OBAMA AND ISLAM - Is America ready for a president who has been a Muslim?

Obama and Islam

By Daniel Pipes

FrontPageMagazine.com

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

"If I were a Muslim I would let you know," Barack Obama [1]

has said, and I believe him. In fact, he is a practicing

Christian, a member of the Trinity United Church of Christ.

He is not now a Muslim.

But was he ever a Muslim or seen by others as a Muslim?

More precisely, might Muslims consider him a murtadd

(apostate), that is, a Muslim who converted to another

religion and, therefore, someone whose blood may be shed?

The candidate for president of the United States has

delivered two principal statements in reply. His campaign

website [2] carries a statement dated Nov. 12 with the

headline, "Barack Obama Is Not and Has Never Been a

Muslim," followed by: "Obama never prayed in a mosque. He

has never been a Muslim, was not raised a Muslim, and is a

committed Christian." Then, on Dec. 22, in the unlikely

setting of the Smoky Row Coffee Shop [3] in Oskaloosa,

Iowa, as he munched on pumpkin pie and drank tea with four

locals, Obama provided more detail took on this topic than

before. When asked to explain his Muslim heritage [4], he

replied:

My father was from Kenya, and a lot of people in his

village were Muslim. He didn't practice Islam. Truth is

he wasn't very religious. He met my mother. My mother

was a Christian from Kansas, and they married and then

divorced. I was raised by my mother. So, I've always

been a Christian. The only connection I've had to Islam

is that my grandfather on my father's side came from

that country. But I've never practiced Islam. ... For a

while, I lived in Indonesia because my mother was

teaching there. And that's a Muslim country. And I went

to school. But I didn't practice. But what I do think it

does is it gives me insight into how these folks think,

and part of how I think we can create a better

relationship with the Middle East and that would help

make us safer is if we can understand how they think

about issues.

These statements raise two questions: What is Obama's true

connection to Islam and what implications might this have

for an Obama presidency?

Was Obama Ever a Muslim?

"I've always been a Christian," said Obama, focusing on his

own personal lack of practice of Islam as a child to deny

any connection to Islam. But Muslims do not see practice as

key. For them, that he was born to a line of Muslim males

makes him born a Muslim. Further, all children born with an

Arabic name based on the H-S-N trilateral root (Hussein,

Hassan, and others) can be assumed to be Muslim, so they

will understand Obama's full name, Barack Hussein Obama, to

proclaim him a born Muslim.

Further, family and friends considered him as a child to be

Muslim. In "Obama Debunks Claim About Islamic School,[5]"

Nedra Pickler of the Associated Press wrote on January 24,

2007, that

Obama's mother, divorced from Obama's father, married a

man from Indonesia named Lolo Soetoro, and the family

relocated to the country from 1967-71. At first, Obama

attended the Catholic school, Fransiskus Assisis, where

documents showed he enrolled as a Muslim, the religion

of his stepfather. The document required that each

student choose one of five state-sanctioned religions

when registering -- Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Catholic or

Protestant.

Asked about this, Obama communications director Robert Gibbs

responded by indicating to Pickler that

he wasn't sure why the document had Obama listed as a

Muslim. "Senator Obama has never been a Muslim."

Two months later, Paul Watson of the Los Angeles Times

(available online in a Baltimore Sun reprint [6]) reported

that the Obama campaign had retreated from that absolute

statement and instead issued a more nuanced one: "Obama has

never been a practicing Muslim." The Times looked into the

matter further and learned more about his Indonesian

interlude:

His former Roman Catholic and Muslim teachers, along

with two people who were identified by Obama's grade-

school teacher as childhood friends, say Obama was

registered by his family as a Muslim at both schools he

attended. That registration meant that during the third

and fourth grades, Obama learned about Islam for two

hours each week in religion class.

The childhood friends say Obama sometimes went to Friday

prayers at the local mosque. "We prayed but not really

seriously, just following actions done by older people

in the mosque," Zulfin Adi said. "But as kids, we loved

to meet our friends and went to the mosque together and

played." ... Obama's younger sister, Maya Soetoro, said

in a statement released by the campaign that the family

attended the mosque only "for big communal events," not

every Friday.

