Is this the basis for Saudi-influenced education worldwide?
By Mark Finkelstein
Summary:
1. Current Saudi textbooks used in the U.S. and worldwide include “slurs” directed toward non-Muslims, including Jews.
2. Prominent Islamic fundamentalist theologians teach that the Qur’an describes the Jews with their own “particular degenerate characteristics.”
3. A fundamentalistic Islamic scholar lists 20 “bad traits” of the Jews and identifies the Quranic verse justifying each trait.
A. As reported previously, a Washington Post review of Saudi textbooks (2006) being taught at a Saudi-funded academy in Virginia revealed the presence of “slurs” directed towards other religions. ( Washington Post, July 15, 2008)
In addition, a study conducted by a different organization purportedly “shows [in detail] that the same violent and intolerant teachings against other religious believers noted in 2006 remain in the current texts.”
B. One important question related to this topic has to be: what’s behind the “slurs?” What is the basis of the defamation of non-Muslims, and in particular, Jews, by Saudi-influenced fundamentalist Muslims?
Undeniably, there is material in the Quran which praises Jews and material that deprecates Jews. >None of this would matter much at all if it weren’t the case that the deprecatory material is still being included in textbooks worldwide, including, apparently, within the United States
C. Where does defense of the defamatory material come from? From the leadership of the most traditional, fundamentalistic Islamic insitutions.
For example, Muhammad Sayyid Tantawi, perhaps the most influential cleric of the majority (Sunni) sect of Islam [Grand imam of Al-Azhar University], has written (and presumably still stands by his pronouncement):
[The] Qur’an describes the Jews with their own particular degenerate characteristics, i.e. killing the prophets of Allah, corrupting His words by putting them in the wrong places, consuming the people’s wealth frivolously, refusal to distance themselves from the evil they do, and other ugly characteristics caused by their deep-rooted lasciviousness…only a minority of the Jews keep their word….[A]ll Jews are not the same. The good ones become Muslims, the bad ones do not. (Qur’an 3:113)Source: Banu Isra’il fi al-Qur’an wa al-Sunna [Jews in the Koran and the Traditions], 1986 edition. By Muhammad Sayyid Tantawi. English translation by Dr. Michael Schub. As cited by Bostom
D. Rather than simply assert what Imam Tantawi is alluding to, in stating that the Quran describes the permanent, particular degenerate characteristics of Jews, here is a 2004 listing of twenty “bad traits” of the Jews, each identified with a Quranic verse by the author of the listing, a Sheikh ‘Atiyyah Saqer, former head of the Al-Azhar Fatwa Committee. (Cited as an authority by Islamic sources )
Here, first, is Sheikh Saqer’s prefatory comment as to how to understand the material he presents:
"The Qur'an has specified a considerable deal of its verses to talking about Jews, their personal qualities and characteristics. The Qur'anic description of Jews is quite impartial; praising them in some occasions where they deserve praise and condemning them in other occasions where they practice blameworthy acts. Yet, the latter occasions outnumbered the former, due to their bad qualities and the heinous acts they used to commit. The Qur'an praises them on the verse that reads: ' And verily We gave the Children of Israel the Scripture and the Command and the Prophethood, and provided them with good things and favored them above (all) peoples.' (Al-Jathiyah:16) i.e. the peoples of their time." …. "All this gives us glad tidings of the coming victory of Muslims over [the Jews], as soon as Muslims cling to strong faith and belief in Allah and adopt modern means of technology."Saqr then lists the following 20 "bad traits" of the Jews, as they appear in the Qur'an: [As documented by MEMRI](2004)
1. "They used to fabricate things and falsely ascribe them to Allah. Allah Almighty says: 'That is because they say: We have no duty to the Gentiles. They knowingly speak a lie concerning Allah.' (Al-'Imran: 75) Also: 'The Jews say: Allah's hand is fettered. [But it is] their hands that are fettered and they are accursed for saying [Allah's hands are fettered]. Nay, but both His hands are spread out wide in bounty. He bestoweth as He will' (Al-Ma'idah: 64) In another verse, Almighty Allah says: 'Verily, Allah heard the words of those who said, (when asked for contributions to the war): 'Allah, forsooth, is poor, and we are rich! We shall record their words with their wrongful slaying of the Prophets and we shall say: Taste ye the punishment of burning!' (Al-'Imran: 181)
2. "They love to listen to lies. Concerning this Allah says: 'And of the Jews: listeners for the sake of falsehood, listeners on behalf of other folk.' (Al-Ma'idah: 41)
3. "Disobeying Almighty Allah and never observing His commands. Allah says: 'And because they broke their covenant, We have cursed them and hardened their hearts.' (Al-Ma'idah: 13)
4. "Disputing and quarreling. This is clear in the verse that reads: 'Their Prophet said unto them: Lo! Allah hath raised up Saul to be a king for you. They said: How can he have kingdom over us when we are more deserving of the kingdom than he is, since he hath not been given wealth enough?' (Al-Baqarah: 247)
