Ghazi and Tauran: Exemplary Arrogance

 Catholics & Muslims came together for inter-religious dialog, and in the final analysis, demonstrated exemplary arrogance on both sides. I will begin by exposing the arrogance of Prince Ghazi.

    The Vatican Insider has a crucial quote for us to ponder. [Bold font emphasis in original.]

It is in this context that the words spoken by Prince Ghazi, referred to at the beginning of the article, are of particular interest. The words he used in relation to the question of places of Christian worship touched a raw nerve in some Muslim countries. Underlining the fact that the Site of Jesus' Baptism (where the Forum met in these past days) is “a holy place, developed, nourished and protected by Muslims for Christians,” the exact words used by the first of the letter's 138 signatories in his introductory greeting were: “perhaps our Christian colleagues are not aware of the fact that we Muslims have learned to behave in this way, from what we read in the Sunna about the prophet Muhammad, who invited the Christians of Najran to pray in his mosque before undertaking an interreligious dialogue with them.”

Muhammad invited Christians to pray  

    The Prince wants us to assume that the invitation to pray in the Mosque was a generous act of brotherhood.  But Muslims always counsel us to consider the context when studying the Qur'an and this occasion is no exception.  The verse involved is Surah Al-Imran 3:61. 

3:61. Then whoever disputes with you concerning him ['Iesa (Jesus)] after (all this) knowledge that has come to you, [i.e. 'Iesa (Jesus)] being a slave of Allâh, and having no share in Divinity) say: (O Muhammad ) "Come, let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves - then we pray and invoke (sincerely) the Curse of Allâh upon those who lie."

    Click the link in the quote above and read through to the end of the Surah. Note especially  3:82 in the context of Surah Al Ma'idah  5:33 and Ibn Kathir's Tafsir.

3:82. Then whoever turns away after this, they are the Fâsiqûn (rebellious: those who turn away from Allâh's Obedience).

5:33. The recompense of those who wage war against Allâh and His Messenger and do mischief in the land is only that they shall be killed or crucified or their hands and their feet be cut off on the opposite sides, or be exiled from the land. That is their disgrace in this world, and a great torment is theirs in the Hereafter.

The Punishment of those Who Cause Mischief in the Land  [...]`Wage war' mentioned here means, oppose and contradict, and it includes disbelief, blocking roads and spreading fear in the fairways.[...]

blasphemy

    Saying "Jesus is Lord." or "Jesus is the son of God." is a capital offense in Islam.  Take a close second look at the first clause in 3:61.  Follow up with a close second look at the last clause.  Delve a little deeper int the context, 3:85 exhibits Islamic tolerance. .

tolerance

3:85. And whoever seeks a religion other than Islâm, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers.

    'If you want to be a Christian, Allah will get you ind the end, after we get you in this world.'  Of course, it could not possibly mean that, could it?   We need a little more context, this time from 3:110 and Sahih Bukhari..

war & enslavement

3:110. You [true believers in Islâmic Monotheism, and real followers of Prophet Muhammad  and his Sunnah (legal ways, etc.)] are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind; you enjoin Al-Ma'rûf (i.e. Islâmic Monotheism and all that Islâm has ordained) and forbid Al-Munkar (polytheism, disbelief and all that Islâm has forbidden), and you believe in Allâh. And had the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) believed, it would have been better for them; among them are some who have faith, but most of them are Al-Fâsiqûn (disobedient to Allâh - and rebellious against Allâh's Command).

Sahih Bukhari Volume 6, Book 60, Number 80:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Verse:--"You (true Muslims) are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind." means, the best of peoples for the people, as you bring them with chains on their necks till they embrace Islam.

3:111. They will do you no harm, barring a trifling annoyance; and if they fight against you, they will show you their backs, and they will not be helped.

3:112. Indignity is put over them wherever they may be, except when under a covenant (of protection) from Allâh, and from men; they have drawn on themselves the Wrath of Allâh, and destruction is put over them. This is because they disbelieved in the Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allâh and killed the Prophets without right. This is because they disobeyed (Allâh) and used to transgress beyond bounds (in Allâh's disobedience, crimes and sins).

    Muslims are the best people ever, as they drag us to Islam with chains on our necks. We probably won't resist, and if we do, our resistance will be ineffectual. We are covered with indignity & destruction  unless we sign a pact of dhimmitude with Moe.

delegation from Najran

    Why did the rulers of the Christian community in Yemen send delegates to meet Moe in Medina?  The sponsors of  and participants in  the recent inter-religious dialog don't want you to know; I do.

    They sent delegates to Medina in response to an extortion letter sent by Moe.

This is a letter from Muhammad, the Prophet and Messenger of Allah to the Bishop of Najran. I praise and glorify the Lord of Ibrahim, Ishaq and Ya'qub, and invite you all to worship Allah instead of worshipping His creatures, so that you may come out of the guardianship of the creatures of Allah and take place under the guardianship of Allah Himself. And in case you do not accept my invitation you must (at least) pay Jizyah (tribute) to the Islamic Government (in lieu of which it will undertake the protection of your lives and property), failing which you are hereby warned of dangerous consequences.

dangerous consequences  

    'If you don't convert or pay jizya, there will be dangerous consequences.' Such as?  Conquest!  If you doubt this fact, read his extortion letter to the rulers of Aqaba, which is more explicit.

