The courageous voice of a steadfast conservative and patriotic American Muslim, Dr. Zuhdi Jasser, a former U.S. Naval officer and Internal Medicine & Nuclear Cardiology physician, breaches the many fault lines between Islamic communities and the West, covering controversial issues few have the courage to confront.
One of the most controversial Muslims in America, Jasser has been labeled an “Islamophobe” and his organization, American Islamic Forum for Democracy (AIFD), an “anti-Islam hate group” by CAIR because of his ongoing efforts to bring about a total reform of the Islamic faith and its extremist teachings which he calls one of the greatest problems the world faces today.
Listen to his warning abut of the dangers of radical Islamic forces in America and their indoctrination of a generation of impressionable young adults.
Founder of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy (AIFD), Jasser tries to instill in young American Muslims an appreciation for the distinctively positive impact that this nation’s ideals of liberty have had upon the world.
Well intentioned, but not buying that reforming Islam can be done. Jihad, violent or stealth, is an intricate component of Islamic doctrine and we can’t apply Western thought or logic to change it.
Oh me…
Gaza journalist who wrote for Al Jazeera was holding 3 hostages in home with family, Israel says
https://nypost.com/2024/06/09/world-news/gaza-journalist-held-3-hostages-in-his-home-with-his-family-israeli-military-says/
This is all public information. Zudhi may have removed some of the links to his statements but they are widely published and referenced elsewhere.
Janet
Can Islam ever be reformed?
Posted on April 30, 2017
In case you missed it: you can view Jasser’s rant here, Robert Spencer’s response here, and Pamela Geller’s response here.
American Thinker, by Nonie Darwish, April 29, 2017:
Muslim reformer Zuhdi Jasser has recently attacked leaders of the anti-Jihad movement in America. He equated them with jihadists when he called them the derogatory word, alt-jihadists, meaning that Americans who speak and write against the evils of Islamic jihad and sharia are just as bad as jihadists. Jasser attacked by name freedom fighters like Stephen Kirby, John Guandolo, Diana West, Clare Lopez, Andrew Bostom, Robert Spender and Pamela Geller.
Jasser claims that he coined the word ‘alt-jihadists’ but in fact Arab media beat him to it when they equated vocal anti-jihad leaders with jihadists. To silence critics of jihad and Islam, Muslim media have habitually come down hard on critics of jihad and Islam and treated them worse than terrorists.
Traditionally, Arab media placed terrorists on a pedestal and called anyone who discouraged jihad “apostates.” But after 9/11, when the evils of Islamic jihad became clear to the world, Arab media was caught in a quagmire; it could no longer openly applaud jihadists who were the heroes of Muslim society. They had to blame critics of jihad who were exposing Islam’s dirty little secret. Thus Arab media started a campaign to equate critics of Islam, sharia and jihad with terrorists.
In 2007 a horrific article was written against Wafa Sultan and myself in the cover of a prominent Egyptian magazine Rose El Yousef, in which we were both condemned as “apostates” who are just as bad as Muslim terrorists, Taliban leaders and the blind Sheikh, Omar Abdel-Rahman, who caused the 1993 world trade center bombing. Note that the Egyptian magazine did not place a photo of Usama Bin Laden, because he was popular among many Muslims.
The article which was entitled “American Style Islam” had Sultan and myself together with three well known Islamists and terrorists wrapped in an American flag that insinuated that America was responsible for creating both terrorists and apostates. The message to the average Arab reader was that Islam had nothing to do with all this worldwide fear of Islam and that America is allowing apostates to speak out against the peaceful Islam. The article warned Muslims against listening or reading such claims coming from America regarding Islam and that all this evil by terrorists is a creation of America.
Articles like that in Arab media were also aimed at scaring and silencing both Sultan and myself. Death threats became a daily part of our life that we had to put up with as price for speaking out to warn America. The progressive Left in America even believed Arab media and joined them in branding us “Islamophobes.”
I have always respected what Zuhdi Jasser was trying to do and avoided contradicting him in public, even though I do not believe that Islam is reformable. I have kept my opinion to myself regarding the false hope Muslim reformers are giving to the Americans regarding Islam. But when Jasser attacked leaders of the anti-jihad movement in America I decided to speak out.
