No Compulsion In Religion Alert. Islam forbids forced conversion, so why aren't authorities cracking down hard on this? Because this is a prohibition that is all too often honored in the breach. "Egypt: Christian Twins Forced To ‘Become’ Muslim," from Compass Direct:
ISTANBUL, September 5 (Compass Direct News) – An Egyptian court on Monday (September 3) adjourned the hearing of young Christian twins legally forced to take Islamic education after their estranged father became Muslim.The attorney for the two young Christian boys forced the adjournment by skipping the hearing, as the outcome of another case involving converts to Islam seeking “re-conversion” could affect the twins’ case.
The twins’ case highlights inequalities non-Muslims face in Egypt, where one’s religion, printed on all official documents, regulates family laws. Custody of children is automatically given to whichever parent is Muslim, according to many interpretations of sharia (Islamic law), enshrined in the nation’s constitution.
Christian twins Mario and Andrew Medhat Ramsis unwillingly “became” Muslim after their father converted to Islam and used his legal right to change the religion on their birth certificates.
In February, the boys’ mother discovered that they had been placed in Islamic education classes at school to reflect their father’s choice, though the Muslim man was no longer living with his Christian family since his conversion and remarriage in 2002.
The twins gained notoriety when they refused to take their Islamic religion exam in May, required in order to pass to the next grade.
“I am Christian,” each boy wrote on a make-up test in July. They turned in the exam with all of the answers left blank.
Egyptian Education Minister Yusri al-Gamal announced on August 25 that he would automatically pass the boys on to the next grade, but the twins’ Christian mother said that an underlying problem remains.
“I was made to understand that Egyptian law grants a mother custody of her children until they are 15, but I lately discovered that this applies only to Muslim mothers,” Kamilia Lutfi said in an August 27 press conference, according to Coptic-owned weekly Watani.
Read it all.
This is the Ayah of the Sword
Mujahid, `Amr bin Shu`ayb, Muhammad bin Ishaq, Qatadah, As-Suddi and `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said that the four months mentioned in this Ayah are the four-month grace period mentioned in the earlier Ayah,
﴿فَسِيحُواْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ﴾
(So travel freely for four months throughout the land.) Allah said next,
﴿فَإِذَا انسَلَخَ الأَشْهُرُ الْحُرُمُ﴾
(So when the Sacred Months have passed...), meaning, `Upon the end of the four months during which We prohibited you from fighting the idolators, and which is the grace period We gave them, then fight and kill the idolators wherever you may find them.' Allah's statement next,
﴿فَاقْتُلُواْ الْمُشْرِكِينَ حَيْثُ وَجَدتُّمُوهُمْ﴾
(then fight the Mushrikin wherever you find them), means, on the earth in general, except for the Sacred Area, for Allah said,
﴿وَلاَ تُقَـتِلُوهُمْ عِندَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ حَتَّى يُقَـتِلُوكُمْ فِيهِ فَإِن قَـتَلُوكُمْ فَاقْتُلُوهُمْ﴾
(And fight not with them at Al-Masjid Al-Haram, unless they fight you there. But if they attack you, then fight them. )﴿2:191﴾ Allah said here,
﴿وَخُذُوهُمْ﴾
(and capture them), executing some and keeping some as prisoners,
﴿وَاحْصُرُوهُمْ وَاقْعُدُواْ لَهُمْ كُلَّ مَرْصَدٍ﴾
(and besiege them, and lie in wait for them in each and every ambush), do not wait until you find them. Rather, seek and besiege them in their areas and forts, gather intelligence about them in the various roads and fairways so that what is made wide looks ever smaller to them.
This way, they will have no choice, but to die or embrace Islam,
﴿فَإِن تَابُواْ وَأَقَامُواْ الصَّلَوةَ وَءاتَوُاْ الزَّكَوةَ فَخَلُّواْ سَبِيلَهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ﴾
(But if they repent and perform the Salah, and give the Zakah, then leave their way free. Verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.) Abu Bakr As-Siddiq used this and other honorable Ayat as proof for fighting those who refrained from paying the Zakah. These Ayat allowed fighting people unless, and until, they embrace Islam and implement its rulings and obligations. Allah mentioned the most important aspects of Islam here, including what is less important. Surely, the highest elements of Islam after the Two Testimonials, are the prayer, which is the right of Allah, the Exalted and Ever High, then the Zakah, which benefits the poor and needy. These are the most honorable acts that creatures perform, and this is why Allah often mentions the prayer and Zakah together. In the Two Sahihs, it is recorded that Ibn `Umar said that the Messenger of Allah said,
«أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أُقَاتِلَ النَّاسَ حَتَّى يَشْهَدُوا أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللهِ وَيُقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُوا الزَّكَاة»
(I have been commanded to fight the people until they testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establish the prayer and pay the Zakah.) This honorable Ayah (9:5) was called the Ayah of the Sword, about which Ad-Dahhak bin Muzahim said, "It abrogated every agreement of peace between the Prophet and any idolator, every treaty, and every term.'' Al-`Awfi said that Ibn `Abbas commented: "No idolator had any more treaty or promise of safety ever since Surah Bara'ah was revealed. The four months, in addition to, all peace treaties conducted before Bara'ah was revealed and announced had ended by the tenth of the month of Rabi` Al-Akhir.''
