I’ve been less enthusiastic about Zuhdi Jasser than other foes of jihad terror, chiefly because his version of Islam is based neither on the Qur’an nor on Islamic tradition or history; there is no sect of Islam that teaches what he stands for, and so while I wish him success, it is unlikely in the extreme that he will gain a large following among Muslims. And when conservatives anxious to show that they are not “anti-Muslim” (which only shows that they are far more susceptible to the smear propaganda of Hamas-linked CAIR and its allies than they should be) give him a lavish platform, they only mislead Americans into thinking that he is representative of the perspective of most Muslims, which he certainly is not. This can foster complacency about the jihad threat.
Here is another example of how unrepresentative Jasser is among Muslims: his own account of how he was berated in public by an Arizona imam for the crime of denouncing Hamas. If the sentiments of Muslims in the U.S. were anything like what government and law enforcement officials and the media elites assume them to be, this imam would have been run out of town by his congregation, and a Zuhdiite imam put in his place. That didn’t happen.
Above is video of my debate with Jasser from a couple of years ago.
“Muslim: I was bullied for criticizing Hamas,” by M. Zuhdi Jasser, AZ Central, August 23, 2014 (thanks to The Religion of Peace):
What happens in Syria, Egypt, Iraq or Gaza has an impact every day right here in the Valley.
Even in America, leading Muslim organizations and clerics bully with threats of ostracism those Muslims who dare to dissent. Old-guard ideologues, too, used to monopoly control, make it crystal clear to their Muslim critics: Take us on and we will make an example of you as a traitor to the Muslim community (the ummah).
On July 28, Muslims around the world celebrated Eid al-Fitr (Holiday of the Feast) marking the end of our holy month of Ramadan, a spiritual month of daily fasting from all food and drink. In Ramadan, we focus on scripture, self-reflection and atonement. My family and I attended the holiday Eid prayer service at the Islamic Center of the Northeast Valley of which we are longtime members.
Little did we know Imam Yaser Ali, a Valley attorney, would use this otherwise joyous family holiday occasion to target me in the presence of my wife and children.
With more than 500 local Muslims in attendance, he riled up the crowd, demanding a community “effort” against those Muslims “who go on Fox News and speak ill against our Muslim brothers and sisters … who make the mosques look bad.” These individuals, he said, “hate Islam” and “vilify Muslims.”
While Mr. Ali never had the courage to say my name, no doubt remained in the mosque, or later on social media, that he was referring to me. He finished his tirade with “they are not from amongst us … they don’t represent us; we, the Muslim community represent one another, and we care for our brothers and sisters in Palestine.”
Apparently, the Scottsdale mosque’s leadership decided, or at the minimum voiced no disagreement, that for Muslims this Ramadan it is not Hamas, al-Qaida, ISIS, Boko Haram, the Muslim Brotherhood, or the evil regimes from Assad’s Syria to Iran or Saudi Arabia or even radicalized American jihadists in Syria that deserve targeting from the pulpit, but only a local, reform-minded activist — Zuhdi Jasser.
This imam meticulously described what he knows too well would garner me a death sentence as a munafiq (hypocrite), or murtad (apostate), for the crime of riddah (apostasy, treason) according to the interpretation of Shariah law accepted by Saudi Arabia and most Muslim-majority countries.
What was the crime prompting my metaphorical flogging in the presence of my wife, children and friends’ families on this holiday?
A few days earlier I had criticized the radicals of Hamas on national television for their supremacist Islamist doctrine hatched from the Muslim Brotherhood that daily and viciously oppresses the people of Gaza. I urged Hamas to stop the war mongering, refusal of cease fires, and launching of thousands of rockets that victimize Palestinian women, children and families, and I criticized CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations).
To Imam Yaser Ali that was worthy of takfir, a declaration of public apostasy. The mosque board and audience responded to his call to action against me, a Muslim he described as of “those who hate Islam,” with a resounding “inshallah” (God willing).
In the days to follow, local social media filled with subtle and not-so-subtle threats against me and my family from some rather prominent Valley Muslims.
While the venue was new, the mantra was a cheap rehash of the old, scorched-earth smear tactics peddled by the CAIR. Right after declaring me the enemy of all Muslims, Mr. Ali spoke of the so-called religious obligation to donate generously to CAIR. This was all reminiscent of the May 9, 2014, sermon, visiting CAIR-LA director Hussam Ayloush, who regularly takes to Twitter with other CAIR directors to call me an “Uncle Tom” and a “monkey,” gave across town at the Islamic Community Center of Tempe to slam me as an “Islamophobe.”…
Jay Boo says
They tell Coexist liberals that Allah is the same god as Christianity.
Muslims, who is Allah?
Some Muslims claim Allah is the same god as over Christians.
