A September 22 Huffington Post webcast in response to Ben Carson’s reservations concerning a possible Muslim president showed once again the pitiful state of affairs concerning all things Muslim the media. HuffPo presented two dubious Muslim apologists for Islam and their propaganda without the slightest critical inquiry.
HuffPo moderator Caroline Modarressy-Tehrani turned to three guests for answers to the question “Does the GOP have a problem with Islam?” Saba Ahmed is a self-proclaimed “Islamic lobbyist,” past proponent of 9/11 Truther theories, and former anti-war Democrat suspiciously turned conservative Republican. She once knew and defended the Muslim man caught by the FBI in a 2010 Portland, Oregon, terrorism bomb plot sting.
Ahmed joined Harris Zafar, a member of the small Ahmadiyya Muslim community deemed heretical by other Muslims. Despite global Muslim persecution of the Ahmadiyya, Zafar has condemned “enemies of peace” who use “individual privileges” like free speech to engage in criticism of Islam deemed hateful. His Ahmadiyya colleague in the United States, Qasim Rashid, has even argued that American law can prohibit speech like Quran-burning. Writer David Freelander rounded out the panel with political commentary.
Zafar criticized Carson for “conflating a Muslim as somebody who wants to establish a theocracy,” an “entirely unjust and unfair way of looking at Islam.” Zafar invited Carson “to learn more about the true Islam and American Muslims by going to the source, go to the Quran,” whose literal text would somehow dispel all concerns about Islam. Calling for Carson’s apology, Ahmed similarly stated that his views “on Islam are very absurd” and he “needs to know the basics of Islam” rather than “being advised by some very anti-Islamic folks” like “Frank Gaffney in particular.”
“Islam strongly condemns all forms of terrorism,” Ahmed stated along with the now common Islam apologia that “extremists have hijacked our religion,” a view contradicted by the literature at her mosque. “There is nothing in the Quran that justifies violence,” she declared in an amazingly counterfactual manner, but rather Islam’s “laws of war have been misused by extremists” who are “deeply mistaken.” Defeating such individuals demanded an “ideological battle” drawing upon Islam’s asserted inherently benign nature, she argued with one of her oft-repeated tropes. “You can never win a war through the military,” she simplistically claimed.
Much of the webcast focused on sharia is a “new boogeyman term,” Zafar stated, but critics like Carson “clearly have no idea what sharia even is.” While “punishments…are misrepresented by extremists and very hardline governments like Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan and Pakistan and Sudan,” Islam mandates that the “law of one’s homeland has predominance over all other laws.” His formulation left open the question of Muslims seeking to change the laws given that sharia “can influence your morals.”
For millions of American Muslims “sharia is just the way we live our life, the way we practice our religion,” Saba added, a law supposedly open to wide-ranging interpretations. The “way Saudi Arabia defines sharia is different than the way Turkey defines it, or the way Indonesia defines it,” although she did not explain whether sharia has any legal status in the latter two countries. “Sharia means the laws of the land…that can include the constitution,” agreed a viewer on social media quoted by Modarressy-Tehrani, as if sharia had no independent content that could guide Muslims towards certain objectives.
“Sharia is also pro-life, sharia is also pro-marriage, pro-traditional family values, pro-business, pro-trade, pro-defense,” the registered Republican Ahmed stated. Islamic “religious values align directly with the Republican Party platform…just like Judeo-Christian values.” Yet this assessment contrasts with her dovishness towards Islamic terrorists and ignores serious Islamic-conservative moral differences on issues such as interest, child marriage, polygamy, and even abortion.
Ahmed criticized that Republicans “don’t know much about Islam, so they tend to just associate it with terrorism” in “their own ignorant world view.” Republicans “have to tone down on this hatred and bigotry” concerning Muslims in order to win the presidency. Obama is “already the son of a Muslim, at least. Why is that such a big deal?” she asked while stating facts that Obama and his supporters often hesitate to discuss.
While a viewer stated on social media that the “Republican Party of 2015 is a hate group,” Zafar agreed that the “current state of the Republican Party is not the same Republican Party during the life of Ronald Reagan.” A “lower human nature” manifested itself both in Carson, who competed over “which religion is better,” and among Americans who were once again showing prejudice. There is a “large swath of the American population that defines what it means to be an American as the polar opposite of a Muslim,” Zafar stated.
Freelander considered “proper response” of Republicans towards Muslims would be to say that “Muslims are welcome in this country” and “are good family people too.” Republicans “got more traction by demonizing Muslims than by welcoming them. That’s a choice. You can easily imagine a different choice,” given supposed Muslim conservatism. Modarressy-Tehrani showed video of presidential candidate John McCain rejecting at a 2008 campaign stop an accusation of Barack Obama being a Muslim, eliciting Freelander’s dubious claim that McCain is a “skilled politician.”
