January 25, 2012 WATCH THE FILM FREE (Please scroll down) and for more background on the NY Times Holy War on “The Third Jihad”, go to  Pamela Geller .

The New York Times has sharply criticized the New York Police Department for using the critically-acclaimed documentary The Third Jihad: Radical Islam’s Vision for America in counterterrorism training.

The New York Times has published two news articles (http://tinyurl.com/nyt-ttj1,http://tinyurl.com/nyt-ttj2), as well as an editorial entitled “Hateful Film” (http://tinyurl.com/nyt-ttj3) in the past 48 hours.

In response, film producer Raphael Shore has issued the following statement:

“We regret that the film has been taken out of the counterterrorism training program of the NYPD.  The New York Times stories are proof positive that the Clarion Fund’s high-quality and impactful documentaries touch very sensitive nerves.

Those that have blasted the film are attempting to stifle an important debate about the internal state of the Muslim community in America, and whether politicized Islam and indoctrination pose tangible security threats.

We hope that individuals will acknowledge the inaccuracies presented by the New York Times, and the effects that organizations like CAIR have on the fine line between political correctness and honest debate.

We invite the general public to watch and judge the documentary for themselves.  The Third Jihad is now being made available for free viewing online at http://www.thethirdjihad.com.”

According to the New York Times, nearly 1500 officers, “from lieutenants to detectives to patrol officers” reportedly were shown the film during a period of between three months and a year.

The story of the film’s usage by NYPD was first reported by the Village Voice a year earlier, and police stopped using the film when pressure was asserted by local Islamic organizations.  Pressure continued until the New York Times propelled the year-old story to front-page news yesterday.

CAIR is taking credit for the “investigation” which led to the New York Times’ coverage, with a press release (http://tinyurl.com/nypd-cair) demanding that the NYPD install Muslim-sensitive materials in their training curriculum to offset what they consider to be an ‘Islamaphobic’ film.

Innuendo

What CAIR and the New York Times failed to clearly address, is that The Third Jihad is narrated by a devout Muslim, who has a significant record of serving the United States of America, as a medical officer in the US Navy and as an attending physician to the US Congress.

The beginning of the film states in bold letters that, “This is not a film about Islam.  It is about the threat of radical Islam.  Only a small percentage of the world’s 1.3 billion Muslims are radical.”

The film’s message urges the Muslim community to look within itself to root out the indoctrination that affects a minority of Muslims.

The documentary is founded on credible evidence presented by the FBI of a “Manifesto” published by radicals calling for the implementation of extremist ideology-both violent and politicized-within the United States.

It is no surprise that CAIR does not like the content of the film.  CAIR is singled out in the film for its direct ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, open support for Hamas, and links to terror financing.

CAIR was listed as an unindicted co-conspirator in the 2007 Holy Land Foundation trial, the largest ever terror-financing trial in US History.

As a result of these designations, the FBI has formally ceased all ties with CAIR-as should the NYPD and New York Times.

The NYPD is well aware of the threats that emanate from Islamic radicals.

In the preface to a landmark 2007 NYPD Intelligence Division Report entitled “Radicalization in the West: The Homegrown Threat,” Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly writes, “New York City continues to be the one of the top targets of terrorists worldwide.  Consequently, the NYPD places a priority on understanding what drives and defines the radicalization process.”

The Third Jihad takes an in-depth look at the process of radicalization and indoctrination taking place on American soil.

It is clear that senior members of the NYPD saw value in the film, as did employees of the Federal Homeland Security department, who first gave the DVD of the film to the NYPD.

Inaccuracies

The Third Jihad features exclusive interviews with some of the nation’s leading counterterrorism experts including former Director of Homeland Security Tom Ridge, former Director of Central Intelligence R. James Woolsey, former NYC Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, and NYPD Commissioner Raymond Kelly.

According to the New York Times, Paul J. Browne, the Police Department’s chief spokesman said, “that filmmakers had lifted the [Kelly] clip from an old interview.”

This is the first of several inaccuracies to appear in the New York Times’ account.

The makers of The Third Jihad conducted a nearly 90-minute exclusive interview with Commissioner Kelly specifically for the film on March 19, 2007.  Previously unreleased bonus clips of Kelly’s interview are currently available at http://www.thethirdjihad.com.

Responding to a letter by film producer Raphael Shore, Browne then corrected the record in the New York Times follow-up article.  “I recommended in February 2007 that Commissioner Kelly be interviewed,” he said.

Browne recalled that the film’s interviewer, “asked to speak to the commissioner for a cable film on ‘foiled terrorist plots and the current threat matrix.’”

