(Suspicion, it turns out, that is woefully inadequate in light of the revealed will of Allah for non-Muslims, as recorded in Qur'an, Hadith, and Sira).
Why is not the article entitled, "Muslims refuse to acknowledge and repudiate Allah's commands for warfare against all non-Muslims until Islam reigns supreme"? Why are the adherents of an ideology that has tortured, maimed, raped, and killed non-Muslims around the world for the last fourteen hundred years at the command of their god made out to be the (alleged) victims?
TEMPLE TERRACE - Chantal Carnes didn't recognize herself.A friend had e-mailed her a blogger's article. It described Carnes as a supporter of terrorists, a fan of suicide bombing.
Her friend thought the article was a joke.
"No, dude," Carnes said. "This is really serious."
Carnes, a Chicago resident who converted to Islam 11 years ago, was scheduled to speak at a spiritual retreat for Tampa Muslims this weekend.
But after bloggers alleged that the event was a thinly veiled terrorist indoctrination, anonymous callers bombarded the Muslim American Society of Tampa with death threats and curses.
No innocent American should be threatened. Neither should Americans be forced to submit to an ideology that requires their submission and humiliation or death. (And no Muslim-terrorist sympathizers have ever lied to promote their goals against the West, right?)
...So when Carnes finally faced a small audience of adults in a block building in Temple Terrace on Saturday, there was an urgency to her words."...everything that's happened"? Is that a euphemism for the oppression, rape, and murder committed in the name of Allah around the world?"Since everything that's happened, this is the right time for me to talk about who we are," Carnes told the group. "There are a lot of people out there who want to define who we are for us."
It's a mystery how all those schoolchildren murders and hostage beheadings just happen!
Regardless, who better to define Muslims than Allah and his apostle? It is they who command the fighting against, subduing and humiliating, and killing of non-Muslims.
The question must be asked, is Ms. Carnes honestly misinformed about the nature of her god and its scriptures, or is she intentionally trying to deceive a good-natured and uninformed West?
On Dec. 27, blogger Joe Kaufman began writing about an event he called "a jihad retreat for children."Over the course of the week, he wrote that Carnes was "well known in the radical Islamist American community."
He wrote that the retreat's other speaker, Mazen Mokhtar of New Jersey, was linked to al-Qaida.
Is she? Is he? Rosenbaum does nothing to refute this claim, other than take at face value a legalistic, Clintonesque parsing non-denial.
On Dec. 29, Kaufman appeared on Fox News' Your World with Neil Cavuto to talk about the retreat. On the air, he said that Mokhtar "should be behind bars, and in shackles."In fact, federal agents searched Mokhtar's New Jersey home in 2004 after another man was arrested in London for running a Web site that helped fund terrorist groups.
An identical site was found registered under Mokhtar's name. But he was never arrested.
This week, Mokhtar said that he sold server space to host other people's Web sites. He never knew about the content of that particular site, he said.
"It is not now nor has it ever been my position that a Muslim should ever partake in an attack on an innocent person," he said on Friday.
First, not being arrested doesn't mean he doesn't support Islam's conquering the West.
Second, traditional Qur'anic Islam does not define "innocent" the way most Westerners would. Anyone who impedes the will of Allah cannot be considered without guilt. As one practioner of the Religion of Peace stated, "Every Israeli (even a civilian) is a soldier."
Third, a terrorist supporter/sympathizer would never lie about their activities or goals, would they?He said the theme of his lectures at the retreat would be the story of Joseph, which the Koran has in common with the Bible.Do the jihadists believe that "God's power is everything"? Of course. Do the "holy warriors" believe that "patience and perseverence pay off"? Undoubtedly, they do. Do the mujahideen continue "to stand up for" that in which they believe. Yes."You can read Joseph in many ways, but the primary message is that God's power is everything and patience and perseverance pay off," he said.
"Joseph went through so many trials, but he continues to stand up for what he believes in."
The appeal to Joseph makes this incident look increasingly like an effort to manipulate the non-Muslim public, since on top of playing upon Americans' natural sympathy for those innocently suffering, by referring to Joseph Christians and Jews will be made automatically less wary of Islam.
(I wonder, did the little symposium mention anything at all about Allah's hatred of Jews and his commands to fight against them--and Christians? Is Rosenbaum aware of this?)
In Chicago, Carnes worried.What if her father saw what Kaufman wrote? Her own family had been upset when she converted to Islam. What would they think now?
"I go skiing, I play soccer, I listen to Nickelback," she said. "That's me, the big ol' "radical."'
