"In The Legacy of Islamic Antisemitism, Andrew Bostom explodes the delusional myths with which too many in the West obscure the truth of Muslim Jew-hatred"
-- Bruce S. Thornton

Islam Without Apologetics by Bruce S. Thornton
8 August 2008 [excerpt]

According to received wisdom,

an Islamic faith that once tolerantly coexisted with Jews and Christians has been traumatized by the twentieth century and its destructive ideologies(such as fascism, communism, and nationalism), by the depredations of European colonialism and imperialism, and by the displacements wrought by globalization.

These developments, according to such apologists as John Esposito and Reza Aslan, have given rise to a distortion of Islam,

one manifested not just in “Islamist” terror but also in the virulent anti-Semitism visible today throughout the Middle East and in Europe’s Muslim communities. A religious culture that once embraced the kindred “people of the book”—Jews and Christians—has now been infected by European anti-Semitism, just one more way that Western cultural dysfunctions have damaged the traditions of a proud faith.

The problem with this tale, as Andrew Bostom documents in The Legacy of Islamic Antisemitism, is that it isn’t true.

A physician and professor of medicine at Brown University, Bostom demonstrated a doctor’s fidelity to empirical evidence in his previous book, The Legacy of Islamic Jihad, showing how violence against the infidel is central to Islamic doctrine, theology, and jurisprudence. He now performs a similar service in examining Islamic anti-Semitism, exploding the delusional myths with which too many in the West obscure the truth of Muslim Jew-hatred.

As he did in his earlier book, Bostom provides copious documentation from primary sources—including the Koran, hadith (traditional accounts of Mohammed’s deeds and sayings), sira (early biographies of Mohammed), and other Muslim texts—as well as modern scholarly commentary, including his own introduction, which summarizes his conclusions. His use of such an abundant body of scholarship makes it difficult for critics to dismiss his arguments as biased interpretations of the evidence.

As he writes,

“For the Muslim masses, basic Islamic education in the Qu’ran, hadith, and sira . . . may create an immutable superstructure of Jew hatred on to which non-Muslim sources of Jew hatred are easily grafted.”

Islamic anti-Semitism begins, as do all things in Islam, with the Koran—the immutable, infallible, timeless words of Allah dictated to the Prophet—in which Jews are cursed with “abasement and humiliation” and are “deserving of Allah’s wrath” because they rejected Mohammed. Jews are further characterized as corrupt, treacherous rebels and infidels whose destiny is to be the enemy of the true believers.

Read more of this article.

Iranian TV documentary traces Zionist themes in "Meet the Parents"



Video and transcript: http://www.memritv.org/clip/en/1811.htm

May 28, 2008 Clip No. 1811

Iranian TV Documentary Series Traces Zionist Themes in Western Movies: "Meet the Parents"

Following are excerpts from an Iranian TV documentary on Zionist themes in Hollywood cinema. The program, which focused on "Meet the Parents," aired on IRINN TV on May 28, 2008.

Narrator: As has been mentioned before, one of the regular methods of Zionist propaganda is to use Jewish characters in films to present the idea that Zionism and the [Jewish] religion are one and the same.

[...]

Iranian film director Masoud Deh-Namaki: They are shrewd, because they do not reveal all their thoughts. As I've said before, they deal with the subconsciousness of the viewer. Later, they use these ideas in more substantial contexts, such as articles and serious films. The viewer, who is exposed to these ideas from a young age, does not need any explanation, because subconsciously, he has already absorbed these ideas.

[...]

Iranian documentary filmmaker Mohammad-Reza Khosaravi-Far: In order to highlight the oppression [of the Jews] and to make it more interesting, these people have begun to make comedy films. A striking example of such films is "Meet the Parents." In this film, they tried, using the comedy genre, to make the viewer not merely understand, but become convinced of this oppression and the holocaust, and of how much the Jews suffered hardships in the 1940s and 1950s.

[...]

