Islam center’s eerie echo of ancient terror
Should there be a mosque near Ground Zero? In fact, what is proposed is not a mosque — nor even an “Islamic cultural center.”
In Islam, every structure linked to the faith and its rituals has a precise function and character. A mosque is a one-story gallery built around an atrium with a mihrab (a niche pointing to Mecca) and one, or in the case of Shiites two, minarets.
Other Islamic structures, such as harams, zawiyyahs, husseinyiahs and takiyahs, also obey strict architectural rules. Yet the building used for spreading the faith is known as Dar al-Tabligh, or House of Proselytizing.
TOWER: The Ground Zero project doesn't fit the traditional minaret.
This 13-story multifunctional structure couldn’t be any of the above.
The groups fighting for the project know this; this is why they sometimes call it an Islamic cultural center. But there is no such thing as an Islamic culture.
Islam is a religion, not a culture. Each of the 57 Muslim-majority nations has its own distinct culture — and the Bengali culture has little in common with the Nigerian. Then, too, most of those countries have their own cultural offices in the US, especially in New York.
Islam is an ingredient in dozens of cultures, not a culture on its own.
In theory, at least, the culture of American Muslims should be American. Of course, this being America, each ethnic community has its distinct cultural memories — the Iranians in Los Angeles are different from the Arabs in Dearborn.
In fact, the proposed structure is known in Islamic history as a rabat – literally a connector. The first rabat appeared at the time of the Prophet.
The Prophet imposed his rule on parts of Arabia through a series of ghazvas, or razzias (the origin of the English word “raid”). The ghazva was designed to terrorize the infidels, convince them that their civilization was doomed and force them to submit to Islamic rule. Those who participated in the ghazva were known as the ghazis, or raiders.
After each ghazva, the Prophet ordered the creation of a rabat – or a point of contact at the heart of the infidel territory raided. The rabat consisted of an area for prayer, a section for the raiders to eat and rest and facilities to train and prepare for future razzias. Later Muslim rulers used the tactic of ghazva to conquer territory in the Persian and Byzantine empires. After each raid, they built a rabat to prepare for the next razzia.
It is no coincidence that Islamists routinely use the term ghazva to describe the 9/11 attacks against New York and Washington. The terrorists who carried out the attack are referred to as ghazis or shahids (martyrs).
Thus, building a rabat close to Ground Zero would be in accordance with a tradition started by the Prophet. To all those who believe and hope that the 9/11 ghazva would lead to the destruction of the American “Great Satan,” this would be of great symbolic value.
Faced with the anger of New Yorkers, the promoters of the project have started calling it the Cordoba House, echoing President Obama’s assertion that it would be used to propagate “moderate” Islam.
The argument is that Cordoba, in southern Spain, was a city where followers of Islam, Christianity and Judaism lived together in peace and produced literature and philosophy.
In fact, Cordoba’s history is full of stories of oppression and massacre, prompted by religious fanaticism. It is true that the Muslim rulers of Cordoba didn’t force their Christian and Jewish subjects to accept Islam. However, non-Muslims could keep their faith and enjoy state protection only as dhimmis (bonded ones) by paying a poll tax in a system of religious apartheid.
If whatever peace and harmony that is supposed to have existed in Cordoba were the fruit of “Muslim rule,” the subtext is that the United States would enjoy similar peace and harmony under Islamic rule.
A rabat in the heart of Manhattan would be of great symbolic value to those who want a high-profile, “in your face” projection of Islam in the infidel West.
This thirst for visibility is translated into increasingly provocative forms of hijab, notably the niqab (mask) and the burqa. The same quest mobilized hundreds of Muslims in Paris the other day to close a whole street so that they could have a Ramadan prayer in the middle of the rush hour.
One of those taking part in the demonstration told French radio that the aim was to “show we are here.” “You used to be in our capitals for centuries,” he said. “Now, it is our turn to be in the heart of your cities.”
Before deciding whether to support or oppose the “Cordoba” project, New Yorkers should consider what it is that they would be buying.
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Haram (not to be confused with haraam which means forbidden and drives from the same root hrm) means sanctuary or holy place. The mosques in Mecca and Medina are called Haram. Shiites also call the shrines of their imams haram.
