Rudyard Kipling"
“When you're left wounded on Afganistan's plains and
the women come out to cut up what remains, Just roll to your rifle
and blow out your brains,
And go to your God like a soldier”
General Douglas MacArthur"
“We are not retreating. We are advancing in another direction.”
“It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it.” “Old soldiers never die; they just fade away.
“The soldier, above all other people, prays for peace, for he must suffer and be the deepest wounds and scars of war.”
“May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't .” “The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his.
“Nobody ever defended, there is only attack and attack and attack some more.
“It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.
The Soldier stood and faced God
Which must always come to pass
He hoped his shoes were shining
Just as bright as his brass
"Step forward you Soldier,
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My Church have you been true?"
"No, Lord, I guess I ain't
Because those of us who carry guns
Can't always be a saint."
I've had to work on Sundays
And at times my talk was tough,
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.
But, I never took a penny
That wasn't mine to keep.
Though I worked a lot of overtime
When the bills got just too steep,
The Soldier squared his shoulders and said
And I never passed a cry for help
Though at times I shook with fear,
And sometimes, God forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.
I know I don't deserve a place
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around
Except to calm their fears.
If you've a place for me here,
Lord, It needn't be so grand,
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't, I'll understand."
There was silence all around the throne
Where the saints had often trod
As the Soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.
"Step forward now, you Soldier,
You've borne your burden well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in Hell."
The Education Ministry is now making it mandatory
for school kids to wear the Jalur Gemilang badge. The thinking behind
this diktat is - “The Education Ministry plays a key role in inculcating
patriotism and love toward the country among students and educators.”
My
question is this, what are the ideas behind the badge that the
Education Ministry wants to inculcate? Everyone is supposed to be equal
before the national flag, right? But does reality reflect that?
Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh asks, “How do we teach our children to take pride in being Malaysians? How do we educate them to unite under the Malaysian flag?”
That
is a good question. How do you teach kids that some kids cannot do
certain things as “equal” citizens of this country? How do you teach
kids that other kids have special privileges that cannot be questioned?
How
do you teach kids that they are barred from certain educational
institutions? How do you teach kids that there are quotas for their
educational aspirations?
How do you teach kids that their
religious beliefs are open to demonisation even though laws that
prohibit that kind of behaviour are enforced against them if they are
perceived to step out of line, but not against others?
How do you
teach kids that there are political parties that cater for a specific
race or that political operatives will say that it is their duty to
defend a specific race and religion even though everyone is supposed to
be equal before the national flag?
Defining patriotism
So,
when it comes to symbols, the ideas behind those symbols are important.
Whether you choose to imbue those symbols with power is entirely up to
the individual, but the reality is that only the state has any power
when it comes to enforcing ideas behind the symbol.
Enforcing
“respect” towards a symbol has always seemed fascist to me. After all,
if you have to force people to respect symbols, what does this tell you
of the “need” of some people to disrespect what is supposed to be a
symbol which represents all that we are supposed to believe in?
Here
is another thing about patriotism. It is about people and not
allegiances to totems. And in this country, mired in the toxic politics
of race and religion, can the Education Ministry define patriotism that
would make sense to children who are living in a polarised world?
Here
is a great example of how patriotism is about people. In fact, this
letter is a blueprint as to what defines patriotism and how the state
has trampled on egalitarian sentiments that used to define patriotism in
the military and, yes, in this country.
Close to a decade ago, Persatuan Patriot Kebangsaan (PPK), under the aegis of Arshad Raji released a statement on the enrolment of non-Malays in the military.
Here are five important parts:
(1)
For such fighting men of valour to function, there has to be genuine
love and care between the commanders and personnel. Everyone has to feel
needed and important. The accomplishment of the mission is the
ultimatum.
(2) The government’s affirmative policies of the 1980s
had seeped into the military administration. Strange sayings like “orang
kita” (our people) have crept into the minds of military commanders.
Slowly and surely, the commanders saw some of those under their command
as half-brothers or stepsons, unlike the “all are equal” mindset of
previous years.
(3) Yearning for a merit-based promotion system,
the non-Malays would not mind if their Malay subordinates were promoted
if they were really deserving. Perceived as incapable by many non-Malay
officers, there had been a haphazard promotion of officers very much
undeserving of their roles and ranks.
(4) Needless to say, a
mediocre officer given promotion and command would breed mediocrity and
substandard results. Further, numerous deserving Malay officers of merit
were also adversely affected. Malay officers who were promoted based on
their merits earned an endearment of loyalty and respect from the
non-Malays.
(5) Starting from the late 1980s, the military had
become increasingly religious-centric, and non-Malays felt ever more
alienated. The officers’ mess life and the lives of soldiers became very
much dictated by religious sensitivity. This eventually affected esprit
de corps and comradeship negatively in multi-racial military units.
So
what can we learn from this letter? Patriotism is about one’s empathy
for his or her brethren regardless of race and religion. Equality
encourages such sentiments. Politics, race, and religion nullify such
sentiments and create a toxic environment.
Does anyone really think that a flag on a badge is going to create a sense of simpatico amongst kids?
Well, as the prime minister says, it is free, so just wear it. That is how much Madani thinks the Jalur Gemilang is worth.
Jalur Gemilang: Patriotism can never be mandatory By Commander S THAYAPARAN (Retired) Royal Malaysian Navy
Malaysiakini : “A [national] flag has no real significance for peaceful uses.” - English writer HG Wells
COMMENT |
Do you know when governments are wary of the people they govern? When
they march on the streets for whatever reason. When people of their own
volition raise the national flag.
A national flag is an object, a
thing, which people imbue with certain ideas. The ideas are the
dangerous part, which is why depending on who is raising the flag, those
ideas either ensure the social cohesion of a populace or destabilise
it.
So,
you see, it is not the object but rather the ideas imbued in the object
or contained within it. Take the banning of books, for instance. The
government banned books because of the ideas contained within them.
This is why, faced with a possible ban
by Madani for two of their books, Islamic Renaissance Front (IRF)
founder Ahmad Farouk Musa said, “It seems to us that this issue of creed
- asha’irah and maturidiyah - has been weaponised by
the religious authorities in this country to suppress any ideas that
were deemed to be critical of the issues faced by Muslims concerning the
revision of history associated with the Muslim scholars of the previous
generations and any issues related to critical thinking.”
It
is the same with religious totems. The items themselves are not
important, but rather the ideas they inspire for those who hold them in
reverence. It gets to the point when it is Pavlovian in nature.
See
the object, and certain emotions are stirred. Fortunately for us, the
Jalur Gemilang does not have such powers. If it did, there would not be
this need to constantly make people aware of its existence.
Veteran 1972 : As long as they believe they are the Q 3:110 which says that they are the "best of people". Really? They believe that! It encourages religiously sanctioned Apartheid. Google that. Not much hope there.
Mediator : Patriotism cannot be instilled by wearing national flag badges on school uniform.It is much deeper than that. Patriotism will come naturally when a citizen is not regarded as a pendatang , this is his home, he belong here,.he is wanted, welcomed, can see his future here and willing to die for the country where there is equality and justice for all.
On the Other Hand : There will be no national unity as long as Malay Muslim apartheid exists. It is simple as that.
But when elections were called more than two years ago,
Pakatan Harapan knew that it would be a drawcard and featured in its
manifesto: “City councils like DBKL are now seemingly run like private,
for-profit companies that prioritise the interest of developers without
taking any heed to the welfare and interest of residents.
“Therefore,
we need more effective democratisation to protect the interests of the
people. Malaysians have the right to participate in the democratic
process at the local government level to ensure their welfare is
safeguarded.
“The Harapan government will work hard to empower
democracy and transparency in DBKL through systematic methods. This
effort will ensure that all Malaysians can elect representation that is reliable, inclusive, and represents the interests of the people, not the developers.”
DBKL’s lack of transparency, accountability
DBKL
only has an advisory board and does not have appointed councillors. It
also lacks state-level representation, such as state assembly members,
as in other states.
What about the de facto DBKL councillors who
are referred to as advisors? Don’t they have a say in, or are they
required to endorse, any land transaction?
I doubt that any of
them know how many parcels of land have been sold over the years and
will be unable to say if DBKL obtained “fair value” for the land.
