Sheikh Suhaib, I really appreciate your showing us why this action was wrong Islamically, and I admire your patience with all the crazy things going around on all sides. It’s clear to me that a big part of being a scholar, one who is truly an heir of the Prophets, is being able to have the patience and adab of them. May Allah guide us all to have your adab, Ameen.

I put those translations up, note I’m not the translator, to show that even with one’s enemies, one is forced to abide by a certain code of ethics. Since our fellow American don’t fall under such a definition, meaning they are not our enemies, then they have a greater right upon us that we be law abiding respectful citizens. As for the killing of those soldiers the other day, then I clearly denounce this as an illegal act, murder,far from Islam and I encourage, not only those under 30 to stay law abiding dutiful citizens, but all Muslims. I would appreciate it if you would stop accusing people of things and attributing to them ideals which they don’t hold. You started your posts with some very legitimate concerns, but have taking the conversation into throwing accusations at people and making very little sense.

I would like to thank you and those who commented. This man is a criminal, his actions were evil and our community needs to look at the causes and remedies for such thoughts and ideas.

SDW

This person is suggesting that perhaps the shooter was one of those who had been coerced to make serious PTSD cases look less serious through deliberate mis-diagnosis. Since they were his patients, he would have been sympathetic to their cases, and if this surmise is valid, perhaps he was so disgusted by his colleagues being willing to put all these returning soldiers so much of suffering just so the military could save money, that he turned the guns on his coworkers?

Here is the link that shows this happening:
http://www.salon.com/news/special/coming_home/2009/04/08/tape/index.html
[QUOTE]Last June, during a medical appointment, a patient named “Sgt. X” recorded an Army psychologist at Fort Carson, Colo., saying that he was under pressure not to diagnose combat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. Listen to a segment of the tape here.[/QUOTE]

Suhaib Webb, I look for you to address the taboo issues in our American Muslim Society, and whether or not killing military uniforms is haram is one of them. And whether or not Muslims can join the military is one of them.

Fort Hood addresses these, it is too bad we don’t have religous “leaders” tackling these issues head-on, and instead put up the apologetic smoke screen without actually saying anyting that will benefit the negative sentiment in our communities. too bad… cuz in reality i dont have the pulpit, but you do Suhaib, you got the pulpit and every single American Muslim under 30 is ready to listen to what you have to say. I’m disappointed that you arent saying what needs to be said, cuz honestly I personally think you are the only one that pushes the envelope when it comes to addressing key issues that deal with Muslims in America.

too bad ppl go ahead and delete my posts, what are they afraid of again? oh yea ppl calling out terrorists as they are… with this fort hood guy being one of them, our ummah to aftraid to call them out as they are again!!! I guess you take them as heroes? No they aren’t, they are criminals along with the taliban and sadaam!!!

With all due respect, this exposes the falsehood of your entire argument about the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. What business exactly is the US conducting with Israel? It is the business of funding their occupation of Palestine. Billions of dollars in aid go to Israel every year, aid which kills and oppresses Palestinians. When the US stands with Israel and opposes every UN resolution against Israel, is that also business?

Afghani Muslim:

I certainly empathize with your concerns, but would encourage you to take it easy as the last post was more of a rant/diatribe that started to make very little sense.

Emotions are high, hearts ache and questions are being asked. I agreed wholeheartedly with Yusuf X words , agree with you that killing the innocent is strictly forbidden in Islam [anyplace] and that nothing can justify the murders that took place.

Muslims are facing an ethical crisis and need to take a stand against those amongst us who are ethically malnourished. I certainly agree that on my part I could do much better and thank you for your sincere advice. I know it, inshallah, is coming from your heart so I trust that it is coupled with noble intentions.

Remember that this is a forum to discuss this and gain some direction, simply pointing fingers at each other, while a good start, is just that.

SDW

We teach our children that part of the world is “Darul Harb”, and that terrorism is bad “except when we kill Israelis”, and that “Muslims are weak and oppressed by infidels because we’re not religious enough, but when we are truly devoted to Islam (and its leaders), then we will be Strong!”. Some people extrapolate this line of thought to justify murder, and that’s why we make the news in Mumbai, and Madrid and Ft. Hood., and so on.

That’s why for example the Iraqis have been killing each other for, well, forever. In the current political situation, the factions in the north are Kurd vs Arab vs Turk, no one cares about Sunni/Shia even though they have both. In Baghdad, it’s Sunni/Shia, no one cares about ethnicities, even though they have lots. In the south where they’re all Arab Shia, factions still kill each other, over what I have no idea.

We need to have a consistent message in our communities: “murder is bad, no exceptions, no justifications.”

What I’m going to say isn’t intended to detract from that.

This action has to also be analyzed in the context of mass murders in this country. Around that same day, a man who was fired from his job shot and killed 5 of his co-workers.

How about the rapist with the 11 or so bodies stashed away in his house.

How about the 15 year old in California who was gang raped outside the high school dance by about 10 teens/young men for two and half hours, with up to 20 onlookers who did nothing.

There have been so many family murder-suicides (e.g. middle class dad in the suburbs comes home, kills wife and kids, then himself) this year it is unreal.

How many times have we heard “he was a loner” – for people who had nothing to do with being muslim.

There is a larger context at work here, and part of our reflection as american muslims has to be a reflection on our american culture itself, and the displays of murderous and raping rage by unhinged individuals of all backgrounds that we have seen in communities around the country.

If you have a problem with this country and their foreign policies DONT JOIN THEIR MILITARY and leave if you have any issues with them.

No one is saying we live in a perfect non Muslims society, their isnt even a Muslim one. Condemn the actions of your country by the ways they outlined for us such as freedom of assembly and speech and press.

May Allah allow us to think straight, I dont think the brother was mentally all there, so therefore (even if he was sane) may Allah forgive his sins and the actions that have made many lose their family members.