American Muslims Debate Loyalty to America
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2010/08/15 07:01:16
American Muslims Debate Loyalty to America
By Eileen F. Toplansky
By Eileen F. Toplansky
American
Muslims are debating key questions of loyalty to America, a debate in
which the stakes could not be higher. Alarmingly, "no fewer than four
United States citizens and a permanent U.S. resident have risen to
senior leadership posts within al-Qaeda," according to an Investors Business Daily
editorial by Paul Sperry. Thus, "five English-speaking leaders are
actively planning or facilitating attacks against their countrymen,
while recruiting and radicalizing other American turncoats to carry
them out."
Muslims are debating key questions of loyalty to America, a debate in
which the stakes could not be higher. Alarmingly, "no fewer than four
United States citizens and a permanent U.S. resident have risen to
senior leadership posts within al-Qaeda," according to an Investors Business Daily
editorial by Paul Sperry. Thus, "five English-speaking leaders are
actively planning or facilitating attacks against their countrymen,
while recruiting and radicalizing other American turncoats to carry
them out."
The
implications of this are frightening. No longer is America at war with
a foreign enemy. The enemy is here -- an enemy who understands how
"America works, having lived here for decades." Thus, fellow Americans
are recruited by the enemy. These traitors are "fed by a native Muslim
population once believed [to be] ... nonthreatening." Is this an
aberration, or does Islam condone and promote this disloyalty?
implications of this are frightening. No longer is America at war with
a foreign enemy. The enemy is here -- an enemy who understands how
"America works, having lived here for decades." Thus, fellow Americans
are recruited by the enemy. These traitors are "fed by a native Muslim
population once believed [to be] ... nonthreatening." Is this an
aberration, or does Islam condone and promote this disloyalty?
Special Dispatch No. 3162,
published on August 12, 2010 by the Middle East Media Research
Institute (MEMRI), helps to shed light on this question. The Dispatch
highlights the rulings posted on the website of the Assembly of Muslim
Jurists in America. Included "under the category 'Matters Pertaining to
Muslim Minorities [in Western Countries]' were answers to questions
regarding the legitimacy of cooperating with United States security
forces in the war on terror -- both on American soil and abroad -- as
well as the legitimacy of enlisting in the ranks of these forces."
published on August 12, 2010 by the Middle East Media Research
Institute (MEMRI), helps to shed light on this question. The Dispatch
highlights the rulings posted on the website of the Assembly of Muslim
Jurists in America. Included "under the category 'Matters Pertaining to
Muslim Minorities [in Western Countries]' were answers to questions
regarding the legitimacy of cooperating with United States security
forces in the war on terror -- both on American soil and abroad -- as
well as the legitimacy of enlisting in the ranks of these forces."
Ambivalence was reflected by the Muslim jurists as well as the fatwa committee.
Question:
Is a Muslim who owns a moving company permitted to transport supplies
from the distributor's warehouse to the port, knowing that the supplies
are to be sent to soldiers operating in Islamic countries as part of
NATO forces?Response:
Help one another in goodness and piety, and do not help another in sin
and aggression...If somebody commits a crime and conspires against
[Muslims] you must not abet him anywhere on earth, whether he is a
civilian or belongs to the military. ..."Question:
Is it permissible [for] a Muslim, to enlist in the U.S. Navy, in light
of the possibility that [one] might be sent to serve in a Muslim
country. ... [Would] enlisting in the Navy be considered 'loyalty to
the infidels and leaving the fold [of Islam].'Response:
One third of all Muslims today live as minorities in non-Islamic
countries, and most of the remaining two-thirds live in the shadow of
non-Islamic regimes, even if they live in Islamic lands. The two
groups are subject to man-made laws, which Islamic (sharia) does not recognize, either fully or in part. ...
While
the Muslim jurist Al-Hajj does suggest that Muslims should be
encouraged to work for the police in order to avoid the possibility
that "residents of that country might think that Muslim citizens'
loyalty to the country was flawed," he also explains the harmful
aspects of Muslims serving on a police force in a Western country. At
the forefront of this difficulty is that Muslim policemen might be
obligated "to impose laws that are not the laws of Allah."
the Muslim jurist Al-Hajj does suggest that Muslims should be
encouraged to work for the police in order to avoid the possibility
that "residents of that country might think that Muslim citizens'
loyalty to the country was flawed," he also explains the harmful
aspects of Muslims serving on a police force in a Western country. At
the forefront of this difficulty is that Muslim policemen might be
obligated "to impose laws that are not the laws of Allah."
In
essence, if a Muslim serves on the police force, is his service an
example of subjugation to man-made laws, "which is tantamount to a sin,
or is it permitted as the lesser evil"? Thus, "serving on the police
force also constitutes 'aid to perpetrators of crimes and aggression,'"
and "[Muslim] policemen [in Western countries] 'might participate in
incriminating a Muslim who has been done an injustice.'" Furthermore,
"a policeman is obliged to undergo violations of modesty, such as
'licentious mixing between the sexes, seclusion with someone of the
opposite sex, and the like.'"
essence, if a Muslim serves on the police force, is his service an
example of subjugation to man-made laws, "which is tantamount to a sin,
or is it permitted as the lesser evil"? Thus, "serving on the police
force also constitutes 'aid to perpetrators of crimes and aggression,'"
and "[Muslim] policemen [in Western countries] 'might participate in
incriminating a Muslim who has been done an injustice.'" Furthermore,
"a policeman is obliged to undergo violations of modesty, such as
'licentious mixing between the sexes, seclusion with someone of the
opposite sex, and the like.'"
