Oaths must accommodate all

Sun Sentinel ^ | 08/22/05 | Mohammad Ayoub

[Pikamax]

Oaths must accommodate all

By Mohammad Ayoub

August 22, 2005

There is a desperate need for a serious national conversation about freedom of religion.

Last June, a North Carolina judge, W. Douglas Albright, contended that the law of his state allows an oath to be taken only upon "Holy Scriptures" -- the Bible. He further declared that an oath on the Quran would not be a lawful oath.

But the First Amendment to the Constitution states that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."

Why should Muslims, Jews and others be asked to swear by the Bible? For obvious reasons, letting Muslims swear by the Quran would ensure that their oath is sincere and truthful.

Contrary to popular perception, Islam is no stranger to this land. The first Muslims are reported to have arrived in the Americas around 1530.

In all, an estimated 10 percent to 20 percent of the African slaves were Muslims. Historians have recorded that former slaves on Georgia's outer banks continued to practice Islam until the early years of the 20th century. However, faced with government and cultural hostility, the vast majority of these West Africans were converted to Christianity.

[DoraC]

Whether or not they are content with affirmations, no one in America is required to swear an oath on a Bible. That's been the case since 1790.

Maybe so, but some groups (actually, more like one group) are not happy with that and want official recognition.

[muawiyah]

When it comes to Moslems, the best way to do it is to get an Affirmation inasmuch as the Koran dictates that they lie to protect the faith.

That, BTW, does not mean lieing regarding other issues, but given the level of understanding of the courts in North Carolina, it's probably best to not try arguing that fine point.

[Desron13]

"Does Mr. Ayoub know of the principle of Al-Takeyya?

Well said. They have already been taught in the koran that lying to the infidels is not only allowed, it's their duty to allah.

[muawiyah]

Screw them. If affirmations are good enough for the Quakers, they're good enough for the Sufi, and if for them, for all the Moslems.

Afficionados of the fine degree of difference to be found among the various non-trinitarian religions might well appreciate that one.

I think at the time the Constitution was written Jews in America didn't commit crimes, but they did loan money to the government. Presumably some action at court was required for the processing of various legal statements made in that regard. Odds are Jews were also required only to provide affirmation.

[muawiyah]

YOu don't happen to be a North Carolina judge perchance?

Whatever, you proved my point ~ there's a fine distinction here on the question of what lies may be told and when that eludes folks.

[tacticalogic]

Does Mr. Ayoub know of the principle of Al-Takeyya?

I don't know if he does, but any lawyer worth his salt will make sure a jury does when they go to consider the testimony of anyone who swears on the Koran.

[Desron13]

"Funny, but ever since 9/11 Islam has as you say actually been elevated as a "great" religion, instead of decried as a dangerously insane death-cult."

Goes to show just how delusional liberals really are in my mind. Only an idiot would not be able to see what islime is really all about after this long.

[Casekirchen]

"The first Muslims are reported to have arrived in the Americas around 1530. "

--- Really, how interesting.

Report by whom?

Its possible that the arabs started their slave trading in the Americas early.

However, it was illegal for a muslim is exist on the Iberian peninsula at that time (after the Liberation of Spain) or to travel on either the Spanish or Portugese ships. The English and French didn't arrive until a couple of generations later.

Are the islamics now claiming to have traveled around the Cape and across the Atlantic in their dhows?

Or is this 'report' like the claim to Jerusalem -- a dream resulting from a bad hasish trip?

[muawiyah]

BTW, however you want to interpret it, odds are the question went before the US courts as far back as the early 1800s when the first Ottoman ship failed to pay a port slip fee.

[tacticalogic]

I'm betting it got all the attention it deserved.

[Desron13]

"YOu don't happen to be a North Carolina judge perchance?

Sorry, my father taught me better than that. After graduating from law school, he didn't even bother to take the bar exam. Said he just didn't have the stomach to associate with the lawyer crowd. He went on to become a senior financial analyst for Chrysler Corporation instead.

[Condor51]

***My religion worships uranium....you need to have uranium in the court room to swear me in!***

Oh yeah! Well MY religion is better.
"We" worship Cheryl Tiegs, Christie Brinkley & Cindy Crawford in bikinis, so any court better have them there for me us - and in a bikini. :-)

(Yeah Cheryl is getting 'old' but she's still a beauty)

[oldbrowser]

The Koran permits lies to infidels. If they use that book in the courtroom, opposing counsel should read that part to the court.

Exactly.

[sono]

You never heard of Christopher Al Columbus?

[muawiyah]

No doubt there were a few Moslem POWs at the Spanish POW camp in South Carolina circa 1530. Spain was constantly involved in wars in the Mediterranean with the Ottomans and their Moslem allies, so they ended up with more than a few POWs.

From what I've been able to gather concerning this issue, it was mostly the Greek and Syrian Orthodox sailers that got to be POWs. The Moslems went in the drink.

Then there was the Chinese fleet that visited San Francisco Bay about that time. Chinese Moslems were highly motivated to become sailers. The great Chinese Admiral who took the Treasure Fleet around South Asia to Africa in the early 1400s was a Moslem.

[muawiyah]

Columbus' first voyage included several Gypsies. It's entirely possible some of them had been Moslems.

[Desron13]

"Chinese Moslems were highly motivated to become sailers."

I'm thinking that the ruling Chinese warlords of the time were just not very impressed by the religion of peace. My guess is they made themselves scarce in fairly short order. One way or the other if you know what I mean. ;)

[Desron13]

"Columbus' first voyage included several Gypsies. It's entirely possible some of them had been Moslems."

Now there's a rather stunning twist! I had no idea that there are or were muzzy Gypsies. How does that work and please point to a source. I would just love to hear about this.

[Moby Grape]

Carlos Santana worships weed...he will need a joint to swear in by...

[montag813]

In all, an estimated 10 percent to 20 percent of the African slaves were Muslims. Historians have recorded that former slaves on Georgia's outer banks continued to practice Islam until the early years of the 20th century. However, faced with government and cultural hostility, the vast majority of these West Africans were converted to Christianity.

The ONLY reason they were Muslims was because the animals who sold them into slavery were Arab Muslims--the originators of the Middle Passage. Every one of them was blessed to be stripped of that perverted cult of death, slavery and subjugation.