D. McAuliffe, Jr., Ph.D. wrote an excellent rebuttal called Trends and Flaws in Some Anti-Muslim Writing as Exemplified by Ibn Warraq. In this article, he showed the true nature of the anti-Muslim writers in the West. Here is a small excerpts:
You will not find in Warraq one substantial word regarding the persecution of the Muslims in Mecca: the economic boycott, the assassination attempts, the physical and verbal abuse. You will not read a substantial account of how Muslims were forced to emigrate to Abyssinia, and forced to leave their homes in Mecca for Yathrib (Mecca) due to the abuse they received only because they taught and practiced tawheedian monotheism. You will not find a substantial treatment of the Muslim views regarding treaties with other tribes while in Medina, nor the accounts of how those treaties were broken. You'll not hear about the Qur'aysh's murderous, genocidal hatred of the Muslims, nor how the new religion of Islam threatened their privileged and moneyed status. You will however read (p. 92) "[Muhammad] was no more than the head of a robber community, unwilling to earn an honest living" because he raided Meccan caravans. There is no hint from Warraq that Muslims were in a defensive position born of weakness. They were people who had been forced from their homes, not an aggressors with superior strength and positions of power!
In refuting Dr. Zakir Naik’s argument in debate with Dr. William Campbell, in the topic called “The Test of Bible”, Ali Sina makes the following very sympathetic statement in favor of the Bible and Dr. Campbell:
....People can walk on fire without getting burned and do other amazing things that sound impossible. A few days ago CNN showed a video clip of a three year old girl from India picking scorpions from the backyard or her house and playing with them. The scorpions crawled all over her body, without hurting her. Now try to explain that scientifically. There is a world that we don't know yet. Someone asked why I am reluctant to call myself atheist, I said because I do not want to be counted in the same league with atheists who see nothing beyond the material world. The reality does not end here. There are other realities that are not known to us - parallel worlds that may have different dimensions. There is a lot that cannot be explained with our known science. Nonetheless, this does not mean any absurdity that has been proven wrong, could also be true. What can be proven false is false. Islam is false because it has been proven false.At the same time, he makes the following hypocritically opposite remarks about the prophet of Islam and his early followers:
Muhammad told his followers of a wolf who could speak and Abu Bakr and Umar believed that. This tells you the level of intelligence of these men who later became the rulers of the Muslim world. No, let us not open that Pandora box; there are plenty of ridiculous statements in the Quran alone, like the claim that Muhammad went to the seventh heaven riding on a winged horsy or that he split the moon. We have already covered some of the ridiculous claims of the Quran that Muslims call "miracle".
Mr. Sina also does not recall anything about the intelligence of the followers of Jesus who recorded all the miracles of Jesus. According to the canonical Gospels, Jesus worked many miracles in the course of his ministry, which may be categorized into cures, exorcisms, dominion over nature, three instances of raising the dead, and various others. To many Christians, the miracles represent actual historical events The Feeding of the 5000 and of the 4000 men - Jesus, praying to God and using only a few loaves of bread and fish, feeds thousands of men, along with an unspecified number of women and children; there are even a number of baskets of leftovers afterward.
- The Cursing of the Fig Tree - Jesus cursed a fig tree, and it withered.
- Turning Water into Wine - at a wedding, when the host runs out of wine, the disciples of Jesus fill vessels with water, but the waiter pronounces the content of the vessels as the best wine that has been served that night.
- Walking on water - Jesus walked on a lake to meet a boat.
- Calming a storm - during a storm, the disciples woke Jesus, and he rebuked the storm
causing it to become calm. Jesus then rebukes the disciples for lack of faith. - The Canonical Gospels report three cases where Jesus calls a dead person
back to life. - The ability of Jesus to know things by supernatural means could also be classed as a miracle.
- Jesus drove out evil spirits with a word.
- The largest group of miracle stories mentioned in the New Testament are those concerning disease and disability. The Gospels give varying amounts of detail for each episode, sometimes Jesus cures simply by saying a few words, or laying on of hands, and at other times employs elaborate rituals using material (e.g. spit or mud).
One of his site authors, one Mohammed Ashgar wrote in his website:
I have been studying the Quran for over fifteen years in English, Urdu and Bangla in order not only to understand its messages but also to find out if it contains anything good and constructive the propagation of which could help mankind co-exist on earth in peace and harmony. I found no such thing in the Quran, hence my humble attempt, through this website, for apprising readers with its true character and teachings. What a BIG liar and hypocrite!One from Wisconsin, USA commented: “They say that Islam is spreading worldwide. I see people converting to Islam due to fear and out of force.” But she (if she really exists) or Ali Sina failed to produce any evidence of these forceful conversion stories that is supposedly going on worldwide.
One of his extremist Hindu disciples wrote with lots of love from Hindus for Sina:
I feel quran is applicable to animals rather than humans. Being a Hindu and a peace lover from India, I would like to ask whether it is possible to change minds of stubborn people (muslims) whose blood is filled with aggression and malice, flowing through out their body? India a country where people given equal rights irrespective of religion is now under the threat of islam. It’s vivid that demons and divines cannot live under one roof. We (Hindus) cannot change them, even if we do so, they are not in a position to face the truth. Hinduism is not an identity or religion but a path to reach righteousness of ones soul. Soul searching with wisdom and knowledge is the theory of Hinduism. Peace and love are the main brands of it. The situation in India suggests a war for the survival of humanity. But is it possible for a strict follower of peace takes his sword and combat in the battle field? Can you suggest what can we do this high time?In Gujarat, India, these strict followers of peace carried out a vicious pogrom against Muslims (mostly women and children) in 2002. Thousands of people were brutally killed; thousands of girls and women were brutally raped and burnt to death to get rid of any evidence. Pregnant women’s stomachs were slit open and fetuses were slaughtered in front of the mothers all in the name of Hinduvta. Parents were bludgeoned to death in front of their children. 180 mosques were destroyed. Many other gruesome acts by the fanatic Hindus were documented by the secular and moderate Indian writers. Subsequent reports find “Police officers are partisan and anti-Muslim, politicians are complicit.” “We have orders not to save you” was the reply of many police officials to the Muslim victims of Gujarat riot.
