Rev. Robert Jeffress challenged on Quraan

Monday, September 13, 2010

Mike Ghouse Challenges Pastor Robert Jeffress, Pat Robertson, Terry Jones, Fred Phelps and other Pastors who are misquoting Quraan and have not made any effort to understand, but too quick to call it evil.

We owe it to our country, we owe it to our nation to build safe and secure America, where no American lives in fear, anxiety or discomfort.
Video presentation


1 of 2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMN8Zy1kc64

2 of 2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZOFLQSAOhA&feature=channel

Article: http://quraan-today.blogspot.com/2010/09/rev-robert-jeffress-challenged-on.html

Sunday Morning on Fox http://www.myfoxdfw.com/dpp/news/christians-and-muslims-meet

Monday Morning on Fox http://www.myfoxdfw.com/dpp/news/091310-pastor,-muslims-meet-to-discuss-quran

MUSLIMS, HINDUS, JEWS ARE GOING TO HELL http://www.myfoxdfw.com/dpp/news/091310-pastor%2C-muslims-meet-to-discuss-quran

We cannot let a few destroy the social cohesiveness of our nation

Comments

Richard Ray of Fox4 News interviewed me today about Pastor Jeffress and the Quraan at 11:00 AM this morning, however due to time constraints, or other reasons they have edited out the critical points about killing the infidel and Quraan Translations. I will recreate that interview and post it on the web in a few days, right here.

The challenge is simple; I will present the right translations of the Qur'aan to Rev. Robert Jeffress in his congregation and challenge him to find 3 evil things about Quraan, if he does, I will go work for his ministry, if he does not, I ask of him to retract the thoughtless cavalier statements he made about Islam and Quraan, and take up the challenge of becoming a peace maker.

Thanks to the Imam Zia Shaikh, other Imams and friends for their encouragement to challenge the myths and ask the mis-informed to be informed. Thanks to the Islam bashers for telling me what is it that bothers them, they have time and again given me a list of about 60 verses, and I have made serious effort to address them most directly at: http://quraan-today.blogspot.com/ I have dealt with some of the Islamophobes who have made their business by maligning others including Islam, in this case. Look at their websites, they shamelessly ask for money, people should seriously debate if their money is going to bring peace or chaos.

Whether it is Pastor Jones, Jeffress, Phelps or Robertson, the media has failed to nail down the exact words or phrases that cause them to make such divisive declarations, and the unfinished business is frustrating the public.

America needs peacemakers who can boldly clarify the un-truths and myths about each other for the sake of peace. We owe peace and security to each one of the 301 Million Americans, our efforts ought to be directed so every one us can live without fear, without harassment and without prejudices. My question to Pastors Jeffress, Jones, Phelps, Robertsons and their likes is this; Didn't Jesus pray and worked to create the kingdom of heaven on the earth, so all of us can live freely?

Some 2000 years ago, Jesus delivered the sermon "Blessed are the peace makers" on Mt. Beatitude, I was there and felt the power of that statement. I walked where Jesus walked on via Dela Rosa; I was baptized in the river Jordan where Jesus was baptized. Symbolically, I accepted Jesus’ message to become a peace maker by drenching myself in the holy water.

The role of people of religions is to mitigate conflicts and nurture goodwill. I ask Rev. Robert Jefferess, Rev. Pat Robertson, Rev. Fred Phelps and Rev. Terry Jones to walk the journey of peace with me.

TV Clip from Fox - the links to 2 other TV interviews on NBC and FOX will be added later on.

Sunday Morning - http://www.myfoxdfw.com/dpp/news/christians-and-muslims-meet

Monday Morning - http://www.myfoxdfw.com/dpp/news/091310-pastor,-muslims-meet-to-discuss-quran


Pastor, Muslims Meet to Discuss Quran
Published : Monday, 13 Sep 2010, 4:52 PM CDT

Richard Ray
FOX 4 News
Adapted for Web by Tracy DeLatte, myFOXdfw.com

DALLAS - First Baptist Church of Dallas Pastor Robert Jeffress said he has no regrets about calling Islam an evil religion. But on Sunday he gave a warm welcome to a group of Muslims visiting his church.

It was an unusual meeting of the minds. A pair of Muslim leaders showed up unexpectedly wanting to talk to the pastor, not sure what kind of reception they’d get.

“We have some very special guests here this morning. Leaders, members of the Islamic faith in Dallas and I want you to join me in giving them the warmest First Baptist welcome you can,” Jeffress said to his congregation.

Muslim Mike Ghouse was part of that small delegation and afterward met with Jeffress to discuss the Quran.

“He asked us to stand up and there was a good welcome. It was beautiful. I really liked that,” Ghouse.

He is convinced that Jeffress and most Americans have only read mistranslations of the Quran, where ugly language about Christians and Jews has been incorrectly inserted.

“What he said about the Quran and Islam I agree with him. He has read the wrong translation. To find the truth, to be peacemakers, we have to find the truth for the sake of a secure America. His statements are divisive and offense,” Ghouse said.

