veiled4allah: America: where Muslims need not enter?

Yusuf Islam, better known as the former pop star Cat Stevens, has been barred from the U.S. He was flying to the U.S. from his home in the UK when, mid-flight, officials discovered that although he was on the government's no-fly list, he had been allowed to board the plane. The plane was diverted 600 miles, apparently to make sure he didn't enter the airspace of heavily populated areas in the U.S. My God! You would think he had bombs strapped to his body or something.

And what's the reason for this? Authorities declined to say, except that it was on "national security grounds". Ah yes, that good old catch-all category. The news stories mention that the state of Israel banned him from entry several years ago, accusing him that donations he had made to charities in Palestine were being funnelled to terrorist groups. News reports also indicate that some 15 years ago he supported Khomeini's fatwa against Salman Rushdie. Is this enough now to bar someone from entry to the U.S. and treat him like a clear and present danger on an airplane? What's especially interesting is that he was in the U.S. earlier this year, promoting a new record he had released. What changed between then and now??

It's becoming pretty clear that if you are a famous foreign Muslim, you can just forget about trying to visit the U.S. no matter what you say or do.

Here's an excerpt from a message Yusuf Islam recently posted on his website about Beslan:

The religious premise of the oft-repeated accusation disappears when you look closer at the facts: how opposed to the teachings of Islam this kind of act is. Even the most unlearned of Muslims know that the Prophet of Islam was always so merciful to children and their mothers. Once when he visited his daughter whose baby was dying, tears flowed from the eyes of the Prophet. Someone said to him, 'What is this, O Messenger of God?' He said. 'This is Mercy which God has embedded in the hearts of whomever He wished of His slaves. And God does not bestow His Mercy except on the merciful among His slaves.'1 Islam eradicated infanticide which was sometimes performed in ignorant societies. The Qur'an specifically warns the murderers about this on the Day of Judgement, '…and when the girl-child who was buried is asked for what sin she was killed…'2

Even if the torment of the oppressor reaches the unbearable, Muslims are commanded to restrain themselves, '…and do not let your hatred of a people incite you to act unjustly. Be just! That is closer to righteousness, and fear God!'3

Crimes against innocent bystanders taken hostage in any circumstance have no foundation whatsoever in the life of Islam and the model example of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. The concept that Islam allows the taking of one person's life in exchange for another person's sin is absolutely warped, the Qur'an in fact put an end to the concept of sins being passed on from generation to generation, father to son, or from one soul to another. God says, '…And every soul earns not [blame] except against itself, and no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another. Then to your Lord is your return and He will inform you concerning that over which you used to differ.'4

Also, 'Whoever takes a life without due justice, it will be as if he has killed the whole of mankind…'5 and, 'Do not take the life which God has made sacred except through (due process of) law.'6

The whole belief system in Islam is based on ultimate responsibility and a final Day of Accounting for every individual soul. People will seek to take shelter behind others on that day but will be left exposed to answer for their own deeds, 'And whoever has done an atom's weight of good shall see it; and whoever has done an atom's weight of evil, shall see it.'7 There is no collective responsibility in Islam; neither in Natural Justice, another reason why both sides in the political games and conflicts we are witnessing are way beyond the borders of God's sacred law.

Footnotes 1. Sahih Bukhari 7:559 2. Al Takweer (81):8-9 3. Al Ma'idah (5): 8 4. Al An'am (6):164 5. Al Ma'idah (5):32 6. Bani Isra'il (17):33 7. Al Zalzalah (99): 7-8

So that's the kind of message we don't want in America these days?

More news coverage is available from the BBC, The Guardian, and the Associated Press.

Update: CNEWS says that "multiple intelligence sources in recent weeks indicated the peace activist may have associations with potential terrorists", according to an anonymous government source. No further information is given. In the same article, Yusuf Islam's brother and manager denies the charges. Its the secrecy that's really killing in these cases. They won't say what they're doing, then they won't say who their sources are, then they won't give specifics so that the charges can be responded to. A little more due process would make this look less like a witch-hunt.

Update 2: The British foreign minister has officially protested the exclusion of Yusuf Islam when speaking to Colin Powell, saying that it should not have been done and that "there was no evidence in the British intelligence community that Islam posed any danger".

Update 3: In the latest news (also here), Yusuf Islam has announced that he's going to sue. Yep, typical "terrorist" action, that.

Update 4: Was it all a spelling mistake? Were authorities actually looking for an individual named Youssouf Islam? Since Yusuf Islam is British by birth and legally changed his name in England with the exact spelling he uses, it seems unlikely that he would be using any other spelling, no more than any of us would deliberately mis-spell our name. Senators, members of Congress, even federal marshals have been caught because of spelling issues and having names similar to someone who's on the no-fly list.

Update 5: The State Department will now be reviewing the case.