Recently, parents in Summerville, South Carolina became aware that their sixth-grade children were being taught about Islam in school. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with learning something of value about Islam. It was what, and how, they were being taught that some found objectionable. Part of what the students were required to do was, unsurprisingly, fill-in-the-blank parroting of propaganda. To wit: “Islam is a religion of (peace). If I believe in Islam, I am called a (Muslim). In the Islamic religion, we call God (Allah). I may dress differently than other kids. I feel (bad) that a few people of my religion committed terrorist acts. I (do not) believe in terrorists’ idea of a ‘holy war.’”
Then the children were dutifully taught to memorize the Five Pillars: the Shahada, or recital of the Muslim profession of faith; Salat, the ritual prayers said five times each day; Zakat, the alms given to help the needy; Sawm, or the fasting during the month of Ramadan; and the Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca that a Believer should try to make once in his lifetime.
Those objecting to this were reported in the press as if they — parents and non-parents alike — were merely Islamophobic know-nothings. School officials pointed out that this teaching had been going on since 2011 without complaint, and they suavely assured reporters that most of those now complaining about the curriculum in South Carolina were “right-wing activists” from Texas and Oklahoma, and thus, as both out-of-state people and as “right-wing activists,” they could not possibly have a point. Who could be against teaching our children about the Five Pillars of Islam?
Well, you could, and I could, for several reasons. The first is that the children are not being fully informed even about the Five Pillars. Take, for example, Salat, the five daily prayers. The children do not learn, and it is most doubtful that their teachers themselves know, what is contained in those prayers. As Robert Spencer repeatedly has pointed out:
In the course of praying the requisite five prayers a day, an observant Muslim will recite the Fatihah, the first surah of the Qur’an and the most common prayer in Islam, seventeen times. The final two verses of the Fatihah ask Allah: “Show us the straight path, the path of those whom Thou hast favoured; not the (path) of those who earn Thine anger nor of those who go astray.” The traditional Islamic understanding of this is that the “straight path” is Islam — cf. Islamic apologist John Esposito’s book Islam: The Straight Path. The path of those who have earned Allah’s anger are the Jews, and those who have gone astray are the Christians.
In other words, every dutiful Muslim, saying the five prayers every day, is also cursing the kuffar seventeen times a day. Do you think these sixth-graders learning about the duty of Salat have any idea? Do you think they should be given that information? Or should they be offered only a sanitized version of Salat? Of course, even if their teachers knew what was contained in the Fatihah, and understood that it is recited as part of those daily prayers – perhaps by having done a little study on their own, outside the politically-correct Lesson Plan — would they dare to tell their pupils? Wouldn’t they worry, and with reason, that they might be reported on, and accused of bigotry by someone – a school administrator, a representative of CAIR, the Southern Poverty Law Center, the New York Times, the Washington Post — and likely suffer consequences to their careers, perhaps even lose their jobs, unless they cravenly apologized for this act of “Islamophobia” and “racism”? The textual evidence they might adduce in their own defense – the Fatihah itself — would be to no avail. For they would find, in the present hysterical atmosphere (“We are all Muslims now”), that the truth is no defense; you must say nothing ill about Islam.
And when these 12-year-olds are taught about another of the Five Pillars, Zakat, they are told that it is duty, incumbent upon Muslims, to “give alms to the needy.” Well, yes and no. Zakat is, it’s true, a tax levied to benefit the poor and needy. This of course sounds good, and not just to sixth-graders. What the children will not be told, and what one suspects that their teachers do not know, is that Zakat is meant to benefit only fellow Muslims. This is quite different from the Christian conception of charity, made available to all. The only non-Muslims to whom Zakat might, in rare instances, be given, are those who show signs of wanting to convert, if the giving of that Zakat encourages them to embrace Islam. And one other piquant detail: what teacher would know that one of the purposes for which Zakat can be given is not just to help the needy, but to support the mujahideen, the Jihad warriors of Islam? And if he knew, would he dare to tell his pupils?
So even if the Lesson Plan on Islam is already limited to the most outwardly anodyne part of the faith, the Five Pillars, it is made more anodyne still by leaving out the most disturbing aspects of Salat and Zakat. And the most objectionable part of this parody of pedagogy is that the children are not being taught anything of real significance about the ideology of Islam. What do they learn about Jihad? What do they learn about the status of non-Muslims as dhimmis under Muslim rule? What do they find out about the Jizyah? What do they discover about the hatred and hostility that Islam inculcates toward all non-Muslims? What do they learn of how Islam purports to regulate every area of a Believer’s life? Or of how Islam constricts the possibilities of freedom of expression, freedom of speech, freedom of conscience? Of course, none of this can be taught in our classrooms today, not to sixth-graders, and not even to college students. This is now the third rail of the American curriculum, at every level – truthful discussion of what Islam is all about.
