There is an ongoing debate as to whether one can be Muslim, yet not simultaneously harbor hatred for non-Muslims, especially Jews. A recent incident would seem to cast light on this issue, which has been the subject of much debate.
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Apologists for Islam explain that, while there are verses in the Quran that mandate the killing of non-believers, they have to be taken in context. Thus, it is argued the passages in question are supposedly conditional in that they were written in regards to specific historical conflicts of long ago and the rules of warfare that were applicable then. Consequently, verses such as “killing the people of the Book” and to “kill them wherever you find them” are not directed at inciting violence today.
The early part of the Quran does address the fact that Prophet Muhammad saw the Jews as ungrateful and disingenuous for not accepting him as a prophet. This eventually led to a tribal military conflict.
Muhammad’s Jewish animosity was triggered by his belief they had betrayed him by violating a treaty. After defeating the Jews, what Muhammad did next depends on whether you query an apologist or not. The apologist will promote the belief that no executions of Jews followed Muhammad’s victory while historians suggest otherwise, claiming that between 600–900 adult Jewish victims were claimed—with their age of qualification determined by whether they had reached puberty.
On May 15, 2026, Democrat candidate Brad Lander—who is seeking to represent New York City’s 10th congressional district—entered the Al-Khoei Islamic Center in Queens. He introduced himself as a “proud Jewish New Yorker.” Addressing those in attendance at the mosque, he quoted from the Quran saying:
‘In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate. Say: ‘He is Allah, [who is] One, the Eternal Refuge, He neither begets nor is born, nor is there to Him any equivalent.’
Lander expressed his hope to join the ranks of two other pro-Islam House representatives—Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib—if elected. While thanking mosque attendees for welcoming him that day and to further grease the election wheels for Muslim votes, he did not leave without denouncing “Israel’s genocide in Gaza.”
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Lander’s actions were unsurprising. He is a friend of NYC Mayor Zohran Mandani and, having served as the city’s comptroller, has become a rising star among progressives in his party. Clearly he puts political success ahead of his religious beliefs.
But it is what occurred immediately after Lander spoke that, had he understood Arabic should have been a wakeup call for him, and sent him running. However, he clearly failed to understand what the iman’s prayer that followed promoted. As Lander naively remained at the mosque, perhaps believing the imam was praising him for his comments, the following (translated) prayer was given:
‘Through your hands comes the relief for the believers and the killing of the infidels by your sword.’
There is only one way to interpret the word “infidel” as used in Islam. It refers to anyone adhering to a religion other than Islam. The meaning of the imam’s prayer was, therefore, very clear—he was calling for the killing of all infidels and, as an infidel, that included Lander.
Ironically, while Lander naively used the mosque forum seeking to buy votes with his antisemitic remarks, the imam sought to use the same forum to sell the mandate to his followers that all infidels must submit to Islam or die for refusing to do so.
During the Cold War between the U.S. and Soviet Union (1947–1991), a phrase evolved to label naive activists from the West who fought for causes supporting communism without fully understanding the consequences of their actions. The Soviets were happy to have them as assets as their naivete made them easy to manipulate. These people were called “useful idiots.” Just like Jack Daniels’s drinkers can boast their whiskey is 100% pure, Brad Lander can boast he is a 100% “useful idiot” for Islam.
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