A Toronto-area imam is under fire for using derogatory language against Jews and Christians, calling for Allah to “destroy” the enemies of Islam from within and calling on God to “damn” the “infidels.” The address by Imam Saed Rageah at North York’s Abu Huraira Centre and then posted on YouTube, is an attack on those who have been calling for a ban on the niqab and burka, both of which cover the faces of women. The Abu Huraira Centre attracts about 800 to 1,000 people to a typical Friday service.
Walid Saleh, professor at the University of Toronto, said much of what Rageah said must be taken in the context of how Muslims may use terms in the midst of a religious service. Saleh said it was important to note that he was asking his members to write letters to the government to make their objections known, and therefore clearly appreciates democratic responses to controversy.
