There Is No Fun In Islam* Alert as the glories of Sharia come to Gaza: "Hamas Bans Women Dancers, Scooter Riders in Gaza Push (Update1)," by Daniel Williams for Bloomberg, November 30 (thanks to Donald):
Nov. 30 (Bloomberg) -- The Islamic Hamas movement banned girls last month from riding behind men on motor scooters and forbade women from dancing at the opening of a folk museum. Girls in some public schools must wear headscarves and cloaks.Signs of Hamas's creeping Islamization are everywhere in Gaza, the Mediterranean coastal enclave that Hamas has run by itself since 2007. Gaza is already politically divided from the West Bank, the Palestinian territory administered by the secular Fatah movement.
"Ruling by itself, Hamas can stamp its ideas on everyone," said Mkhaimar Abusada, a political science professor at Gaza's al-Azhar University. "Islamizing society has always been part of Hamas strategy."...
Some of the efforts are meeting resistance. When Supreme Court Justice Abdel Raouf Al-Halabi ordered women lawyers on July 26 to wear headscarves and caftans in court, attorneys contacted satellite television stations including Al-Arabiya to protest. On Sept. 6, Hamas's Justice Ministry rescinded the directive.
Hamas officials say they have no plans to impose Islamic law. "What you are seeing are incidents, not policy," said Younis al-Astal, a Hamas legislator. "We want Islamic law to be the standard, but we believe in persuasion."
In an Oct. 13 speech, Abbas said Hamas was establishing an "emirate of darkness" in Gaza. Abbas's Fatah movement has long viewed itself as a secular nationalist movement open to Muslims and Christians.
At the immigration office at Gaza's border with Israel, a sign warns that alcoholic beverages, forbidden under Islam, will be poured out "in front of the owner."
The government's Islamic Endowment Ministry has deployed Virtue Committee members to preach at public places to warn of the dangers of immodest dress, card playing and dating.
Dancing Ban
The opening of the Palestinian Heritage Museum on Oct.7 was meant to include a rendition of the dabke, a line dance performed by girls and boys. Except that no girls were allowed.
What fun!
Black-shirted men from Hamas carrying AK-47s appeared at the gates of the museum, on Gaza's waterfront, said Jamal Salem, the curator. They said girls shouldn't dance because it wasn't religiously proper. Nor could they share the stage for the inaugural speeches, said Salem."They are trying to take Palestinian culture and make it all their own," Salem said. "They say our traditions are against the law. Their law."
In August, headmasters of several schools ordered girls to don white head scarves and black cloaks called jilbabs. They sent several girls in jeans home, according to Gaza press reports. The Education Ministry later said the orders were unauthorized acts of individual school officials.
No Defiance
"The episodes had an effect anyway," said Eyad Sarraj, a psychiatrist and human rights campaigner. "What parent wants to be seen to defy Islamic rules?"
Abusada, the Gaza political science professor, said Hamas only retreats from overt Islamization for fear of "provoking" such secular-ruled Arab countries as Egypt, with which it competes for support with Abbas.
"At the same time, Hamas is under pressure from some of its own members as well as even more radical groups to implant a purist version of Islam," he said.
Hamas is also wary of openly pressing for rule by religious edict because it undermines the group's claim to legitimacy under Palestinian civil law, which set guidelines for the 2006 legislative vote, said Subhia Juma, a lawyer at the Independent Commission for Human Rights in Gaza.
"Hamas backs off when it looks like they are governing under Islamic law and people complain," she said.
Israel, the U.S. and the EU say Hamas is a terrorist organization.
Swimming in Pants
In June, black-clad constables approached journalist Asmaa al-Ghoul, 27, and friends on a north Gaza beach, al-Ghoul said. Her offense: swimming in trousers and a blouse, not robes.
Male companions, including her brother, tried to defend her. Al-Ghoul said she phoned the government spokesman, who called off the police.
Hamas police spokesman Rafik Abu Hani said the crackdowns were abnormalities.
"Even here, we don't make everyone wear Islamic-style beards," he said, pointing to a clean-shaven aide.
Everyone backs alcohol prohibition, Abu Hani said, and the motorcycle restriction is a safety issue.
