Keith Ellison Swears in on Thomas Jefferson’s Quran!
Published by Haseeb January 3rd, 2007 in Current News, Keith EllisonSource: The Washington Post
Rep.-elect Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, found himself under attack last month when he announced he’d take his oath of office on the Koran — especially from Virginia Rep. Virgil Goode, who called it a threat to American values.
Yet the holy book at tomorrow’s ceremony has an unassailably all-American provenance. We’ve learned that the new congressman — in a savvy bit of political symbolism — will hold the personal copy once owned by Thomas Jefferson.
“He wanted to use a Koran that was special,” said Mark Dimunation, chief of the rare book and special collections division at the Library of Congress, who was contacted by the Minnesota Dem early in December. Dimunation, who grew up in Ellison’s 5th District, was happy to help.
Jefferson’s copy is an English translation by George Sale published in the 1750s; it survived the 1851 fire that destroyed most of Jefferson’s collection and has his customary initialing on the pages. This isn’t the first historic book used for swearing-in ceremonies — the Library has allowed VIPs to use rare Bibles for inaugurations and other special occasions.
Ellison will take the official oath of office along with the other incoming members in the House chamber, then use the Koran in his individual, ceremonial oath with new Speaker Nancy Pelosi. “Keith is paying respect not only to the founding fathers’ belief in religious freedom but the Constitution itself,” said Ellison spokesman Rick Jauert.
One person unlikely to be swayed by the book’s illustrious history is Goode, who released a letter two weeks ago objecting to Ellison’s use of the Koran. “I believe that the overwhelming majority of voters in my district would prefer the use of the Bible,” the Virginia Republican told Fox News, and then went on to warn about what he regards as the dangers of Muslims immigrating to the United States and Muslims gaining elective office.
Yeah, but what about a Koran that belonged to one of the greatest Virginians in history? Goode, who represents Jefferson’s birthplace of Albemarle County, had no comment yesterday.
This by far is the best “compromise” for hard-line ignoramouses and faithful Muslims and liberals I have heard. To swear on a Quran previously owned by the most influential founding father of our time brings a “sensability” to the swearing on the Quran for those who know nothing of it or are purely against it. Although I believe the text is all in English, it is a Quran, noneoftheless. Allahu Akbar
and of course this will not be on the mainstream media (tv)
aSTAGFIRLLAH BUT IT IS HARAM TO VOTE AND TO USE COMPUTER
As a matter in fact, it was all over CNN. For all of this afternoon they were showing and subtitling how he used the Quran of Thomas Jefferson. But of course, not a second of air time on Fox News though, if thats what you mean.
Since voting is haraam, i (a non voting muslim) don’t care about this Ellison and i certainly don’t mind that he’s being branded a terrorist for being muslim (and since being involved in worldly politics is also haraam - he is probably not muslim either). That said, the only way for muslims to achieve prominence is by praying for it…allahuakbar if not in this life, in the afterlife, muslims will be a world power.
Mohamma, thank you for being up front with your views as a Muslim. I think you are right that voting and supporting any secular government is not allowed in Islam. Probably, his constituents do not know this and perhaps he does not believe this, I don’t know, but that is why it troubles me that a Muslim was elected to the Congress.
A couple of comments. He is not the first Muslim ever elected to the Congress. John Randolph from VA, was a Muslim and was elected to Congress back in 1799.
Secondly, I disagree with his spokesman who said this:
“Keith is paying respect not only to the founding fathers’ belief in religious freedom but the Constitution itself,” Sounds great, but….
Jefferson is being held up as this really tolerant guy who loved Muslims and would be proud of Ellison for using his Koran. I don’t think so. Jefferson was absolutely fed up with the Muslims who were forcing the US to pay tribute for safe passage of ships around Tunis, Algers, Morocco, and Tripoly. These 4 Muslim nations were attacking ships, holding sailors for ransom, selling them into slavery, and creating havoc for passing ships. During Washington’s presidency, the tribute paid to these guys for safe passage reached 15% of the budget. It grew with Adam’s presidency and Jefferson was very frustrated with these Muslim pirates.