What about other American converts and children of immigrants who turn to terrorism (and other forms of violence) in the name of Allah?
Many Muslims are decent people. Many are moderate. Islam itself (as revealed by its sacred texts and its prophet's example), is not moderate.
Nothing like this had ever happened to her before, she said.
But for the Muslim American Society of Tampa, this had happened before.
An earlier paintball outing for Muslim youths was painted as terrorist training by conservative bloggers, said Rania el-Sioufi, whose husband Mohamed Moharram is the society's president.
Because in Virginia, Muslim terrorists-to-be were training for war against non-Muslims in this same way, perhaps?
Bloggers interpreted a lecture about the afterlife as preparation for suicide bombing, she said.
Because it often is.
Islam's Paradise (dozens of beautiful, perpetually-virginal females and boys like pearls, wine, milk, honey, water, fruit) has always been the great reward for those who die fighting in the "cause of Allah."
"If you go to one of these Web sites, you'll be surprised how much they're watching what Muslims are doing, and how much they're twisting it," she said.
Ms. Carnes may be innocent. If so, she has no idea how much Allah's religion has been twisted (or hidden) for her consumption.
Moharram said he tried to argue with each caller. He tried to explain that the purpose of the retreat was to teach the "true Islam" - the moderate, mainstream Islam.Can one have Islam without the Qur'an? No. Can one have Islam without Mohammed? Of course not. Who has the authority to define "true" Islam? Allah and his apostle, or well-meaning "moderates" in the West (many of whom are likely jihadists in moderates' clothing).
"We're trying to help," he told them. "Let us do this."
Americans might be more easily convinced if the (allegedly) vast majority of moderate Muslims (but not in "Palestine," where sixty-five percent of its people support attacks against the United States) clearly, unequivocally, and forever refute and reject the doctrine of Jihad and Dhimma as defined and propagated in the Qur'an and Sunnah.
Dar al-Harb (the Land of War, i.e., all lands where Islam has yet to reign supreme) holds its breath.
By noon about 20 people had shown up. Inside the hall, they sat quietly listening to a Koran recitation.
Many were college students. They were black, white and Arab. Some had grown up in Islam; others had converted. The men sat on one side and the women on the other.
I wonder if the verses of mercy and tolerance (like Qur'an 9:5, 9:29, or 8:39) were heard that day.
When the recitation ended, Carnes took the floor to speak.
"We're going through a lot of challenges," she said. "Islam is still considered a foreign religion."
Finally, some good news.
She pointed out that the structural design of the Sears Tower, in Chicago, was the work of a Muslim engineer.
So was the recent re-design of the World Trade Center in New York.
"Islam is a part of American society," she said. "We're a part of everything that is going on here."
But traditional, Qur'anic Islam's goal is to reign supreme over all lands and peoples. If it is successful, there will be no longer any American society. There will be only Islam.
She told the audience that as Muslims, they had to reach out to the greater American society around them.
Then, she said, people would know who Muslims were. They wouldn't hate them. They wouldn't fear them.
It is because Americans see Islam's effects around the world that they are suspicious.
And as more and more Americans understand that Allah commands his people to fight against, subdue and humiliate, and kill non-Muslims, they will rightly fear Islam and do something to combat its hateful ideology.
Last is my letter sent to the author.
Hello,
Perhaps the following will shed some light on why Americans are growingly concerned about Islam. These quotations are from texts considered authoritative by Muslims (Qur'an, Hadith, and Sira). These texts are a click away for the professional journalist.Command to war against non-Muslims everywhere:"...fight and slay the unbelievers wherever ye find them, and seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem (of war); but if they repent, and establish regular prayers and practise regular charity, then open the way for them: for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful" (Qur’an 9:5).
"Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued" (Qur'an 9:29).[The term “People of the Book” refers to Jews and Christians. This then is a clear command to fight all non-Muslims, including Jews and Christians, into submission.]"Say to the Unbelievers, if (now) they desist (from Unbelief), their past would be forgiven them; but if they persist, the punishment of those before them is already (a matter of warning for them). And fight them on until there is no more tumult or oppression, and there prevail justice and faith in Allah altogether and everywhere; but if they cease, verily Allah doth see all that they do" (Qur'an 8:38-8:39).
"O Prophet! rouse the Believers to the fight. If there are twenty amongst you, patient and persevering, they will vanquish two hundred: if a hundred, they will vanquish a thousand of the Unbelievers: for these are a people without understanding" (Qur’an 8:65).
"O ye who believe! fight the unbelievers who gird you about, and let them find firmness in you: and know that Allah is with those who fear Him" (Qur'an 9:123).
