‘There Is No Truth Except Allah’: Colorado Student Quits High School Choir Over Islamic Song

[ElPunto]

A Colorado high school student quit the school choir after an Islamic song containing the lyric "there is no other truth except Allah" found its way into the chorus.

 

 

James Harper, a senior at Grand Junction High School in Grand Junction, put his objection to singing "Zikr," a song written by Indian composer A.R. Rahman, in an email to Mesa County School District 51 officials.

 

 

 

"I don’t want to come across as a bigot or a racist, but I really don’t feel it is appropriate for students in a public high school to be singing an Islamic worship song,” Harper told KREX-TV. "This is worshipping another God, and even worshipping another prophet ... I think there would be a lot of outrage if we made a Muslim choir say Jesus Christ is the only truth."

 

But district spokesman Jeff Kirtland defended the decision to include the Islamic song:

 

"Choral music is often devoted to religious themes. ... This is not a case where the school is endorsing or promoting any particular religion or other non-educational agenda. The song was chosen because its rhythms and other qualities would provide an opportunity to exhibit the musical talent and skills of the group in competition, not because of its religious message or lyrics," Kirtland told FoxNews in an email. He added that the choir "is a voluntary, after-school activity."

 

"Students are not required to participate, and receive no academic credit for doing so," he said.

 

Fox reports that an upcoming concert held by the choir is slated to include an Irish folk song and an Christian song titled "Prayer of the Children," in addition to the song by Rahman.

 

Fox adds:

 

 

"The teacher consulted with students and asked each of them to review an online performance of the selection with their parents before making the decision to perform the piece," Kirtland said, and members who object to the religious content of musical selections aren't required to sing them.

 

Rahman, who has sold hundreds of millions of records and is well-known in his homeland, has said the song is not intended for a worship ceremony. He told FoxNews.com in a written statement that the song, composed for the move "Bose, the Forgotten Hero," is about "self-healing and spirituality."

 

"It is unfortunate that the student in Colorado misinterpreted the intention of the song," Rahman said. "I have long celebrated the commonalities of humanity and try to share and receive things in this way. While I respect his decision for opting out, this incident is an example of why we need further cultural education through music.”

 

 

The song is written in Urdu and two of the verses translate to: "There is no truth except Allah" and "Allah is the only eternal and immortal." According to Fox, the choir sang the original version and Wieland distributed translated lyrics.

 

http://news.yahoo.com/no-truth-except-allah-colorado-student-quits-high-083917665.html;_ylt=AlsiA903VxjVmntqO8K_g6U7Xs8F;_ylu=X3oDMTNqZXZvZTFyBGNjb2RlA2N0LmMEcGtnAzVhMjc3ZTg1LThjNTgtMzkyNy04OGY3LTI4OGI2NzdjYmRjMARwb3MDNQRzZWMDbW9zdF9wb3B1bGFyBHZlcgM3ODIwYzViMC01OGM5LTExZTEtOGYxMy1iMWZmOGZiOTYwNjU-;_ylg=X3oDMTF2Y2VzZTFkBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdAN1c3xyZWxpZ2lvbgRwdANzZWN0aW9ucwR0ZXN0Aw--;_ylv=3

[Narniah]

Hypocritical islamphobia!

 

. "This is worshipping another God, and even worshipping another prophet ... I think there would be a lot of outrage if we made a Muslim choir say Jesus Christ is the only truth."

There are no Muslim choirs.

 

Not to mention that Arab Christians also say Allah for God. He quit his school for something he didn't have to participate in? He obviously seems attention deprived.

[Gheelle.T]

AllahRakha Rahman is Qadiri rock start/composer,and the song is actually kinda nice Qawwali song. There is nothing there to be freaked about.

[BOB]

ElPunto;790042 wrote:

and even worshipping another prophet ...

Talk about misinformed...poor lad.

 

 

 

PS. Only if he knew how many Faaraxs and Xaliimos exclaim 'Jesus Christ' every time annoyed/hurt/disappointed/ or any other matter he would be shocked and yet they don't even know what it means.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peace, Love & Unity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peace, Love & Unity.

