القـُدْس - Al Quds - Death to Israel, Death to America, and All That

"Qods Day" (Latinized Persian), "القـُدْس Day" ("Al Quds" - Latinized Arabic, meaning "Jerusalem"), was celebrated yesterday, mostly in Iran. The Wikipedia article on International Day of Quds asserts that Al Quds Day is also celebrated "in some Muslim countries and by Muslim and Arab communities around the world."

The comparatively wide popularity of "Jerusalem Day" is probably due to the belief stated by Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Calling Israel's continuing existence an "insult to human dignity," he said "the creation, continued existence and unlimited (Western) support for this regime is an insult to human dignity ... The occupation of Palestine is not limited to one land. The Zionist issue is now a global issue."

In Iran, Muslims chanted "Death to America" and "Death to Israel:" In the local language, I presume.

The Iranian president wants to see Israel "wiped off the map." The Associated Press story on this issue explained Ahmadinejad's reason for supporting a "death to Israel" position. "He has also called the Nazi Holocaust a 'myth' used as a pretext for carving out a Jewish state in the heart of the Muslim world after the World War II."

In addition to the familiar chants, Muslims burned Israeli and American flags.

I can, in a way, understand the way at least some Muslims feel. Jerusalem is where they believe the Prophet Mohamed took off on his journey to heaven. Given that belief, I can see how they are enraged by Jews controlling the city.

I'm sure that the Muslims who celebrate Al Quds Day would be delighted to see Jerusalem free of Jewish control. They'd also, I suspect, just as soon have Jerusalem and Israel a Jew-free zone.

Why is this important?

I think it is vital to remember what's at stake in the war on terror. It isn't just a matter of arresting Osama bin Laden and affording him an impartial trial.

• Stopping Al Queda is an important part of making those of us who live in the 21st century safe.
• Stopping the Taliban is, too.
• Making sure that Iran doesn't get first-strike nuclear capability is another priority.

Whether we like it or not, there are a great many people out there who seem to bitterly resent almost everything that's happened since about the 7th century.

Militant Salfists aren't a threat to western civilization alone. Muslims who have gotten used to the living in a post-18th century world also have a great deal to lose.

To me, it doesn't seem like a hard choice.

Option one:

• Accept ideas about human rights that are a centuries-old tradition in the west.
• Reject honor killings.
• Accept the idea that women can drive, and think, as well as men.
• Embrace the idea that people you don't agree with may be allowed to live.

Option two:

• Dedicate your life to turning the clock back at least 12 centuries.
• Kill members of your family who shamed you by being raped.
• Keep your women under wraps: literally.
• Kill anyone who you or your imam says doesn't have the right beliefs.

I'm pretty sure that some Muslims will choose "Option two."

I hope that many Muslims will decide that the tolerant, free, west offers them more than mere prosperity and safety. I think that they will find a civilization that has learned to tolerate a wide variety of beliefs will tolerate a non-violent form of Islam.

And, who knows? Muslims may find that being able to speak freely will help them regain the status and prosperity that the Islamic world enjoyed a thousand years ago.

Related posts, on tolerance, bigotry, racism, and hatred

Another Qods Day

Not being a Muslim, I didn't know what Qods Day is.

But, it seems to be important. The Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) posted two articles yesterday,

• "Int'l Qods Day to be observed worldwide on Friday, October 5"
• "Zionist regime's allies to receive response on World Qods Day"

The "Zionist regime's allies" article said that Qod's Day "day falls on October 12 this year."

The two articles are in the English-language section of the IRNA website, so I may be missing something. However, either there's an "Int'l Qods Day" on October 5, 2007, and a "World Qods Day" on October 12, 2007, or Qods Day happens twice.

At any rate, October 12, 2007, is supposed to be very important.

The "Zionist regime's" article quotes Gholam-Hossein Elham, an Iranian government spokesman. "The US loses all opportunities to cooperate with regional and other world states by trying to support a regime (the Zionist regime) which is now at its weakest political and social position," Elham said yesterday (September 19, 2007).

Qods Day seems to be rather important in Iran. Back in 2001, Chairman of Expediency Council Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani made a speech in December, a translation of it,by by BBC Worldwide Monitoring, is posted at GlobalSecurity.org: Qods Day Speech (Jerusalem Day).

Here's an excerpt from the 2001 Qods Day Speech page: "Chairman of Expediency Council Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani warned the USA not to get the wrong idea from Taleban's swift defeat and try using force to get rid of other governments it dislikes."

In 2007, Gholam-Hossein Elham's teaser on what the infidels can expect on this year's Qods Day seems like more of the same. IRNA said that Elham "warned that Washington's insistence on its wrong policies and arrogant approaches would have no result 'but further political disgrace" for itself.'

"Referring to the approaching World Qods Day, the spokesman stressed, 'Supporters of the Zionist regime will definitely receive the final response for their support on that day.'"

I'm taking the Qods Day preview seriosly, particularly since Iran has said that Israel would be attacked if Iran's "civilian" nuclear facilities are bombed, and the way that Iranian munitions either pop up or drop in on Iraq.

My hope is that the American Congress pays less attention to the Iranian government's preferences, and more to the long-term security of America.

At least I found out what Qods day was. The 'Zionist' article says "Qods Day is held each year on the last Friday of Muslims fasting month of Ramadan after it was nominated by the late Founder of the Islamic Republic, Imam Khomeini, as a day to voice the protest of the Islamic Ummah against the Zionists."

I'd still like to know how Qods Day showed up in an 1860 book.

Qods Day?

I'd appreciate getting help with my next post on "Another War-on-Terror Blog."

The government of Iran has made some interesting statements recently, involving "Qods Day," a day identified by IRNA as October 5, and October 12, of this year.

"Qods Day" does not appear on the Ramadan calendars that I'm aware of.

And, there don't seem to be many online references to the day, aside from a few blogs of varying reliability.

I did find one reference, "Cyclopedia of Missions: Containing a Comprehensive View of Missionary Operations Throughout the World" (Rev. Harvey Newcomb, Second revised edition, New York, Charles Scribner, 124 Grand Street MDCCCLX / 1860). The book is available in graphic format on Google Book Search. I haven't read the book, yet.

This excerpt involving Qod's Day appears on Google search results which lead to the book's facsimile: "... and on the day when this is done, the second day of the week, called Qod's day, they 'oner a fowl, or some other small thing of that sort, ...'"

Here's my question.

What is Qods Day?

Is it part of the Ramadan season? What is its significance?

I suspect that "Qods Day" is a Latinization of a term in Persian or Arabic.

I'd appreciate an answer from someone who follows Islam, ideally with reference to some authority.

Thanks!