Zulhijja 22, 1424/February 13, 2004 #20

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THOUGHT OF THE DAY:

Ayatollah Ali Sistani faces a historic task. He can join hands with the occupation armies to hold "elections" in Iraq while the President of the country is being held by the occupiers. Iraqi Shias would then form the "government" under U.S. auspices. The impact of this collaboration could have devastating effect on Shia communities throughout the Muslim world.

Or Ali Sistani could forget the past conflict with President Saddam Hussain, make peace with the Sunni resistance and drive out the occupiers. In that case, Muslim unity would emerge in Iraq and the wounds of the Iraq-Iran war would gradually heal.
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IRSHAD MANJI'S CLAIM OF "Anti-Semitism" Against Islam Refuted

[During the lasy 10 months, the Zionist media have brought up a Canadian version of Salman Rushdie and Taslima Nasrin. She is Irshad Manji, an Agha Khani who claims to be "Muslim and homosexual" and has visited Israel. She has been receiving publicity from NPR and other Zionist media during her U.S. tour now underway.]
The Editor:

S.F.Chronicle.

Dear Editor:

Irshad Manji’s attacks on Islam {Jan. 19} are a litany of fraudulent charges that defy credibility. Her charge that Islam harbors anti-Semitism is a falsehood that defies historic record. Chaim Weizmann, Israel’s first president, stated before the Anglo-American Committee of Enquiry in Jerusalem, in 1946: "I would not like to do any injustice. The Muslim world has treated the Jews with considerable tolerance. The Ottoman Empire {which was virtually entirely Muslims} received the Jews with open arms when they were driven out of Spain and Europe, and the Jews should never forget that."

Yours sincerely,

Ismail Zayid, MD.
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Dr. Zayid is an intellectual of Palestinian descent and an old time friend of the editor. He lives in Halifax, Canada.
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2004-02-22 Sun 08:53ct