Arundhati Roy in “Democracy: Who’s She When She’s at Home?” in Outlook India magazine, May 6, 2002:
Last night a friend from Baroda (in Gujarat, India) called. Weeping. It took her 15 minutes to tell me what the matter was. It wasn’t complicated. Only that Sayeeda (a Muslim), a friend of hers, had been caught by a mob. Only that her stomach had been ripped open and stuffed with burning rags. Only that after she died, someone carved ‘OM’ (Hindu invocation of the divine) on her forehead. (Unfortunately, this is exactly what people like Ali Sina want to happen to the Muslims in the West.)
Take the case of Mr. Ahsan Jafri. A loyal member of Congress Party, he had worked hard as a member of parliament to reinforce India’s secular position. But he was a Muslim. That was enough for the Hindu mob, ten thousand strong, to break into Jafri’s house in the middle of the afternoon, beat him senseless, pour kerosene everywhere, set the house on fire, and then carry him into the streets. No one is sure whether Jafri was still alive when the mob decapitated him, poured paraffin on him, and set him ablaze. The mob then returned to the house, pulled out the rest of Jafri’s family, including two small boys, and burned them to death.
Across Gujarat, thousands of people made up mobs. They were armed with patrol bombs, guns, knives, swords, and tridents. The leaders of the mob had computer-generated cadastral lists marking out Muslim homes, shops, businesses and even partnerships. They had mobile phones to coordinate the action. They had trucks loaded with thousands of gas cylinders, hoarded weeks in advance, which they used to blow up Muslim commercial establishments. Not even cemeteries were spared. They had not just police protection and police connivance, but also covering fire.Similar incidents happened in 1992 Bombay riots. First the right-wing Hindu terrorists led by BJP, Shiv Sena, RSS and other fascist groups demolished the Babri mosque in Ayodhya. Approximately 1,000 people died, and countless number of girls and women were raped in the violence triggered by the demolition. The vast majority of the dead and almost all the rape victims were Muslims. Muslim women were made to run naked in Surat. In another case, Muslim women were packed in a floodlit stadium in Gujarat where the masked right-wing Hindus raped them, and the whole ugly incident was videotaped by Sang Parivar for private distribution. Newlywed wives were gang raped while their husbands were hacked to death by the mob on the spot. Pedestrians were stopped in the streets and checked for circumcision. And the circumcised men were burnt to death on the spot. How many Hindus were arrested and tried for these gruesome acts? Anybody likes to make any guess? Hardcore hypocrites and liars like Ali Sina never see Muslims as victims.
Indian Muslims 'have lowest rank':
Muslims in India are even more disadvantaged than low-caste Hindus, a report commissioned by the government in Delhi suggests. The report says India's 138m Muslims are poorer and less educated and suffer from higher unemployment and greater mortality than other religious groups. Details of the report - yet to be published - have been leaked to the local media. Some ministers are already calling for affirmative action for Muslims. The Hindu-nationalist BJP party has said it will oppose any system of quotas for Muslims. (source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/south_asia/6159178.stm)Another wrote: “Thank God I live in America. I remember a person became Muslim for 2 months, then left. I heard people at the mosque talking about how they wanted to kill him.” Did he report this incident to the Police? If not, is he not also a partner in crime?
In another place Ali Sina wrote: “When Amnesty International talks about the human rights of the terrorists in Guantanamo Bay I want to puke. These people have no clue what the heck these monsters are. Terrorists are not humans and human rights should not apply to them. Where is Amnesty International when Iranians are constantly being hung and tortured by the Islamic regime? The Amnesty International no longer has moral authority to decide what is right and what is wrong.”
This is one example which exposes Sina as a neo-conservative Christian Zionist player. Amnesty International does the best to handle human rights violations as they happen around the world. Obviously they are not going to invade Iran and kill and maim millions to fix Iranian human rights issues. They do things within their capacity. Do they condone Iranian human right violations? Of course not. Every year they publish reports based on violations in countries around the world including Ali’s beloved Bush-Cheney America. Does Sina know about sending Canadian telecommunications engineer Maher Arar, who was tortured in a prison for a year, to Syria by USA under US policy of rendition? He claims to be a lot better human being than any practicing Muslims (according to him, they are nothing but animals). Did he write any article, even a few sentences condemning this brutal treatment? Or does he care? You cannot condemn Iran and Syria on one hand and praise the western power for their abuses on the other. Sounds like Evangelical Christian Zionist type super hypocrisy. No Mr. Sina, by exposing yourself as a total hypocrite, you have no moral authority to decide who is right and who is wrong.
