Editor Of "Pakistan Today" Against Rampant Moslem Anti-Semitism

Would it be wrong to pick Dr. Sayyed for my 2006 Death Pool? Do you think that it would be unfair?

Re: "Sayyed is keenly aware that his controversial views are in sharp contrast with the majority of the Moslem world."

This reminds me of the story of Diogenes carrying a lantern around ancient Greece searching for an honest man. Here we have Tashbih Sayyed wandering Dar Al Islam searching for a sane man. Good luck Mr. Sayyed, you'll need it.

I can't deny that Dr. Sayyed is a courageous Muslim.

Nonetheless, I do find fault with him. Having been "liberated from the collective clerical hold that keeps the Moslem world in the darkest corner of the intellectual mind", and no doubt having actually read the Qur'an, he remains a Muslim -- a decision which I believe exemplifies the Muslim world's intellectual and moral dishonesty.

But pity the illiterate and impoverished masses within the Muslim ummah who, unlike the good Dr., will never have the opportunity to enjoy Western liberties and prosperity, or be able to read for themselves what the Qur'an says, or to boldly and courageously renounce Islam.

If he continues printing this type of opinion, I am not sure how long he'll last.

Too bad when some Muslim shows intelligence and tolerance, we all know that the individual is in serious danger.

There was an article (i forgot where)
That stated in effect..

The Muslim world should be thanking President Bush for showing that Islam is in serious need of reformation...

I also wonder if the person who wrote that...

Is still ALIVE...
or has his height been reduced by one Head..

Sayyed is courageous, yes, but correct? Let's not forget the rallying cry of Jihad in the Middle East: "First the Saturday people, then the Sunday people!"

Sayyed would do well to examine Islam's opinion of not just Jews, but all non-Muslims. While according to most Muslim religious authorities Jews and Christians can be suffered to live (as Jewish or Christian dhimmi), those not of the Judeo-Christian faiths are to be given only the options of accepting the Prophet or death.

PRCS is spot-on; someone concerned with human rights for non-Muslims and the free expression of religion cannot be a normative Muslim, by definition.

Muslims should be as tolerant towards jews as you people are towards Muslims.

"Muslims should be as tolerant towards jews as you people are towards Muslims."

rumi,

Absolutely! I congratulate you on your profound insight. If Muslims were as tolerant towards Jews as we are towards Muslims, there would be no more homicide bombings, there would be no more Holocaust denial, there would be no more comments denying the humanity of Jews. If Muslims were as tolerant towards Jews as we are towards Muslims, disagreements would be based on ideas, not nationality, ethnicity or religion. If Muslims were as tolerant towards Jews as we are towards Muslims, everyone--Jews, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, and all other religious and non-religious people--would be able to live their lives and practice their creeds in peace and freedom, without fear that their houses of worship will be attacked. If Muslims were as tolerant towards Jews as we are towards Muslims, women wouldn't be treated as property subject to gang rapes simply for how they dress or to avenge some bizarre notion of family honor. Thanks again for your comment. I'm glad you understand what this website is all about.

However, rumi, if you wish us to be as tolerant towards muslims are you are towards us... well what happens to your people then is your own damn fault, isn't it?

Good for Dr. Sayyed. I only wish he could publish such things freely and openly in Pakistan itself.

From PRCS's post:

"Nonetheless, I do find fault with him. Having been "liberated from the collective clerical hold that keeps the Moslem world in the darkest corner of the intellectual mind", and no doubt having actually read the Qur'an, he remains a Muslim -- a decision which I believe exemplifies the Muslim world's intellectual and moral dishonesty."

PRCS, and everyone: this is a very interesting, and of course true statement. However we must consider the very real risk of murder that Muslim apostates face. They may know full well the sordid reality of Islam, but staying is much easier than being killed, or losing one's family, or being totally ostracized from the society in which one was raised.

I feel we should welcome, however imperfect, Muslim skepticism about the absurdities of Islam, rejection of anti-semitism, or questioning of Jihad. People may not be ready to take the leap all at once. Momentum needs to be built up, and that consists of outright apostates, reformists (however fruitless), reconstructionists like Irshad Manji, quiet apostates who maintain outward apperances, and other forms of questioning Islam. This process is taking place in the west in a very big way, as many young Muslims grow weary of their co-religionists, but are not making the full break with Islam. Doubt will build up inside millions of minds, before Muslims openly free themselves from Islam.

There will be signs of this change: women challenging the position accorded to them (trying to lead prayers, fighting FGM and the veil, less patriarchal family structures), mocking of religious authorities (full tilt in Iran), Muslims opposing terrorist methods (not yet), and an end to the sacrosanctity of the Koran (light your fireplaces). Some of these are beginning to take shape, and some have yet to come.

I do not think this will lead to a reformed, tolerant Islam, but I believe they will be the signs that the sun is breaking through the clouds. Sayyed is a good sign.

Quijybo

Quijybo,

Thanks for your insight.

I could be wrong, but I believe that Dr. Sayyed lives in the United States, and has had plenty of time to make the leap.

My point is that he has the opportunity to renounce what he knows is wrong.

Many of the folks he left behind do not.

He had Ms. Manji, by clinging to Islam, are not (IMO) doing illiterate or impoverished Muslims any favors.

I believe that he would be more effective if came right out and cited Islamic absurdities and hatred as the reasons that he's leaving Islam.

But, I appreciate your point of view.

Dr. Sayyed is a hero on the highest order. Sure he lives in the US, but this is obviously a huge risk for him to speak(act) with such words. I truly fear he's signing his death sentence. One in a million . . . where are the others?? One day, I would like to shake his hand and thank him for defying the trend . . . for doing the decent thing. Make no mistake, I realize completely what Islam is about. This is why I love this site. There are hundreds/thousands of hard core Islamist nutcases ready to detonate . . . and this guy's guts should be applauded.

My name is Robert Corrow.

I'm a retired Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer.

I live in South Lake Tahoe, California.

USA

Land of the free and the home of the brave.

My email address is robertcorrow@sbcglobal.net

I own weapons and am an expert shot with the M1 Garrand, the M16, and a 45 pistol.

In America, I have the right to my opinion and a costitutionally guaranteed right to freedom of expression.

I'd like to shake his hand, too.

When he renounces Islam.

To me, Islam is like a ballet, except there's no music, no choreography, and the dancers kill each other.

Yes, he lives in the US, thus is not a good candidate for Death Watch 2006 (unless he drives in Chinatown).

'Dr. Sayyed is editor-in-chief of two California-based weekly newspapers, Pakistan Today and Moslem World Today'

Rumi,

It seems you were circumcised a bit too many times, no reason to be bitter just because you follow a pedophile.

-Cheers

One swallow doesn't make a spring.
The fact that one reasonable person exists in and otherwise hysterical and fanatical islamic society, doesn't come as a surprise.

But I doubt whether Tashbih Sayyed can counter the sheer amount of anti-semitic and anti-western garbage that is dumped on the majority of Pakistanis daily via their schools and media and which the pakistani population swallows greedily.