Bridge of Deception

Thanks and a tip of the hat to Christopher of Logan's Warning for his post which alerted me to this. Several years ago, Ibrahim Hooper, National Communications Director for the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), published a deceptive article which Arab American News republished on December 25, '09. Love for Jesus unites Muslims, Christians

The article makes citations to the following ayat & hadith. By selectively quoting Islam's canon of scripture and tradition, Hooper programs us to accept his al-taqeyya.

• 3:45. (Remember) when the angels said: "O Maryam (Mary)! Verily, Allâh gives you the glad tidings of a Word ["Be!" - and he was! i.e. 'Iesa (Jesus) the son of Maryam (Mary)] from Him, his name will be the Messiah 'Iesa (Jesus), the son of Maryam (Mary), held in honour in this world and in the Hereafter, and will be one of those who are near to Allâh."
• 2:87. And indeed, We gave Mûsa (Moses) the Book and followed him up with a succession of Messengers. And We gave 'Iesa (Jesus), the son of Maryam (Mary), clear signs and supported him with Rûh-ul-Qudus [Jibrael (Gabriel)]. Is it that whenever there came to you a Messenger with what you yourselves desired not, you grew arrogant? Some, you disbelieved and some, you killed.
  
• 21:91. And (remember) she who guarded her chastity [Virgin Maryam (Mary)], We breathed into (the sleeves of) her (shirt or garment) [through Our Rûh ­ Jibrael (Gabriel)], and We made her and her son ['Iesa (Jesus)] a sign for Al-'Alamin (the mankind and jinns).
• 3:47. She said: "O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched me." He said: "So (it will be) for Allâh creates what He wills. When He has decreed something, He says to it only: "Be!" and it is.
• 5:110. (Remember) when Allâh will say (on the Day of Resurrection). "O 'Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary)! Remember My Favour to you and to your mother when I supported you with Rûh­ul­Qudus [Jibrael (Gabriel)] so that you spoke to the people in the cradle and in maturity; and when I taught you writing, Al­Hikmah (the power of understanding), the Taurât (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel); and when you made out of the clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, by My Permission, and you breathed into it, and it became a bird by My Permission, and you healed those born blind, and the lepers by My Permission, and when you brought forth the dead by My Permission; and when I restrained the Children of Israel from you (when they resolved to kill you) since you came unto them with clear proofs, and the disbelievers among them said: 'This is nothing but evident magic.' "
• 57:27.Then, We sent after them, Our Messengers, and We sent 'Iesa (Jesus) ­ son of Maryam (Mary), and gave him the Injeel (Gospel). And We ordained in the hearts of those who followed him, compassion and mercy. But the Monasticism which they invented for themselves, We did not prescribe for them, but (they sought it) only to please Allâh therewith, but that they did not observe it with the right observance. So We gave those among them who believed, their (due) reward, but many of them are Fâsiqûn (rebellious, disobedient to Allâh).
• 2:136. Say (O Muslims), "We believe in Allâh and that which has been sent down to us and that which has been sent down to Ibrâhim (Abraham), Ismâ'il (Ishmael), Ishâque (Isaac), Ya'qûb (Jacob), and to Al-Asbât [the twelve sons of Ya'qûb (Jacob)], and that which has been given to Mûsa (Moses) and 'Iesa (Jesus), and that which has been given to the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we have submitted (in Islâm)."
• Sahih Bukhari Volume 4, Book 55, Number 652:

  Narrated Abu Huraira:

  Allah's Apostle said, "Both in this world and in the Hereafter, I am the nearest of all the people to Jesus, the son of Mary. The prophets are paternal brothers; their mothers are different, but their religion is one."