Several other inaccuracies appear in the article.   For example, the New York Times notes that the film includes a doctored photo of the White House with an Islamic flag atop.  But the photo is one of many pieces of documented footage from Islamist sources.  Yet the New York Times implies that the filmmakers were the ones to manipulate the photo.

The New York Times also inaccurately quotes the film by stating: “‘This is the true agenda of Islam in America,’ a narrator intones.”  But the actual quote from the film is: “This document shows the true agenda of much of Muslim leadership here in America.”

The article intentionally omits that this narrator is Dr. Zuhdi Jasser, a devout Muslim.

The rest of the New York Times’ coverage focuses on character assassination.  While CAIR and others label the film Islamophobic, it is ironic that the film’s detractors continuously point out that the film’s producer has ties to Jewish organizations.  The article inaccurately claims that Raphael Shore simultaneously works for Aish HaTorah.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg questioned the judgment of that those who permitted the usage of the film.  However, Bloomberg’s predecessor Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, who is also interviewed in the film, has praised the documentary calling The Third Jihad, “a wake up call for America.”

CONTACT:

press@clarionfund.org

646-308-1230 x213

This panel was presented by The NY City Lawyers Chapter and the International and National Security Law Practice Group and The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies in NYC .

Videos are complete audio with pictures ( in six parts) total is approximately 80 minutes.

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PART ONE - opening statements by Marc Schuman, secretary of the NY Chapter of The Federalist Society and the Honorable Richard J. Sullivan, District Judge, U.S. District Court, Southern District of NY, who was moderator for the evening.

Schuman then introduces the panel.

Prof. David Forte, (Constitutional and Sharia Law). Forte teaches Islamic Law and Originalism in the class-room and  Daniel Mach (Director of the American Civil Liberties Union Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief). He turns the mic over to the moderator, Richard J. Sullivan.

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PART TWO - opening presentation of  guest speaker, David Forte, Professor of Law, Cleveland-Marshall School of Law. In the classroom he teaches Constitutional Law and Originalism . He also teaches Islamic Law. 

Some excerpts from audio in Part 2:

(Forte) mentions Islamic Law and Constitutional Originalism.  Mentions Egypt, Mubarak and Tahrir Square. War on West is from within. Qaradawi and fatwas against Jews. Kill the Jews. Divine punishment (sharia).

( In 2004, 2,500 Muslim academics from Saudi Arabia, Iraq and from the Palestinian territories condemned Qaradawi, and accused him of giving “Islam a bad name.”)

Forte says Qaradawi’s Sharia not Classical Sharia. His Sharia not the REAL Sharia. Discrimination against women was NOT permitted in Classical Sharia. The tyranny of Qaradawi (his ideology).

Qaradawi warns Muslims to not be immigrants, be COLONIZERS. Examples: European NO-GO Zones and the Sharia quasi-legal systems in England, France, Rome; replicated though-out Old Europe. (In England, five formal Sharia Courts and 80 informal) In Belgium, a parallel Legal Court; a SHARIA Court (in Brussels).   

In early Islam, they were Rationalists til 55 years later, then Legalists. Sharia formed by Jurists, recognized by Imperialists (Caliphs).

 Saladin changed substance of Sharia (there was no torture) Could not torture innocents (now you  can)  He was an Arabized Kurdish Muslim, who became the first Sultan of Egypt and Syria .

A thousand years of Islamist history enforced only by Caliph. He could enforce or throw anything aside in the entire Islamic Empire. Caliph must support Sharia (STATE LAW) of the Islamic State (Empire).

8th-9th c Sharia: Legalists vs Rationalists (like Greeks)…Sharia was formed by Jurists… an Equity Court.   Islam identified with The Law.

Iran and Saudi Arabia are “Perfectly Islamic”. What changed. Torture was not originally part of Islam. They changed Sharia from a system of beliefs for righteous living before god into an ideology.  A religion into a POLITICAL ideology.

Warned to practice perfect Islam or else you are an apostate. This form of Islam, this Sharia, is an abomination

Forte says, Radical Islam “changing Believer into Ideologue-Apparatchik of a totalitarian regime.” He concludes, “THAT is what we should oppose as a threat (THAT type of Islam)

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PART THREE - opening presentation of guest speaker, Daniel Mach, Director of the American Civil Liberties Union Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief.

Excerpts from Part 3:

Mach’s specialty is First Amendment Law, Church and State. He’s in-the-trenches and litigates in areas of Church and State.