If you are a parent, and your child is being subjected to classes on Islam similar to what the children in Summerville, South Carolina have been subjected, what ought you to do? Make an appointment to discuss your objections. It may be with the teacher, or school principal, or members of the School Board. Keep your complaints simple and specific, related only to the Five Pillars. Explain that of course you have nothing against your child learning about them. But you do have a problem with what has been left out. “What’s that?” the teacher, the principal, the members of the School Board, will ask. Then, as calmly and sweet-reasonably as you can, tell them about the sura that is recited seventeen times a day by Muslims as part of their prayers, and hand them a printed copy of the Fatihah so they can study it for themselves. Read out the final two verses: “Guide us to the straight path, the path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked [Your] anger or of those who are astray.” Make sure to include on the same sheet summaries of, or excerpts from Qur’anic commentators (stick to those who are Muslims themselves) that explain why those who are the “people who have gone astray” is a reference to Christians and why those who “have earned Allah’s anger are the Jews.” Here is one such example:
Some of the commentators believe that / dallin / ‘those gone astray’ refers to the misguided of the Christians; and / maqdubi ‘alayhim / ‘those inflicted with His Wrath’ refers to the misguided of the Jews.
This idea was formed because of the particular responses that these two groups showed in reply to the invitation to Islam. For, as the Qur’an has clearly pointed out in different verses, the misguided Jews used to show a special grudge and enmity against the invitation of Islam, though, at the beginning, their scholars and learned men were the bearers of the glad tidings of Islam.
Very soon, though, under the effect of deviation of thought, belief and notion, and, also, because their financial gains were being endangered, they became the most obstinate enemies of Islam and they did whatever evil they could against the progression of lslam and Muslims.
(Even today, Zionism and Zionists hold the same position regarding the manner in which they treat Islam and Muslims.)
Therefore, to render these people as ‘those inflicted with His Wrath’ seems very correct.
But, the misguided of the Christians, who upon encountering with Islam were not so grudging, but were misled because of their misperception of the Divine religion and therefore refusing the Truth, were rendered into / dallin / ‘ those gone astray’.
They believed in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost instead of clinging to true Monotheism, the worship of Allah. This is, in itself, one of the greatest examples of ‘astray’ and ‘aberration’.
In the Islamic traditions, too, / maqdubi ‘alayhim / ‘ those inflicted with His Wrath’ are interpreted as the Jews, and / dallin / ‘ those gone astray’ as the misguided of the Christians. The foundation of this interpretation is the same as was mentioned in the above.’
Bring with you a second sheet, on which you have printed the Zakat – the “duty to help the poor and needy.” Under that, provide excerpts, again from Muslim commentators, that state that zakat is ordinarily meant to be given only to Muslims, or (rarely) to those who are on the way to embracing Islam. And then, underneath, offer a few more excerpts from Muslim commentators, explaining that Zakat is also meant to support Jihad against the Infidels. Yusef al-Qaradawi, the favored cleric of the Muslim Brotherhood with a vast following, could head the list with his published remarks on zakat: “Today Muslim land is occupied in Palestine, Kashmir, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Chad, Somalia, Cyprus, Samarkand, Bukhara, Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Albania and several other occupied countries. Declaring holy war to save these Muslim lands is an Islamic duty, and fighting for such purposes in those occupied territories is the Way of Allah for which zakat must be spent.
Then ask that teacher, that principal, those members of the School Board, what they think should be made of this information? Anything? Nothing? What do they think of the imprecations against the kuffars in the Fatihah? Of the zakat that is meant for Muslims only, and that when needed “must (also) be spent” to pay for fighting against the Infidels? Of course, they won’t ever agree to include this information in the sixth-grade lessons on Islam. It’s not the kind of thing they think the children should be exposed to, and besides, it would spoil the whole why-can’t-we-all-get-along purpose of the classroom undertaking. But they will take home those pages on Salat and Zakat you’ve provided, look into the matter on the Internet, as nowadays we all must, and discover you were telling the disturbing truth. Perhaps the unease and doubt you have provoked, throwing that spanner in their mental works, will lead them to decide to pull the unit on Islam altogether. This is the most, at this point, you can expect.
