Florida: Stetson University and Amer Ahmed's Support for Religious Apartheid

Last year Stetson Universities Cross Cultural Center and Multicultural Student Council presented a lecture on ‘Addressing Islamophobia: Proactive Efforts to Address Hate and Bias on and off Campus’ led by Amer F. Ahmed.

Amer F. Ahmed, Associate Director, Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs, University of Michigan supports Islamic Religious Apartheid and called all non-Muslims a violent threat to Mecca. Ms. Yolany Gonell, Director of Diversity & Inclusion stood silent as Mr. Ahmed was making these vile statements during his lecture. Mr. Ahmed’s comments make a mockery of diversity and Inclusion.

Mr. Ahmed’s lecture was advertised as open to the public and all were welcome. I had my video camera set up to document the event when Stetson Public Safety Officer Sgt. Casey told me I could not film under threat of arrest.

To follow is an exchange between Mr. Ahmed and myself focusing on the fact all non-Muslims are not allowed to enter Mecca and Medina.

Mecca and Medina Islamic Apartheid Cities – A Dialogue

Audience member asks Mr. Ahmed: “Is it true that your God is the same as our God, like the Christian God?”

Mr. Ahmed: “That’s what Muslims view the same God and we view our religion as an extension of the same traditions, so in the Islamic tradition it is believed that those who believe the teachings of the previous prophets are our brothers and sisters, because we are all worshipping the same God. And its the same message that has come over and over again by all the prophets.”

I ask: “If we are all brothers and sisters why is it illegal for non-Muslims to step foot in Mecca or Medina and not just during the Hajj, but we’re talking the whole city, its like apartheid on steroids.”

Mr. Ahmed responds: “so Medina anyone can go into Medina, its Mecca that only Muslims can enter.”

I say: “If we are all brothers and sisters why is that?”

Mr. Ahmed responds: “Because it has been a place that has been under attack in the past, and so it is a place which there are very sacred rituals partaken upon so its a holy sacred site, so if you just open it up it leaves room for those who can do things that might be problematic in the broader sense.”

I say: “So your saying that non-Muslims are going to attack Mecca?”

Mr Ahmed says: “Its happened before, so (stops mid sentence).

I say: “So non-Muslims are not allowed in the city limits of Mecca because we are a threat. I take offense at that because it is hateful and hurtful to me.”

Mr. Ahmed does not respond, moves on to another subject but says he will get back to this exchange.

Before I tell you the rest of the dialogue between Mr. Ahmed and myself lets do a little fact checking on Mr. Ahmed’s statements of fact.

1. Medina is open to non-Muslim (Lie): According to the US Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs it says, “Non-Muslims are forbidden to travel to the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah.”

2. Mecca is closed to non-Muslims under threat of arrest (True).

3. Non-Muslims Attacked Mecca before: (Lie) The last attack on Mecca was in 1979 by the devout Muslims of Juhayman al-Otaybi, who belonged to the powerful family of Najd. There is nothing in the historical record validating Mr. Ahmed’s claim.

The Mecca and Medina Islamic Religious Apartheid is a commonly accepted cultural practice by most every Mosque here in the United States. Mosques across the United States encourage every Muslim to visit the Islamic Religious Apartheid Cities of Mecca and Medina even though they know it is illegal for Christians, Jewish, Hindu, Agnostics, and all non-Muslims to do the same. Islamic Religious Apartheid is happening today despite all the talk that we non-Muslims are brothers and sisters of the Abrahamic traditions.

Mr. Ahmed, true brothers and sisters would not practice Islamic Religious Apartheid like Islam does in Saudi Arabia. True Muslim brothers and sisters would scream from the roof tops and minarets this bigoted exclusionary practice be stopped. True Muslim brothers and sisters would demand the opening of Mecca and Medina to all people.

Ahmer Ahmed realized in our exchange he exposed his heartfelt beliefs supporting the Mecca/Medina Islamic Religious Apartheid against all non-Muslims. Mr. Ahmed made these hate filled views in a failed effort to defend the 5th Pillar of Islam.

Ahmer Ahmed Calls Saudi Arabia a Cancer

Mr. Ahmed says, “I am not a defender of the country of Saudi Arabia, it is a false country…ruled by a group of people who were propped up…They have a very specific interpretation of Islam that is in no way, shape, or form mainstream…it was that way back then and now.”

Mr. Ahmed continues, “Now if you go to Arabia you can’t even debate. Scholars who challenge their interpretations of Islam are killed.”