Robert Spencer, who is in charge of Islamophobe hate site Jihad Watch, wrote in Sina’s site defending bloody crusades: "Islam originated in Arabia in the seventh century. At that time Egypt, Libya, and all of North Africa were Christian, and had been so for hundreds of years. So were Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and Asia Minor. But then Muhammad and his Muslim armies arose out of the desert, and — as most modern textbooks would put it — these lands became Muslim. But in fact the transition was cataclysmic. Muslims won these lands by conquest and, in obedience to the words of the Qur’an and the Prophet, put to the sword the infidels therein who refused to submit to the new Islamic regime. Those who remained alive lived in humiliating second-class status."
Well Mr. Spencer, Islam does not consider Christians and the Jews as infidels, you know it very well. Even though you don’t have any proper education in Islamic studies, you brag about yourself as a self-styled scholar on Islam. Then why is this hypocrisy? The Philippines, many countries in Africa, the North and South America were not Christians. But then Christian armies arose out of Europe, and – as most modern textbooks would put it – these lands became Christians. But in fact the transition was cataclysmic. Christians won these lands by conquest and, in obedience to the words of the Bible and their God, Jesus, put to the sword the infidels therein who refused to submit to the new Christian regime. How do you like that Mr. Spencer?
Christianity Was Spread by Swords - Two Huge Examples:
The Christians destroyed the Aztec:
Civilization In the spring of 1519, Hernando Cortes landed on the east coast of Mexico. He defeated the Indians there, then set out for Tenochtitlan (capital of the Aztecs).
Thinking that Cortes might be Quetzalcoatl (the light-skinned god that the Aztecs believed would one day return), Motecuhzoma (the Aztec king) welcomed him, offering housing and gifts of gold. When the Spanish soldiers saw the gold, they were overjoyed. Cortes took Motecuhzoma prisoner. Within two years the Aztec ruler was dead and his capital city was in ruins. Spanish weapons and European diseases, which were new to the Indians, had nearly destroyed the Aztec civilization. By 1521 Cortes had conquered the Aztecs.
Conquering the Aztecs won for Cortes both wealth and glory. He and his soldiers were now able to capture the Aztecs' treasures. Among the Europeans, the soldiers soon became known as conquistadors (meaning conquerors in Spanish, probably Christian murderers in Aztec). On the ashes of the Aztec capital, the Spanish built the Mexico City became the capital of Spain's new empire of the Americas. (From Fifth Grade Social Studies Book, Harcourt Brace and Co., 2000, Page 150-151)
The Christians destroyed the Inca Civilization:
In 1531 Francisco Pizzaro (60 year old) and Spanish soldiers landed on the west coast of South America. For the next two years, they wandered about the Andes Mountains, stealing gold and riches from the Indian peoples they found.
....
Pizzaro's priest asked Atahuallpa, the Inca Emperor to give up his own religion and accept Christianity. He also asked him to accept the king of Spain as his master. When Atahuallpa refused, Pizzaro took the emperor prisoner. To buy his freedom, Atahuallpa promised Pizzaro enough silver and gold to fill a whole room. Atahuallpa's people provided the riches, but Pizzaro had him killed anyway.
After Atahuallpa's death in 1533, The Spanish conquered the Inca Empire and made slaves of its people. (What a nice story Mr. Spencer! Sometimes revisiting elementary grades is not a bad idea, it might sharpen our memory!) (From Fifth Grade Social Studies Book, Harcourt Brace and Co., 2000, Page 151-153)
Ali Sina, the leftover of the Franko-Mongol and Armeno-Mongol terrorists (who brutally murdered and raped almost everyone in the conquered city, and sacked cities after cities in 12 and 13th centuries, and the Muslims bore the most brutal brunt of their attack) and Robert Spencer, the leftover of the European Crusading terrorists, again formed unholy alliance follwoing the footsteps of their ancestors. Sina and his partners in hate unilaterally attack Islam and Muslims. They never mention the atrocities the whole world suffered at the hand of the European Christians for centuries in the name of colonization; brutalities of the crusaders who massacred all Jews, Muslims, and even eastern Christians in Jerusalem; the murders, expulsions and forced conversions of all Jews and Muslims in Spain during inquisition; tens of millions of Jews who were brutally persecuted and murdered all over Europe for more than 1,000 years.
Very recently in Bosnia - dogs, men who carry HIV virus and gangs taking turns were used in rape camps where naked Muslim girls and women were kept like cattle. Soldiers gang-raped small girls in front of their mothers. Civilians, administrators, students – ordinary people – were all involved as active participants or as spectators in the Bosnian rape camps. In most of the cases Serbian Orthodox priests blessed the perpetrators.
Ali Sina shows Islam as one-sided, misleading and incomplete. Unfortunately, his biased piece suggests that Muslims all along have been intolerant to other faiths, which is completely untrue. Ali Sina strongly believes that Islam will be totally extinct soon. The scientists predict our solar system will die out in approximately 4 billion years. I don't know whether 4 billion years is too soon to Ali Sina or not.
After the Muslim conquered Jerusalem in 638, Omar, the second Caliph of Islam, demonstrated the utmost respect for members of the other faiths living in the city. He signed a charter, called the Omariyya Covenant, to say that the Christians must keep their holy places intact. In Christian Jerusalem, Jews had not been allowed permanent residence in the city. Caliph Omar decided that this must stop and he eventually brought back Jewish families and settled them alongside the Temple Mount. According to the Encyclopedia Judaica, seventy Jewish families took up residence in the city. For the first time in 500 years since their expulsion from the Holy Land, Jews were allowed to practice their religion freely and live in the vicinity of Jerusalem.
(According to both Muslim and Christian accounts - Omar entered the city humbly, walking beside a donkey upon which his servant was sitting.)
