Do We Deserve a Mosque at Ground Zero?
The second attack on the World Trade Center is coming. It will stand 13 stories high, cost $100 million dollars and include a mosque. Known as Cordoba House -- the name echoing an early caliphate that, of course, subjugated non-Muslims -- it will be located two blocks away from where our magnificent towers crashed and burned, easy wafting distance for the Islamic call to prayer..." Full text: Do We Deserve a Mosque at Ground Zero?
Response to comment [from an atheist]: "Don't worry. If it gets built some nutbar will bomb it."
That's their play (Jn 10:10).
Response to comment [from a Christian]: "...[B]uilding a mosque on "conquered ground" is perfect."
"[I]f our diversity becomes a casualty, I think that's
worse (General
Casey)."
"Should there be a mosque near Ground Zero? In fact, what is pro
posed is not a mosque -- nor even an "Islamic cultural center."
In Islam, every structure linked to the faith and its rituals
has a precise function and character. A mosque is a one-story
gallery built around an atrium with a mihrab (a niche pointing
to Mecca) and one, or in the case of Shiites two, minarets.
Other Islamic structures, such as harams, zawiyyahs,
husseinyiahs and takiyahs, also obey strict architectural rules.
Yet the building used for spreading the faith is known as Dar
al-Tabligh, or House of Proselytizing.
The groups fighting for the project know this; this is why they
sometimes call it an Islamic cultural center. But there is no
such thing as an Islamic culture.
Islam is a religion, not a culture. Each of the 57
Muslim-majority nations has its own distinct culture -- and the
Bengali culture has little in common with the Nigerian. Then,
too, most of those countries have their own cultural offices in
the US, especially in New York.
Islam is an ingredient in dozens of cultures, not a culture on
its own.
In theory, at least, the culture of American Muslims should be
American. Of course, this being America, each ethnic community
has its distinct cultural memories -- the Iranians in Los
Angeles are different from the Arabs in Dearborn.
In fact, the proposed structure is known in Islamic history as a
rabat -- literally a connector. The first rabat appeared at the
time of the Prophet.
The Prophet imposed his rule on parts of Arabia through a series
of ghazvas, or razzias (the origin of the English word "raid").
The ghazva was designed to terrorize the infidels, convince them
that their civilization was doomed and force them to submit to
Islamic rule. Those who participated in the ghazva were known as
the ghazis, or raiders.
After each ghazva, the Prophet ordered the creation of a rabat
-- or a point of contact at the heart of the infidel territory
raided. The rabat consisted of an area for prayer, a section for
the raiders to eat and rest and facilities to train and prepare
for future razzias. Later Muslim rulers used the tactic of
ghazva to conquer territory in the Persian and Byzantine
empires. After each raid, they built a rabat to prepare for the
next razzia.
It is no coincidence that Islamists routinely use the term
ghazva to describe the 9/11 attacks against New York and
Washington. The terrorists who carried out the attack are
referred to as ghazis or shahids (martyrs).
Thus, building a rabat close to Ground Zero would be in
accordance with a tradition started by the Prophet. To all those
who believe and hope that the 9/11 ghazva would lead to the
destruction of the American "Great Satan," this would be of
great symbolic value.
Faced with the anger of New Yorkers, the promoters of the
project have started calling it the Cordoba House, echoing
President Obama's assertion that it would be used to propagate
"moderate" Islam.
The argument is that Cordoba, in southern Spain, was a city
where followers of Islam, Christianity and Judaism lived
together in peace and produced literature and philosophy.
In fact, Cordoba's history is full of stories of oppression and
massacre, prompted by religious fanaticism. It is true that the
Muslim rulers of Cordoba didn't force their Christian and Jewish
subjects to accept Islam. However, non-Muslims could keep their
faith and enjoy state protection only as dhimmis (bonded ones)
by paying a poll tax in a system of religious apartheid.
If whatever peace and harmony that is supposed to have existed
in Cordoba were the fruit of "Muslim rule," the subtext is that
the United States would enjoy similar peace and harmony under
Islamic rule.
A rabat in the heart of Manhattan would be of great symbolic
value to those who want a high-profile, "in your face"
projection of Islam in the infidel West.
This thirst for visibility is translated into increasingly
provocative forms of hijab, notably the niqab (mask) and the
burqa. The same quest mobilized hundreds of Muslims in Paris the
other day to close a whole street so that they could have a
Ramadan prayer in the middle of the rush hour.
One of those taking part in the demonstration told French radio
that the aim was to "show we are here." "You used to be in our
capitals for centuries," he said. "Now, it is our turn to be in
the heart of your cities."
Before deciding whether to support or oppose the "Cordoba"
project, New Yorkers should consider what it is that they would
be buying.
Read more:
Islam center's eerie echo of ancient terror
Related:
"The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), which convened the ‘emergency summit’ to deal with the “wave of anti-Muslim sentiment”, does not want to make this distinction, in my opinion, because they support the goals of Islamism. They want to conflate the religion of Islam with the political program of Islamism. And they have an interest in exaggerating the degree of anti-Muslim prejudice, because they want to create an atmosphere in which nobody can say anything negative about anything Muslims say or do, short of actual violent terrorism..." Full text: Mosques, Qurans, nutcases and useful idiots
Response to comment [from an atheist]: [Their play] "Which "they" are you referring to?"
"They" refers to people who want to dive bomb airplanes
into building (Jn 10:10). The least we could do is build them a mosque in
celebration of our defeat.
Do you have a problem picking up a shovel Islamophobe?
"Do you believe that Muslims would be willing to bomb their own mosque and then blame it on Americans/Christians/Jews?"
They prefer blowing up children but I'm sure they're open to suggestions.
"You've surprised me, SD: I didn't believe you were capable of such devious thinking."
Actually, Geraldo you thought this up by yourself.
The cube could use a guy like you.
We build. They destroy (Jn 10:10). That's all I know.
Response to comment [from a Catholic]: [Blowing up buildings] "Tim McVeigh claimed to be a Christian."
Was Tim McVeigh following the teachings of scripture?
Response to comment [from a Christian]: "While it shouldn't be forbidden, it's still in exceptionally poor taste."
Poor taste--that's what I was thinking.
Removing children's faces with piano wire in front of their parents--poor taste,
as well (Jn 10:10).
"The people building the mosque in New York are saying the 9/11 terrorists weren't following the teachings of Islam."
They say bunnies built the subway, too (Eze 13:19).
See:
Lie to the Infidel: ‘Taqiyya’: How Islamic Extremists Deceive the West
"We're right. They're wrong. It's as simple as that." ~ Rudy Giuliani
Do
We Deserve a Mosque at Ground Zero?