Saudi Arabia, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, is following the Qur’an when they keep Mecca and Medina pure by excluding non-Muslims. Mr. Ahmed leads the audience to a false conclusion by solely blaming Saudi Arabia for Islamic Religious Apartheid when in fact it is the Qur’an that’s to blame.

Amer Ahmed Answers My Question

Mr. Ahmed says, “It is controversial for me to say this because many Muslims are afraid to speak out against Saudi Arabia…because its like they rule over the holiest places in the Muslim world…I think it (Saudi Arabia) is a cancer because of the influence they have had, some things are good, but for the most part they have made the religion more rigid and less inclusive and that is an example why they (Saudi Arabia) have the policies you were talking about sir.”

Mr. Ahmed is lying to the Stetson University audience by implying the Mecca and Medina Islamic Religious Apartheid is the sole fault of Saudi Arabia.

The Qur’an is the source of the Mecca and Medina Islamic Religious Apartheid we see today. My source for this Qur’an quote is from my very own Abdullah Yusuf Ali version of the The Meaning of The Holy Qur’an. Ironically, Saudi Arabia is responsible for this Qur’an’s wide distribution in the United States.

I was given this Qur’an by my friends at the Masjid Al-Salam in Sanford, FL where I made several visits to learn about Islamic doctrine first hand.

Al-Quran 9:28

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنَّمَا الْمُشْرِكُونَ نَجَسٌ فَلَا يَقْرَبُوا الْمَسْجِدَ الْحَرَامَ بَعْدَ عَامِهِمْ هَٰذَا ۚ وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ عَيْلَةً فَسَوْفَ يُغْنِيكُمُ اللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ إِن شَاءَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ

O ye who believe! Truly the Pagans are unclean; so let them not, after this year of theirs, approach the Sacred Mosque. And if ye fear poverty, soon will Allah enrich you, if He wills, out of His bounty, for Allah is All-knowing, All-wise.

The Qur’an footnote 1278 states, “Pagans are Unclean both literally and metaphorically…as well as purity of mind and heart, so that their word can [not] be relied upon.”

“so let them not, after this year of theirs, approach the Sacred Mosque” is the key phrase here to understand. After Mohammad conquered Mecca on January 11, 630 AD he received a revelation from Allah that non-Muslims would not be allowed to approach the sacred Mosque. According to the Yusuf Ali Qur’an footnote 1278 all of us non-Muslims were seen by Mohammad and Allah as unclean, both literally and metaphorically. According to Qur’an 9:28 we (non-Muslims) are unclean and will desecrate the precious lands of Mecca and Medina.

The followers of Islam believe the Qur’an is the exact word of Allah/God down to the last letter and has never been corrupted by man. Islamic doctrine teaches all other religious texts like the Bible and Torah have been corrupted by man.

Saudi Arabia is following the Qur’an as its source document in enforcing the Islamic Religious Apartheid of Mecca and Medina. What’s not to like about that – everything.

Imagine If Pope Francis Talked To God And Was Told…

What if Pope Francis said God transmitted a revelation to him through the Archangel Gabriel instructing him to issue a formal decree that Vatican City including St. Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel will only be open to Catholics. If a non-Catholic is found anywhere inside Vatican City Limits they will be arrested and severely punished.

The world would be outraged by this Pope Francis decree, and justifiably so. The Pope and everyone who went along with him would be called idiots, bigots, and Religious Apartheid Supremacists.

Mohammad did exactly that, and ordained that non-Muslims are not allowed in Mecca because Allah transmitted a revelation to him telling him to do so. Yet the same people who would be upset with the Pope, say nothing about Mohammad being an idiot, bigot, and a Islamic Religious Apartheid Supremacist.

Conclusion

When people like Amer Ahmed says we are all “Brothers and Sisters” he is lying. That doesn’t mean Muslims and non-Muslims can’t be friendly towards each other – it just means Islamic Doctrine teaches that Muslim and non-Muslim are not equals in the eyes of Allah.

It is impossible to know what is truly in a persons heart. Therefore, anyone who condemns an entire demographic has some serious issues. The followers of Islam who support the Religious Apartheid of Mecca and Medina are part of the problem and not the solution.

Ms. Yolany Gonell, Director of Diversity and Inclusion at Stetson University, did a great disservice to those students, faculty, and community members who attended this lecture. Ms. Gonell did not take advantage of this ‘teaching moment’ by explaining the great social injustice of the Islamic Religious Apartheid of Mecca and Medina.

I call on the worlds Muslims and non-Muslims alike to demand Mecca and Medina open its borders to all people and stop this Islamic Religious Apartheid.

Who will join me in demanding Mecca and Medina open its borders to everyone and stop discriminating against All non-Muslims?