Islamic fascist assaults Coptic man in Rumaithiya
About three weeks ago, Sammy*, a young Egyptian Coptic, stopped at the traffic light in-between Rumaithiya and Bayan. Hamad*, a stocky, middle-aged Kuwaiti man parked behind Sammy, exited his car and quickly hurried to Sammy. Naturally, Sammy rolled down his window to ask the bearded Hamad what the matter was, thinking the issue was about a faulty taillight. Without warning, Sammy was socked in the eye by Hamad’s elbow as Hamad reached inside Sammy’s car to remove the Christian cross that was hanging on Sammy’s rear view mirror. “Damn you and your blasphemous ways! You are spreading your rotten religion in this blessed country!” raged Hamad. The two men struggled but Sammy managed to roll up his window before jumping out of his car to confront Hamad. “How dare you! This is my car and I am free to do whatever I want with it!” Hamad’s single phone call to the Kuwaiti police force brought in half a dozen police cars in seconds. A Kuwaiti man pulled over and tried to reason with Hamad. “Whose side are you on, him or me?!?” spat Hamad in defiant defense. The Kuwaiti man inquired, “Would you allow someone to force you to remove the Holy Quran that you have on your dashboard if you were in the United States or France or any Western country for that matter?” Hamad grew silent. And silence was what the police officers advised Sammy to do, “This isn’t the first offense Hamad and his associates have committed against non-Muslims. You can file a report, but adding one more court date to their long list would not make a difference.” Sammy backed down and Hamad was set free.
This was the story one of my good friends told me last week. A Coptic herself and one of the most decent people I have ever met, my friend said that the police’s efficient and effective role changed her view of Kuwait’s security, “It really is a safe place to be and Sammy’s predicament only furthered my sense of security here.” I, on the other hand, was fuming. “What has my country come to?” I said in exasperated anger.
Why are people forgetting what religion is when the heart of all religions, divine and earthly, is love and peace? Even the word “Islam” means “peace”! And how can people forget the history of Islam, when for the first time Christians, Jews and Muslims lived side by side while under Muslim rule? Idealistic as this may sound, this is a historical fact known to everyone. “That’s too bad Erzulie but you know what? I really don’t blame the crazed dude for attacking Sammy when the muezzin at the mosque that I go to on Friday mornings preaches things that include damning the people of the Jewish and Christian faith when he is able to get better results – for himself and others – if he substitutes ‘damn’ with the word ‘bless’ i.e. God bless the people of the Jewish and Christian faith," a relative of mine replied when I told him about Sammy's story.
To the misguided man or rather, pitiful monster who attempted to snatch the Christian cross off of the Coptic’s rear view mirror, I say shame on you. Shame on you and your inhuman ways that represent anything but the Muslim religion.
Download MP3’s…
George Harrison - My Sweet Lord
Norman Greenbaum - Spirit in the Sky
New Order - Touched by the Hand of God
The Beach Boys - God Only Knows
Tears for Fears - God's Mistake
XTC - Dear God
* Names have been changed for privacy reasons
at 8:30 AM
15 Comments
When are people going to learn that being a racist xenophobe does NOT make you MUSLIM?!
WTF is up with people these days, yannaw oo g3edaw! Wentaa shako if he has a cross in his car or even if it was tattooed on his forehead, shtabiiii?! Did he murder your firstborn?! Or is his sin just showing up in front of you, and he just happens to be breathing!? GHABA'A!!
*takes a deep breath*
I'm sorry. Assholes make me angry :(
islam doesnt mean peace. it means submission to Allah.
swair: well i don't think he thinks he's an a-hole, and that's the scary bit :I he feels like he was in the right to do what he did. i mean, you can always have hateful thoughts about anything (although i don't recommend it because you'll just be a bitter person) but to act them out? that's purely criminal.
anon who's beside the point: thanks for the info! in general, islam is not a violent, hateful religion i.e. "asalam alaikom..." if that's not a peaceful greeting, i don't know what is...
The peaceful greeting is actually appropriated from the jews: "Shalom aleichem"
As for the "Islam is a religon of peace" narrative...
I know most people really want to believe it. It makes life a lot easier (otherwise we'd have to contemplate the alternative).
Unfortunately, it's not true.
Proof? Here you go:
لا تبدؤوا اليهود ولا النصارى بالسلام . فإذا لقيتم أحدهم في طريق فاضطروه إلى أضيقه
الراوي: أبو هريرة المحدث: مسلم - المصدر: صحيح مسلم - الصفحة أو الرقم: 2167
خلاصة حكم المحدث: صحيح
This is a hadith that no muslim (at least sunni) can dispute (though, not surprisingly, most muslims don't know about it).