So Islam accepts the virgin birth and accords Jesus the status of prophet. Is that really a sufficient bridge to close the gap between Islam and Christianity? Take a close look at 5:110: the apocryphal story about Jesus giving life to a clay bird. Moe got his version of Christianity from literature not recognized as canonical by Christianity,

2:136 makes Jesus out to be the equal of previous prophets. But wasn't he he son of God? Wasn't he resurrected after being crucified? Not according to Islam. By withholding this information from us, Hooper is practicing kitman: deception by obfuscation. Examine the following ayat to which I have added emphasis for clarity.

• 4:157. And because of their saying (in boast), "We killed Messiah 'Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), the Messenger of Allâh," - but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but the resemblance of 'Iesa (Jesus) was put over another man (and they killed that man), and those who differ therein are full of doubts. They have no (certain) knowledge, they follow nothing but conjecture. For surely; they killed him not [i.e. 'Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary) ]:
• 4:158. But Allâh raised him ['Iesa (Jesus)] up (with his body and soul) unto Himself (and he is in the heavens). And Allâh is Ever All­Powerful, All­Wise.
• 4:159. And there is none of the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), but must believe in him ['Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), as only a Messenger of Allâh and a human being], before his ['Iesa (Jesus) or a Jew's or a Christian's] death (at the time of the appearance of the angel of death). And on the Day of Resurrection, he ['Iesa (Jesus)] will be a witness against them.
• 4:171. O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Do not exceed the limits in your religion, nor say of Allâh aught but the truth. The Messiah 'Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), was (no more than) a Messenger of Allâh and His Word, ("Be!" - and he was) which He bestowed on Maryam (Mary) and a spirit (Rûh) created by Him; so believe in Allâh and His Messengers. Say not: "Three (trinity)!" Cease! (it is) better for you. For Allâh is (the only) One Ilâh (God), Glory be to Him (Far Exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. And Allâh is All­Sufficient as a Disposer of affairs.
  

In his Qur'an, Moe, speaking in the name of Allah, tells us that Jesus is not God's son, had no share in divinity, and was not crucified. Moe/Allah also tell us that we must accept Jesus as fully human and no more or he will testify against us in the final judgment. How inviting does that bridge of common ground look now?

Before you step onto that bridge, there is something else you should know. Hooper tells us that Muslims "love and revere Jesus as one of God's greatest messengers to mankind". Is that really why they love Jesus? Is there something more, something he is not telling us about? You can be sure of it!

• Sunan Abu Dawud Book 37, Number 4310:

  Narrated AbuHurayrah:

  The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: There is no prophet between me and him, that is, Jesus (peace_be_upon_him). He will descent (to the earth). When you see him, recognise him: a man of medium height, reddish fair, wearing two light yellow garments, looking as if drops were falling down from his head though it will not be wet. He will fight the people for the cause of Islam. He will break the cross, kill swine, and abolish jizyah. Allah will perish all religions except Islam. He will destroy the Antichrist and will live on the earth for forty years and then he will die. The Muslims will pray over him.

Moe is prophesying about the second coming. What will Jesus do? He will fight the people for the cause of Islam. If you have read 8:39, 9:29 & Sahih Bukhari 1.8.387, you will understand what that means. If you have not read them, click the links and read them now. Islam has given Jesus Christ a new role: warlord.

He will break the cross. We don't need to think long nor hard to determine what that means: he will kill the remaining Christians and eliminate Christianity. He will kill swine. Jews are described in the Qur'an as transmuted into monkeys and swine. Jizya will be abolished because there won't be anyone left to pay it.

Moe depicts Jesus as a genocidal warlord, which is what Muslims are in love with about Jesus. Am I judging Islam too harshly? No, and I have proof. In his tafsir of 7:167, in which Allah promises to continually send someone to torment Jews, Ibn kathir lets the cat out of the bag. Perhaps you will hear the cat snarling as you read this excerpt, to which I have added emphasis for clarity.

• In the future, the Jews will support the Dajjal (False Messiah); and the Muslims, along with `Isa, son of Mary, will kill the Jews. This will occur just before the end of this world. [Eternal Humiliation placed on the Jews]

Jesus will kill the Jews. Impossible you say? Not to Islam. You have heard of the infamous genocide hadith; take another look at it in the light of the prophesy revealed above.

