Subject: Saifullah's accusations to Jay Smith From: Jochen Katz <jkatz@math.gatech.edu> Date: 1997/05/11 Message-Id: <5l5li2$4nr@usenet.srv.cis.pitt.edu> Newsgroups: soc.religion.islam Dear Saifullah, as you could imagine your public accusation was forwarded by me to Jay Smith to ask him for his perspective on the issue and here is his response. Concerning the problem of prayer in a mosque, you sent under the title: Re: conversion: a christian deception in article <5kl4an$k8m@shell3.ba.best.com>: >well, i thing i have mentioned about your buddy joseph smith and his >deceptive tactics. for all who did not know, joseph smith used to pray >with muslims and suddenly one day he said that he is "leaving islam" to >debate whether quraan is the word of god. jochen, smith prayed in a mosque >not in a church with muslims. how about you joining us in prayers? As usual there are some truths to the above but as so often happens when one has an agenda, it is skewed by assuming much and knowing little. The truth is that I have been in mosques many times, in France, Senegal, the U.S. and in Britain, although I have only been invited to pray in a few of them by Muslim friends there. Throughout my studies of Islam I have found it best to discuss that which I am studying with fellow Muslim students, so that I always had their personal perspectives on the subjects. Many times (especially during my studies in France, and at SOAS, here in London) deeper friendships were formed, and in the years past my Muslim friends would invite me to come to their prayer sessions with them, especially during the time of the Rammadan fast. At times they encouraged me to pray alongside them, though they agreed that it was fine if I prayed to Jesus, rather than do the standardized Muslim prayers. Anyone looking on from the outside could easily have misconstrued this to imply that I was thus a Muslim. Had they been a part of the discussion groups which preceded or followed the prayers they would have seen immediately that I always made it clear I was a Christian; and if that didn't convince them, then the content of my arguments certainly would. To say this is mere deception begs the question. Who was I deceiving? Why would I go to the prayer rooms and pray alongside my Muslim friends while telling them I was a fervent Christian who had difficulties with many of their beliefs? Some of these same Muslim friends would also accompany me to my church services, and would stand up with me when we prayed publicly, or sang hymns. To an onlooker, it could be construed that they were Christians, yet I have never heard any Christians who were present make such a crude accusation against them. This same accusation has been levelled at me numerous times at Speaker's Corner, and I ask those who level it if they were ever present at those prayers, and knew the Muslims who invited me there. It would be helpful if they asked them why I had been invited, and if I would continue to be invited. I would hope so, as I and my Christian brothers would certainly show them the same courtesy. We do well to go and participate with those whom we have befriended in areas of worship which are the most meaningful to them. As to the second accusation; never have I claimed to be a Muslim, thus it seems absurd that suddenly one day I would have to say I was 'leaving Islam', in order to debate the authority of the Qur'an. There are some Christians who do claim to be Muslims, using the meaning of the word to imply they likewise are 'obedient to God'. This could easily be construed as deception, so I don't use it. Certain Muslim friends who have been present when the above accusations came up were offended and embarrassed by the triteness of the accusers. I think we need to ask why they level these accusations, and realize there is an agenda behind them; one which seeks to discredit any of us who dare to confront Islam head-on. I find it odd that Saifullah would accuse me of deception for going to a mosque to pray, and then in the following sentence invite you, Jochen to do the same. It's a smear campaign, which we must stand against, and not let it sway us from the goal at hand. Jay
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