[...] I do not intend to wage war against you till you receive my written reason for it. It is better for you, either to accept Islam or agree to pay Jiziya and consent to remain obedient to Allah, His prophet and his messengers.[...]  [...]f you do not accept these terms and set them aside, I do not need your presents and gifts. In that case, I shall have to wage war (to establish peace and security). Its result would be that the big ones shall be killed in war and the commoners shall be taken prisoners.[...]

    The delegation went to Medina to size up Moe and make certain of his intentions.  Moe demanded that they invoke a curse upon themselves, bluffing them; they chickened out.  Moe exploits the incident as a sign of weakness and falsity in Christian faith and belief.  I present links to source texts for those who wish to explore this matter in more depth.

• Sahih Bukhari
  
  • Volume 5, Book 59, Number 663:
• Sahih Muslim
  • Book 031, Number 5948:
  • Book 031, Number 5949:
• Malik;s Muwatta
  • Book 45, Number 45.5.18:
    • No two religions
  • Book 45, Number 45.5.19:
    • expulsion
• Sunan Abu Dawud
  •  
    • Book 19, Number 3035
    •  
      •  Tribute paid to Moe
• Tafsir Ibn Katrhir
  • Calling the Jews to invoke Allah to destroy the Unjust Party
  • (Chapter 3) 
  • The Challenge to the Mubahalah
    • Sending of a trusted man was to resolve monetary dispute?
• Pact of Najran
  • http://alquraan.net/letters/letters_1.html
    • The end note is extremely vital to the subject.
      • Note: Najran which was the biggest centre of Christianity in Arabia is a district of north Yemen. There was a very splendid Cathedral which the Christians regarded as their Kaaba. Large estate attached to the Cathedrals was a source of big income. When the people of Najran received the letter of the Holy Prophet (Sal Allaho Alehe Wasallam), they sent a delegation to the Prophet (Sal Allaho Alehe Wasallam), which studied the conditions and had discussions. The Holy Prophet (Sal Allaho Alehe Wasallam), invited them to a Mubahila (Invocation of Allah's Curse an the party which is in the wrong) and asked them to pray to Allah along with their kith and kin, to send His Curse on the liars. The delegation did not accept the challenge lest they should be destroyed and agreed to conclude a pact.

    Moe sent an extortion letter, called on the delegation to curse themselves, and let them pray in his mosque. What a grand gesture, letting them pray in his mosque!

The Cardinal's Tale

 
   MAAN  News Agency reports from AFP on the Cardinal's remarks; I am not able to locate the transcript.

status of the holy sites

    Tauran says there won't be peace unless the status of the holy sites is resolved.  That begs the question, because there will never be a just peace so long as Islam exists. The Cardinal is, in essence, demanding Israel's surrender and national suicide.

humanity's heritage

    Tauran claims the "holy sites" as "humanity's heritage", "as each has its roots there".  Solomon, a Jew, built the First Temple on the Temple Mount. That is a Jewish site, not a Christian or Muslim site.  The fact that Jesus frequented the Temple does not confer superior title.  The fact that Umar conquered the area in 638 does not superior title.  Jordan's conquest of 1948 does not confer superior title.  In history, morality and international law, the Temple Mount and Jerusalem belong to Israel.

Islam's roots

    Islam is firmly rooted in the Kaaba; in Mecca, not in  Jerusalem.  Islam's 'claim' to the Temple Mount stems from the Miraj.  By reading accounts of the Miraj in Sahih Muslim  Book 001, Number 0309   and  Book 001, Number 0313, we learn that the Miraj is pure fantasy.  There was no mosque on the Temple Mount before 638 and no animal can make that journey in a single night. 

    Jesus and the Jewish Prophets were not Muslims!  Islam was not preached until 610, centuries after their deaths.

build a mosque where the Holy Sepulchre stands

    If the Muslims take over those sites, they will build mosques on them.  Tauran assumes that there is  fourth possibility in possession of holy sights,  Assumptions make an ass of the one who makes them.  If Israel does not retain sovereignty and control over the holy sites, Muslims will usurp them.   Neither the Vatican nor Eastern Orthodoxy will go to war to maintain possession. The Muslims know that, and would take advantage of their pacifism.     Even Israel is stupid enough to yield control to the Waqf, letting them prohibit Jews from praying on the Temple Mount.

global community

    Tauran wants international control over the holy sites.  That means Islamic control!  The OIC and their patrons & camp followers effectively control the UN, using it as a political weapon against Israel.  The outcome of two wolves and one lamb voting on the dinner menu is a foregone conclusion. 

    The Partition Plan set aside Jerusalem as an international zone.  What happened to Jewish sites in Jerusalem after they were seized by Jordan in 1948?  Hussein promised the Jews equal access to the Temple Mount; how did that work out?