Cause and effect: Hate speech in mosques; closure?

 

On August 9, 2018 Global News reported that the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has recently revoked the charitable status of  the Ottawa Islamic Centre and Assalam Mosque.

According to an official document obtained by Global News, CRA audits raised concerns about “radicalized individuals” who had attended the mosque as well as its roster of guest speakers. “Many of the views expressed by the organization’s speakers are misogynistic, homophobic, racist and/or promote violence,” CRA document reads.

CRA named in this regard four speakers, three of them Canadian imams, including the current Vice-President of the Canadian Council of Imams Abdullah Hakim Quick. Here is an excerpt from the document:

In addition, in a video lecture entitled “The History of the Crusaders,” Mr. Quick advocated for the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem to be liberated from the “filth” of the Jews:

“May Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala, the Most High, the Most Exalted, clean and purify Masjid [mosque] Al-Aqsa from the filth of the yahud [Jews]. May Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala, the Most High, the Most Exalted, clean Afghanistan and Iraq and all of the lands from the filth of  the Kafirun [disbelieveres or infidels].” 

Similar supplication were recited during Ramadan 2016 in Masjid Toronto Mosque by imam Ayman Elkasrawy:

“You are our Protector and give us victory over the disbelieving people. [congregation:] Ameen [declaration of affirmation]…

O Allah! Give victory to Islam and raise the standing of the Muslims. [congregation:] Ameen.

And humiliate the polytheism and polytheists. [congregation:] Ameen.

O Allah! Give victory (help) to your slaves who believe in the oneness of Allah. [congregation:] Ameen.

O Allah! Give them victory over the criminal people.

O Allah! Destroy anyone who killed/ fought against Muslims. [congregation:] Ameen.

O Allah! Destroy anyone who displaced the sons of the Muslims. [congregation:] Ameen.

O Allah! Count their number; [congregation:] Ameen, slay them one by one, [congregation:] Ameen, and spare not one of them.[congregation:] Ameen.

O Allah! Purify Al-Aqsa Mosque from the filth of the Jews! [congregation:] Ameen.

O Allah! Purify Al-Aqsa Mosque from the filth of the Jews! [congregation:] Ameen.

In the same month of Ramadan 2016 Elkasrawy also recited the following supplication:

“O Allah, we ask You for… victory over the enemies. [congregation:] Ameen,

O Allah! Raise the standing of Islam and the Muslims. [congregation:] Ameen.

O Allah! Give victory (help) to your oppressed slaves all over the world, east to west. [congregation:] Ameen.

O Allah! Give victory (help) to your slaves who believe in the oneness of Allah, O the Lord of the Worlds! [congregation:] Ameen.

O Allah! Destroy the criminals. [congregation:] Ameen.

O Allah! Destroy anyone who inflicts injustice on your slaves, O the Lord of the Worlds! [congregation:] Ameen.

O Allah! Count their number; [congregation:] Ameen, slay them one by one, [congregation:] Ameen and spare not one of them. [congregation:] Ameen

O Allah! Do not defer [it] from them, O the Lord of the Worlds! [congregation:] Ameen

O Allah! Seize them with the seizure of One Mighty, Omnipotent [referring to a Quranic verse that deals with the punishment Allah inflicted on Pharaoh and his people] [congregation:] Ameen”

Shaykh Abdool Hamid, senior imam at Masjid Toronto Mosque, recited in multiple occasions supplications in support of the Mujahideen:

“O Allah! Raise the standing of Islam and the Muslims

And humiliate the polytheism, the polytheists, the infidels and the atheists

And Give victory (help) to your slaves who believe in the oneness of Allah

O Allah! Give victory to our oppressed and deprived Muslim brothers and the mujahideen (those who engage in jihad) everywhere

O Allah! Pour on them patience and steadfast their feet

And give them victory over the disbelieving people

And give them victory over the evildoers

And give them victory over the criminals”

Wael Shihab, head imam of Masjid Toronto Mosque, expressed his views on Shariah Law  in articles and Islamic rulings posted on Onislam.net. According to Shihab:

• The solution to the global violence, extremism and oppression is Islam
• Qaradawi’s book “Jurisprudence of Jihad” should serves as a guidance to Muslims
• Thieves’ hands should be chopped off no matter their social status
• Person who underwent gender reassignment surgery should return to his original gender
• Muslims should avoid gays as homosexuality is evil and succumbing to the temptations of the Satan
• Wife should not reject her husband’s call for having sex

Should CRA audit Masjid Toronto Mosque and apply to it the same criteria that led to the revoking of their charitable status?

What is interesting is when Iman Ayman Elkasrawy  was confronted about his invocation of violence against the Jews, he denied knowledge of what his prayer actually meant. The Toronto Star wrote a long, detailed article in his defense. This article was full of misinformation and downright lies. What is also interesting is that the Toronto Star has not given one report on the Ottawa mosque losing it’s charitable status because of hate speech.

Diane Weber Bederman has compiled a series of articles concerning the duplicity of Toronto Star’s reporting. Here is a link to her blog where you can find these articles.

Should mosques that encourage/perpetuate/host hate speech and Imams be put under microscopic scrutiny? Should it go further than losing charitable status? Should they be closed?