Mach begins with, ” NO, Sharia Law is not  ‘Coming-to-America’”

Admits that ,”Dangerous Religious extremists do exist.”

In Sharia, no religious tenets were to be imposed or decided by courts.

There’s NO Take Over by Sharia Law. It’s Just Not Happening..

 In Oklahoma, they’ve banned Sharia Law. Something that hasn’t happened ONCE. Lists of Sharia examples don’t withstand scrutiny.

Our courts don’t put the right–to-pray up-for-a-vote

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PART  FOUR (Forte and Mach respond to Moderator, Richard Sullivan’s  questions)

Excerpts from Part 4:

David Forte refers to Wahhabis (is interrupted by audience member) re 80% mosques and Imams under Saudi influence

Judge in NJ upheld a Sharia judgement. NJ judge didn’t ‘get’ difference. Foreign Law (aka Sharia Law) not okay if it violates U.S. Constitution or State Law 

Dan Mach stresses Christians have rights to exercise faith so he questions passing laws to isolate Sharia as a specific threat. Asylum cases have been denied to people who fear torture … says a problem in a handful of cases

Forte – Honor killings are tribal custom, NOT Sharia

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In parts 5 and 6 – questions from the audience with responses from the speakers. These are just a few excerpts…

PART FIVE ( Questions from audience) 

Excerpts from Part 5:

QUESTION: re Sharia Finance:  “Is it a cover?”

Forte  Re Sharia Finance. Mutual Funds. Check where funds are going. What’s the interest. Too harsh to say no Sharia Finance

WHY “no-interest” loans? Financing (Fiqh )deals with the observance of rituals, morals and social legislation in Islam. (no-interest loans)

Usury ( Middle Ages) was RENTING money ( like a horse) Loans rented. During Ottomans (up to 10 %) always had interest. This prohibition is a 20th-21st century creation. Fundamentalism is a perversion

FORTE claims Classical Sharia is different from what we are criticizing. Women. Minorities. Islamic State Law. It must be in CONTEXT. Classical Sharia women had protections/Radical Islam they do not

Ottoman enforced punishment for theft, apostasy but NO capital punishment in Classical Sharia. There were protections. RADICALS do torture (not in Classical Sharia)

Made a JOKE about the need for the four upright males (false accusation) ; theft (two upright males) Not easy to find as there is also a punishment for false testimony. TRIBAL CUSTOM (culture) has caused the harsh punishments not Islam.

MACH responds. Thought and expression not criminalized in U.S. Defends t-shirts that criticize Islam/burn Koran (he defends these) BUT if you violate … commit a criminal act…then NO defense…

FORTE . Okay with Warrior Prophets. He admires Mohammed . Treatment of women, unbelievers, etc. He continues that Mohammed emancipated women (greater rights in marriage) Mentions the RESPECT Mohammed had for wives. Yes, he married a 6 year old. Not uncommon. It was okay in that culture

Protected monks, freedom of religious beliefs. Says Mohammed was responsible for legal influence of Arabic Society reforms.

What distorted Mohammed’s trajectory?  “Law. Tribes. Empire” (The Ottoman Empire.) He is not a believer but admires Mohammed

Q – What has Mohammed done that was extraordinary? Why so violent? Justifying murder/extermination?

Forte: Violence in Bible much worse. in comparison, the Koran is WHIMPY. Islam should have been the FIRST to free slavery, instead it was the LAST. Should have been the first to observe Laws of War.

Forte re violence in O.T. Difference is HOW Jews interpret. What came after. How Muslims handle it (the text) How each dealt with what was written. Re Koran. Contextualize reference to treatment of unbelievers. It’s all in the interpretation. It was the Koresh Tribe Mohammed was referring to.

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PART SIX :  Final statements from Forte and Mach

Excerpts from Part 6:

Question - People are afraid to speak up because they fear punishment. “See something say something” could place them in jeopardy with mosque (sharia). “Don’t they feel that make the mosques a security risk?”

Forte: We should investigate where money comes from, the newspapers should investigate. The Saudi influence.

Mach: Government should not tell us where or how to worship. Not worried about prisons. There all all types of prison checks to control influence.

Q. What about last 10 years.  What’s going on in Europe.. No-Go Zones…

Mach: I’ll defend your right, if denied access to street.  (the audience member mentions Dearborn) The moderator and  panel do not respond….

Q- How can we think this is a Great Religion based on history?

Forte – Look at what Moderate Muslims are saying about Islam. There is a seed in all religions of recognizing each other as equals.

Mach : Government should not be in business of telling anyone where they can build a house of worship. You own the property, you can build.

