Zuhdi Jasser- Fighting Islamic Anti-Semitism

Hat tip Pundicity and Squid

Dr Zuhdi Jasser, a Syrian-American Muslim, has written this article on the problem of Islamic anti-Semitism.

http://www.mzuhdijasser.com/13320/islamist-antisemitism

"The Qatari owned Al Jazeera has aired countless sermons and programs vilifying Jews and Israel. Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi is arguably Sunni Islam's most influential cleric in the world and wields considerable influence in the Muslim Brotherhood. Reaching weekly over 60 million viewers in his program "Shariah and Life," he commonly spews anti-Western and anti-Semitic conspiracy theories. On January 28, 2009, he stated "the last punishment was carried out by Hitler…this was divine punishment for them. Allah willing, the next time will be at the hands of the believers."

I cannot resist the temptation to point out that Al Gore recently sold his Current TV to Al Jazeera after refusing to sell it to groups that "do not share his ideology." Way to go, Mr Gore.


"We must support them by heeding the warnings which the horrible history of Islamist antisemitism has shown and take action to prevent its prevalence on every front throughout the world. The Obama administration cannot even get itself to even use the word "Islamism," let alone take a stand against the pervasive antisemitism created by Islamists at home and abroad. Just like Islamist inspired terror, Islamist inspired antisemitism cannot be treated without targeting Islamism. Instead, President Obama's national security team has engaged Muslim Brotherhood legacy groups in the U.S. and oddly seems to consider the Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt an ally in the making."

Indeed. What kind of contribution has the Obama administration made to fighting anti-Semitism, here or abroad? The President appoints a woman (Hannah Rosenthal) from the George Soros-funded J Street, which masquerades as pro-Israel, but consistently sides with the Palestinian side, as State Department envoy on anti-Semitic issues. She starts off by blasting Michael Oren, the Israeli ambassador to the US in Israel and runs off to attend international conferences devoted to combating Islamophobia. All Obama does is placate the forces that would kill every last Jew in Israel-or anywhere else, for that matter.


I admire Dr Jasser and believe he is a loyal American and courageous person. He chooses to remain a Muslim. Therefore, I fear that there are certain areas that he cannot go into in this article. Specifically, Islamic anti-Semitism has deeper roots than simply the rise of Islamists or the creation of the state of Israel.  It is in the texts (Koran, Hadith). Therein lies the problem. How do moderate reformers like Jasser argue theological points with the Yusuf al Qaradawis of the world? How can they win? Those like Jasser have righteousness on their side. The Qaradawis have the texts on theirs. Qaradawi is not considered a fringe character in the Islamic world as many consider Terry Jones to be a fringe Christian pastor. He is one of the most highly respected figures in the Islamic world. His views are generally shared by other leading Islamic authorities such as the prestigious Al Azhar University in Cairo and the Bukhari (Shaf'i) School of Thought.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_al-Bukhari

My question is; were Dr Jasser to refute the references to Jews (as well as Christians) in the Koran and the Hadith (for example, the Jews hiding behind rocks and trees on the Day of Judgement and the rocks and trees calling out to the Muslim to come and kill them), would he be guilty of blasphemy, and thus, subject to the death penalty under (hudud) sharia law?

Dr Jasser probably has enough death threats as it is.