It’s a question that obsesses the Muslim world from Southeast Asia to the Persian Gulf: Where will President Obama deliver his much anticipated speech to a ‘Muslim capital’?
Benjamin Dierks of Germany’s Financial Times Deutschland penned this op-ed on the subject, and concludes that the obvious choice is probably the right one.
“No sooner had Barack Obama announced his desire to deliver a speech in an important Muslim city, than many began to dream of receiving a visit by the great man. For instance, Rafaat Othman, professor of Islamic law at Cairo’s Al-Azhar University, cannot imagine a more appropriate place than the mosque at his own educational establishment. After all, mosques and universities are among the oldest and most prestigious institutions in Sunni Islam. And religious scholars here, time and again, have condemned the terrorist acts of religious fundamentalists.”
But Othman will be disappointed. So much symbolism is wrapped up in the location of Obama’s speech that when choosing a suitable atmosphere, his advisors will have to check twice. And when they do so, they’ll find that a certain Izz ad-Din al-Qassam , a terrorist of an earlier hour who preyed upon Jewish settlers in the 1930’s during the British Mandate of Palestine , once studied at Al-Azhar. Today, the Qassam rocket, with which the radical Islamic Hamas provoked the war in Gaza, bares his name. In addition, Ahmed Yassin, the founder of Hamas, also set down his prayer rug here. Therefore, this isn’t such a good choice. This small example illustrates the dilemma in which the Obama team finds itself, as it prepares for a speech considered historic even before it has been delivered. The intended demonstration of respect for the Muslim world is a great vehicle, but there are many small obstacles lurking beneath the road.”
By Benjamin Dierks
Translated By Jonathan Lobsien
February 4, 2009
Germany – Financial Times Deutschland – Original Article (German)
In the coming months, the U.S. president wants to give a major reconciliation address in a Muslim country. There are good reasons to prefer a city far from the Arab world.
No sooner had Barack Obama announced his desire to deliver a speech in an important Muslim city, than many began to dream of receiving a visit by the great man. For instance, Rafaat Othman, professor of Islamic law at Cairo’s Al-Azhar University, cannot imagine a more appropriate place than the mosque at his own educational establishment. After all, mosques and universities are among the oldest and most prestigious institutions in Sunni Islam. And religious scholars here, time and again, have condemned the terrorist acts of religious fundamentalists.
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