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IMAMOF GROUND ZERO MOSQUE FEISAL ABDUL RAUF
RAUF’S MANIFESTO REGARDING TERRORISM RAUF WRITES: People asked me right after the 9/11 attack as to why do movements with political agendas carry [Islamic] religious names? Why call it ‘Muslim Brotherhood’ or ‘Hezbollah (Party of Allah)’ or ‘Hamas’ or ‘Islamic Resistance Movement’? I answer them this—that the trend towards Islamic law and justice begins in religious movements,because secularism had failed to deliver what the Muslim wants, which is life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. He said “ The only law that the Muslim needs exists already in the Koran and the Hadith.” From an article titled “Sharing The Essence Of Our Beliefs” by Feisal Abdul Rauf, Al-Ghad Newspaper in Jordan, 5/9/2009 http://www.alghad.com/?article=12635 Now you will know why he refused to describe Hamas as a terrorist organization. HIS GOAL “For that, we collectively believe that the state that was erected by the prophet in Medina was the idealmodel for an Islamic state. The challenge today in the Islamic world is how do we accomplish this in our current era.”
REGARDING SEPARATION OF RELIGION FROM STATE RAUF RESPONDS TO THE QUESTION: What does it mean to separate religion from state in Islam? Abdul Rauf: What is happening in the Muslim world after the fall of the Ottoman Empire and the establishment of the secular state, that the traditional relationship between state and religious institutions were subject to a separation, which resulted in a reaction that generated Islamic movements wanting to erect an Islamic state in the Islamic world. For that, we collectively believe that the state that was erected by the prophet in Medina was the ideal model for an Islamic state. The challenge today in the Islamic world is how do we accomplish this in our current era. The challenge I was referring to is this; how do we call for the principles and standards that the prophet (peace be upon him) used to build the Islamic state in Medina [Arabia]?
an Islamic state can be established in more than just in a single form or mold; it can be established through a kingdom or a democracy. The important issue is to establish the general fundamentals of [Islamic] Shariah that are required to govern. It is known that there are sets of standards that are accepted by [Muslim] scholars to organize the relationships between government and the governed.
HIS GOALS FOR THE MIDDLE EAST Rauf responds to a question: So we understand that separation of religion from state, that is, it depends on the Muslim governors that so long they were spreading Islam and justice… but when the rulers are ruling under traditional laws contrary to Islamic laws, what then should the Islamic institutions do? Abdul Rauf: A time after the prophet (peace be upon him) arose certain new conditions that required the governors to institute new laws so long as they do not conflict with the Quran and the Sunna that were Shariah compliant as such followed in tribal laws. So in our modern era, governments that want to ensure the new laws as to not contradict Shariah rules—so they create institutions to ensure Islamic law and remove any that contradict with Shariah. Question: No doubt that there are disastrous results if the Islamic world kept going under the principles that are used with religious issues and state, but what do we do on a personal level while in the midst of this low class system that is established in our Muslim states? Abdul Rauf: First and foremost, we need to understand what Shariah requires from us. Second, we need to be a part of a larger group that is capable to give advice [to the government] as is done by lobbies in the West. Thirdly: We become an institutional group to provide benevolent needs in the society.
HIS METHOD TO ACCOMPLISH THIS Rauf states: So we advise that when there is a problem in the relationship between state and religious institutions in the form of the question you just asked, that people need to use peaceful means to advise the governors and government institutions and use peaceful means that are available to send their message out to the masses.
And we also suggest to the governors and political institutions to consult [Muslim] religious institutions and [Muslim] personalities in the field so as to assure their decision making to reflect the spirit of Shariah. (Translated verbatim, From Rauf’s interview on Hadielislam.com)
HIS PLANS FOR THE MOSQUE “NO RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE” To the Cairo University on Rights For All an article titled “The Most Prominent Imam in New York “I Do Not Believe In Religious Dialogue”
He also admitted that “[In the West] they have separation of church and state, this of course does not exist in any Muslim country. About 99% refuse to separate religion from state and many call for establishing an Islamic Caliphate.”
CONCLUSION This should alarm the ardent skeptic on the mindset of the Islamic visionary who advocates establishing Islamic lobbies throughout the West.
Abdul Rauf uses stealth strategies that make it difficult to detect their Shariah driven agenda and while under the guise of interfaith dialogue and building bridges in what they say in English. In Arabic the statements are clear—the bridge is to build Shariah.
COMPLETE TRANSCRIPTS What Imam Of Ground Zero Mosque Says Translated Verbatim from the Arabic (by Walid Shoebat) Subject: Imam behind the Ground Zero Mosque Feisal Abdul Rauf and hisview on ”The Islamic position on the Separation of Religion From State.” What message will he be sending to the Middle East as he is sent on aconvoy by the State Department? Read for yourself his views and his desire as translated verbatim from the Arabic language. Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf’s goal is to change the secular laws in the current Muslim world to reflect the original Islamic state established in Arabia in Medina and here is another caveat—this is not only restricted for the Muslim World, but for the U.S. as well. His view laments the fall of the Ottoman Empire and the establishment of secular laws after its fall.