Jasser knows that Arab media calls him ‘apostate’ and ‘Islamophobe’ for his efforts to reform Islam and for his attacks on jihad and sharia. Islam by its nature is considered perfect and unchangeable and any attempt to reform it is considered apostasy.
The majority of Muslims and Arab media have shunned Zuhdi Jasser as an apostate and an Islamophobe. Some of Jasser’s Muslim supporters whom I know personally are in fact apostates, but are trying to help in any way to reform Islam.
Below is an article in Arab media in which critics of Islam, reformers and apostates are all called traitor ‘Islamophobles’ and guess who was included in this attack? Yes Zuhdi Jasser, Walid Shoebat, Walid Fares and myself.
I am not sure what is Jasser’s motivation in attacking leaders of the counter-jihad movement in America, but my guess is that Jasser wishes to get on the good side of Islamic leaders and media in the hope they will start accepting him as Muslim.
Jasser’s reformation movement and criticism of Islam, sharia and jihad have mostly brought Jasser rejection and isolation from the Islamic community. Jasser’s movement, however, have succeeded in convincing US media that there is good and reformable Islam. The West is desperately trying to find that ‘good’ Islam and Jasser is an eloquent representative of that who meets that need in the West.
But suddenly Jasser discovered that all he has was approval from Western media, but total rejection by the Islamic community, and he had to start appealing to Islam. The seeming solution was to throw a bone to the Muslim community by attacking leaders of the counter-jihad movement. But I refuse to stand by watching the reputation of honorable Americans being smeared in order for the Muslim community to approve of Jasser. I also do not think that this will work, because Jasser has gone too far in his criticism of sharia and jihad and he will not be able to take that back.
The reform Islam movement is nothing new and Muslims have attempted to reform Islam for fourteen hundred years and always failed. Leaders of such movements were often beheaded for apostasy. Jihad and sharia are foundational principles of Islam and no mincing of words will change that. That in addition to lying, deception and terror as approved Islamic tools to stay in control, could never help any reform movement to build on. How can anyone build on a foundation of lies and violence? But the so-called reformers tell us they can and that keeps American media happy and that is all that counts.
Nonie Darwish Author “Wholly Different; why I chose Biblical Values over Islamic Values”
***
Dr. Stephen M. Kirby’s response in Militant Islam Monitor March 18, 2017:
Zuhdi Jasser Blames “Alt-Jihadists” For The Failure Of Aspiring Muslim Reformers
“Fantasy Islam: A game in which an audience of non-Muslims wish with all their hearts that Islam was a “Religion of Peace,” and a Muslim strives to fulfill that wish by presenting a personal version of Islam that has little foundation in Islamic Doctrine.”
I read Dr. Zuhdi Jasser’s recent article titled “There’s An Emerging ‘Alt-Jihad’ Movement in the U.S. – But It’s Not Muslims Who Are Pushing It.” The fact that he repeatedly mentioned me as one of the “Alt-Jihadists” was no surprise, as he has done this previously. What I found disappointing was his reliance on vague, sweeping statements such as:
“The insidious, myopic, and extreme nature” of the Alt-Jihad.
“The alt-jihad is simple, simplistic, self-serving and dangerous.”
“Alt-jihadists live in a world where truth and intellectual credibility are optional.”
“…the alt-jihad are useful idiots for Islamist jihadists…”
These are not useful phrases if one is serious about discussing the viability of his quest for “Muslim reform.”
However, they are useful phrases for deflecting folks away from the real reasons aspiring “Muslim reformers” like Jasser are failing. As I wrote in an article sometime back, there arereasons why “Muslim reformers” are failing that have nothing to do with the “Alt-Jihad”:
1.”Reformers” create their own new versions of Islam, relying on their own personal opinions and interpretations,and arbitrarily dismissing aspects of Islamic history and centuries of established Muslim scholarship. An example of this is when Jasser recently told Glenn Beck that in order to “reform” Islam, they needed to “come up with” modern myths about Muhammad in order to create “an American type of Islam”; here is what Jasser said:
“We have to come up — call it mythology. Call it what you want. We have to come up with narratives of the Prophet Muhammad that are 21st century narratives and call that reform and renew the branding of Islam to an American type of Islam that’s compatible with our Constitution.”