Al-Astal, the Hamas legislator, said it wasn't a coincidence that youth were the principal targets of the push.
"We are working on young people, the next generation, to be more correctly Islamic," he said. The older generation "is lost."
And as for motorcycles: "A girl has to hold onto a boy's waist to ride in the back. Things can happen. You know what I mean," he said.
You know what I mean? Say no more say no more! Nudge nudge wink wink!
* The Ayatollah Khomeini said that.
"They are trying to take Palestinian culture and make it all their own," Salem said.
Palestinian culture?
An oxymoron if there ever was one.
Well, girls dancing bothers me a lot too, but I wouldn't dream of banning it...In fact, I think more girls should dance. Dancing girls are a symbol of a healthy society...
I wish I had a few around here...Maybe I could hire a some...
As far as girls on the back of a motor bike, things can happen...I had things happen like that a lot on my scooter, when I graduated to a Harley Chopper, things really started to happen...I can see why this would bother some Mahoundians, but I kind of liked it...
Shari'ah? But how is that possible?
Despite Hamas' having been founded by the Palestinian wing of Egypt's fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood, and despite its use of an Islamic green flag emblazoned with the Shahada, and despite its stated goal of replacing Israel with "a Palestinian Islamic state"—everybody knows that, in the words of the head of Hamas's political bureau from 2006, that the conflict with Israel "is not religious but political".
So, Hamas has, really, nothing to do with radical Islam—right? Right? sarc/off
Robert:- "There Is No Fun In Islam" (Komeini)
Again, Spencer finds no need to give a balanced view of the matter. No founder of a religion was known to have a sense of humour in the way the Prophet Muhammad did. Moses, Jesus, Buddha, were serious people and rarely joked or had time for humour. The Prophet on the other hand encouraged playful behaviour, for "if you were always in the state you are when you are in my presence, the Angels would come down and mingle with you" - in other words, we are not angels, so he said "there is a time for this and a time for this". However, this too must be balance - even while joking the Prophet never lied. He even had a jester - Nu'ayman, who later caliphs tolerated despite his excessive pranks because the Prophet tolerated him. The Prophet however forbade "lahw" which are futile games but said these games are permissible in useful pursuits like "archery, horse riding and playing with one's wife".
Ahmad reported from 'A'ishah who said: "I went out with the Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) on a journey. At that time I was a young girl and was quite slender. The Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) told the people, 'Go on ahead,' so they went ahead, then he said to me, 'Come, let us have a race.' So I raced with him, and I won. He let the matter rest until I had gained weight. Later, I accompanied him on another journey. He told the people, 'Go on ahead,' so they went ahead. He said to me, 'Come, let us have a race.' So I raced with him, and he won. He began to laugh, and said, 'This is for that."
Another example: A man came to the Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) to ask him to give him a beast to ride. The Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) jokingly told him, I will give you the offspring of a she-camel to ride." He said, "O Messenger of Allah (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam), what will I do with the offspring of a she-camel?" The Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) said: "Are riding-camels born except from she-camels?" [Reported by Ahmad, Abu Dawud and al-Tirmidhi, with a sahih isnad.]
Such anecdotes cannot be found in the narrative of any other religious founder. For other examples, see: http://www.islaam.com/Article.aspx?id=568
As for dancing (raqs) in Islamic law, the jurists have generally deemed it offensive (makruh) as it is associated with permissiveness and immoral behaviour. The Shafii madhhab has allowed it in the case of Sufi practices (hence the mevlevi dance and chisti music). But in Islamic law, it is considered indecent for women to dance in front of strange men, although some jurists have allowed this between a man and a wife (and in fact, the Prophet encouraged fun and jokes between spouses). Yusuf al-Qaradawi who is painted as the big bad guy on this blog believes dancing to be permissible (mubah) so long as it is not associatate with any wrong acts (like immodesty before the opposite gender). The evidence is based on the Prophet's practice of allowing his Abyssinian followers to dance, and even letting Aisha climb on him to watch them from afar (mentioned in Sahih al-Bukhari).
It is clear from the above, Hamas are not imposing an Islamic moral view, rather they hope to persuade and encourage an Islamic revival in the young who will learn to follow these standards in the future. Their method, as they have said, is persuation not coercion.
