Islamic Center for PEACE

 

 
Promoting education, cooperation, and PEACE

 In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

 

Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser : Exposed, an overdue reality check

September 25, 2008                                (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, All 6 for Print)
Written by: Mohamed Tammam

Part One: Dr. Zuhdi Jasser and the debate with Imam Mohamed Al-Darsani

 Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser, the Great hope for America and Islam; as some would have you believe. In this article we will examine the ideas and methods that define Dr. Jasser, as well as his struggle to redefine Islam and its message. We will critically analyze his opinions, arguments and discuss his use of intellectual aggression and fear to promote hatred towards everyone who opposes his views. Additionally, you will receive an insider’s look at the public debate between Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser and Imam Mohamed Al-Darsani of the Islamic Center for PEACE in Fort Myers, Florida.

It’s important to know the storyline to the debate, without which you may easily fall victim to half truths and twisted semantics that will easily drive you insane. It’s also important to explain, the now apparent motives behind Dr. Jasser’s eagerness and willingness to participate in this debate. On October 10, 2008 a documentary film entitled “The Third Jihad” will be released nationwide. The pre-release trailer includes a segment taken from the debate, and given the past misinformation presented by the creators of the film, as well as their claim that “The Third Jihad” is a unique look into the Islamist mindset within America. It’s almost certain that footage from the debate has been selected and edited into the film that may shape an untrue portrayal of Imam Al-Darsani.

 The debate occurred on April 5, 2008 at Edison College in Naples Florida. It set Imam Mohamed Al-Darsani of the Islamic Center for PEACE against Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser, a frequent pundit for many mainstream news channels and a praised Islamic Reformer of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy. The purpose of the debate was to answer this question “Is the establishment of an Islamic state a clear and ideological threat to the United States?”. Dr. Jasser was arguing the affirmative and Imam Al-Darsani the negative.

Imam Al-Darsani and members of the Islamic Center for PEACE had attended a meeting designed as a National Security Briefing hosted by the Florida Security Council. At which Dr. Jasser was indentified and introduced as an expert about Islam and Islamic Terrorism. In his speech he gave praise and supported the documentary film entitled “Obsession: Radical Islam’s War against the West”. This film is important because his support and praise for its content speaks directly to his lack of sincerity and his ignorance surrounding the very issues he writes and speaks about day after day.  The video contains numerous verified lies. One example is a note written in Arabic. The makers of Obsession claim that the note is about Jihad and Islamic domination. They go as far as to place the note on screen beside an English translated quote stating “This religion [Islam] will destroy all other religions through the Islamic Jihad fighters.” This quote is credited to a Jordanian and Palestinian school book. Contrary to what the creators proclaim, the text is actually an excerpt from an Arabic book and when accurately translated from Arabic to English it describes how racial discrimination corrupts society citing Nazism and Zionism as examples.  At no time is there any mention of Jihad or the destruction of any religion.

 During his speech Dr. Jasser also arrogantly insisted that no Islamic leaders would engage him or his ideas publicly. When the audience was given an opportunity to speak, Imam Al-Darsani invited Dr. Jasser to discuss issues in the form of a dialog. It’s also important to note that Dr. Jasser didn’t initially accept this invitation. Rather it was the director of the Florida Security Council, Mr. Tom Trento, who accepted for him, on stage, before consulting with Dr. Jasser who then agreed. This is in stark contrast to what Dr. Jasser said on the Radio during an interview with Mandy Connell of Fort Myers, Fl. the day prior to the event on Connell’s morning radio show “DAYBREAK.” Dr. Jasser is quoted as saying“…basically I challenged him (Imam Al-Darsani) to a debate… I said well if you feel this is not a problem let’s debate it…when we came up to this Debate, when I challenged him, and he finally, he agreed, he says why should we air our dirty laundry, and you know Muslims debating Muslims is, is not good…”  Perhaps Dr. Jasser has forgotten, but every meeting and every encounter that members of the Islamic Center for PEACE had with him or the Florida Security Council was videotaped. Additionally, much of the recorded evidence is available online for anyone to verify at www.ic-peace.com, including Imam Al-Darsani inviting Dr. Jasser to this debate. This was not a simple slip of wording. In fact he makes the exact same claim in his first column about Imam Al-Darsani that was published immediately after the debate. When the Islamic Center for PEACE was granted an opportunity to speak with Mandy Connell on her show, even Miss. Connell indicated that she knew Dr. Jasser did not issue the “challenge” as Dr. Jasser has inferred.

 It’s saddening to see a respected doctor of Medicine who constantly claim’s the moral high ground stoop so low in a pathetic attempt to gain notoriety at the expense his own moral courage and credibility. Over what? Why would he do this? If his message is so sound and he’s so sure that he’s right. Then why go to great lengths in order to flip the truth, especially over a matter that holds no real significance?

Dr. Jasser’s article titled “The War of Ideas: Revealing the Moral Weakness and Hypocrisy of the Islamist Imam” is a humorous attempt to vilify an honorable and well respected man, Imam Mohamed Al-Darsani. He makes claims that imply Imam Al-Darsani gives political sermons and uses his pulpit to promote apologetic ideas that gives support to the killing of innocent civilians. All of which is completely fabricated. Dr. Jasser must provide evidence to these baseless claims, or retract these statements. At no time has Dr. Jasser listened to Imam Al-Darsani’s sermons nor had he ever met Imam Al-Darsani prior to the first event in Naples (National Security Briefing).

Actually, Dr. Jasser is referring to Imam Al-Darsani’s statements from the debate itself, which was not a religious debate, but a debate about secular ideas and theocratic states. It’s interesting to note that if you read Dr. Jasser’s article, he quotes Imam Al-Darsani in an attempt to give credit to his preposterous claims. However, it does not take a Medical Doctor to figure out that he had to dig deep and stretch the truth to even come close. His line of quotations is so scattered that anyone should find it quite amusing.  The Islamic Center for PEACE has encouraged everyone to watch the debate for themselves in its entirety to preserve the context of any statements that were made. While watching the debate it becomes blatantly obvious that Dr. Jasser took a multitude of quotes and stuck them together to create his own version of what was said. However, it is somewhat understandable that he is so confused. During the debate he seemed entirely concerned with bombarding Imam Al-Darsani with random and unrelated questions, while refusing to allow him time to answer any of them fully. One particular question was concerning the condemnation of the killing of innocent civilians. Imam Al-Darsani said “Anybody who targets innocent people, whoever they are, wherever they are, whether it’s from Hamas, the Islamic Jihad, or anybody who claims he’s acting within his faith and targets an innocent people, he is a terrorist.” Not happy with this answer Dr. Jasser attempted to twist the question repeatedly until the audience became fed up, and many people shouted, “He already answered it”. At that moment it became apparent that Dr. Jasser was not there to educate, or to have an exchange of ideas. He was there to promote an agenda, a very corrupt and misleading agenda. One which will manifest itself in the upcoming documentary film “The Third Jihad”

More... Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6