Jasser is saying that the history of Muhammad, reported over the centuries by authoritative Muslim scholars, is disturbing to 21st Century readers and therefore needs to be recreated.
2.”Reformers” claim to follow the Koran, but actually go against verses of the Koran by arbitrarily dismissing one of the two columns upon which Islam rests: the Sunnah of their Prophet Muhammad (the examples, ways, and teachings of Muhammad that have become rules to be followed by Muslims). Verses in the Koran (e.g. 4:80, 4:115, 33:21 and 59:7) command Muslims to obey and follow the example of Muhammad; Muhammad’s commands and examples are found in the Sunnah. Jasser has not talked about dismissing the entire Sunnah, but with his quest to come up with a new “mythology” about Muhammad he will have to dismiss the parts which make folks uncomfortable in the 21st Century; this means most of the Sunnah will have to go under Jasser’s plan. 3.”Reformers” go against the commands of Allah in the Koran and the teachings of Muhammad by picking and choosing among, and actually dismissing verses in the Koran. For example, in his book “A Battle for the Soul of Islam” (2013 Paperback Edition, p. 252) Jasser made the following statement:
“Nowhere in the Qur’an does God tell Muslims that they must repeat and thus emulate the Prophet Muhammad’s role and actions as a military or governmental leader.”
What Jasser ignored was Chapter 33, Verse 21 of the Koran:
“Indeed in the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad) you have a good example to follow for him who hopes for (the Meeting with) Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah much.”
There are no limitations here on the circumstances in which Muhammad is to be considered a good example. In fact, as authoritative Koran commentaries (tafsirs) have pointed out for centuries, this verse was actually “revealed” as a result of Muhammad’s military leadership and the example he set for his Muslim warriors during the Battle of the Trench in 627 (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Vol. 7, p. 658; Tafsir Al-Jalalayn, p. 900; Tafsir Ibn ‘Abbas, p. 546; and Tafsir Ahsanul-Bayan, Vol. 4, p. 374).
4.”Reformers” personally decide which hadiths (reports about the teachings of Muhammad) are authentic, again arbitrarily dismissing centuries of established Muslim scholarship. For example, in a 2010 radio interview Jasser said he didn’t believe that Muhammad had really spoken what was in the hadith about killing a Jew hiding behind every stone (Time: 17:58). Here is that hadith:
Narrated Abu Hurairah: Allah’s Messenger said, “The Hour will not be established until you fight against the Jews, and the stone behind which a Jew will be hiding will say, ‘O Muslim! There is a Jew hiding behind me, so kill him.’”
Sahih Al-Bukhari, Vol. 4, Book 56, No. 2926, p. 113
The collection of hadiths by Bukhari has been considered by Muslim scholars to be the most authoritative collect ofhadiths since the 9th Century. Jasser simply had no doctrinal basis for dismissing Bukhari; it was just his personal opinion.
5.As a result, according to Jasser’s prophet Muhammad the “reformer’s” beliefs are heretical. Here is what Muhammad had to say about this:
Muhammad bin Jarir reported that Ibn ‘Abbas said that the Prophet said, ‘Whoever explains the Qur’an with his opinion or with what he has no knowledge of, then let him assume his seat in the Fire.’
Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Vol. 1, pp. 32-33
It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas that the Messenger of Allah said: “Whoever denies a Verse of the Qur’an, it is permissible to strike his neck (i.e. execute him)…”
Sunan Ibn Majah, Vol. 3, No. 2539, p. 455
Muhammad said: The most truthful speech is Allah’s Speech, and the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad. The worst matters are the newly invented (in religion), every newly invented matter is an innovation, and every innovation is a heresy, and every heresy is in the Fire.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Vol. 2, p. 588
6.Because these “reformers” are heretics, they have little, if any support for their reforms from the greater Muslim community in the United States. 7.Consequently, the “reformers” have to appeal to non-Muslims to help them reform Islam. This would be as if Martin Luther had relied on Muslims for his main support during the Reformation. 8.So what are the chances of success for a Muslim heretic and his non-Muslim followers to change Islam from that which was taught by Muhammad to that which is advocated by the heretic? Zero.
