Chief Rabbi Ovadia Yosef
Israel’s former Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef describes Islam as an “ugly” religion. (Hat tip: Ustadh) This is something that no American newspaper would report or discuss let alone Robert Spencer. Imagine if it had been Ali Gomaa the head Mufti of Egypt who said something like this about Christianity or Judaism. This also highlights a troubling trend from conservative Orthodox Rabbi’s disparaging and describing Islam and Muslims in hateful terms.
Israeli Rabbi Describes Islam as “ugly”
Israel’s top Rabbi, Shas party spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, harshly criticized Islam as a religion and described it as an “ugly” faith during a speech he delivered on Saturday night for the occasion of Hanukah. The comments have left many in the Arab world questioning the role of religious leaders in the Jewish state. The Rabbi, according to a report by Egypt’s al-Youm al-Saba’a newspaper, who quoted the statements of the Rabbi from Israel’s Ma’arev daily newspaper, reportedly said, “Islam is the worst religion and a religion that disregards the rules of marriage and divorce among Muslims,”
December 15th, 2009 at 11:59 am
Nothing new. This is Zionism.
December 15th, 2009 at 1:11 pm
Of course no muslim religious leader has ever described Jews and Judaism in hateful terms.
December 15th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
When they have Dolly, they have had their words plastered all over the press, had people trying to block them coming in to the UK plus other things…
This guy, who is a former Chief Rabbi, not just a random rabbi said it.
People have repeatedly lied and said Ali Gomaa has made anti-Jewish comments, but that lie is enough to tarnish all Muslims. This creep can say what he wants, sitting in a country that is actively oppressing and destroying the lives of Palestinians….
It’s not Islam that is ugly…it’s him.
December 15th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
@Dolly the Zionist
You obviously miss the point. When a Muslim leader says something stupid, it’s on the front pages of the New York Times. When a Jewish leader says something even more stupid, rarely will you ever see it in the mainstream press.
December 15th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
I’m afraid Dolly the Zionist is a bit slow, hence missed the point that Loonwatch are making.
Keep attending the remedial classes Dolly
December 15th, 2009 at 5:45 pm
Dolly is not just slow, he/she is doing “hasbara”, the zionist propaganda.
December 15th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
To the moderator, I accidentally clicked submit in the wrong news section, I meant to add this here about Rabbi Yosef. Please cancel the other one.
In Israel, an Arab MK has the freedom and right to call for Rabbi Ovadia Yosef to be prosecuted, and he did today
Arab MK Calls to Prosecute Rabbi Yosef
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/Flash.aspx/176474
(israelnn.com) Balad Chairman MK Jamal Zahalka said Monday that, Should be prosecuted for calling the Muslim religion “ugly”.
My question is why don’t Arab and Moslem countries allow Jews to prosecute Arabs for the often state sponsered Jew hatred by journalists, politicians, sheiksh, Imams, and the common man on the street?
Will any Jew allowed be allowed to file charges against Sudais who talks of Islamic tolerance to his Western audience and demonises the Jews to his Moslem one?
http://exposingislam.blogspot.com/2009/08/saudi-imam-who-called-jews-scum-rats
“Sheikh Abdur-Rahman Al-Sudais, Imam, Ka’ba, Mecca, Saudi Arabia: The history of Islam is the best testament to how different communities can live together in peace and harmony. Muslims must exemplify the true image of Islam in their interaction with other communities.”–
“John Ware: Sheikh Sudais is a leading Imam from the great mosque in Mecca, Islam’s holiest city.”–
“He had one voice for his Western audience - another for his followers in Saudi.
Sheikh Abdur-Rahman Al-Sudais: The worst … of the enemies of Islam are those… whom he… made monkeys and pigs, the aggressive Jews and oppressive Zionists and those that follow them: the callers of the trinity and the cross worshippers… those influenced by the rottenness of their ideas, and the poison of their cultures the followers of secularism… How can we talk sweetly when the Hindus and the idol worshippers indulge in their overwhelming hatred against our brothers… in Muslim Kashmir…”–
December 16th, 2009 at 1:23 am
“People have repeatedly lied and said Ali Gomaa has made anti-Jewish comments, but that lie is enough to tarnish all Muslims.”
So you support gomaa? The same guy who supports Hezbollah?
“This creep can say what he wants, sitting in a country that is actively oppressing and destroying the lives of Palestinians.”
