Angel,
Do you really not know the difference between Moslem faith and Christianity?
Kathy
At 09:12 AM 1/26/2006, you wrote:
>Why do you say this? What do you know of Islam that you would say such a
>thing? I have very good Moslem friends and I don't believe any would
>sacrifice their sight to gain favor with God. However, I think it is noble
>to be willing to do such a thing. After all Jesus said it is better to
>enter the kingdom of heaven with one hand or one eye or perhaps no eyes than
>to be cast in to hell for eternity. I wish I had that sort of zeal for God
>but alas I don't I fear.?
>----- Original Message -----
>From: Karen Carter <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Wednesday, January 25, 2006 12:10 AM
>Subject: Re: Fw: What's With All the Blind Clerics?
>
>
> > They probably sacraficed their eyes or whaat have you to get blessing from
>Ala.
> >
> > --
> > I would rather live my life as if there is a God, and die to find out
>there isn't, than live my life as if there isn't, and die to find out there
>is
> >
> > IN GOD WE TRUST
> > Karen Carter '74
> > -KC- Ministries
> >
> >
> > -------------- Original message ----------------------
> > From: [log in to unmask]
> > > This is interesting. It seems the cultures with the highest restraints
> > > against our full participation in society will jump at the chance to
>cast us
> > > in clerical roles as if to say, "God will embrace these people even if
>we
> > > won't."
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: Blind World Magazine <[log in to unmask]>
> > > To: Blind News <[log in to unmask]>
> > > Sent: Sunday, January 22, 2006 8:21 PM
> > > Subject: What's With All the Blind Clerics?
> > >
> > >
> > > >
> > > > What's With All the Blind Clerics?
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > January 20, 2006.
> > > > By Daniel Engber,
> > > > Slate - USA.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Omar Abdel Rahman: the blind bomber
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > The Muslim cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri denied preaching racial hatred in
>a
> > > > British courtroom on Thursday. Al-Masri has been linked to the
>would-be
> > > > shoe-bomber Richard Reid and stands accused of starting a terrorist
> > > training
> > > > camp in Oregon. Most news reports also mention that al-Masri has only
>one
> > > > eye and no hands. It seems like we're always hearing about blind or
> > > > half-blind Muslim clerics-what's the deal?
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > There is a pattern of the blind leading the not-blind in modern Islam.
>A
> > > > traditional Muslim education in some ways favors the blind, since it
> > > > proceeds largely through the repetition and memorization of sacred
>texts.
> > > > Children chant Quranic verses until they know them by heart; those who
> > > learn
> > > > the whole book often receive advanced religious training. Blind
>kids-who
> > > > often make up for their disability with a finely tuned sense of
> > > hearing-tend
> > > > to do quite well at this.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Children who can't see may also get pushed toward the clergy by their
> > > > parents. Clerics often preach through the artful recitation of the
> > > > Quran-something a blind person can learn to do as well as anyone else.
>The
> > > > same child would be at a severe disadvantage in a conventional
>classroom,
> > > > and he'd have a harder time holding down a regular job.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Muslims have revered blind clerics for over 1,000 years. In one scene
>in
> > > the
> > > > Quran, the Prophet frowns and turns away from a blind man, only to
>have
> > > > Allah castigate him for rejecting a spiritual seeker. The man, called
> > > > Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum, became an important early follower of the
> > > Prophet.
> > > > (The tradition of blind religious figures extends back to early
>Judaism
> > > and
> > > > Christianity as well.)
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Today, even blind people without religious training enjoy a certain
>level
> > > of
> > > > respect in the Muslim world. Turks, for example, refer to a blind man
>as a
> > > > hafiz-meaning one who has completely memorized the Quran-whether or
>not he
> > > > has earned the title. In Egypt, blind men are casually described as
> > > > moulanas, a term of respect given to Muslim scholars.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Another factor in the prevalence of blind clerics may be the high
>rates of
> > > > blindness in Arab countries. A 2002 study, for example, reveals a dire
> > > > situation in Lebanon, Oman, and Morocco, where more than 5 percent of
>the
> > > > people over the age of 50 couldn't see.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > The blind clerics most often mentioned in the Western press are
>radical
> > > > jihadis like Abu Hamza al-Masri or Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman-the "blind
> > > sheik"
> > > > accused of masterminding the World Trade Center bombing of 1993. But
>blind
> > > > clerics are just as likely to be moderates. The revered Saudi
>Abdelaziz
> > > ibn
> > > > Baaz, for example, renounced violence in the name of installing
>Islamic
> > > > governments. He also issued a fatwa allowing Muslim men to take
>Viagra.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > In fact, blindness could be a liability within the most militant sects
>of
> > > > Islam. In the 1980s, members of the Egyptian jihad movement debated
> > > whether
> > > > Abdel Rahman's blindness made him a poor operational leader. The
>strongest
> > > > voice opposing him belonged to Ayman al-Zawahiri, now thought to be
> > > > al-Qaida's No. 2 figure.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Explainer thanks Richard Antoun of the State University of New York,
> > > Mahmoud
> > > > Ayoub of Temple University, Fawaz Gerges of Sarah Lawrence, and
>Valerie
> > > > Hoffman of the University of Illinois.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Source URL: http://www.slate.com/id/2134506/#.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > --
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> > > >
> > > > Archived at: http://GeoffAndWen.com/blind/
> > > >
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> > > >
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> > >
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