Zulhijja 22, 1424/February 13, 2004             #20
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THOUGHT OF THE DAY:
Ayatollah Ali Sistani faces a historic task. 
He can join hands with the occupation armies to hold "elections" in 
Iraq 
while the President of the country is being held by the occupiers. 
Iraqi Shias would then form the "government" under 
U.S. 
auspices. 
The impact of this collaboration could have devastating effect on Shia 
communities throughout the Muslim world.
Or Ali Sistani could forget the past conflict with President Saddam Hussain, 
make peace with the Sunni resistance and drive out the occupiers. 
In that case, Muslim unity would emerge in Iraq and the wounds of the 
Iraq-Iran 
war would gradually heal.
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IRSHAD MANJI'S CLAIM OF "Anti-Semitism" Against 
Islam 
Refuted
[During the lasy 10 months, the 
Zionist 
media 
have brought up a 
Canadian 
version of Salman Rushdie and Taslima Nasrin. 
She is Irshad Manji, 
an Agha Khani who claims to be "Muslim and homosexual" and has visited 
Israel. 
She has been receiving publicity from 
NPR 
and other Zionist 
media 
during her U.S. tour now underway.]
The Editor:
S.F.Chronicle.
Dear Editor:
Irshad Manji’s attacks on Islam {Jan. 19} are a litany of fraudulent 
charges that defy credibility. 
Her charge that Islam harbors anti-Semitism is a falsehood that defies 
historic record. 
Chaim Weizmann, Israel’s first president, 
stated before the Anglo-American Committee of Enquiry in Jerusalem, 
in 1946: 
"I would not like to do any injustice. 
The Muslim world has treated the 
Jews 
with considerable tolerance. 
The Ottoman Empire {which was virtually entirely Muslims} received the Jews 
with open arms when they were driven out of Spain and Europe, 
and the Jews should never forget that."
Yours sincerely,
Ismail Zayid, MD.
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Dr. Zayid is an intellectual of 
Palestinian 
descent and an old time friend of the editor. 
He lives in Halifax, Canada.
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2004-02-22 Sun 08:53ct