Courageous Wafa Sultan's brilliant interview with Acharya S. (aka D. M. Murdock)...
This article appeared in Examiner.
Dr. Wafa Sultan is a Syrian-born, American psychiatrist famous for her blistering critique of Islam in a debate with a Muslim cleric first aired on al-Jazeera television in 2006. The video of this controversial chastisement was posted online and has been seen by millions of people worldwide. So popular was this courageous and passionate exposé that TIME magazine voted Dr. Sultan one of the world's 100 most influential people of that year.
Dr. Sultan is also a co-founder of the American human rights group Former Muslims United, whose members include other important ex-Muslim activists such Nonie Darwish and Amil Imani, along with other brave souls. One of the main purposes of FMU is to ensure that Muslim apostates are protected under U.S. law, which charges people with murder who kill other human beings, regardless of their faith or non-belief. Unfortunately, according to the four main schools of Islamic jurisprudence, apostates from Islam can be murdered freely and legally—and many of the Muslim faithful have been taught to believe this slaughter is necessary, according to "God's law."
Former Muslims United also educates the public as to other threats to their basic human rights and freedoms under Islamic or sharia law, which is being pushed in non-Muslim countries around the world. One look at the kingdom of Saudi Arabia reveals the fundamentalist Islamic state under sharia law—and this way of life is being exported globally along with an agenda to compel sharia law upon the non-Muslim population as well. Along with sharia comes apostate murder, legal wife beatings, "honor killings," child marriages, public beheadings, stonings and hangings, limb amputations, discrimination against and forced covering up of women, as well as other brutal and harsh atrocities and mistreatments of human beings.
Wafa Sultan is an active and courageous critic of Islam at its fundamental core, which includes not only sharia law but also violent exhortations within the Koran/Quran itself. For her vitally important work helping preserve democratic and free society, Dr. Sultan lives under a constant security threat. In order to tell her story and spread her message, she has a new book out explaining the quagmire in which much of the world finds itself currently sinking, A God Who Hates: The Courageous Woman Who Inflamed the Muslim World Speaks Out Against the Evils of Islam. She has kindly agreed to an interview with me here on Examiner.com about her life and mission.
D.M Murdock: Dr. Sultan, thank you for honoring us with this interview. You are a courageous woman for doing what you do. The first question is, have you personally received any threats against you for your work exposing the problems with Islamic law and tradition? Are any of these threats specifically because of your very public apostasy from Islam? How has your life been impacted by these threats?
"I receive death threats on a daily basis."
Wafa Sultan: I receive death threats on a daily basis. I'm a well-known writer in the Arab world. My writings expose me to millions of devout Muslims who have nothing positive to prove but the sheer cruelty of their teachings. Islam has deprived them of their intellectual ability to face criticism with an effective and acceptable way.
Being born and raised as a Muslim has helped me to realize how serious these threats are. While I try to not let the threats interfere with my mission, at the same time I don't ignore them either. Prior to the release of my book A God Who Hates, I was forced to go into hiding. It hasn't been easy, but since I believe in my mission, nothing will deter me from accomplishing my objective.
DM: You were born and raised in a country—Syria—that, although it supposedly has a "secular" government, is largely Muslim. How was life different in Syria than it has been since you became an American citizen? Specifically as a woman, how is your life different from what it would have been, if you had stayed within the Syrian Muslim culture?
WS: The idea of "secular" government is a misconception that needs to be clarified. There is no secular government in the Islamic world. Some governments pretend to be secular for two main reasons: 1) To prove to the West that they are "secular" and in that way to benefit economically from its dealing with the West; and 2) The despotic governments are always threatened by Islamists. That leaves those autocratic regimes with no choice but to hit the Islamists with an iron fist.
The continuous conflict between the two evils doesn't mean that the government is less Islamic. In Syria, as long as Islamists don't bother the government—especially the president and his family—they are free to do whatever they wish. For the last twenty years, the Islamists with the help of Saudi money have played a major role in radicalizing the Syrian public, while the Syrian government has been turning a blind eye.
