April 16, 2009
Written by: Diana West
Saturday, April 04, 2009 
Make that "Harvard Muslim Chaplain Supports Death for `Apostasy.' "
Jeffrey Imm has picked up on Net chatter at Talk Islam and elsewhere over comments reportedly made by Harvard's own Taha Abdul-Basser, Class of '96 and university chaplain, regarding a disagreement among Muslim students at MIT about the Islamic position on death for "apostasy."
The New York City native reportedly wrote: I am familiar with these types of discussions.
While I understand that will happen and that there is some benefit in them, in the main, it would be better if people were to withhold from _debating_ such things, since they tend not to have the requisite familiarity with issues and competence to deal with them.
Debating about religious matter is impermissible, in general, and people rarely observe the etiquette of disagreements.
There are a few places on the Net where one can find informed discussions of this issue (Search ["Abdul Hakim Murad"|Faraz Rabbani" AND "apostasy"]) . The preponderant position in all of the 4 sunni madhahib (and apparently others of the remaining eight according to one contemporary `alim) is that the verdict is capital punishment.
Of concern for us is that this can only occur in the_domain and under supervision of Muslim governmental authority and can not be performed by non-state, private actors....
I would finally note that there is great wisdom (hikma) associated with the established and preserved position (capital punishment) and so, even if it makes some uncomfortable in the face of the hegemonic modern human rights discourse, one should not dismiss it out of hand. The formal consideration of excuses for the accused and the absence of Muslim governmental authority in our case here in the North/West is for dealing with the issue practically.
And Allah knows best....
Funny, I always thought it was Father Knows Best. Anyhow, the Talk Islam posting on the subject notes: "Concerned Muslims who are Harvard alums (or not) are being encouraged to write to Harvard and complain. Some are calling for his removal."
Some?
(Fade to the strains of "Good night, poor Harvard, Harvard, good night...")Follow-up Report:
April 16, 2009
By: Diana West
DianaWest.com
Sharia Creep in Harvard Yard
Photo:
Harvard Islamic chaplain Taha Abdul-Basser,
'96, who believes there is "great wisdom" in
the death penalty for converting from Islam.
From the Internet to the media, slowly: Yesterday's Harvard Crimson carried a story on the Harvard Islamic chaplain's support for capital punishment for Muslims who leave Islam as revealed in an email the chaplain "allegedly" wrote. (We're still at "allegedly"--although no one, including the chaplain, has disputed the authorship of the email.) I posted the story here on April 4. What caught my eye in this week's Crimson story was the "clarification" flagged at the bottom of the following Crimson paragraph:
"I believe he doesn't belong as the official chaplain," said one Islamic student, who asked that he not be named to avoid conflicts with Muslim religious authorities. "If the Christian ministers said that people who converted from Christianity should be killed, don't you think the University should do something?" [SEE CLARIFICATION BELOW]
Scrolling down, I found it:
CLARIFICATION: The April 14 article "Chaplain's E-mail Sparks Controversy" included a quotation from a named Harvard student, who was later granted anonymity when he revealed that his words could bring him into serious conflict with Muslim religious authorities.
Got that? For opposing death for apostasy, for opposing the Islamic chaplain's continued tenure based on said chaplain's support for death for apostasy, a Harvard Muslim student felt compelled to call up the Crimson to seek post-publication anonymity to avoid coming into "serious conflict with Muslim religious authorities."
This isn't the Swat Valley. This isn't Taliban-controlled Afghanistan--or, for that matter, Karzai-controlled Afghanistan. This isn't Iran. This isnt Iraq. This is what sharia creep looks like in America...in Harvard Yard.
By-line:
Diana West
Nationally syndicated American journalist, pundit and author, RightSideNews.com is pleased to publish her straight talk articles. RSN.com believes truth makes the best copy. You are invited to read more by Diana on her website DianaWest.net