Moderator: How to promote the Classical version of Sharia and not the Radical

Forte: STOP multi-cultural baloney in schools that support Radical Version of Islam (which should be minimized) 1910-1930 example: Italian immigrant educators assimilation was encouraged.

Multi-culturalism is GOVERNMENT imposed. The worst thing we can do as far as assimilation.

Mach (ACLU) questions Forte’s  criticism of  multi-culturalism. Sees great benefits in Public Schools teaching about other cultures.

_______________________________________________

By coincidence, found this article in American Thinker by Jamie Glazov 

“Islamism at UCLA Law School”

9/11 Church to be Rebuilt 

 George Demos, the Conservative Republican candidate for US Congress in New York’s First District, who helped lead the effort to bring national attention to the plight of the 9/11 Church today praised Governor Cuomo for fulfilling Governor Pataki’s pledge to rebuild the only house of worship destroyed on September 11th.

George Demos said, “Fifteen months ago when the ember of hope to rebuild St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church was nearly extinguished and our nation was embroiled in a controversy about the propriety of a Mosque at Ground Zero, we stood up and let the nation know that it was our obligation to rebuild the only house of worship destroyed on September 11th.

[...]

Sadly the breakthrough only came after the Port Authority’s Director Christopher Ward, who had been maliciously blocking the rebuilding of the Church, was forced to resign.

Deal Struck to Rebuild NY Church Destroyed on 9/11

It took a decade, but a deal has finally been struck to rebuild a church destroyed on 9/11, the church and a public agency announced Friday.

The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said they have resolved their long dispute over how to rebuild St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, a small, 85-year-old chapel that stood across the street from the World Trade Center and was destroyed when the towers fell.

The church and the public agency had been at odds over the details of a land swap that will move the church slightly down the street to make way for some of the giant construction projects now under way at ground zero.

The settlement, mediated by the office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo, will end a lawsuit filed by the archdiocese earlier this year. Under the deal, the Port Authority will pay for site-work and below-ground infrastructure. The cost of that work is estimated to be about $25 million, according to the governor’s office. The archdiocese will pay for the construction of the chapel.

The new church will be about 3½ times as large as the old one, and also house a nondenominational bereavement center.

The leader of the Greek Orthodox Church in America, Archbishop Demetrios, said the church’s continued presence at the trade center site will be “an affirmation of the significance of religious freedom and experience for all New Yorkers and all Americans.”

“We will again light many candles in the new St. Nicholas Church and remember those who were lost to us, and those heroes who so nobly sacrificed their lives,” he said.

October 14, 2011. Found two ads that made it up in the NY Subways. Same Times Square station , across from each other.  But, a 3rd ad remains hidden from view.

But, this ad from SIOA and AFDI is an ad that isn’t afraid to tells it like it is. There ARE savages determined to destroy Israel but this ad has been censored. The outrage is not the ad, it’s that it has been censored…. Freedom of Speech DENIED

The purpose was to examine the place of Islamic Law in The United States.

The Plenary Panel is the conclusion of the Symposium. Two of the seven panelists, Michael J. Broyde (Emory University School of Law) – Jewish Law and Mohammad Fadel  (University of Toronto, Faculty of Law)  Professor of Religion and the Liberal State: The Case of Islam, were unable to stay for the Plenary, where the audience asked questions of the speakers.

The Panel for this final Q and A was Umar F. Moghul (University of Connecticut School of Law, Murtha Cullina LLP) who spoke on Sharia Finance; Asifa Quraishi (University of Wisconsin Law School) – Family Law; Kristen Stilt (Northwestern University School of Law) – Constitutional Law; Frank E. Vogel , an independent scholar and consultant on Islamic law and the laws of the Muslim world and Sadiq Reza (New York Law School) – Criminal Law.

Next are some written notes from the Plenary Q and A, followed by the audio:

Q - A woman asks Prof. Reza about the punishment and apostasy in the context of treason.

A - Reza refers to the Sunna and the template he used in his slide presentation. Confirms it is a death penalty at a time when renouncing God was seen as a treason, endangering the Muslim Community. Modern Muslims now see this as inconsistent with modern human rights and freedom of religion

Prof. Moghul adds this is not just a modern position. In the Prophetic Era, those leaving the Faith of Islam were left alone; not seen as a threat.

Q – A man asks about problem of marital courts and Islamic legal experts. Can American judges be equipped to perform or is it better to have Muslim Tribunals that are legitimized by American courts.

