blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called children of God | Newt Gingrich steps in it

Imam Mufti

[Commenting on the massacre-by-truck in Nice on Bastille Day, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich uttered appalling ignorant or appallingly cynical words calling for screening of American Muslims and deportation of any Muslim unwilling to disavow sharia law. 

Mr. Gingrich, the former history and geography professor, either doesn't know or doesn't care what sharia law is in fact. Nor, apparently, does he care (surely he must know!) that his call to screen, let alone deport, American citizens for religious reasons is constitutionally crazy. This privileged man - who just a week ago acknowledged that he does not and cannot know what it's like to be an oppressed minority in America - is prosecuting a campaign of ignorance, bigotry and hate. If he misspoke, it's his duty to take it back clearly, directly and immediately. If he said what he meant, it's our duty to shame him for his unAmerican behavior. 

In Peoria, Imam Kamil Mufti, a man I know directly and trust deeply, responded to Mr. Gingrich (whom I do not know and have never found a reason to trust). - jh]

1. Nearly 80 people were killed in the Nice attack. This came after dozens of attacks in Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and other Muslim majority countries. Our outrage should not be based on geography, but our humanity. Our thoughts and prayers are with all the families and victims killed by terrorism. It is not possible to imagine what they go through!

2. Shortly after the tragedy, Mr. Gingrich said, "We should frankly test every person here who is of a Muslim background and if they believe in shariah they should be deported."

3. Islamophobes call crimes in Islam "shariah"! Based on testimony of neighbors and family, the attacker was "depressed", "loner", "creepy", "used to chase girls", "nightclub hopper", "didn't pray", "didn't attend a mosque", and "previously charged with domestic violence and robbery." The irony: attacker rejected shariah as demanded by Mr. Gingrich!

4. Is shariah ‘incompatible with western civilization’? 

Shariah highlights the basic principals of Islam and its primary concern is the protection of five essentials: life, religion, intellect, property, and family. More from shariah: 

1. Pray daily. 

2. Fast Ramadan. 

3. Give charity. 

4. No compulsion in religion. 

5. Do not go to sleep while your neighbor is hungry. 

6. Smile. 

7. Give greetings of peace to those you know and do not know. 

8. Be just and honest. 

9. Do not lie. 

10. Be kind to parents. 

11. Take care of orphans. 

12. Do not harm a cat, overload an animal, or hunt for sport, let alone take life of a human being. 

13. Obey law of the land. 

14. Fight against terrorism.

5. Roughly speaking, shariah is to Muslims what the 10 commandments are to Christians and the halaka law is to the Jews!

6. While the ‘Islam is the culprit’ fits the narrative of Islamophobes so well, they ignore all facts and pander on fears and ignorance. Do you know which of his most favored countries officially endorses sharia as a legal system? Israel. Israel’s sharia courts allow more than 15% of Israel’s population (that is Muslim) to refer to them. Here are two questions for Mr. Gingrich: 

a. Does Israeli government’s paying the salaries of sharia judges cast doubt on the Jewish state’s commitment to Western values? 

b. Will Mr. Gingrich call for an inquiry of the Israeli president who in a recent ceremony quoted the Quran: “Indeed, did We send Our apostles with all evidence of truth, and through them We bestowed revelation from on high, and gave you a balance so that men might behave with equity.” He did so while welcoming the appointment of seven new shariah judges!