Is the Zionist Media Agency Snooping Around Islamic Centres?

London, (UMM): Last December one Chicago based Islamic scholar, Mufti Yasir Nadeem Al-Wajidi gave an hour long talk at an Islamic Centre in New York on social etiquettes in Islam.

He says that in the lecture he proved, with evidences, that there is absolutely no justification, whatsoever, of violence against one’s wife and Islam does not allow this.

But the Zionist channel, Middle Eastern Media Research Institute (MEMRI), cut the one hour long talk to three minutes and uploaded a heavily and mischievously edited version on its channel headlined: ‘Sheikh Yasir Nadeem Al-Wajidi in Muslim Center of NY: Wife-Beating Is Only Permissible Under Very Rare Circumstances’.

Commenting upon MEMRI’s mischief Mufti Wajidi wrote in his Facebook post ‘This mischievous report is just opposite to the real gist of my talk… Earlier, I had heard the lectures of some of the scholars posted by MEMRI that didn’t appear to make sense and I often wondered on what basis were they making those arguments. But having seen the distortion of my own speech and having witnessed and experienced the lies and deceptions of the Zionists, I now feel sorry for the scholars about whom I had come to form not so good an opinion.’

To understand Mufti Wajidi’s point of view UMM talked to him and this is what he said: ‘I have been emphasising in my writings and lectures, available on social media , that this particular verse of Holy Qur’an [Surah An-Nisa 4:34] is regarding a rare of the rarest situations in which a husband finds clear proof of disloyalty against his wife but does not want to leave her.’

He added:‘What needs to be remembered is that this Qur’anic advice is for a Muslim living in a Muslim country run according to Shari’ah laws and not for Muslims living in secular societies. Also what needs to be kept in mind is that even in such an extreme situation when the husband, for example and for the sake of the children, does not want to divorce his “disloyal” wife, this“hitting”must be in a manner not to cause injury or hurt her but only as a sign to reprimand her.’ People can also check out what this article explains on the best advices for divorcees.

Mufti Wajidi further explained, ‘Let it also be said that if this verse was meant to enjoin upon a husband to be violent towards his wife in unpleasant domestic situations, who would have been the one to act upon this first than the Holy Prophet (PBUH) himself? But what his life and his treatment of his wives tell us is that he did not even speak with them in a raised voice, let alone raising his hand on any of them. And how could the person described by Allah SWT: “We have sent you forth as nothing but mercy to people of the whole world.” [Qur’an 21:107] could himself be harsh to his wives and ask his followers to be harsh to their wives? Instead, he told the believers: “The best among you are those who are kindest to their wives.” (Tirmidhi)

‘In his last sermon, he warned the Muslims: “Fear God in matters relating to women. And act kindly towards them.” (Bukhari)

‘On another occasion he (PBUH), said: “How does anyone of you beat his wife as he beats the stallion  or camel and then embrace (sleep with her?” (Bukhari) Even if with such a clear guidance anyone would justify cruelty against ones’ wife or try to find fault with Islamic teachings, what else can be said about such an individual or group of people except that they are liars and dishonest.’ Wajidi said.

But, not to be left behind, based upon MEMRI’s lies, Israeli daily,  Arutz Sheva also carried, a story titled,‘Good News for women: NY Muslim leader: Wife-beating “only in very rare circumstances’”

Perhaps to add spice to the story, Arutz Sheva even claimed that Mufti Wajidi was educated in Pakistan. (sic) The truth, however, is that he is India born and is Chicago based 35 years old scholar and Imam and has never been to Pakistan. He is a postgraduate of Darul-Uloom Deoband and holds a Ph.D. from International Islamic University of Malaysia. He also runs Darul- Uloom online.

Mufti Wajidi is surprised on, ‘How the clip in question reached to MEMRI remains a mystery. I remember a young man filming the lecture. As far as I know he has not uploaded either the complete or edited version of the lecture on YouTube.  Surely, we have nothing to hide and are proud of what we teach and preach. But the fact that they got the complete or edited clip, shows that they are snooping around our mosques and centres.’

Founded in 1998 MEMRI has its head office in Washington with bureaus in London, Berlin and Jerusalem.

On its website it claims that it: ‘bridges the language gap between the West and the Middle East and South Asia, providing timely translations of Arabic, Farsi, Urdu-Pashtu, Dari, and Turkish media, as well as original analysis of political, ideological, intellectual, social, cultural, and religious trends.’

But investigative journalist Brian Whitaker feels that MEMRI’s dubious practices : ‘make me uneasy and that the stories selected by MEMRI for translation follow a familiar pattern: either they reflect badly on the character of Arabs or they in some way further the political agenda of Israel. I am not alone in this unease.’

In a report, published in the Guardian, he writes that earlier this ‘mysterious’ organisation made no secret of its real agenda and made it clear on its website that it believed in promoting ‘the continuing relevance of Zionism to the Jewish people and to the state of Israel.’

According to Whitaker, ‘the words about Zionism have now been deleted. The original page, however, can still be found in internet archives.’

Whitaker further writes, ‘Retrieving another now-deleted page from the archives of MEMRI’s website also throws up a list of its staff. Of the six people named, three—including Col. Carmon — are described as having worked for Israeli intelligence.

‘Among the other three, one served in the Israeli army’s Northern Command Ordnance Corps, one has an academic background, and the sixth is a former stand-up comedian.

‘Col.  Carmon’s co-founder at MEMRI is Meyrav Wurmser, who is also a director of the centre for Middle East policy  at the Indianapolis-based Hudson Institute, which bills itself as “America’s premier source of applied research on enduring policy challenges”.

‘The ubiquitous Richard Perle, chairman of the Pentagon’s defence policy board, has recently joined Hudson’s board of trustees.

‘Ms. Wurmser is the author of an academic paper entitled Can Israel Survive Post-Zionism? in which she argues that left-wing Israeli intellectuals pose “more than a passing threat” to the state of Israel, undermining its soul and reducing its will for self-defence.’