There
have been rumours that specific individuals, through their respective
companies, had acquired up to 20 tracts of land each from DBKL. In the
absence of transparency, it will remain so until proven or dismissed.
However,
it is essential to note that most of them are party appointees, and
would they have the gall and gumption to ask questions, let alone raise
objections, or have their wings been clipped? They would rather feign
ignorance, claiming not to have seen or heard anything, lest they not be
reappointed.
Well, like many other promises of reform, we
continue the “tradition” of appointing party members or cronies to local
authority boards as a reward for their loyal services.
Ability, competency, and qualifications do not matter, as you are only expected to raise your hand and say “setuju” (agree) to proposals presented at the meeting.
There was one outstanding exception when the Petaling Jaya mayor tried to overrule the decision of its One-Stop Centre to reject an application to develop a parcel of land.
Councillors
stood up to him, citing Section 26 (1) of the Local Government Act,
which states: “Except as otherwise prescribed, all questions coming
before any meeting of the local authority shall be decided by a majority
of the votes of the councillors present.”
So, who keeps an eye on
their activities and, sometimes, dubious transactions? It is left to
citizens to glean whatever knowledge from leaks and publicly available
information to question land deals, a prime example being the sale of
land meant for a police station in Taman Desa, Kuala Lumpur.
Will we see a glimpse of the reformasi that was promised in DBKL, or will it be another case of reformati?
Media Rallies Against Deportation of Student Who Urged Taking ‘Cue’ from Hamas By Daniel Greenfield
Tuesday, March 25, 2025
Robert Spencer : Any sane country would never have let the likes of Momodou Taal
inside. But we let him in and welcomed him in every possible way as he
chanted support for Islamic terrorism.
While leading an anti-Israel campus demonstration last
year, Taal called on his fellow student protesters to take their “cue
from the armed resistance in Palestine.”
That is to say Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other Jihadist groups.
Taal made a similar statement hours after the October 7
attacks, writing, “The dialect demands: That wherever you have
oppression, you will find those who [are] fighting against it. Glory to
the resistance!”
The ‘dialect’ for that perfect synthesis of the red-green alliance.
Cornell responded to this by not only keeping Taal on campus, but letting him teach a class on how much he hates us.
Also in October 2024, Inside Higher Ed reported that Taal
was “banned from [Cornell’s] campus and from teaching his course—What
Is Blackness? Race and Processes of Racialization.” However, in fall
2024, Cornell released a brochure with a list of courses that included
Taal’s class.
While the Biden administration let Taal rampage, the Trump
administration announced that his visa was being pulled and he was told
to come to ICE and surrender.
Even though Taal had left behind statements endorsing terrorism and
calling for the extermination of Jews, the media and lefties are
rallying on his behalf.
This is what they’re fine with.
Taal took aim at “Zionist-Jewish students at Ivy League institutions.”
“Every single Zionist is a sick sick individual,” he tweeted in 2023.
“And there can be no path forward except for the complete eradication
of Zionism; materially and mentally.” In another tweet, Taal wrote,
“Zionists are indeed the chosen people… Chosen for hell.”
This is Nazi rhetoric. And it has the endorsement of the Left.
The Sinister Way Trump’s DOJ Tried to Deport Cornell Student Protester – The New Republic
He Sued Trump Over Free Speech. Then ICE Demanded He Turn Himself In. – The Intercept
Pro-Israel watchdog takes credit after Cornell pro-Palestinian activist is told to surrender to ICE – JTA
The JTA article is especially egregious as it describes Taal as
merely a “pro-Palestinian activist”, makes no mention of his support for
Hamas or the murder of Jews, but slurs Betar US, which reported him, as
a “militant pro-Israel group”.
It at the end puts “Hamas sympathizers” in quotation marks.
I’ve said this before, I’ll say it again, if you live in an area with
a Jewish paper, it probably runs JTA material, ask it to stop. If it
won’t, boycott it.
CNN likewise covers Taal with the greatest of sympathy, tells the
story from his perspective and that of his Islamist allies, and makes
zero mention of his actual rhetoric, but does repeat the false claim
that the actions against him are “racist, Islamophobic”.
The media is quite okay with Jewish genocide. It’s completely opposed to deporting even the worst Hamas supporter.
We continue to be
bombarded with all kinds of information except the truth, and in its
absence, reliance on social media rubbish has become a Malaysian trait.
There are cures - tested and proven - but the powers-that-be are not interested in dispensing them - depending on the status.
Instead,
the carriers are advised or counselled, and in more severe cases, there
have been warnings and admonishment, hoping at least one will work.
These non-invasive remedies have exacerbated the problem, and other strains have emerged and are spreading uncontrollably.
Most
of the carriers are politicians, and for some reason or another, they
are not treated and are not allowed to continue spreading the disease.
That’s because they are afforded preferential treatment.
“Favourititis”,
equally contagious, is spread when two or more people suffer from the
same disease and are all treated differently.
One is put in
isolation immediately, while the other is counselled and sent home to
continue the spread, and the third with tender-loving parting words:
“Please do not spread the disease.”
Hence, without dispensing the cure, the virus tends to reproduce faster and further, infecting people throughout the country.
Under
these circumstances, it becomes an uphill task to contain the virus.
The manner in which the “movement control order” (used five years ago
during the Covid-19 outbreak) was enforced must be replicated.
A police roadblock during the MCO in 2021
The
disease can be spread nationwide by individuals sitting in the comfort
of their home or office, using their fingers on the keyboard, or
speaking on the screen before them.
Only one part of the body is affected - the mind. Containing the spread is not tricky, but there is a problem.
Law
enforcers, for reasons better known to themselves, are refusing to
prescribe the bitter bill that will isolate infected persons, preferably
in a small cell.
Politicians the biggest offenders
Disease
carriers must be rounded up and isolated, and access to gadgets should
be denied. But will there be political will to do this?
Especially
so when an annual study on racism by civil society group Pusat Komas
recorded 28 cases involving federal lawmakers in Parliament, the highest portion out of a total of 73 cases recorded last year.
The incidents were monitored based on live parliamentary proceedings and the official Hansard.
“Based
on the incidents, it was found that the MPs have used racial and
religious sentiment in their speeches, placing subtle and/or overt hints
of racial superiority, stereotyping, prejudice, and misinformation of
existing laws,” according to the Pusat Komas Malaysia Racism Report
2024.
After
the socks and ham issues, for which hundreds of man-hours were wasted,
we are still embroiled in another problem these days - the relocation of
a Hindu temple in Kuala Lumpur.
Anwar did no one any favours by
claiming that the temple was occupying the land illegally. This earned a
rebuke from certain quarters who put the present imbroglio on the Kuala
Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).
Anwar’s diatribe included a scathing attack on lawyers representing the temple.
“The problem is when (there are) those who take advantage of religious sentiments, including those who are Hindu.
“For
example, there are lawyers who were never involved in Hindu religious
affairs who also became champions and made rash comments, such as
(suggesting that the temple would be) demolished.”
Then, taking
Anwar’s words to be the truth, Umno Youth leader Dr Akmal Salleh joined
the charade by making an idiotic statement and shooting his mouth.
Malaysians want the truth
This
issue, even if resolved amicably, is a prime example of our
administrators - the DBKL is remaining silent or trying to point fingers
to avoid taking the blame.
Many differing explanations have been provided to dispel the notion that the temple is occupying the land illegally.
Why
can’t an official statement outline the events that led to the sale of
the land? Or is it under the impression that it can avoid opening a
Pandora’s Box of land deals and other disreputable transactions by
remaining opaque?
While Anwar advocates and continues to talk
about transparency and accountability, DBKL has retreated into a cocoon,
like a guilty party.
Malaysians want to know the truth from the
horse’s mouth, not rely on half-baked news and half-truths on social
media and from blinkered politicians who have been not generous with the
truth.
I read all
these pieces which talk about the beauty of religion and how the
religion or religions do not advocate anything like this, which is
objectively wrong because any kind of religious dogma or holy texts are
littered with ideas of power and subjugation.
Furthermore, these
people write as if this country is a model of religious acceptance - I
despise the word tolerance - which is complete horse manure.
Forcing
non-believers to submit to your authority, especially if they hold
religious beliefs of their own or do not wish to be bound by any
religious dogma, demonstrates power on a fundamental level.