In an article Israeli author and former Knesset member Uri Avnery wrote: “For many centuries, the Muslims ruled Greece...the Bulgarians, Serbs, Romanians, Hungarians and other European nations…Nobody compelled them to become Muslims and all of them remained devoutly Christian…There is no evidence whatsoever of any attempt to impose Islam on the Jews…In Islamic society, a special place was reserved for Jews and Christians.
“All along Jews and Christians prospered under Muslim rule from Spain to Middle East. Churches, mosques and synagogues can still be seen standing next to each other in the Muslim world. On the contrary, in 15th century Spain, Muslims and Jews were given just three options to choose: death, expulsion or conversion to Christianity and their houses of worship were all converted to Christian churches.”
The following is from Jewish Timeline:
900-1090:
The Golden age of Jewish culture in Spain. Abd-ar-Rahman III becomes Caliph of Spain in 912, ushering in the height of tolerance. Muslims granted Jews and Christians exemptions from military service, the right to their own courts of law, and a guarantee of safety of their property. Jewish poets, scholars, scientists, statesmen and philosophers flourished in and were an integral part of the extensive Arab civilization. This ended with the invasion of Almoravides in 1090. (But they flourished again later.)
940:
In Iraq Saadia Gaon compiles his siddur(Jewish prayer book.)
1013-1073:
Rabbi Yitchaki Alfassi (from Morocco, later Spain) writes the Rif, an important work of Jewish law.
1040-1105:
Rabbi Shlomo Yitzhaki (Rashi) writes important commentaries on almost the entire Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) and Talmud.
1095-1291:
Christian Crusades begin, sparking warfare with Islam in Palestine. Crusaders temporarily capture Jerusalem in 1099. Tens of thousands of Jews are killed by European crusaders throughout Europe and in the Middle East.
1135-1204:
Rabbi Moses ben Maimon, aka Maimonides is the leading rabbi of Sephardic Jewry. Among his many accomplishments, he writes an influential code of law (The Mishneh Torah as well as, in Arabic, the most influential philosophical work (Guide for the Perplexedem) in Jewish history.
Córdoba became a capital once more during the Independent Emirate and the Western Umayyad Caliphate, the period of its apogee, with a population ranging between 250,000 and 500,000 inhabitants. In the 10th century, Córdoba was one of the largest cities in the world, as well as a great cultural, political and economic centre. The Mosque of Córdoba dates back to this time. In the present, Córdoba is a major cultural focal point in Southern Europe, considered as one of the most beautifully preserved cities, and a city with great quality of life in Spain. . (Source: Wikipedia)
Few Verses from the Holy Qur’an:
God! There is no God save Him, the Alive, the Eternal.Neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him.Unto Him belongs whatsoever is in the heavensand whatsoever is in the earth.Who is he that intercedes with Him save by His leave?He knows that which is in front of themand that which is behind them,while they encompass nothing of His knowledge save what He will.His throne includes the heavens and the earth,and He is never weary of preserving them.He is the Sublime, the Tremendous. (2:255)
Unto God belong the East and the West, and whithersoever ye turn, there is God's Countenance. Lo! God is All-Embracing, All-Knowing. (2:115)
Those who believe (in the Qur'an), and those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), and the Christians and the Sabians,- any who believe in God and the Last Day, and work righteousness, shall have their reward with their Lord; on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. (2-62)
And dispute not with the People of the Book (Christians and Jews)...but say, 'We believe in the Revelation that came down to us and in that which came down to you. Our God and your God is one; and it is to Him we (all) surrender ourselves.' (29:46)
If God had so willed, He would have made you a single people, but (His plan is) to test you in what He hath given you: so strive as in a race in all virtues. Unto God you will all return; it is He that will show you the truth of the matters in which ye dispute. (5:48)
If your Lord had so willed, He would certainly have made mankind one single community. But that is not what He wants. So [mankind] will continue to hold divergent views…And that very freedom of choice and action is the whole purpose of their creation. (11:118-119)
O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise (each other). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of God is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And God has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things). (11:13)
If it had been the will of your Lord that all the people of the world should be believers, all the people of the earth would have believed! Would you then compel mankind against their will to believe? (10:99)
He is the One who made the sun a (source of) radiant light and the moon a light (reflected), and has determined for it phases so that you might know how to compute the years and to measure (time). None of this has God created without (an inner) truth. Clearly does He spell out these signs to people of (innate) knowledge: for, verily, in the alternation of night and day, and in all that God has created in the heavens and on earth, there are signs indeed for people who are conscious of Him. (10:5-6)
And there are, certainly, among the People of the Book, those who believe in God, in the revelation to you, and in the revelation to them, bowing in humility to God: They will not sell the Signs of God for a miserable gain! For them is a reward with their Lord, and God is swift in account. O ye who believe! Persevere in patience and constancy; vie in such perseverance; strengthen each other; and fear God; that ye may prosper. (3:199-200)
Guard yourselves against temptation. The wrongdoers among you are not the only ones who will be tempted. (8-25)
God will never change the blessings that He has bestowed on a people until they first change that which is in their hearts. (8:53)
Invite (all mankind) unto thy Sustainer's path with wisdom and goodly exhortation, and argue with them in the most kindly manner. For, behold, thy Sustainer knows best who strays from His path...Hence, if you have to respond to an attack (in argument), respond only to the extent of the attack leveled against you. But to bear yourselves with patience is indeed far better for (you, since God is with) those who are patient in adversity. (16:125-126)
O My servants who have transgressed against your own souls, do not despair of God's mercy, for God forgives all sins. It is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful. (39:53) (The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "I would not trade this verse for the whole world.")
