Rashad Khalifa

Rashad Khalifa (November 19, 1935 - January 31, 1990) was an Egyptian Muslim who moved to the United States as a student of biochemistry in 1959 and later became a citizen. He founded an Islamic group called United Submitters International whose beliefs include the dedication of all worship practices to God alone and the rejection of hadith (recorded traditions) as a source of religious doctrine and practice. For many years he was the imam of "Masjid Tucson" in Arizona, USA.

Related Topics:
November 19 - 1935 - January 31 - 1990 - Egyptian - Muslim - United States - Biochemistry - 1959 - Citizen - Islam - United Submitters International - Hadith - Doctrine - Imam - Arizona

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Starting in 1969, Khalifa used computers to analyze the frequency of letters and words in the Quran. In 1974 he claimed to have discovered an intricate numerical pattern in the text of the Qur'an involving the number 19 mentioned in sura 74. He published several books on this subject.

Related Topics:
1969 - Qur'an - 19 - Sura 74

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Khalifa was initially well-received throughout the Muslim world, but became the subject of bitter controversy when he made several claims that appeared heretical according to the mainstream opinion of both the Sunni and Shi'a schools of thought -- such as a claim to be the messenger of the covenant of the prophets prophesied in Malachi 3:1-3 and Quran 3:81, whose mission is to purify the religion of Abraham (Submission, the religion of all the prophets) from the Satanic injections before the advent of the kingdom of Heaven. Most Muslims believe this messenger to be Muhammad.

Related Topics:
Sunni - Shi'a - Muhammad

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He also found himself involved in local scandal and controversy. According to an Arizona newspaper, the Tucson Citizen, in June 1979, in Tucson, he was accused of rape. For unspecified reasons he pleaded No contest. The newspaper article further reports that the accuser, a 16-year-old-girl testified that Rashad Khalifa raped her while supposedly recruiting her for a United Nations aura research project. The article states that there was no evidence of intercourse found when the girl was examined at a local hospital. Khalifa admitted to the police that he had manipulated the girl's breasts during his research.

Related Topics:
Arizona - Tucson Citizen - Rape - No contest - United Nations - Aura

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On January 31, 1990, Khalifa was stabbed to death at his Tucson, Arizona mosque. It is commonly believed that the extremist group al-Fuqra', based in Pakistan, was responsible for the assassination.

Related Topics:
January 31 - 1990 - Al-Fuqra' - Pakistan

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