It is
brute force, a demonstration that non-Muslim beliefs are inconsequential
and that they are bound to religious law even if they choose not to
believe.
They will be forced to acknowledge that even if they do
not submit, they are not beyond religious law and will suffer the
consequences of deviations from such religious observances.
To put
it simply, this is what I have been writing about ever since I claimed
that religious extremism is the existential threat facing our country at
the moment.
The nature of the religious juggernaut is submission.
Submission of will, but more importantly, sweeping away all dissent
until all that is left are people who for whatever reasons submit to the
religious authority of the state.
We are not equal
Why
does the kid think this is a normal thing to ask? Because he
understands when it comes to race and religion, there is a disparity in
treatment.
Sure
he may not articulate it in that way and I am sure he may not find it
oppressive because he understands that ethnicity means that different
social rules apply. So at first, he was compliant, and his compliance
was met with violence.
The elderly man who is accused of slapping a non-Muslim eating at a Family Mart outlet in Angsana, Johor
This
was not about religion. This was about power. Now, obviously, this old
cretin does not have much power. Why did this old man slap this young
kid? Why did he ask what ethnicity this kid was?
Because this old
cretin understands that we are all not equal citizens. He understands
that by virtue of his ethnicity, this kid is not equal in terms of how
the state views the two of them. He reads about how preachers in this
country insult and mock other religions and people and they get away
with it.
So, he knows confronting this kid is normal. He reads the
news. He understands that when it comes to the religion of the state,
whatever he does is justified on religious grounds.
Thedark truth
What
people do not want to talk about is how this old cretin slapping this
kid is like public caning. Indeed, what he did was publically assault
this kid much the same way how the religion of the state makes public
caning part of the religious law in this country.
Keep in mind
that public religious whipping has already been normalised in this
country, with advocates always attempting to broaden its scope.
And
if you think that this kind of zealotry is confined to the echelons of
power in the religious class, read what some folks said when PAS tried
to impose public caning on those who committed adultery, a couple of
years ago.
Here is what a businessperson said in relation to what PAS is attempting to do: “Shahmimi Abdul Aziz, 30, was also supportive of public caning for zina
(adultery) offenders, adding that it should be carried out nationwide.
‘Every state should implement it. Enforcement should also be done on the
offenders’ non-Muslim partners; the punishment must be fair,’ Shahmimi
noted.”
Therein lies the dark truth. Not only are non-Muslims
dealing with a religious hegemon, but we are also dealing with a
group-think that endorses the idea of non-Muslim subjugation to
religious dogma.
All that remains to be seen is will the state
enable such behaviour or sanction it. The former, of course, would just
be another slap on the collective faces of non-Muslims in the country.
The
slap is a petty display of religious power but carries the same
symbolic weight as the power that comes with building a mosque on the
site of a demolished temple.
Time for Some Green Card-Holding Muslim Leaders to be Deported By Stephen M. Kirby
Friday, March 21, 2025
Robert Spencer : …if you are in this
country, to promote Hamas, to promote terrorist organizations…We never
would have let you in if we had known that and now that we know it,
you’re going to leave.[9]
With regard to a matter involving support for the terrorist group
Hezbollah, a Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman stated,
“A visa is a privilege not a right,” the spokeswoman, Tricia
McLaughlin, said in a statement to The New York Times. “Glorifying and
supporting terrorists who kill Americans is grounds for visa issuance to
be denied. This is common-sense security.”[10]
As we can see in the statements arranged alphabetically by speaker in
the latter part of this article, five of the above individuals have
expressed support for terrorists: Aishat, Alhajj, Fazaga, Jallow, and
Kablawi.
There is another section of federal law that allows for the
deportation of visa or green card holders: 8 USC 1227 (4)(C)(i). This
section states:
An alien whose presence or activities in the United States the
Secretary of State has reasonable ground to believe would have
potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United
States is deportable.
This was the basis for the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, the leader of
the pro-Hamas demonstrations at Columbia University, who was arrested
for allegedly circulating “pro-Hamas propaganda flyers.”[11]
So how does this pertain to our seven individuals? Among them, five
of those individuals (Aishat, Elaswalli, El Quesny, Jallow, and Kablawi)
have called for the killing of Jews/Israelis, Christians (Crusaders),
and Arab and Muslim rulers. In terms of our foreign policy, how could
it not have an adverse effect on our relations with the people of Israel
and Arab leaders when we passively allow certain leaders in the Muslim
American community to call for their killing? And how can we discuss
human rights with other nations when we passively allow certain leaders
in the Muslim American community to call for the killing of certain
groups of people?
It is time to ask our federal officials when the deportation of
certain green-card holding leaders in the Muslim American community will
begin.
Statements
Ayman Aishat
On May 3, 2024, Ayman Aishat, Council on American-Islamic Relations
(CAIR) Director of Mosque Engagement, live streamed a Friday Sermon on
the YouTube channel of Masjid Hawthorne, in Hawthorne, CA. In this sermon, he called for Allah to annihilate the “plundering Zionists” and support Hamas:
For us to understand the current circumstances, we don’t have to
go thousands of years back. Just go [back] a hundred years ago, and see
what happened when the Zionist movement went ahead and wanted to get a
small piece of land in the heart of the Muslim nation in Palestine…
Oh Allah, annihilate the plundering Zionist aggressors. Oh Allah,
annihilate them and drive them out of Gaza defeated. Oh Allah, support
our brothers in Gaza, stand by them and accept their martyrs, support
them against our enemies, Your enemies, the enemies of Islam. Oh Allah,
we can see the glad tidings of victory. Oh Allah, we ask that You allow
us to pray in the Al-Aqsa Mosque when it is liberated from these
criminals.
On January 12, 2024, Ayman Aishat delivered a Friday Sermon at a mosque in Harrisburg, PA. In this sermon,
Aishat expressed support for Hamas and called for the Al-Aqsa mosque in
Jerusalem to be liberated “from the plundering Zionist aggressors”:
Oh Allah, grant us victory over our enemies, Your enemies, the
enemies of Islam, for they are no match for You. Oh Allah, stand by our
family, our brothers, the oppressed Muslims in Palestine. Oh Allah,
stand by them in Gaza, and grant them your support. Annihilate their
enemies, our enemies, the enemies of Islam, and those who are hostile
towards Islam and the Muslims, wherever they are. Oh Allah, liberate the
Al-Aqsa Mosque from the plundering Zionist aggressors, and allow us to
pray there before we die.
Sheikh Abdullah Alhajj
On August 9, 2024, Sheikh Abdullah Alhajj gave a Friday Sermon in Highland, IN. In this sermon, he praised Ismail Haniyeh, a leader of Hamas who was killed on July 31, 2024 :
Allah be praised, we had a big hit, a painful strike last week,
when the mujahid Sheikh Ismail Haniyeh was attacked or slaughtered or…
Huh… Assassinated… He was assassinated by the enemies of Islam in a
Muslim country. And he was a doctor. He was a mujahid since he was a
child. When you look at some of his videos when he was like 10-12 years
old, Someone asked him: ‘What do you want to be?’ He said: ‘I want to be
a martyr’…
Palestine has been and is still and will continue to bring and to
give birth to martyrs for the sake of Allah, to defend Islam and the
Muslims, and the holy sites of the Muslims…When they assassinated him,
it was a big hit, it hurt so much, and the entire world felt that, and
thousands of mosques prayed for him, and we continue to supplicate to
Allah: May Allah accept him as a martyr. Yet Palestine will continue to
bring and feed… and to replace martyr after martyr. Allah willing. This
is the fight that Allah told us would continue.
Imam Amro Elaswalli
On October 13, 2023, Imam Amro Elaswalli gave a Friday Sermon at the
Muslim Association of Greater Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania. In this sermon, he referred to the hadith about Muslims killing Jews who are hiding behind trees and rocks[12] and called on Allah to “annihilate the Israelis”:
… We always have hope, the Prophet gave us the promise that is in
an Al-Bukhari [Hadith collection] that there will be a day – and the
Day of Judgment will never come until that day comes – when the Muslims
will fight against the combatant Jews, and they will hide behind trees
and rocks, and on that day the trees and rocks will speak and say: ‘Oh,
Muslims, there is a combatant[[13]]
Jew behind me, come and kill him’… Oh Allah, grant victory to our
oppressed brothers in Palestine. Oh Allah, destroy their enemies, the
enemies of Islam. Oh Allah, annihilate the Israelis, remove them from
the land of Your Prophet. Oh Allah, remove them from the land of Your
Prophet’s Night Journey. Oh Allah, purify the Al-Aqsa Mosque from their
filth.
