“Much has been written of Saladin's treatment of Christian and Jews, so I won't rehash it for you. Yet very few know that his actions were not a product of his unique world view; it was accepted Islamic dogma and this may explain Islam’s astonishing acceptance amongst the people its armies conquered. Things began to change around the time of the Fatwa of Ibn Taymieh, when anti-foreigner groups started to subvert Islamic universalism. Prior to that time Islam was magnificent in its inclusiveness. Muhideen Ibn Arabi was the Grand Sheik of Islam in the 12th century. He is buried in Damascus in the small beautiful district of á¹¢aliḥiyya. He once wrote; "My heart has adopted every shape; it has become a pasture for a gazelles, and a convent for Christian monks. A temple for idols, and a pilgrim’s Ka'ba, the tables of a Torah, and the pages of a Koran. I follow the religion of Love." These were the words of the highest authority on Islam at the time, so we can put to rest allegations that Islam is inherently intolerant of Christians and Jews, and less "Love" driven than Jesus’ message.”

“The Imam-who's behind this mess-was handpicked by the Bush administration to head an interfaith group. I suspect he'd done everything-to the point of obsequiousness-to say and do what they wanted. Now this same guy is being labeled; a Jihadi radical and a caller for Sharia in America by right wingers and their talking heads. People…George W. Bush, not Barak Husain Obama, picked him!”