Recalling Obama's time in Indonesia, the Times account

contains quotes that Obama "went to the mosque," and that

he "was Muslim."

Summarized, available evidence suggests Obama was born a

Muslim to a non-practicing Muslim father and for some years

had a reasonably Muslim upbringing under the auspices of

his Indonesian step-father. At some point, he converted to

Christianity. It appears false to state, as Obama does,

"I've always been a Christian" and "I've never practiced

Islam." The campaign appears to be either ignorant or

fabricating when it states that "Obama never prayed in a

mosque."

Implications of Obama's Conversion

Obama's conversion to another faith, in short, makes him a

murtadd.

That said, the punishment for childhood apostasy is less

severe than for the adult version. As Robert Spencer [7]

points out, "according to Islamic law an apostate male is

not to be put to death if he has not reached puberty (cf.

'Umdat al-Salik o8.2; Hidayah vol. II p. 246). Some,

however, hold that he should be imprisoned until he is of

age and then 'invited' to accept Islam, but officially the

death penalty for youthful apostates is ruled out."

On the positive side, were Obama prominently charged with

apostasy, that would uniquely raise the issue of a Muslim's

right to change religion, taking a topic on the perpetual

back-burner and placing it front and center, perhaps to the

great future benefit of those Muslims who seek to declare

themselves atheists or to convert to another religion.

But would Muslims seeing Obama as a murtadd significantly

affect an Obama presidency? The only precedent to judge by

is that of Carlos Sa

In article <ef53ed7f-114d-42f3-9b9d-1db2062bb380@e23g2000prf.googlegroups.com>,

tripurantaka@yahoo.com posted:

> Dr. Jai Maharaj posted:

>

> > Obama and Islam

> > [...]

> His full name is Barak Hussein Obama!

>

> Hussein as President! They hanged one Hussein in Iraq and he

> reincarnates as Obama!

>

> I hope he never wins!

Yes, his middle name is "Hussein" and his campaign staff

are trying hard to hide it or keep from discussing this

issue.

Jai Maharaj

http://tinyurl.com/24fq83

http://www.mantra.com/jai

http://www.mantra.com/jyotish

Om Shanti

> In article <ef53ed7f-114d-42f3-9b9d-1db2062bb380@e23g2000prf.googlegroups.com>,

> tripurantaka@yahoo.com posted:

>

>> > Dr. Jai Maharaj posted:

>> >

>>> > > Obama and Islam

>>> > > [...]

>

>> > His full name is Barak Hussein Obama!

>> >

>> > Hussein as President! They hanged one Hussein in Iraq and he

>> > reincarnates as Obama!

>> >

>> > I hope he never wins!

>

> Yes, his middle name is "Hussein" and his campaign staff

> are trying hard to hide it or keep from discussing this

> issue.

>

> Jai Maharaj

Imagine a Hillary-Obama ticket. Obama is a black Muslim, and

Hillary is a lesbian atheist. Oh yeah, that will be popular with

the born-again people in the Midwest. But you know what the kicker

is? Hillary and Obama are the best candidates running! They are

the best America can come up with, after two years of campaigning.

The USA is sooooooo screwed.

-Al-

In article <yqmcj.20064$wy2.13057@edtnps90>,

Al Smith <invalid@address.com> posted:

>

>> In article

> <ef53ed7f-114d-42f3-9b9d-1db2062bb380@e23g2000prf.googlegroups.com>,

>> tripurantaka@yahoo.com posted:

>>

>>>> Dr. Jai Maharaj posted:

>>>>

>>>>>> Obama and Islam

>>>>>> [...]

>>>> His full name is Barak Hussein Obama!

>>>>

>>>> Hussein as President! They hanged one Hussein in Iraq and he

>>>> reincarnates as Obama!

>>>>

>>>> I hope he never wins!