Imam Sheikh Mongy El Quesny
On November 10, 2023, Imam Sheikh Mongy El Quesny gave a Friday
Sermon at the Northwest Indiana Islamic Center in Crown Point, IN. In
this sermon,
he praised the actions of Hamas, and he called for Allah to “bring
annihilation upon the plundering and criminal Zionists, the hateful
Crusader [Christian] aggressors…”:
What is happening to Gaza is a victory. People think
that victory is [when] you defeat your enemy – no…Victory is when people
stand firm, and adhere firmly to what they believe and they die for
that…
We have here in the United States sending special forces and
special agents, and they are the ones telling the Israelis what to do,
because they know that the Israeli army is the most cowardly army on the
planet. With all these weapons and this technology, they run away from
young men, who are fighting with sneakers on their feet, AK-47s in their
hands, nothing else, but they run like rats…They have no mercy, they
know what happened to their ancestors. They keep bugging us about six
million Jewish people burned in the Holocaust. What are you doing to the
Palestinians? What are you doing? That is what Allah said: ‘Their heart
became hardened’…Oh Allah, bring annihilation upon Your enemies, their
enemies, and our enemies. Oh Allah, count them, kill them one by one,
and do not leave a single one of them alive. Oh Allah, bring
annihilation upon the plundering and criminal Zionists, the hateful
Crusader aggressors, and the treacherous Arab and Muslim rulers. Oh
Allah, demonstrate upon them the wonders of Your might. Oh Allah, seize
them with a crushing grip.
On December 8, 2023, Imam Sheikh Mongy El Quesny gave a Friday Sermon
at the Northwest Indiana Islamic Center in Crown Point, IN. In this sermon,
he asked Allah for victory for Hamas and called for Allah to “bring
annihilation upon the aggressor Zionists, the criminal and spiteful
Crusaders, and the treacherous Arab and Muslim rulers”:
America is the one fighting Palestinians, not Israel. As one
Israeli scholar said, Israel is not a state—it is a project. Israel is a
project of all those Christians. The Crusaders, the West, they failed.
So they are using all of this, preparing for the last war [Armageddon],
for the return of Jesus. So Israel is a project, it is not a state…We
ask Allah for a speedy and perfect victory for our brothers and sisters
in Gaza. This is our central issue—Palestine and Jerusalem, that is our
main issue…Oh, Allah, bring annihilation upon the aggressor Zionists,
the criminal and spiteful Crusaders, and the treacherous Arab and Muslim
rulers. Oh, Allah, count them, kill them one by one, do not leave a
single one alive.
Imam Yassir Fazaga
On November 1, 2024, Imam Yassir Fazaga gave a Friday Sermon at the Memphis Islamic Center in Tennessee. In this sermon, Fazaga lauded Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas who was killed on October 16, 2024:
In Gaza, we just saw one of the beautiful – if not the most
beautiful – Gazan leaders. We have seen these people sell their own
selves for the sake of their people to please Allah. May Allah have
mercy on his soul, oh, Lord of the Universe. You know, this idea of
living like a man and dying like a man… And this man has demonstrated
what it means to die honorably, and that it is to live my life fighting
you, and the very last action in my life was an act of rebellion. Do you
know how many people nowadays look at somebody like [Yahya] Sinwar
and they say that man is a legend. The man is a hero, the man is brave –
he not only talked the talk, but walked the walk.
Imam Alhajie Jallow
On October 13, 2023, Imam Alhajie Jallow gave a Friday Sermon at the Madinah Community Center in Madison, WI. In this sermon, Jallow praised the Hamas fighters and said that Muslims would kill all the Jews:
Our brothers in Gaza are heroes! By Allah, they are warriors,
heroes, they are men, just like the Companions. They do not fear death…
Oh Jews, you unjust, criminal, corrupt oppressors – stop! You
will all most definitely be killed. The Jews, the aggressors, the evil…
You describe them, what they do. By Allah, all of them will be killed
by Muslims. They all will be executed by Muslims. They will all be
killed, this is a divine promise that will inevitably be fulfilled. This
is a promise from Allah and it is going to happen. They will all be
killed. They will all be killed, and on that day, the believers will
rejoice in Allah’s victory.
Dr. Fadi Kablawi
On November 24, 2023, Dr. Fadi Kablawi gave a lecture at Masjid As Sunna An Nabawiyyah in North Miami, FL. In this lecture
(at 28:23), he expressed support for Hamas, called for Allah to support
Hamas against the “tyrannical Jews,” and called for Allah to annihilate
the Zionists:
My major warning to myself and to everybody is we go back to
prior of October 7th…that we go back to what happened before October 7th
to think that we can trust these people, to think that these people
will not do it again. To think that these people are going to leave our
land. To think that these people are not oppressive…We, as Muslims, need
to keep our mind and our eyes toward the prize…From the river to the
sea. From the river to the sea…[Following statements translated from Arabic by MEMRI:] Oh
Allah, support our brothers in Palestine against the tyrannical Jews.
Oh Allah, support our brothers in Gaza against the tyrannical Jews. Oh
Allah, bring annihilation upon the Zionists, for they are not match for
you. Oh Allah, bring annihilation upon them, for they are not match for
you. Oh Allah, shake the ground under their feet. Oh Allah, shatter
their unity, disperse their gathering, and make their hearts quake.
On March 8, 2024, Dr. Fadi Kablawi spoke at the Masjid As Sunna An Nabawiyyah in North Miami, FL. During this talk
(at 30:24), he accused the “Nazi Zionists” of murdering over 30,000
people, supported by the “Zionist regime in Washington.” He called for
Allah to support the mujahideen[14] and annihilate the “accursed Zionists”:
What happens in Gaza, I promise you, gonna propagate…Over 30,000
people already murdered by Nazi Zionists supported by Zionist regime in
Washington. All Zionist Nazis. There is no difference between them and
Hitler or anybody else who behaved like that…No difference between
Republicans and Democrats. They’re all same idea [unintelligible] Satan. That’s all what rules them…[Following statements translated from Arabic by MEMRI:]
Oh Allah, support their mujahideen. Oh Allah, guide their shooting. Oh
Allah, support them with your soldiers. Oh Allah, bring annihilation
upon the enemies of Islam. Oh Allah, bring annihilation upon the
accursed Zionists. Oh Allah, curse them and then curse them some more…Oh
Allah, bring annihilation upon the Zionists, the hypocrites, and the
enemies of Islam…Oh Allah, support our mujahideen.
On April 26, 2024, Dr. Fadi Kablawi gave a Friday Sermon at the Masjid As Sunna An Nabawiyyah in North Miami, FL. In this sermon
(at 26:10), he accused the Israeli army of harvesting human organs, and
called for Allah to “support our oppressed brothers in Palestine” and
“annihilate the tyrannical Jews”:
[Referring to Israel’s army] The most immoral army, Nazis, worse
than Nazis, and I apologized to Nazis last week, because these people
have proven to be worse than the Nazis…They steal the skin of the
Palestinians. Not enough they stole their land, now they steal their
skins. Organs missing, from children, from adults, organs are missing.
Go and find who is behind organ trading in this country or in this
world. Go ask the Haitians, when they had the earthquake, what happened
there with these Israeli organizations going under medical help…The guy
will come limping into their tents for treatment. He will walk out, he
will be carried out dead, organs missing. All that is because there is
no God for these people. All that because these people look at you as
nothing but a mistake. Or the best, you were created for their service.
That’s what they believe, that’s what they say…[Following statements translated from Arabic by MEMRI:] Oh
Allah, support our oppressed brothers in Palestine. Oh Allah,
annihilate the tyrannical Jews. Oh Allah, annihilate them for they are
no match for you. Oh Allah, annihilate the brothers of apes and pigs…Oh
Allah, cut off their seed. Oh Allah, break up their fellowship. Oh
Allah, disperse them and render them asunder.
Dr. Stephen M. Kirby is the author of six books and numerous articles about Islam. His latest book is Islamic Doctrine versus the U.S. Constitution: The Dilemma for Muslim Public Officials.