[faarah22]

@ narniah, explain why is it islamophobic? this has become like the race card, so easy to use when you want to have your cake and eat it. he has every right to refuse to sing an islamic song.

[ElPunto]

^No one forced anyone here. This is a voluntary choir. In addition - the lyrics were revealed to students beforehand allowing them to quietly withdraw or simply choose not to sing a particular song if they so chose. But this fellow clearly is not bright and/or wanted a controversey. Do you share that with him or is this just taking the mickey?

[faarah22]

if it's voluntary then he is wrong for it. but mostly it is muslims being unreasonable you have to agree in these kinds of situations. they want host countries to adapt to their culture and ways. it is arrogant and irritating mindset.

[Gheelle.T]

Faarah22, as long as they play by the law of the land and fight for their given(constitutional) rights, then there is nothing arrogant or irritating about that. If you have cases where Muslims force their culture on their host countries, please share with us.

[Narniah]

faarah22;790109 wrote:

@ narniah, explain why is it islamophobic? this has become like the race card, so easy to use when you want to have your cake and eat it. he has every right to refuse to sing an islamic song.

lol I suggest you read the article, no need to fly off the handle.

 

Duh! He didn't have to sing the song! Like I said read...you obviously haven't read through the post.

[Sensei]

I do not blame the kid. This speaks to the greater point of religion and public schools. It becomes slightly hypocritical of us to oppose school prayers, and then act all surprised when school kid does not want to sing religious song. It is not even about Islam, it has much to do with providing religion free public schools for kids, and we as Muslims stand to benefit much from this.

[ElPunto]

^Seriously? How do you not blame the kid for his reasoning -

 

I really don’t feel it is appropriate for students in a public high school to be singing an Islamic worship song,” Harper told KREX-TV. "This is worshipping another God, and even worshipping another prophet....

Does that even make sense? Is it an Islamic worship song? How does he know it's another God? Where did worshipping another prophet enter into this?

 

Whether there is a religious free environment in school has nothing to do with anything as long as you can opt out.

 

This story is typical of the moronic flaming that is prvalent in the USA when the subject is Islam or Muslims.

[BOB]

faarah22;790136 wrote:

mostly it is muslims being unreasonable you have to agree in these kinds of situations. they want host countries to adapt to their culture and ways. it is arrogant and irritating mindset.

When did you see muslims being unreasonable? What do you mean by 'their culture'? Give me one simple case other than the tripe you've been fed by the islamophobic US and the rest of the Western media? Be just and try to do some personal research for your own benefit because all muslims want/ask for is for them to practice their faith in peace and follow and live by the principles of their faith, is that too much to ask for? No muslim in his/her right mind would demand The Sirah, Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim taught in western public schools and finally I would like to advice you to read the history of the missionaries in south america or the ones in Africa in the late 18th to early 19th century.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peace, Love & Unity.

[Sensei]

ElPunto;790179 wrote:

^Seriously? How do you not blame the kid for his reasoning -

 

 

 

Does that even make sense? Is it an Islamic worship song? How does he know it's another God? Where did worshipping another prophet enter into this?

 

Whether there is a religious free environment in school has nothing to do with anything as long as you can opt out.

 

This story is typical of the moronic flaming that is prvalent in the USA when the subject is Islam or Muslims.

 

I do not blame the kid if he chooses not to participate anything that resembles religion in public school. The possibility of islamophobia or ignorance about Islam is another issue. I think we are missing the point if we only chose to dwell on this kid's ignorance about Islam, heck the entire country is misinformed about Islam. The idea is to keep religion out of public institutions, and again, this is to our benefit.

[ElPunto]

^There never was an issue about his not participating. That he chose to make these statements and this controversey is something that he can be blamed for.

[Sensei]

I see what you are saying though, but it is difficult to hold a high schooler for insensitive comments.

 

Gheele-

 

Allah rakha keesaa naam hai ?