MEMRI
Following ‘Interfaith Gathering Of Unity’ At Islamic Center Of Jersey City, New Jersey, Center’s Imam, In Sermons, Accuses Jews Of Carrying Out Sinai Mosque Massacre, Prays To Be Martyred At ‘Al-Aqsa Mosque, Which Is Under The Feet Of The Apes And Pigs’
On November 12, 2017, the Islamic Center of Jersey City hosted the “Interfaith Gathering of Unity 2017,” sponsored by the Hudson Country Brotherhood/Sisterhood Association, which identifies itself as “an interfaith body for understanding and mutual support.” The event was billed as “an Interfaith Gathering of Unity for Hudson County’s diverse religious groups including Baha’i, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, and Sikh communities.”
It should be noted that the Islamic Center of New Jersey works with government agencies involved in counterterrorism and has in the past worked with the U.S. military.
Islamic Center of New Jersey President Ahmed Shedeed
The interfaith event was hosted by the center’s president, the Egyptian-born Ahmed Shedeed, who had been honored by New Jersey Senator Cory Booker by being chosen to be his guest at President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address in January 2016. According to a bio of him posted by Sen. Booker, Shedeed is not only president of the Islamic Center of Jersey City, but also “a leader at the Al-Tahweed Islamic Center, one of the largest and oldest mosques in New Jersey. Mr. Shedeed also serves as Honorary Deputy Mayor for Arab Affairs in Jersey City… [and] also serves as a member of the FBI Newark Citizens Academy Alumni Association’s Outreach Committee… He is a member of the New Jersey Attorney General’s Muslim Outreach Committee, and serves on the Interfaith Advisory Council to the New Jersey Department of Homeland Security.”
Islamic Center of Jersey City President Ahmed Shedeed and Sen. Corey Booker. Source: Facebook.com/corybooker/
In an announcement titled “My State of the Union Guest: Ahmed Shedeed,” Sen. Booker wrote: “Because I believe in the boundless capacity of our country to rise above intolerance, fear and discrimination, and to celebrate the pluralism that makes us strong, I’ve invited New Jersey resident Ahmed Shedeed to be my guest at President Obama’s final State of the Union address on Tuesday. Mr. Shedeed is the President of the Islamic Center of Jersey City and a leader at the Al-Tahweed Islamic Center, one of the largest and oldest mosques in New Jersey. Throughout his life Mr. Shedeed has spoken out for religious tolerance and mutual understanding. His life and his work are examples of how the diversity of America makes us all better.” He also noted that that as president of the center, Shedeed “promotes inter-religious understanding and cultivates community involvement and enrichment for the region’s Muslim community.”
The Interfaith Event
Speakers at the event included Janice Rufino of the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security; local Jewish community leaders, including Rabbi Brian Beal of Temple Beth El Jersey City; Rabbi Naomi Kalish, who emceed the event, and other Jewish representatives, in addition to a representative of the Bahai community of Jersey City, and a priest from St. George and St. Shenouda Coptic Orthodox Church of Jersey City. Other participants included Rabbi Rob Scheinberg of the United Synagogue of Hoboken, who performed with the synagogue choir. The welcoming committee on behalf of the center included Imams Aymen Elkasaby and Ali Farghal; Ahmed Shedeed thanked Imam Elkasaby personally for his efforts for the event.
Left: Ahmed Shedeed at the interfaith event; right: Shedeed with Imam Aymen Elkasaby at the event.
Rabbi Naomi Kalish (left) and Janice Rufino of the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security at the event. Source: MEMRI TV, Youtube.com/watch?v=
Imam Elkasaby’s Sermons At The Center
However, following this event, Imam Elkasaby gave sermons in Arabic at the Islamic Center in which he made statements that sharply contrasted with the views expressed at the interfaith event. These included conspiracy theories against Jews, referring to Jews as “apes and pigs,” praying for martyrdom, and more.
The following are MEMRI TV clips of two of those sermons, on November 24 and December 8, 2017.
Imam Aymen Elkasaby, November 24, 2017: Jews Carried Out Sinai Mosque Massacre; “Oh Allah, Count The Oppressors One By One, And Kill Them Down To The Very Last One”
On November 24, Imam Elkasaby condemned that day’s terror attack at the Al-Rawdah mosque in Sinai, in which dozens of gunmen killed over 300 worshippers and wounded at least 122 others, saying: “Whose interests does this serve? For the sake of whose interests are Muslims being killed in Sinai and all over the Islamic world? For the sake of whose interests are the inhabitants of Sinai being driven out? For the sake of whose interests are Muslims killed in the middle of prayer?”
Calling “ridiculous” the claim that ISIS was responsible for the attack, he argued that it “could have only been done by the enemies of Islam – the Jews and their subordinates from among the Muslim rulers” since “it is inconceivable that a Muslim would blow up a church or a mosque.” He continued: “Oh Allah, take revenge upon whoever has shed the blood of the Muslims… Allah, take revenge upon whoever killed the Muslims… Oh Allah, count the oppressors one by one, and kill them down to the very last one. Do not leave a single one upon the earth!”
Bemoaning the state of Islam today, he reminded his congregants of the hadith saying that “any nation that abandoned jihad was humiliated by Allah.” The West, he added, had “made our nation abandon jihad and now it is at the tail end of all nations.”
A video of Imam Elkasaby’s sermon was posted on the YouTube channel of the Islamic Center of Jersey City.
To view this sermon on MEMRI TV, click here or below.
Following are excerpts from the sermon:
Sheikh Aymen Elkasaby: “When the Muslims were praying the Friday prayer at the Al-Rawdah Mosque in Sinai, a terrible incident occurred and blood began to flow. There were over 250 martyrs in that Friday prayer, and more than 110 were wounded. These people had committed no crime or sin. The only thing they did was to come to the house of Allah.
[…]
“Whose interests does this serve? For the sake of whose interests are Muslims being killed in Sinai and all over the Islamic world? For the sake of whose interests are the inhabitants of Sinai being driven out? For the sake of whose interests are Muslims killed in the middle of prayer?
[…]
“Some people condemn the attack, saying that it was done by ISIS terrorists. Enough! Stop being ridiculous! They’ve made fools out of us with [stories] of ISIS and similar groups. By Allah, this could only have been done by the enemies of Islam – the Jews and their subordinates from among the Muslim rulers. What ISIS are they talking about? What groups are they referring to? What Muslims are they talking about? No Muslim who recites the two shahadas would ever do such a thing in Allah’s house of prayer, in a Christian house, or even in a church. It is inconceivable that a Muslim would blow up a church or a mosque.
[…]
“Oh Allah, take revenge upon whoever has shed the blood of the Muslims!”
Congregation: “Amen.”
Sheikh Aymen Elkasaby: “Allah, take revenge upon whoever killed the Muslims!”
Congregation: “Amen.”
Sheikh Aymen Elkasaby: “Allah, take revenge upon whoever violated the sanctity of Allah’s houses of worship.”
Congregation: “Amen.”
Sheikh Aymen Elkasaby: “Oh Allah, hasten your revenge, or Lord of the Worlds!”
Congregation: “Amen.”
Sheikh Aymen Elkasaby: “Oh Allah, count the oppressors one by one, and kill them down to the very last one. Do not leave a single one upon the Earth.”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.