I am very pleased to announce that Raymond Ibrahim will now be contributing to Jihad Watch. Raymond is a historian and writer on the Middle East and Islam, and is the author of the superb and essential Al-Qaeda Reader.
Fluent in Arabic, Raymond has studied with Victor Davis Hanson, has an MA in History from California State University, Fresno, and has done graduate work in the Center for Contemporary Arab Studies of Georgetown University. He is currently working on a PhD in Medieval Islamic history at Catholic University. His op-eds, essays, translations, and al-Qaeda related analyses have appeared in publications including The Chronicle of Higher Education, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times Syndicate, United Press International, The Washington Times, Financial Times, National Review Online, The Washington Post, The American Thinker, FrontPage Magazine, and The Jewish Press, as well as in international publications. He has lectured at colleges and universities, as well as at governmental agencies, such as the U.S. State Department.
Raymond works at the Near East section of the African and Middle Eastern division of the Library of Congress, where he discovered many of the never-before-translated Arabic texts that make up the bulk of The Al-Qaeda Reader.
I am highly honored that Raymond Ibrahim will be gracing us with his writing at Jihad Watch.
Welcome Raymond!
A warm welcome to JW, Raymond. Your knowledge and perspective can only add to what is already an excellent site and community.
U:d
Welcome Raymond! I read the al-Qaeda Reader and was fascinated, particularly by the first part, the works written by al-Qaeda leaders to other Arabs. Very enlightening.
Mr Ibrahim: those of us who attend Mr Spencer's virtual Hedge School of the Counter Jihad, will be delighted to take instruction from you.
You may like to know that I, for one, sent printouts of your little article 'the 2 Faces of Al-Qaeda', in 'Chronicle of Higher Education' , to my Prime Minister, to the Leader of the Opposition, and to my Federal Representative, by way of reinforcing the point I was making to them that - contrary to our Prime Minister's expressed opinion - Australia's withdrawal from Iraq would NOT make us any less a target of Jihad.
Mr. Ibrahim, we are already a big fan of yours. Your articles at VDH and your recent book about Al-Qaeda is very insightful. Your Al-Qaeda reader should be required reading in grade school.
I particularly enjoyed your recent article about how you dislike being searched on airplanes, but how you perfectly understand why it is necessary.
Jihadwatch features some real knowledgeable people about the threat our world faces from contemporary islam. I expect you will be an important voice for infidel awareness and for an infidel bill of rights.
This is good news indeed. Congratulations to both of you.
Cool. I always read Ibrahim and Bruce Thornton whenever they show up on VDH's site.
Well, I'm proud to say that I was the first JW'er to post info on Mr. Ibrahim's book! Here's my post, back on August 5, 2007!:
"OT, but not.
I just saw on Barnes & Noble online a book that has just come out - "The Al Qaeda Reader," edited by Raymond Ibrahim, and the description of the book is RIGHT ON! Check this out:
"Ibrahim's translations of these documents reveal an ideology THAT CALLS FOR A RELENTLESS JIHAD AGAINST NON-MUSLIM "INFIDELS," REPUDIATES DEMOCRACY IN FAVOR OF ISLAMIC LAW, STRESSES THE IMPORTANCE OF MARTYRDOM, AND MOCKS THE NOTION OF "MODERATE" ISLAM."
ain't it the truth? The Goose Creek Jihadists are, of course, just following said ideology.
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?z=y&cds2Pid=14622&isbn=076792262X
Posted by: darcy at August 5, 2007 12:45 PM
Welcome Raymond!
Mr. Ibrahim is a scholar with impressive credentials. Solid content, faultless methodology, and unimpeachable authority--what great assets to bring to us!
Greetings everyone! Thanks very much for making me feel welcome, and all the encouraging words. Looking forward to regularly contributing to JW, and a big thanks to Robert.
Great news; welcome Mr Ibrahim. I heard your interview on Hugh Hewitt some time ago - very impressive.
I look forward to reading Raymonds work.
At this rate, pretty soon Mr Spencer and co. will be in a position to offer formal courses and diplomas!
welcome to Jihad Watch,, Mr Ibrahim,,
Thank you for your great work, and I look forward to reading more!!
solsticewitch13
Welcome Raymond! Glad to have you on board here. I look forward to your comments and insights.
Welcome, Raymond!
Welcome Raymond, I will look forward to your contributions...
Smooth move Robert :)
A hearty welcome extended to Mr. Raymond Ibrahim!
Can we clone him?
Great news for Jihad watch! I am excited to read Raymond's intellectual contributions.