[2]
According to a 2020 study of mosques, 68% of the imams in the United
States were born outside the United States. See: Dr. Ihsan Bagby,
“Mosque Administration,” “The American Mosque 2020: Growing and
Evolving,” https://ispu.org/report-1-mosque-survey-2020/#participants.
[12]
Muhammad taught that the end times would come when Muslims fight
against and kill the Jews. During that battle, even the rocks and trees
would call out if a Jew was hiding behind them:
Abu Huraira reported that Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon
him) had said: The last hour would not come unless the Muslims will
fight against the Jews and the Muslims would kill them will [sic]
the Jews would hide themselves behind a stone or a tree and a stone or a
tree would say: Muslim, or the servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind
me; come and kill him; but the tree Gharqad would not say, for it is the
tree of the Jews.
Abu’l Hussain ‘Asakir-ud-Din Muslim bin Hajjaj al-Qushayri al-Naisaburi, Sahih Muslim, trans. ‘Abdul Hamid Siddiqi (New Delhi, India: Adam Publishers and Distributors, 2008), Vol. 8, No. 2922, p. 349.
On another occasion Muhammad just referred to Jews hiding behind the stones:
Narrated Abu Hurairah: Allah’s Messenger said, “The Hour will not
be established until you fight against the Jews, and the stone behind
which a Jew will be hiding will say, ‘O Muslim! There is a Jew hiding
behind me, so kill him.’”
Muhammad bin Ismail bin Al-Mughirah al-Bukhari, Sahih Al-Bukhari, trans. Muhammad Muhsin Khan (Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Darussalam, 1997), Vol. 4, Book 56, No. 2926, p. 113.
[13] In neither of the authoritative hadiths above is the word “combatant” used to describe the Jew.
[14] Mujahideen are Fighters in the Cause of Allah (Jihad). They are promised Paradise if they become martyrs by dying while fighting in that Cause.
Muhammad stressed the importance of martyrdom and stated that martyrs would be admitted to Paradise:
Narrated Abu Hurairah: The Prophet said, “Allah assigns for a
person who participates in (holy battles) in Allah’s Cause and nothing
causes him to do so except belief in Allah and in His Messengers, that
he will be recompensed by Allah either with a reward, or booty (if he
survives) or will be admitted to Paradise (if he is killed in the battle
as a martyr).” The Prophet added: “Had I not found it difficult for my
followers, then I would not remain behind any Sariya (an army-unit)
going for Jihad and I would have loved to be martyred in Allah’s Cause
and then made alive, and then martyred and then made alive, and then
again martyred in His Cause.”
Muhammad bin Ismail bin Al-Mughirah al-Bukhari, Sahih Al-Bukhari, trans. Muhammad Muhsin Khan (Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Darussalam, 1997), Vol. 1, Book 2, No. 36, pp. 72-73.
In Koran Chapter 9, Verse 111, Allah also promised Paradise to the martyrs:
Verily, Allah has purchased of the believers their lives and
their properties for (the price) that theirs shall be Paradise. They
fight in Allah’s Cause, so they kill (others) and are killed…
In Islam, the munafiqun ('hypocrites', Arabic: منافقون, singular منافق munāfiq) or false Muslims or false believers
are a group decried in the Quran as outward Muslims who were inwardly
concealing disbelief ("kufr") and actively sought to undermine the
Muslim community.
In Islam, "munafiq" (Arabic: المنافق) refers to a religious hypocrite, someone who outwardly professes faith but secretly disbelieves or acts against it.
Sabah scandal a Madani blueprint for successive govts By Commander S THAYAPARAN (Retired) Royal Malaysian Navy
Malaysiakini : Latheefa Koya, the former MACC chief, has claimed that someone high up
threatened the whistleblower. Let us assume that there is a conspiracy
to silence the whistleblower and cover up this corruption scandal.
The
politically strategic thing for Madani to do is to announce that the
government takes these allegations extremely seriously and an
investigation would be carried out.
The whistleblower would be afforded protection by the state, and the graftbusting body would have carried out an investigation.
This
way, Madani could have stage-managed everything, mitigated the damage
and generated optics that would make it seem that Madani was tackling
corruption seriously.
Instead, what we witnessed was a manure show
of epic proportions. This, to me at least, demonstrated that Madani
does not even care what the rakyat thinks.
Instead,
the participants in this sordid drama are issuing laughable denials,
the MACC by perception is seen to be either abetting or enabling their
denials and the political class remains silent.
The way things are and willcontinue to be
Why,
for instance, is the opposition not making this an issue? Well, because
they understand that this is the way they are going to handle things
when they assume power.
In fact, by remaining silent, they allow
Madani to be the corrupt party in this, and what they say will not come
back to bite their behinds when they assume power and do the same thing.
Prime
Minister Anwar Ibrahim, whose platform on the campaign trail was
governmental corruption and malfeasance, has now become the poster boy
for enabling the kleptocratic class.
Anwar claimed the charges against his number two, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, were politically motivated.
Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (left) and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim
He
has defended convicted felon and former prime minister Najib Abdul
Razak’s reduced sentence. His home minister apparently has the power to
define any location as a prison.
And
now, of course, his number two publicly hopes that another former prime
minister gets the “justice” he did when it comes to the latter’s
corruption investigation.
If this is not a “wink, wink”, I do not know what is.
All part of complex, corrupt system
Let
us be honest here. We can talk about “big fishes” when it comes to
corruption, but recall when Pakatan Harapan was in power for the first
time.
Remember when the investigation into former Sarawak governor
Abdul Taib Mahmud - perhaps the white whale of oppositional talking
points when it came to corruption - came to a standstill?
Then de facto law minister Liew Vui Keong said: “They were not new evidence that would allow MACC to open a new investigation paper.”
At
the time, Latheefa said of the status of high-profile cases: “However,
not all complaints ended up being investigated, especially those with
evidence which were just printouts from the internet.”
Former MACC chief commissioner Latheefa Koya
This
was a really queer thing to say because Harapan made its case against
corruption from printouts from the internet or at the very least had no
problem making such cases against their political adversaries.
Now,
do not get me wrong. I think that Latheefa and Lawyers For Liberty are
doing good work here, but ultimately, what they are doing is exposing
the corruption of the system in place, one which has been sustained
because of the will of the political class and its factotums.
The
entire political system of this country is part of a complex ecosystem
of private and public interests that seek not only political hegemony
but also religious hegemony.
We are not dealing with corrupt individuals within a system but rather a system of corruption with a few honest men and women.
Rotten to the core, for decades
Corruption
is not a recent phenomenon, but rather it is part of the DNA of the
organism fueled by racial and religious imperatives and a compromised
electoral system.
Umno/BN designed the system, and Madani is
attempting to replicate it, so any attempt at corrective measures is met
by a deluge of propaganda or the spectre of the “Green Wave”.
Let
us not forget that when we talk of corruption we are not only talking
about the corruption of the political elites but also of institutions
which are considered sacred cows to the bangsa (race) and agama (religion) crowd.
So
you see, even though I believe that there are many honest political
operatives in Harapan, they are outnumbered by people who are willing to
make compromises and sustain the system either for political gain or
because they are so narcotised by their political party that to make
waves would be detrimental to their political survival.
The tragedy here is that Madani is doing something about corruption, albeit nothing that would reform the system.
This
is something that PN is not even capable of doing. When it comes to
corruption in this country, it truly is the devil’s alternative.
Saddick Kunt the Islamofascist bans Alcohol Within City Limits
Sunday, March 16, 2025
SHARIA LAW IS COMING! X : London Mayor @MayorofLondon Announces Controversial Alcohol Ban Within City Limits - March 10, 2025 | By Sarah Kensington, Senior Correspondent
LONDON – In a stunning move that has sparked outrage and debate across the capital, London’s Muslim Lord Mayor, Sadiq Khan, announced plans to ban the sale and consumption of alcohol within city limits, citing public health, safety, and cultural considerations.
The unprecedented proposal, unveiled during a press conference at City Hall on Monday, would make London the first major Western city to enact such a sweeping restriction.
Khan, who has served as mayor since 2016, framed the decision as a bold step toward addressing the city’s rising rates of alcohol-related crime and health issues.
