The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has once again exposed itself as duplicitous or ignorant, and it should be closed down. According to its website, CAIR’s first mission goal is “to enhance understanding of Islam,” followed by protecting civil rights (of Muslims), promoting justice (of Muslims), and empowering American Muslims. It styles itself as “the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization.”
For the last eleven years, since the arrest and conviction of terrorist Aafia Siddiqui in 2010, CAIR has joined forces with other Muslim activist organizations to demand what multiple Muslim terrorist groups around the world are clamoring for: the release of Siddiqui (known informally as “Lady al-Qaeda”) from serving an 86-year sentence in US federal prison.
Five days ago, an ethnically Pakistani Muslim man named Malik Faisal Akram with British citizenship popped up on the public radar after traveling from his home city of Blackburn, England, to Colleyville, TX to enter a synagogue and take Jewish hostages. Why Colleyville? Because it is roughly 24 miles from the Federal Medical Center, Carswell, in Fort Worth, where Aafia Siddiqui is being presently receiving medical treatment. Why a synagogue? Because Akram was demanding the release of Aafia Siddiqui, and he believed the widespread fantasy in the Muslim world that Jews control the world, and especially the United States government, and where better to find Jews than at a synagogue. Why take Jews hostage? Because they would serve as his bargaining chips to move the Jewish overlords to force the American authorities to set Aafia Siddiqui free. Besides, Muslims are taught by the Qur’an that Jews are the implacable enemies of Muslims, and Muslim leaders teach their listeners ad nauseam that Jews are behind every evil that has afflicted mankind. Thus, any action by Muslims leading to the humiliation of Jews must be a praiseworthy activity in the eyes of Allah.
Faisal Akram apparently spoke by phone during the hostage standoff with Gulbar, one of his brothers back in Blackburn, and revealed that he had been planning this assault for two years, that he had come to America on a jihadi mission and that his plan was to “go down as a martyr.” He also revealed that he had recently promised another terminally-ill brother with Covid that he would join him soon as a martyr. When Gulbar tried to convince Faisal to end the standoff and surrender to authorities, the self-styled jihadi refused, saying, “I’ve come to die … I’d rather live one day as a lion than 100 years as a jackal. … I’m coming home in a body bag.” He hoped his example would lead many young Muslim men to follow in his footsteps against America and the Jews.
“I’m opening the doors for every youngster to enter America and f**k with them…. Why do we need these mother f***ers to come to our country and do f***ing battle, and we cannot come to their country? They come into our f***ing countries, rape our women and f**k our kids, and we cannot come in their country and f**k with them? I am setting the precedent today.”
What does CAIR have to do with all this? There is no known link between CAIR and the hostage-taker. Indeed, within hours of the news breaking, the CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell issued a statement denouncing the actions of Akram:
“We strongly condemn the hostage-taking at Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas. This latest antisemitic attack at a house of worship is an unacceptable act of evil. We stand in solidarity with the Jewish community, and we pray that law enforcement authorities are able to swiftly and safely free the hostages. No cause can justify or excuse this crime. We are in contact with local community leaders to learn more and provide any assistance that we can.”
This statement sounds very commendable, and one could wish that all Muslims would sincerely endorse these sentiments. Unfortunately, for anyone who knows the history of Muhammad with the Jews, as well as the teachings of the Qur’an concerning the Jews, this CAIR statement is a smokescreen to mislead the public. Either CAIR knows the anti-Semitic hatred inculcated among the world’s Muslims through Islam’s authoritative religious sources, and so is lying about its “solidarity with the Jewish community”, or it is unaware of the teachings and actions of Muhammad with regard to the Jews, in which case it has no business representing itself as correctly interpreting Islam to American society. Likewise, regarding the strategy of hostage-taking, CAIR either knows of the actions of Muhammad authorizing such activity for the advancement of the cause of Islam and is hiding this from the American public, or it is ignorant of this key part of Islamic strategy in subduing its enemies, as so should fold up shop. Either way, whether through duplicity or ignorance, CAIR is misrepresenting Islam to America, and as a result seeking to prop up the fairy tale that true Islam is a religion of peace.
For those who doubt what I am saying, let me share with you just a smattering of materials from standard Islamic sources to demonstrate the truth of what I claim.
The Qur’an teaches that Jews are inveterate liars, taking the truths of God and twisting them to mislead others (3.78). They immerse themselves in falsehood (5.41), fabricating things about God and His commands (2.79; 3.75, 3.181). They cannot be trusted to keep their word to others (2.100), demonstrating their hard-heartedness (2.74). They are unhappy over the good fortune of others (3.120), particularly Muslims. In fact, of all the peoples of the world, Jews harbor the greatest enmity toward Muslims (5.82). They are ever disputing and arguing over the revelations of Allah (2.247), as they opposed and disobeyed God’s past prophets sent directly to them (2.55), even going so far as to kill them (2.61). Because of this behavior, some of their ancestors were transformed by Allah into apes or pigs (2.65; 5.60; 7.166). Instead of embracing the truths proclaimed by Muhammad, they arrogantly prefer to follow their own vain imaginings (2.87). They love to spread corruption over the face of the whole earth (5.64; 17.4)). As a result of all these transgressions, Allah’s curse is fixed on them (9.30). True believers are warned never to take Jews as friends or allies (5.51); indeed, Muslims are to make war against them until they are fully subjugated under the rule of Islam.