How about women driving motorcycles themselves?
Oh, and would anyone like to help me educate a dhimmi by the name of Paula Marie Deubel? http://world-news.newsvine.com/_news/2009/11/29/3560897-swiss-vote-on-referendum-to-ban-new-minarets?pc=25&sp=250#discussion
Pages 10 and 11, so far
Muzzi says, "Their method, as they have said, is persuation not coercion."
Here is Hamas using some of their "persuasion" techniques:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1M4eH9Kk7I
Very persuasive, indeed.
From post above...Robert:- "There Is No Fun In Islam" (Komeini)
Again, Spencer finds no need to give a balanced view of the matter.
Why should he...Can't the Supreme leader speak for himself?
I think the big K was perfectly clear...If you have questions or comments about that, you should speak to him...
Otherwise, who cares what a carefree spirit Mahound was in between killing, robbing and raping people...I'm sure Mahound enjoyed himself a lot, generally at the expense of other people....
And you're right, Jesus was way to serious to have even one moment of fun in his whole life...Well, there was that one time when he was at the wedding and seemed to be enjoying himself...Of course he was probably drunk on the wine he created...
They ban this and they ban that. Then they start banging until they imagine they have banged 72 times. Women are tortured here now and most women will be seen in hell fire hereafter and if they enter the sexual paradise, they will have to share her man with another 72. Pathetic!! Idiotic!!
Sharia allegedly wants to enforce clean morals and right behavior, especially in the young. This would be admirable were it not for the bleak nature of many of those rules, as well as the draconian and inhumane consequences of violating them, such as beatings by the religious police, or stonings. Since ijtihad was shut down so early in Islam, there's nothing comparable to an oral tradition to moderate those punishments, so adulterers are stoned, homosexuals and apostates are killed and thieves have hands cut off.
I think that the historical reality of Islam is very different from the modern day Bleak House. Back in Mo's day, Muslims did have fun when they raided caravans, robbed, raped, and butchered their victims, and carried off sex slaves. After a hard day's pillage, you could sit around your campfire, secure in the knowledge that your rampage was an act of holy war against infidels, and not the shinanigans of a bandit.
From the article - "The episodes had an effect anyway," said Eyad Sarraj, a psychiatrist and human rights campaigner. "What parent wants to be seen to defy Islamic rules?"
One with a gun, perhaps? Oh, that's right. No second amendment. No constitution. Only Sharia. And just who wants to bring Sharia here?
Muzammmimul said: "Such anecdotes cannot be found in the narrative of any other religious founder. "
.......................................
Humanity is grateful that Mohammed's heretical psychoses cannot be found in any other religion's founders.
"Their method, as they have said, is persuation not coercion."
......................................
I've been instructed by the Master to examine their deeds (acid burning, lashes, mutilation, beheading, tossed off rooftop), not their words.
These rules seem to be spreading in the area;
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1246443742054&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
The opening of the Palestinian Heritage Museum...
What, they've got a museum now that shows how they cooked up the "Palestinian People" as a ruse after they lost that war to the Israeli Jews?
Hope they have a display honoring Walter Cronkite and the other hacks who helped launch this tiresome myth. They look like Bedouins to me.
*** Tabari 9:69 ***
No founder of a religion was known to have a sense of humour in the way the Prophet Muhammad did.
Oh yeah Mohammed was a real joker alright. He musta been chuckling when he wrote that letter of instructions to be opened during the Expediction to Naklah, whereupon his crew committed murder (arrows in the back) and kidnapping. Or maybe he smiled and joked around when he put out the contract hits on Abu Afak and then Asma Marwan. Both were murdered in their sleep. That was fun. But not the laugh riot that was when Mohammed ordered a fire built atop the chest of Kiana, old Mo musta guffawed when it burned through his thorax and down into the sand. But Mohammed's comedic genius hit its zenith when he ordered 800 Jews beheaded and tossed into a pit right there in front of their respective families.
*** 8:12 ***
That was my favorite bit of Mohammedan humor, the one where he killed adult and adolescent boys in front of their mothers, sisters, and little brothers who had yet to reach maturity.
