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My reply to DNM

Reader comment on item: When Israel Stood Up to Washington [in 1981]
in response to reader comment: Our dear Deb and Omar al-farooq and you need to stick to Urdu!

Submitted by Debanjan Banerjee (India), Apr 23, 2010 at 00:48

DNM Said : "The word al-farooq in Arabic a language that you cannot read write or speak means THE REDEEMER aka the Christ and for this see Lisan al-3Arab. You can also read the late Suliman Bashear's ,who was an Arab, examination of the word al-farooq in his book "Arabs and others in early Islam" where he wrote that the title of Omar as al-farooq is: " this title must be seen as an islamic fossilization of a basically Jewish apocalyptic idea of the awaited messiah" Then he wrote; "omar as a redeemer was prophesised and awaited.""

My Answer : The word al-farooq does not mean REDEEMER aka the Christ even if someone like Suliman Bashear says.Whatever Suliman Bashear says is his personal opinion. It does not mean he will be correct all the times.

"Where is your extant evidence that there was really a character by the name of Omar al-farooq?"

My Answer : The real name is Omar ibn Al-Khattab. There are historical references for caliph Omar. This one is by Washington Irving in his book "Mahomet and his successors":

"The whole history of Umar shows him to have been a man of great powers of mind, inflexible integrity and rigid justice. He was more than any one else the founder of the Islamic empire; confirming and carrying out the inspirations of the Prophet; aiding Abu Bakr with his counsels during his brief Caliphate; and establishing wise regulations for the strict administration of the law throughout the rapidly-extending bounds of the Muslim conquests. The rigid hand which he kept upon his most popular generals in the midst of their armies, and in the most distant scenes of their triumphs, gives signal evidence of his extra-ordinary capacity to rule. In the simplicity of his habits, and his contempt for all pomp and luxury, he emulated the example of the Prophet and Abu Bakr. He endeavored incessantly to impress the merit and policy of the same in his letters to his generals. 'Beware' he would say of Persian luxury both in food and raiment. Keep to the simple habits of your country, and Allah will continue you victorious; depart from them and He will reverse your fortunes'. It was his strong conviction of the truth of this policy which made him so severe in punishing all ostentatious style and luxurious indulgence in his officers. Some of his ordinances do credit to his heart as well as his head. He forbade that any female captive who had borne a child should be sold as a slave. In his weekly distributions of the surplus money of his treasury, he proportioned them to the wants, not the merits of the applicants. 'God' said he, 'has bestowed the good things of this world to relieve our necessities, not to reward our virtues: those will be rewarded in another world'.

The famous caliph Omar Ibn Al-Khattab and Omar al-farooq are the same persons.

Bye the bye what is your historical proof that Redeemer means Jesus Christ (PBUH) ?

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