A- Prof Quraishi replies, problem under our First Amendment. Non-credible people like bin-Laden don’t help. Needs to be a standard. She doesn’t want State to decide, interpret, Muslim Law. She mentions Gov. Christie.and reminds that just because someone is a Muslim does not mean they’ll infiltrate.

 Prof. Vogel (as he and Prof. Quraisha talk back and forth) mentions something about Common-law/Muslim Law in the Academic Community. Quraishi adds that with a theoretical point one can go to a mufti and get a fatwa which is not necessarily a death-threat.

Q – A woman asks who are the progressives. Is it Prof Quraishi?

A - Quraishi says it’s too early to know…

Q – A woman says she has heard a lot about fear. Why isn’t the Muslim Community speaking out to the America Public

A – Prof Moghul says Muslim Community is tiny, it is speaking out, bt it is being drowned out by greater funding. To build bridge, dialogue, quite a bit is being done but voice is being pushed aside.

Prof Reza puts on his ‘scholarly hat’. He rejects notion Muslims  ( any group) has obligation (morally) to address anything said because they are just people going about their jobs as accountants and janitors, with kids; not a duty to refute everything said. ( similar he said to an American Black kid being asked to speak for all Blacks…he’s just a kid.) Those with the job of speaking up for the Community are being drowned out.

Prof. Stilt mentions David Yerushalmi, that he goes after CAIR heavily, when they are supposed to be doing this (as moderates). She admits they don’t always do this well (she may even disagree with them) but claiming they are Stealth Jihadists doesn’t help.

Prof Quraishi continues that it is bad. They are vulnerable to speak out against this level of hate. She was criticized at her campus ( in Wisconsin) for supporting a speaker invited there. She was attacked as an Islamo-Fascist; her tenure was threatened. Community can’t handle such pressure, the tsunami, the burden against reasonable thinking

Q- A very strident man (oddly dressed in high-water pants) goes on-on-on about how ignorant we all are and  takes forever to get to a ‘question’…

In his ‘lecture” he says, “What is the agenda behind and who are those behind it? He is pessimistic . These are Know-Nothings. Rants on about Teddy Roosevelt, a racist. and a Social Idiot. Most people are boobs (he of the odd-attire) Anybody can be an idiot (no kidding!) He proclaims, “It takes TIME to be educated! There are so few (out there) like him .” (says he proudly)

He seems to inspire Prof Stilt who starts in on David Yerushalmi (again). Yerushalmi is not a white-man in North Dakota. He wouldn’t belong either. This hatred of a people or a religion, she asks, “WHY don’t they worry about immigration? The Economy? Why hate? This Ignorance in Oklahoma and Tennessee where there are a lack of Muslims, they should worry about the immigrants taking their jobs.“

The Odd-Fellow responds, “This is a Fashion; a fashionable position to Hate.”

Prof Stilt concludes that it is not insignificant that most of this rhetoric comes from Republicans, without criticism; no Party criticism because it scores points at the polls. It’s a political tool, fear. To be afraid like of Gay Marriage, it’s an elaborate ruse to get people to the polls.

Skipping ahead to other moments in the Q and A that are unrelated ….

Prof Quraishi asked,”Why is the Tea Party worried about Muslims taking over; this Islamo-phobia They should be worried about Economics; things International.”

Prof. Reza mentions Tariq Ramadan and a couple of Iranian writers. He says writing on Criminal and Constitutional law not confined to one country

Prof Vogel says there is a lot of disagreement when scholars interpret Qur’an as there are many interpretations. Not one better than another.

Prof Reza  suggest that critics use stray guys on internet to suit their purposes

Prof Quraishi asks, “What is orthodox?” Changes. Organic relationship with scripture to get to changes.  She mentions Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence) is just an understanding of the Law. Fiqh deals with the observance of rituals, morals and social legislation in Islam. With the laws against Sharia, Muslims are afraid to naturally challenge (Sharia).

RE the audio : For the audience questions, I had to reposition the hyper-sensitive recorder when people were not speaking directly into mic (but the rustling noise is usually brief). However, Professor Vogel has a few moments where he, unfortunately, spoke too softly and off-mic. (That too, will pass) The other speakers were always audible.

The VIDEO/AUDIO of the Plenary Panel

I hope you found this series interesting. It has left me with much to ponder and to question.

November 11, 2011 in Nashville, Tennessee

For more information : www.shariafreeusa.org

REGISTER HERE: www.PreservingFreedomConference.org

On Day 2, Professor Sadiq Reza , is the last speaker of the Symposium. He speaks on Criminal Law (Sharia and Western Law).

