WARREN, Michigan (Michigan News Source) – In a provocative sermon sure to spark controversy and heighten security concerns, Michigan Imam Dr. Sherif Gindy (also spelled Sharif), linked to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), urged a revival of jihad. He attributed the decline of hijab-wearing among girls and the global closure of mosques to the abandonment of jihad.
Speaking at the Islamic Organization of North America (IONA) on May 23, and reported by MEMRI (The Middle East Media Research Institute), Gindy mourned the shuttering of mosques in Europe and the destruction of places of worship in India. He claimed the only way to turn things around is to revive jihad – not just the spiritual struggle, but the kind involving force, power, and strength.
What is jihad?
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The Arabic word jihad translates to “struggle” or “effort.” It encompasses a range of meanings in Islamic contexts however many refer to it as a “Holy War” against infidels – backing the call to Islam with violence when necessary. The term was used by extremists to justify the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Michigan Imam says force, not peace, will drive Jews from Jerusalem.
In a partly translated speech, Gindy cited a Quranic passage where Jews refused to enter the Holy Land while “ferocious people” remained. He then posed a chilling rhetorical question: What would make these people leave Jerusalem? His answer wasn’t diplomacy. “They will not go out, except by the force,” he declared, dismissing negotiations and peace accords as ineffective.
CAIR-tied and raising red flags.
Gindy’s sermon might be easier to dismiss as fringe if not for his ties to CAIR – a group that has long claimed to promote civil rights and tolerance but whose leaders often traffic in openly antisemitic and anti-Zionist rhetoric. As of late 2023, Gindy served on CAIR-Michigan’s board.
Freedom of speech or a wake-up call?
Freedom of religion and speech remain protected rights in the United States, even when the messages expressed are controversial and dangerous. However, when religious leaders call for the revival of force-based jihad in the context of a global Islamic movement, it raises important questions about the boundary between protected religious expression and potential incitement.
Given current tensions related to the conflict in Gaza and a rise in antisemitic incidents and pro- Palestinian demonstrations across the U.S., statements like those of Gindy are likely to draw heightened scrutiny in Michigan and around the country.
