What are the real aims?

Submitted by Vinodgupt (United States), Aug 16, 2010 at 12:31

Cordoba initiative's claim that they want to build a cultural center to promote cultural awareness and harmony between Islam and the west seem hollow. The entire project smells of triumphalism. Why on the site of a building damaged in 911 attack and why the name Cordoba House? Why is the name of a Spanish city so important for this location. This location is important for Islamists as it will in times to come will be a symbol of Islamists first attack on America. The name Cordoba is important because it was not only the capital of first Islamic rule in the West but also the seat of first Islamic caliphate in the west.

Spiritual father of Pakistan and a poet, Allama Iqbal made a special trip to Spain in 1931 and visited Cordoba and even though offering prayers at the site of Cordoba mosque were prohibited -- he offered namaz there and wrote a poem Masjid-e-Qurtuba. In it he wrote:

"Sacred for lovers of art, thou art the glory of faith,

Thou hast made Andalusia pure as a holy land."

For devout and historically conscious Muslims -- Cordoba mosque is a holy site. The significance of naming it Cordoba house are self evident.

As far as promoting cultural awareness -- it can be created through 3000 other mosques that are already there in the US. What would a mosque at ground zero do that 3000 other mosques cannot do? New York is a living testamony to religous tolerance -- it does need lessons in that. If they want to promote and teach releigious tolerance they should open churches and synagogues in Saudi Arabia.

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