The situation under Islamic Sharia is bad in every Islamic country, but the level of strictness is different from one country to another—depending on the degree to which these laws are applied and followed. On a scale of one to ten where #1 is the least and #10 is the worst, I would grade Syria #6 compared to Saudi Arabia, which deserves to get a #10.
However, my life in America is not comparable to my life in Syria at any aspect. Since I left my country in 1989, I have been enjoying my life as a free person. Regardless of the threats I receive ,I express myself freely and speak my mind without the fear of being killed by my family and associates.
Do you think that if I lived in Syria I could answer your questions freely the same way I'm doing it now?
DM: When you earned your American citizenship, you learned about the U.S. Constitution. What are some important differences between the American Constitution and Islamic/sharia law, as you understand them?
WS: In essence, I began learning about the U.S. Constitution the first moment I arrived in the United States. I learned about the Constitution not necessarily by reading it but rather by experiencing life as a free woman—freedom that has been granted to me under the full protection of the American Constitution. Since then, I have been enjoying my life as a liberated human being, able mentally and intellectually to make my own choices and by that shape my destiny.
"Under Islamic sharia, a woman is not considered a free being. She is mentally unfit to decide her own life."
In contrast, under Islamic sharia, a woman is not considered a free being. She is mentally unfit to decide her own life, so she is to be under her husband’s control. She has no right to marry a man of her choice without her father's or another male family member’s consent. She has no right to divorce by her choice or to gain her children’s custody in case of divorce. The value of her life is half the value of her husband.
In brief, women are the commodity of their husbands and extended family, and therefore their free choice is entirely restricted under Islamic sharia.
DM: As a psychiatrist, how important do you feel are freedom of thought and speech to the emotional, psychological and spiritual health of a human being?
WS: Humans can't prosper intellectually, mentally and emotionally without being able to think and express their thoughts freely. Throughout history, great civilizations have always been the product of free minds. If we take a look at any tyrannical society, regardless of the nature of its oppression, religious or politics, the results are nothing short of coercion, poverty, and backwardness at all aspects of life.
There is an Arabic saying which we repeat but never apply: "A healthy body is always managed by a healthy mind." It's a matter of fact that our physical health is also a product of our healthy mind. Therefore, a human being will never have a healthy mind unless he is able to nurture and express it freely.
DM: As an ex-Muslim, do you consider yourself an atheist or secularist, or do you adhere to a different set of religious beliefs or spiritual practices? Or perhaps none of the above? Do you agree that people should be free to believe or disbelieve in religious dogma of whatever kind, so long as they do not impose it and themselves on others?
"Generally speaking, I consider myself a spiritual person who believes in the existence of a divine power that to some degree controls this universe."
WS: It depends on how we define secularism. Generally speaking, I consider myself a spiritual person who believes in the existence of a divine power that to some degree controls this universe. I consider this power to be a source of positive energy that can inspire human beings to be kind and compassionate. I don't follow a specific religion, but I respect the right of others to freely choose and practice theirs. My simple philosophy is, you have the right to worship a stone, so long as you don't hit me with it.
DM: If you had one thing you could say to the American public, what would it be?
WS: In my book, A God Who Hates, I tell my life story, through which the reader can get an intimate understanding of life—especially a woman’s life in an Islamic society and the ominous reality of Islam in general. It is imperative for Americans to get educated about this topic, including on the foundation of the Islamic religion and its political ideology.
There are four main entities in our society that need the proper education:
1. Government officials—especially those who deal with our security—must acquire the knowledge by studying Muslims texts, including Koran and the Sunna from Arabic sources, word for word without alteration of the texts. That will underscore the predicament of political Islam, which aspires to submit the western world under Islam and sharia.
