OP-ED
Thomas Jefferson, Unitarianism and Islam The role of Unitarianism, a Christian theological movement, in the founding of the U.S. BY ZULFIQAR ALI SHAH
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resident Trump said that Islam hates us. Evangelists claim that the U.S. was founded on Christianity and that virtually all of the Founding Fathers were Biblebelieving, Christ-loving, devout and orthodox Christians. For instance, Baptist evangelical minister Tim LaHaye (19252016), author of the very popular apocalyptic “Left Behind” series with Jerry B. Jenkins, concludes that President John Adams was “deeply committed to Jesus Christ and the use of Biblical principles in governing the nation,” and George Washington, if he were alive today, “would freely associate with the Bible-believing branch of evangelical Christianity that is having such a positive influence upon our nation” (Mark David Hall, “Did America Have a Christian Founding?” 2019). But just how accurate are such assertions? The U.S. has always been a predominantly Christian nation, and the Founding Fathers were born in Christian households. However, many of the leading ones were Unitarians, which has been called “Muhammadan Christianity” due to its denial of the Trinity, Jesus’ divinity and death for humanity’s sins, Original Sin, salvation through grace and the Bible being God’s word. Fathers like Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and Thomas Paine were followers of English Unitarians and Deists who were called Muhammadans by their orthodox opponents. Jefferson’s Federalist opponents called him an outright Muslim in 1771 and during the 1800 election. “Muhammadan Christians” were a vocal community in 16th- to 18th-century England and France. They opened Turkish coffee shops in both capitals, dressed in Islamic clothes and turbans and refused to attend Church services and take the sacraments. Jefferson, one of the most important Founding Fathers and the principal author of the Declaration of Independence — despite owning slaves — had this to say about Unitarianism, “I rejoice that in this blessed country of free inquiry and belief, which has surrendered its creed and conscience to neither Kings nor priests, the genuine doctrine of one only God is reviving, and I trust that there is not a young man now living in the United States who will not die an Unitarian” (http://www. beliefnet.com/resourcelib/docs/53/Letter_from_Thomas_Jefferson_to_John_ Adams_1.html; Allen Jayne, “Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence,” 1998). Like the English Unitarians, Jefferson believed that the Roman Catholic Church had corrupted the original true monotheistic Christianity and that Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) had preserved it. Like the Enlightenment thinkers, Jefferson denied Original Sin, Biblical inerrancy, Church authority, predestination and salvation through Jesus’ crucifixion; preferred reason over revelation; and believed that the laws of nature were the laws of God (Jayne, p. 25). In his “Letter to William Short,” Jefferson wrote the following: ■ Biblical laws were “cruel” and “remorseless,” and the Biblical God who chose the Hebrews over others was a “family God of Abraham, of Isaac and of Jacob, and the local God of Israel.” ■ The Jews “had presented for the object of their worship, a being of terrific character, cruel, vindictive, capricious and unjust.” ■ “Moses had bound the Jews to many idle ceremonies, mummeries and observances, of no effect towards producing the social utilities which constitute the essence of virtue…” ■ “[A]mong the sayings & discourses imputed to him [Jesus] by his biographers, 18 ISLAMIC HORIZONS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021
I find many passages of fine imagination, correct morality, and of the most lovely benevolence: and others again of so much ignorance, so much absurdity, so much untruth; charlatanism, and imposture, as to pronounce it impossible that such contradictions should have proceeded from the same being. I separate therefore the gold from the dross; restore to him the former, & leave the latter to the stupidity of some, and roguery of others of his disciples of this band of dupes and impostors. Paul was the … first corrupter of the doctrines of Jesus. These palpable interpolations and falsifications of his doctrines led me to try to sift them apart” (http://tjrs.monticello.org/letter/1559; https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/mss/mtj// mtj1/051/051_1224_1227.pdf). This appears in what became known as the “Jefferson Bible,” which was given as a state gift to the visiting heads of foreign states. He circulated it only among his closest friends because “I am unwilling to draw on myself a swarm of insects [clerics], whose buz[z] is more disquieting than their bite.” In sum, Jefferson believed that historical Christianity and its institutions were antithetical to science and progress, disdained how faith backed by civil government persecuted scientific inquiry, ridiculed such a faith and prophesized that such an erroneous faith would soon flee once “reason and experiment have been indulged.” Jefferson’s copy of the Quran is in the Library of Congress. Congressman Keith Ellison (DFL-Minn.) took his 2007 oath of office on it. Jefferson’s notes show that he read it with appreciation and was well acquainted with Muslim history, political and diplomatic thought. According to John Andrew Morrow, he owned a copy of Prince Demetrius Cantemir’s “Histoire de l’Empire Ottoman,” which contained a complete account of the “Covenant of the Prophet Muhammad with the Monks of Mount Sinai” and a full translation of Sultan Selim I’s decree of authentication, renewal and perpetual protection (https://themaydan.com/2020/01/thomas-jefferson-and-the-covenants-of-the-prophet-muhammad/). While in France, Jefferson befriended Ishak Bey, a high profile Ottoman emissary, and frequently discussed with him Islam, Christianity and politics. He also knew a number of French converts.