Do you see the hypocrisy in typing that right after you stuck up for a ‘man’ who’s involved in a state that treats Copts worse than dogs?
December 16th, 2009 at 1:26 am
@Yusuf spare us the Jews control the media crap okay? We get it mossad stole your bicycle which made you start on the path of the key board warrior, get over it already.
December 16th, 2009 at 1:12 pm
This torch of Jewish theology sometimes utters funny things. In the Swiss Daily NZZ he stated that Auschwitz was a “higher form of justice” for the entire Jewry (21st of August 2000). I think you know that the web can be “cleansed” to and so you can find only econdary hints: the right-wing “Junge Freiheit” was nearly triumphant over it:
http://tinyurl.com/ybt3o2c
December 16th, 2009 at 1:21 pm
@Cassidy the Zionist
Are you denying that the press is anti-Muslim and pro-Israel? Are you denying that there is a powerful Zionist lobby that’s used to silence debate and influence US foreign policy? Are you denying that pro-Palestinian professors are pressured by Zionist groups using McCarthy-like tactics?
December 16th, 2009 at 1:42 pm
In more peaceful times Chief Rabbi Ovadia Yosef allowed psalms to be sung to Um Kulthoum’s music, which he liked. It made Arabic music popular amongst Jews. Anyone interested in the recent Oud festival, will like this
http://www.english.globalarabnetwork.com/200912113978/Culture/the-oud-a-bridge-to-peace.html
The oud: a bridge to peace
By Linda Menuhin Abdel Aziz
Friday, 11 December 2009 06:51
http://www.english.globalarabnetwork.com/200912113978/Culture/the-oud-a-bridge-to-peace.html
Many factors crystallize the Israeli perception of Oriental and Arabic music. At the turn of the 20th century it was mostly waves of Jews from Russia and Eastern Europe who left their imprint on the nascent culture and music. Religious music was receptive to Arabic music, partly because Sephardi Chief Rabbi Ovadia Yosef allowed psalms to be sung to Um Kulthoum’s music, which he was fond of, early in his career, while serving in Egypt, in the late 1940s. Iraqi Jews applied the Maqam (type of scale) to the Psalms, which they cherished and developed while living in Iraq for 3,000 years.
The popularity that the Oud Festival enjoys is the best evidence that Oriental and Arabic music have broken through to the Israeli mainstream. The Oud Festival is a ray of hope on the cloudy horizon of our region. It is indeed an Israeli acknowledgement of Arab culture. In the future we should like to see Arab singers, such as the Syrian Sabah Fakhri, perform live, rather than settle for his repertoire performed by Israeli Arabs. Arabs in the region can leave their imprint on Israeli nascent culture through musical and cultural encounters to establish constructive dialogue and co-existence, at least for the sake of the next generation.
December 16th, 2009 at 2:48 pm
“Are you denying that the press is anti-Muslim and pro-Israel?”
Yes the media’s so pro-Israel that every knows about Rachel Corrie yet hardly anyone can name a victim of hamas atrocities.
“Are you denying that there is a powerful Zionist lobby that’s used to silence debate and influence US foreign policy?”
Oh dear it looks like yusuf reads david duke when he’s not hanging outside kosher shops scowling at motza balls.
“Are you denying that pro-Palestinian professors are pressured by Zionist groups using McCarthy-like tactics?”
Yeah I do and you’re a Jew hating bigot who made attempts to justify slavery, you are in no position to try to take the high ground.
December 16th, 2009 at 4:18 pm
Yusuf, you write Dolly/Cassidy the Zionist as if being a Zionist is bad thing - it’s NOT. A Zionist believes in the right of Israel to exist - that’s it. In true Muslim fashion, you look at Zionism as the cause for the misery, poverty, and source of all problems in the Muslim world. Instead, you ought to look at your own ideology as the source of your problems. Israel, Jews, Zionists, are NOT the reason Muslims are where they are - Islam is the cause!
December 16th, 2009 at 4:35 pm
Guys lets keep it civil. I had to delete some racist comments here from both sides. Also, I will reiterate for those who don’t know, if you abuse the comment section, you will be banned.
-Emperor
December 16th, 2009 at 4:52 pm
“Yes the media’s so pro-Israel that every knows about Rachel Corrie yet hardly anyone can name a victim of hamas atrocities.”
