Mani (Mainstream): Good morning, Modi. I like my new job.
Modi (Moderate): I thought you would. Not much to it.
Mani: Well, I am guarding tons of munitions and am just a little apprehensive. A lot could happen.
Modi: Not to worry. You have a good group behind you. It is Hamas-Iraqi. Not even al-Qaeda wants to take them on with a level playing field.
Mani: I thought they fought on the side of AQ?
Modi: They did. You know, a few of us Sunnis answered some hard questions truthfully and determined that we are in real trouble whenever the coalition leaves. You see, we want the democracy; we just want to ensure that we are not departing from the religion. We are not looking for the religion of the Wahhabis and Salafists. We are looking for a comfortable and merciful view of life and death. We want an end to the killings and the bickering. So now Hamas Iraqi is working with the coalition instead of against it.
Mani: What? Am I working for the coalition?
Modi: The way things are now, Mani, if you are not with al-Qaeda, not with Iran, and not in training at one of the camps in Lebanon, Syria, or Pakistan, you are with the coalition.
Mani: It is going to take me awhile to reconcile with that news.
Radi (Radical): What news are you talking about?
Mani: Modi and I were talking about Hamas-Iraqi taking on al-Qaeda.
Radi: I saw that in the press. I had to look closely to make sure it wasn’t Modi writing it.
Modi: You seem to be taking it in stride. I thought you would be quite angry about that.
Radi: I do not like the idea. I am more concerned with maintaining the strictness of our faith. If we are all as fervent as we are supposed to be, then it would not matter what type of government we have. If the group that fights is not Salafi, it is not fighting in the way of Allah; thus, I will not support it and Allah will strike them dead.
Modi: Just who do you suppose should be the authority on how fervent a Believer should be?
Radi: It would have to be the most fervent of the sects, as long as they were Salafists. Anyone less would weaken the religion.
Mani: What is this “weaken the religion” idea?
Radi: After the death of our Most Beloved, peace be upon him, our religion underwent a terrible upheaval and whenever the smoke cleared and the Caliphate came into control, they simply were not strict enough and the people were descending into the horrors of laxity. For centuries the religion became weaker and corrupt. Once they became lax in their religious duties, the laxity permeated everything.
Modi: Laxity? What you are trying to say and doing it so badly, Radi, is very important. Our religion was undergoing the same growing pains that other religions had undergone. We were not sliding into laxity, but adjusting ourselves and our beliefs to a less rigid and more flexible system, similar to that of Christianity and Judaism. Rigidity and inflexibility should never be norms when dealing with humans.
Mani: Modi, if Allah established the rules, how can we dare change anything?
Modi: That is the radical viewpoint, Mani. They fervently believe that Allah is the author of the Qur’an. Because they do, no change can ever be suggested, let alone started. The Qur’an, of course, is not the total religion. The Hadiths and the detailed life of Muhammad may be just as important in the lives of the faithful. What our Most Beloved has said in his lifetime the faithful hear almost every day in one way or another—in Mosque or on the street. I know I do not have to remind you that we are constantly told that our Most Beloved led a perfect life and we must emulate him in all things.
Radi: Modi, you have that correct. You surprise me.
Modi: Radi, the idea you just do not seem to get is that the world has changed. Everything has changed, including the way we look at everything. The world has moved on. Christians have changed and so have Jews. We have many more people in the world and there are more important questions than what our imams are discussing with us. We can not keep fighting against the Meccan polytheists and the Yathrib Jews! They are all gone.
Mani: What type of questions do you mean?
Modi: One might better ask questions such as how do we help establish peace in the world without trying to destroy every other nation and religion and enslave everyone except our Believers. We could also ask how we might get together with the rest of the world and find cures for diseases and more food for the starving. When our people were starving in some places, the West rushed in with food and medicine. What did we ever do for them? Christians and Jews have helped us everywhere. Look at what they did for us in Bosnia, for example.
