Newt Gingrich Calls for ‘Sharia Test’ for Every U.S. Muslim

Tessa Berenson


Former U.S. House speaker Newt Gingrich delivers remarks at the Visit Orlando annual luncheon on Dec. 8, 2015, at the Rosen Single Creek resort in Orlando - Joe Burbank—Orlando Sentinel / TNS / Getty Images

"If they believe in Shari‘a, they should be deported"

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has called for all U.S. Muslims to be tested to see if they believe in the Islamic law of Shari‘a.

“Let me be as blunt and direct as I can be. Western civilization is in a war. We should frankly test every person here who is of a Muslim background, and if they believe in Shari‘a, they should be deported,” Gingrich said in an interview Thursday on Fox News. “Shari‘a is incompatible with Western civilization. Modern Muslims who have given up Shari‘a, glad to have them as citizens. Perfectly happy to have them next door.”

The former Republican presidential contender’s comments were in response to the attack in Nice, France that left at least 84 people dead.

Gingrich, who is on Donald Trump’s vice presidential shortlist, is not the first Republican player in 2016 who has denounced Shari‘a law. In September, then-p residential candidate Ben Carson said he would not support a presidential candidate who had not renounced Shari‘a. He wrote in a Facebook post, “I know that there are many peaceful Muslims who do not adhere to these beliefs. But until these tenants are fully renounced… I cannot advocate any Muslim candidate for President.”

In June, after the Orlando nightclub shooting, Trump re-upped his call to ban Muslim immigration to the U.S. Explaining his reasoning, he said, “According to Pew Research, 99% of people in Afghanistan support oppressive Shari‘a law.”

Many in the West believe Shari‘a to be a brutal system of retributive justice, but really it is a broad term for the set of ethical principles inscribed in the Quran that means different things to different adherents. As TIME reported in the wake of Orlando, “Demonizing every Muslim by equating Shari‘a and terrorism is akin to describing every Christian as a radical fundamentalist; the Bible can also be interpreted as requiring brutal punishments for archaic offenses.” 

Only if you don't know anything about the Bible. Old Testament punishments have not been Biblical for 2000 years. There is no Christ in Islam to make a new covenant and to deliver grace and forgiveness. Legalism, as Sharia is, was done away with by Jesus Christ, which just serves to show that Islam is not from God - God would not make legalism defunct 2000 years ago and then re-establish it 600 years later. Allah is not God!

Saudi Court Upholds Blogger's 10 Years and 1,000 Lashes

Islam cannot tolerate questioning, debate or truth

From BBC Middle East

Raif Badawi's family have warned he could die if the 1,000 lashes are carried out

Saudi Arabia's Supreme Court has upheld the sentence of 1,000 lashes and 10 years of imprisonment on blogger Raif Badawi, despite a foreign outcry.

Speaking from Canada, his wife Ensaf Haidar told news agency AFP, "this is a final decision that is irrevocable."

In March, the kingdom expressed "surprise and dismay" at international criticism over the punishment.

At the time, the foreign ministry issued a statement saying it rejected interference in its internal affairs.

In 2012, Badawi was arrested and charged with "insulting Islam through electronic channels".

For four years he had been running the Liberal Saudi Network, which encouraged online debate on religious and political issues.

Dictators don't allow political dissent, or even questioning (example Putin and Erdogan). But even less tolerant are the hierarchy of Islam. Islam cannot allow dissent from within for fear it will collapse; it cannot allow questioning, because it doesn't have any answers except blind acceptance of an evil book by an evil man; and it certainly cannot allow debate, because debate often leads to truth, and truth would be the end of Islam.

Saudi authorities sent his case for review as global pressure to free Badawi mounted.

Amnesty International activists held a protest demanding the release of blogger
Raif Badawi in front of the Saudi Arabian embassy in Berlin on 22 May 2015

Badawi received his first 50 lashes in January, but subsequent floggings have been postponed.

A shaky video taken on a mobile phone showed Badawi being lashed by a member of the security forces.

The footage prompted international protests which were repeated every Friday, the scheduled day for the beatings.

It is not clear why Badawi has not yet endured a second round though a medical report found he was not fit for the punishment.

Is anyone ever fit for 1000 lashes?

Saudi Arabia enforces a strict version of Islamic law and does not tolerate political dissent. It has some of the highest social media usage rates in the region, and has cracked down on domestic online criticism.

Lord have mercy on Raif Badawi and on his family. Only You can save him now.