But of course, it's a lot easier to pretend that Islam is all sweet and dandy...
This is a horrible incident indeed but no need to spin it out of proportion -- the kuwaitis in general are a tolerant society -- radicalism knows no bounderies nor religions -- chill out dear
f7ee7eely: it's not about being chill or not. i know that many people in kuwait voice their frustrations about non-muslims and even non-kuwaitis and to some extent, the latter is considered the norm. but to assault someone for it? i never thought that would ever happen in, as you said, a generally tolerant society.
I have a lil story for you
some 90 plus years ago an 11 year old girl was playing with her 8 year old son on the outskirts of a small coastal town in southern kuwait -- their play was interrupted by the ikhwan army who were marching onto kuwait and some mercernaries were infuriated by this taboo ( a boy playing with a girl ) so they stabbed the innocent little boy in the stomach -- he came running to his sister with his hands covering his stab wounds and saying :
"هيا هيا لحقيني إنكت حليبي
obviously he had milk for breakfast and that little girl happens to be my great grandmother....( btw he died in her lab)
Apollo: The Torah, Bible and Holy Quran share 80% of the same stories. So I’m not surprised that “Shalom” was incorporated in Muslims’ lives and daily sayings as well. And you’re entitled to your opinion, that Islam is not a religion based on peace, based on your current education, readings and most importantly, personal experience and upbringing. Regardless of who read what, don’t you find it strange that thousands of people convert to Islam based solely on reading the Holy Quran? It is wrong to judge any religion based on how people use it (Al-Qaeda, etc.). It is also incorrect to take out passages from either the Holy Quran or any hadeeth and say, “Look, there’s a lot of hate in here.” That’s do-able for any text, be it holy or not. And you presented a hadeeth (read about its background here: http://www.islamqa.com/ar/ref/42235). What about the words of God?
From the Holy Quran:
وقال: (ادع إلى سبيل ربك بالحكمة والموعظة الحسنة وجادلهم بالتي هي أحسن...) النحل/125
Rough translation: Almighty says: Invite people to the way of thy lord with wisdom and beautiful/good-natured preaching and discuss with them the better alternative (Al-Nahal - 125)
ويقول: (وَلاَ تُجَادِلُوا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ إِلاَّ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ).
Rough translation: Almighty says: Do not argue with the people of the book (Christians and Jews) only for what is better
وقال: (لا إكراه في الدين قد تبين الرشد من الغي.....) البقرة/256
Rough translation: Almighty says: There is no compulsion in religion. The Truth stands out clearly from what is wrong (Al-Baqara - 256)
وقال: (إنك لا تهدي من أحببت ولكن الله يهدي من يشاء وهو أعلم بالمهتدين) القصص/56
Rough translation: Almighty says: You cannot guide whomever you please: it is God who guides [according to His Law] whom He pleases and He best knows those who are guided. (28:56)
وقال: (ليس عليك هداهم ولكن الله يهدي من يشاء.....) البقرة/272
Rough translation: Almighty says: You are not obligated to guide them (nonbelievers, non-Muslims, etc.). Only God guides whom he wishes to guide...(Al-Baqara-272)
* This invalidates what you said
( وَقُولُوا لِلنَّاسِ حُسْنًا )(سورة البقرة الآية 83)
Rough translation: Almighty says: And be pleasant and courteous with people...(Al-Baqara - 83)
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ كُونُواْ قَوَّامِينَ لِلّهِ شُهَدَاءَ بِالْقِسْطِ وَلاَ يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شَنَآنُ قَوْمٍ عَلَى أَلاَّ تَعْدِلُواْ اعْدِلُواْ هُوَ أَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوَى وَاتَّقُواْ اللّهَ إِنَّ اللّهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ (المائدة)
Rough translation: Almighty says: O you who believe, stand for God and be witnesses for justice, and let not the hatred towards people make you avoid being just. Be just, for it is closer to righteousness, and be aware of God. God is expert over what you do.