"At this rate, pretty soon Mr Spencer and co. will be in a position to offer formal courses and diplomas!"
A Counterjihad university would be an excellent thing. Speed the day!
Welcome, Raymond.
Looks like a good place for an anti-dhimmi OT
China demolishes mosque over Olympic row
BEIJING: Chinese authorities in Xinjiang have demolished a mosque for refusing to put up signs in support of this August's Beijing Olympics, an exiled group said on Monday.
The mosque was in Kalpin county near Aksu city in Xinjiang's rugged southwest, the World Uyghur Congress said.
"China is forcing mosques in East Turkistan to publicise the Beijing Olympics to get the Uighur people to support the Games (but) this has been resisted by the Uighurs," World Uyghur Congress spokesman Dilxat Raxit said in an email.
Beijing says al-Qaida is working with militants in Xinjiang to use terror to establish an independent state called East Turkistan. Oil-rich Xinjiang is home to 8 million Turkic-speaking Uighurs, many of whom resent the growing economic and cultural influence of the Han Chinese.
Dilxat Raxit added that the mosque, which had been renovated in 1998, was accused of illegally renovating the structure, carrying out illegal religious activities and illegally storing copies of the Muslim holy book the Koran.
The Olympic torch relay passed through Xinjiang last week under tight security.
Well, Infidel Pride, since you mentioned China, tomorrow night PBS has a show called "Jesus in China." I'm definitely watching.
"Chinese authorities in Xinjiang have demolished a mosque..."
Wow! Why can't we do that?
Nice catch Robert. Phooey to those who say you are irrelevant.
Godspeed, both of you!
Great! he sounds wholly unqualified from the ISlamic POV to make any comment.
Welcome indeed. Good to have you aboard. I am looking forward to reading your articles and other publications.
Raymond,
Welcome, and God bless your efforts!
Infidel Pride,
Thanks for that article. I think I laughed for 10 minutes straight. I hope pictures appear of the facial expressions of the imams watching the non-Politically Correct Chinese wrecking ball assimulating their structure. A little taste of their own tactics, eh?
This is good news.
Jihad Watch just got better.
Welcome Raymond.
I too look forward to your knowledgeable contributions on JW/DW.
Shalom and Salaam, Raymond!
Another voice to the call and cause, the A.Q. Reader should be used widely to give instruction, and generate disscusion on the mindset of our enemys that follow islam.
The focus has improved from this addition, and that is remarkable to consider. May this effort be better from today forward.
Welcome Raymond.
Just when you think JW couldn't get any better, it does.
AQ Reader was definitely on my short list for new books, so I think I need to take the initiate and read it ASAP.
Raymond's resume sounds like a good fit. The Arabic proficiency will make it that much easier for JW to pounce on the translation canard.
Now the usual smears of "Robert has no degree in islamic studies" can be fielded by someone who is about to HAVE a degree, and somehow still agrees with Robert in most every way regarding islam.
What smears are we left with now? They shouldn't be able to use the "You need to understand arabic to properly understand islam" exscuse, yet we continue to see it used.
Of course, rationalizers don't need reasons or facts to continue on as rationalizers.
One of the big weaknesses of Islam is that it quite clearly appears to impede the ability of its practitioners to engage in self-critical analysis.
By definition, people who cannot learn from their mistakes cannot learn.
Concerned Citizen & Darcy
You missed the icing on the cake. It wasn't because the mosque was preaching secession, or jihad, or anything of that sort. It was because of
Note too, the irony at the end of the article bolded below, even though the claim of the Uighur spokesman deserves to be taken with the appropriate amount of salt.Congratulations to Jihad Watch - a real feather in your cap - and a big 'thank you' to Ray Ibrahim for contributing. I look forward to the new input, Ray's personal interest in Egypt & the Arab world will be especially interesting & authoritative I'm sure.
Welcome, thank you and bless you for expanding upon the fine history of this site. I look forward to reading your commentaries.
What makes Jihad Watch appealing to me is the 'absence of jingoism' and deliberate focus on reason. I trust you will bring even greater light.
To paraphrase a voice I heard in DC a few years ago: "What Ghutenburg was to the Bible...." (Jihad Watch is to clear thinking in a challenging time.).
Welcome to Raymond Ibrahim. This is so exciting. I can't wait to read your material.
If it is possible JW has improved their class of contributors to their staff, WELCOME Raymond!
Welcome Mr. Ibrahim. I'm not familiar with your work (yet) but your solid reputation precedes you and I for one look forward to your unique and scholarly contribution.