• Sahih Muslim Book 041, Number 6985:
  Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The last hour would not come unless the Muslims will fight against the Jews and the Muslims would kill them until the Jews would hide themselves behind a stone or a tree and a stone or a tree would say: Muslim, or the servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me; come and kill him; but the tree Gharqad would not say, for it is the tree of the Jews.

Judgment Day can't come; the Muslims can not enter Paradise to enjoy rivers of wine and perpetual virgins until they hunt down and kill the last Jew and Jesus will lead them in that final jihad. Islam is a genocidal war cult which has co-opted our Saviour as a genocidal warlord.

Hooper's common ground is quick sand and his bridge will fall apart, plunging you into Hell as you cross it to embrace Islam.

As forces of hate in this country and worldwide try to pull Muslims and Christians apart, we are in desperate need of a unifying force that can bridge the widening gap of interfaith misunderstanding and mistrust. That force could be the message of love, peace and forgiveness taught by Jesus and accepted by followers of both faiths.

Jesus sent his disciples to preach the gospel.

• Luke 9:1 Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.
  9:2 And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.
  9:3 And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece.
  9:4 And whatsoever house ye enter into, there abide, and thence depart.
  9:5 And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them.

Moe sent his commanders to invite disbelievers to embrace Islam.

• Sahih Muslim Book 019, Number 4294: Fight in the name of Allah and in the way of Allah.
• Fight against those who disbelieve in Allah
• When you meet your enemies who are polytheists invite them to three courses of action. If they respond to any one of these, you also accept it and withold yourself from doing them any harm.
• Invite them to (accept) Islam;
• if they respond to you, accept it from them and desist from fighting against them
• Then invite them to migrate from their lands to the land of Muhajirs and inform them that, if they do so, they shall have all the privileges and obligations of the Muhajirs.
• If they refuse to migrate, tell them that they will have the status of Bedouin Muilims and will be subjected to the Commands of Allah like other Muslims, but they will not get any share from the spoils of war or Fai' except when they actually fight with the Muslims (against the disbelievers)
• If they refuse to accept Islam, demand from them the Jizya.
• If they agree to pay, accept it from them and hold off your hands.
• If they refuse to pay the tax, seek Allah's help and fight them...

Does Islam accept Christ's message of peace and love? If you answered in the affirmative, please post a comment explaining exactly how you reconcile Christ's teaching and Moe's as outlined above. Jesus sent his disciples, empty handed, to persuade people to follow him. Moe sent an army with swords and spears to extort their victims to embrace Islam and pay tribute. Moe's message is war, not peace. The two can not be reconciled; there is no bridge between them.

The Prophet Muhammad himself sought to erase any distinctions between the message he taught and that taught by Jesus, who he called God's "spirit and word."

Of course he did, because his message of rapine, when compared to Christ's message of love and peace, shines and stinks like a dead carp on the river bank in the light of a full moon.

Disrespect toward Jesus, as we have seen all too often in our society, is very offensive to Muslims.

Depicting Jesus as a genocidal warlord who will lead the Muslims as they exterminate Jews & Christians does not seem to offend Muslims, perhaps, because they worship a genocidal warmonger as Allah's final prophet.

And yes, Muslims and Christians do have some differing perspectives on Jesus' life and teachings. But his spiritual legacy offers an alternative opportunity for people of faith to recognize their shared religious heritage.

Can you smell the aroma of rotting fish in that statement? If not, you need to re-read this post, the truth has not penetrated yet.

America's Muslim community stands ready to honor that legacy by building bridges of interfaith understanding and challenging those who would divide our nation along religious or ethnic lines.

We have more in common than we think.

There ain't much in common between the Christian & Muslim concepts of Jesus, that bridge won't support the weight of Moe's lice.