Addressing the Question: Can There be a Moderate Islam?

by Robert Spencer

[Editor: In this blog we have briefly touched on the question whether there can exist a "moderate Islam". Robert Spencer of Jihadwatch brings text and a video clip from MEMRI to add evidence to the "No" side of that debate.]

Egyptian presidential hopeful and former Hamas-linked CAIR official Bassem Khafagi: "I was the first to expose the notion of 'moderate Islam,' which is used as a means to canonize a 'non-Islamic Islam'"

Hamas-linked CAIR constantly insists that Muslims in the U.S. are moderate, don't subscribe to the elements of Islamic law that conflict with the U.S. Constitution, and reject and abhor Islamic terrorism. So did Khafagi change his mind about "moderate Islam" when he went back to Egypt? Or does he think Islam should be moderate in the U.S. but not in Egypt? Or maybe he and others who are still in Hamas-linked CAIR really aren't as moderate as they'd like the foolish kuffar to assume? I confidently await the imminent explanation from Honest Ibe Hooper, clearing all this up!

Also, he says he was an "Islamist" when he came to America. Did Hamas-linked CAIR know that when they hired him?

More on this story. Egyptian Presidential Candidate and Former CAIR Official Bassem Khafagy: 'I Never Loved the US, the Infidel Country," from MEMRI, March 14:

Following are excerpts from an interview with Egyptian presidential candidate Bassem Khafagy, which aired on Al-Hekma TV on March 14, 2012:...

Interviewer : We are now hearing of billions being invested in Egypt by Iran. Do you accept such financial aid or investment in the economy of Egypt?

Bassem Khafagy : I will first examine if there are – and I'm sure there are – ulterior motives, which undermine Egypt's national security. I will not allow any threat to Egypt's national security for the sake of billions, regardless of their source – be it the Zionist entity or anyone else. I want investments in Egypt to come from friends of Egypt. Any party that wants to declare its friendship with Egypt is welcome.

Interviewer : The US, for example?

Bassem Khafagy : The US has never declared its friendship with Egypt. It declared its friendship with Mubarak. But its entire conduct… Whoever finances and supports my main enemy in the region is no friend of mine.

[…]

When I first went to America – like many Islamists who went there – I loved Islamic preaching there. I loved the place I lived in, but I never loved the US, the infidel country.

[…]

I wrote in my article that the US constitutes a criminal element in this world. All my writings in recent years explain the unacceptable Western subjugation enterprise. I discussed the RAND report, which was read by most of the Muslim world's elite. I was the first to write about this report and the first to translate it into Arabic. I was the first to expose the notion of "moderate Islam," which is used as a means to canonize a "non-Islamic Islam." I don't know why they call it "moderation." This "moderation" means violation [of the laws] of Islam.

To view the video clip, click here.

Robert Spencer

Source: http://www.jihadwatch.org/2012/03/egyptian-presidential-hopeful-and-former-hamas-linked-cair-official-bassem-khafagi-i-was-the-first-t.html

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