>> Yes, his middle name is "Hussein" and his campaign staff

>> are trying hard to hide it or keep from discussing this

>> issue. - Jai Maharaj

> Imagine a Hillary-Obama ticket. Obama is a black Muslim, and

> Hillary is a lesbian atheist. Oh yeah, that will be popular with

> the born-again people in the Midwest. But you know what the kicker

> is? Hillary and Obama are the best candidates running! They are

> the best America can come up with, after two years of campaigning.

> The USA is sooooooo screwed.

>

> -Al-

Perhaps Hillary and Obama truly represent the mindset

of the American masses: her as an alternative gender

identity; he as a poster boy for the post-9/11 Stockholm

Syndrome, whereby the victims feel compelled to love and

honor a Muslim. Maybe this will break the spell:

Facts about terrorist Islam and Muslims:

http://www.flex.com/~jai/satyamevajayate

Jai Maharaj

http://tinyurl.com/24fq83

http://www.mantra.com/jai

http://www.mantra.com/jyotish

Om Shanti

"Al Smith" <invalid@address.com> wrote in message

news:yqmcj.20064$wy2.13057@edtnps90...

>> In article

>> <ef53ed7f-114d-42f3-9b9d-1db2062bb380@e23g2000prf.googlegroups.com>,

>> tripurantaka@yahoo.com posted:

>>> > Dr. Jai Maharaj posted:

>>>> > > Obama and Islam

>>>> > > [...]

>>

>>> > His full name is Barak Hussein Obama!

>>> >

>>> > Hussein as President! They hanged one Hussein in Iraq and he

>>> > reincarnates as Obama!

>>> >

>>> > I hope he never wins!

>>

>> Yes, his middle name is "Hussein" and his campaign staff are trying hard

>> to hide it or keep from discussing this issue.

>>

>> Jai Maharaj

>

>

> Imagine a Hillary-Obama ticket. Obama is a black Muslim, and Hillary is a

> lesbian atheist. Oh yeah, that will be popular with the born-again people

> in the Midwest. But you know what the kicker is? Hillary and Obama are the

> best candidates running! They are the best America can come up with, after

> two years of campaigning. The USA is sooooooo screwed.

>

> -Al-

it is time for michale moore to make another movie to educate america.

In article <4772bde9$0$5275$bbae4d71@news.suddenlink.net>,

"harmony" <aka@hotmail.com> posted:

>

>

> "Al Smith" <invalid@address.com> wrote in message

> news:yqmcj.20064$wy2.13057@edtnps90...

>

> >> In article

> >> <ef53ed7f-114d-42f3-9b9d-1db2062bb380@e23g2000prf.googlegroups.com>,

> >> tripurantaka@yahoo.com posted:

> >>> > Dr. Jai Maharaj posted:

> >>>> > > Obama and Islam

> >>>> > > [...]

> >>

> >>> > His full name is Barak Hussein Obama!

> >>> >

> >>> > Hussein as President! They hanged one Hussein in Iraq and he

> >>> > reincarnates as Obama!

> >>> >

> >>> > I hope he never wins!

> >>

> >> Yes, his middle name is "Hussein" and his campaign staff are trying hard

> >> to hide it or keep from discussing this issue.

> >>

> >> Jai Maharaj

> >

> >

> > Imagine a Hillary-Obama ticket. Obama is a black Muslim, and Hillary is a

> > lesbian atheist. Oh yeah, that will be popular with the born-again people

> > in the Midwest. But you know what the kicker is? Hillary and Obama are the

> > best candidates running! They are the best America can come up with, after

> > two years of campaigning. The USA is sooooooo screwed.

> >

> > -Al-

>

> it is time for michale moore to make another movie to educate america.

He's working on Fahrenheit 9/11-1/2 (nine-eleven-and-a-half):

"In the wake of the 2004 United States Presidential

election, Michael Moore continues to examine what happened

to the United States after September 11, and how the Bush

administration allegedly used the tragic event to push

forward its agenda for unjust wars in Afghanistan and

Iraq." - Written by Anonymous

Jai Maharaj

http://tinyurl.com/24fq83

http://www.mantra.com/jai

http://www.mantra.com/jyotish

Om Shanti

In article <yqmcj.20064$wy2.13057@edtnps90>,

Al Smith <invalid@address.com> posted:

>

> > In article

> <ef53ed7f-114d-42f3-9b9d-1db2062bb380@e23g2000prf.googlegroups.com>,

> > tripurantaka@yahoo.com posted:

> >

> >> > Dr. Jai Maharaj posted:

> >> >

> >>> > > Obama and Islam

> >>> > > [...]

