Members of Seattle University’s Muslim community have been gathering signatures on a petition since Monday to voice their resentment over the university hosting author Nonie Darwish last week.
Darwish, a former Muslim who renounced Islam for Christianity and tours the nation speaking out against radical Islam and Sharia law, spoke at Seattle University Thursday.
Event organizers maintain they brought Darwish to campus to foster discussion about human rights issues and conflict in the Middle East.
“The idea of a university is to exchange ideas,” said Gracie Cohen, a sophomore pre-major who publicized Darwish’s talk.
Some students, however—who said Darwish spreads falsehoods and undue fear about Islam—demonstrated at the event. Members of Seattle U’s Muslim Student Association plan to bring their grievances to President Stephen Sundborg, S.J.
“We believe hosting a person like Nonie on the SU campus is contrary to all of the values upon which this institution is founded,” said Ahmed Alnafie, former president of, MSA.
Darwish is the author of three books: "Now They Call Me Infidel; Why I Renounced Jihad for America, Israel and the War on Terror,” "Cruel and Usual Punishment: The Terrifying Global Implications of Islamic Law” and “Obsession: Radical Islam's War against the West.”
“The message she carries is a message of hatred and defamation to Islam,” Alnafie said.
Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America—a nonpartisan media-monitoring organization formed in 1982 that focuses on decreasing anti-Israel bias in mainstream news—sponsored the event. Cohen, a CAMERA intern, publicized Darwish’s appearance at Seattle U through e mails and flyers.
Darwish—whose father was an Egyptian lieutenant general killed by Israeli Defense Forces when she was 8 years old—has appeared on CNN, MSNBC, BBC and Fox News. She has spoken at universities including Harvard, Brown and Georgetown.
Some of the students who attended the talk Thursday said they questioned Darwish’s credentials.
“If she had used the Quran to support any of her claims, she would have had some substance,” said Nabiha Pirbhai, junior international business major and MSA President.
Instead, Pirbhai said, Darwish based much of her lecture on “Reliance of a Traveler,” a manual of Islamic law.
“She did not come [to Seattle U] for any scholarly purpose,” Alnafie said.
Saeed Al Harbi, a senior e-commerce and information systems major, echoed Alnafie’s thoughts.
“It was horrible,” Al Harbi said. “She was giving wrong, misleading information about my religion.”
Many students who arrived in Bannan to hear Darwish speak Thursday were unreceptive to her, Cohen said. Public Safety received a report of a heated argument in the building.
“The majority of the audience came in hostile.” Cohen said. “She couldn’t get though half a sentence.”
Cohen said when she returned to clean up after the event, she found all of the CAMERA magazines and pamphlets she had displayed on the table for audience members were in the recycling bin.
Members of MSA passed out a handout listing short statements Darwish has made on Islam. They also distributed DVDs about the five pillars of Islam and other basics of the religion, Pirbhai said.
Al Harbi said he and other Muslim students purposefully interrupted Darwish when they thought she said something that misrepresented the religion.
He said he worried non-Muslims in the audience would walk away from the talk with a skewed perception of the religion.
“I’m OK with her criticizing Islam,” Al Harbi said, “but she was throwing out lies to people that don’t understand the situation.”
Alnafie echoed his concern.
“One of my fears is that for many of the people there—that this would be the extent of their experience of Islam.”
Pirbhai said MSA will hold a meeting Thursday to discuss future steps. She estimates 25 students have signed the petition.
23 comments
We know the sensitivity of Muslims towards their God/Prophets, as we know the sensitivity of Jews towards antisemitism. These boundaries are sacred and we should respect that. A Professor speaking for antisemitism looses his/her job in USA, we must show the same care to protect our fellow Muslims. That should be the most effective way to strengthen our nation on its battle against terrorism.
Signing a petition stating that you find a speaker offensive is another form of free speech. I don't believe anyone would jump to conclusions about the motivation of an Jewish student group circulating a petition of resentment if a Neo-Nazi group came to speak. I find it amusing how some comments have managed to stray so far off topic.
a flight on Camel Hump Airlines...one way to the moslim country of your choice.
We don't need you here creating problems for all of us freedom loving americans.
Islam is what it is...a false and radical Jim Jones style religion. If Nonie Darwish wants to speak her mind on Islam,
then she should have right without coercion or threats.
Go Nonie.