“For too long, we’ve turned a blind eye to the damage excessive drinking causes our communities,” Khan said. “This is about creating a safer, more inclusive London for all its residents.” He also nodded to his personal faith, noting that Islamic teachings, which prohibit alcohol, had informed his perspective, though he insisted the policy was not religiously motivated.
The proposed ban would apply to all 32 boroughs of Greater London, outlawing the sale of alcoholic beverages in shops, pubs, and restaurants, as well as public consumption. A six-month transition period would allow businesses to adapt, with exemptions reportedly under consideration for private residences and certain religious ceremonies.
Penalties for violations could include hefty fines or jail time, though details remain vague pending legislative approval.
Reaction was swift and polarized. Pub owners and hospitality leaders decried the move as an economic death sentence. “This is the end of London as we know it,” said Tom Harrow, owner of The Red Lion in Westminster.
“Pubs are woven into the fabric of this city—how can you ban something so quintessentially British?” The British Hospitality Association estimated that the ban could cost the industry over £10 billion annually and threaten hundreds of thousands of jobs.
Meanwhile, some community leaders praised the initiative.
Imam Yusuf Ahmed of the East London Mosque called it “a courageous step toward a healthier society,” though he acknowledged it might face resistance in a city known for its liberal attitudes. Public opinion appears split, with a snap poll by YouGov showing 43% in favor, 51% opposed, and 6% undecided.
Opposition politicians wasted no time in attacking the proposal. Conservative MP James Carver accused Khan of “imposing his personal beliefs on millions,” while Reform UK leader Nigel Farage took to X, writing, “First they came for our pints, and I said enough is enough. London’s gone mad.”
Even some Labour Party allies expressed unease, with one anonymous MP warning of a “cultural backlash.”
Legal experts question whether the mayor has the authority to enact such a ban without parliamentary approval, pointing to the limits of City Hall’s jurisdiction. The Home Office declined to comment, saying only that it would “review any formal proposal.”
Khan’s office insists the plan will be submitted to the London Assembly for debate next month, with public consultations to follow.
The announcement has also reignited discussions about identity and multiculturalism in Britain. Social media platforms, particularly X, erupted with hashtags like #LondonDry and #SaveOurPints trending by midday.
One user posted, “Sadiq’s turning London into Riyadh—where’s the vote on this?” Another countered, “Alcohol’s a blight. Good on him for doing something radical.”
As the capital braces for what promises to be a contentious battle, one thing is clear: Khan’s legacy—and London’s future—may hinge on whether this audacious gamble pays off.
For now, Londoners are left nursing their last legal pints, wondering what comes next.
Ramadan in Europe: When Muslims Stop Being Polite and Start Being Real By Hugh Fitzgerald
Saturday, March 15, 2025
Robert Spencer : This Ramadan, two Muslim
girls on a bus in Italy took it upon themselves to act like the
religious police in Iran and Saudi Arabia, enforcing Muslim strictures —
but in this case, they decided to hit, slap, beat up, a non-Muslim girl
for not observing a Muslim law while screaming “it’s Ramadan. You can’t
eat anything.” The story is here: “Two girls beat up a girl their age
on the bus for a sandwich: ‘It’s Ramadan, you can’t eat.’ Then they
attack the driver,” translated from “Due ragazze picchiano coetanea sul
bus per un panino: “C’è il Ramadan, non puoi mangiare”. Poi aggrediscono
l’autista,” Il Giorno, March 5, 2025 (thanks to Medforth):
Attack on board a bus on the Cremona-Spinadesco line. Two
girls of foreign origin allegedly slapped an Italian girl of the same
age because she was eating a sandwich on the bus, insulting her: “Bitch,
you can’t eat, it’s Ramadan”. When the driver then intervened to defend
the young woman, the two allegedly pushed him and scratched him in the
face, breaking his glasses and sending him to the emergency room.
The facts, reported by the newspaper La Provincia di Cremona,
supposedly occurred on Tuesday, March 4 and were recounted by the driver
himself, 52 years old, once he left the hospital after five days of
treatment. The man said that some women raised the alarm: “Driver, they
are fighting, stop!”. At that point he stopped, opened all the doors and
ordered them to get off the bus. “I saw that at that moment they were
slapping the Italian girl. I immediately called the police who arrived
immediately, within a couple of minutes”.
The bus driver was hospitalized for five days. That means his wounds
were not minor. The two girls had broken his glasses — did shards of
that glass enter his eyes? Or was there some other injury that would
require that five-day stay in the hospital?
Think about it. These two Muslim girls saw an Italian girl quietly
eating a sandwich. They were enraged at this violation of what is
supposed to be a rule observed only by Muslims during the holy month, of
Ramadan. Muslims must not eat during the day. The girl was not a
Muslim, but Italy, in their eyes, was no longer her country. For them,
it is a place where millions of Muslims now live, and Muslim rules,
those girls beating her believed, must apply to everyone, Muslim and
non-Muslim alike.
The girls were made to get off, but when one of the two
jumped off the bus – said the driver – “she pushed me in the stomach.
The other one then started pushing me, broke my glasses, scratched my
face”. The driver said he will file a complaint with the police,
attaching the medical report.
The news has sparked strong reactions. The attack was harshly
criticized by the Muslim community. “Muslims living in Italy must
respect the laws of the country and behave as responsible citizens. If
we want to be respected, we must first of all respect others and the
context in which we live,” commented Aftab Ahmed, a member of the
Immigrants’ Council and president of the association Immigrati Cittadini
Onlus of Cremona.
“It is deeply deplorable and goes against the principles of Islam, as
well as against the laws and values of Italian society. Islam,” added
Aftab, “teaches respect, not imposition. It promotes tolerance,
peaceful coexistence. And Ramadan, in particular, is not just a month of
fasting, but a period of inner purification, self-control and
solidarity. Fasting does not simply mean abstaining from food and water,
but also from intolerance, arrogance and aggression. No one has the
right to impose their religious practices on others, much less by force.
Whether it is Ramadan or any other religious occasion, we must
demonstrate through our actions that our faith teaches tolerance,
respect and peaceful coexistence. Every violation of the rules does not
only harm the individual, but compromises the image of the entire Muslim
community.”
Damage control from Aftab Ahmed, as befits his communal position.. He
had to say something to distance the “Muslim community” from this
outrage. A question for Mr. Aftab Ahmed: Do your imams preach the same
message in the mosques, instructing Muslims that they must not try to
enforce Muslim rules on non-Muslims, and must always obey the laws of
the (Infidel) land? The fact is there are too many incidents, all over
Western Europe, where Muslims try to enforce Muslim rules on
non-Muslims, and not only during Ramadan.
In contrast, the deputy of the Lega, Silvia Sardone,
defined the incident as “emblematic of what the most radical Islam is:
violence and oppression towards those who are not Muslims. And yet there
are still some, on the left, who continue to bow to the growing
Islamization, closing schools for Ramadan, adapting the canteen menus to
please the various Muslim communities and even allowing the niqab in
class.”
Last year, a K-12 public school near Milan closed for the Feast of
Eid al-Fitr, held on the last day of Ramadan, thus forcing the majority
of students who were not Muslim, and their parents, to rearrange their
schedules, find babysitters for the younger children, in order to
accommodate a Muslim minority. In some Italian schools, pork products
have been banned so as not to offend Muslims. The niqab, which covers
the face but allows a slit for the eyes has been allowed as suitable
clothing in a few schools. All of this has angered many Italians,
including the head of the Lega Party, Matteo Salvini.
What will happen to those two girls? How old are they? If old enough,
will they be charged with assault and battery on both the girl with the
sandwich and the bus driver? After serving their sentences or paying
their fines, could they be deported when they are no longer minors? How
likely is it that they will ever become productive, law-abiding, and
non-violent citizens of Italy, and not permanent drains on the exchequer
and presences threatening to Infidels when out in public? You know the
answer to that.
Mahmoud Khalil and the Freedom of Speech By Hugh Fitzgerald
Thursday, March 13, 2025
Robert Spencer : The uproar over the recent arrest and pending deportation
of Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil has begun. Like an unruly
guest who has spilled one too many glasses of wine on my rug, I welcome
his timely removal from our country.
Yes, his deportation is extraordinary and should give any American
pause. It is not every day that the U.S. government takes such decisive
action against a university student for their so-called “political
speech.” But should Khalil’s advocacy for Hamas—along with his support
for the hordes of zealous Palestinian “civilians” who gleefully and
grotesquely committed the atrocities of October 7—not be regarded as
even more extraordinary?
