Top Muslim Declares All Christians 'Infidels'
by Raymond Ibrahim
Pajamas Media
October 28, 2011
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To what extent was Egypt's Maspero massacre, wherein the military literally
mowed down Christian Copts protesting the ongoing destruction of their
churches, a product of anti-Christian sentiment?
A video of Egypt's Grand Mufti, Sheikh Ali Gomaa (or Gom'a), which began
circulating weeks before the massacre, helps elucidate. While holding that
Muslims may coexist with Christians (who, as dhimmis, have rights), Gomaa
categorized Christians as kuffar "infidels" a word that connotes "enemies,"
"evil-doers," and every bad thing to Muslim ears.
After quoting Quran 5:17, "Infidels are those who declare God is the Christ,
[Jesus] son of Mary," he expounded by saying any association between a human
and God (in Arabic, shirk) is the greatest sin: "Whoever thinks the Christ is
God, or the Son of God, not symbolically for we are all sons of God but
attributively, has rejected the faith which God requires for salvation,"
thereby becoming an infidel.
Gomaa then offered a hypothetical dialogue between Christians and Muslims to
illustrate Islam's proper position:
Christians: You have the wrong idea about us; we don't worship the Christ.
Muslims: Okay, fine; we were under the wrong impression but, by the way:
"Infidels are those who declare God is the Christ, son of Mary."
Christians: But these are philosophical matters that we are unable to
explain.
Muslims: Okay, fine; God is onebut, by the way: "Infidels are those who
declare God is the Christ, son of Mary."
As a graduate of and long-time professor at Al Azhar university and Grand Mufti
of Egypt (a position second in authority only to Sheikh Al Azhar), Ali Gomaa
represents mainstream Islam's not "radical Islam's" or "Islamism's"
position concerning the "other," in this case, Christians. Regardless, many in
the West hail him as a "moderate" such as this U.S. News article titled
"Finding the Voices of Moderate Islam"; Lawrence Wright describes him as "a
highly promoted champion of moderate Islam":
He is the kind of cleric the West longs for, because of his assurances that
there is no conflict with democratic rule and no need for theocracy. Gomaa has
also become an advocate for Muslim women, who he says should have equal
standing with men.
How does one reconcile such sunny characterizations with reality? The fact is,
whenever top Muslim authorities like Gomaa say something that can be made to
conform to Western ideals, Westerners jump on it (while of course ignoring
their more "extreme" positions). It is the same with Gomaa's alma mater, Al
Azhar, the "chief center of Islamic and Arabic learning in the world."
MEMRI, for instance, recently published a report titled "The Sheikh of Al Azhar
in an Exceptionally Tolerant Article: Christianity, Judaism Share Basic Tenets
of Islam." Of course, the day after this report appeared, this same sheikh
Islam's most authoritative figure insisted that the American ambassador wear
a hijab when meeting him: just as Muslim "radicals" compel Christian girls to
wear the hijab, "moderate" Al Azhar compels U.S. diplomats.
In short, yes, many religions "share basic tenets," but they are secondary to
the differences, which are more final and define the relationship. Or, to put
it in Ali Gomaa's paradigm: Fine, Christianity and Islam have commonalities
but, by the way: "Infidels are those who declare God is the Christ, son of
Mary."
The fact is, this Quranic verse is as much a cornerstone of Islam's view of
Christianity as the unity of God and Christ is a cornerstone of Christianity,
articulated some 1700 years ago in the Nicene Creed. The issue is clear cut for
all involved.
Accordingly, how can one fault Gomaa? As Grand Mufti, he is simply being true
to Islam's teachings. Indeed, his consistency is more commendable than the
equivocations of Western ecumencalists who, by falling over themselves to
assure Muslims that they all essentially believe in the same things,
demonstrate, especially to Muslims, that they believe in nothing.
Incidentally, if Gomaa upholds the plain teachings of the Quran concerning who
is an infidel, is it not fair to assume he also upholds the Quran's teachings
on how to confront them, as commanded in Quran 9: 29: "Fight
the People of
the Book [Jews and Christians] until they pay the Jizya [tribute] with willing
submission, and feel themselves subdued." Of course, prudent Muslims,
undoubtedly like Gomaa himself, know that now is not the time to talk openly
about such things.
Either way, here is another reminder of how Quranic verses and terms that
Western people brush aside as arcane or irrelevant have a tremendous impact on
current events such as Egypt's Maspero massacre: For the same word Gomaa, the
nation's Grand Mufti, used to describe Christians is the same word Muslim
soldiers used when they opened fire on and ran over Christian Copts; the same
word twenty Muslim soldiers used as they tortured a protesting Christian; and
the same word Muslims hurled at Christians during the funeral procession for
their loved ones slain at Maspero: Infidel.
Raymond Ibrahim, author of The Al Qaeda Reader, is a Shillman Fellow at the
David Horowitz Freedom Center and an Associate Fellow at the Middle East Forum.
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