Please…. name me the family members that were slaughtered on the beach in Gaza back in 2006. Name me ONE Palestinian child that was slaughtered in the Gaza massacre in 2008-09. The life of an Israeli is worth more to you than the life of an Arab. That much is clear.
“Oh dear it looks like yusuf reads david duke when he’s not hanging outside kosher shops scowling at motza balls.”
I suppose John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt read David Duke too! I’m not a David Duke reader and don’t plan on being one. I reject his so-called support for the Palestinians, which he hates too because they’re not white, but he’s happy to use them to bash Jews. I don’t appreciate that. Don’t try to tie in anti-Zionism to antisemitism. It’s pathetic.
“Yeah I do and you’re a Jew hating bigot who made attempts to justify slavery, you are in no position to try to take the high ground.”
Looks like I struck a nerve. You do deny it? I guess what happened to Joseph Massad doesn’t mean much to you. Fortunately, he still got his tenure much to the dismay of Zionist hoodlums!
And I never defended slavery, I simply stated that Christian European slavery was far worse than Arab Muslim slavery, which is a fact.
December 16th, 2009 at 4:59 pm
AL H,
Support for Zionism means support for racism, ethnic cleansing, genocide, and state terrorism.
December 16th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, should apologise for his comments.
Perhap’s there was something bothering him, that made him erupt, be that as it may, it doesn’t excuse what he said. He is an influential figure even though he is an ex Chief Rabbi, he shouldn’t fan the flames of hatred.
Imagine if the Al Azhar Sheikh’s gave a speech saying the same about Judaism. How would he feel? I bet he’d be shouting for an apology.
Controversy is not new to him though, he has made comments in the past that caused fury. He blamed American’s for the Katrina he said it was a punishment for disregarding God’s laws, he also called for the death of Sharon or something like that during the disengagement and has blamed his own people or Azhkenazi’s for the Holocaust if I remember correctly.
I’m surprised that someone as prominent as him, hasn’t learned to be less controversial.
December 16th, 2009 at 6:56 pm
“The life of an Israeli is worth more to you than the life of an Arab. That much is clear.”
Oh that’s rich coming from someone who openly advocated the destruction of Israel.
“Don’t try to tie in anti-Zionism to antisemitism.”
Anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism; pretend I said that Arab Nationalism is inherently evil, that Arabs control the media and that Arabs shouldn’t have a state, what would I be but anti-Arab? I don’t deny that there are violent forms of nationalism but that doesn’t make Zionism any different since other forms of ethnic nationalism have violent and non violent strains, for example there non-violent Basque nationalist movements and the Basque terrorist group the ETA.
December 16th, 2009 at 10:10 pm
Yusuf,
It’s very interesting how I view support for Islam as support for all these things. As an example, Genocide/Ethnic cleansing: Darfur, State supported terrorism: Iran, Syria.
If Israel wanted, they could wipe out the Palestinian population tomorrow as the have the military might to do so. They never did. These “massacares” you’re referring to are Muslim propaganda and total nonsense. They never happened. Israel took measures to stop the firing of rockets from Gaza at it’s civilian population. By the way, the brave Palestinian “soldiers” fire missiles from civilian areas and then disappear. Israel used unbelievable restraint against the cowards.
Anyways, I don’t think I’ll convince you of anything as you’ve been indoctronated in BS. Your mind is filled with Muslim propaganda and you’re unable to reason logically.
December 17th, 2009 at 3:57 am
Oh get a grip Cassidy.
Where in what I said did I say I support Ali Gomaa? I just said people blatantly lie about him and then use to bash all Muslims.
I am not in any way a fan of the Egyptian state machinery, but they don’t bang on about being ‘the only democracy in the Middle East’ or about how ‘humane’ they are like Israel. They also are not supported without question many times when they bomb and kill Christian copts, openly steal their land and deny the right of return to refugees and paint their opposition like the religious fanatics…that would be Israel.
December 17th, 2009 at 4:11 am
Al H…
Wow, you are the one so indoctrinated with Zionist propaganda that you can’t see your argument is full of holes.
Do not demean Palestinian suffering, you have no idea what they have been through…these ‘massacres’ have been show on tv, reported by western press and human rights agencies, they are not propaganda, they are the real life misery people suffer.
And Israel cannot wipe out Palestinians whilst the world has decided on the ‘never again’ sentiment…it would turn the tide of good favour against Israel, although killing a few thousand here and there doesn’t. They have other methods commonly used in ethnic cleansing….displacement, destruction of livelihood, targetting children and women, controlling access to healtcare and food, denying freedom of movement….
