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Radisson Hotel in Bamako, Mali Attacked; Gunmen Took 150+ Hostage

posted by martyb on Friday November 20 2015, @01:40PM   Printer-friendly

takyon writes:

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/11/20/456758931/radisson-hotel-in-mali-attacked-gunmen-take-170-hostages

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-34877069

Malian special forces have entered the Radisson Blu Hotel in Mali's capital, Bamako, to end a siege by gunmen who had been holding 170 people hostage. The gunmen stormed the US-owned hotel, which is popular with foreign businesses and airline crews, shooting and shouting "God is great!" in Arabic. Malian state TV is reporting that 80 people have now been freed. At least three people are reported to have been killed in the siege that started around 07:00 GMT. Six staff from Turkish Airlines were at the hotel when it was attacked, and a Chinese guest told China's state news agency Xinhua he was among about seven Chinese tourists trapped there. A French presidential source said French citizens were also at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Reuters news agency reports.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mali
Official languages: French

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  • (Score: 2) by ikanreed on Friday November 20 2015, @03:23PM

    by ikanreed (3164) Subscriber Badge on Friday November 20 2015, @03:23PM (#265841) Journal

    The intended implication of that construction isn't that Allah is greater than all other gods, but rather that he's the greatest possible thing.

    Literally the only statement of faith that's mandatory in Islam is stating "There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet." "Allahu Akbar" isn't some back door polytheistic belief, but rather you taking a literal translation of an Arabic statement as if the idea of "greatest" is somehow comparative, even though we use superlatives exactly the same way sometimes.

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  • (Score: 2) by SanityCheck on Friday November 20 2015, @06:11PM

    by SanityCheck (5190) on Friday November 20 2015, @06:11PM (#265888)

    Yes some people may feel it is not anti polytheistic, but there is evidence to the contrary.

    Ask yourself: do Muslims believe there is only one God, or only one true God?

    If they believe there is only one God, then surely the Jews and the Christians all worship the same God. In which case wtf, right? Why can't they get along with others who worship their deity.

    It is already widely accepted among Muslims that Jesus of Nazareth was a true prophet of God and son in a figurative sense (as God created him), just not his son in a literal sense.

    (Remember) when the angels said, “O Mary, God gives you good news of a word from Him (God), whose name is the Messiah Jesus, son of Mary, revered in this world and the Hereafter, and one of those brought near (to God). He will speak to the people from his cradle and as a man, and he is of the righteous.” She said, “My Lord, how can I have a child when no mortal has touched me?” He said, “So (it will be). God creates what He wills. If He decrees a thing, He says to it only, ‘Be!’ and it is.” (Quran, 3:45-47)

    This would mean they do believe in one God, they just take affront to the people who don't worship their God the same way, or who pretend there are other Gods, but are in fact worshiping Satan (see hatred of Yazidis). But there is evidence that they do believe that Allah is not the only God.

    Will ye call upon Baal and forsake the Best of Creators, [Quran: 37:125, Yusuf Ali] (for a "good time" visit here [quran.com])

    And of course:

    Or is it that thou askest them for some recompense? But the recompense of thy Lord is best: He is the Best of those who give sustenance. [Quran: 23:72, Yusuf Ali]

    Of course Quran is a decent sized book, surely you can find parts that contradict others, just like in all religious texts. And I concede your interpretation is in line with a lot of what I have read.