A representative for the Council on Islamic Relations sparred with Fox News host Megyn Kelly Thursday night over whether the militant group ISIS represents Islam.
Referencing President Obama’s primetime speech addressing the militant threat, Kelly posed this question to Hassan Shibly, the chief executive director of CAIR’s Florida branch: “It is true that Islam is not ISIS, but it is also true that ISIS is Islamic, is it not?”
Shilby said that ISIS is considered Islamic in the same way that the Westboro Baptist Church or xenophobic extremists like Anders Breivik, who massacred 77 people in Norway in 2011, are considered Christian.
“The reality is that moderate Christians, Muslims and Jews have a lot more in common with each other than they do with extremists from within their own faith,” he responded. “And actually, extremist Muslims and extremist anti-Muslims have a lot in common. And that is that they both distort the Islamic faith to promote their twisted agenda, which is rejected by the 1.7 billion Muslims of the world.”
But Kelly insisted that ISIS’ brand of Islam, especially their beliefs about women, is “very popular” in those corners of the world that practice Sharia law. Shilby pointed out that the greater Muslim community has been very vocal in denouncing the militant group as un-Islamic.
“Not everyone in the Muslim community, some Muslims have,” Kelly argued. “No one’s trying to condemn all Muslims. But to argue that the Islamic State is not Islamic, and that there isn’t this radical faction which is significant within Islam, is to deny reality.”
Kelly went on to argue that because of Sharia law, Islam is not “the most moderate religion,” prompting Shibly to ask her if she knew what the goals of Sharia were.
“I know if you’re a woman and you commit adultery, under Sharia Law they want to stone you, alright, so I know that,” she said. “I know that if you decide you no longer want to be Islamic, they want to kill you.”
Shibly said that Kelly was taking Sharia law out of context and argued that the Bible lays out the same punishment for adultery.
“Yeah, but they’re actually doing it there,” Kelly shot back.
Kelly closed out the segment by challenging Shibly to prove he is a “moderate” and explain why he had a 9/11 truther listed amongst his Facebook “likes.”
Watch below, via Media Matters:
FoxNews anchors have never met a goalpost they can’t move.
Why is Kelly denying the reality of centuries of Christian violence?
Calling ISIL not islamic is, in part, PBO trolling the goons in Syria and Iraq. I like it.
Fox maybe the most effective recruiting tool Islamic extremists have.
Where was Megyn Kelly and the other Fox “commentators” when George W. Bush said that Al Qaeda did not represent Islam?? Maybe Megyn was applying peroxide to her head then or in diapers, but what about the rest of the Foxers? Oh, and Tim McVeigh was raised Catholic, ergo he’s Christian?? Fox’s sub-agenda here is pretty clear.
Shilbley proposes a line drawn between religious moderates and religious extremists, a distinction that would be hugely beneficial to the US and the world, but, no, Fox can’t have the line there.
The network is a public health menace.