Notes from Professor Reza’s presentation

Islamic criminal punishment most feared of Islamic Way; Sharia crimes and punishments. 

Least likely to make way into U.S.

Least favored by moderate Muslims and most understand the fear. Unpleasant doctrines, some are not indigenous to Islam, honor killings and genital mutilations, didn’t originate or and are not limited to Islam.

These pre-date Islam, they are not Islam, even though published by some Imams

Fewer than 50% of women live in Muslim world where cuttings and killings happen. 

Not-tradition. Not Muslim practice or Doctrine. He is sure there are some Imams and jurists who favor these…re dishonor of community and family, this is not a majority opinion in Islam

Mentions in Western Law, catching wife in adultery, is one of first 5 categories of provocation in a partial defense. In U.S., in 1970s, the courts did not consider spousal rape and spouses were exempt from charge of marital rape until 1993. Today all 50 States ( and D.C.) have laws that forbid forcing sex on anyone

Yes marital rape is in Quran. He reads the well-known quote re “woman is like a till” 

Re-interpret scriptures, binding law open to evolution,  fluid. 

Shows us his Qur’an (filled with tabs) If your Qur’an is not filled with tabs, then you aren’t studying/reading your Qur’an

Starts his slides and speaks of three categories of  Islamic Penal Code: Hudud (an eye for an eye), Qisas (retribution) and Ta’zir (chastisement). Represent the Rights of God, the Rights of Person and the Rights of Society. This is the template of Islam; the Crimes and Punishment

Where is this system practical? Shows map of countries, showing their relationship to Islam.  Mentions that Egypt is not a sharia-centric country. Should not be on the list.

Has nothing to say re U.S. and Sharia. Not seen anyone call for Sharia Criminal Court here.  Muslim-Americans are not asking for stoning and whippings. It is repugnant. Moral sensibilities reject that category of crimes.

Ta’zir would offend our Constitution

Mentions NY Times article on David Yerushalmi, Says critics are cherry-picking Sharia

Notes from the Q and A

Q The need for 4 witnesses to Act of Adultery. The Sunna. Pakistan, Saudi  Arabia, do not follow the evidentiary rules.

Q- Sexual Slander. False accusations. Social attitude among Muslims when women make false accusations (as in Sadik-Kahn) 

A- mentions the need for 4 witnesses being a deterrent

Q- Bigger threat to Criminal Law and Islam over-use of material support statute by American  Criminal Courts . The ramifications for the Muslim population in the U.S (Peter Beauchamp)

A- Has to with Civil Rights and the Patriot Act (tried for terrorism). Allows for lower standard of proof of criminal intent

Q- the materials she has read imply. “You can’t pick and choose. Muslims believe in a package of items.  We do want Family Law ( not Criminal Law) It’s just a strategy…”

A – Muslims can pick and choose. If American Muslims are ever in a position to implement any form of Sharia, they will be the measure of what that Sharia is. According to the polls (assuming they are not lying) Muslim Americans have no interest in implementing the Sharia Criminal Law. They have always picked and chosen.   And to be implemented it must be accepted by the people.

Professor Reza spoke for approximately 28 minutes. His Q and A was about 18 minutes. This is the audio of the presentation (with some slides) followed by the Q and A.

 The Symposium concludes next with  (Part 10 ) “The Plenary Panel” and Final Q and A

Notes from Professor Reza’s intro of Professor Umar F. Moghul (Sharia Finance)

Professor Moghul was recruited late for the Symposium. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Connecticut School of Law and a full-time practitioner from the firm of Murtha Cullina LLP. where he   is Chair of Islamic Law and Investment Practice. Professor Moghul has published articles on how Islamic Finance is practiced here in the U.S.and the legislation that addresses it.

Our speaker, Professor Umar F. Moghul

Notes from Professor Moghul’s 20 minute presentation 

He assumes that by now (in the symposium)we have an understanding of the Social and Political Climate and as to how Sharia Finance is done…

Moghul continues in his opening Statement: 

Among the challenges that have come about to Sharia in this environment of Islamophobia, is a (..unclear…) challenge to Islamic Finance; to Islamic Investment Transactions in the U.S. as far as implementing or enforcing Sharia Finance into the United States. This does not mean that the U.S. not not welcome Sharia Finance…on the contrary, the U.S. has been an important market although perhaps not a large market, globally speaking….

Points he feels need to be addressed in his presentation:

” First, Islamic Finance is part of Islamic Law which is then part of Sharia, a term which he does not translate as  Islamic Law. It’s much more than Law….