Why don’t you actually go to the OPTs, go see what the reality is…but even then I think you are too far gone….
December 17th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
Cassidy, anti semitism and anti zionism are different things. Many jews have criticized zionism. Also, Israel has killed more then the palestinians. I do not hate the jews. I respect them greatly. But I detest Israel, because they shit over human rights and then play the prejudice card to avoid getting criticized. I have met Jews who have been critical of Israel. There is prejudice. If you think Israel is an innocent victim, you are either a racist, a liar, or just plain stupid
December 17th, 2009 at 6:33 pm
“Did you think that We had created you in play, and that you would not be returned unto Us?” The noble Qur’an, Al-Muminoon(23):115.
http://www.learningquranonline.com
What Does “Islam” Mean?
The word “Islam” itself means “Submission to Allah.” The religion of Islam is not named after a person as in the case of “Christianity” which was named after Jesus Christ, “Buddhism” after Gutama Buddha , “Marxism” after Karl Marx, and “Confucianism” after Confucius.
Similarly, Islam is not named after a tribe like “Judaism” after the tribe of Judah and “Hinduism” after the Hindus. The Arabic word “Islam” means the submission or surrender of one’s will to the will of the only true god worthy of worship, “Allah” (known as God “the Father” in Christianity).
Anyone who does indeed submit to the will of Allah as required by Islam is termed a “Muslim,” which means one who has submitted to the will of Allah. Many people in the West have developed the sad misinformed trend of calling Islam “Muhammadenism” and it’s followers “Muhammadins.” This is a totally foreign word to Muslims and unrecognized by them. No Muslim has ever called his religion “Muhammadenism” or called himself a “Muhammadin.”
What Is The Basic Concept of Islam?
Islam teaches us that this life is a life of worship. We are placed on this earth in order to worship Allah and obey His command. During this earthly life we are subjected to a series of trials. We have the option of enduring these trials and conforming to certain laws, and our reward will be great in the next life, or we may decline to endure these trials and choose to not conform to the law, then we will be made to regret it in the next life.
Each person will be solely and completely responsible for their own final reward. We are also told that God has designed these laws to make this life a better, safer, and more tolerable one for us. If we elect to conform to them then we will see the result in this life even before moving on to the next.
We are told that the earthly life is a life of faith and work, and the next life is one of reward and no work. We have been placed on this earth to worship God, fast, pray, be industrious, good, kind, respectful, and a source of uprightness and morality. We are told that God has no need of our worship. Our worship can not increase the kingdom of God nor add to His power, however, it is in our best interests both in this life and the next that we do.
Unlike some other religions which claim that God entered in a covenant with a certain group of people and that this group is genetically better than all other human beings, or closer to God, Islam on the other hand teaches that no color, race, tribe, or lineage is better than any other. Islam teaches that all humans are equal in the sight of Allah and that the only thing that can distinguish them in His sight is their piety and worship.
“O humankind! Verily! We have created you from a male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that you may know one another. Verily! the noblest among you in the sight of Allah is the most God-fearing. Verily! Allah is The Knower, The Aware.” The noble Qur’an, Al-Hujrat(49):13.
December 17th, 2009 at 9:30 pm
“Where in what I said did I say I support Ali Gomaa? I just said people blatantly lie about him and then use to bash all Muslims.”
I don’t care if people lie about him, he’s terrorist supporting hate mongering who’s a leading figure in a state that treats Copts worse than dirt. I’m sure people also lie about scumbags like David Duke or Kehane but who cares?
“I am not in any way a fan of the Egyptian state machinery, but they don’t bang on about being ‘the only democracy in the Middle East’ or about how ‘humane’ they are like Israel.”
That’s because the Egyptian government is not a democracy or humane.
“They also are not supported without question many times when they bomb and kill Christian copts, openly steal their land and deny the right of return to refugees and paint their opposition like the religious fanatics…that would be Israel.”
I’m a little too tired right now to refute the usual ‘free palestine’ bs but if you want to debate about email me at Wilburwhately48@gmail.com.
December 18th, 2009 at 8:31 am
Cassidy…
No I do not want to debate you about Palestine,I don’t give a crap if you are a loony zionist, what I do care about is you belittling the suffering of the Palestinian people- people I know personally and care about greatly.
