By Debi Brand
The alleged indignant prayer of Representative, Stephanie Borowicz
Perhaps, for many, she spoke “the Name” one time too many, perhaps more.
Maybe her prayer was a bit too long. Perchance, a bit too “preachy.”
Thus, perhaps, at the minimum, she even should have possibly — considering such a setting, for such an occasion — critically rethought the entire prayer. Revamped it thoroughly. First — and then only after critically reviewing, “editing” and tempering it — submitted it for approval, to the Legislative committee.
Possibly, just done away with it altogether… gone with something neutral. Vanilla-prayer. Generic.
Or even better yet, considering, this day in that House chamber, Movita Johnson-Harrell — the first Muslim woman elected to the General Assembly — was to be sworn in; thus, knowing that, perhaps it would have been best for Rep. Stephanie Borowicz to have chosen to go with something Islamic.
After all, in an interview Johnson-Harrell gave during her campaign for the office she now occupies, Movita Johnson-Harrel, reportedly said, “If elected, I will be the first Hijabi (covered Muslim woman) to be elected to the State House. It’s my faith that’s got me here and has kept me going.”
What’s more, according to another report, she arrived there that day for the said swearing in, accompanied by “55 friends and family members, many of them Muslim as well.” All reported to have there “gathered to see Johnson-Harrell sworn in as the first Muslim woman in the Pennsylvania House.”
Moreover, according to the same report, she arrived there that day for the monumental swearing in, “dressed in full Islamic garb and with a copy of the Quran” in hand. That Qur’an, said to have “belonged to her late son, Charles Andre Johnson, a 2011 victim of gun violence. Many of those with her were similarly attired, their heads covered….”
My sincere condolences to Movita on the loss of her son, Charles.
That said, point made is this: it is clear — should be/should have been to all — Movita Johnson-Harrell’s Islamic faith is paramount to her.
The tenets of the “Quran” she brought with her that day, and held in her hands while she was sworn in, her guiding principles. Undoubtedly, as a good Muslim woman, as a good Muslim American Lawmaker, in that office, the highest aim — and honor — for Movita Johnson-Harrel, would be to function and legislate therein guided by principles that hail from ahkam al-Qur’an [“legal judgements which are derived from the Qur’an”]. (Bewley, Glossary, Ta-Ha, 2009, P. 73)
Given that, as she becomes a Lawmaker in the spotlight, as it were, it seems fitting, the tenets and guiding principles of her faith likewise be spotlighted.
Hence, as stated above, perhaps Rep. Stephanie Borowicz should have elected to go with something Islamic.
Perhaps, a recitation from al-Qur’an would have been a nice fitting touch.
Countless would have been those who counted such a choice an exquisite touch; undoubtedly, such a choice would have gendered praise and applause for Rep. Stephanie Borowicz from the masses. Therein, attesting, that she too believed “our diversity is our strength.” Thus, she too, was more than willing to welcome and honor the “Prophet from Mecca” into the Legislative halls of the Pennsylvania Congress. Therein, honor him and his “religion” in honoring the tenets of the book he brought and the adherents who live guided by those tenets.
And if she could not do that, then, perhaps she should have flatly and “boldly” declined to pray at all. Just flat turned the entire offer down.
Do so, being fully aware that that swearing in — “the first Hijabi (covered Muslim woman) to be elected to the [Pennsylvania] State House ” — was on-board. So too, fully aware there would be, there in that house that day, as touched on above, among both colleagues and guest, those who count sacred that in al-Qur’an.
Moreover, certainly likewise aware, for all Muslims there, hearing her [Borowicz ] pray to Jesus, honor Him as the One she counted Him to be, would be blasphemous.
Therefore, as stated, given her faith — Borowicz is a Christian — perhaps she ought to have just declined to pray: knowing full well her tendencies, her “weaknesses” in prayer; her vulnerabilities therein, when situations, guidelines, called for Vanilla prayers …
(“guidelines,” of course, to which concessions can/will be made, where/when need and request be, to comply with “Allah’s Book.”)
Given, Rep. Borowicz knew, when she prayed, she prayed to Jesus. Her Bible tells her to do that. For the same reasons, when she prayed, she prayed for God’s chosen people, Israel; she prayed for the peace of their city, Jerusalem; she prayed for our leaders; she prayed for God’s mercy, forgiveness, and protection on our nation.
Moreover, Rep. Borowicz was undoubtedly aware, when she prayed, as she did so, naturally growing in her would be love and augustness for the One she addressed. Hence, naturally, she worshipped Him innately in her prayers — it was simply part of her “weakness,” her problematic proclivities in prayer, just one of her seemingly inescapable “pitfalls.”
“Suffering” from the same “foibles,” oftentimes, in her prayers, she found herself speaking to her Lord, and Savior, as the One she counts Him to be: “King of Kings, Lord of Lords,” “the Great I Am, the One who is coming back again, the one who came, died and rose again.”
For all those reasons, clearly, she had to have known, when it came to prayer, she was, probably, very likely, even in Christian ranks, one considered a “problem prayer.” One, just as is so with a problem child, if left to their own proclivities, only God knows where the will go … what they will do or say…
Therefore, best not to leave such a one to his/her own proclivities. Best never to leave them without strictly determined guidelines—restrictions.
But Rep. Stephanie Borowicz did not decline to pray the opening prayer that day. Nor did she step to center stage to deliver the Committee approved prayer of the day. What she did was this:
“ ‘Jesus,’” spake, Rep. Stephanie Borowicz, as she began her prayer.
From that point onward, all that followed in that prayer, for the believer in the doctrine of the alleged Arabian Prophet, by Qur’anic guidelines would easily qualify as blasphemy – “impious utterance or action concerning God or sacred things.”