Therefore, if a Muslim does engage in police work despite the violations of sharia, then "it is based on the principle of preventing worse outcomes for Islam and Muslims."
Concerning
Muslims joining U.S. security forces, there are conflicting views as
well. On the one hand, jurisprudent Dr. Al-Qudah said that it is
"permissible for a Muslim to serve in the U.S. military, providing he
does not fight his coreligionists." Thus, "the only thing you must
consider in this regard is to make sure not to be involved in fighting,
harming, or even bothering Muslims at all. [Other than this], defending
your country would be a noble job of which you could be proud."
Muslims joining U.S. security forces, there are conflicting views as
well. On the one hand, jurisprudent Dr. Al-Qudah said that it is
"permissible for a Muslim to serve in the U.S. military, providing he
does not fight his coreligionists." Thus, "the only thing you must
consider in this regard is to make sure not to be involved in fighting,
harming, or even bothering Muslims at all. [Other than this], defending
your country would be a noble job of which you could be proud."
At the site muslimsforasafeamerica.org,
an online discussion was held on May 19, 2010 under the title "Should
American Muslims Be Loyal to America? There were pro and con arguments
concerning Muslim loyalty to America.
an online discussion was held on May 19, 2010 under the title "Should
American Muslims Be Loyal to America? There were pro and con arguments
concerning Muslim loyalty to America.
By
virtue of living in the U.S. and benefiting from freedom and
opportunity in the U.S., American-born Muslims have given an implicit
pledge to be loyal to America. ...Being
loyal to America does not require American Muslims to be less loyal to
God. Neither God nor America demand[s] exclusive loyalty. ...There
is no conflict for American Muslims between being loyal to and caring
for the worldwide Muslim community, and being loyal to and caring for
our American neighbors of other faiths. ...You
can be both a good Muslim and a good American, because Islam and
America are based on the same values, like justice and compassion.
... America is not dar-ul-harb (the land of war), because Muslims are free to practice and preach their faith here.
Arguments why American Muslims should not be loyal to America include:
American
Muslims have no special relationship with (or obligation to) America.
... A Muslim's true covenant (or pledge) is with God.American Muslims can be loyal to both God and country, but only if that country is an Islamic state, governed by Islamic law (shariah), not a country that rejects God's law and follows man-made laws.American
Muslims must be loyal to the worldwide Muslim community, not to
Americans of other faiths who have rejected Islam and repeatedly
elected political leaders who have caused great suffering in the Muslim
world. ...America
and Islam have contradictory agendas and priorities, and they have
different visions for the world. American Muslims cannot
simultaneously support both sets of agendas, priorities, and visions.... America is dar-ul-kufr
(the land of disbelief), because America has rejected Islam and
actively opposes the establishment of a Caliphate in the Muslim world.
And so we return to the Americans now in senior leadership posts in al-Qaeda.
How
do we battle the ongoing war from within? America finds itself
"battling [its] own citizens. How do we deal with wartime traitors? Can
the CIA assassinate them? Can it spy on them? What about their civil
rights?"
do we battle the ongoing war from within? America finds itself
"battling [its] own citizens. How do we deal with wartime traitors? Can
the CIA assassinate them? Can it spy on them? What about their civil
rights?"
Anwar
Awlaki, the American-born cleric, is al-Qaeda's top recruiter of
Western suicide cells. Awlaki radicalized the Fort Hood shooter and the
Times Square bomber. Awlaki has called "on American Muslims to turn
against their government and has even justified killing American
civilians." He has stated that "[j]ihad against America is binding on
every other [American] Muslim," and he warns that terror attacks will
come "from within" the United States. In addition to recruiting other
Muslims, "African-American and white converts, who do not fit the Arab
terrorist profile, have received al-Qaeda training in Yemen." Moreover,
because of "free speech," currently "there are 15,000 jihad Web sites"
-- the majority of which "operate off servers based inside the U.S."
Awlaki, the American-born cleric, is al-Qaeda's top recruiter of
Western suicide cells. Awlaki radicalized the Fort Hood shooter and the
Times Square bomber. Awlaki has called "on American Muslims to turn
against their government and has even justified killing American
civilians." He has stated that "[j]ihad against America is binding on
every other [American] Muslim," and he warns that terror attacks will
come "from within" the United States. In addition to recruiting other
Muslims, "African-American and white converts, who do not fit the Arab
terrorist profile, have received al-Qaeda training in Yemen." Moreover,
because of "free speech," currently "there are 15,000 jihad Web sites"
-- the majority of which "operate off servers based inside the U.S."
The
jihadists are intent upon the destruction of this country. If moderate
Muslims do exist, then it behooves them to fight the American traitors
among us. If American Muslims continue to reflect a conflicted
relationship with their country of birth, putting Islam above all else,
then other Americans will rightly conclude that a civil war is upon us
-- one that al-Qaeda is steadfastly perpetrating.
jihadists are intent upon the destruction of this country. If moderate
Muslims do exist, then it behooves them to fight the American traitors
among us. If American Muslims continue to reflect a conflicted
relationship with their country of birth, putting Islam above all else,
then other Americans will rightly conclude that a civil war is upon us
-- one that al-Qaeda is steadfastly perpetrating.
Read More: http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/08/american_mu...
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