And these days, that counts as a victory.
Stephanie says
Terrorist, ‘… I will instil terror’ http://quran.com/8/12-17
Ups!
berserker says
Not to mention: “I was made victorious through terror”
Stephanie says
Bingo! 🙂
The prophet of Islam boasted on his death-bed, “I have been made victorious with terror”
Sahih Bukhari Volume 4, Book 52, Number 220
judy says
I would think you would be better off in Mid-east
ed cox says
They are the only ones doing what the koran calls for .
judy says
You already have being on here, SCARY
Somebody says
This is foreplay before the intercourse 🙂
Terry says
I admit- did not read entire post.
but two questions.
1. WHERE HAVE PARENTS BEEN (ADMITTEDLY-DIFFERENT PARENTS) SINCE 2011
2. ARE THOSE COMPLAINING REALLY FORM TEXAS AND OK?
I think that this is a disgrace–UNLESS ALSO TAUGHT ABOUT JUDAISM, CHRISTIANITY ETC. AND I DOUBT THAT MIDDLE SCHOOL CHILDREN (11-14 OR THEREABOUTS) ARE SOPHISTICATED ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND PROPAGANDA.
(And, if like myself and my friends in Junior High School (our day-in NYC-now middle school) we probably just parroted the teacher- in a boring class.
HOWEVER, still this is not middle school stuff.
Where was Nikki Haley- she was governor.??
This should not be allowed.
ed cox says
Much of this type material ti in school only , with no take home or discussions about allowed out of school.
Mak says
Hopefully this is the kind of thing that Trump will put a stop to in the US. I just got back from the Trump rally in Melbourne, FL and one thing that gave me a glint of hope was several people had big “NO TO COMMON CORE” signs. Maybe people are getting it.
I hope.
abad says
I wonder how many parents will pull their children out of that school over this nonsense and homeschool them. It is in the Bible Belt.
judy says
My children would be gone, if enough parents did this the school would pay big time
ed cox says
Being from SC and knowing the we are better than you attitude of teachers , principals , and school board members , I doubt this will change , because fighting the lib-marxist is like beating your head against a wall to rid one of a headache .
Irene Brekelmans says
I don’t understand it, you are the USA and we are Europe in the same boat so to speak and Christian countries, where there was a place for all religions, living in peace with each other and not one religion
wanted to cut somebody’s head of or commit all the atrocities . I can not mention them any more, it makes me sick.
Take a good look at yourself before you occupy our streets, do that in your own home in your own time.
Do we have to see how devoted you are or what is it? And it is like somebody said, when you get caught you are either mentally disturbed or depressive or repressed to duck your punishments. In your religion is punishment only for women, who are not free at all, who don’t dare to speak out, they know their punishments. but you will have to break trough your own religion. We all had to do that in time.
Kay says
Traditionally parents could trust that what schools taught was beneficial and in line with their own values.
This has been changing since the federal government got control of funding and has been pushing Leftist ideals and now apparently and abhorrently acceptance of Mohammedism. On top of that teachers have been overwhelmed with additional requirements to give tests, collect work samples and learn new standards. This is on top of their ongoing job of teaching and managing children more and more impacted by the growing ills of society.
So, parents and teachers both deserve a break. At the same time, this spiritual inculcation has to stop!
As a Christian, the most abhorrent part of this is that children were expected to recite and learn the Mohammeden profession of faith. In my eyes, that is spiritual abuse.
Informative article. Thanks for the warning. Please give references to find sources by Muslims that state the advised information.
Classroom Watch says
This kind of thing is not unusual. The parents protesting is:
http://www.classroomwatch.wordpress.com
davej says
Our current President has said he thinks Islam hates us and that they have declared war on us (multiple times). So any educational effort about Islam must be both critical and complete, anything less is just treasonous propaganda that aids the enemy.
An accurate translation of Koranic verses and a complete description of Islamic ideology and practices should be required of any course material. There should be no recitation of Islamic prayers or casual use of misleading terms like “Religion of Peace” or “Islamophobia”. The presentation of this cult as a valid and harmless religion is educational malpractice.
Greyhound Fancier says
My family sends $$$ monthly to support persecuted Christians [and others] in the Middle East, who are victims of the Mohammedans practicing jihad in Iraq and Syria. These are people who refuse to recite the shahada – they follow the true and living God, and will not bow to Mohammedanism.