So went the entire webcast without a single comment critical of Islam or its two featured representatives, individuals who demonstrated precisely the concerns of Carson. Arguments heard ad nauseam since 2001 trivialized the problems of Muslim-majority countries wracked by sectarian violence, egregious human rights violations, religious fanaticism, poverty, and weapons of mass destruction. Muslims from such countries (or even domestic converts) in turn provoked no concerns of following dangerous ideologies, as exhibited in massacres of Parisian cartoonists or military personnel in America. Why, for example, more Muslims in the United Kingdom have volunteered for the Islamic state than the British military was never a topic of discussion. Rather than Muslim “good family people,” a more pressing matter for the panelists was “ignorant” Republicans, many of whom had previously supported disappointing military campaigns to democratize Afghanistan and Iraq. How long can such dangerous, superficial political correctness continue in the media, the public’s supposed watchdog?

ECAW says
“Zafar invited Carson “to learn more about the true Islam and American Muslims by going to the source, go to the Quran,” whose literal text would somehow dispel all concerns about Islam.”
Christ! I wish above all else that people would read the accursed book – like this commenter in the Guardian:
“…Then 9/11, and I joined the liberal chorus of “This has nothing to do with Islam! These terrorists are twisting the words of the quran, they are missinterpreting the sacred text! Islam is a religion of peace! Just look at the quran!”
Eventually, I did take the Quran down off my shelf. I was barely halfway through it before I had to admit to myself that I had been wrong, that this was probably the most vile book in existence, far worse than the bible, worse than Mein Kampf, worse, even, than the Daily Mail.
It is just so full of hatred, and egotistical supremacism. The secret is in the quran. I wish more liberal, moral relativists would actually pick it up and read it, I’m sure they’d suffer the same shock that I felt. This book is really, really fucking disgusting”.
Don Foss says
Almost 20% of the Qur’an is about who to hate, who to fight, who to kill, and what to think of infidels (or “the enemies of Allah”). Twenty-four of the 114 suras/chapters. Ahadeeth is more than twice that percentage and is the go-to narrative for the life of Muhammad and the sharia. Islam is a supremacist “religion” with an end game that has the entire world Muslim and none of his “enemies” left alive on the planet.
ECAW says
Indeed, Islam is supremacist – inherently, implacably and unavoidably supremacist. At least, all these folks seem to think so:
https://ecawblog.wordpress.com/2014/03/14/who-says-islam-is-supremacist-2/
Karen says
I’ve bookmarked this link; great resource and quick read to show those who have never heard the other side of the story.
Michael Copeland says
Does not Bill Warner say that it is 62%?
Lori in MI says
I suspect the same percentage is present in the Bible, and yet I don’t see anyone here recognizing the double standard implies.
ECAW says
What you suspect is wrong.
Angemon says
I suspect you’ve never read the bible, otherwise you’d know it doesn’t give the open-ended commandment, valid for all times, to kill non-Christians on the account of their religion. The quran gives muslims an open-ended commandment, valid for all times, to kill non-muslims on the account of their religion.
Western Canadian says
Only the hate filled lunatics who run evil bible dot com would agree with you. You couldn’t possible be farther from the truth.
Don Foss says
Conservatives tend to form their opinions based on facts. If they see a problem in Islam, for instance, they will study the contents of its scripture, look into the life of its prophet, investigate its laws, and form a reasoned opinion based on facts and reality.
Liberals are intellectually lazy and will go to sources they figuire will justify and back up thier own world view. In the case of Islam, they find Muslims to tell them what they want to hear about their religion and then its case closed.
Also, at the heart of this, is not so much about Islam but to frame Republicans as ignorant, bigoted knickle-dragging haters. It IS an election cycle and they have to push that narrative as a matter of course.
jihad3tracker says
Overachiever Andrew Harrod (PhD + JD), being ever the gentleman, is, in my humble opinion, WAY too kind using “dubious” to describe the Muslim apologists.
They are tacticians of good old core-Islam TAQIYYA.
Andrew Harrod says
That is always a suspicion. I guess I am just sticking closely to the facts.
Jay Boo says
Powder Muhammad’s nose to — “Strike a pose”.
The self-indulgent Puff HO;s naturally view Ahmadiyya Muslims as yet another PC fashion accessory to adorn their mythical image of Islam.
Jaladhi says
““Islam strongly condemns all forms of terrorism,” Ahmed stated along with the now common Islam apologia that “extremists have hijacked our religion,” a view contradicted by the literature at her mosque. “There is nothing in the Quran that justifies violence,” she declared in an amazingly counterfactual….”
How dumb one can be?? It is apparent from the above quote or wait he is simply lying – or hasn’t read Quran lately. The media is the dumb one to believe these liars!!