But ask Allah if he is real.
Ask your unknowable god if he is real.
Will your Allah take offense?
Now you see.
Muslims stop looking at what crawls beneath your feet.
Muslims look up from Islam’s emptiness beneath your feet with humility.
Jaladhi says
It’s the imams all over the world who incite Muslims against all non-Muslims and also against all those so called “moderate” Muslims who don’t toe their line. These imams are like SS troopers of Hitler to carry out Mo/allah’s mission of killing all those who don’t agree them them or become Muslims.
Young Muslims who go to these mosques are susceptible to following imam’s orders – he being having a direct connection with allah. So it’s the imams all over who are responsible for radicalizing Muslims, young or old. And after every terrorist act by Muslims our media and politicians muse who is responsible for radicalizing Muslims. Morons – it’s the religion, stupid, and their agents imams who do it and nobody else!! Get rid of all imams all over the world , you might see a change for better in Islam!! Well, maybe!!
Howard Roark says
Jaladhi, you are correct in pointing out the role of imams. But the source of the views of those imams are found in Islam’s most reliable and respected sources.
There is ZERO doubt about what the penalties for apostasy or blasphemy are. The imams are teaching what the scriptures and prime example of Islam document. Being moderate toward those who criticize Muslims is a violation of the teachings of Islam.
Until someone somewhere discovers the undeniable argument about why what happened in 631 and 632 is WRONG any Muslim can “self-radicalized” or any imam can help radicalize any faithful Muslim.
voegelinian says
Good Cop gets in over his head with the Good Cop/Bad Cop tactic. It is a mistake to cultivate any sympathy at all for Jasser. He can’t be as ignorant of Islam as his repeated fantasies of a peaceful Islam indicate; and it’s highly unlikely he is severely brain-damaged or suffering from some mental derangement. We must therefore conclude he is lying and doing taqiyya. By cultivating any sympathy for a Jasser, we are tending to hamper our own war of ideas to wake up our West, and tending to reinforce the gullibility that is endangering our lives (a danger only metastasizing as we speak).
David Kopel says
Nevertheless, when we don’t attach any guile to him, Jasser seems like quite an intelligent and reasonable person. He may a bit of a pollyanna on the subject of modernizing islam, but he’s not insincere. Why not give him a break?
voegelinian says
You’re looking at Jasser from a micro perspective — as one individual. I’m looking at him from a macro perspective, in terms of the effects his his punditry has — including softening up gullible Infidels to reinforce their already existing semi-conscious feeling that “most Muslims can’t be all evil, the only real problem is a certain percentage of them” — the meme which has been killing us, is killing us now, and portends horrific terror attacks in the future which will the Muslims planning them will only be able to get away with if they can work stealthily within a society that generally trusts Muslims.
voegelinian says
“and portends horrific terror attacks in the future which will the Muslims planning them will ”
delete that first “will” of course
Jay says
Sorry, but this is the first time I will be breaking ranks with the majority on here. I’ve watched this guy (I believe he is a surgeon) go onto news outlets for years now and get “in to it” with the orthodox Muslims. They get pretty angry at him and I seriously doubt it’s all “staged” Taqqiya. It is just like Robert Spencer pointed out – he’s advocating basically for a serious re-write of the Koran. He wants to take the Koran and start crossing out sections that are fueling the Jihad movement then replace them with a “love thy neighbor” section. The funny thing is I have heard Robert Spencer say before that only by reworking the texts within the Koran can Jihad truly be addressed which is what this guy is advocating. On the other hand, as indicated by Robert Spencer he has a ameniable message that should get him about 2 like minded Muslims out of the entire world. If the message is good, but no one wants to hear it sort of similar to the tree falling in the forest. Too bad for him.
voegelinian says
Your theory fails when confronting the logic, as I argued in my first post. But I agree, it’s a comforting theory.
RichardL says
I know it is hard to get around the fact that Zuhdi Jasser believes that he is a Muslim and at the same time can argue against the islam that we all agree is total evil. But he does. I have mentioned it a year ago when Muhammad Husseini came here and argued with us: there are truly decent Muslims out there and they believe in an islam that is very different from the one that exists. Muhammad al-Husseini is probably the best educated sheikh in islam and his exegesis of the sources of islam is one that we all would agree with, believe me. He actually teaches for a Jewish university. So, Robert raises an important point: these people obfuscate the public’s view of real islam. I disagree with Robert on keeping Drs Jasser and Husseini at arms length. These are our only real allies within the ummah and our only hope of change because change must come from within.
PS: Moderator, please do not capitalise islam again. I refrain from using strong language but refuse to give islam a capital i. Thanks!
Islam_Macht_Frei says
“Moderator???” Really?? News to me.
