Wall Street Journal - Hypocrasy Most Holy

The Saudi Institute ^ | 5/20/05 | Ali Al-Ahmed - Director of The Saudi Institute

[Jean S]

With the revelation that a copy of the Quran may have been desecrated by U.S. military personnel at Guantanamo Bay, Muslims and their governments -- including that of Saudi Arabia -- reacted angrily. This anger would have been understandable if the U.S. government's adopted policy was to desecrate our Quran. But even before the Newsweek report was discredited, that was never part of the allegations.

As a Muslim, I am able to purchase copies of the Quran in any bookstore in any American city, and study its contents in countless American universities. American museums spend millions to exhibit and celebrate Muslim arts and heritage. On the other hand, my Christian and other non-Muslim brothers and sisters in Saudi Arabia -- where I come from -- are not even allowed to own a copy of their holy books. Indeed, the Saudi government desecrates and burns Bibles that its security forces confiscate at immigration points into the kingdom or during raids on Christian expatriates worshiping privately.

Soon after Newsweek published an account, later retracted, of an American soldier flushing a copy of the Quran down the toilet, the Saudi government voiced its strenuous disapproval. More specifically, the Saudi Embassy in Washington expressed "great concern" and urged the U.S. to "conduct a quick investigation."

Although considered as holy in Islam and mentioned in the Quran dozens of times, the Bible is banned in Saudi Arabia. This would seem curious to most people because of the fact that to most Muslims, the Bible is a holy book. But when it comes to Saudi Arabia we are not talking about most Muslims, but a tiny minority of hard-liners who constitute the Wahhabi Sect.

[brooklyn dave]

If Ali Al Ahmed goes back to Saudi Arabia, his head will most likely roll in some sand dune.

[ctlpdad]

They need an updated spell checquer.

[kellynla]

Excellent piece.
It has already been posted but needs to be posted every day!

Semper Fi,
Kelly

[toddlintown]

What's "Hypocrasy?"

[TheCrusader]

"As a Muslim, I am able to purchase copies of the Quran in any bookstore in any American city, and study its contents in countless American universities. American museums spend millions to exhibit and celebrate Muslim arts and heritage."

He forgot to mention you can also learn about the koran in California public schools, (which isn't exactly a comforting fact).

[Valin]

bttt

[CompSciGuy]

Wow!

At last a voice in the wilderness! With more people like Ali speaking up Islam might be able to overcome the bad press it is stacking up.

Cheers,
CSG

[toddlintown]

I know.

[George Smiley]

I don't know.

hypocrisy (n), a condition where one does not practice what one preaches.

The most common misspelling of this word is:

hypocracy (n), (1) government by hypocrites.

(2) see also: Senator, Democratic Party, liberal.

[Steve_Seattle]

"It has already been posted but needs to be posted every day!"

It needs to be picked up in other mainstream newspapers. Things like this need to be said; basic facts about the Islamic world need to be repeated in the MSM, not just in here where we already know this stuff. .

[mvpel]

Maybe someone should stage a Saudi Arabian-style Koran burning somewhere.

[mvpel]

The lesson here is simple: If Muslims wish other religions to respect their beliefs and their Holy book, they should lead by example.

Or better yet, they should follow the example of religions not stuck in the 12^th Century.

[zeugma]

Well, there is a Freeper working on making koran toilet paper. I'm sure that if it is flushable, it is flammable.

[juliej]

People are carrying on about the Saddam photos in his underwear. At least he wasn't wearing the panties. What does this have to do with "respecting Islam" anyway? Saddam considered himself to be a "secularist". In the meanwhile, Christians were arrested in Saudi Arabia for spreading "poison".