I am not against the theory of “reforming” Islam. At our debate in Omaha some time back, I even told Jasser that I liked his version of Islam better than the version of Islam taught by his prophet Muhammad. But the reality is that the vast majority of the world’s Muslims follow the Islam of Muhammad, not the Islam of Zuhdi Jasser. And I also pointed out that he had noIslamic Doctrinal authority for how he wanted to change Islam and that, in fact, the changes he wanted to make actually violated Islamic Doctrine; Jasser disagreed because he maintained that each Muslim had the right to determine their own Islam. Such is Fantasy Islam, and this is why Zuhdi Jasser and his ilk are failing, all by themselves.
Dr. Stephen M. Kirby is the author of four books about Islam. His latest book is Islam’s Militant Prophet: Muhammad and Forced Conversions to Islam.
I know all of that. And disagree with many of his statements. But Muslims who publicly say anything considered to be anti-Islam or especially pro-Israel are few and far between.
I know and respect Wafa Sultan and Nonie Darwish, Muslims who speak out against Islam and get virtually no media coverage anymore. I also worked directly with Walid Shoebat for several years and his web host hosted my blog for awhile.
Dr. Jasser gives the impression that Islam can be reformed. However, an Islamic reformation violates the Shariah Islamiya, Qur’an, and Sahih Hadiths.
This fact is true because Islam teaches that Muhammad is the last and final messenger for ALL MANKIND. Islam requires each follower to believe the Qur’an is the exact word of God/Allah and is uncorrupted by man. Every word of the Qur’an can not be altered or improved upon. The doors to Ijtihad were closed after the third Caliph. If one chooses to alter or improve the Qur’an they will be putting themselves above Allah; the crime is called Shirk, and the punishment is Death.
Dr. Jasser knows these facts above but will not directly condemn shirk or the punishment of death for offenders both Muslim and non-Muslim.
My hope is that Dr. Jasser will add these truths to his teachings. If he does, he will be an apostate, and that opens up scores of problems.
If you disagree, please explain why, with facts and evidence. Shukran
Reformation can take decades or centuries. He knows the risk to his life of speaking the truth about Islam. And he is one of only a handful of Muslims who dares to speak out at all. But it has to start somewhere.
Mohammed placed himself above God and committed Shirk when he created commands for his people/religion where God said nothing in the Quran. If the Quran is the undisputed word of Allah and cannot be altered or changed how could Mohammed add too it?
Excellent question. 👍
quite simple : this guy, Zuhdi Jasser, is NOT
a true muslim …..
Were I a citizen of his district in Arizona, I would vote for Zuhdi Jasser in a heartbeat. It would be interesting to witness debates on the House floor between him and the lowlifes such as Ilhan Omar and the screeching piece of dog poop, Rashida Tlaib. It would be rather difficult to call him an Islamophobe when he is Islamic.
He ran for Congress a few years ago, but lost.
He’s currently running as a Republican for US House AZ district 4.
Good. How is he polling?
The problem with infusing Hamas and Muslim countries with western ideology is that those that dare to further expound it will be murdered by the respective regimes. Just look at how Hamas murdered Palestinian Authority leaders when Hamas took over Gaza.
On the other hand, when Muslims march in protest in the US, we can’t interfere unless the “peaceful assembly” breaks out into riot or starts interfering with others’ rights, and even then the Muzzies are given Carte Blanche to block traffic, vandalize statues and buildings, etc.
As soon as the protests cease to be a “peaceful assembly,” the cops should shut the whole thing down, even if it means a physical altercation.
I agree. Problem is, most of these protests take place at far left universities, and/or in far-left governed cities. Florida, on the other hand, has shut down/banned these protests at state universities, arrested the agitators, and made the encampments illegal.