Saudi Journalist Blasts Conspiracy Theory Jews Involved In 9/11

And in this MEMRI video, Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi balks when asked if the Jews were involved in 9/11 and was it really Al Qaeda.  As editor-in-chief of Arab News, he refused to publish the conspiracy theory that was floating around all the Arab news agencies at the time, blaming Jews for 9/11. If Al Qaeda claimed responsibility, then why would it not be true, and that it was preposterous to think that  "40 or 50 Jews convened and agreed- "Menachem, don't go to work today because something's going down," referring to one of the theories out there that passed through his news desk.

It's not just the Arabs who maintain the theory that the Jews were behind 9/11, there are plenty of Westerners who do as well. And in this country.

Arabs Should Apologize For "Occupation" Of Spain, Says Saudi Author

Hani Nakshabandi, an obviously enlightened Saudi author, addresses (on a UAE TV show) his inflammatory comment about the need for Arabs to apologize for the "occupation" of Spain (after the Umayyad conquests), and his belief that everything written in their history books should be reexamined.

"We present Europe as if it had been immersed in darkness and ignorance, until we came along and ushered in an era of light."

He then mentions that there are villages in the Kingdom with no electricity, and:

 "Wherever you go in the Arab world- in Egypt, in Morocco- you see villages where people still live like cavemen, yet you say that we ushered civilization into Europe?!"

He doesn't mention (that I know of) that there are a boatload of them who still act like cavemen, as well. All the violence in that region is a testament to that.

The interviewer, however, represents how most in the Arab world feel about Muslim imperialism, and the "occupation" of the conquered lands. He tells  Nakshabandi that Islam spread there during the Dark Ages in Europe and asks him about Cordoba. Part of his reply:

 "What kind of civilization did the Arabs leave behind in Andalusia? What did they leave there?"

Nothing, apparently. He says that even the Umayyad Mosque (like the one in Turkey) was originally a church.

This man at least sees the hypocrisy of those who balk at "occupation" (I assume he's referring to Palestine) and think it was perfectly all right for the Muslims to invade and conquer Europe.

Voices of Reason In The Muslim World- Egyptian al-Aswani and Saudi Cleric al-Ghamdi

It's hard to tell if the dearth of voices of reason in the Muslim world is because they simply don't exist, or because they're too afraid to say anything because their extremist brethren will more than likely make them their next targets.  There are a few, however, willing to say something.

Egyptian writer Ahmad al-Aswani is one of them.  Translating Jihad has posted a commentary by al-Aswani where he places full blame on Muslims and Islam for terrorism in the world. A refreshing take, for a change, since so many (including Westerners) love to blame the West.  Although it was posted on elbashayer.com on 22 December 2011, and just posted on Tranlsating Jihad today, I think it was actually written quite a few years ago. Jihad Watch has excerpts from it in 2008.  But he makes some cogent points from an Arab's perspective that I feel are worth sharing: 

Who Offends the Prophet?

I don’t believe that cartoons, books, or movies can offend any religion, or affect the faith of those who adhere to that religion with truth and conviction.

The ones who offend the Prophet are those who slaughter and blow up innocent people throughout all the world—from New York to Madrid, in London, Bali, Riyadh, Cairo, Kabul, and Baghdad—even now, after mentioning Allah and the Prophet under the banner of Islamic jihad. Protests come out in support of all this, and internet forums sing praises to the knight Usama bin Laden, the hero of the raids of  New York and Washington.

Who offends the Prophet is a man like al-Qaradawi, who incites people to kill Jewish children in their mothers’ wombs (from an interview with Egyptian journalists in 1996), and incites people to carry out suicide operations. In the name of the religion and the Prophet, he declares jihad in Iraq, and innocent victims are killed.

Who offends the Prophet are those who demand that the world issue a decision preventing the disrespect of religions while they practice it themselves in every prayer in their mosques, schools (madrasas), and on their television stations. They especially disrespect Christians and Jews, and curse them in every prayer (after the Islamic bloc offered a decision on this issue in the Human Rights Council in the United Nations, the Saudi Shura Council objected to this decision because insulting other religions is one of the rites of Islam, according to what was published on the Saudi site al-Arabiya).

Who offends the Prophet is he who issues a fatwa, ruling that adults should be breastfed, and that the urine of the Prophet is blessed. It is he who allows hadiths like these to be studied in religious schools (madrasas) and colleges, such as the hadith of the fly, hadiths about holding the dhimmis (Jews and Christians) in contempt and humiliating them, hadiths about Paradise being under the shadow of swords, and thousands of other hadiths like these, whose mere existence offends the Prophet and Islam.

Read the rest here.

Not quite as brave, but considering the source brave enough, we have Saudi cleric Sheikh Ahmed bin Qassim al-Ghamdi.  Al-Ghamdi was the former president of the virtue and vice police in Mecca has actually issued fatwas saying that listening to music and the mixing of genders should be allowed.  He also believes that one should be able to pray alone, not just in groups.  He, of course, has been savaged for voicing those opinions, but has asked those in opposition to debate him in a civil manner.

In his special interview to Al Arabiya, he said that his edicts are the result of extensive research based on experienced scholars’ clarifications. He expressed surprise at the amount of criticism that he receives on his social networking site, Facebook and accused extremists of resorting to abuse to whoever speaks of revivalism in religion or espouses values that do not conform to theirs.

He said: “I have received both support and criticism for my views, but sadly the debate is not about concepts, the problem exists in the nature of the dialogue. We are not brought up to accept different views, which is an essential component to knowledge growth.”
[snip]
In reference to his fatwa against the prohibition of listening to music he said this was nothing new, as senior clerics have ruled on this in the past.

He said: “Let’s ask those who are against music whether they consider ‘duff’ (local instrument) as musical? If they say yes then we have evidence from credible sources about the Prophet listening to ‘duff’, thus he wouldn’t listen or do something forbidden.”

He has been  slammed for issuing fatwas that are not authorized by the King, but he has this to say about those charges:

"I did not go against the decision of the King. I don’t issue fatwas; what I came up with was a point of view, everything I said was the result of my studies, I have gained wider knowledge in this field of research and I felt obligated to deliberate it.”

This isn't the first time he has been vocal about reform, he was fired and then rehired for his positions on gender mingling and praying in mosques in the past.  You have to give him credit for continuing to promote change in Islam when so many refuse to evolve.

We need more like al-Aswani and al-Ghamdi.