You Can’t Visit
From Ryan Northcutt:
I am not welcome to Mecca. You are not welcome to Mecca. Anyone non-Muslim is not welcome to Mecca. So how then do we bridge the gap between our faiths if we shun the outside world? I can walk next to a Jewish man and a Muslim woman and consider each my friend exactly the same. Because I do not judge a person by what faith they believe in and I consider every person no matter what race, nationality, sex, equal to myself. It is absolutely ridiculous that I am not welcome to Mecca. Perhaps I can’t appreciate the magnitude of what is happening, but I can certainly gain knowledge and respect.
And these are our “allies”? I have some serious doubts.
A comment on the site:
I can understand your anguish at the sign. there is only one way in, you need to say …La ila ha ila llah..there is no god except Allah…and believe it!
I hope to see you there one day amongst the believers in ONE God.
It might be a surprise to this guy, but both Christians and Jews believe there is ONE G-d. But we don’t put some violent guy (called a prophet) above Him, which is what Muslims do…at least that’s how appears to me.
Part of Mr. Northcutt’s response:
I don’t think you do understand my anguish Hamza….because you are welcome in my world. If I saw you on the street I wouldn’t walk away, look away, put a sign saying you are not welcome. I would embrace your belief while still adhering to my own, because that’s what makes us HUMANS wonderful.
H/T: Woman Honor Thyself and Right Truth
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Pingback by Blue Collar Republican » Blog Archive » Blog Burst January 4, 2006 — January 4, 2007 @ 6:49
Firstly, there is a diference of opinion on whether non Muslims are allowed in the city, although the state of Saudi has opted for the opinion that disallows all non muslims, there are strong position that says Non Muslims are allowed in the city, but not in the Sacred Mosque’s area.
Secondly, discarding the fact that you called our beloved Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلّم), we don’t put him above him ever, actually it is repeatedly emphasized that he is only a servant and Messenger of the almighty. If you have any questions, or anything, I’ll try within whatever ability my lord grants me to help you.
May God guide us all.
Yaser
Comment by Yaser — January 4, 2007 @ 8:58
Welcome. Having never been to Saudi Arabia, I can only go by what I am told, but evidence seems to be rather strong that the Saudis are pretty anti nonMuslim.
I notice that you capitalize “Messenger” but not “almighty”. Why is that?
Many members of my maternal grandparents families were killed by Muslims because they were Christian, can you explain that?
Comment by olbroad — January 4, 2007 @ 10:27
Slip of the keyboard, I was typing quickly. In Arabic, neither is capitalized…because they don’t have capitalization.
Saudis are a bit anti mainstream Muslim as well.
I’m sorry, but where were your family members killed? There must be some context…
Comment by Yaser — January 5, 2007 @ 8:13
Not that it should matter where they were murdered, but it was in Lebanon. The were killed because they were Christian, as have many people since all around the world.
Comment by olbroad — January 5, 2007 @ 12:52
I’m sorry if this sounds rude, but you have no context still. I’m Muslim, devout as well. Yet I haven’t killed anyone because they were Christian. And where it was does matter; Lebanon is one of the most tragic places in the last 40 years. Enough bloodshed has gone between each group there that to say only Muslims killed Christians because they were Christian is a gross overstatement. Every group commited a gross injustice to every other group. Simply stating vague questions like that, then should I dare to ask you, My aunt’s brother in law was murdered by Americans because he was Muslim, why?. Or perhaps I should ask why would an entire family related to destroyed under American bombs. And I am an American too, born and raised here. How does that make me feel, my country attacking my family? No I don’t lash out in this kind of indiscriminate, stupid manner because simply put, it doesn’t solve anything nor does it factor in the environment, the times we live in. Life is too complex for those kind of blanket statements. Sorry for the rant. Instead, perhaps it would be constructive to look into what Islam has to say…from actual legitimate Muslims. Not wannabe celebrity Muslims like OBL or those liberal Muslims who barely strip Islam of everything in order to look more Western (yea we have problems with Liberals sometimes also :-P). Just a suggestion.