"The media needs to avoid being politically correct, and be forthright in discussing brutal Islamic related news stories."
2. The media needs to avoid being politically correct, and be forthright in discussing brutal Islamic related news stories. Unfortunately, the heartbreaking stories of honor killings are gradually growing in number here in the U.S. as well as in Europe.
3. The academia needs to avoid whitewashing Islam and to teach Islamic studies from a scientific perspective so that students get the correct information. For example, students need to know the reality of Jihad from a geopolitical and historical perspective. In that way they may learn the devastating consequences of Islam’s expansion throughout history and the brutality which had been used to conquer and spread Islam.
4. Lastly, non-Muslim proponents of interfaith dialogue must get a comprehensive education on various important Islamic concepts from reliable scholars of Islam as opposed to apologist scholars like Karen Armstrong and Professor John Esposito. With proper and solid information, participants in interfaith dialogues need to be bold enough and ask their Muslim counterparts the harsh and unpleasant questions regarding Islam. That may generate some productive outcome in forcing Islamists who are mistakenly considered "moderates" to unveil their true intentions.
In short, the pervasive political correctness in our society is an epidemic of great proportions. With its moral relativism and multiculturalism, it leads to a drastic decline of Western values, and if it continues unrestrained, it may well lead to the destruction of Western civilization as we know it today.
DM: Thank you, Dr. Sultan, for your courage and intelligence in speaking out on behalf of human rights for people worldwide. We wholeheartedly support your efforts and hope you will be safe and active for a very long time.
Sources & Further Reading
A God Who Hates: The Courageous Woman Who Inflamed the Muslim World Speaks Out Against the Evils of Islam
Former Muslims United
Ex-Muslims in U.S. want civil rights assurances
Death threats against ex-Muslims
A Truly Sacred Scripture
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written by Malik Abd\'Allah , November 03, 2009
written by a guest , November 03, 2009
A good interview. I feel that Dr.Sultan is a very brave person. Whatever she hs mentioned about Saudi Arabia is 100% true. That is an evil empire and US for its short term goals is taking them to be their ally and turning a blind eye. They will rue that in future as they are ruing the samr today in Pakistan & Afghanistan.
written by there is a god,but its not all , November 03, 2009
man is not created by jehova/allah from mud/dirt.
but man is evoled by nature.proof is in our dna and genes.
so nature is truth,nature is god.
allah is imaginary.
if allah who is imaginary was just and loving to man and woman equally,why only man get 72 houries why women not get 72 hunks ???
let there be equality between man and woman.
let truth prevail,let judeo-christianity-islam be destroyed forever.
written by Anti Clot , November 03, 2009
written by henri4 , November 03, 2009
written by Clement , November 03, 2009
Please use your brain and come out of that cult belief system.You can run to the Karfir West for protection before the law of Apostacy caught up with you.
written by does imaginary allah even exis , November 03, 2009
dear clement,
pls ask this question first : does allah even exist ???
no,allah is imaginary and only exists in the minds of terrifyed arab bootlickers and arabs.
there is no jehova/allah.
bioth r equally imaginary and do not exist.
written by Machmoed elchalid , November 03, 2009
written by Student , November 03, 2009
written by saladin , November 03, 2009
She is only useful to Islamophobes,as a propaganda tool.The war on terror is losing steam(to many western bodybags lol) ,so the militarists,fascists and zionists need filth like wafa whatever, to frighten the gullable western public into a long and futile war.