Deh-Namaki: The nuclear weapons of [the Israelis] remain unused in their arsenals. Instead, they conquer the world with cameras, negatives, and frames.

[...]

Narrator: It is no coincidence that when the legitimacy of the Zionist regime is in crisis, one of the familiar Hollywood characters – the honest, clumsy Jewish citizen – is portrayed once again. The appearance of this citizen in "Meet the Parents" reflects the desire of a kind, peace-loving person to marry into a genteel American family. This symbolizes the extent to which the Zionist regime needs the Western fundamentalist regimes.

[...]

Iranian documentary filmmaker Reza Eskandar: [In such films] the character of the Jew is always praised and glorified. The Jew is always depicted as a positive and trustworthy person. Even if, by chance, he is involved is something wrong, it is only because he was pursuing a very lofty goal, and not because he was a bad man by nature.

[...]

Narrator: "Meet the Parents" is one of Hollywood's comedies produced in recent years, which includes humoristic scenes, and take bold jibes at traditional American society. At the same time, however, it cunningly tries to arouse the viewer's compassion and sympathy toward Zionist beliefs.
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As documented by The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) www.memritv.org

Any Iranian attempt to close Gulf 'self-defeating': Pentagon

[AFP] The Pentagon said Tuesday that any move by Iran to close the Strait of Hormuz would be "self-defeating" because its weak economy is so heavily dependent on oil revenues.

"Shutting down the Strait, closing down the Persian Gulf, would be sort of a self-defeating exercise," said Geoff Morrell, the Pentagon press secretary. "That doesn't say anything about whether we tolerate such a thing to happen."

Morrell's comments came in response to a warning by the new head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards that Iran could easily close the Strait of Hormuz, through which much of the world's oil passes.

[40% of all seaborne oil traffic passes through the Strait of Hormuz]

General Mohammad Ali Jafari announced Monday that Iran has successfully tested an anti-ship missile with a range of 300 kilometers (180 miles.)

"And given the equipment our armed forces have, an indefinite blockade of the Strait of Hormuz would be very easy," Jafari said on state television.

Morrell argued, however, that Iran would be the first to be hurt if it closed the Gulf.

"I don't think it is Iran's interest to shut down the Strait of Hormuz or the Persian Gulf, or attempt to do so," he told reporters.

"They have a very weak economy at this point which depends almost entirely on their oil revenue," he said.

Point - Counterpoint

If you already convinced that Israel is working against its best interests, read Nicholas Kristof's Op Ed in the NY Times "Tough Love for Israel," and go no further.

But if you can entertain the possibility that Palestinian terrorism and rejectionism has at least something to do with the lack of peace, take a look at CAMERA's rebuttal to Kristof.

Among the more interesting arguments examined by Kristof and CAMERA has to do with comparisons between the situations in Northern Ireland and the Palestinian/Israeli conflicts:

Kristof: Peace-making invariably involves exasperating and intransigent antagonists and unequal steps, just as it did in the decades in which Britain struggled to end terrorism emanating from Northern Ireland. But London never ordered air strikes on Sinn Fein or walled in Catholic neighborhoods. Over time, Britain's extraordinary restraint slowly changed attitudes so as to make the eventual peace possible.

CAMERA Note: "London never walled in Catholic neighborhoods?" Apparently Kristof's expertise does not extend to Northern Ireland either. There are walls (or so-called "peace lines" ) running throughout Belfast, separating Catholic and Protestant neighborhoods.

Here's one photo of such a wall in west Belfast:

http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/images/photos/belfast/peaceline/peaceline1.htm

In addition, Kristof ignores the fact that the two conflicts are completely different: England wasn't fighting to protect its homeland from utter destruction. Sinn Fein sought to oust the British from Northern Ireland, not from England itself, while the Palestinian extremists seek to annihilate Israel. That is, Kristof has once again created his own reality.

Furthermore, Israel has been extremely restrained in the face of relentless terror attacks. Building a separation barrier has reduced terrorism and therefore (prior to the escalation of rocket attacks against Israel), the need for large-scale counter-attacks.

