Texas Senate prayer excludes Christians

Pro-Khomeini imam seeks protection from 'those who have lost the way' A Horde of Judgment Habakkuk 1:2-3 How long, O LORD, will I call for help, and You will not hear? I cry out to You, "violence! "Yet You do not save. Why do You make me see iniquity, and cause me to look on wickedness? Yes, destruction and violence are before me; strife exists and contention arises. 2 John 1:7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. 1 John 2:22 Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. WORLDNETDAILY – April 5, 2007 A controversial Texas imam who at one point participated in a "tribute to the great Islamic visionary" Ayatollah Khomeini, has offered a prayer to open the state Senate that excluded both Christians and Jews. "Oh, Allah, guide us to the straight path, the path of those whom you have favored, not of those who have earned your wrath or of those who have lost the way," prayed Imam Yusuf Kavakci of the Dallas Central Mosque. Islam, of course, teaches that Jews and Christians both have earned the wrath of Allah by failing to follow Islam, and also have lost the way by following the teachings of the Torah for the Jews or the Bible for Christians. Kavakci concluded "with an Islamic chant that sounded eerily like it was coming over the loudspeakers in Tehran," according to a statement from the U.S. Pastor Council. "Ironically, it was a Jewish Republican, Sen. Florence Shapiro, (available by e-mail at Florence.Shapiro@senate.state.tx.us) who invited the imam to give the prayer that specifically excluded those of her faith as well as Christians." "Imagine if an evangelical Christian pastor prayed in Jesus name, ONLY FOR CHRISTIANS, before the government of Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, etc., during Ramadan," the statement said. The imam introduced what he was going to do: "We will pray by reading from first chapter, opening chapter, Al-Fãtehah, from holy Quran, followed by recitation, traditional way of recitation of text from holy Quran, with an addition." The he prayed: In the name of god, Allah, the beneficent, the merciful. All praise is for Allah, our lord, the lord of the worlds, the compassionate, the merciful, master of the day of judgments. Oh, god, Allah, you alone we worship, and you alone we call on for help. Oh, Allah, guide us to the straight path, the path of those whom you have favored, not of those who have earned your wrath or of those who have lost the way. Our lord, have mercy on us from yourself and guide us in our efforts, strivings, and works." Officials said a recording of the prayer was available at this link by clicking 'You can hear the opening ceremony, including the prayer, here.' "I do believe we should respond to this event to make sure that our governing officials and the citizens of the State of Texas understand the Christian position. Appreciation of diversity in people is not tantamount to acceptance of their gods," said Pastor Ross Cullins, a member of the executive committee for the Houston Area Pastor Council. "This state and nation were established and have been sustained on a foundation of Biblical principles and practices. The only reason to attack the foundation of any structure is to initiate the process which leads to ultimate destruction.” The Dallas-Forth Worth chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations promoted the occasion as a huge step forward. "Don't miss the next milestone event for the Texas Muslim community!' DFW-CAIR's announcement read. "On April 4, 2007, the first Muslim imam will open the Texas Senate with an Islamic prayer." Kavacki, who has served in Dallas area for nearly 20 years, has been seen as a moderate voice among U.S. Muslims, but he has not gone uncriticized for some of his activities. WND reported in 2005 on the nonpartisan Freedom House report documenting Saudi-sponsored hate literature, originating with the government and Saudi-financed sources that reflected "extremist Wahhabi ideology," being disseminated through mosques in the U.S. One of those mosques, according to a critical editorial in the Dallas Morning News, was Kavacki's: "Unfortunately, this kind of thing is not altogether alien to this mosque," it read. "Last spring, it hosted a youth quiz competition, sponsored by two national organizations closely tied to the worldwide Islamist movement. Kids were tested on the work of premier jihad ideologist Sayyid Qutb. "The mosque's imam, Dr. Yusuf Kavakci, has publicly praised two of the world's foremost radical Islamists, Yusuf Qaradawi and Hasan al-Turabi, as exemplary leaders. Dr. Kavakci also sits on the board of the Saudi-backed Islamic Society of North America, described in congressional testimony as a major conduit of Wahhabist teaching. Yet Dr. Kavakci tells The Dallas Morning News he rejects Wahhabist teaching. Something doesn't add up. "Sayyid Qutb is the author of 'Milestones,' the Mein Kampf of the global jihad movement – and it's highly disturbing to learn that Muslim children are being indoctrinated with this foul work of fascist xenophobia, in the United States." In 2004, Kavakci was a guest speaker at a seminar sponsored by Irving, Texas, Muslims paying "tribute to the great Islamic visionary," Ayatollah Khomeini, the leader of Iran's 1979 revolution. Kavakci and others shared the roster with Mohammed Asi, a radical Washington imam whom, according to The Washington Post, U.S. officials suspect of being an Iranian agent. Seminar organizer Imam Shamshad Haider told the Dallas Morning News Khomeini has been unjustly portrayed in the Western media. Earlier Haider had complained on television that Khomeini had been unfairly judged on only one aspect of his personality. Kavakci declined two invitations from the Morning News to explain why he would attended such a conference. WND reported in February that Democrat leaders attending their party's annual winter meeting had Husham Al-Husainy, imam of the Karbalaa Islamic Education Center, a shiite mosque in Dearborn, Mich., deliver the invocation. According Robert Spencer, director of Jihad Watch and author of "The Truth about Muhammad," the assembled Democrats were led in a prayer asking Allah to convert party members to Islam. http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=55049 FAIR USE NOTICE: This blog contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of religious, environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. 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