The Islamophobes could have 100 whores like wafa deployed in the western media to no avail.All we need is to see the bodybags and stiffs coming back from Iraq,Afpak.With the tearful wives and parents weeping and wailing,we`ve got the yanks/euros beat,and don`t they know it.
written by Scrutator , November 03, 2009
The number of bodybags returning to the West cannot the reason why the West will give up its fight against Islamists. If you think the weeping and wailings of relatives of those in the bodybags could be the reason, then imagine the wailings of muslims whose sons/daughters get killed in those encounters ! It is easily ten times the numbers of western soldiers getting killed. By your reasoning, the muslims will throw in the towel a lot sooner than the Western countries would.
written by berq , November 03, 2009
written by Kohi , November 03, 2009
written by jbrl12357 , November 04, 2009
Mohammed called for the murder of his critic, the poetess Asma bint Marwant. She was promptly murdered while she slept with her children by one of his followers. Mohammed followed up on this hit by soon after calling for the murder of a 100 year old man, also a critic.
Tony Soprano would be envious. There are many other acts and words by Mohammed that are not consistent with being "the most noble of men who walked the face of the earth", as you put it.
BTW, the Arabs took far more slaves than the Europeans. If you know your history you should know that, and also that many Arab countries outlawed slavery only in the 1960's.
written by Globe trotter , November 04, 2009
written by indian-kufr , November 04, 2009
written by 4 wives and sex slaves....mmmm , November 04, 2009
i can keep on changing wives and giving triple talak so my wifes r young and fresh.
they r commodities to be had used and thrown.
and the sex slaves...good.
and finally in imaginary jannat,wine,houries,with big breasts,wine jaccuzzi.....wow,i am so into islam,i am converting today.
written by Nimrod , November 04, 2009
Have you ever wonder why theire is high degree of poverty and backwardness in Islamic nation?. Women are locked in the houses as sex slaves and breeding machines while men are left weak and lazy and unproductive because of over dose of sexual intercourse with minimum of 4 different women per week
Such men will never have time to think of anything productive for themselves other than sex and how to impress their wives even if it has to be via virgra. Muslim please use your brain positively and think of such
evil and delutional belief system. Can this be true religion?
written by 3X , November 04, 2009
http://www.jihadwatch.org/
Islamophobic bear kills two jihadists in Kashmir
The UN will no doubt be opening a commission on "Islamophobia" among bears forthwith. No doubt this bear's den is now dar al-Islam, and must be reclaimed for the umma at all costs. "Bear kills militants in Kashmir," by Altaf Hussain for BBC News, November 3 (thanks to all who sent this in):
A bear killed two militants after discovering them in its den in Indian-administered Kashmir, police say.
Two other militants escaped, one of them badly wounded, after the attack in Kulgam district, south of Srinagar.
The militants had assault rifles but were taken by surprise - police found the remains of pudding they had made to eat when the bear attacked.
It is thought to be the first such incident since Muslim separatists took up arms against Indian rule in 1989.
Bodies found
The militants had made their hideout in a cave which was actually the bear's den, said police officer Farooq Ahmed.
The dead have been identified as Mohammad Amin alias Qaiser, and Bashir Ahmed alias Saifullah....
written by Anti Clot , November 04, 2009
written by a guest , November 04, 2009
written by a guest , November 04, 2009
written by saladin , November 04, 2009
it just goes to show that the Islamophobes who haunt this place,are a minority in the western countries.
Every year millions of westerners travel to muslim lands to sample Islamic hospitality at it`s best.
The last time i travelled to Tunis one couldn`t move for red face westerners.The same in Morocco,Eygpt too.
westerners love the muslim enviroment,the respect for women,low crime rate etc.A semi naked western female wouldn`t last 5 mins late at night in any US city or London for that matter.While in Dubai,they can shop for gold till their hearts content,without worrying what time it is,or how they`re gonna get home .
Westerners love living in muslim lands so much,that they`re even buying homes and apartments to holiday/retire to.
