Ahmadinejad's letter..a call to Da'wa

Well, I finally managed to locate a translation of Ahmadinejad's letter to Dubbya. You can read it here.

It's important in a different sense than the media is giving it credit for.

Taken on the one hand, it can simply be considered a long rambling screed on history, religion and politics. It talks about how `democracy has failed' criticizes Bush for invading Afghanistan and Iraq, for his handling of the Sept. 11 terror attacks, accused the media of spreading lies about the Iraq war and railed against the United States for its support of Israel. It doesn't particularly mention Iran's nukes, except obliquely by asking why "any technological and scientific achievement reached in the Middle East region is translated into and portrayed as a threat to the Zionist regime."

Nice touch, given Israel's unpopularity in the EU.

But then comes the more important and revealing parts, towards the end.....

Ahmadinejad enjoins the president to be `more Christian'...but at the end of the letter says " Do you not think that if all of us come to believe in and abide by these principles, that is, monotheism, worship of God, justice, respect for the dignity of man, belief in the Last Day, we can overcome the present problems of the world – that are the result of disobedience to the Almighty and the teachings of prophets – and improve our performance? Do you not think that belief in these principles promotes and guarantees peace, friendship and justice? Do you not think that the aforementioned written or unwritten principles are universally respected? Will you not accept this invitation? That is, a genuine return to the teachings of prophets, to monotheism and justice, to preserve human dignity and obedience to the Almighty and His prophets? Mr President, History tells us that repressive and cruel governments do not survive....

"Whether we like it or not, the world is gravitating towards faith in (Islam) and... and the will of Allah will prevail over all things.”

[note: the translator renders this as `faith in the Almighty' and `the will of God', respectively]

This is, as I read it an invitation to da'wa, a call to accept voluntarily accept Islam and its dominance. In one of the well known Hadith, Mohammed commands his followers to issue this call before going to war.

"Fight in the name of Allah and in the way of Allah. Fight against those who disbelieve in Allah. Make a holy war…When you meet your enemies who are polytheists, invite them to three courses of action. If they respond to any one of these, you also accept it and withhold yourself from doing them any harm. Invite them to (accept) Islam; if they respond to you, accept it from them and desist from fighting against them….If they refuse to accept Islam, demand from them the Jizya . If they agree to pay, accept it from them and hold off your hands. If they refuse to pay the tax, seek Allah’s help and fight them. " (Sahih Muslim 4294)

[the Jizya is tribute from non-Muslims paid to Muslims-Qur’an 9:29]

Given Ahamadinejad and the Supreme Council's ideology, this is well within their framework of reference, and an essential component of a jihad.

The White House's initial reaction has been cool.

"This letter is not the place that one would find an opening to engage on the nuclear issue or anything of the sort" said Condoleezza Rice, US Secretary of State.

However, the letter did accomplish something for Ahmadinejad..just the fact of his sending it has sent tremors through those who would appease the Iranian regime and imagine they are buying peace. As David Horowitz recorded in his book `Unholy Alliance' the Angry Left has been aligned with Ahmadinejad's positions for some time.

Will we resist? Or will we see President Bush coming down the steps of Air Force One with an umbrella in his hand, talking about `peace in our time'?

Stay tuned....