Fact check: Did US defense secretary declare Islam an enemy? By Puteri Nordahlilah Azmi & Aina Fatihah Abdullah

All of Pete Hesgeth's Tattoos

Malaysiakini : PAS and Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia (Putra), led by veteran politician Ibrahim Ali, have criticised United States Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over claims that he described Islam as an enemy.

Hegseth (above) was alleged to have made statements such as “whether Sunni or Shia, our enemy is Islam” and “we are not at war with a country, we are at war with a belief system”.

However, a Malaysiakini fact-check found that the remarks were inaccurately quoted and may have been interpreted differently from their original context.

GSVL : I agree with whatever Secretary Hegseth has said or not said. When you deal with the likes of Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic Jihad, the PMU, IS and the Taliban, it is an existential threat for the US and Western countries including their religious beliefs, values and principles. Nothing peaceful about these rogue entities who us Islam to spread terror and fear.

Sealthedeal : Oh course his words will be taken out of context by those islamists who always play the victim. Islamophbia is not a crime. It's a natural reaction to what kafirs see around the Muslim world see is the result of Islamic extremism. The sooner Iran is defeated the better.

Hmmmmmmmm : "New York-based Palestinian activist Nerdeen Kiswani noted that the term had been weaponised by far-right Islamophobes to "mock and vilify" Muslims" Muslims call unbelievers 'Kafir'. 

But when these unbelievers tattoo that word on themselves to indeed confirm that they are unbelievers, they are accused of vilifying and mocking Islam. So, how?

Just Common Sense : If we are serious about US view of Islam we should do something about the violence carried out all over the world in the name of Islam. These are not isolated incidents. 

They have been occurring with such regularity that it is not surprising that non-muslims are beginning to see such violence especially against non-muslims as part and parcel of islam especially when the perpetrators quote from their religious books to justify their acts. 

What makes things worse is when muslim govts everywhere unabashedly practice policies highly discriminatory against non-muslims. It is just a matter of time before the pushback comes.

WINNING Scarecrow : I already regularly pointed out to everyone that these are the enemies of Islam and yet people don’t believe me when I used the phrase. 

To say that Islamists are enemies is exactly saying that Islam is the enemy. And yet we still treat them as our friends and support them to attack Azam Baki who is actually supporting Anwar to defend Islam from the enemies.

Just Common Sense : The enemies of islam are your own people buddy. Instead of taking country forward they are trying to take us back to 7th century arab desert.

MyKanasai : Use your head and start thinking. Muslim make up about 20% of Israel population and all had to serve, disregard of belief, in the national service. 

Those soldiers fighting against the Hamas or any regime are from different religions and races and yet they fought side by side to safeguard their own country, that is Israel.

UNDECIDED : You are a indoctrinated by western culture and blind to their immorality.

Just Common Sense : UNDECIDED How do you know you are not indoctrinated by 7th century desert culture buddy?

Unsubbed_wallace : No need to talk about how unfair America treats muslim. We all know how Ketuanan Muslims treat the non-muslims here....

Dr Peter Jebaseelan Jesudason : It is an easy enough mistake to make - to regard Muslim and Islamist as one and the same. However, I daresay some unscrupulous news portals deliberately misreport the usage in order to create controversy and make headlines. 

Generally understood, an Islamist is defined as a Muslim who subscribes to extreme interpretations of the faith and one who condones violence such as suicide bombing as part of a " Jihad " to promote or avenge Islam. 

During Islam's expansionist phase, the term Darul Harb or " Abode of War " was formulated by Muslim jurists to describe non-Muslim territories. Unless there was a treaty with the Islamic powers, Muslims were regarded to be in a state of war with non-Muslims. 

It is in this context that Pete Hegseth is using the term Islamist. From the outset in 1979, the Islamic State of Iran under Ayatollah Khomeini declared USA and Israel to be the " enemies of Islam ", and brainwashed Muslims into chanting " Death to America, the Big Shaitan " and " Death to Israel, the Little Shaitan ".

Unsubbed_wallace : When Islam is in the majority they oppress the minority non-muslims.... providing extra benefits to muslims over non-muslims... Is that the sign of deep friendship? lol.

Just Common Sense : Islamists and islamist govts openly discriminate against non believers even in Malaysia so why is that allowed?

TM My Foot : Why does the Islamists extremist always like to play the victim? When it comes to Islam, everyone must be tolerant and must give way. However, we have never seen Islamists being tolerant or giving way to others and their religions. 

Don’t have to look far, it’s happening right here in Malaysia. While some Islamist go about stoking religious and racial tensions, no one said a thing. What action has been taken against Zamri, Firdaus Wong, Tamim, Mufti Asri and Zakir Naik?

VoteOfOne : What is the problem now that Hegseth appears to have a tattoo of the term "kafir"? Wasn't that the word used against non-Muslims when Muslims go on a rant against Islamophobes? If he inked it for permanence, the only problem is that he is not wearing it for fear or phobia of Islam.

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