The real question is: Which should shock us more—Khalil’s likely
removal, or the reality that a guest in our country, within one of our
major American universities no less, was not only permitted—but actively
aided in fomenting hatred for Jews and publicly supporting Hamas, a
designated terrorist organization responsible for some of the most
brutal atrocities in modern history?
Free speech is, of course, a central issue here. The First Amendment
guarantees the right to express even the most offensive opinions. Yet,
even in the freest societies, there are limits.
To refresh your memory:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,
or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of
speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
The government has long drawn a line between free speech and
incitement. According to reports Mahmoud Khalil crossed that line—from
‘peaceable’ protest to incitement to the manifestation of actual
violence.
The Limits of Free Speech
Khalil, an international student on a green card, allegedly engaged
in activities that not only glorified Hamas but also actively
disseminated its propaganda and facilitated campus demonstrations that
escalated into outright intimidation of Jewish students.
This isn’t a simple case of a student voicing unpopular views. It’s
about whether a person residing in this country should be permitted to
openly advocate for a terrorist organization that has tortured, raped,
and murdered civilians, including Americans, in cold blood. And as of
this writing, Hamas is still holding 59 hostages in Gaza. This includes
24 individuals presumed to be alive—22 Israelis, one Thai national, and
one Nepali national. Additionally, the bodies of 35 hostages who were
confirmed dead remain in Hamas’s custody.
Imagine the Double Standard
Consider for a moment if a student had led massive rallies praising
the Ku Klux Klan and calling for violence against Black students. Or if a
campus group openly cheered attacks against LGBTQ+ people. Or imagine a
university allowing a student to distribute materials praising the
murder of Latinos and calling for the destruction of Mexico, El
Salvador, or Colombia.
Would anyone hesitate to remove that student?…
It’s a cri de coeur, from a long way down. Read the rest here. I found it impressive. And, just possibly, you may, too.
Saifuddin confirms selective 3R prosecution By R Nadeswaran
Tuesday, March 11, 2025
Malaysiakini : What serious offence did the duo commit to warrant such treatment?
The
police force, especially then inspector-general of police Khalid Abu
Bakar, said the arrests were made for “insulting Islam” after the death
of PAS spiritual leader Haron Din the previous day.
In Ooi’s case, the police interpreted the Spanish word adios (goodbye) as derogatory.
The
truth is that the police can be “super-efficient” if they choose. If it
is argued that this incident occurred in September 2016 and the
situation has changed, let’s look at a later case.
In March last
year, Ricky Shane Cagampang, 33, pleaded guilty in the Kota Kinabalu
Sessions Court to making a Facebook post deemed insulting to Islam
concerning the sale of socks bearing the word Allah.
The
case was investigated, and the offender was arrested, got a nod from
the Attorney-General’s Chambers, produced in court, convicted, and sent
to prison - all in five days.
Velvet gloves for PAS
Last week, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail both claimed the police do not use favouritism or double standards in investigating cases related to race, religion, and royalty.
But on Sunday, Saifuddin told a different story.
He
said that if Putrajaya is strict in enforcing laws involving the “3R”
issues of religion, race, and royal institution, leaders from PAS would
make up most of those implicated.
“I can confirm that if action
were taken based on existing laws, many of (PAS secretary-general)
Takiyuddin Hassan’s colleagues would be affected,” Sinar Harian quoted him as saying.
“If
I or the police were to enforce provisions under the Penal Code, the
(Communications and Multimedia Act), or other laws, they would be among
the most frequently penalised,” he added.
So,
he is confirming that members of the Islamic party are treated with
velvet gloves and, above all, there is selective police action and
prosecution.
Is this why no action has been taken against those making provocative statements touching the 3Rs?
Is Zamri untouchable too?
Is
this why Muslim convert preacher Zamri Vinoth has not been touched and
allowed to continue to taunt and mock the Hindu religion on social
media?
Preacher Zamri Vinoth
Zamri last week said Hindus performing the Kavadi ritual “dance” are like those who are drunk or possessed.
After Meta removed his post on Sunday, he re-posted it later that night, claiming he did not need to be remorseful for his remarks as he only stated facts.
He
defiantly wrote: “I only stated facts and truth. No court has decided
that what I wrote insulted anyone nor has there been a ruling telling me
to remove the post.”
Is this why he defies the government and its institutions with impunity?
Is
this why calls by government MPs and ministers continue to fall on deaf
ears? Is Zamri one of those “untouchables” like PAS leaders who can say
anything and everything as if above the law?
This is not the
first time Zamri has mocked, ridiculed, and scorned the Hindu religion
and it will not be the last. He will continue his tirade unless he faces
the full wrath of the law.
But when the police close the files on his cases and classify them as “NFA” (no further action), can we expect anything?
Anwar
and Saifuddin cannot pull wool over our eyes and continue to say one
thing and do another. They must ensure that the laws of the land are
applied equally and fairly to all.
Zamri mocks Jakim By Commander S THAYAPARAN (Retired) Royal Malaysian Navy
Monday, March 10, 2025
Malaysiakini : COMMENT | We should start with what Zamri Vinoth said: “If you find it upsetting, then stop doing it so that others won’t follow.
“If you choose to continue, then don’t be offended (when others mock it). So, pick one.”
He is saying that the religious practices of Hindus are debased (macam orang kena rasuk) while intoxicated (mabuk todi), but if you do not want people to mock your debased practices, stop doing them.
In
other words, Zamri, who has links with the state religious bureaucracy,
is telling Hindus that they have to stop their religious practices if
they do not want people to mock them.
If you listen to what Zamri
says or even Ridhuan Tee Abdullah, another state-linked religious
convert, you will notice the echoes of what Zakir Naik pushes in his
“inspirational” sermons.
This idea that there is something wrong
with your faith is why conversion is necessary to ameliorate doubts
about your faith and circumstances.
You have to understand who
Zamri is - a preacher who was arrested and then released in 2019 for a
sermon which insulted Hindus in Malaysia.
Perlis mufti Asri Zainul Abidin claimed that Zamri was only testifying when it came to his personal experience with the Hindu faith.
What Zamri was doing as a professional proselytiser was creating a narrative for Muslims to use to convert Hindus in the course of his professional duties.
Understanding Zamri
You have to understand the role of a preacher like Zamri.
A
follower of Zakir and member of Angkatan Skuad Mubaligh Malaysia, Zamri
is known as an “independent” preacher as if there are a plurality of
Islamic narratives in this country. There isn’t.
Zamri Vinoth with fellow preacher Zakir Naik (right)
The
Islamic Development Department (Jakim) hooked up with Zamri in 2017 to
give courses on the Tamil language to increase productivity when it
comes to proselytising in a multilingual milieu.
What
this course was supposed to do was make it easier for Muslim preachers
(state-sanctioned) attempting to convert Indians, using Tamil as an
entry point into their lives.
The idea of Muslim converts as the perfect vehicles to proselytise is nothing new.
Ridhuan,
for instance, always pleaded “special knowledge” when it came to the
Chinese community, hence, his “attacks” against the community had the
appearance of legitimacy to a certain section of the Muslim community.
This idea of using converts to preach is propagated by proselytising faiths all over the world.
I understand the Hindu outrage when it comes to what Zamri said.
While
most Hindus expect their faith to be mocked, especially in the current
political climate, the reason why the video of these deejays mocking
Thaipusam struck close to home was that this spiritual experience is
both personal and public to the community.
It is a personal act of devotion on public display. This, of course, means it is open to interpretation and discussion.
Power to sanction
The
problem with the religious discourse in this country is not that people
are going about insulting each other’s religion, but rather the state
has the power to sanction people for trespassing on religious and racial
issues.
This power is often applied unequally, with the
state-sanctioned religion and its adherents getting off scot-free, when
the same does not apply to the other religions.
The question is, will the state take action against Zamri, or will the religious apparatus of the state take action against him?
The state apparatus took days to take action against Zamri’s post.
This
preacher, in response to a rather dumb debate challenge by MIC, claimed
that this was probably the first time in history that a Hindu MP was up
for debate, which just goes to show you how ignorant this preacher is.
If this had been a transgression against the religion of the state, all hell would have broken loose.