Pointedly, as one would expect from any good Muslim, reportedly, Movita Johnson-Harrel stated just that. Stating she was outraged at the prayer. Said, “It was … blasphemy.”
Well, of course it was — from Islamic standards, that is.
“ ‘Jesus, you are our only hope,’” Rep. Stephanie Borowicz prayed. Continuing in her prayer, she declared, “‘At the name of Jesus, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess Jesus, that you are Lord.’”
She prayed, “God forgive us…. We’ve forgotten you, God, in our country. And we are asking you to forgive us, Jesus … ” — as if he could?!!
What blasphemy this was to a believer in Muhammad and in the Book he brought!
How dare this “Representative” publically pray such a prayer! Moreover, how all-the-more egregious, to do so in the presence of believers in Muhammad and in the book brought by the alleged “Final Prophet” sent to humankind!
How insulting!
Especially so, as stated, knowing full well, in that chamber there that day were many of those who count the creed of Islam sacred. Take their “religion” seriously. How could any good Muslim stand by silently and allow such blasphemy?!
Perhaps, those Muslims there that day in that chamber, to drown out the “blasphemy” they were indignantly being subjected to, found, innately in the colosseums of their “mind’s eye” there arose a sea of “believers.”
Thus a sea of reciters of al-Qur’an – a sea of qurra— reciters of the words and deeds of their “beloved Prophet.”
Perhaps there, the voices of those reciters rose, both the voices of the living and the dead from the sea of “believers.” Voices of the qurra rising up and overpowering that “blasphemous” prayer. Voices, reciters, their recitations bold and clear, as certain as the pounding of the hoofs of stout warhorses in assault.
Voices that resounded: “ ‘fight those disbelievers who are near you,’” Sister! “‘ let them find severity in you. And be sure that Allah is with the God-fearing.’” (9: 124).
“ ‘So fight,’” and moreover, Sister Movita, “ ‘spur on the believers to fight….’” (vs. 84.) Fight these loudmouthed feeble unbelievers, as “Allah” instructs us to: “seize them,” “kill them wherever you find them.” (Surat an-Nisa 89, al-Jalalayn.) Silence them!
“Fight against the people till they testify that La ilaha illallah wa anna Muhammad-ar-Rasul-Allah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.)”
(Al-Bukhari, Sahih, Darussalam, Vol. 1, Book of Belief, p. 66, # 25.)
“Fight against those who believe not in Allah, nor in the last day, nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth among the people of the book (Jews and Christians) until they pay the jizyah with willing submission and feel themselves subdued.” (Surah At Tawbah 9:29.)
“Fight the leaders of disbelief for surely their oaths are nothing to them.” (Surah At Tawbah: 12)
They — unbelievers in Muhammad; the worst among them, “leaders of disbelief”; the worst among those: the Jews and the Christian — clearly and repeatedly they are shown, in the Qur’an, as being those who break their oaths. Those who fail to fulfill their contract with “Allah.” Had they fulfilled those contracts, they would have obeyed, followed, and supported, the “Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless and give him peace.”
And for such reasons, “Allah” declared, concerning both Jews and Christians, “We have cursed them.”
(Surah al-Ma’ida 5: 13.)
So “Fight them! Fight them! Fight them! Brothers and Sister, until, in this chamber and elsewhere, there is no one worshipped but Allah!”
Not the least bit surprising, Muslima, now, Rep. Johnson-Harrell, as cited above, declared the prayer outraged her, was blasphemy, and as such, she “said the prayer was ‘highly offensive’” to both her and her guest alike, as well as to “other members of the House.”
She’s calling, as are others, for the censuring of Rep. Stephanie Borowicz.
“There should definitely be censure because we need to be promoting inclusion, not division,” state Rep. Movita Johnson-Harrell, D-Philadelphia, told reporters of the invocation, laden with explicit Christian and political imagery.”
House Minority Whip Jordan Harris, boldly declared, concerning that prayer, “‘There is no room in our Capitol building for actions such as this [the above-noted prayer].’”
Democratic Leader Frank Dermody of Allegheny County, echoed much the same, stating, this prayer was “beneath the dignity of this House.”
Therefore, seems it would be best to empower and support your local Muslims. One by one, inch them into leading positions in our governing system. Then soon, the above mentioned prayer — the full prayer posted below — will, doubtlessly, here in the U.S. of A., publicly, be outlawed.
Thus, with any luck at all, as long as Islam is adhered to thus freely practiced in this nation, and, thus, believers, one by one, here, become our Lawmakers; soon here, in the United States of America, such prayers as the one posted below, here in public will cease to be lawful.
As “believers” in the ranks of our Lawmakers obey “Allah.” Thus, as those “believers “enjoin what is just and forbid what is evil ([Q. 9: 71] ),” that meaning, they “command Islam and forbid disbelief.”(as verse is cited and clarified in al-Waqidi’s Kitab al-Maghazi, Routledge, 2011, First [English] Edition, P. 523.)
Forbid, that is, disbelief in “Allah’s” alleged “Final Messenger” sent to human kind. Thus, in due time, prayers as that focused on in this post, in this nation, will be forbidden.
… and against that backdrop, if not on the House floor of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania then elsewhere, Representative, Stephanie Borowicz prayed her imperfect prayers :
“ [Jesus], thank you for this privilege Lord of letting me pray God. That, I, Jesus am your ambassador today. Standing here representing you – the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the Great I Am, the One who is coming back again, the one who came, died and rose again on the third day. I’m so privileged to stand here today. So thank you for this honor, Jesus.”