Faisal Rauf, the Imam of Cordoba Mosque

The New York City Landmarks Commission unanimously allowed for the demolition of the Italianate building of 1857, near where the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers stood, and paves the way for the construction of the Cordoba House, a Mosque in the heart of Manhattan. Cordoba symbolizes the Muslim conquest of  Spain.

Today the western democracy again proved that they believed on Secularism and Freedom to the extent that want to destroy it. Today the enlighten people of the west again showed that how much believe they have on Human Rights to those people they don’t even believe on Human rights.

Dubai, the most liberated Arab Muslim state, have one Hindu Temple which caters to about 300,000 Hindus. A Sikh Gurdwara was just allowed in 2009 to be built for more that 50,000 Sikhs and there is no Church and question of Synagogue is beyond subject. In New York, there are more than 100 mosques for approximately 800,000 Muslims.

Saudi Arabia does not even allow non believers and their faith in the country.
The Liberal Left who glorifies Taliban, Hezbollah and Hamas and clearing the path for this Mosque, forget that under Taliban the Ancient Buddhist statues have been demolished in Afghanistan. Moderate Muslims and Baha’is, Christians are fleeing Islamic countries like Pakistan and Iran due to persecution. In Malaysia where fundamentalist Islamic groups are unhappy about their ‘law’ allowing non-Muslims to freely use the word ‘Allah’ to refer to God. They feel that that word is exclusive to Muslims and should not be used by non-Muslims. In Pakistan , the mindless fools have made arson attacks and have burnt down a number of churches and Christian Villages. The Islamic government of Pakistan has not made any commitments one way or the other rather aggravating the situation.

9/11 made a permanent mark on American History and particularly for those families who have experienced the test of this terrorism directly. Those families believe that Ground Zero is a sacred ground and should be reserved for memorials and to its victims.

It is beyond comprehension why of all possible locations in the city, the Mosque is going to be built one block to ground Zero. It is like allowing a museum in Labonon for Kataeb Party, a Christian Lebanese Forces militia group, responsible for Sabra and Chatila massacre for Palestinian and Lebanese Muslim civilians.

A Few Comments on The post

Qalandar Memon: This is crap and is premised on the fact that ‘Muslims’ (as a collective rather then a few individuals) carried out 7/11. That those who did the attacks were Muslim does not mean that Islam is ‘bad’ or that ALL muslims have to now be apolo…getic about things. Americans have murdered and raped black slaves often in the name of religion, Bush went to war believing he was doing gods work none of this makes ‘all Christians’ responsible for these actions. That Muslim countries have of recent not had a good record in relation to ‘tolerance’ is a shame. However, I do not think there is anything ‘glorifying’ or better about the west because they allow a mosque or two – they are also at the same time murdering away Afganistani’s, killed a million or so in Iraq, continue a globalization system that is does not work for the Third world but enriches only cooperations…I would much rather they ban the mosque and leave Afghanistan and re-negotiate trade deals wtih the Third World so that workers here get a fairer deal and stop sponsoring the House of Saud, etc.

Tarek Fatah: There is no reason nor necessity for this group to build a Saudi-funed mosque at Ground Zero. If a few months ago there was a case, the protests by Gingrich and sara Palin means this will be sounding board forever.

If this imam had an ounce …of common sense, he would one of two things:

1. Set aside one floor each in the 13-storyed structure for a Chruch and a Synagogue with a Mmemorial at the building entrance honouring the 9/11 dead and denouncing the doctrine of Jihad.

2. Abandon the project altogether.

The first suggestion was passed on to the Imam through a mutual Saudi friend, and was rejected by him outrightly.

Imtiaz Baloch: Dear Aminah: U call me a communist due to my though, pl give me the liberty to call u a member of Alqaeda. That is how u want it. Be reasonable, why there should be a mosque on Ground Zero?

AminahCarroll- PatPerkins: fair enough dear Imtiach!

It is not a mosque but an interfaith house of prayer and a place for bringing people together in peace and philosophical, scientific and artistic discussion. it will house not just a muslim prayer chamber but also …interfaith chapel, etc…and be a place where people overcome their fear and rpejudice against each other–and against muslims, arabs, asians and islam..etc.
a palce to practice peace building could have no better palce than NEAR not AT the site of the former WTC. imo

Tarek Fatah Interfaith? Who are you fooling? We are not some wooly-eyed dumb bleeding heart liberals who cannot see through the web of deception. We are Muslims who have fought Islamism for 40 years and can see through this Jihad. Interfaith? My foot.Interfaith with who? The Ismailis or the Ahmadiyas?

Imtiaz Baloch: Dear Aminah: U seem very angry somehow, giving people name seems to be funny to u…But in my culture I do respect women. stay with the topic. The question still persists” why this interfaith house(as u call it) should be allowed towards Ground Zero?

Olga Tkachuk:  Soooooo Aminah… Why is the question of funds for this project so murky?

Ali Abbas Inayatullah: ‎@Olga, how dare you ask a perfectly legitimate question of how $200,000 has been stretched to $100 million with the “sufi” Faisel Rauf not being clear about Wahabi funding for his mosque/interfaith center!! Can’t you see that you are contr…ibuting to Islamophobia by asking such questions!! I am looking forward to this interfaith center where I believe the good “sufi” imam, Feisal, will allow muslims of all sects and religions to practice their faith freely as long as it conforms to Salafist, ooops, Sufi docrtine..

Diep Saeeda would you please name a single muslim state where interfaith practice is accepted.

Olga Tkachuk Though that is not the point of this particular conversation, other faiths, or even other versions of Islam are hardly ‘accepted’ in most Muslim countries, but are barely tolerated – with Egyptian Copts being a prime example. Which is why t…he it is impossible for the community to not only build new churches there, but fix the ones they’ve had since before Islam came around. Acts of violence agains the Christians are also common in Egypt, as is rank and file discrimination in all matters where your ID card, which states your religion, is shown.

None of that, gratefully, has anything to do with the US, where people are freely allowed to practice their faith.

Ali Abbas Inayatullah: ‎ In Pakistan, we don’t have a “burn the bible day”; we just burn the Christains directly and then take their property on the basis of some trumped up blasphemy charges! This is done by Salafist sectarian groups that have the full b……acking of the State and who share the same ideology as those who are building this “mosque”
Everyone, I resent the fact that Imtiaz’s post is being attacked in this manner. The freedom of expression also allows for the criticism of Salafism and their supporters! Those who are reacting and showing their insecurity wrt the justified criticism of this insensitive and shifty act show now that its critics are also fully protected by the US constitution and that this arm twisting and bullying by falsely labelling them as Islamophobes is not going to end this valid criticsm.The fact that this $100 million dollar mosque is Wahabi-funded should be a cause of concern to those who are advocating for this under the freedom of religious observance.

Megan S Mills ‎$100 million, eh? what a lot of dance recitals, concerts, halwa socials.

If an Interfaith centre, why so elaborate, why the swimming pool? How about a simple memorial erected by American Muslims?
BTW Pakistan does not need a Burn the B…ible day when able to burn Christians, on more than one occasion.

9-11 not the work of genuine Muslims. OK. Something else, & the same whiff to this infernal Interfaith scam. Why no soup kitchen in the Bronx?
El Edificio, reminiscent of the Moorish occupation of Iberia, as WAS an occupation, must be built nr Ground Zero.

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