﴿وَإِنْ أَحَدٌ مِّنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ اسْتَجَارَكَ فَأَجِرْهُ حَتَّى يَسْمَعَ كَلاَمَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ أَبْلِغْهُ مَأْمَنَهُ ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ لاَّ يَعْلَمُونَ ﴾
(6. And if anyone of the Mushrikin seeks your protection then grant him protection so that he may hear the Word of Allah (the Qur'an) and then escort him to where he can be secure, that is because they are men who know not.)
...just wait for the new reality show...."Who wants to marry a Muslim"....
....Non Muslim women with children upon finding out the husband will or has converted to Islam should take the children and flee....
Ban Muslim immigration
They could have split the difference. Force only one to convert to Islam. Let the other remain un-compelled. And trumpet this example of Islamic tolerance all over the airwaves. I'm sure that Bush and Blair and Esposito and Armstrong and Ernst would find that positively Solomonic in its wisdom.
This article says it all.....but we're the phobes.
Yes, Hugh, positively Solomonic--and just as unthinkable in practice as cutting a child in two.
These are brave boys enduring a living martyrdom.
"Egyptian Education Minister Yusri al-Gamal announced on August 25 that he would automatically pass the boys on to the next grade,"
.....try turning in test papers in the US with all questions left blank....it is very unlikely you will be passed on to a higher grade...
......gives new meaning to "no child left behind"....and explains why grown up Muslims have difficulty in accepting anything Non Muslim....
To coerce the consciences of children--what an affront to universal rights and human dignity! God Damn this kind of Islam! OUTRAGE!
I shy away from blanket condemnations; however, since the Turkish P.M. notes that there IS no moderate Islam, only Islam--GOD DAMN!
Now, please, to salve my own conscience, would someone point out some collective effort in response to this mother's and sons' plight? I am not sure how to respond on my own initiate, though I will find out what I can, and link to Coptic sites.
Islamomisic
And Proud
Why aren't such outrages cited at "international" forums like the U.N. Human Rights Council? Doesn't ANY delegation have the co*jo*nes to confront Iran, Libya, and the O.I.C. with these manifest abuses, when these latter try to fetter the West with the stigma of "islamophobia"?
Here's a suggested message for Durban 2009:
OIC GO TO GEHENNA!!
Indonesia: Catholic Girls Being Forced to Wear Hijab
http://www.weaselzippers.net/blog/2007/09/indonesia-catho.html
"Custody of children is automatically given to whichever parent is Muslim, "
This is the type of anti-Christian, pro-Islamic nonsense you would expect in the Labour Party's UK, not a moderate islamic country.
PS, all irony intended, and yes, I'm from the UK :-)
From the original article:
"Gabriel (the lawyer who defends the boy's mother) has come under increasing pressure from conservative Muslims for his role in defending Mario and Andrew Ramsis.
Last week lawyer Mohammed al-Shishtawi filed a complaint with Egypt’s prosecutor general against Gabriel. He accused the Christian lawyer of spreading false rumors that harm Egypt’s national unity, inciting sectarian strife, and tarnishing Egypt’s image abroad, according to daily newspaper al-Akhbar."
The biggest problem here is sadly not Egyptian law, but the sheer hostility that exists from the muslims againest the Christians and other non-muslims.
...and things like these vicious personal attacks on people who resist againest these injustices are only minor expressions of this hostility...
Is this why jizya is being paid to Egypt? I hope someone steps in and helps those boys and their mother.
I hope Bush doesn't catch wind of this or he'll pay for the boys' circumcision himself, the good "Christian" that he is.
I'm with exsgtbrown: BAN MUSLIM IMMIGRATION!