A study last month by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life found that over the past five years the percentage of Americans with a positive view of Islam has dropped dramatically from 41 to 30 percent.

Jeffress said he enjoyed his meeting with Ghouse and the others, but still believes he has read an accurate translation. He expresses no regret for what he’s said about the religion.

“I have to regrets at all. I think some of my statements have been mischaracterized simply because the whole statement wasn’t given. I don’t believe most Muslims are terrorists. I don’t think most Muslims oppress women. But there is something within the religion of Islam itself that I believe incites violence,” he said.

Jeffress said he thinks he can disagree in a loving and kind way.

“I think we need to quit walking on egg shells. I think we do need to tell the truth. We tell it in love. But we still tell the truth,” he said.

Ghouse and the others involved in the meeting said they’d like to meet with Jeffress again in the future to have a deeper discussion.
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I will continue with the points later.

Mike Ghouse is a speaker on Islam and Pluralism offering pluralistic solutions to the media and the public on the issues of the day, his work is expressed in 22 blogs and 3 websites listed at http://www.mikeghouse.net/

Qur’aan Burning; an appeal to Muslims

Qur’aan Burning; an appeal to Muslims

We appeal to Muslims around the world to consider the model of peace Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had offered; pray for the well being of any one who wants to burn the Qur’aan.

That is what Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) did when the miscreants pelted rocks at him, instead of getting even with them, he asked his associates to join him and pray for their well being. Even Angel Gabriel offered help to punish them, the prophet said no to him as well and instead, asked them to join him in praying for the goodwill of those who hurt him. The Prophet believed that there is goodness in every human soul and we have to appeal to it. He chose the non-violent way of goodwill nurturing.

Most Muslims will follow the beautiful example of the prophet, just as most Christians would follow the teachings of Jesus Christ and not burn the Quraan. Most people know that Qur’aan shares the stories of about 25 prophets including Adam, Abraham, Solomon, David, Jacob, Joseph, Moses and most importantly Jesus Christ. There is a full chapter on Mary, the mother of Jesus.

There will be fringe elements among Muslims who will mirror the fringe elements among others including the ones acting in the name of Christianity or other religion.

What is God going to do about it if someone burns the Quran?

God is not going to do a thing, he has blessed us with free will and encourages and guides us to do good and holds us responsible when we fail. (Quran 14:4)

Quraan is a book of guidance for those who chose to be guided. Indeed, Qur'aan starts with the word "God of Universe" Al-Fatiha (The Opening) 1:2 “All praise is due to God alone, the Sustainer of all the worlds” and ends with addressing humanity as a whole again, An-Nas (The Mankind) 114:1 SAY: "I seek refuge with the Sustainer of men.”

God knows every thing we do, and no one will go scot free, every one of us has to account to ourselves in our solitude and again on the day of reckoning.

We urge Muslim to place their trust in God, Quraan, 14:12 “and how could we not place our trust in God, seeing that it is he who has shown us the path which we are to follow? Hence, we shall certainly bear with patience whatever hurt you may do us: for, all who have trust [in His existence] must place their trust in God."

Let them choose to be misguided if they so choose, however, we request them to read the right translations and understand the verses in their right context. We will be happy to sit with them and clarify any thing they may have possibly misunderstood.

Appeal
Our reaction could entrench bigotry or help people respond kindly to kindness, we appeal Muslims to choose the peace model of the Prophet.

Please be aware that there are at least two deliberate mistranslations of Quraan while there are 18 that are true translations. One of the translations was done by the Monastery of Abbey in 1142 to appease the Kings who used Christianity for their own political ends and the other one was done by a Muslim in 1922 to possibly prejudice Muslims against Christians and Jews for the very same reasons. The simple test for the rightful translations is that God loves his creation and simply cannot express anything but love, if we read the text otherwise, we have to read several passages to get it right, as Karen Armstrong writes, keep reading until you get it right.
What does it take to build orderly societies? What does it take for you, me and others to feel safe and live in peace? We have to remove the fears and bring peace to every citizen.

Qur'an, Al-Hujurat, Surah 49:13: "O mankind! We have created you male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that ye may know one another. The noblest of you, in sight of Allah, is the best in conduct. Allah Knows and is Aware."

It is our duty to keep law and order and faithfully guard the safety of every citizen. As individuals or nations, we cannot be safe if the people/nations around us aren’t, it is in our interest to seek peace for all of us.

Together, we have a monumental task to repair the World, and we will do our part in working towards a World of co-existence. We are committed, and now help us God. Amen.

Muslims coming together for common good
We are in the process of getting endorsements from different Muslim communities before going online at www.WorldMuslimCongress.com

This appeal is authored by Imam Zia ul-Haque Sheikh and Mike Ghouse. If you wish to have them speak at your school, office or Church, please call them. Imam Zia Shaikh is the resident scholar of the Islamic Center of Irving, Texas and a Hafiz-e- Quraan and has extensive talks on Quraan at www.imamzia.comMike Ghouse is a speaker on Islam and Pluralism offering pluralistic solutions to the media and the public on the issues of the day, his work is expressed in 22 blogs and 3 websites listed at www.MikeGhouse.net