*** Tabari 8:141 ***
That one was real funny, just like the way that crazy nut Osama bin Laden chose the date Sept 11 cuz it resonated with Americans dialing 911 in an emergency. Or the London Moslem activist raid on July 7 (7-11, get it?) as in a game of craps. Tee hee hee.
*** 8:39 ***
Ayatollah K was right, there is no fun in Islam. Only ridiculous, dangerous people.
Muzammmil wrote:
No founder of a religion was known to have a sense of humour in the way the Prophet Muhammad did.
........................
God knows this is true.
Probably my favorite jest of "the Prophet's" was when a pregnant woman came to him admitting she had sinned by committing Zina, and asked Mohammed to purify her.
He told her to return when she had given birth.
She returned, months later, babe in arms.
He told her to return when the baby was weaned.
She returned, many months later, and the toddler was holding a piece of bread in his little hand.
"The Prophet", satisfied that the little child was properly weaned, had the mother seized, buried up to her breasts, and stoned to death.
Just think—"the Prophet" punked this woman—for months and months! He must have had a hard time keeping a straight face! But boy, he sure got the last laugh!
It's true—I can't imagine the founder of any other religion—Moses, Jesus, Buddha—pulling off something like this.
You're right, Muzammmil—no one had a sense of humor like the Prophet Mohammed!
Prophet mo had a sense of humor, eh? Yet he lacked a sense of humanity!
And you claim that he didn't lie, right? But where is your defense of mo's thievery, thuggery, sexual perversion, and the innumerable murders he took part in?
You are one sick puppy to defend an evil man like mohammad.
I can just imagine Mohammed and his bandit buddies (sorry, spiritual soldiers) chuckling around the campfire.
"Hey, guys" says Mohammed, "did you hear the one about the infidel who beheaded himself?"
Prophet mo had a sense of humor, eh?
Yeah, it was heart warming and not a little funny that the Holy Prophet, Allah's Messenger, was hanging out with little girls and even engaging them in foot races!
*** 33:51 ***
From Little House on the Prarie to Somalis on the Prarie; from Old Yeller to Allahu Akhbar Yeller. This is progress, all in the cause of Moslem Morality, such as it is, if it is.
Prophet mo had a sense of humor, eh?
Yeah, it was heart warming and not a little funny that the Holy Prophet, Allah's Messenger, was hanging out with little girls and even engaging them in foot races!
*** 33:51 ***
From Little House on the Prarie to Somalis on the Prarie; from Old Yeller to Allahu Akhbar Yeller. This is progress, all in the cause of Moslem Morality, such as it is, if it is.
Nice work!
muzammmil avers that Muhammed never lied. But he never objected to lying and deceit when either or both furthered his ambitions and goals. I will cite only one example, that of the events connected with the murder of one of Muhammed's enemies, the poet Ka'ab b. al-Asraf, whose offense was that he wrote verses critical of Muhammed:
"He (Ka'ab) had gone to Mecca after the battle of Badr and had composed poems in praise of the dead, trying to stir up the Meccans to avenge their heroes of Badr. Rather foolishly, he returned to Mecca, where Muhammed prayed aloud, 'O Lord, deliver me from the son of Ashraf, in whatsoever way it seems good to you, because of his open sedition and his verses.' But the Banu Nadir were powerful enough to protect Ka'ab, and the Muslims who volunteered to murder him explained to the Prophet that only by cunning could they hope to accomplish their task. The conspirators met in Muhammed's house, and as they emerged at night, the Prophet gave them his full blessings. Pretending to be Ka'ab's friends, the Muslims lured him out into the night and, in a suitable spot near a waterfall, murdered him. They threw Ka'ab's head at the Prophet's feet. Muhammed praised their work in the cause of God." (from Ibn Warraq: Why I am not a Muslim, reprinted on page 71 of Andrew Bostom's Legacy of Islamic Antisemitism)
This event is excerpted from the Sira, the authoritative biography of Muhammed by Ibn Ishaq.
"even while joking the Prophet never lied"
When answering a question, didn't Mohammed state that the sun sets in a mud puddle?
Muhammad did have a sense of humor....he sent his men to certain death in battle in order to claim their wives...