A Reader Wants Us To "Educate" Ourselves On Islam, But We've BEEN Educated
01/26/2014
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Brenda Walker’s blog post   California: Muslims Pray for Rain near Folsom Lake

From: Diyala [Email him]

Brenda Walker writes:

Freedom of religion is fine, a protected right, but when Muslims chant “Allah Akbar” over a California water source (as can be heard on a news video), that’s over the line.

“Allah Akbar” is a war cry, what jihadists routinely yell as they murder infidels for Islam, so the connotation is not exactly friendly.

“Allah Akbar” means “God is great. “ The word Allah is used by Muslim, Christian and Jewish Arabs. It’s an Arabic word for God! Nothing more nothing less... It's not the call before performing jihad.

One can say “Allah Akbar” for a touchdown for the San Francisco 49ers, or “Allah Akbar” when someone is sick... It's just a phrase.

Please don’t come off so close-minded, and educate yourself.

James Fulford writes: This isn’t the first letter we’ve received from angry Muslims about this kind of thing. See here for Brenda Walker’s answer to one of them.

But we are educated about Islam and Allah, I promise you.

In the spirit of ecumenical, interfaith communication, I have no problem conceding that the California Muslim group praying for rain were not actively calling for jihad, but were simply engaging in the kind of ordinary, petitionary prayer that inspires nationwide MSM mockery when a white Christian does it. [Rick Perry’s Unanswered Prayers, By Timothy Egan, NYT, August 11, 2011]

But while we’re aware that Allah is the Arabic name for God [A Reader Says Muslims Don't Have Exclusive Rights To Arabic Or Allah]  we’re also aware that Muslims in the Dar al-Islam consider this offensive. I wrote in 2010 that  “Muslims in Malaysia are upset, which means rioting and setting churches on fire, over the fact that Christians speak of God as Allah, the subject of a recent court case in Malaysia.” That’s fairly typical.

While some interfaith enthusiasts, including George W. Bush, believe that all religions pray " to the same God”” many Muslims, many Christians, and many Jews feel that this is quite wrong. See Can A Christian Pray To Allah?, by the Reverend Chuck Baldwin.

However, if you want to know why Brenda Walker is a little disturbed by public chants of “Allah Akbar”,  let me reminde you that it was used in all these attacks:

And a final example, from Brenda’s answer above:

“The hijackers shrieked "Allahu Akbar" when smashing their planes into American buildings, killing thousands. What more do you need to know?”

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