Know Thy Enemy says
I don’t think Jasser is doing taqiyya, but he is seriously deluded. Muslims take great pride in the fact that Quran’s message has been unchanged since its revelation. There is no way they will let Jasser or anyone else change or modify Quran.
Muslims are unlikely to pay any attention to Jasser, but unfortunately the non-Muslim media does give him face-time since they have already made up their mind that Islam is peaceful and look for anyone who can make them feel they (media) know what they are doing!
Zuhdi Jasser is deluded but ends up unknowingly do taqiyya anyway. His very presence in the Muslim community deceives non-Muslims into believing in ‘moderate/liberal Muslims’, that Islam can be ‘reformed’, and that Muslims are actually working to reform Islam!
Jaladhi says
The question is why Zuhdi Jassser still remains a Muslim. Doesn’t he know that his understanding of Islam is definitely faulty. There is nothing Islam which is of any redeeming value. He should leave Islam and get on with his life. He may call himself a moderate Muslim” but what is a moderate as he can see right in own mosque the guy who teaches Islam to all of them doesn’t think there is any moderate Islam and whatever Jasser is doing is nothing but being an apostate!!
Jasser is delusional about moderate Islam. He should know better as he has been brought up as a Muslim – where does he see a moderate Islam?? Muslims all over the world prove him wrong!1
Jay Boo says
I agree
“Jasser is delusional about moderate Islam.”
While voegelinian believes that Jasser is just doing taqiyya, Jasser actually appears to believe and want to believe and make sense of his Islam world. If he is lying it is to himself first of all.
thomas_h says
“if he is lying it is to himself first of all.”
Unless one suffers from split personality it is impossible for one to lie to himself. He doesn’t looks crazy or stupid. He lies to us only and he is good at it.
voegelinian says
He can’t be that delusional; he’s very knowledgeable about Islam. The only reasonable explanation that might redeem him would be that he is remarkably brain damaged or psychotic — but both are far more unlikely than the simpler explanation (which is hardly outlandish, to anyone who has been reading Jihad Watch over the years): namely, taqiyya. Ockham’s Razor is best when assessing ostensible Moderates; and its blade, if we use it consistently, will over time prove sharper and stronger than any sword of Islam.
Jay Boo says
Zuhdi Jasser says of Muslims
“We as Muslims need to go back and figure out how to continue the work that started to die off in the 13th and 14th centuries”
He suggests he is referring to Muslim Moderation but isn’t he really referring to a new resurgence of Islam after the old military defeats in the 13th and 14th centuries.
Jay Boo says
Coexist Indoctrination Center (nearby)
AKA (Dar al Islam Teachers’ Institutes)
The Dar al Islam Teachers’ Institutes have been held at our famous facilities in Abiquiu, New Mexico since 1994.
We provide and discuss available resources and tools to help the participants in teaching about Islam more effectively.
Institutes attendees include secondary school teachers from public, private and parochial institutions of North America.
http://www.daralislam.org/programs/education/teachers-institutes.aspx
Jay Boo says
I forgot the quotes around their promo spiel
Tim says
Yasser’s Islam is probably his mommy’s and poppy’s. He doesn’t want to abandon what he thinks is his culture and therefore makes excuses for it.
Know Thy Enemy says
Yup!
Beagle says
In the above post Jasser mentions three death penalties for thought crimes: munafiq, murtad, and ridda. Add shirk to that list to make it four and the list is still not comprehensive.
“True peaceful Islam” is the most successful lie in modern times.
Myxlplik says
Zuni Jasser makes several prescient points.
1- Due to what America is and what it stands for we got the cream of the intellectual crop from the Islamic world.
2- The Muslim Brotherhood and all of its affiliate organizations are seditious.
Muslims guilty of Islamic Sedition should be put into prison or given the choice to be deported to ISIS where they can tear up their defunct US passport.
alyn21 says
Zuhdi Jasser is to Islam what Michail Gorbachev was to communism. Gorbachev was a loyal Soviet Communist who realized that his movement had weaknesses and he tried to reform them. It could not be done as Communism had too many structural weaknesses to be reformable. I predict that Jasser will have the same results.
voegelinian says
Until Jasser jumps ship and apostasizes, he should be suspect.
RCCA says
That episode is going to leave a mark, if not on Jasser then at least on his wife and children.