Separation of Religion From State (Translated verbatim, From his interview on Hadielislam.com) http://www.hadielislam.com/arabic/index.php?pg=articles%2Farticle&id=12025
When the fountains of knowledge differ, minds pick up the pace to acquire this knowledge. These disagreements produce different views dedicated to employ us to face new realities to keep pace with current events and requirements. But do the scholars differ regardless of the different sources of knowledge and education in regards to religion? And is it possible to fulfill the basic pillars and foundations to fulfill individual needs and duties in order to apply religion [Islam] as a way of life to conduct our daily life and in order to extract the basic laws for us to resolve and govern with in order to solve grievances? Or do we separate religion form state? This is the subject of our dialogue and questions with imam Feisal AbdulRauf. Question:What does it mean to separate religion from state in Islam? Abdul Rauf: The general understating in the west is that religious institutions have no influence indecision making in the state. In Europe religion is weak while in the United States the majority is religious and believe in God. With this, the understanding of the term “separation of religion from state” is also toseparate the arm of the government from pressuring religious freedoms. So in ageneral sense they respect religious freedoms. In America the state dose not interfere in religious regulations, their details, construction or how they are managed. What is happening in the Muslim world after the fall of the Ottoman Empire and the establishment of the secular state, that the traditional relationship between state and religious institutions were subject to a separation, which resulted in a reaction that generated Islamic movements wanting to erect an Islamic state in the Islamic world. So if we watch history that after Rashidun Caliphate (Rightly Guided Caliphate) there was a form of separation between government and religious institutions that was represented by [Muslim]jurisprudence and since the Muslims on a personal level are required to followthe prophet (peace be upon him) on all aspects of life and conduct as permissible through a societal level as well. For that, we collectively believe that the state that was erected by the prophet in Medina was the ideal model for an Islamic state. The challenge today in the Islamic world is how do we accomplish this in our current era. Question:Many of the political Jihadist Islamic movements are talking about an Islamic Caliphate based on the prophet’s approach. Can we accomplish this today? Abdul Rauf: The challenge I was referring to is this; how do we call for the principles and standards that the prophet (peace be upon him) used to build the Islamic state in Medina.The challenge we have today is how do we accomplish this while keeping the prophet’s methodology in our current changing times. This challenge was anissue that the scholars and Caliphs had to face throughout the Islamic history,which resulted in the creation of several Islamic schools of thought with multiple views that are viewed equally. So the question in our era throughout my discussions with contemporary Muslim theologians that an Islamic state can be established in more then just in a single form or mold; it can be established through a kingdom or a democracy. The important issue is to establish the general fundamentals of [Islamic] Shariah that are required to govern. It is known that there are sets of standards that are accepted by [Muslim] scholars to organize the relationships between government and the governed. Question:So we understand that separation of religion from state, that is, it depends on the Muslim governors that so long they were spreading Islam and justice… but when the rulers are ruling under traditional laws contrary to Islamic laws, what then should the Islamic institutions do? Abdul Rauf: A time after the prophet (peace be upon him) arose certain new conditions that required the governors to institute new laws so long they do not conflict with the Quran and the Sunna that were Shariah compliant as such followed in traditional customs. So in our modern era, governments that want to ensure the new laws asto not contradict Shariah rules—so they create institutions to ensure Islamic law and remove any that contradict with Shariah. So we advise that when there is a problem in the relationship between state and religious institutions in the form of the question you just asked,that people need to use peaceful means to advise the governors and government institutions and use peaceful means that are available to send their message out to the masses. And we also suggest to the governors and political institutions to consult [Muslim] religious institutions and [Muslim] personalities in the field as to assure their decision making to reflect the spirit of Shariah. Question:No doubt that there are disastrous results if the Islamic world kept going under the principles that are used with religious issues and state, but what do we do on a personal level while in the midst of this low class system that is established in our Muslim states? Abdul Rauf: First and foremost, we need to understand what Shariah requires from us. Second, we need to be a part of a larger group that is capable to give advise [to the government]as is done by lobbies in the West. Thirdly: We become an institutional group to provide benevolent needs in the society. Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf is the chief executive of the American Societyfor Muslim Advancement. Sunday, December 9th, 2007, 10:08 A.M. Underlines mine (Walid Shoebat)
AL-GHAD Newspaper, Jordan Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf is the chief executive of the American Society for Muslim Advancement. Sunday, December 9th, 2007, 10:08 A.M. Now you will know why he refused to describe Hamas as a terrorist organization. People asked me right after the 9/11 attack as to why do movements with political agendas carry [Islamic]religious names? Why call it ‘Muslim Brotherhood’ or ‘Hezbollah (Party of Allah)’ or ‘Hamas’ or ‘Islamic Resistance Movement’? I answer them this—that the trend towards Islamic law and justice begins in religious movements, because secularism had failed to deliver what the Muslim wants, which is life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. He said “ The only law that the Muslim needs exists already in the Koran and the Hadith.” From an article titled “Sharing The Essence Of Our Beliefs” by Feisal Abdul Rauf,Al-Ghad Newspaper in Jordan, 5/9/2009 http://www.alghad.com/?article=12635
RIGHTS FOR ALL – CAIRO UNIVERSITY Titled “The Most Prominent Imam in New York “I Do Not Believe In Religious Dialogue” should alarm the ardent skeptic on the mindset of the Islamic visionary who advocates establishing Islamic lobbies throughout the West.
RAUF admitted that “[In the West] they have separation of church and state, this of course does not exist in any Muslim country. “About 99% refuse to separate religion from state and many call for establishing an Islamic Caliphate.”
And regarding religious dialogue Abdul-Rauf stated “this phrase is inaccurate. Religious dialogue as customary understood is a set of events with discussions in large hotels that result in nothing. Religions do not dialogue and dialogue is not present in the attitudes of the followers regardless of being Muslim or Christian. The image of Muslims in the West is complex which needs to be remedied.” |