"Fighting is prescribed for you, and ye dislike it. But it is possible that ye dislike a thing which is good for you, and that ye love a thing which is bad for you. But Allah knoweth, and ye know not" (Qur'an 2:216).Here the "divine" command for beheading:"Remember thy Lord inspired the angels (with the message): 'I am with you: give firmness to the Believers: I will instill terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers: smite ye above their necks and smite all their finger-tips off them'" (Qur'an 8:12)."Therefore, when ye meet the Unbelievers (in fight), smite at their necks; At length, when ye have thoroughly subdued them, bind a bond firmly (on them): thereafter (is the time for) either generosity or ransom: Until the war lays down its burdens. Thus (are ye commanded): but if it had been Allah's Will, He could certainly have exacted retribution from them (Himself); but (He lets you fight) in order to test you, some with others. But those who are slain in the Way of Allah,- He will never let their deeds be lost" (Qur'an 47:4).Why suicide bombing is so popular:"They ought to fight in the way of God who have sold the life of this world for the life of the Hereafter; and whoever fights in the way of God and is killed or becomes victorious, to him shall We (God) give a great reward..." (Qur'an 4:74).Terrorism is a tool Allah uses to make Islam victorious:"Allah's Apostle said, 'I have been sent with the shortest expressions bearing the widest meanings, and I have been made victorious with terror (cast in the hearts of the enemy), and while I was sleeping, the keys of the treasures of the world were brought to me and put in my hand.' Abu Huraira added: Allah's Apostle has left the world and now you, people, are bringing out those treasures (i.e. the Prophet did not benefit by them)" (Bukhari Volume 4, Book 52, Number 220).Mohammed on children:“The Prophet married Aisha in Mecca three years before the Hijrah, after the death of Khadija. At the time she was six” (Tabari VII:7).“My mother came to me while I was being swung on a swing between two branches and got me down. My nurse took over and wiped my face with some water and started leading me. When I was at the door she stopped so I could catch my breath. I was brought in while Muhammad was sitting on a bed in our house. My mother made me sit on his lap. The other men and women got up and left. The Prophet consummated his marriage with me in my house when I was nine years old” (Tabari IX:131).
“The Prophet said, ‘A virgin should not be married till she is asked for her consent.’ ‘O Apostle! How will the virgin express her consent?’ He said, ‘By remaining silent’” (Bukhari Volume 9, Book 86, Number 98).Allah "ordained" that Mohammed should have sex with a child, even "inspiring" him by it:“Allah’s Apostle told Aisha, ‘You were shown to me twice in my dreams. I beheld a man or angel carrying you in a silken cloth. He said to me, “She is yours, so uncover her.” And behold, it was you. I would then say to myself, “If this is from Allah, then it must happen”’” (Bukhari Volume 9, Book 87, Number 139-40).
“There are special features in me [Aisha] that have not been in any woman...the Messenger married me...my marriage was consummated when I was nine; he married me when I was a virgin, no other man having shared me with him; inspiration came to him when he and I were in a single blanket...’” (Tabari VII:7).
“The people used to send presents to the Prophet on the day of Aisha’s turn. Aisha said, ‘His other wives gathered in the apartment of Um Salama and said, “Um, the people send presents on the day of Aisha’s turn and we too, love the good presents just as much as she does. You should tell Allah’s Apostle to order the people to send their presents to him regardless of whose turn it may be.” Um repeated that to the Prophet...After the third time, the Prophet said, “Um, don’t trouble me by harming Aisha, for by Allah, the Divine Inspiration [Qur’an surahs] never came to me while I was under the blanket of any woman among you except her”’” (Bukhari Volume 5, Book 57, Number 119).Mohammed even used an angel to influence his child-wife:“The Prophet said, ‘Aisha, this is Gabriel. He sends his greetings and salutations.’ Aisha said, ‘Salutations and greetings to him, and Allah’s Blessings.’ Addressing the Prophet she said, ‘You see what I don’t see'” (Bukhari Volume 4, Book 54, Number 440).Why should non-Muslims be concerned with what Mohammed said and did? Because his words and actions as found in Qur'an, Hadith, and Sira are the expressed will of Allah:“Allah’s Apostle said, ‘Whoever obeys me, obeys Allah, and whoever disobeys me, disobeys Allah, and whoever obeys the ruler I appoint, obeys me, and whoever disobeys him, disobeys me’” (Bukhari Volume 9, Book 89, Number 251).That everyday citizens find it necessary to publicize this information while the professionals, who claim it is their duty to inform the public, remain silent is strange.