Obama Winning Muslim Praise

The new US President has been getting praise from many Muslims:

Obama wins praise from many Muslims

AP April 8, 2009

CAIRO – The Middle East is finding, to its amazement, that it may actually like America’s new leader. Barack Obama has impressed many Arabs and Muslims with promises to open a new page after years of distrust during his first presidential venture to the Islamic world this week.

It’s a startling change for a region where they chucked shoes at his predecessor George W. Bush and still want to burn Bush in effigy even after he’s out of office.

But Obama’s charm has hiked expectations he will change American policies that have angered many Arabs and Muslims…

“Everyone is optimistic about this man,” Nasser Abu Kwaik, a barber in the West Bank town of al-Beireh, said Wednesday. “He is different, and he could be a friend to the Muslim world.”

‘Like a fresh breeze’
Many in Muslim countries echoed the words of one Indonesian woman, “I believe him.”

“For the Islamic world,” Obama’s comments “are like a fresh breeze,” said Ikana Mardiastuti, who works at a Jakarta research institute.

Obama’s visit to Turkey this week was full of gestures calculated at showing he is a friend to Muslims, all aired live on Arab satellite TV networks like Al-Jazeera. The top headliner was his sound bite that the U.S will never be “at war with Islam.” In a speech to Turkey’s parliament, he mentioned the Muslims in his own family, a topic he avoided back home in his presidential campaign.

A town-hall meeting in Istanbul on Tuesday was also a strong symbol, with Obama answering questions from university students. To some it sent a message that this president talks to Muslims, dramatically different from the perception many had of Bush as domineering, warlike and imposing U.S. policy.

Even an offhand comment that he had to wrap up the town-hall before the afternoon call to Islamic prayers showed an easy familiarity with the rhythms of Muslims’ lives…

‘Positive opportunity’
Even hard-liners took notice.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said his country welcomes talks with the United States if Obama proves “honest” in extending the U.S. hand to Iran, one of his strongest signals yet of openness to Obama’s calls for dialogue.

A cleric at the prominent Shiite seminary in the Iraqi holy city of Najaf — where disdain for Bush’s policies is high — was enthusiastic. “The Islamic world should avail itself of this positive opportunity,” said Sheik Nimaa Al-Abadi. “The opening chapter of Obama in the Islamic world might be a real turning point.”…

In part, Obama’s warm welcome reflected the almost rabid bitterness toward Bush, who on his final visit to Baghdad was pelted with shoes by an angry journalist. The journalist became a hero across the Mideast. Iraqi Shiite radicals plan to burn an effigy of Bush at an anti-American rally Thursday in Baghdad. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30111857/

This was, of course, expected. I have been writing since his election in November 2008 that I believed that Barack Obama would enable (primarily inadvertantly) the rise of an Islamic leader that will fulfill the prophecies of the final King of the South in the Book of Daniel.

Thus far, he seems to be going down that path.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Is There A Future King of the South? Some no longer believe there needs to be. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? What does the Bible say?
The Arab World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam?
Prophecy Obama: Prophecies of Barack Obama? Eight reasons why Barack Obama is apocalyptic and eight reasons why Barack Obama is not the Antichrist. This article includes many biblical and non-biblical prophecies, from around the world, that seem to discuss Barack Obama. Did Nostradamus predict Barack Obama dealing with the Antichrist? Might Barack Obama set the stage for the kings of the North and South as at least one Shiite prophecy suggests? This is the longest and most complete article on this page on Barack Obama prophecies. Read it and decide for yourself if President Obama seems to be fulfilling various prophecies.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States Some claim that Barack Obama is the prophesied “son of Kenya”, based up an early 20th century writing.
Barack Obama in Islamic Prophecy? There is actually a 17th century Shiite prophecy that some believe that Barack Obama will fulfill that will lead to a rising up of Islam.