5. "Hiding the truth and supporting deception. This can be understood from the verse that reads: '… [They] distort the Scripture with their tongues, that ye may think that what they say is from the Scripture, when it is not from the Scripture.' (Al-'Imran: 78)
6. "Rebelling against the Prophets and rejecting their guidance. This is clear in the verse: 'And when ye said: O Moses! We will not believe in thee till we see Allah plainly.' (Al-Baqarah: 55)
7. "Hypocrisy. In a verse, we read: 'And when they fall in with those who believe, they say: We believe; but when they go apart to their devils they declare: Lo! we are with you; verily we did but mock.' (Al-Baqarah: 14) In another verse, we read: 'Enjoin ye righteousness upon mankind while ye yourselves forget (to practice it)? And ye are readers of the Scripture! Have ye then no sense?' (Al-Baqarah: 44)
8. "Giving preference to their own interests over the rulings of religion and the dictates of truth. Allah says [to the Jews]: '… When there cometh unto you a messenger (from Allah) with that which ye yourselves desire not, ye grow arrogant, and some ye disbelieve and some ye slay?' (Al-Baqarah: 87)
9. "Wishing evil for people and trying to mislead them. This is clear in the verse that reads: 'Many of the People of the Book long to make you disbelievers after your belief, through envy on their own account, after the truth hath become manifest unto them.' (Al-Baqarah: 109)
10. "They feel pain to see others in happiness and are gleeful when others are afflicted with a calamity. This is clear in the verse that reads: 'If a lucky chance befall you, it is evil unto them, and if disaster strike you they rejoice thereat.' (Al-'Imran: 120)
11. "They are known for their arrogance and haughtiness. They claim to be the sons and of Allah and His beloved ones. Allah tells us about this in the verse that reads: 'The Jews and Christians say: We are sons of Allah and His loved ones.' (Al-Ma'idah: 18)
12. "Utilitarianism and opportunism are among their innate traits. This is clear in the verse that reads: 'And of their taking usury when they were forbidden it, and of their devouring people's wealth by false pretences.' (An-Nisa': 161)
13. "Their rudeness and vulgarity is beyond description. Referring to this, the Qur'anic verse reads: 'Some of those who are Jews change words from their context and say: We hear and disobey; hear thou as one who heareth not, and Listen to us!, distorting with their tongues and slandering religion. If they had said: We hear and we obey; hear thou, and look at us, it had been better for them, and more upright. But Allah hath cursed them for their disbelief, so they believe not, save for a few.' (An-Nisa':46)
14. "It is easy for them to slay people and kill innocents. Nothing in the world is dearer to their hearts than shedding blood and murdering human beings. They never give up this trait even with the Messengers and the Prophets. Allah says: '… And [they] slew the prophets wrongfully.' (Al-Baqarah: 61)
15. "They are merciless and heartless. In this meaning, the Qur'anic verse explains: 'Then, even after that, your hearts were hardened and became as rocks, or worse than rocks, for hardness.' (Al-Baqarah: 74)
16. "They never keep their promises or fulfill their words. Almighty Allah says: Is it ever so that when ye make a covenant, a party of you violates it?' The truth is, most of them believe not.' (Al-Baqarah: 100)
17. "They rush hurriedly to sin and compete in transgression. Allah says: 'They restrained not one another from the wickedness they did. Verily, evil was what they used to do!' (Al-Ma'idah: 79)
18. "Cowardice and love for this worldly life are undisputable traits [of the Jews]. It is to this that the Qur'an refers when saying: 'Ye [Muslims] are more awful as fear in their [the Jews'] bosoms than Allah. That is because they are people who understand not. They will not fight against you in a group save in fortified villages or from behind walls. Their adversity among themselves is very great. Ye think of them as a whole whereas their hearts are diverse.' (Al-Hashr: 13-14) Allah Almighty also says: 'And thou wilt find them greediest of mankind for life and (greedier) than the idolaters.' (Al-Baqarah: 96)
19. "Miserliness runs deep in their hearts. Describing this, the Qur'an states: 'Or have they even a share in the Sovereignty? Then in that case, they would not give mankind even the speck on a date stone.' (An-Nisa': 53)
20. "Distorting Divine Revelation and Allah's Sacred Books. Allah says in this regard: 'Therefore woe be unto those who write the Scripture with their hands and say, 'This is from Allah,' that they may purchase a small gain therewith. Woe unto them for what their hands have written, and woe unto them for what they earn thereby.' (Al-Baqara: 79)
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Notes: 1. There are 114 suras or major divisions in the Quran. The names of each major division ( e.g., Al-Baqara) may be assigned a number. Therefore Al-Baqara: 79 can be expressed as sura 2, verse 79. In the text above, here are the numbers that correspond with the names of the suras listed;
Al-Imram = sura 3; Al Maidah = sura 5; Al Baqarah= sura 2; An- Nisa’ = sura 4;
Al Hashr =sura 59
2. You can look up each sura and verse in an online Quran, with several English translations. One resource is http://www.al-islam.org/Quran/ For example, you can look up 2: 79 with the search engine on the webpage.
