South African Sheikh Abdurahman Alexander Calls for Religious Tolerance, Outreach to Non-Muslims - But Adds: Today's 'So-Called Judaism' Hijacked by Fanatics, Israelis; Jesus' True Message Also 'Hijacked'

Sheikh Abdurahman Alexander, the co-imam of Masjidul Quds in Cape Town, South Africa, said during a December 28 sermon uploaded to the Masjidul Quds YouTube channel that Muslims should take the opportunity during the holiday season to carry a spirit of tolerance, and to reach out to communities rather than condemn Christians and pass fatwas against saying "Merry Christmas". Alexander then said that Moses had nothing to do with "the so-called Judaism of today," which he said is being hijacked by fanatical Jews and Israelis who insult Jesus and who have taken the good name of Judaism to plunder and colonize Palestine. He said: "Modern apartheid Israel has nothing to do with Judaism." He also said that Jesus never preached Christianity, and that his true message has also been "hijacked". He concluded: "Muhammad told us to respect every Christian… [and] every Jew... [and] to reach out to them in positivity… [and] love." For another sermon from Sheikh Alexander, see MEMRI TV Clip No. 6262. For more sermons from Masjidul Quds, see MEMRI TV Clip No. 6662.

Following are excerpts:

Sheikh Abdurahman Alexander: We are messing up this planet. We are messing up this beauty that Allah has created. Because of a mindset – a mindset of intolerance. A mindset of mutual disrespect, no regard for others, and very little regard even for ourselves.

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How come every year, at this time, in our Muslim community, instead of spreading peace and goodwill or building bridges of reaching out to other communities, we come up with stale arguments year after year – futile discussions – condemning Christians and passing long, long fatwas that it is forbidden to say "Merry Christmas" and all this crap that is messing up ourummah and messing up our communities? Where is the spirit of tolerance, that spirit of positive outreach, and that spirit of bridge-building that Islam orders us in the glorious Quran, and which is to be found alive in the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad?

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The holy prophet Moses, whom we reverently call Musa, had nothing to do with the so-called Judaism of today, where you find fanatical Jews swearing, ridiculing, and insulting the holy prophet Jesus Christ, calling him the worst of names under the sun. Moses had nothing to do with this, but Judaism has been hijacked by some fanatical Jews and Israelis [who are] using the good name of Judaism to plunder, to loot, to rob, and to colonize our beloved land of Palestine. What modern apartheid Israel is doing tody has got nothing to do with the good name of Judaism.

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If you look into the developing history of Christianity, Jesus Christ never preached Christianity. He never heard the word "Christian". In fact, his true message was also hijacked.

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According to Islam, no church can be destroyed, of any Christian community, unlike what the Zionists are doing in Israel at the moment.

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[Muhammad told us] to respect every Christian who is a God-loving Christian, and to respect and love every Jew who is a God-loving Jew. Every human being that is committed to peace and God-lovingness – it is our duty to reach out to them in positivity, and to reach out to them with love.