10-02-2003, 08:11 PM
Salaam Alaikum!
Wow-I didn’t realize that people replied to posts that fast, Alhamdulilah!
Well, from my knowledge and study in the field, I (among other student, colleagues, professors, etc.) have come to the conclusion that the “myth” of an exclusive ancient Israel has gone too far. I’m not saying that an ancient Israel never existed, on the contrary. I’m arguing that, since biblical criticism exists and dominates our colloquium, we should use that as a guideline to construct a home for the Palestinians. It seems erroneous for nations (U.S.A., U.K.) to have claimed that the bible cannot be used in the political arena, and then on the same hand uses the bible to construct a home for the Jews and expulse the inhabitants already existing there. Such leaves me baffled, dazed and confused. A good book by a biblical scholar is titled "The Invention of Ancient Israel: The Silencing of Palestinian History" by Keith Whitelam. I don’t necessarily agree with all his conclusions, but this gives a decisive view of how the Israel we picture on the maps and in our history books are far from a historians view. The United States continues to be lead by those individuals who believe whole heartedly in the mythical “Arabic/Muslim anti-Semitism” which intoxicates any future negotiation between the Palestinians and Israelis. I plan to write on this in the near future, insha-Allah. In the mean time, I continue to make dua for our brothers and sisters in Palestine who suffer from the superior hand. I cannot sit too long while the kuffar sits and militates us.
From brother Ibn Kumuna (aka. The convert)