As America prepared to go to war against Iraq there were quite a few voices claiming this was just another "crusade". They claimed the real intent of the invasion was to "prosyletize" Iraqis into becoming Christians. The criticized crusade hasn't happened. If there are Christian missionaries in Iraq, they do not have any connection with the US Government and are risking their own lives to be there. However, in light of these criticisms, it's interesting to note how a specific group is attempting to win converts.
One of the functions of the Islamic Affairs Division of the Saudi embassy is to evangelize for the Islamic faith. As Steven Stalinsky (an unfortunate last name) reports in a recent issue of the Weekly Standard,
For the past 20 years, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been engaged in a sustained push "to spread Islam to every corner of the earth," in the words of the Saudi royal family's website (www.ain-al-yaqeen.com). This missionary enterprise is known as dawa. To aid dawa in the United States, the Islamic Affairs Department of the embassy undertakes activities that range from sending Americans copies of the Koran to importing Saudi clerics to conduct seminars or serve in mosques in North America.Late in 2003, several officials from the IAD of the Saudi embassy were asked to leave the country as a result of their promotion of radical (wahhabi) Islam. At that time a spokesman from the Saudi embassy insisted that the IAD would be closed down throughout the United States. According to the Weekly Standard article cited above, this same spokesperson later denied that the IAD would be closed down. However, this denial was issued in Arabic in an interview with a Saudi newspaper. Reportedly, the IAD has remained open and continues to promote Wahabbism.
In case you aren't up on the beliefs of the Wahabbism Sect of Islam,
They believe that all objects of worship other than Allah are false, and anyone who worships in this way deserves to be put to death. To introduce the name of a prophet, saint or angel into a prayer, or to seek intercession from anyone but Allah constitutes a form of polytheism. Attendance at public prayer is compulsory, and the shaving of the beard and smoking are forbidden. Mosques should be architecturally simple, not luxurious or ornate. Prohibited are the celebration of the Prophet's birthday, making offerings at the tomb of saints, and playing music. The injunctions of the Qur'an are to be taken literally. [Source]
Evangelism is not an accepted purpose for a diplomat of any faith. Yet the Saudis continue their efforts, not just through the IAD but also through other groups in the US which they finance.
One of the most successful places for da’wa is in the prison system. It is estimated that more than 300,000 prisoners are currently converts to Islam and about 30,000 may be converting each year, according to scholar Jane I. Smith. Since the prison systems include a higher percentage of people of color, many of those converting are African Americans, Latinos and Native Americans.
The National Islamic Prison Foundation claims to convert an average of 135,000 prisoners a year and federal prison statistics estimate that 10 to 20 percent of prisoners in America are Muslims. Sulayman Nyang, a professor of African Studies at Howard University, estimated that one of 10 African-American Muslims today came to the faith through a prison conversion. [Source]
These converts are being told that jihad or holy war against infidels (unbelievers) is part of their duty. Jose Padilla, accused of plotting to plant a "dirty bomb" in the US was converted to Islam while in prison. Chuck Colson describes more fully attempts to convert prisoners to radical Islam.
By contrast, the Saudis will allow no Christian churches inside their country and, of course, no Christian missionaries.
Whenever an act of violence occurs in Saudi Arabia it seems that we hear the same things. Saudi Arabia is going to crack down on these people and this time they really mean it. It seems that we then hear of a few terrorists being arrested or killed in a shootout with police and then we hear no more until the next act of violence. After this latest attack against the American, Paul Johnson, the Saudis even went so far as to hold a press conference to highlight all they are doing against these terrorists.
At the very least, Saudi Arabia should not be permitted to use it's diplomatic missions to convert people to Islam. They ought to be purged from any funding or involvement with similar missions to convert those in US prisons.
Both Democrats and Republicans have long chosen to believe that the Saudis are our friends. Yet, the evidence continues to accumulate that this is not the case. Of course, we are heavily dependent on Saudi oil for our economic well-being. However, we need to find alternate sources for this oil (such as Libya and ANWR) and stop enriching the wahabbists who are enemies of democracy and the United States. As George W. Bush said, "You are either with us or against us," in the fight against terrorism. The Saudis are certainly not with us and it remains to be seen what our current President and Congress, or the one that follows will do to stop them. We've seen enough token efforts by the Saudis to appease American opinion.
Posted by jdmays at June 22, 2004 01:54 AM | TrackBack