The parents should be livid that their children are being “softened up” to a future of dhimmitude. BTW, I am certainly “Islamophobic” – for good reason. The Mohammedan cult, like the Nazi cult, is the greatest retrograde force in the world today, and must be opposed unless we’re ready to surrender.
If the schools are not careful, some day their public school may become a madrasah.
utis says
Where is the secularism? Sixth-graders should not be taught about religion unless they’re going to a religious school. Until they hit high school, they should be learning civics and how to be good citizens. I didn’t take a world religion course until college. Plus I read all kinds of stuff on my own.
While quietly murdering the secularism that keeps America from revisiting the Thirty Years’ War, our education system seems to have forgotten that our Constitution has an anti-establishmentarianism clause.
They need to read themselves and then teach the Constitution to the future electorate. It’s a freakin’ booklet! No one ever taught it to me, and I read it myself only a couple of years ago. If my decaying mind can handle it, so can a kid’s who’s supposed to understand the 5 pillars of islam.
Secular schools should teach about all religions — equally (including paganism), and stick to teaching reading, communicating, clear thinking, and as much math as the students’ brains can stand.
abad says
My first world religion class came in Catholic high school but it was required: 4 years of theology, and world religion was one of them.
And when I attended a public grammar school I had to attend CCD on Saturday mornings.
IMO religion has NO place in public schools.
NONE.
It is the parents job to teach their kids religion and if they want to send Junior to CCD or Hebrew school or something else, that is how it should be done.
Public schools have GOT to stop playing nanny and stick to what MY tax dollars pay them to do, teach kids how to read, write, do math, science, social studies and civics.
No wonder I know so many people who homeschool their kids.
Mak says
I agree completely. I suspect that there won’t be similar coverage of other religions (Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, etc). I wonder why Islam always gets so much attention. It’s almost as if people have an agenda to make Islam not look like the blood thirsty belief system it is.
I hope SC residents do what they can to stop this.
Atheist kaffur says
Agree completely. Freedom from religion. Want to be religious, there are so many other places to learn it. Never in public schools
Ian from Liverpool says
All I can say is its a good job for that newspaper and school that I’m not one of those parents. They would regret this.
on the ridge says
What they don’t tell the kids or their parents is once they say the Muslim profession of faith, they become a Muslim, they are Muslim. Are the teachers teaching this crap Muslim themselves. They must be because I don’t think any sensible person would do this to children.
I’d warn my child before he/she goes to school to be very hostile about being taught anything, except what I tell them about Muslimism, and if the class is going to learn about it, get up and leave immediately.
dumbledoresarmy says
ACT for America is very much ‘on the ball’ as regards this sort of thing. Their members keep an eye open for it, and when they find out it is happenng, they make noise.
Atheist kaffur says
Keep religion out of schools it only creates division and hatred. Teach American values instead.
Carolyne says
It seems to me that it would be only fair, if the children are taught the Five Pillars, that they also be taught the Ten Commandments and then have a discussion comparing the two.
Although IMO they should be taught neither. School is not a place that properly should have religious indoctrination of any religion. To recruit adherents to a religion in a public school is illegal.
Carolyne says
Further—–While Mr. Fitzgerald’s suggestion of response is a good one, it is far too long to present to people who are already predisposed to ignore what you say. Shorter and to the point would be better. I do not think anyone in authority will take the time to read these long discourses.
Actually. I didn’t read through the entire thing and I’m on his side.
Bryan says
Someone needs to contact a Lawyer and their state Government about this, this is illegal. It is illegal to teach any religions at all in public schools, because of the separation of church and state law in the constitution. This law was upheld in a court decree also about removing prayer from schools.
These Muslims are trying to indoctrinate the children and compel them to become Muslims by submitting them to this Doctrine. This is a Muslim trick to encourage them to accept their beliefs, Please stop them, contact legal counsel, or your Senator, Congressman or someone, do not allow this to continue if you care for your children.
mortimer says
Agree with Bryan. If it is illegal to teach traditional Christianity in American schools, it is illegal to indoctrinate American children into Islam.
Call the lawyers. It’s illegal to ESTABLISH one faith.
Dan King says
If they were taught that way about Christianity, the courts would be involved to stop it.
Jennifer says
They did the same to me last week. Not THAT FOX NEWS IN CHARLESTON BUT THE LOCAL FOX NEWS IN GREENVILLE.