Radi: Allah made them… (Modi interrupts)
Modi: I hate to stop you, but I know you are going to ask us to believe something that we have tossed out a long time ago as rubbish. Allah did not send any angels down to blow dust in the West's eye to make them do what they did. Look, whenever we discuss what people do, you must assume people are doing it for a reason. If you continue to believe that our God actually creates miracles to make Western people do things to help us, you lose sight of humanity. Loving and serving Allah is only part of the equation, Radi. It is just as important to love and help our fellow man. Religion is Part of Life; IT IS NOT THE WHOLE OF LIFE. If so, there would be no sense in being born on earth to enjoy earth's fruits and the comforts and joys of earth's humanity. Many people here hate Jews and they never even saw or met one.
Radi: You are the one who missed the point, Modi. Loving and serving Allah and taking the entire world for Allah IS ALL THERE IS.
Modi: You and people like you are the problem; you have no understanding of your own religion, because you never got beyond your rituals, your seventh century rulings, and your complete disdain for everyone not a Believer. A non-Believer to your group is just an animal.
Mani: I can understand that, Radi. Do you still call Jews and Christians apes and pigs?
Radi: Of course we do. That is what they are.
Modi: Would you say, Radi, that apes and pigs make good Believers.
Radi: Why would you ask such a question? Apes and pigs do not make good anything.
Modi: Well, Radi, why do we recruit new Believers from the apes and pigs?
Mani: I saw that one coming, Modi. You need to be more subtle.
Modi: With Radi?
Radi: I know what you two are saying. Of course, Allah gives them the gift of faith and when they accept His gift, he changes them from apes and pigs into good Believers.
Modi: I guess there is no convincing you that there is more to life than dreamt of in your philosophy. You cannot enjoy life, you long for death, and it is necessary that you ruin it for everyone else.
Radi: There is only our religion. Nothing else matters. WE ARE NOT HERE TO ENJOY LIFE. We are here to suffer through it and hope it comes to an end quickly. Kill me now and make me a martyr!
Mani: I guess that means you don’t want to join us for lunch then.
Radi: Hey! I didn’t say that. Who is buying?
HJS
Modi (Moderate): I thought you would. Not much to it.
Mani: Well, I am guarding tons of munitions and am just a little apprehensive. A lot could happen.
Modi: Not to worry. You have a good group behind you. It is Hamas-Iraqi. Not even al-Qaeda wants to take them on with a level playing field.
Mani: I thought they fought on the side of AQ?
Modi: They did. You know, a few of us Sunnis answered some hard questions truthfully and determined that we are in real trouble whenever the coalition leaves. You see, we want the democracy; we just want to ensure that we are not departing from the religion. We are not looking for the religion of the Wahhabis and Salafists. We are looking for a comfortable and merciful view of life and death. We want an end to the killings and the bickering. So now Hamas Iraqi is working with the coalition instead of against it.
Mani: What? Am I working for the coalition?
Modi: The way things are now, Mani, if you are not with al-Qaeda, not with Iran, and not in training at one of the camps in Lebanon, Syria, or Pakistan, you are with the coalition.
Mani: It is going to take me awhile to reconcile with that news.
Radi (Radical): What news are you talking about?
Mani: Modi and I were talking about Hamas-Iraqi taking on al-Qaeda.
Radi: I saw that in the press. I had to look closely to make sure it wasn’t Modi writing it.
Modi: You seem to be taking it in stride. I thought you would be quite angry about that.
Radi: I do not like the idea. I am more concerned with maintaining the strictness of our faith. If we are all as fervent as we are supposed to be, then it would not matter what type of government we have. If the group that fights is not Salafi, it is not fighting in the way of Allah; thus, I will not support it and Allah will strike them dead.
Modi: Just who do you suppose should be the authority on how fervent a Believer should be?
Radi: It would have to be the most fervent of the sects, as long as they were Salafists. Anyone less would weaken the religion.
Mani: What is this “weaken the religion” idea?