And what will explain to thee the path (of virtue) that is steep? (It is) freeing the slave, or the giving of food in a day of privation to the orphan with claims of kinship, or to the indigent (down) in the dust. Then will he be of those who believe and enjoin patience (constancy and self-restraint) and encourage deeds of kindness and compassion. (90:12-17)
(The righteous are those) who feed the poor, the orphan and the captive for the love of God, saying: 'We feed you for the sake of God Alone; we seek from you neither reward nor thanks.' (76:8-9)
If a person forgives and makes reconciliation, he shall be rewarded by God…Those who endure with fortitude and forgive others surely exhibit great courage in conducting their affairs. (42:40-43)
[Since] good and evil cannot be equal. Repel [evil] with something that is better. Then you will see that he with whom you had enmity, will become your close friend. (41:34)
Whoever works righteousness benefits his own soul; whoever works evil, it is against his own soul: nor is thy Lord ever unjust (in the least) to His Servants. (41:46)
God enjoins justice, the doing of good and generosity to others. And He forbids all that is shameful and that runs counter to reason. (16:90)
O ye who believe! stand out firmly for God, as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not the hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: that is next to piety: and fear God. For God is well-acquainted with all that ye do. God has promised forgiveness and a great reward to those who believe and do deeds of righteousness. (5:8-9)
If God had so willed, He could have made all of you a single nation. But He willed otherwise in order to test you in what He has given you. Therefore try to excel one another in good works. Ultimately you shall all return to God. Then He will show you the truth of those matters over which you dispute. (5:48)
Oh you who believe, stand up firmly for justice, as witness to God, even if it be against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be against rich or poor; for God best protect both. Do not allow any passion, lest you not be just. And if you distort or decline to do justice, verily God is well-acquainted with all that you do. (4:135)
They believe in God and the Last Day, and enjoin right conduct and forbid indecency, and compete one with another in good works. These are of the righteous. (3:116)
If ye publish your almsgiving, it is well, but if ye hide it and give it to the poor, it will be better for you, and will atone for some of your ill-deeds. God is informed of what ye do. (2:271)
God hath blighted usury and made almsgiving fruitful. God loveth not the impious and guilty. Lo! those who believe and do good works and establish worship and pay the poor-due, their reward is with their Lord and there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve. (2:276-277)
If the debtor is in a difficulty, grant him time Till it is easy for him to repay. But if ye remit it by way of charity, that is best for you if ye only knew. (2:280)
The Bible’s eye for an eye and the Qur’an - The recompense for an injury is an injury equal thereto (in degree): but if a person forgives and makes reconciliation, his reward is due from God: for (God) loveth not those who do wrong…Those who endure with fortitude and forgive others surely exhibit great courage in conducting their affairs. (42:40-43)
The good deed and the evil deed are not alike. Repel the evil deed with one which is better, then lo! he, between whom and thee there was enmity (will become) as though he was a bosom friend. (41:34)
Sayings from Hadith Qudsi (Sayings of God not through the Quran):
I was a hidden treasure, and I wished to be known, so I created all of creation.
My heaven can not contain Me, nor can my earth, but the heart of My believing slave can contain Me.
The heart of human is the Throne of God.
Verily My mercy taketh precedence over My wrath.
If the unbeliever knew of the extent of the Lord's mercy, even he would not despair of Paradise.
If you walk toward Him, He comes to you running.
Vicious Lies of Walid Shoebat, Zak Anani and Kamal Saleem Exposed
THREE former terrorists were invited by US Air Force Academy to speak about their experiences. The “former terrorists” — Walid Shoebat, Kamal Saleem and Zak Anani — were paid a total of $13,000 for their appearance at the 50th annual Academy Assembly. This is truly sad and shocking that this type of event hosting these speakers is being held in a free and western country. For a moment, I thought I am living in Taliban ruled and Al-Qaeda infested Afghanistan or that part of Pakistan. No, the conservative and evangelical Christians are sponsoring this great event of propagating truth(!) about Islam here in USA.
How hardcore liars can become speakers at Air Force Academy event is truly mind-boggling. Has the Academy been truly hijacked by the religious extremists (aka Christian Talibans)? By presenting these three, only one thing the Academy can achieve which is fill the hearts of the Air Force personnel with tremendous hatred and intolerance for Muslims and Islam. So next time when they go out on a mission in a Muslim country, they know what to do religiously. This is exactly Bin Laden and Al-Qaeda are preaching to some of the people in that part of the world and it is called "Propagating Terrorism."
Tom Quiggin, Canada's only court-qualified expert on global jihadism and a former RCMP intelligence and national security expert, said Anani's tales of terror and murder just don't jibe with the time and place he claims to have been killing.
One key point, he said, is Anani's claim that he killed 223 people.
He also pointed to a story on WorldNetDaily in which Walid Shoebat, another ex-terrorist and friend of Anani, also claims to have killed 223 people, two-thirds of them with daggers.
"What a coincidence," Quiggin said.
Quiggin said Anani's description of himself as a Muslim terrorist also "defies logic" based on the time frame.
Please read the following article for the rest of this interesting story in "The Windsor Star" : Doubt cast on Anani's terrorist claims
http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/news/story.html?id=4a479502-4490-408e-bdb5-f2638619a62c&k=77503
Eileen Fleming, the Reporter and Editor of wearewideawake.org, spoke with one of Walid's many Palestinian American relatives, Kamal Younis. Kamal had checked his facts with other relatives and every one of them agreed that, "Walid's entire biography is a manufactured fabrication. His handlers have taken one point and have twisted it and built up a fictional story (http://www.shoebat.com/bio.php )."
