On Wednesday, May 20th, Jay Smith, skyping from here in London, along with Bob Deal, sitting in the Trinity Channel studio in the USA, had a two hour debate, on the American based Trinity channel, with Anjem Choudary the leader of the most radical Muslim group in Europe today (Islam4UK), and his disciple, Mizanur Rahman (below right), both of whom also skyped in from London.
You can see the debate in its entirety at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8wYuiV1wPY
The debate centred on the many historical problems surrounding the emergence of Islam, including:
1) What the historical record is telling us who Muhammad actually was, including where he lived, and when?
2) Why his earliest biographies (Sira) and his sayings (Hadith) don't appear for over 200 years after his death?
3) Why Mecca, where Muhammad lived, doesn't appear until 741 AD, over 100 years after Muhammad's death?
4) Why all the earliest mosques for the first 100 years are pointed (i.e. the Qibla) 600 miles too far north, towards Petra instead of Mecca?
5) Why all the earliest Qur'anic manuscripts don't begin to appear until the 8th century, some 50-60 years after Muhammad; all with variants, and with corrections continuing well into the 9th century, a full 200 years after it was supposedly compiled complete and unchanged?
All these facts suggest that Islam is a much later invention, probably initiated during the reign of the caliph Abd al Malick in the late 7th century, as a need for an Arab identity, and then constructed, changed, and enlarged over the following two centuries, and finally redacted back on to the person of Muhammad who, we are told, died in 632 AD.
Understandably, neither Anjem nor Mizanur could, or rather would, deal with this new historical material, employing their usual verbal taunts, while constantly returning to affirm the classical Islamic traditions for their authority, the very documents which were put into jeopardy by Jay and Don throughout this debate.
Many people ask why it is important that we engage publicly in such debates with men like Anjem Choudary and Mizanur Rahman, particularly on such subjects, since they represent the more radical ‘fringe’ of Islam, and not the more reasoned nominal majority? The reason is very simple. Anjem Choudary is hugely influential here in Europe.
According to the latest 'Scotland Yard' statistics, he has been responsible in influencing over a third of all Muslims who have left Europe to join ISIS in the past year, and regularly speaks in over 50 countries concerning his more radical brand of Islam.
Go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71mSbHHkpr8 if you would like to see our 7-minute video invitation to the debate, which includes (in the final 5 minutes) a special documentary put out by the BBC last week on the influence of Anjem Choudary here in Europe.
In fact, it is because of Anjem's influence over so many young Muslims that the new Conservative government will be introducing later this month the new 'Extremist Disruption Order' (EDO), aimed at specifically censuring Anjem's group, the 'Islam4UK'. That is why we Christians, more than anyone else, must step forward and debate men like Anjem and his co-religionists.
Just as we Christians are absolutely dependent on the historical credibility of the Bible and Jesus Christ for everything we believe, so men like Anjem and MIzanur, because they are so much more radical in their beliefs than probably any other Muslims you will meet, are likewise completely dependent on the credibility and authenticity of the Qur'an and its model, Muhammad. Yet, it is historical material like that which we introduced in this debate which will eventually prove to be the 'Achilles heel' of men like Anjem and Mizanur, as it destroys the very foundations of everything they believe and hope for.
This debate will be the beginning of many more like it, as new and even better ongoing historical research continues to question who Muhammad was, where the Qur'an came from, and how indeed Islam really began.
To see a more in-depth talk on this new historical material, go and watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zd9lIuUjPs0
Stay tuned for much more yet to come, which you can use and pass on to others, on our Pfanderfilms site, at: https://www.youtube.com/user/PfanderFilms
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