Morocco,Tunisa,Eygpt,Turkey,Abu dhabi,Dubai,Malaysia etc have all seen massive investment in real estate/property development.The engine of this growth is(to the contary of the Islamophobes on this site),Westerners who love the Islamic enviroment.
stick that in your pipe and smoke it.
written by Globe trotter , November 04, 2009
written by Kohi , November 04, 2009
written by Anti Clot , November 04, 2009
written by To Saladin , November 04, 2009
Also before taliban, people used to visit 'Bamiyan Buddha'. Thus for seeing 'beaches'; 'desert', 'old pre-islamic architecture' etc people come, nobidy wants to see bearded mullahs, burqa women and innumeral poor hungry kids.
written by No Dhimmi , November 05, 2009
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
That's a good one
written by No Dhimmi , November 05, 2009
Yep, Islam is winning the dumbass contest.
written by No Dhimmi , November 05, 2009
written by COMMON SENCE , November 05, 2009
Also the locals are just the "sponsors" for whatever is happening in dubai..
So all those mosques must be car showrooms,and the call to prayer is 9.30 to sharjah.
To the idiot who thinks Bali is in Malaysia,actually it`s in Indonesia.
My point is being made by all the islamophobes who confirm the desirability of living,working and holidaying in muslim lands.
written by 9-11 Infidel , November 06, 2009
has. Reading the comments here just backs up my thesis. Any criticism or intelligent discussion of Islam seems to denigrate to just more useless tagiyya and kitman on the part of the Jihadis.
Dr Sultan, Nonie Darwish, Shoebat and many others, have what the Jihadis and their ilk have
not: Which is a high credibility quotient. These are the folks with which the West should be having a dialog about Islam with and paying, attention to. Unfortunately the left and their multicultural
elitists stand in the way of a real discussion on Islam. Too bad. And yet there is a quiet counter-jihad going on anyways. Must be that "freedom thing" that's causing it huh?
written by To Saladin , November 06, 2009
written by ex-muslim , November 06, 2009
Islam is firmly established on the 6 inhabited continents.With millions embracing the one true faith every year,soon Islam will be the religion of the majority of mankind.
All those western whores and political slags are completly irrelevant,I`ve hardly ever heard of them,save for a few zionist/christian fundamentalist web sites.
We have nothing to fear,muslims are about to deliver a vietnam II to the great white satan hahahhaha!
Y`all have a nice day now.
written by Scrutator , November 06, 2009
The next catagory of thinkers would include Dr Ali Sina and all the authors of arctiles in both Faithfreedom International and Islam Watch websites (for me if I have not mentioned all the names). Though these persons have not revealed themselves, they are nonetheless carrying on with their philosophical, rational and thought provoking work relentlessly. Their works are fully supported by authentic Islamic sources, including the Quran, the Hadiths and the Sira and hence cannot be faulted for their incisive and investigative nature. Only the most bigoted of muslims are against these and can even begin to attempt finding errors in their works.
Then come the millions of ordinary people who were muslims formerly but have simply given it up owing to its illogical and unscientific nature. Because Islam prescribes the death penalty for those who have opted out of the faith, the majority in this catagory have chosen to remain silent.
The cummulative result of everyone in the above catagories will, no doubt, bring and end to Islam sooner or later.
A golden city on a hill,no less.
written by The Grand Kaffir of Infidelistan , November 11, 2009
You should indeed become a suicide bomber, just have a practice go at home first.
written by COMMON SENCE , November 11, 2009
you must accept that all the hi fi development in dubai is due to westerners and their technology
at the same time not a single person on earth (including urself) would want to go and live in saudi arabia (the holiest and also the richest islamic country)
please open your mind and start thinking rationally
This is not surprising since this is an Islamophobic hate site,frequented by an assortment of racists,fascists,militarists,zionists and christian fundamentalists.
Contary to your assertion,the internet is a useful tool in the propagation of Islam and freedom in general.That is why a number of "western" countries have criminalised the accessing of Islamic websites.
I have no inclination toward "suicide bombing",I am of far more use to my faith and people by staying alive,prospering and procreating here in the heart of the beast.
written by The Grand Kaffir of Infidelistan , November 15, 2009
What, you a chicken salad after all? Not got the guts to back up your bullshit?