"Walid's bio claims his grandfather was a friend of Haj-Ameen Al-Husseni, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and notorious friend of Adolf Hitler. Walid's grandfather never even met him and was a peaceful man."
"I helped Walid's father Ahmad get a job and we both attended Humboldt State College in Arcata, California, from 1954-1960. Walid was born in September of 1960 in Beit Sahour after his American mother and father returned there from America. His older sister and brother were born in the USA, and the family lived in Jericho until 1968, then in Saudia Arabia for two years then returned to Beit Sahour."
"In 1976, his sister Mona was coming home from school with her friends and were stopped and beaten up by Israeli soldiers, they nearly broke Mona's back. This made Walid very angry and shortly thereafter he attended his first demonstration against the occupation. In 1977 Walid was caught distributing Palestinian flags and was arrested and held for about two weeks in Mascubia Prison, until his mother went to the Embassy and got him released."
"The biggest act of 'terror' he ever committed was to glue Palestinian flags on street posts."
"Walid speaks about his grandfathers whom he never met, never knew and he labels them as terrorists! I knew them and they were peaceful men."
"Walid came to the U.S. in 1978. He met a Palestinian girl in California and they got married and had a son. But, he beat his wife and that marriage broke up."
"Walid claimed on CNN that he met Sheikh Jamal and was a member of the Muslim Brotherhood and claimed he had been a member of a U.S. sleeper cell terrorist group. All his relatives doubt this greatly, but we do believe he is being paid big money to keep saying bad things about Muslims."
Walid's relatives aren’t the only one's doubting his integrity, Rev. Alex Awad, president of the Council of Evangelical Churches in Palestine, has denied large portions of Walid's spin also.
The whole story can be read at: http://www.opednews.com/articles/genera_eileen_f_080201_usa_air_force_academ.htm
When he was 16, says Walid Shoebat, he was recruited by a PLO operative by the name of Mahmoud al-Mughrabi to carry out an attack on a branch of Bank Leumi in Bethlehem.
At six in the evening he was supposed to detonate a bomb in the doorway of the bank. But when he saw a group of Arab children playing nearby, he says, his conscience was pricked and he threw the bomb onto the roof of the bank instead, where it exploded causing no fatalities.
However, Shoebat's claim to have bombed Bank Leumi in Bethlehem is rejected by members of his family who still live in the area, and Bank Leumi says it has no record of such an attack ever taking place.
His relatives, members of the Shoebat family, are mystified by the notion of "Walid Shoebat" being an assumed name. And the Walid Shoebat Foundation's working process is less than transparent, with Shoebat's claim that it is registered as a charity in the state of Pennsylvania being denied by the Pennsylvania State Attorney's Office.
Shoebat's claim to have been a terrorist rests on his account of the purported bombing of Bank Leumi. But after checking its files, the bank said it had no record of an attack on its Bethlehem branch anywhere in the relevant 1977-79 period.
Shoebat told The Jerusalem Post that this could be because the bank building was robustly protected with steel and that the attack may have caused little damage.
Asked whether word of the bombing made the news at the time, he said, "I don't know. I didn't read the papers because I was in hiding for the next three days." (In 2004, he had told Britain's Sunday Telegraph: "I was terribly relieved when I heard on the news later that evening that no one had been hurt or killed by my bomb.")
Shoebat could not immediately recall the year, or even the time of year, of the purported bombing when talking to the Post by phone from the US. After wavering, he finally settled for the summer of 1977.
The rest of the story in Jerusalem Post: http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?apage=1&cid=1206632362598&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
Doug Howard, a professor of Middle East history at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich., said he and several other academics have been researching the men since Kamal Saleem spoke at the college last fall.
“We suspect he’s a fraud,” Howard said. Howard said he’s determined Saleem’s real name is Khodor Shami, a Lebanese who immigrated as a student and worked for the Christian Broadcasting Network for 16 years starting in the late 1980s. He was hired in 2003 at Focus on the Family, Howard said, but Howard didn’t know if he still worked there.
Academic professors and others who have heard the three men speak in the United States and Canada said some of their stories border on the fantastic, like Mr. Saleem’s account of how, as a child, he infiltrated Israel to plant bombs via a network of tunnels underneath the Golan Heights. No such incidents have been reported, the academic experts said. They also question how three middle-aged men who claim they were recruited as teenagers or younger could have been steeped in the violent religious ideology that only became prevalent in the late 1980s.
From:
http://www.gazette.com/articles/academy_32786___article.html/foundation_islam.html
Prof. Douglas Howard heard Mr. Saleem speak last November at the college and said he thought the three were connected to several major Christian evangelical organizations.
“It was just an old time gospel hour — ‘Jesus can change your life, he changed mine,’ ” Mr. Howard said. “That is mixed in with ‘Watch out America, wake up America, the danger of Islam is here.’ ”
Mr. Howard said his doubts about their authenticity grew after stories like the Golan Heights saga as well as something on Mr. Saleem’s Web site along the lines that he was descended from the grand wazir of Islam. “The grand wazir of Islam is a nonsensical term,” Mr. Howard said.
From:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/07/us/07muslim.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
There is an underlying irony in Walid Shoebat's new found popularity. This celebrated political convert adopted a form of religious fanaticism known for its historical Anti-Semitism. A review of his website, reveals the roots of his views. His ultimate expectation is that Jewish control of Israel-Palestine is essential for Armageddon. Then, rapture will come. The Messiah will destroy the enemies of Israel, but the "many countries who confess Jesus as their saviour will be amongst God's people, called as his people, and will all personally know the Lord Jesus Christ." In short, the Jews will be forced to accept Christ or perish in hell a deeply and traditionally Anti-Semitic view.
From:
http://www.mediamouse.org/features/011708stude.php
20. Have you ever received a suspended sentence, been placed on probation or been paroled? Yes No
21. Have you ever been in jail or prison? Yes No
23. Have you ever given false or misleading information to any U.S. government official while applying for any immigration benefit or to prevent deportation, exclusion or removal? Yes No
24. Have you ever lied to any U.S. government official to gain entry or admission into the United States? Yes No
How hardcore liars can become speakers at Air Force Academy event is truly mind-boggling. Has the Academy been truly hijacked by the religious extremists (aka Christian Talibans)? By presenting these three, only one thing the Academy can achieve which is fill the hearts of the Air Force personnel with tremendous hatred and intolerance for Muslims and Islam. So next time when they go out on a mission in a Muslim country, they know what to do religiously. This is exactly Bin Laden and Al-Qaeda are preaching to some of the people in that part of the world and it is called "Propagating Terrorism."
Tom Quiggin, Canada's only court-qualified expert on global jihadism and a former RCMP intelligence and national security expert, said Anani's tales of terror and murder just don't jibe with the time and place he claims to have been killing.
One key point, he said, is Anani's claim that he killed 223 people.
He also pointed to a story on WorldNetDaily in which Walid Shoebat, another ex-terrorist and friend of Anani, also claims to have killed 223 people, two-thirds of them with daggers.
"What a coincidence," Quiggin said.
Quiggin said Anani's description of himself as a Muslim terrorist also "defies logic" based on the time frame.
Please read the following article for the rest of this interesting story in "The Windsor Star" : Doubt cast on Anani's terrorist claims
http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/news/story.html?id=4a479502-4490-408e-bdb5-f2638619a62c&k=77503
Eileen Fleming, the Reporter and Editor of wearewideawake.org, spoke with one of Walid's many Palestinian American relatives, Kamal Younis. Kamal had checked his facts with other relatives and every one of them agreed that, "Walid's entire biography is a manufactured fabrication. His handlers have taken one point and have twisted it and built up a fictional story (http://www.shoebat.com/bio.php )."
"Walid's bio claims his grandfather was a friend of Haj-Ameen Al-Husseni, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and notorious friend of Adolf Hitler. Walid's grandfather never even met him and was a peaceful man."
"I helped Walid's father Ahmad get a job and we both attended Humboldt State College in Arcata, California, from 1954-1960. Walid was born in September of 1960 in Beit Sahour after his American mother and father returned there from America. His older sister and brother were born in the USA, and the family lived in Jericho until 1968, then in Saudia Arabia for two years then returned to Beit Sahour."
"In 1976, his sister Mona was coming home from school with her friends and were stopped and beaten up by Israeli soldiers, they nearly broke Mona's back. This made Walid very angry and shortly thereafter he attended his first demonstration against the occupation. In 1977 Walid was caught distributing Palestinian flags and was arrested and held for about two weeks in Mascubia Prison, until his mother went to the Embassy and got him released."
"The biggest act of 'terror' he ever committed was to glue Palestinian flags on street posts."
"Walid speaks about his grandfathers whom he never met, never knew and he labels them as terrorists! I knew them and they were peaceful men."
"Walid came to the U.S. in 1978. He met a Palestinian girl in California and they got married and had a son. But, he beat his wife and that marriage broke up."
"Walid claimed on CNN that he met Sheikh Jamal and was a member of the Muslim Brotherhood and claimed he had been a member of a U.S. sleeper cell terrorist group. All his relatives doubt this greatly, but we do believe he is being paid big money to keep saying bad things about Muslims."
Walid's relatives aren’t the only one's doubting his integrity, Rev. Alex Awad, president of the Council of Evangelical Churches in Palestine, has denied large portions of Walid's spin also.
The whole story can be read at: http://www.opednews.com/articles/genera_eileen_f_080201_usa_air_force_academ.htm
When he was 16, says Walid Shoebat, he was recruited by a PLO operative by the name of Mahmoud al-Mughrabi to carry out an attack on a branch of Bank Leumi in Bethlehem.
At six in the evening he was supposed to detonate a bomb in the doorway of the bank. But when he saw a group of Arab children playing nearby, he says, his conscience was pricked and he threw the bomb onto the roof of the bank instead, where it exploded causing no fatalities.
However, Shoebat's claim to have bombed Bank Leumi in Bethlehem is rejected by members of his family who still live in the area, and Bank Leumi says it has no record of such an attack ever taking place.
His relatives, members of the Shoebat family, are mystified by the notion of "Walid Shoebat" being an assumed name. And the Walid Shoebat Foundation's working process is less than transparent, with Shoebat's claim that it is registered as a charity in the state of Pennsylvania being denied by the Pennsylvania State Attorney's Office.
Shoebat's claim to have been a terrorist rests on his account of the purported bombing of Bank Leumi. But after checking its files, the bank said it had no record of an attack on its Bethlehem branch anywhere in the relevant 1977-79 period.
Shoebat told The Jerusalem Post that this could be because the bank building was robustly protected with steel and that the attack may have caused little damage.