The enslaving of Christians by Muslims was such a great problem that for centuries, French Catholics operated a ministry that raised money to ransom enslaved sailors. Jefferson himself mentioned this group of priests who were involved in this. Jefferson was no friend of these guys. In fact, it was Jefferson who, in the last year of Washington’s presidency, urged Congress to begin a Navy with a view toward stopping this terrorism on the high seas. When he became President, he refused to pay any more tributes. WHat happened? Tripoly declared war on the US! Our first war was inspired by Muslims. THe other countries backed down when they say the US was going to actually fight, but Tripoly wanted to fight. 4 years later, Tripoly surrendered and signed a treaty with the US(1801-1805). There were Marines on the ships sent to fight. , and so this is why in the Marine song, we find the words “to the shores of Tripoly”. But in 1807, Muslim Algiers began attacking US ships again. These Muslim countries proved they could not be trusted as they kept on breaking their treaties. In his dealings with these nations, he was told one time by a Muslim Ambassador that the Koran promised Paradise as a reward for enslaving, killing, and war. It was then that he inquired into the irrational beliefs that motivated the Muslims who were warring against America.
Why did Jefferson own a Koran? You be the judge. It seems that a man who had to deal with these Muslim raiders for over 20 years, a man who was now the Commander and Chief of the armed forces, might just possibly have wanted to know a little about his enemy, does it not? I mean he couldn’t understand the rationale of these people who enslaved, killed, and fought in order to gain Paradise. Or you could try to assert like Congressman Ellison that “the Koran is definitely an important historical document in our national history and demonstrates demonstrates that Jefferson was a broad visionary thinker… It [the Koran] would have been something that contributed to his own thinking.”
Hmm. Which view seems more probable? Either this shows that Congressman Ellison is ignorant of American history or his religious views hae caused him to be a bit bias when he looks at history.
Do we really think Jeffeson was honored by Ellison’s decision to be sworn in on his copy of the Koran, a copy he secured in all probability to learn about the religion of his enemies? That is what the news media would have us to believe.
Jim
Jim from Japan was duped into reporting historical revisionist David Barton’s claims that U.S. Representative Keith Ellison (DFL-MN) is not the first Muslim elected to Congress. According to Barton, John Randolph (1773-1833) of Roanoke, Virginia was a Muslim before Francis Scott Key befriended him and “faithfully shared Christ with him.” According to Barton, Randolph eventually converted from Islam to Christianity.
The story, however, is completely bogus. Randolph, for whom the Methodist school Randolph Macon College in Virginia is named, was a lifelong Christian, but also, like many of the founding fathers, a deist.
When confronted with this evidence, Barton retracted he claims but continued to assert that Randolph “held a position ‘in favor of Mahomedanism’ and ‘rejoiced in all its triumphs over the cross [Christianity].’ Randolph was not a Muslim in the same sense as Ellison, but he certainly cultivated what he described as a position of ‘natural repugnance to Christianity.’” Although Barton is no longer circulating outright falsehoods about Randolph, he continues to disseminate bigotry towards Muslims. Barton claims that “intolerance and tyranny are general traits of Islam.”
Barton’s motive in minimizing Ellison’s historical importance is unclear, but it is likely part of an effort to demonize Ellison in general and Islam specifically. He ends his diatribe by declaring that there is an “understandable element of concern with Ellison’s election” because he holds the same religion as America’s enemies. Barton declares that “intolerance and tyranny are general traits of Islam.” To confront this “negative manifestations and characteristics of Islam” Barton urges citizens, “particularly Christians,” to pray and “share your Christian faith with [Ellison] and see if he will convert to Christianity!”
Barton’s bigotry and Jim from Japan’s complacency are part of a larger growing problem in America. When considered in conjunction with the smear campaign being waged against Barack H. Obama, the false accusations that he was educated in a Madrassah, and oft repeated anti-Islamic jokes, such as Seth Myers’ on SNL, we see a pattern of fear mongering, both overtly and covertly, linking all Muslims and all things Islamic with violence and terrorism.
Jim from Japan has been duped into repeating historical revisionist David Barton’s claim that U.S. Representative Keith Ellison (DFL-MN) was not the first Muslim to serve in Congress. Barton claimed in a earlier version of his essay “An Historical Perspective on a Muslim Being Sworn into Congress on the Koran” that the distinction was held by John Randolph of Roanoke (Jacksonian-VA) who served from 1773-1833. The story, however, is completely bogus. Randolph, for whom the Methodist school Randolph-Macon University in Virginia is named, was a lifelong Christian, but also, like many of the founding fathers, a deist. Barton has issued a retraction, of sort. In the latest version of Barton’s diatribe about Ellison, Islam and the Barbary War, Barton now admits Ellison may be the first Muslim but that Randolph “held a position ‘in favor of Mahomedanism’ and ‘rejoiced in all its triumphs over the cross [Christianity].’ Randolph was not a Muslim in the same sense as Ellison, but he certainly cultivated what he described as a position of ‘natural repugnance to Christianity.’” Although Barton is no longer circulating outright falsehoods about Randolph he continues to disseminate bigotry towards Muslims. Barton claims that “intolerance and tyranny are general traits of Islam.”