Nonetheless, I am deeply sorry for your loss. If your family members had in fact been killed only because they were Christian, let me assure you, this act is not sanctioned in traditional Islam.
مع السلامة
*with peace
Yaser
Comment by Yaser — January 5, 2007 @ 11:59
Yaser, this wasn’t in the last 40 years. It was in the late 1800s. As the name (ol’ broad) implies, I’m old…my mother was old when she adopted me. I never met my grandparents because they were old. I just know what my mother and all her relatives told me. And yes, it was solely because they were Christians. It wasn’t a war, it was premeditated. I’m not bitter, nor do I hate Muslims, I’m just stating a fact.
How do you explain the Christian school girls that were beheaded in Indonesia? Is this peaceful?
I, too, am sorry for your loss. Innocents should not be killed, but as I’ve stated many times before, sadly, it does happen in war. It could happen to you or I at any time in the future too. I pray this doesn’t happen, however, given the bitterness of the radical types, it may.
From what I’ve read, it seems that the interpretations of what the Qu’ran actually says is being distorted in some places, and used literally in other when it suits the interpreter. This also, sadly, applies to some who CLAIM to be Christian. One example would be that nutjob from Westboro Baptist. But ya know, at least that bunch isn’t bombing and cutting off heads (so far), as distasteful as he and his group may be.
Christianity has a violent past… I can’t deny that, but we got over it. :/
Comment by olbroad — January 6, 2007 @ 9:49
In Islamic law, killing somebody just because they are Christian (in a non battlefield setting) is forbidden. It is a grave crime.
I don’t know of the Indonesian incident so I can’t comment but the vast majority of traditional scholars would not condone such actions. Unfortunately, ever since the retreat of Communism & Colonialism, many areas in the world have been out of connection with traditional scholarship and instead have been wrapped up in their own way of interpreting the texts which bypasses those who have knowledge, and only to worsen the condition are ’scholars’ of Saudi Arabia whose animosity against regular Muslims is already well known, let alone non muslims. This mix of anti western sentiment and lack of education in morality and being human has left them to mix what Islam they know and their own emotions creating the mess you see now. I’m not going to bother debating who has commited worse acts, because its too depressing and the list is too long. I hope that clears up any problems.
Comment by Yaser — January 6, 2007 @ 11:24
I appreciate your patience. I honestly hope, in the not too distant future, all people will be able to live in peace. Until that point though, we’re going to see a LOT of misunderstanding on all sides.
Sadly, when the events with the cab drivers in Minnesota come to light, more and more damage is done against a better relationship between faiths.
I hope you won’t be offended if I say I won’t be converting?
I’m quite happy with my faith, since it gives me comfort at times of stress.
Comment by olbroad — January 6, 2007 @ 11:36
That’s fine. I was just hoping to shed some light on the issue… Inshallah (God Willing), we’ll both be on the truth.
Comment by Yaser — January 6, 2007 @ 2:21
Question for ya Yaser. When I was a small child, I was able to speak a little Arabic. I don’t remember much, but…now excuse my spelling here…doesn’t In Allah Rod mean something like “go with G-d”? My memory is extremely iffy.
Comment by olbroad — January 6, 2007 @ 6:49
Mmm, I know in some colloquial dialects, they use Rah for go, so you could say I guess Allah Rah? I haven’t heard it…but I’m not even an ‘arab
. I would probably say idh-hab billah (literally go with G-d) but I’ve never heard that usage. I’m Afghan descent, born and raised in the US. My ‘arabic is all learned here. My reading and writing aint bad but my conversational can be horrendous since colloqial variation can vary quite a bit.
Comment by Yaser — January 6, 2007 @ 11:45
I understand…it’s kind of like moving from the deep south to a very northern state and not being able to understand most of what people are saying.
I know that feeling all too well. LOL Thanks! 
Comment by olbroad — January 7, 2007 @ 8:37
why can’t non muslims go inside mecca and medina. i understand you guys practice the hajj. but thats no reason to say that non muslims can enter a two CITIES
Comment by oscar — January 28, 2007 @ 9:51