Clearly, if you follow Jakim’s reasoning, Zamri did something that went against the tenets of Islam.
However,
various Muslim political leaders have cautioned against raising
religious sentiments instead of calling for the sanction of this
preacher.
Maybe he did this because he thinks that since he has
been arrested by the state and let off, sued by people and let off and
has faced no sanctions from the state religious bureaucracy, he believes
that what he said was in accordance with the teachings of Islam and the
ideas promulgated by Jakim.
Or is Zamri mocking Jakim? Maybe
Jakim understands that whoever is backing him is more powerful and has
more influence than Jakim?
Maybe Zamri understands that Jakim will
not take action against someone whom the state has relied on in their
proselytising efforts?
Sowing discontent
What
we are dealing with here are state-sponsored religious provocateurs. We
are dealing with people whose aim is to sow discontent in the Indian
Malaysian community.
The fact that Zamri continues to be a state
actor when it comes to religious discourse should tell us something
about the way Jakim views other religions.
The fact that Zamri can
openly mock the supposed tenets of Jakim and the religion of the state
is demonstrative of how much influence he and his ilk have over Madani.
You have to wonder, is the state enabling Zamri to engage in Zakir-type proselytising?
Libyans Face Death Penalty for Converting to Christianity By Uzay Bulut
Friday, March 07, 2025
Robert Spencer : Libya’s current population is 6,812,000; approximately 35,500
Christians remain there (0.5% of the population). Yet this tiny
Christian community is exposed to severe persecution.
In Libya, converting to Christianity is a crime punishable by death. For instance, a Christian convert from a Muslim background received a death sentence in September 2022. He remains imprisoned while his case is pending with the Supreme Court.
In March 2023, at least six Libyan Christians from a Muslim background were also arrested. The authorities tried to force them (under torture) to recant their faith. At the same time, two American Christians were arrested and forcibly expelled from the country following accusations of proselytizing.
The main Christian groups in Libya currently consist of Sub-Saharan migrants and some Egyptian Copts. Open Doors reports
that all Coptic Orthodox churches in the country have been destroyed or
abandoned. The remaining Sub-Saharan African Christians are doubly
vulnerable to persecution and discrimination based on race and religion.
There are few church buildings that remain standing in Libya. They
remain vulnerable targets for an attack, especially by Islamic groups.
Virtually all Muslims in Libya belong to Sunni Islam. Sharia law is
upheld throughout the country. Muslim converts to Christianity face
violent pressure from family, their community and the government to
renounce their new faith. Hence, most Libyan nationals who are
Christians keep their faith secret.
Homes where Christians live and the small shops that they run are vulnerable to being targeted by criminal groups, radical Islamic groups, and even government officials.
As in most Muslim countries, converting from Islam brings massive
social pressure and converts are always most at risk first from their
families. Libyan Christians are often afraid to meet with other
Christians since any kind of non-Islamic religious gathering, including
worship at churches, is forbidden for Libyans.
Depending on the region, migrants may gather in (house) churches but
doing so exposes them to serious security risks; thus, many stay away
out of fear. Even so, they still face threats of kidnapping and other
forms of abuse.
Bringing Arabic Christian literature and Bibles into the country is
strictly forbidden. Proselytizing or missionary activity among Muslims
is officially prohibited.
According to the research conducted by Open Doors, in Libya, in recent years,
Both convert and migrant Christians in Libya have been detained for
faith-related reasons. Tribal groups, as well as government officials
(who are often connected to radical Islamic groups or militias), are
responsible for such detentions.
Several church buildings and other places of Christian worship have
experienced being attacked. They are often demolished or damaged.
Several Sub-Saharan African Christians have been kidnapped for ransom.
Several Christian migrants (mostly from Sub-Saharan African
countries) held in detention centers in Libya have reportedly been raped
and beaten.
Slavery, forced labor and human trafficking are still widespread despite an international outcry in 2017 when CNN showedvideo evidence of an auction of Sub-Saharan Africans. Many of the Sub-Saharan African migrants are Christian.
Women have a lower position within Libyan family life than men, caused by tribal norms corresponding to Sharia.
If suspected of being interested in Christianity, a Libyan woman can
face house arrest, sexual assault, forced marriage or even death.
Christian migrant women crossing Libya are also vulnerable to
abduction and trafficking, especially when separated from their male
companions, such as is common at migrant detention centers. They are
reported to have been forced into prostitution.
Women often experience sexual violence because of their faith,
sometimes as a form of punishment. They encounter social and cultural
barriers to the prosecution of any offense.
Christian men face loss of employment, physical and mental abuse, and eviction from their family home.
Libyan men and boys have been increasingly forced to fight in
militias, causing many to flee their hometowns to evade such a fate.
Libya is currently divided between two governments: the Government of
National Accord (GNA) headed by Abdul Hamid Dbeibah in Tripoli and a
government in Benghazi under the protection of Khalifa Haftar and his
Libyan Arab Armed Forces (LAAF).
Parliamentary and presidential elections were originally planned for 2021 but were indefinitely postponed after major disagreements erupted between all political factions.
Representatives of both the Eastern-based House of Representatives and Western-based High Council of State are now working on a new election framework, but it is unlikely that any major faction will agree to ceding power.
“Having just one central government controlling the whole of Libya
would seem to be the only way to end the lawlessness in the country… But
whatever the outcome, the situation for converts from Islam to
Christianity will remain very sensitive and insecure,” notes Open Doors.
It is not only Christians who are subject to severe abuse in Libya.
Ibadi and Sufi Muslims in Libya who do not belong to the Sunni Islamic
traditions also face violations
in the form of violent attacks by Sunni militant groups. They also face
general discrimination in society. In addition, atheists and those who
openly question Sunni Islamic doctrine are very much at risk.
Libya, however, was once a majority-Christian land.
The area of North Africa which has been known as Libya since 1911 was part of the Roman, then later the Byzantine (Eastern Roman) Empire, between 146 BC and 643 AD.
The name of the country comes from the Ancient Greek Λιβύη “Libue”
which, at the time, referred to the continent of Africa in general.
In ancient times, Greeks, Assyrians and Persians, among others, ruled
parts of Libya. The Greeks left profound traces in ancient Libya.
Cyrene, for instance, was an ancient Greek city in Libya, founded in 631 BC by a community of Greek emigrants from the island of Thera in the Aegean.
Cyrene became
one of the great intellectual centres of the classical world, providing
a medical school. There were renowned scholars such as the geographer
Eratosthenes, and the philosopher Aristippus, founder of the Cyrenaics.
In 96 BC Cyrenaica came under Roman rule and in 67 BC was united with
Crete to form a senatorial province, with Cyrene as local capital. With
the Roman conquest, the entire region of present-day Libya became part
of the Roman Empire.
The territory of modern Libya had separate histories until Roman
times, as Tripolitania and Cyrenaica. The origins of Christianity in
Libya are also ancient because its foundation is attributed by many
historians to the Evangelist Saint Mark.
From about A.D. 68 till the Muslim conquest of A.D. 643,
Libya housed a vibrant, creative Christian community that contributed to
the shape of the faith even as we know it today. By the mid-190s A.D.,
Leptis Magna could claim favorite sons as the Roman pontiff, Victor the
African, and as the Roman emperor, Septimius Severus. A rich and
energetic community produced a wide variety of key players from early
martyrs to great thinkers to arch-heretics.
The brightest period of Roman Libya was under emperor Septimius Severus, born in Leptis Magna.
“Leptis Magna was enlarged and embellished by Septimius Severus, who
was born there and later became emperor. It was one of the most
beautiful cities of the Roman Empire, with its imposing public
monuments, harbour, market-place, storehouses, shops and residential
districts,” says UNESCO.
Tragically, this civility was not to last. North Africa was invaded
by Arab armies in the seventh century. That’s when its downfall began –
alongside the process of violent Arabization and Islamization.
What is left today of the once Roman, Greek, Christian Libya? A country in perpetual war, ruined by Islamic barbarians.
Once a heartland for Christianity, Libya has become a country known
for the persecution of not only its tiny Christian minority but also
other non-Muslims. It is one of the world centres of terrorism.
Schoolchildren across the non-Muslim world should be taught about the
true history of Islamization and the destruction it has brought to
numerous, magnificent civilisations.
