Hamas-linked CAIR official reminisces: ‘Not long ago, the USA was paying the jizya poll tax to the Ottoman caliph’

This never happened, but the U.S. in its early years did pay tribute to the Barbary Pirates, who were jihadis and nominally under the authority of the Ottoman caliph. Anyway, it’s interesting because so many Islamic apologists in the West claim that the jizya is a seventh-century thing, and that no Muslims today want to impose it. Aishat shows no sign of thinking that it’s outmoded.

“CAIR Official Ayman Aishat In New Jersey Friday Sermon: Muslims Once Had Top Influence Among Nations; The U.S. Paid Jizya Tax To The Ottoman Caliph; A Zionist Plot Weakened The Islamic Nation, Promoting Western Civilization As If It Were A True Civilization – But Now Mosques Are Filling Up, Even In America; Michigan Muslims Made Historical Change – Learn From Them,” MEMRI, November 1, 2024:

In his November 1, 2024 Friday sermon at the North Hudson Islamic Center in New Jersey, Ayman Aishat, Director of Masjid Engagement for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), addressed the upcoming U.S. elections. He claimed that historically, the United States had paid the jizya poll tax to the Ottoman Caliph but argued that a Zionist plot had weakened the Islamic nation’s connection to the mosque and the Quran by promoting Western values. This, he said, led to the Islamic world being “slaughtered like a steak” and divided into nations. Aishat accused the Zionists of promoting Western civilization to Muslims and ruling countries through a “devilish strategy” of destroying the family unit. He expressed optimism, noting that mosques in the U.S. are once again full, and emphasized that Muslims in America play a critical role in the global Muslim community. He urged worshippers to vote in larger numbers, especially in swing states, to demonstrate their influence, citing Michigan Muslim voters’ “historical change” in the primary elections. The sermon was streamed live on the NHIEC YouTube channel.

Ayman Aishat: “We [Muslims] reached to the top of the nations even in influence. All the leaders of European countries at one point were appointed by the Muslim Caliph of the Ottoman Empire. We live in America, the United States of America. Brothers and sisters, those who do not know history, not too long ago, the USA was paying the jizya poll tax to the Ottoman Caliph.

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“In order for them to divide us, conquer us, and really slaughter us like a steak and divide us into nations, they had to tackle the spiritual [aspect], which was in the Quran, inside the mosques. They started evacuating the mosques in a very lucrative, deceptive way. You all probably know the recent history in 1898 [sic], when Theodore Herzl, the founder of the Zionist movement, met with his other Zionists in Basel, Switzerland. They knew exactly what they needed to do. Get the Quran out of the hearts of the young people.

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“A simple recipe, they wanted to get a small piece of Palestine from Sultan Abdul Hamid, and he told them, it is not for me, it is not for sale.

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“They started promoting the Western civilization, as if it [were] a true civilization.

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“They destroy what Allah created naturally, destroy the unit of the family – this is the only way for these Zionists to control countries, and keep ruling with their devilish strategy and agenda.

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“Great news is coming. A hundred years ago, when the Caliphate collapsed, seeing people in the mosque became rare, let alone seeing young kids, nowadays, we are seeing the mosques filled up with the believers.

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“The mosques are filled up not only in Muslim countries, but even here in America, which is really more important.

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“No Muslim group in the world has a [more] critical role, accountability, responsibility, and influence than Muslim Americans.

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“I am not telling you which party to vote for. I am myself determined, however I cannot tell you because we are in non-profit organization. However, you need to make up your mind, more importantly, show your numbers. Because if we are much larger numbers, then we can have influence, especially in the swing states. So just learn what the Michigan Muslims did a few months ago in the primary.