Magdi Cristiano Allam
July 22, 2013
Born in Egypt, he wanted to evangelize the “Muslim quarter” of the city. For this reason the fundamentalists will threaten and beat.
Sherif Azer, an Italian citizen, born Coptic Christian in Egypt, has the courage to do what the Pope, the cardinals, bishops and priests should do but do not do: publicly evangelize Christianity to Muslims residents in Italy in piazzas, spreading the extraordinary testimony of faith in Jesus in Porta Palazzo as Italy becomes Islamized.
This is how last Thursday, July 18, Sherif was savagely attacked with chains, punched and kicked by a dozen fanatical followers of Allah, they cried “we’ll kill you, Christian shit,” after Sherif admitted that he did not observe Ramadan, he also refused to repeat a ritual saying which would explain that he was a follower of Islam “Salli ala al Nabi” (Praise the prophet Muhammad begins the saying).
Sherif has the courage to do what the head of state, the President of the Council, the Parliament, the judiciary, law enforcement, the presidents of regions and provinces, and finally the mayors should do but do not: safeguard every inch of Italian sovereignty and enforce our laws to all residents regardless of their nationality, culture or faith. The Christian witness corresponds to a civil commitment against arbitrariness, arrogance and violence raging in Porta Palazzo to the point of being transformed into an extraterritorial area, the casbah of Turin. The area is now risky for Italians, who are forced to sell off their homes at bargain prices after being ousted from the market due to degradation and insecurity.
The evangelization of Sherif, 54 years old, his wife and four daughters with Italian citizenship, has happened for two reasons: it shows a deep respect for Muslims as people, even helping them materially due to his work as a building contractor (although he has a degree in Philosophy and Letters), he also knows the Koran by heart even the majority of Muslims have not read the ancient Classical Arabic authoritative text.
The barbarous assault on Sherif, who admits to being barely alive after being hit in the head with heavy chains, requires the Church to reflect on the substantive legitimacy of Islam reiterating the litany of the “big three monotheistic and Abrahamic religions” this attack emerges at a time when even Pope Francis sent well wishes for Ramadan on July 8: “I turn to the dear Muslim immigrants who today, in the evening, are starting the fast of Ramadan, which I wish them abundant spiritual fruits.” Ironically almost all Islamic countries require not only Muslims but also non-Muslim residents to observe Ramadan with the penalty of not following can be imprisonment for the contempt of religion. The institutional legitimacy of Islam was confirmed again this year when the Foreign Minister Emma Bonino was offered Iftar by 42 leading members of the Islamic Conference Organization and of the Arab League.
Well church and state can learn a lesson from the attack at Porta Palazzo: Islamized sharia is imposed by force because obviously Islam is not a religion but an ideology that is comparable to seventh century Christianity, rife with war and terrorism. Muslims can be moderate as a people but the Islam of the Koran and Muhammad is inherently violent.
Wednesday, July 24 at 7 pm there will be a demonstration in Porta Palazzo in Turin in solidarity with Sherif Azer and to say “No to sharia in Porta Palazzo.” The Mayor Piero Fassino, President of the Province Antonio Saitta and the President of the Piedmont Region, Roberto Cota are invited. The hope is that participation will condemn the cowardly attack on a Coptic Christian and an Italian citizen in the center of Turin, and to take all necessary political and administrative measures to prevent the recurrence of such attacks, terrorism, and return the Italian spirit to Porta Palazzo which has been transformed into a raging area where sharia prevails.