If he were to try to translate Sharia, it is the proper balance maintained between religious and temporal  aspects of the religion. The ultimate purpose, the higher purpose of Islam as a religion, thus Islam as Law, is worship of the Divine ….( at this point the slides begin)….

This purpose of Obedience and Worship of the Divine kind of comes in to Islamic Finance as well… Socially Responsible Investing. Gambling, Pornography typically are prohibited as targets of investment. (he mentions riba – interest)

Another misconception is how Islamic Law applies to people of other faiths. He submits it is not wholly applicable to people of other faiths. How this applies to Islamic Law….it comes up if one of the parties is Islamic ( as in multi-family apartment buildings). The problems come up due to lack of information and lack of education….

….within the broad purpose of Sharia Law is to prevent harm, securing benefits, preservation and protection of 5 specific values, that include life and religion ( specific to property) which is one of the 5 objectives of Sharia

He the continues discussing 

• Markets (foreign and retail)
• Sharia seeks fairness Protect Integrity
• Sukuk (Islamic certificate/bond)
• Alternative Investment
• Compatibility and Compliance within the framework of the Law
• Legal tensions- venues and resolution
• Courts and arbitration- who decides
• flexibility with those who have knowledge of Islamic law
  

The Q and A (is about 25 minutes. The first brief question is basically off-mic)

This is just after lunch break and the group didn’t seem focused on asking questions, so those who are asking questions are often Professor Stilt, Professor Reza, Professor Quraishi and Professor Vogel.

Professor Moghul gave long responses in the Q and A (what follows are some of my notes )

AUDIO of Professor Moghuls’s presentation (with slides)and the Q and A: (because the audience microphone wasn’t always used, this caused an occasional rustling noise when I had to reposition the hyper-sensitive audio recorder to catch the questions)

Two slides at 20:32 and 20:44 were actually from Prof. Reza’s presentation that follows this.

.

The Sharia Symposium continues with two more speakers. Professor Sadiq Reza (Criminal Law) then concludes with a Plenary Discussion.

AND please follow link below to a fabulous article on the symposium written by Alyssa Lappen “Sharia Lobby Shifts into Fifth Gear” 

..

It began at 41st street and 7th avenue, as I walked to the 26th Annual Muslim Day Parade (around 11:00 AM). Had to pass through Times Square and came upon ANOTHER street closure for ANOTHER Street Festival.

But this one had a unique theme: Turkish Days Street-Fest (Taste the Turkish Hospitality)by celebrating the Great Seljuq Empire

The Empirewas a medieval Turko-Persian /Sunni Muslim empire originating from the Qynyq branch of Oghuz Turks from 1037–1194. According to the Seljuqs, they brought to the Muslims “fighting spirit and fanatical aggression”.^[33]

The Seljuqs also played an important role in the development of the Turko-Persian tradition,^[23] even exporting Persian culture to Anatolia.^[24][25] The Seljuq rule gave impetus to the Turkification of Iran^[26] The Seljuqs Turkified Azerbaijan between the 11th century and 12th century.^[27]

Since I was on my way to observe my 5th (of 26) Annual Muslim Day Parades, at 38th and Madison Ave,  I thought it odd that this Turkish Street Fest was happening on the same day as  Parade. Perhaps all is not well between the Turks and the rest of the Muslim Community.

FYI: My post on the Muslim Day Parade (here) revealed a much  smaller parade, attended by a few schools and families who came mostly from Indonesia, the NY Black Muslim Community and the Russian-Muslim countries like Azerbaijan. Other than the obvious  “Flag of Fakestine”, the other flags were often a mystery, even to the parade participants. When asked, many were unable to tell me what country the flag they carried was from. 

Also, there seemed to be a lot of the main-stream Muslim-players missing (City and National). Low-key for sure but, even so, the families seemed to enjoy themselves; AS did those at the Turkish Days Street Fest.

Returning to the Turkish Days Street Fest, it seemed like all the Turks (Muslim at least) were at this Festival. It was nicely done. Refreshing, compared to the usual food-fests that go up and down the avenues of NY. There were costumes and Turks with smiles, smiles, smiles for everyone and history…

The History of Turkey 

 the expansion of the Turkic peoples across most of Central Asia into Europe and the Middle East between the 6th and 11th centuries AD (the Early Middle Ages). Tribes less certainly identified as Turkic began their expansion centuries earlier as the predominant element of the Huns… by the 6th century and by the 10th century most of Central Asia was settled by Turkic tribes. The Seljuk Turks from the 11th century invaded Anatolia, ultimately resulting in permanent Turkic settlement there and the establishment of the nation of Turkey.