That notwithstanding, it is highly questionable whether it was British "restraint" that made peace possible. Google that conflict and you'll find many theories.

The AP just can't figure it out.

Meryl Yourish is good at identifying AP bias. Here's her take on a current AP report, as published in many papers including the DM Register. //Mark
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Yourish: Let’s look at the headline that’s been going around since last night about a large, deadly explosion in Gaza:

Unexplained explosions kill 5, wound 20 in Gaza

Isn’t it interesting how the AP is so tentative about assigning blame to this attack? Funny how they’re usually so quick to blame Israel, quoting Palestinian eyewitnesses and terrorist spokesmen, yet here they are, half a day later, and the best they can come up with is “Unexplained explosions” in this headline. Hm. Why is it they would suddenly become so leery of assigning blame?

A powerful explosion ripped through a car on a busy Gaza City beach Friday night, killing a Hamas field commander and three other people, security officials said.

It was the third unexplained blast of the day in this coastal territory after a relatively calm period since Israel and the Islamic militants of Hamas agreed on a cease-fire last month. A total of five people died from the explosions, and 23 suffered injuries.

Wow, it’s the third mystery blast of the day. The crack AP staff can’t figure out who’s behind them. I wonder why that is? (Hint: Because Israel didn’t do it?) And by this time in an AP lead, you generally learn if any children were killed. The “three other people” in this lead are civilians, of course, one of them a child.

No one in Gaza blamed Israel for the violence, indicating it was likely Palestinian infighting.

Oh, how nice of the AP to explain this to us. It’s “likely” that it was Palestinian “infighting.” That’s a cute name for civil war.

The late night blast killed Amar Musubah, a Hamas military field commander, and another Hamas militant, Eyad Al-Hia, medical officials said. A child and a fourth unknown individual also died.

Earlier, unknown assailants set off two bombs in Gaza City, killing one man.

Finally, the child is mentioned, and yet, there is no age given. If this were a story about Israel causing civilian casualties, by now you would know the names and ages of all the victims, soon to be followed by mournful quotes from their relatives, and calls for revenge from terrorists. Funny how the AP writer can’t find this information out when the dead aren’t killed by Israeli fire.

And now, waaaay down in the story, the AP tries to assign blame for the blasts. Guess who they blame first, backhandedly?

Gaza is the scene of regular bloodshed between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants, though the territory has been quiet over the past month because of the truce between Israel and the territory’s Hamas rulers.

Uh-huh. “Regular bloodshed”—what a quaint way of putting the fighting between soldiers and terrorists. Now that we’ve got the blame-Israel-first thing out of the way, we have the real suspect, and note the difference in phrasing:

Gaza is also a common site of internal Palestinian violence between Hamas and Fatah. Hamas fighters defeated Fatah forces during five days of combat in Gaza a year ago, and tensions remain high.

It’s “bloodshed” when Israelis are fighting, but only “violence” when Palestinians fight each other. Now, the AP might tell you that they’re simply trying not to repeat the same word in two paragraphs, but there are many, many words other than “violence” that you can use for the fighting between Hamas and Fatah that resulted in over 100 deaths, including many civilians. Like, “civil war.” But then, when you’re the AP, you have to keep the narrative, and exposing the murderous actions of Palestinian-on-Palestinian “violence” isn’t sticking to the narrative of the peaceful victims of Israeli agression that only want to be left alone to build their state in peace and happiness, forever and ever.

Yet another example of the pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel media bias.

Iran ends cooperation with UN nuclear arms probe

By GEORGE JAHN
The Associated Press Thursday, July 24, 2008; 5:16 PM [excerpt]

VIENNA, Austria -- Iran signaled Thursday that it will no longer cooperate with U.N. experts probing for signs of clandestine nuclear weapons work, confirming the investigation is at a dead end a year after it began.

What is the basis for Saudi-influenced education about Jews?

"The Qu'ran describes the Jews with their own particular degenerate characteristics"

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.