Email: "Can Muslims Be Good Americans?"

"Can Muslims Be Good Americans?"

[note - all mistakes below are original to the text]

From: XXXXXX@yahoo.com
To: XXXXXXX@gmail.com
Sent: Monday, December 1, 2009 9:00 AM
Subject: Can Muslims Be Good Americans?

This is very interesting and we all need to read it from start to finish and send it on to everyone.  Maybe this is why our American Muslims are so quiet and not speaking out about any atrocities.  Can a good Muslim be a good American? This question was forwarded to a friend who worked in Saudi Arabia for 20 years. The following is his reply: Theologically - no. . . . Because his allegiance is to Allah, The moon God of Arabia. Religiously - no. . . . Because no other religion is accepted by His Allah except Islam (Quran, 2:256)(Koran) Scripturally - no. . . Because his allegiance is to the five Pillars of Islam and the Quran. Geographically - no... Because his allegiance is to Mecca, to which he turns in prayer five times a day. Socially - no. . . Because his allegiance to Islam forbids him to make friends with Christians or Jews. Politically - no. . . Because he must submit to the mullahs (spiritual leaders), who teach annihilation of Israel and destruction of America, the great Satan.  Domestically - no. . . Because he is instructed to marry four Women and beat and scourge his wife when she disobeys him (Quran 4:34 ) Intellectually - no. . Because he cannot accept the American Constitution since it is based on Biblical principles and he believes the Bible to be corrupt. Philosophically - no. . . . Because Islam, Muhammad, and the Quran does not allow freedom of religion and expression. Democracy and Islam cannot co-exist. Every Muslim government is either dictatorial or autocratic. Spiritually - no. . . . Because when we declare 'one nation under God,' the Christian's God is loving and kind, while Allah is NEVER referred to as Heavenly father, nor is he ever called love in the Quran's 99 excellent names.
 
Therefore, after much study and deliberation.... Perhaps we should be very suspicious of ALL MUSLIMS in this country. - - - They obviously cannot be both 'good' Muslims and good Americans.  Call it what you wish it's still the truth. You
better believe it. The more who understand this, the better it will be for
our country and our future.
 
The religious war is bigger than we know or understand.
        
Footnote: The Muslims have said they will destroy us from within.
 
SO FREEDOM IS NOT FREE.
 
THE MARINES WANT THIS TO ROLL ALL OVER THE U.S.
 
Please don't delete this until you send it on.

Response

Hey, thanks for forwarding this.  I tried to read this with an open mind, but came out rather dismayed by the level of hatred and lack of understanding that the writer of this screed exhibits.  It is clear that whoever wrote this is very hostile towards the Islamic faith, and so, it would appear, makes an argument solely out of emotion. 

Let's try to separate the arguments.  First, the email refers to Allah as the "moon God."  In Arabic, the world Allah means God.  Before Islam, Arabic speakers referred to Allah as their main deity, and so, with the establishment of Islam, the same name was used because, again, Allah means God.  This is the reason why Arabic-speaking Christians also use the world Allah to refer to God.

The claim that Muslims actually believe in a moon deity is an oft-repeated, yet demonstrably false statement.  In fact, the Quran says: "And of His portents are the night and the day and the sun and the moon. Do not prostrate to the sun or the moon; but prostrate to Allah Who created them, if it is in truth Him Whom ye worship." Quran 41:37

American Muslims are in fact vocal in their repudiation of terrorism, as are Muslims around the world.  Here is a short list which is by no means exhaustive. http://www.muhajabah.com/otherscondemn.php

But it should be noted that Muslims in the United States are expected to condemn things that occurred in other countries.  Imagine if American Christians had to apologize for the actions of Ugandan Christians.  We don't expect that of Christians, or any other group, so why of Muslims?

Muslims add to the diversity of America and are among the most educated segments in our country.  Certainly, the success of American Muslims is testament to the fact that someone can be both a good Muslim and a good American.

Now, on to the most important point.  People who have a gripe with Islam point to verses in the Quran that they object to.  They often take these verses out of context in order to portray all Muslims as bloodthirsty barbarians.  But the act of copying and pasting, while easy to do, is dishonest.  Imagine if Christianity were discussed in the context of the following verses.

"For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him." Leviticus 20:9
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus+20%3A9&version=KJV

"A woman should learn in quietness and full submission.  I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent." 1 Timothy 2: 11-12
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Timothy+2&version=NIV

Again, I think that this email is rather hateful and seeks to foment mistrust amongst Americans.  At a time like this, we need to work together to make our country stronger.  This sort of hate will not make us any stronger, that is certain.

I hope to hear from you soon.

Cheers.