DIALOGUE

I floated the idea of some sort of online discussion involving my repub buddies and Hajj here, inviting people to come up with some preliminary questions for him. I have a lot of faith in Hajj and have frequently told him that I wished he had taken a more prominent role in events connected to Finsbury park mosque.

We both agreed that we missed Jamal (ALLAH AND JAHILIAH, Jamals writing here (pdf)) and couldn't believe how he had gone down for 10 years for some sort of robbery...he had a well paid job as a printer. Hopefully I will be able to follow this up.

I found Hajj none too enthusiastic, but I was able to explain how I felt I was in the middle of some great people who perhaps believe the wrong thing about each other. What else can i do?

Once I started asking questions, the Islamic debater in him came out and he was happy to sit with me in his garden writing things down. He didn't want any recording to be made until after the coming trial of his friends.

And while you are at it, if you are a peaceful Muslim...WHY DON'T YOU PROTEST THE HI JACKING OF YOUR RELIGION BY MANIACS??

Rightwingsparkle | 09.18.06 - 4:12 pm | #

he sort of said
When he looks at history he sees a different maniac and a lot more needless deaths from bigger weapons. He believes your side did 9/11. Hiroshima. Nagasaki. Maniacs. He has no idea who Bin laden is or how they come across these tapes? Is Bin laden CIA? He doesn't know.

That's one of the problems. There is no authority in Islam. Only factions.
Rightwingsparkle | 09.18.06 - 4:13 pm | #

No. He disagreed strongly. I didn't really get this properly but he sort of reckons you can deal with Islam one time using the Koran and television. He says it is all in the book. Muslims believe that.

“The can call me what they like!” he shouted “Terrorist, Poofta whatever. We talk to each other. Normal people. Christians, jews, Muslims we should all come together and make his world a paradise. Television could be a beautiful tool if it was used properly.”

Well, that would be fine dave (to allow Islam to unite as a nation) if they would leave the rest of us alone!

But they DON'T.

Geeze.

Bin Laden offered peace. Hajj doesn't remember the terms but he watches all sides on the satellite TV.in the cafe...

They have the freedom to respond with whatever they want. What comes out of it may not necessarily be positive,

Yeah, that's the part that bothers me.
Rightwingsparkle | 09.18.06 - 6:03 pm | #

He said worry about Street Muggers before worrying about him. (He wasn't overly into the idea of me doing this either and was happier showing me all the plant he's spent years growing in his garden.)

And as far as the message is concerned. The message I was referring to is: Abortion is murder. This is a widely held belief among Christians.

Hajj agrees with this very strongly though he agreed with me that it wasn't his place to judge a woman to her face. He thinks we are all responsible to God for our actions.

JD | 09.19.06 - 5:59 pm | #

1) What will it take for mainstream moderate Muslims to take back their religion from the radicals Muslims?

He thinks its the other way round. He thinks real Muslims have to take their religion back from moderate Muslims. He was angry about the home secretaries words today. Translated it as

“Fast, Pray and shut up! Don't tell your kids about Chechenya Kashmir Iraq etc.”


2) What will it take to truly allow Israel to live in peace ?

Peace with the palestinians and after a treaty is signed no more killing or “targeted assassinations.”

3) Why are women held in such low esteem in their culture ?

He lives in the UK. Ask a Muslim girl on the street in the UK if she was forced. Ask all the British girls who are becoming Muslims if they are forced into anything. Phone Yvonee Ridley (who does nightly call in shows) on the islamic channel. See what she says.


4) Does he think that stoning homosexuals, or rape victims, is appropriate punishment ?

It is written in your book and the book of the Jews. Did God destroy Sodom and Gomorah? He did. He destroyed them.

5) If the West gave into every one of Osama's demands, would he then simply leave us and Israel alone ?

Hes a bit old and he cant remember what Osama's demands are...

* If the terrorists claim to be fighting the Great Satan, why do they keep blowing up fellow Muslims instead ?

He's not in Iraq. “I suppose they see them as collaborators with the US?”

* Do they think that sending out videos of their beheadings is an effective PR tool ?

“I don't know how to answer that. Personally I am against beheading.”

* If America walked away from Iraq today, would Muslims quite killing other Muslims ?

He rekons there will always be trouble until there is an Islamic state. He doesn't have faith in the Arabic people at the moment. He thinks a lot of them are too long a Muslim. He thinks Africans and Caribbeans are going to be the new force in the real Islam.

* How pissed off will the jihadi's be when they go to visit Allah, and find that the 72 virgins are not really virgins, and look like Rosie O'Donnell when she is feeling bloated ?

Didn't ask him that one.

* Since the terrorists positions are the minority position amongst Muslims, why do they no accept that theirs is a perverted view of a rich religion ?
JD | 09.19.06 - 6:35 pm | #

A minority of Muslims are aware of the truth at the moment and the majority just think they are Muslims.

Jandrewmorrison | 09.19.06 - 7:42 pm | #
Why Hajj likely does not advocate Shia law, is there any punishment for those that commit acts of terrorism under sharriah law as he understands it?

he thinks targeting of innocents is against Sharriah law. I can't remember what the punishment was..

What can the non-muslim community do to better encourage muslims to assist in identifying those that hold extremist views who may pose a threat of engaging in acts of terrorism?

He doesn't even see it as terrorism over here. He disputes 7/7, asks why no more CCTV pictures are available showing these kids journeys to where they detonated their bombs. Even if they did it he doesn't see it as terrorism. He sees it as four angry boys. Many Muslims are angry and they don't blow up. He thinks most of the Muslims he knows behave OK at the moment and really hopes to see the young guys arrested with Abdullah released soon. He seems to realise that Abdullah migh have said the wrong things on TV but doesn't consider any of the guys to be a threat to the UK.


In his opinion, which angers young Muslim men more, the percieved mistreatment of Muslims on a global scale, or the percieved mistreatment of Muslims in Britain?
jandrewmorrison | 09.19.06 - 7:48 pm | #

Both.

Sorry didn't ask anymore but he says hes up for meeting up but without cameras. Hajj recomended a nice Chinese restaurant, but maybe not this one...