> >

> >> > His full name is Barak Hussein Obama!

> >> >

> >> > Hussein as President! They hanged one Hussein in Iraq and he

> >> > reincarnates as Obama!

> >> >

> >> > I hope he never wins!

> >

> > Yes, his middle name is "Hussein" and his campaign staff

> > are trying hard to hide it or keep from discussing this

> > issue.

> >

> > Jai Maharaj

>

>

> Imagine a Hillary-Obama ticket. Obama is a black Muslim, and

> Hillary is a lesbian atheist. Oh yeah, that will be popular with

> the born-again people in the Midwest. But you know what the kicker

> is? Hillary and Obama are the best candidates running! They are

> the best America can come up with, after two years of campaigning.

> The USA is sooooooo screwed.

>

> -Al-

As of a couple of days ago, the Barack Hussein Obama

campaign has started floating stories in the media that he

and his schoolmates in Muslim Indonesia accept all

religions and that he did attend some marginally Christian

school. Are these people so much in tune with this thread

on USENET that they react so quickly?

Jai Maharaj

http://tinyurl.com/24fq83

http://www.mantra.com/jai

http://www.mantra.com/jyotish

Om Shanti

Judeo Christians think it is the "end times" even though it has been

the "end times" for over two thousand years so far. They think the one

and only hope is for Jesus to return and straighten everything out.

And a big part of the plan is the destroy the world. They think wars

and everything being blown up is a great thing because it means Jesus

will return soon.

Marxists were murderous lowlifes but they said religion is the opium

of the people. There obviously is some truth to that. Enemies often

have some truth in their arguments. On top of the opium there is the

Jewish propaganda started by Scofield.

Christians are great for telling what some of the problems are, such

as homosexual perversion, feminism etc. But to actually solve these

problems one should look elsewhere. Who do Christians hate the most,

first Hitler and then the Muslims. These are the two who actually

solved the problems that Christians are famous for speaking against.

Maybe the Muslims go a little overboard but they are the opposite of

liberalism. There is no way that "Brokeback Mountain" would be shown

in a Muslim country.

http://www.ihr.org/ http://www.natvan.com

http://www.thebirdman.org http://www.nsm88.com/

http://wsi.matriots.com/jews.html

Johnny Judas Jay "the jumpin' jackass jyotishithead"(and now

self-confessed pimp) Maharaj wrote:

> In article <ef53ed7f-114d-42f3-9b9d-1db2062bb380@e23g2000prf.googlegroups.com>,

> tripurantaka@yahoo.com posted:

>

>> Jai Maharaj posted:

>>

>>> Obama and Islam

>>> [...]

>

>> His full name is Barak Hussein Obama!

>>

>> Hussein as President! They hanged one Hussein in Iraq and he

>> reincarnates as Obama!

>>

>> I hope he never wins!

>

> Yes, his middle name is "Hussein" and his campaign staff

> are trying hard to hide it or keep from discussing this

> issue.

Are you ready to discuss the issue of your given name, John, or the fact

that your immediate family have distinctly non-Hindu names like

"Michelle" and "Michael" and "Robert"? What are you trying so hard to hide?

In article

<e791ff84-8ac8-4f58-9e9e-9fdd37119604@s12g2000prg.googlegroups.com>,

tripurantaka@yahoo.com wrote:

> On Dec 31, 2:42 pm, use...@mantra.com and/or http://www.mantra.com/jai (Dr.