" فَذَكِّرْ إِنَّمَا أَنْتَ مُذَكِّرٌ لَسْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ بِمُسَيْطِرٍ "
سورة الغاشية
[O Prophet!] keep reminding; you are only one who reminds; you are not one to force [your message] upon others. (88:21-22)
إِن تَحْرِصْ عَلَى هُدَاهُمْ فَإِنَّ اللّهَ لاَ يَهْدِي مَن يُضِلُّ وَمَا لَهُم مِّن نَّاصِرِينَ
Rough translation: Almighty says: If you are anxious about their guidance [it should remain clear to you], God does not guide those whom He [according to His law] leads astray, and God does not help such people. (16:37)
ANYhoo, you’re free to believe what you want to believe :)
F7ee7eely: that's really tragic, i'm sorry for your loss. then again, that happened 90 years ago and i really don't think that that sort of chaos will ever happen in kuwait inshallah. we weren't even an independent state back then. i wonder how people dealt with this unfortunate situation :(
"Regardless of who read what, don’t you find it strange that thousands of people convert to Islam based solely on reading the Holy Quran?"
Absolutely not. Just as I don't find it strange that there are millions of people that believe in horoscopes, millions of people that are sadists, etc. Just because a lot of people do/believe something does not make it great nor redeem it. Argumentum ad populum.
2- Many many people have converted from or rejected Islam. From the top of my head: Bahaa el-Din el-Akkad, Al-Mu'eiyyad (ابن خليفة عباسي), Salman Rushdie.
3- Islam does not give room for contemplating an alternative. No religion can compete with its systematic rigor: endless prayers and rites. For goodness sake, as part of sunna, parents whisper the call of prayer in a newborn's ear. We never stood a chance.
4- And of course, the cherry on the pie, Islam's magnanimous reward for those that commit apostasy.
"It is wrong to judge any religion based on how people use it (Al-Qaeda, etc.)."
Really? Then what should you judge it on? Its music? Even then it would fail miserably as of course music is ungodly and the work of the devil :)
"It is also incorrect to take out passages from either the Holy Quran or any hadeeth and say, “Look, there’s a lot of hate in here.” That’s do-able for any text, be it holy or not."
1- do-able for any text? As a Muslim, don't you claim that the Quran is the one and only infallible text of the true god. Surely god, with his omnipotence, is capable of producing text bereft of hate.
2- There are myriad inspiring and beautiful texts without an iota of hate in them (and they're written by man!). Take this clip from the eternal Carl Sagan.
"What about the words of God?"
{قاتلوا الذين لا يؤمنون بالله ولا باليوم الآخر ولا يحرمون ما حرم الله ورسوله ولا يدينون دين الحق من الذين أوتوا الكتاب حتى يعطوا الجزية عن يد وهم صاغرون}
Translation: Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.
Naturally, there are some kind words in the Quran. All it proves is that it contradicts itself.
"ANYhoo, you’re free to believe what you want to believe :)"
So are you :)though you already conceded: "in general, islam is not a violent, hateful religion". Imagine me saying: in general my friend is not a violent, hateful person. Doesn't make you want to meet my friend, does it? :)
In the end, I need to say that I do not doubt your sincerity and I am certain that you are a decent, kind, and wonderful person. So please don't take any of my ramblings personally :)
I leave you with the words of the great Steven Weinberg:
"With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion"
Apollo: You sound as intolerant to Islam as Hamad is to anything that conflicts with his idea of Islam :) In any case, you are free to believe what you want to believe just as you're entitled to have an opinion on anything and everything...
well yes, I am intolerant of intolerance.
But to me all religions are the same, for they are equally irrational and nonsensical. They appeal to ignorance and feed on people's fears.
Islam just happens to be the one brought up here and the one I'm closest to and most familiar with.
And yes of course I and you are entitled to our own opinions. It is an inalienable right that I don't think needs to be explicitly conferred.
But we are not entitled to our own facts. That, I hope, we can agree on.
Apollo is right. Islam (like the other big 2) contains highly illogical and contradictory mixed messages which shows just how little credibility it carries.
It schizophrenically preaches peace yet calls for war at the same time. This qualifies it as illogical nonsense.
Apollo: Depends on what you mean by facts
mindless Q80: There is no right and wrong when it comes to an opinion. I think you mean that you agree with Apollo's opinion. And about war, the greatest war (or "jihad") is the one a person faces with him/herself. That in itself is very basic and something we deal with on a daily basis.
Hey, that's outrageous!
But you will find such misguided people full of spite, everywhere. This could easily have happened even in the deep south of the United States in a role reversal kind of situation.
With all the talk about globalisation and advances in science and technology bringing people closer than before nothing changes fundamentally. The more things change the more they remain the same, actually. But travel helps greatly, I think, much more so than blogging, facebooking
or reading about other cultures and faiths does.
Peace to all
Your entry stirs the following question in my mind -
"Is the notion of a secular Arab republic, a chimera?"
Please debate on it, if you would.
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