You can sit at your PC and bang on about how great Israel is….some of us have seen things with our own eyes to know that is the real BS.
Also…You really need comprehension lessons
“I just said people blatantly lie about him and then use to bash all Muslims.”
Bash ALL Muslims. No one bashes all Jews or Christians because of Kahane and Duke and to compare either of those men to Ali Gomaa is inaccurate anyway. Israel is pretty pally with the Egyptian regime…shouldn’t you boycott them?
So much concern for Christian Copts in Egypt- can’t extend that to Muslim or Christian Palestinians huh? They aren’t languishing in refugee camps a few km from their original homes, cut off from their livelihoods and humilated daily in just trying to get on with life.
Israel is also not a democracy or humane…but sure skip over that.
December 18th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
“Oh that’s rich coming from someone who openly advocated the destruction of Israel.”
its absurd for Isreal to complain about their neighbours wanting to wipe them off the map when its Isreal with the capacity to wipe the whole region off the map infact if you were to take a look at our map of the globe Palestine doesn’t even
george galloway
mr galloway ,if u got the torah as your guide
http://www.theskepticalreview.com/JFTMillerGoodQuestion5.html
then there is no suprise.
December 29th, 2009 at 2:30 am
It’s funny–anytime a Muslim cleric calls for the destruction of every Jew on the globe–it’s reported as “propaganda”. But, when a Jew claims that Islam is evil (and I agree) then the world press calls for the Jew to be charged with Hate Speech. Something that people (Like MEEE) in America are wise to-and refuse to believe…
I read AP News stories about Israel and the IDF, and read words like “punishing”, “devastating”, Apartheid”, “Occupation”, “War Crimes” and other derogatory words and phrases that subject the reader to veiled anti-Semitic propaganda by leftist liberal media toeing the line of their employers—and it sickens me.
Don’t worry what the press says-Israel is the ONLY nation in the Mideast that is keeping the rouge Islamist in check. Would I be allowed, I would be on the first plane to Israel and stand shoulder to shoulder with the IDF to stop the Islamic adventurism. –and there are many people just like me that feel the same way.
I applaud Rabbi Ovadia Yosef for having the courage to stand up and speak his mind. Far to many people are chicken shot cowards…
December 29th, 2009 at 7:43 am
Frank schein
“Don’t worry what the press says-Israel is the ONLY nation in the Mideast that is keeping the rouge Islamist in check”
Criticism of Israeli occupation is not the same as Jew hatred (anti-semitism) you stupid illiterate moron. Many Jews are in the forefront of this battle against israeli occupation.
Let Israel end the occupation, let the Palestinians form a state and the attacks on Israel will end. If the Palestinians get a VIABLE state, with water, air and land rights equal to Israel, and then continues bombing and shelling or rousing for intifiada’s, then the Israeli’s will no longer be damned in the media like you’re saying. Watch the tide change. The Palestinians won’t get sympathy the way they do now if they continue the attacks against Israeli’s and Hezbollah, Syria and others who support these groups against Israel, will become persona non grata even in the Muslim world.
“Don’t worry what the press says-Israel is the ONLY nation in the Mideast that is keeping the rouge Islamist in check. ”
Don’t kid yourself, ignorant one. Israel does what the US wants, or will tolerate. Nothing more, nothing less. As the neo-cons lose power in the USA, so the pretence of “we victims of Palestinains” is becoming harder to sell.
Even dominionists are realising there theology is a lie, and are dumping Israel.
The key to ending the occupation lies in the USA not in Israel.
December 29th, 2009 at 8:02 am
ohhhh, a dominionst? Frank Schein
“Would I be allowed, I would be on the first plane to Israel and stand shoulder to shoulder with the IDF to stop the Islamic adventurism. –and there are many people just like me that feel the same way.”
Why do you think you won’t be allowed?
Oh do make my day and live out your threat, i beg of you. and take all those who “feel the same way”. But you won’t do that will you? You’re all cowards, hiding behind your fake prophecies, and hoping the other will do your dirty work for you. Whatever, you say of “islamists” they do they own work, they don’t rely on others. Maybe that’s what bugs you huh? You’re too comfortable with the superficial world. They are not!
The IDF will welcome you, i hear they’re having trouble with recruits, the new generation of Israeli’s are shirking military service. They’d welcome you.
Do go, please do and keep us informed as to what happens!