Zawiyyah literally means corner. It is a Meghebi (west African) term of an Islamic religious school or monastery, roughly corresponds to madrassa. It can be a corner of a mosque dedicated to studies. The zawiya often contains a pool, and sometimes a fountain.
Hussainia is a congregation hall for Shia ritual ceremonies. A Hussainiya is different from a mosque in that it is made mainly for gatherings for Muharram in the morning of Hussain ibn Ali, and may not necessarily hold prayer in jumaa’at or Friday Prayer unless there is a gathering at the same time, where they would make a jumaa’at the time of prayer.‘
Takiyah or Tekkeh (speaking area. It is written with Kaf. Not to be confused with taqiyah, which is written with qaf and means dissimulation, hiding) is a commune of dervishes. The inmates of takiyah constitute a brotherhood, living, worshiping and working together. These dervishes a.k.s. faqirs (poor, beggar) practice asceticism and meditation while going through a course of study prescribed by their sheikh (leader).
Posted by Amir Taheri
on September 10 2010. Filed under Islamic Jihad.
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Fascinating article, but for people not familiar with Arabic terms, could we have an explanation of the meanings of "haram, zawiyyah, husseinyiah and takiyah"?
“Haram” means religiously forbidden, sinful, not allowed. Example would be adultery, drinking alcohol in Islam, eating Ham..
“Zawiyyah” means “corner” in arabic. It means a place dedicated for a special purpose, or a corner to do a specific action. It can be a specified place in part of the mosque for a specific purpose (i.e. giving a lecture by a scholar,..etc)
“Husseinyiah”. I am not sure of the exact meaning here, but, relying on Arabic language, it means those who follow Hussein (This may be a Shiite sect or concept). Other readers may clarify this concept better than me as I grew up in a Sunni dominated areas.
“Takiyah”, this may be related to the concept “Taqiyyah” that we are familiar with. It mean “permitted lying” that is not considered sinful because the goal is to advance the faith. Yes, in Islam, a pious Muslim can lie to his teeth for specific purposes. Other readers may clarify this better than me.
Cheers
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If Hindu temple okay at ground zero, why not mosque: Obama
PTI, Sep 10, 2010, 11.56pm IST
WASHINGTON: On the eve of the ninth anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks, President Barack Obama on Friday strongly defended the building of a mosque near Ground Zero, saying that if one can build a Hindu temple then why not a mosque.
"With respect to the mosque in New York, I've been pretty clear on my position here," Obama said when asked about the controversy surrounding the construction of a mosque near the Ground Zero in the New York city.
He said the US believes in the inalienable right to allow its citizens to practice their religion freely.
"This country stands for the proposition that all men and women are created equal, that they have certain inalienable rights; one of those inalienable rights is to practice their religion freely," he argued ahead of the ninth anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks that killed nearly 300 people.
"And what that means is that if you could build a church on a site, you could build a synagogue on a site, if you could build a Hindu temple on a site, then you should be able to build a mosque on the site," Obama said.
He also remembered the victims of the 9/11 attacks and their families who continue to live with a sense of loss.
"I recognize the extraordinary sensitivities around 9/11. I've met with families of 9/11 victims in the past.I can only imagine the continuing pain and anguish and sense of loss that they may go through," he said
"And tomorrow, we as Americans are going to be joining them in prayer and remembrance," Obama said.
Most Americans have opposed construction of the planned mosque near Ground Zero, according to the Washington Post- ABC News poll.
Most Americans say the planned Muslim community centre and place of worship should not be built in Lower Manhattan, near the site of the Twin Towers which were blown up by al Qaeda terrorists on September 11, 2001.
Two-thirds of those polled object to the mosque near Ground Zero while a slim majority expresses strongly negative views.
As many as 82 per cent of those who oppose the construction say it's because of the location, although 14 per cent (nine per cent of all Americans) say they would oppose such building anywhere in the country.
P.S: This is Obowma's al-taqiyya technique.
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[...] Islam center's eerie echo of ancient terror | Faithfreedom.org [...]
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[...] Islam center’s eerie echo of ancient terror Should there be a mosque near Ground Zero? In fact, what is proposed is not a mosque — nor even an “Islamic cultural center.” [...]
[...] Islam center’s eerie echo of ancient terror Should there be a mosque near Ground Zero? In fact, what is proposed is not a mosque — nor even an “Islamic cultural center.” [...]