Our stories are separate meaning we were experiencing the same thing as our kids were learning/about to start learning it in our state but we are otherwise not connected.
Our state department and MY FOX lied. I HAD ALREADY COMPLAINED IN the 2014-15 when my oldest daughter was made to learn it (she didn’t) and I told the reporter but she left it out along with the fact I didn’t want my daughter’s to learn the 5 pillars of faith, that Islam was a religion of peace, and the lie that sharia means simply that Muslims couldn’t eat pork or gamble.
Here take a look.
#FoxNews = liberal lamestream media
http://www.foxcarolina.com/story/34517521/world-religion-lesson-on-islam-has-some-upstate-parents-upset
I started this group. See the linked petition and sign it.
https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=600837073450019
GET THIS OUT OF OUR SCHOOLS.
mortimer says
The essential knowledge children need to learn is Islam’s discriminatory attitude to KAFIRS, a canonical doctrine called al Walaa wal Baraa.
• Islam contains a well-defined, intolerant, discriminatory doctrine that is ‘ESSENTIAL’, DEFINED, LEGALLY BINDING, PRECISE and OFFICIAL. ‘Al Walaa wal Baraa’ – (Allegiance and Disassociation) is an Islamic doctrine that is very similar to apartheid. ‘Al Walaa wal Baraa’ is an ‘essential doctrine’ (usul ud-deen). ‘Essential’ means that all Muslims must believe and practice al Walaa wal Baraa as a condition of being admitted to paradise. ‘Al Walaa wal Baraa’ is a highly developed, well-supported and canonical part of Islam approved by the consensus of Islamic jurists. ‘Al Walaa wal Baraa’ is legally binding and obligatory upon all Muslims.‘Al Walaa wal Baraa’ is precisely defined by Islamic jurists and is not a nebulous idea‘Al Walaa wal Baraa’ is an official Islamic doctrine and considered the second most important doctrine in Islam. Definition of ‘Al Walaa wal Baraa’ from Islamic sources: -from “The Islaamic Concept of al-Walaa’ wal-Baraa’” by Khalid El-Gharib: …“[iv] to show enmity to those who show enmity to Allaah and His Messenger” (i.e. Muslims are to visibly demonstrate their enmity or towards the kufaar – non-Muslims) -from a lecture given by Sheikh Abdullah al-Faisal (H.A.): “The implication of al-Baraa is that one HATES for the sake of Allah (SWT)…Al-Baraa means to recognize who your enemies are and to HATE them and EXTERMINATE them in their Endeavour to get rid of your Deen, al-Islam…Al-Baraa is to HATE the people who propagate Baatil (falsehood)—the Muslim should HATE them and (at least desire to) KILL them when the time comes.” (i.e. the hatred of Muslims toward the kufaar is for the purpose of ethnic cleansing) Examples of Baraa from Historic Islamic Leaders: -from Ahmad Sirhindi (1564-1624): “The honour of Islam lies in insulting kufr and kafirs. One who respects the kafirs dishonours the Muslims… The real purpose of levying jiziya on them is to humiliate them to such an extent that they may not be able to dress well and to live in grandeur. They should constantly remain terrified and trembling. It is intended to hold them under contempt and to uphold the honour and might of Islam.” -from ibn Taymiyya, “Book of Emaan”: “… true believers show animosity and hatred towards disbelievers and never support them.” -from Umar Sulayman ‘Abd-Allaah al-Ashqar, “Belief in Allah”: “The Muslim should regard the Kuffaar as enemies and hate them because of their kufr, just as he hates their kufr (disbelief) itself.” – from Sheikh Muhammad Saeed al Qatani, authoritative Saudi Sharia lawyer and imam at the Abu Bakr and Al Furqan Mosques in Mecca: “ The doctrine of al Wala wal Baraa is the real image for the actual practice of this faith.” (book “Al Walaa wal Baraa According to the Aqeedah of the Salaf”)
mortimer says
They are teaching the children Islam’s canonical DISCRIMINATION against JEWS AND CHRISTIANS.
This must stop immediately.
Ken says
“there’s nothing wrong with learning something of value about Islam.” There is nothing of value in Islam. The only thing they need to know is that Allah is not the God of the Bible. Allah is the Devil!
kikorikid says
Islam does not come to integrate or assimilate.
Islam comes ONLY to: Conquer, Submit, Convert, or Kill.