MODERATION IN ALL THINGS BUT MODERATION

Here's yet another clipping I cribbed from Robert Spencer's Jihad Watch. So it must be true. There DOES exist a handful of moderate or should we dare hope, reformist Muslims out here in Infidelphia. Reports on the continuing persecution of Jamal Miftah, a Muslim in Tulsa, who has been called "un-Islamic" by the imam of a US mosque for daring to condemn Osama bin Laden. "It was not an express threat," says Miftah of what mosque leaders were saying about him, "but it is an implied message to the others: that he isn't Islamic, you kill him, you go to heaven."

The Al-Salaam Mosque in Tulsa, which booted out Miftah, said they would receive him back if he apologizes for the op-ed he wrote against bin Laden—although now they say they only kicked him out because he was too loud during Islamic services. Sure. You'd think they'd put up with the inconvenience of his loud voice considering the fact that he was articulating the moderation that we're constantly told that they all believe in, wouldn't they? After all, Muslim leaders complain that moderate Muslims get no attention from the media—surely they would all want to stand behind Jamal Miftah, wouldn't they? Wouldn't they?

As someone else has pointed out, why should this man retract an article he wrote if the reason he got kicked out of the nicey nice group in the first place was not the writing of the article, but of being too loud in services. Muslim logic is indeed a marvelous thing to behold. Not!

While others have noted that he did not repudiate the Koran, Mohammed, and the idea that Islam is a religion of peace, and therefore is hardly a moderate, I however, could not find the original article penned by Mr. Miftah. Thus, I salute Mr. Miftah for at least having the courage of spirit to reject the hardliners who applaud the acts of war against America, even upon threat of death.