And now, our final fatwa of the week, submitted to Imam Yusuf Kavakci by “Abbas” on 4/29/02.

Abbas (?) asks:

Honored Ustadh,

Often we hear hier in Germany from famous leaders of the Muslim and Christian dialogue that the best solution for Jerusalem problem is a multifaith governance of the city. They say, all (Muslims, Jews and Christians) have the same right on Jerusalem, because Jerusalem is holy for all three religions. Do you consider this a Islamic opinion? Thans salafan

Imam Kavakci–future prayer leader of the Texas state senate–responds [emphasis in bold added by LST]:

This is one of the decisions made by the UN in 1948. It has not been applied up till now. It may not be Ideal from an Islamic point of view, but perhaps that may be better then what is happening in Jerusalem now. We have a fiqhi maxim that I think is applicable in this situation: What cannot be totally apprehended, part of it should not be rejected. Since practically at the moment we cannot get all of Jerusalem and Palestine, it is probably wise to take a part of it.

Listen, Imam, don’t be so hard on yourself. Hitler had the same problem– big, bold dreams that were always seemingly just out of reach. The trick is to work hard, do what you can in pursuit of your goals each and every day, and wake up every morning with a positive attitude.

Besides, you never know when an Iranian-supplied nuclear bomb is going to come along and before you know it, all of Palestine will be yours!

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LoneStarTimes.com is challenging mainstream media reporters to ask tough questions of Dallas-area Imam Yusuf Kavakci, who stirred controversy last April with his prayer before the Texas state senate.

Imam Kavakci will be speaking at a Dallas-area Islamic conference this Saturday, June 30th.

Joining him on stage will be …

• His daughter, who has given a speech (starts on page 3 of pdf) in which she praises Palestinian Islamic Jihad sleeper agent Sami Al-Arian; AND
• A man named Jamal Badawi, who has been identified by federal prosecutors as having participated in fund-raising activities on behalf of a HAMAS front-group.

To highlight our challenge, LST is posting a fatwa (or “religious ruling”) issued by the Imam every day this week. Members of the media who would like to access or receive copies of our original source documentation should contact us via email at “lsteditorsATgmailDOTcom.” We’ll be happy to oblige.

Below is our ever-expanding list of questions we challenge the mainstream media to ask Imam Kavakci.

QUESTIONS RELATED TO HAMAS FUNDRAISING

On Saturday, June 3oth, you are scheduled to share the stage in Dallas with a Mr. Jamal Badawi, who has been identified by federal prosecutors as having “participated in fund-raising activities on behalf of the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development,” a HAMAS front-group.

• Will you commit to refusing to appear on stage with (and thereby implicitly conferring legitimacy upon) Mr. Badawi?
• Will you use your considerable authority within the Dallas Muslim community to ensuring that Mr. Badawi is disinvited from speaking at this conference?

It was recently revealed that you sit on the board of directors of a group that federal prosecutors have identified as unindicted co-conspirators in the trial of a HAMAS fund-raising sleeper cell set to begin in July.

• Why do you think this group on whose board you sit was identified by federal prosecutors in this way?
• What steps have you, as a member of the board of directors of this group and a respected religious authority in your community taken to ensure that no money raised for ostensibly charitable purposes has been directed towards terrorist groups like HAMAS?
• Do you agree or disagree that HAMAS is a terrorist group? Feel free to offer any explanation you wish to afterwards, but first please just answer with a simple Yes or No.
• Do you agree or disagree that it is improper for charity to flow even to the widows and orphans of HAMAS suicide bombers, since providing for surviving family members only makes it more likely that terrorists will be willing to act?

QUESTIONS RELATED TO SAMI AL-ARIAN

In 2002 your daughter gave a speech (starts on page 3 of pdf) in which she praises Palestinian Islamic Jihad sleeper agent Sami Al-Arian, who she believes is being “persecuted” by the US government.

• Do you agree with your daughter’s assertion that Sami Al-Arian has been persecuted by the United States government?
• Do you agree or disagree that Palestinian Islamic Jihad is a terrorist group? Feel free to offer any explanation you wish to afterwards, but first please just answer with a simple Yes or No.

QUESTIONS RELATED TO JIHAD IN PALESTINE

Imam Kavakci, you have stated that in any country, “people who have been invaded or their homes and lands are taken away from them, have the right to defend themselves, their families, and their properties against the aggressor.”

• Do you believe that in Palestine, Zionists have been aggressors and have invaded and taken away the homes and land of local Arab communities?
• Do you believe that local Arab communities in Palestine have the right to defend themselves, their families, and their property against Zionist aggression?
• What forms can this defense and resistance against aggression take?
• Are there any acts of resistance against aggression that are completely prohibited, no matter the circumstances or whom they are directed against?

QUESTIONS RELATED TO AYATOLLAH KHOMEINI

• Do you completely condemn, or do you sympathize in any way with the teachings of Iranian Revolutionary cleric Ayatollah Khomeini?

QUESTIONS RELATED TO SHEIKH YUSUF AL-QARADAWI

• Do you completely condemn Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi for his advocacy of suicide bombings in Israel and his exhortation to jihad against the Jews, or do you stand by your earlier praise for him as a “quality” Islamic scholar?

QUESTIONS RELATED TO HASAN AL-TURABI

• Do you completely condemn Hasan al-Turabi for giving Osama bin Laden sanctuary in Sudan and instigating jihad against Sudanese Christians and animists, or do you stand by your earlier praise for him as a “quality” Islamic scholar?