Two Teachable Moments?

Submitted by Ron Thompson (United States), Nov 20, 2009 at 19:35

I have to wonder if either the eventual trial of Hasan or the misguided decision to try Khalid Sheik Mohammed in a civilian court in New York City might, however unintentionally, provide an opportunity to consider putting Islam itself on trial. Is it possible that the remarkable degree of Denial about core doctrines of Islam and the original Mohammed, especially in many layers of our civilian and military leadership, might be fractured, or at least dented a little bit.

Consider a bit of history. In the year 628, four years before he died and after he had conquered the
Arabian peninsula, the Founder of Islam sent this message to the Byzantine Emperor, in Constantinople:
"In the name of God the Compassionate, the Merciful.
From Mohammed, slave and messenger of God to Heraclius, Ruler of Byzantium.
Peace be upon all who follow Guidance.
I call you with the call to Submission to God.
Surrender to God, and you will be safe.
Surrender to God, and God will give you a double reward.
If you turn away then the misdeeds of the peasant will be your fault......"

Could the menace in those words be any clearer? And the inversion of meaning of such words as "compassionate", "merciful", "slave", "peace", "safe", "YOUR fault"?

I'd like to hear KSM and Hasan reply if asked what they take from these words of their Prophet, as well as much else by him in the Koran. Or what is the difference, if any, between these words at the dawn of Islam's explosion from the heart of Arabia, and hundreds of messages from Khomeni after he seized the Iranian State power 30 years ago, bin Laden over the last 10 years, Hezbollah, Hamas, and the jihadists in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan today.

Two teachable moments coming up? Ron Thompson

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