Jaladhi says
Zafar is not even considered a Muslim in Muslim countries such as Pakistan, Indonesia, .. and he is going to show Ben Carson the real Islam!! Ha, ha, ha,…LOL..
He should first talk to all those millions of Sunnis and Shias before trying to speak for Islam.
Angemon says
In all fairness, aren’t they all?
The quran justifies attacking non-muslims because of their beliefs (9:29, with 9:30 and 9:31 specifically singling out Jews and Christians, and lying about Judaism and Christianity).
And on countries whose governments aren’t “very hardline” and don’t “misrepresent” punishments there are groups pushing on for those “hardline misrepresentations” – how is it that all over the world these “hardliners” manage to “misrepresent” islam and sharia in the same way?
PRCS says
Zafar was on Hannity last night.
Fortunately he was given the Governor Walker treatment–barely allowed to speak.
To Hannity’s credit, he did point out what an insignificant percentage of the Muslim ummah they are and how reviled they are by other Muslims.
Of course, Hannity–after referencing Qur’an and Islam–just couldn’t help but utter the “radical Islam” nonsense.
Saba Ahmed says
Holy Quran 6:125
——————
فَمَن يُرِدِ اللَّهُ أَن يَهْدِيَهُ يَشْرَحْ صَدْرَهُ لِلْإِسْلَامِ ۖ وَمَن يُرِدْ أَن يُضِلَّهُ يَجْعَلْ صَدْرَهُ ضَيِّقًا حَرَجًا كَأَنَّمَا يَصَّعَّدُ فِي السَّمَاءِ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يَجْعَلُ اللَّهُ الرِّجْسَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ
God will open the hearts of whomever He wants to guide to Islam, but He will tighten the chest of one whom He has led astray, as though he was climbing high up into the sky. Thus, God places wickedness on those who do not accept the faith.
Holy Quran 39:22
——————
أَفَمَن شَرَحَ اللَّهُ صَدْرَهُ لِلْإِسْلَامِ فَهُوَ عَلَىٰ نُورٍ مِّن رَّبِّهِ ۚ فَوَيْلٌ لِّلْقَاسِيَةِ قُلُوبُهُم مِّن ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ فِي ضَلَالٍ مُّبِينٍ
One whose chest (heart and mind) is left open for Islam (submission to His will) shall receive light from God. Woe to those whose hearts have become like stone against the remembrance of God. They are clearly in error.
Holy Quran 49:17
——————
يَمُنُّونَ عَلَيْكَ أَنْ أَسْلَمُوا ۖ قُل لَّا تَمُنُّوا عَلَيَّ إِسْلَامَكُم ۖ بَلِ اللَّهُ يَمُنُّ عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْ هَدَاكُمْ لِلْإِيمَانِ إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ
(The bedouins tell you that) you owe them (a great deal) for their embracing Islam. Tell them, “You are not doing me any favors by embracing Islam. In fact, it is God who has done you a great favor by guiding you to the faith. (Think about this) if you are people of truth.
ECAW says
“God will open the hearts of whomever He wants to guide to Islam, but He will tighten the chest of one whom He has led astray, as though he was climbing high up into the sky. Thus, God places wickedness on those who do not accept the faith.”
Yes, this is one of Allah’s many character flaws – he is capricious. He says somewhere that he could have put people straight but chooses not to in order to fill hell with them. What kind of god creates people simply in order to keep them in the dark then punish them for it?
See the first section of this for a rundown on Allah’s wisdom, justice and compassion etc:
https://ecawblog.wordpress.com/2015/08/14/who-is-my-enemy/
Western Canadian says
Hey, idiot. Most of the people on this board know at least as much, ,probably more about your vicious hate cult than even you do. Unlike you, we just don’t lie about what it preaches. You know, the fun things like rape, mutilation of young girls, murder of rape victims, theft, slavery, and not mere murder or mass murder, but murder and mass murder by vicious, barbaric and sadistic butchery.
Have a nice, day, suggest an asbestos lined coffin.
Jay Boo says
Saba Ahmed
Muslims murder their own daughters.
Allah is afraid of women.
Andrew Harrod says
“God places wickedness on those who do not accept the faith.” Feel the love. This really is a Quran verse to remember.
Karen says
Harris Zafar confuses me. I saw his Hannity interview the other day, where he shook his head in discouragement over Muslims who wanted Sharia to supersede the Constitution. But here he sings a different tune. Hmmmmm…..
He calls Free Speech a “privilege”. Now that I’m feeling suspicious of him, I might suspect that he is using that word in it’s most fashionable sense, and deliberately touching some nerves. Sorry Harris, but Free Speech is a right, not a privilege.
As for Ms. Ahmed’s statement; “there is nothing in the Koran that justifies violence”; surely you jest.
ECAW says
“As for Ms. Ahmed’s statement; “there is nothing in the Koran that justifies violence”; surely you jest.”
She learned that from the Pope.