Dr. Gonzalo de Porras says
No existe el Islam moderado y solo existe un islam que o está en guerra abierta para la dominación del mundo o esta disimulando hasta encontrar el momento propicio para el ataque.SEgún el Corán todo musulmándebe de imponer su fe al mundo. Por tanto no se puede calificar al Islam, ni a los musulmanes de “moderados”, pues es cuestión de tiempo o de ocasión para que intenten dominar el mundo
There is no moderate Islam and only Islam that exists or is in open war for world domination or is hiding to find the auspicious time for the Koran ataque.SEgún all musulmándebe to impose their faith to the world. Therefore can not qualify to Islam or Muslims as “moderate”, it is a matter of time or equipment to try to dominate the world
RichardL says
here is a piece from someone very much like Zuhdi Yasser. And believe me: Professor Manea is not in any way engaged in taqqiya. She is advocating for radically changing islam and thinks that it can only be done from within. At the moment she is studying the shari’a courts in the UK.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elham-manea/time-to-face-the-isis-ins_b_5688631.html
Tim says
Well I think she’s out cycling. The seat of the Islamic faith, supposedly the most authentic version of Islam that stands above anything else, is Saudi Arabia. And last time I looked her ‘types’ were not even allowed to drive a car in Saudi Arabia , in a society where women are viewed as nothing more than dumb animals.
The chances of her even coming close to gathering any respect from the superior male elite other than derisive laughter at her proposed changes are so small that we’ll probably see another warlike Mohammed born before that will even happen.
Richardl says
I agree with you: the chances of her being heard in Mohammedan countries are essentially zero.
However, she might just be heard by the political class in the West, who apparently reads the HuffPo (I never read it, before I read that article). Her research aims at showing how the shari’a courts in the UK destroy democracy. I personally would be very happy if we could throw islam out of the western countries and her work might just help.
People like us apparently are not heard. I spoke to a guy who wrote big parts of the islam-related security policy of a certain Nordic country. He certainly hates islam and his country has the most islam-friendly immigration policy in the world. He plans to emigrate.
duh_swami says
Simple questions for Jasser…Do you believe Allah is God? Do you believe Mahound is his messenger?
RichardL says
Hi Swami,
the answer to these questions means very little. allah is just a name and I now many Mohammedans who simply ignore the 90% nastiness associated with that figure. If you want to differentiate between good and bad Muslim (all of islam is bad, I agree), you have to ask questions like whether they believe it was good of Mohammed to buy a 6 year old and rape her when she was 9. Try it. You get very interesting reactions, depending on what type of person you ask.
Lorna Salzman says
Zuhdi Jasser is actually promoting a revolutionary radical approach to Islam because he promotes separation of mosque and state. This deceptively simple
principle would, if adopted by Muslims, reduce the pre-eminence of religion in the lives of Muslims and replace the quaranic mandates with those of secular civil society and the rule of law. This would abolish mandates to kill nonMuslims, bestow equal rights on women, undermine the call for religious war and the caliphate, and eventually mean the end of radical/political Islam and the end of privileges granted on the basis of religion. I commend
Jasser for taking on this thankless but urgent task. His work within the Muslim community is commendable and he deserves our support and respect.
Know Thy Enemy says
@Lorna
If you are falling for Jasser’s delusion then I am afraid that you too are deluded.
Muslims believe in Quran because they think it is the word of God (Allah). The “quranic mandates” to them are Allah’s mandates! And Allah has mandated that there be no separation of religon and state.
So why would Muslims believe in Jasser’s delusion rather than Allah’s mandates? His is a futile task.
The only Muslims worth supporting are Ex-Muslims. Supporting Zuhdi would be a waste of time on our part. It would be more productive to take a walk in the park or watch a movie than to get trapped in Jasser’s delusion!
R.C. says
The author does his readers a disservice here–Zuhdi Jasser is not a genuine Muslim. A Muslim is what the Qur’an says they are–when people like Mr. Jasser–change it to suit themselves–it no longer is Islam.
awake says
“This imam meticulously described what he knows too well would garner me a death sentence as a munafiq (hypocrite), or murtad (apostate), for the crime of riddah (apostasy, treason) according to the interpretation of Shariah law accepted by Saudi Arabia and most Muslim-majority countries.”
Didn’t Jasser just admit that his own private Islam is not in step with normative Islam, or is he absurdly claiming that Islam practiced in Saudi Arabia and most other Muslim-majority countries world-wide is not normative, mainstream Islam?
awake says
@Egyptian Muslim
What’s your solution, Imam E.M.?
COME_&_TAKE_EM says
The fundamental problem with Jassers idea of reform is that the majority of the Muslim community would have to accept his reform of islam. To put it in terms most Americans can understand that would be like asking Catholics to accept a reform the denounces Jesus as their savior. It would NEVER happen. He has to know this is also true for his religion as a relatively intelligent islamic. So the he and other “peaceful Muslims” are using one of their greatest weapons (deception) to infiltrate the “infidels” policy makers and soften out position on islam by making it seem that only a very small minority of islamics hate the west and are prepared to die for thier cause. Anyone who would nay say that is nieve to their teachings and ideology or are sympathizers to islams cause.