Asked whether word of the bombing made the news at the time, he said, "I don't know. I didn't read the papers because I was in hiding for the next three days." (In 2004, he had told Britain's Sunday Telegraph: "I was terribly relieved when I heard on the news later that evening that no one had been hurt or killed by my bomb.")
Shoebat could not immediately recall the year, or even the time of year, of the purported bombing when talking to the Post by phone from the US. After wavering, he finally settled for the summer of 1977.
The rest of the story in Jerusalem Post: http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?apage=1&cid=1206632362598&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
Doug Howard, a professor of Middle East history at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich., said he and several other academics have been researching the men since Kamal Saleem spoke at the college last fall.
“We suspect he’s a fraud,” Howard said. Howard said he’s determined Saleem’s real name is Khodor Shami, a Lebanese who immigrated as a student and worked for the Christian Broadcasting Network for 16 years starting in the late 1980s. He was hired in 2003 at Focus on the Family, Howard said, but Howard didn’t know if he still worked there.
Academic professors and others who have heard the three men speak in the United States and Canada said some of their stories border on the fantastic, like Mr. Saleem’s account of how, as a child, he infiltrated Israel to plant bombs via a network of tunnels underneath the Golan Heights. No such incidents have been reported, the academic experts said. They also question how three middle-aged men who claim they were recruited as teenagers or younger could have been steeped in the violent religious ideology that only became prevalent in the late 1980s.
From:
http://www.gazette.com/articles/academy_32786___article.html/foundation_islam.html
Prof. Douglas Howard heard Mr. Saleem speak last November at the college and said he thought the three were connected to several major Christian evangelical organizations.
“It was just an old time gospel hour — ‘Jesus can change your life, he changed mine,’ ” Mr. Howard said. “That is mixed in with ‘Watch out America, wake up America, the danger of Islam is here.’ ”
Mr. Howard said his doubts about their authenticity grew after stories like the Golan Heights saga as well as something on Mr. Saleem’s Web site along the lines that he was descended from the grand wazir of Islam. “The grand wazir of Islam is a nonsensical term,” Mr. Howard said.
From:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/07/us/07muslim.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
There is an underlying irony in Walid Shoebat's new found popularity. This celebrated political convert adopted a form of religious fanaticism known for its historical Anti-Semitism. A review of his website, reveals the roots of his views. His ultimate expectation is that Jewish control of Israel-Palestine is essential for Armageddon. Then, rapture will come. The Messiah will destroy the enemies of Israel, but the "many countries who confess Jesus as their saviour will be amongst God's people, called as his people, and will all personally know the Lord Jesus Christ." In short, the Jews will be forced to accept Christ or perish in hell a deeply and traditionally Anti-Semitic view.
From:
http://www.mediamouse.org/features/011708stude.php
When I applied for US citizenship, I had to fill out form "N-400: Application for Naturalization." It has the following questions. Does anybody know how these self-styled "former terrorists" answered these questions? Did they answer "Yes"? They don't get the US citizenship. Did they answer "No"? They lose their citizenship for lying and need to be deported. Now the very question is how they became US/Canadian citizens. Who sponsored them and why?
B. Affiliations.
9. Have you ever been a member of or in any way associated (either directly or indirectly) with:
c. A terrorist organization? Yes No
10. Have you ever advocated (either directly or indirectly) the overthrow of any government by force or violence? Yes No
11. Have you ever persecuted (either directly or indirectly) any person because of race, religion, national origin, membership in a particular social group or political opinion? Yes No
D. Good Moral Character.
15. Have you ever committed a crime or offense for which you were not arrested? Yes No
16. Have you ever been arrested, cited or detained by any law enforcement officer (including USCIS or former INS and military officers) for any reason? Yes No
17. Have you ever been charged with committing any crime or offense? Yes No
18. Have you ever been convicted of a crime or offense? Yes No
19. Have you ever been placed in an alternative sentencing or a rehabilitative program (for example: diversion, deferred prosecution, withheld adjudication, deferred adjudication)?
Yes NoB. Affiliations.
9. Have you ever been a member of or in any way associated (either directly or indirectly) with:
c. A terrorist organization? Yes No
10. Have you ever advocated (either directly or indirectly) the overthrow of any government by force or violence? Yes No
11. Have you ever persecuted (either directly or indirectly) any person because of race, religion, national origin, membership in a particular social group or political opinion? Yes No
D. Good Moral Character.
15. Have you ever committed a crime or offense for which you were not arrested? Yes No
16. Have you ever been arrested, cited or detained by any law enforcement officer (including USCIS or former INS and military officers) for any reason? Yes No
17. Have you ever been charged with committing any crime or offense? Yes No
18. Have you ever been convicted of a crime or offense? Yes No
19. Have you ever been placed in an alternative sentencing or a rehabilitative program (for example: diversion, deferred prosecution, withheld adjudication, deferred adjudication)?
20. Have you ever received a suspended sentence, been placed on probation or been paroled? Yes No
21. Have you ever been in jail or prison? Yes No
23. Have you ever given false or misleading information to any U.S. government official while applying for any immigration benefit or to prevent deportation, exclusion or removal? Yes No
24. Have you ever lied to any U.S. government official to gain entry or admission into the United States? Yes No
When Bush-Cheney's US administration is not tolerating even very minor immigration mistakes by South Asian or Middle Eastern Muslims, then the very question is how these so called terrorists murderers have been able to build lucrative speaking careers by manipulating the fears and whipping up hatred between Jews-Christians and Muslims. Are we ever going to investigate thoroughly these THREE Christian Evangelical frauds and liars?
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