Radi: After the death of our Most Beloved, peace be upon him, our religion underwent a terrible upheaval and whenever the smoke cleared and the Caliphate came into control, they simply were not strict enough and the people were descending into the horrors of laxity. For centuries the religion became weaker and corrupt. Once they became lax in their religious duties, the laxity permeated everything.
Modi: Laxity? What you are trying to say and doing it so badly, Radi, is very important. Our religion was undergoing the same growing pains that other religions had undergone. We were not sliding into laxity, but adjusting ourselves and our beliefs to a less rigid and more flexible system, similar to that of Christianity and Judaism. Rigidity and inflexibility should never be norms when dealing with humans.
Mani: Modi, if Allah established the rules, how can we dare change anything?
Modi: That is the radical viewpoint, Mani. They fervently believe that Allah is the author of the Qur’an. Because they do, no change can ever be suggested, let alone started. The Qur’an, of course, is not the total religion. The Hadiths and the detailed life of Muhammad may be just as important in the lives of the faithful. What our Most Beloved has said in his lifetime the faithful hear almost every day in one way or another—in Mosque or on the street. I know I do not have to remind you that we are constantly told that our Most Beloved led a perfect life and we must emulate him in all things.
Radi: Modi, you have that correct. You surprise me.
Modi: Radi, the idea you just do not seem to get is that the world has changed. Everything has changed, including the way we look at everything. The world has moved on. Christians have changed and so have Jews. We have many more people in the world and there are more important questions than what our imams are discussing with us. We can not keep fighting against the Meccan polytheists and the Yathrib Jews! They are all gone.
Mani: What type of questions do you mean?
Modi: One might better ask questions such as how do we help establish peace in the world without trying to destroy every other nation and religion and enslave everyone except our Believers. We could also ask how we might get together with the rest of the world and find cures for diseases and more food for the starving. When our people were starving in some places, the West rushed in with food and medicine. What did we ever do for them? Christians and Jews have helped us everywhere. Look at what they did for us in Bosnia, for example.
Radi: Allah made them… (Modi interrupts)
Modi: I hate to stop you, but I know you are going to ask us to believe something that we have tossed out a long time ago as rubbish. Allah did not send any angels down to blow dust in the West's eye to make them do what they did. Look, whenever we discuss what people do, you must assume people are doing it for a reason. If you continue to believe that our God actually creates miracles to make Western people do things to help us, you lose sight of humanity. Loving and serving Allah is only part of the equation, Radi. It is just as important to love and help our fellow man. Religion is Part of Life; IT IS NOT THE WHOLE OF LIFE. If so, there would be no sense in being born on earth to enjoy earth's fruits and the comforts and joys of earth's humanity. Many people here hate Jews and they never even saw or met one.
Radi: You are the one who missed the point, Modi. Loving and serving Allah and taking the entire world for Allah IS ALL THERE IS.
Modi: You and people like you are the problem; you have no understanding of your own religion, because you never got beyond your rituals, your seventh century rulings, and your complete disdain for everyone not a Believer. A non-Believer to your group is just an animal.
Mani: I can understand that, Radi. Do you still call Jews and Christians apes and pigs?
Radi: Of course we do. That is what they are.
Modi: Would you say, Radi, that apes and pigs make good Believers.
Radi: Why would you ask such a question? Apes and pigs do not make good anything.
Modi: Well, Radi, why do we recruit new Believers from the apes and pigs?
Mani: I saw that one coming, Modi. You need to be more subtle.
Modi: With Radi?
Radi: I know what you two are saying. Of course, Allah gives them the gift of faith and when they accept His gift, he changes them from apes and pigs into good Believers.
Modi: I guess there is no convincing you that there is more to life than dreamt of in your philosophy. You cannot enjoy life, you long for death, and it is necessary that you ruin it for everyone else.
Radi: There is only our religion. Nothing else matters. WE ARE NOT HERE TO ENJOY LIFE. We are here to suffer through it and hope it comes to an end quickly. Kill me now and make me a martyr!
Mani: I guess that means you don’t want to join us for lunch then.
Radi: Hey! I didn’t say that. Who is buying?
HJS
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