Ibn Ishaq, Muslim author of the earliest, most authoritative biography of his prophet (The Life of Muhammad, trans. Alfred Guillaume), records Muhammad addressing the last of the three Jewish tribes he expelled from Medina in less than five years after he had migrated there: “You brothers of monkeys, has God disgraced you and brought His vengeance upon you?” (p. 461). When Muhammad finally takes them captive, he orders the men of the tribe (some 600-900) to be beheaded, and then orders the women and children to be taken as slaves for the Muslims. Prior to this event, during the tumultuous five years of agitation between the Muslims and Jews of Medina, Muhammad felt insulted by the crass behavior of some Jewish men and commanded his followers, “Kill any Jew that falls into your power” (p. 369). Ibn Ishaq records that one of the Muslims immediately went to a Jewish businessman with whom he had done many mutually beneficial transactions and summarily murders him.
Lastly, of the many Hadith traditions that mention Muhammad’s stance toward the Jews, two stand out above all. The first records Muhammad’s final words before his death, and one is not surprised to discover that even at this point his mind is consumed with an execration leveled against Jews and Christians. The spirit of this curse has lived in the hearts of devoted Muslims ever since.
When the last moment of the life of Allah’s Apostle came he started putting his ‘Khamisa’ [shirt] on his face and when he felt hot and short of breath he took it off his face and said, “May Allah curse the Jews and Christians for they built the places of worship at the graves of their Prophets.” The Prophet was warning (Muslims) of what those had done. (Bukhari, 7.72.706).
The second is even more poisonous, for it legitimizes anti-Semitic hatred till the end of time:
Allah’s Apostle said, “The Hour [of judgment] will not be established until you fight with 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.” (Bukhari, 4.52.177).
All of this material is well-known to educated Muslims. Given Muhammad’s clear, anti-Semitic teachings and actions, CAIR’s statement that they stand in solidarity with the Jewish community (in opposition to the Qur’an’s command of 5:82) and that they condemn Akram’s hostage-taking as “an unacceptable act of evil” (are there any acceptable acts of evil?) means they will now have to condemn their prophet for his repeated evils. Will this happen? I won’t hold my breath.
But CAIR’s duplicity is found not only their veiling of Islam’s inherent anti-Semitism. When they feign horror at a fellow Muslim’s hostage-taking of Jews to advance the cause of Islam, they hide the fact that Muhammad practiced hostage-taking himself and left it as an example for the armies of Islam to emulate after him.
In 47.4 of the Qur’an, Allah commands his faithful:
When you meet the unbelievers, smite their necks, then, when you have made wide slaughter among them, tie fast the bonds; then set them free, either by grace or ransom, till the war lays down its loads.
Likewise, prisoners of war can be taken by Allah’s prophet, but only after he has inflicted widespread death on the enemy:
“It is not fitting for a Prophet that he should have prisoners of war until he has made a great slaughter in the land”(8.67)
This supremacy over the enemy is meant to instruct them that they are not to oppose Allah and his religion any longer, but rather submit.
“So if you gain the mastery over them in war, punish them severely in order to disperse those who are behind them, so that they may learn a lesson” (8.57).
Muslim scholars over the centuries have debated the degree of options available to the caliph/emir when prisoners have been taken: execution; ransom; retention as slaves; or gracious release. Muhammad utilized all these options over the course of his career. The majority of scholars (including “luminaries” such as Tabari, Ibn Kathir, Ibn Qudama, Ibn Taymiyyah and Al-Suyuti) declare that all these choices are open to the Muslim ruler, as he determines what is in the best interest of the advancement of Islam. This determination of course varies according to the prevailing circumstances.
Muslim apologists may rightly observe that the decision to take hostages rests with the authority of the caliph/ruler, and is not the prerogative of any Tom, Dick or Harry. That is true, when it comes to offensive jihad, i.e., when the leader of the Islamic world orders an offensive war against non-Muslim forces. No individual Muslim has the right to initiate jihad against others. However, there exists today no recognized “caliph” over the Muslim world. Furthermore, when the Muslim world has been attacked by non-Muslim enemies, it is the responsibility of every Muslim to join in defensive jihad to repel the infidels and recoup whatever has been lost. This has been the logic employed by Osama bin Laden (and countless other jihadi leaders in launching attacks against the West) – “They started it; we’re only defending ourselves.”
As it turns out, this was also the mindset of Malik Faisal Akram, who intended to take Jewish hostages to force the release of his heroine, Lady al-Qaeda. CAIR may disagree with his tactics, but they cannot deny that such behavior, modeled on the actions and teachings of Muhammad, cannot be condemned as an unacceptable act of evil. Not if you’re a committed follower of the prophet of Islam and his god.
So what’s it going to be, CAIR? Do you know the history and teachings of your religion? Are you going to come clean and acknowledge that Akbar in his hostage-taking was acting more in accordance with Islam than you in your mealy-mouthed statement of condemnation, dripping with disingenuousness and deceit? It’s time to be honest with us infidels. Or close up shop.
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