An imam’s sermon has gained widespread negative attention in the media and throughout the Muslim and Jewish communities, reports the Davis Enterprise.
A translation of the sermon widely shared by such alt right publications as Breitbart has lead to charges of anti-semitism, but the Islamic Center of Davis says the talk was taken out of context by “an agenda-driven organization” to appear inflammatory.
Imam Ammar Shahin preached in both Arabic and English and talked about the ongoing controversy of metal detectors placed by the Israeli government at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem where a terrorist killed two Israeli soldiers. Many Muslims are outraged by the metal detectors in their place of worship.
California Imam Ammar Shahin Prays for Annihilattion of Jews, Calls to Liberate Al-Aqsa Mosque from Their “Filth” pic.twitter.com/YmPx4O3wQW
— MEMRI (@MEMRIReports) July 25, 2017
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According to the Middle East Media Research Institute, Shahin quoted a hadith in Arabic calling for a Judgement Day fight between Muslim and Jews to “liberate the Al-Aqsa Mosque from the filth of the Jews” and “annihilate them down to the very last one.”
“The Prophet Muhammad said: ‘Judgment Day will not come until the Muslims fight the Jews, and the Jews hide behind stones and trees, and the stones and the trees say: Oh Muslim, oh servant of Allah…’ They will not say: Oh Egyptian, oh Palestinian, oh Jordanian, oh Syrian, oh Afghan, oh Pakistani. The Prophet Muhammad says that they time will come, the Last Hour will not take place until the Muslims fight the Jews. We don’t say if it is in Palestine or another place. Until they fight… When that war breaks out, they will run and hide behind every rock, and house, and wall, and trees,” Shahin said.
The Islamic Center of Davis said Shahin was taking his stance against extremism and the Center has a zero-tolerance policy for anti-Semitism.
“It was clear to all who listened to the entire sermon that Imam Shahin was not calling towards anti-Semitism nor towards violence against any religion,” Shahin and the Islamic Center’s executive board said in a written statement.
The Islamic Center of Davis released a second statement apologizing if the original video they uploaded of Shahin’s sermon offended anyone.
The video has received backlash from Americans throughout the nation, condemning Shahin and the Islamic Center.
Rabbi Shmary Brownstein told CBS Sacramento that he and his wife have been subjected to harassment since the video was posted.
“Cars driving by screaming ‘eff you!’,” said Rabbi Mendy Cohen of Chabad in Sacramento.
Others cautioned against fanning the flames of hate.
“The alt-right thrives on stories like this, and it is a tactic that will be used time and time again to create a wedge between us in the hope to break down the unity and love that exists here in Davis,” said Kate Mellon-Anibaba, founder of Statement of Love. “It is my hope that together the Jewish community and the Islamic community can continue learning from each other, ban together and support each other as we build empathy moving forward.”
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