Michigan Imam Mustapha Elturk: Most Jews Disobey Allah; Some Jews And Christians Do Our Work For Us; 'The Muslims Will Eventually Take Jerusalem Back'

Michigan imam Mustapha Elturk, Ameer of the Islamic Organization of North America (IONA) said that Muslims should not avoid joining hands with likeminded people, even if they are Jews, because "not all of them are bad." He made these remarks in a Friday sermon delivered at the IONA in Warren, Michigan on March 5, 2021. The sermon was posted on IONA’s official YouTube account on March 8, 2021. Elturk said that while most of the Jews are disobedient to Allah, some Jews and Christians are in fact, "doing the work for us." The version of the sermon posted on IONA’s YouTube account seems as though it has been edited. Elturk immigrated to the United States from Lebanon during the Lebanese civil war, and he is active in interfaith initiatives in Detroit area. On March 8, 2020, U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) retweeted a video of Imam Elturk endorsing Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) for President.

Imam Mustapha Elturk: "'And indeed, We had decreed to the Israelites in the Book that they will cause mischief and corruption on Earth twice,' and then they will go to the heights: '...and you will display great haughtiness.' And I believe, in my humble opinion, that this haughtiness is what we are experiencing today. That haughtiness that is oppressive, that is controlling and abusing human rights in Palestine, as we know, right now. And Allah talks about... the rise and the decline... And unfortunately and sadly, what was captured by [Caliph] Omar is now under the custody of the Jews, of the Zionists... But inshallah... The Muslims will eventually take Jerusalem back.

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"Don't be shy to join hands with the like-minded people, be them – yes – Jews. There are Jews who are with you on this cause. Yes, not all of them are bad. As Allah said: 'Among them are believers, but most of them are defiantly disobedient.' Yes, there are believers among them, but most of them are disobedient. But there are those among the Christians and the Jews who are doing the work for us, as a matter of fact.”