> Jai Maharaj) wrote:

> > In article <yqmcj.20064$wy2.13057@edtnps90>,

> > Al Smith <inva...@address.com> posted:

>

> > Jai

> > Maharajhttp://tinyurl.com/24fq83http://www.mantra.com/jaihttp://www.mantra.c

> > om/jyotish

> > Om Shanti

>

> Think of it, Obama rhymes with Osama

>

> His sister is a practicing Muslim. I read that he himself did attend a

> Muslim school and was registered as a Muslim student in Indonesia for

> some time

It would be good for America. Islam isn't going away, and the resentment

from Petro-tyranny over the years propping-up dictators and military

regimes will add another 20 years of painful change for America and the

middle-east.

An 'Obama' might be necessary.

Hilary may be too 'well-centered' and the historical novelty won't push

the envelope far enough, for quicker; more rational; and more peaceful

transitions to come.

In fact... the world wins with an Obama, just in terms of symbolism and

identity. USA need not worry, as he is rational and able to

differentiate people-politics and faith-politics.

Coffee in War-shington

Aviroce wrote:

> On Dec 26 2007, 1:32 am, snausages <goofin...@gmail.com> wrote:

>> On Dec 25, 6:36 pm, tripurant...@yahoo.com wrote:

>>

>>> On Dec 25, 9:25 pm, use...@mantra.com and/orwww.mantra.com/jai(Dr.

>>> Jai Maharaj) wrote:

>>>> Obama and Islam

>>>> If you wish to use copyrighted material from this article for purposes of

>>>> your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the

>>>> copyright owner.

>>> His full name is Barak Hussein Obama!

>>> Hussein as President! They hanged one Hussein in Iraq and he

>>> reincarnates as Obama!

>>> I hope he never wins!

>> If it would freak out you racists, uneducated nutters, I hope Obama

>> wins.

>>

>> Do any of you ever get tired of how small minded and backwards some of

>> these people sound? It's almost heartbreaking.

>

> When they hanged the Honorable Saddam Husein, a dark cloud went over

> the USA and Bush became the Butcher of Baghdad.

Bush became the Butcher of Baghdad long before the "honorable" Saddam

Hussein was hanged, although I must admit that he faced the ordeal with

an extraordinary amount of composure.

In article <m5zej.3658$lo5.1907@newssvr19.news.prodigy.net>,

Simpson <two--part@epoxy.com> wrote:

> Aviroce wrote:

> > On Dec 26 2007, 1:32 am, snausages <goofin...@gmail.com> wrote:

> >> On Dec 25, 6:36 pm, tripurant...@yahoo.com wrote:

> >>

> >>> On Dec 25, 9:25 pm, use...@mantra.com and/orwww.mantra.com/jai(Dr.

> >>> Jai Maharaj) wrote:

> >>>> Obama and Islam

> >>>> If you wish to use copyrighted material from this article for purposes of

> >>>> your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the

> >>>> copyright owner.

> >>> His full name is Barak Hussein Obama!

> >>> Hussein as President! They hanged one Hussein in Iraq and he

> >>> reincarnates as Obama!

> >>> I hope he never wins!

> >> If it would freak out you racists, uneducated nutters, I hope Obama

> >> wins.

> >>

> >> Do any of you ever get tired of how small minded and backwards some of

> >> these people sound? It's almost heartbreaking.

> >

> > When they hanged the Honorable Saddam Husein, a dark cloud went over

> > the USA and Bush became the Butcher of Baghdad.

>

>

> Bush became the Butcher of Baghdad long before the "honorable" Saddam

> Hussein was hanged, although I must admit that he faced the ordeal with

> an extraordinary amount of composure.

Bush would just cry...

So, yea... how about that OBAMA sweep of Iowa!

Ripple Effect Coming Soon...

In article

<548eff03d05ec00db7d32673dde59c1d@msgid.frell.theremailer.net>,

Fafnir <fritz@spamexpire-200801.rodent.frell.theremailer.net> wrote:

> Well, after seven years of 'swiftboating' Republicans, we KNOW we don't want

> another one of THOSE.

Wonder what they have up their sleeve for RePublikan dirty tricks.

RePub Political Intent: If ya can't steal an election with fear and

mis-information... then smear the other guy.

Coffee in bodyBaghdad