Obama: Islam Has Shaped the U.S.A.

Fred Garvin's picture

File this one under the things that make you think "Huh? is he serious?"

Obama: Islam Has Shaped the U.S.A.

“We will convey,” said Barack Obama to the Turkish Parliament Monday, “our deep appreciation for the Islamic faith, which has done so much over the centuries to shape the world — including in my own country.”

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Main Stream's picture
Submitted by Main Stream on Thu, 04/09/2009 - 11:33am.

I think most would agree, that Islam contributed greatly to the world, especially during the Islamic "Golden Age" and in the areas of art, science and literature... so what's your beef, Fred? These contributions did in fact shape the world and greatly influenced Europe resulting in shaping our own country.

ISLAM

Did you also scream and cry when George W. Bush made these comments:

Islam is a "peace-loving faith"

Islam is "a faith based upon peace and love and compassion' and a religion committed to "morality and learning and tolerance."

"Islam is a religion of peace."

LINK

LINK


Fred Garvin's picture
Submitted by Fred Garvin on Thu, 04/09/2009 - 12:25pm.

Main,

Specifically, how has Islam shaped the United States into the country is today.

Please be specific and provide examples.

The United States of America
July 4, 1776 - Jan 20, 2009
Rest in Peace


Cyclist's picture
Submitted by Cyclist on Thu, 04/09/2009 - 1:28pm.

It was the Turks that made it increasingly difficult for Europe to continue trading with the Far East. When Constantinople fell in 1453, the Europeans were completely cut-off. This led to the exploration for other trading routes. One such explorer, Christopher Columbus sought another route. The rest is history.

Oh, let's not forget that the US Navy was originally created and funded because of the need to project strength along the Barbary coast and protect America's interests.
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Main Stream's picture
Submitted by Main Stream on Thu, 04/09/2009 - 12:44pm.

Examples of how Islam has shaped America:

1776- few Muslims in the U.S

18th century- Ayuba Suleiman Diallo (1701-1773) also known as Job ben Solomon, Thomas Bluett's Some Memories of the Life of Job

19th century-
1807- Umar Ibn Said- also known as Uncle Moreau and Prince Omeroh -Muslim scholar- captured during a military conflict enslaved and taken across the Atlantic Ocean to the United States. Wrote fourteen manuscripts and an autobiography (1831). Further coverage of Omar's writings within the context of Slave Narratives and Muslim Slave Narratives can be found in Five Classic Muslim Slave Narratives by Muhammed Al-Ahari.

1888- Alexander Russell Web- (1846-1916)- author Islam in America and two booklets about the Armenian and Turkish Wars from a Muslim point of view: The Armenian Troubles and Where the Responsibility Lies and A Few Facts About Turkey Under the Rule of Abdul Hamid II.started the organ of the American Muslim Propagation Movement called Moslem World. Main representative for Islam at the 1893 World Parliament of Religions in Chicago. He started study circles, i.e. in Chicago, Washington, D.C., Newark, Manhattan, Kansas City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland. They were named Mecca Study Circle No. I (NYC), Koran Study Circle, Capital Study Circle No. 4, etc. He was appointed the Honorary Turkish Consul in New York by Sultan Abdul Hamid II.

1893- Muslim migration to the U.S

20th Century:
1907- Immigrants from Poland, Russia, and Lithuania found the first Muslim organization in New York City

1913 Noble Drew Ali (1886–1929) Moorish Science Temple of America, teaching the faith to African–Americans

1915- The first mosque, founded by Albanian Muslims is established in an older building that was not built to be a mosque.

1920- Ahmadiyyah Movement from India, which was active in publishing tracts and English translations of the Qur’an and in helping African–American converts learn Arabic.
Shaykh Daoud Ahmed Faisal- Islamic Mission of America- New York City- literature including Sahabiyat, a Muslim journal for women
Shaykh Daoud’ s wife, “Mother” Khadijah Faisal- president of the Muslim Ladies Cultural Society

1930-Wallace D. Fard - Detroit - preaching black nationalism and Islamic faith. Fard founded the Nation of Islam there in the same year.

1934-Elijah Muhammad, (1897-1975) African–Americans became “Black Muslims,” calling themselves the Nation of Islam.

1935 The first building built specifically to be a mosque is established in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

1950- Ascendency of Nation of Islam

1956- Arrival of more than one million Muslims in the United States after the American immigration laws were reformed

1962- Darul Islam, founded in Brooklyn, New York- largest and most influential community of African-American Sunni Muslims. Darul Islam is a private decentralized community, which did not allow immigrants in its midst until the mid-1970s.

1960’s- Hanafi Madhhab Center, founded by Hammad Abdul Khalis- African-American Sunni group that made headlines in the 1970s because of its conversion of the basketball star, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, and the assassination of Khalis’ family in their Washington D.C. headquarters.

1964- Malcolm X- Muslim Mosque, Inc. in New York City

1975- Warith Deen Muhammad- son of Elijah Muhammad - Supreme Minister of the Nation of Islam after his father’s death- mandated sweeping changes called the “Second Resurrection” of African Americans- refuted the Nation of Islam’s racial-separatist teachings, community’s mission was directed not only at black Americans, but at the entire American environment, 1976- renamed the Nation of Islam the “World Community of Al-Islam in the West” 1980- renamed to “American Muslim Mission” 1990-renamed to Muslim American Community”. Warith Deen Mohammed’s positive relationships with immigrant Muslims, the world of Islam, and the American government are important developments in the history of mainstream Islam in the United States. Cassius Clay- Muhammand Ali- World Heavyweight Boxing Championship (3 times) Career 1960-1980. Converted to Sunni Islam in 1975. Following his ascension to champion, he also became famous for other reasons: He revealed that he was a member of the Nation of Islam (often called the Black Muslims at the time) and Malcolm X provided Clay with the name Cassius X. March 6, 1964, Malcolm X took Clay on a guided tour of the United Nations building (for a second time). Malcolm X announced that Clay would be granted his "X." That same night, Elijah Muhammad recorded a statement over the phone to be played over the radio that Clay would be renamed Muhammad (one who is worthy of praise) Ali (fourth rightly guided caliph). This caused much controversy in the United States.

Minister Louis Farrakhan, current leader of the Nation of Islam- organized the Million Man March in 1995


Fred Garvin's picture
Submitted by Fred Garvin on Thu, 04/09/2009 - 12:57pm.

None of the "examples" that you provided had any influence whatsoever in shaping America into what it is today. Islam could disappear from America, and no one would notice and it would have no effect on the average American.

The United States of America
July 4, 1776 - Jan 20, 2009
Rest in Peace


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