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Oh, it was supposedly just all a misunderstanding don’t you see?

 

Actually it wasn’t a misunderstanding at all, and I can prove it. Just compare the excerpts from this apologetics piece by The Star’s reporter, Jennifer Yang, with what Hizb ut-Tahrir states, and you see that they’re almost identical. It wasn’t a misunderstanding, not in the least.

 

The Star.com: 

A Toronto imam was accused of hate-preaching against Jews. But that wasn’t the whole story

The crucial word here is danas. Arabic-English dictionaries list several possible definitions — among them “besmirch,” “defile,” and spiritual “impurity” or “filth” — so context is key in determining the appropriate translation. Harb Michel said “no translator worth two cents” would choose the “filth” definition in the context of Elkasrawy’s prayer.

 

When danas is used in reference to a holy place — like Al-Aqsa — the common definition is “desecration,” the experts agreed. “He does not say ‘the filth of the Jews,’” said Jonathan Featherstone, a senior teaching fellow at the University of Edinburgh and former Arabic lecturer with the U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

 

But what did Elkasrawy mean by “desecration”? Again, context is instructive. Days before his prayers, he and his congregants were reading reports of Israeli police deploying tear gas and rubber-tipped bullets inside Al-Aqsa mosque — actions many Muslims would consider to be a desecration of the site, especially during the 10 holiest days of Ramadan.

 

Elkasrawy now realizes how wrong it was to mention “the Jews,” especially since his intention was to pray for the mosque, not against people.

 

But a cursory look at Hizb ut-Tahrir website where there’s an Islamic prayer about the same thing, the Al-Aqsa mosque being supposedly ”violated” by Israeli Jewish police, HUT use the exact same language at Elkasrawy:

On the anniversary of the demolition of the Khilafah from Al-Aqsa courtyards, we shout out for your help, from the first Qiblah we call out to you, and from the land of al-Ribaat (stationing) we prompt your courage and your determinations. From the place of Israa’ of RasulAllah (saw), we exclaim out to you and from the spot of the pure Miraj (Ascension) of your Prophet (saw) to the high skies we address you.

From here, from the blessed land we turn to the Islamic Ummah in all lands of Islam… From the ocean to the ocean and to every spot the Takbeer reaches, “Allahu Akbar…”

To all the Muslims armies in general, and the armies of Kinana, Pakistan, Turkey and the people of power in Ash-Sham in particular…

Have not your souls longed for Al-Aqsa, have not your foreheads yearned to prostrate on the soils of Al-Aqsa, have not your hearts craved to meet Al-Aqsa?

Have not you yearned for the station of Israa’ of RasulAllah (saw), have not you deliberated with yourselves to become martyrs on the soil of the blessed land for your blood to mix with the blood of the noble Companions?

Al-Aqsa is calling out to you, where is Al-Farouq Omar, where is Salahuddin… Where is the Khilafah of the Muslims, do you trivialize that the station of Israa’ of RasulAllah (saw) is desecrated by the Jews and their filth?

The Jews, the most intense people in animosity toward the believers, have occupied Bait-ul-Maqdis, burned Al-Aqsa and Salahuddin’s platform… Have not your hearts burned in pain and anguish for the burning of the symbol of your dignity?

The Jews storm into Al-Aqsa to perform their rituals… to desecrate the land with their filth. Can Al-Aqsa be desecrated and to have other than Allah honored in it while you watch!! Where are you, O the best of the believers??

The Jewish campaigns against Al-Aqsa at its utmost to build their alleged temple… So what are you doing??

 

Also: Preacher at Aqsa Mosque: “’

Not a mistranslation nor a slip of the tongue…

 

• Omar Abu Sara: “Allah, hasten the day when the Al-Aqsa Mosque is cleansed of their [Jews] filth”

 

• Copenhagen Friday Sermon: “[Allah] will liberate the Al-Aqsa Mosque from the filth of the Zionist”

 

• Hizb ut-Tahrir: “crush the Jewish entity and purify the holy land of their filth”

 

• Hizb ut-Tahrir: “Don’t you yearn for the liberation of Al-Aqsa Mosque from the filth of the Jews?”

 

• Hizb ut-Tahrir: “preserving the holy sites, and liberating Al-Aqsa Mosque and ridding it from the filth of the Jews”

 

• Hizb ut-Tahrir: “… has it been purified by our armies from the filth of the usurping Jews?”

 

• Hizb ut-Tahrir: “…purifying for them the Earth from the filth of the oppressing Jews”

 

• Hizb ut-Tahrir: “We tell them, that the liberation of the blessed land from the filth of Jews is in your capacity”

 

• Hizb ut-Tahrir: “Is it not time for your large army chanting the Takbeer to liberate Al-Aqsa from the filth of the Jews”