“No honest study about any faith on earth can lead to such distortions about the religious and cultural “other.” Muslims like any other peoples who inhabit the USA can love this country or any other country where they settle, without hating others.”

The whole thing was intended as an intellectual exercise to show how easy it is to distort the beliefs of others. Pass on the truth!

There are many things wrong with Islam, but there is often various views, e.g. please see http://www.Quran434.com and http://www.Learn-About-Islam.com

Illiteracy = fail!

Thanks for the lengthy feedback. As a point of contention, I would offer that “Allah qua moon god” likely has far less to do with propaganda and more to do with simple misinformation. The author of this ridiculous e-mail was likely not a insidious propagandist; rather, s/he was likely some inbred putz who got the information thirdhand.

My guess is that the whole “moon god of Arabia” thing came about because the التقويم الهجري (the Islamic calendar) is lunar in nature. As for the rest of the e-mail, well, it’s pure nonsense.

I want to clarify a few MAJOR points within that email.

1. We do not worship a moon God. This was a propaganda by chic publication and other bible thumping co-religionists who, instead of discussing and reflecting upon the true theology and nature of Islam decided to insult it and bring about a dirty campaign masking the truth with ridiculous lies.

2. The Prophet (S) was originally from Mekkah as were the campanions. When they made hijrah to Madinah they were originally very sad and the transition was very difficlut because MEKKAH was their home land despite the fact that it was a lnad full of kufr and shirk. Therefore it is not against our religion to care and miss our homeland…and many of our cases it is this country.

Now in direct response to the claims of the email. FIrst you need to understand it is clear propaganda.

1. Allegiance to Allah: This is one hundred percent correct our allegiance is primarily to Allah and all other allegiances fall under that. If we were asked to do anything to disobey Allah, we are to avoid doing such a thing unless we have been coerced into it in which different rules apply according to the situation.

2. Religiously: Ofcourse our allegiance is to Islam. But I never thought America was ever a Theocracy. Infact it is not, it is a secular society so there is no conflict in having our allegiance to our religion and to our nation.

3. Scripturally? What the heck does that mean. America isn’t based on a scripture per se. The constitution is mentioned later.

4. Geographically: Geography has ABSOLUTELY no play in our religion. The Prophet made hijrah to MADINAH but never moved back to Mekkah even after opening it from the mushrikeen. Likewise Islam spread to the rest of the world and we find the Muslims were from many geographical locations. If you look at the names of our great scholars we see such names like Imam Al-Qurtubi (From CORDOBA SPAIN in arabic it is QURTUBA) and many others from different locations. In fact the Islamic capital changed many times during the Islamic history and I don’t think it was EVER mekkah.

5. Socially: Quite clearly this is the oft most repeated misunderstanding of Islam that we are not to take jews and christians as our friends. This is not to say on an individual basis. This from what I understand refers to the Muslim community taking jews and christians as ALLIES and PROTECTORS. Because history tells us that as a group they are not to be trusted. But in regards to individual friendships ofcourse we are to take the most Pious as our companions according to many ahadith. But the question of taking jews and christians as indvidual friends is not forbidden. We see even in the time of the Prophet they had a custom that when an individual wanted to enter mekkah they often needed protection from an individual or tribe. Abu Bakr once sought out the protection of a mushrik man in order to enter. If this was done with a clear cut mushrik and not one from ahl ul kitab than obviously ahl ul kitab have a higher rank. 2ndly we see other hadith in which the Prophet (S) made reference to a peace treaty (before prophethood) in which their was an agreement among the mekkan tribes to establish justice and peace. The Prophet (post prophethood) said if such a treaty was to be established today I would again be at that meeting.

6. Politically: We never submit to a human being. We submit to Allah alone! that is the beauty of our religion which makes it unique from ANY other.

7. Domestically: In regards to the beating and scourging of the wife. First of All it is the last of an entire process set down by Allah in regards to deaing with a domestic issue in which the wife is causing disturbance. The first step is to avoid talking to her. 2nd is to remove yourself from her bed and lastly is the physical contact which can NOT be considered abuse or beating. If you look at the laws of child abuse. A punishment can only be considered abuse if there are physical marks left by the beating or an instrument is used that may cause marks. In islam the physical reinforcement established forbids any force that may cause any physical signs of punishment. 2ndly often times these christians talk alot about women. But ask them “do you have a single chapter in your bible called ‘the women’?”

8. Constitution: Haha the constitution was built upon christian principles. Once again this nation is a secular nation. secondly, Islam and christianity and judaism have alot in common in regards to our PRINCIPLES of ethics, values, and morals. Where we differ is in our Aqueedah and Shariah. In fact Allah orders us to say to the jews and christians to come together with all that we agree and to worship one Lord.

9. Islam doesn’t allow freedom of religion: We have the UTMOST freedom of religion within our shariah. Infact, tell me ONE state where we as Muslims can have our own courts according to our Islamic law, have our shariah established and be able to practice our religion freely. ZERO!!!! If you look at the time of the rightly guided caliph (khulafa al-rashidun) You see that the Christian lands had their own court systems where they would establish the law of their religions. THEY WERE EVEN ALLOWED TO DRINK ALCOHOL!

10. Dictatorship: Haha every muslim land is a dictatorship and NONE of them are ISLAMIC nations. Infact it is THIS government which has established and strengthened these dictatorships. Islam has come to remove dictators and allow the free choosing of the one who is MOST befitting of the job. These dictators are preventing the Islamic Movements from taking power because they don’t want ISLAM to spread.

11. Names of Allah: Haha ofcourse Allah is not our heavenly father…THIS IS SHIRK! Allah’s 99 names all incorporate the concept of Love. The Most mericiful. The Most Beneficient. The Most Generous. THE PEACE, the Provider….all 99 names incorporate the true definition of Love. And this BIblical concept of LOVE and such things. These people are hypocrites. If you look and their description fo Prophet Jesus even in THEIR corrupted book we see a man who would never write such an email about 1.5 billion members of the world. He would be kind and loving and love to guide them NOT insult them and be suspicious of them.

Lastly,

This is clear christian propaganda that has no basis in our religion. Look at the expansiveness of our beautiful religion. Our religion has even developed Fiqh Ul Aqalliyat (Fiqh of Minorities). If Muslim American was an oxy Moron than such a fiqh would be irrelevant. Instead we have a religion with expansiveness thru its maqasid to incorporate all times, lands, and situations. There is NO religion like this at all.