The “history” of Turkey seemed to imply that Turkey ‘owns’ the ancient history of the region by skating around the Muslim conquest.  

They had a number of very attractive walls through out the Street Fest, beginning with The Lydia Kingdom.

[The ancient kingdom in Anatolia from (1200-546 BC) Lydia arose as a Neo-Hittite kingdom following the collapse of the Hittite Empire in the 12th century BC. Lydia finally fell to Turkish beyliks, which were all absorbed by the Ottoman state in 1390 AD. The area became part of the Ottoman Aydın Province (vilayet), ending up as the westernmost part of the modern republic of Turkey.]

But, whose history is this? Persian, Greek, Christian, Jewish, Armenian. Whose? 

Is this really Muslim history? You might presume Muslim, with that Star and Crescent emblazoned  on The Big Apple….

Continuing with Turkish Days Fest Theme is The Trojan Civilization

The IX City of Troy, was the last city on this site, Hellenistic Ilium, was founded by Romans during the reign of the emperor Augustus and was an important trading city until the establishment of Constantinople in the 4th century as the eastern capital of the Roman Empire. In Byzantine times the city declined gradually, and eventually disappeared.

 The Hittite Empire

 The Hittites established a kingdom centred at Hattusa in north-central Anatolia c. the 18th century BC. The Hittite empire reached its height c. the 14th century BC…the  Hittite language was a member of the Anatolian branch of the Indo-European language family.

The Roman Empire(Byzantine)

In the centuries before 600 CE, the Roman Empire was the most influential power in many regions that would later become Islamic.  Within 30 years of Muhammad claiming he had received his first revelation from God, these three civilisations – the Byzantine, Persian, and Arab – would collide as the Muslim Arabs brought down the Sassanid Empire and took a large swath of Byzantine territories in North Africa and Mesopotamia.  In 1453 the Muslims would finally defeat the Byzantine Empire with the sack of Constantinople.

The Ottoman Empire

A Turkish ( Muslim) empire that lasted from 27 July 1299^[8] to 29 October 1923. At the height of its power, in the 16th and 17th centuries, it controlled territory in southeastern Europe, southwestern Asia, and North Africa (see List of Ottoman Empire dominated territories).^[9] 

The booths had displays of women’s handscrafts, calligraphy, Tughra Books (Tughra publishes books on Islam as a religion, Islamic history and art, Islamic spirituality and traditions. Formerly The Light Publishing, Tughra Books is dedicated to high-quality publications that contribute to the proliferation of peace and common understanding throughout the world.) an ANT store ( no it’s not a typo) Antstores is your one stop shop for all book needs about Islam, Muslims, Islamic Art and Turkish.

When I returned after the Muslim day Parade, this Fest was going strong.

You could check out the food(kebab, pastry, meatballs) and a coffee lounge (men and women had separate lounges); a school, a disaster relief charity, a newspaper, an airline and the Cultural Center.  They all had booths. Also, Arts and Crafts ( copper, marble, silver) All packed in to one city block. ( pictures are in the slide show below)

With some ethnic costumed flare from this man as well as a fez

Didn’t realize until I took these pictures that the Turkish Muslim women have such a distinct look by how they wear their head-scarves (do they call  them hijabs?)

It was all very pleasant,very family (and tourist) friendly. 

Though these characters  seemed a bit imposing…

This group was quite friendly and seemed to be popular for photo-ops

A nice place to hang for the afternoon

YET, from the day I learned of Turkey’s persistent denial of the Thracian Genocide I became aware that this genocide denial is no little ‘thing’. They have erased inconvenient elements by sugar-coating Turkey’s Islamist history. The wounds of the Muslim Conquests run deep but the Turkish Cultural Center was here to promote a pretty peaceful region for tourism.

In  April 2010 , after leaving left a Memorial Ceremony to the victims of the Thracian Genocide, a genocide  committed by the Turks, I first discovered (only a block and a half north) the Turkish Cultural Center. That year they seemed to ignore the memorial . No apologies. Just didn’t happen.

However, in 2011, with the memorial ceremony was once again a block and a half from the Turkish Cultural Center ,”someone” wasn’t too happy about the ceremony. I saw a man steal these two pictures (in the center) of the Genocidal Turks ( Enlarged photos of “Enver’ Pasha and Mustafa Kemal.)

Steal the pictures. Erase the history

Anyone who passed through the Turkish Days Street Fest, took with them the puffery and joys of the Islamic State of Turkey. “Fly Turkish Airlines, The Wings of Champions.“

The Slide Show of Turkish Days Street Fest