Did Yusuf Islam Fund Hamas?

Now I've been happy lately, thinking about the good things to come
And I believe it could be, something good has begun

Oh I've been smiling lately, dreaming about the world as one
And I believe it could be, some day it's going to come

Cause out on the edge of darkness, there rides a peace train
Oh peace train take this country, come take me home again
[allspirit]

Singer-songwriter and peace activist Yusuf Islam, formerly known as Cat Stevens, arrived back in London after he was refused entry into the United States on security grounds....

Islam, 57, was travelling to the US capital on Tuesday when his flight was diverted to Bangor, Maine where he was detained on "national security grounds," a US security official told AFP in Washington.
[AFP/Yahoo]

I saw this while flipping through the paper yesterday on lunch, and thought it was fairly ridiculous, and now the story is making it's way across the 'net: the United States is now safely protected from the evil Cat Stevens.
[Michael Hanscom]

In all fairness Yusef Islam did agree with the Ayatollah Khomeini in calling for the death of Salman Rushdie and he's has donated thousands to Hamas.
[Joel, in response to Michael Hanscom]

22nd September 2004

Site visitors and fans alike will no doubt have heard about today's news that Yusuf Islam has been refused entry into the US. As yet we have no specific information from the US immigration authorities as to why he was not allowed to enter the country. What we can say, however, is that he will be shocked and angered at being associated with anyone who commits acts of violence. He has vehemently and consistently criticized terrorist acts and has always advocated peace through his songs and his extensive humanitarian relief work. He has travelled many times to the US, most recently two months ago on a visit with his record company. Any suggestion therefore that he poses a security risk due to alleged connections with terrorist activities is totally denied as it is simply wrong. We are seeking further details so that we can challenge the decision to refuse him entry. When we have more information we will be able to comment further. We feel certain that this matter will be resolved soon.
[yusufislam.org.uk]

Yusuf Islam, who became famous as pop star Cat Stevens, has been deported from Israel after apparently being denied entry over his previous backing for a militant Islamic group.

The former pop singer had attempted to enter Israel, after previously being barred in 1990, arriving at 0230 local time.

However, airport authorities detained him after officials discovered his name on a list of people banned from entering the country....

Yusuf Islam, 51, changed his name after becoming a Muslim in the late 1970s, and last visited Israel in 1988.

The government claims that during that trip, he delivered tens of thousands of dollars to Hamas, a militant Islamic group.

Two years later, in 1990, he tried to enter again along with his eight-year-old son but was turned away.
[BBC News 13 July 2000]

The path followed by Yusuf Islam over the last 22 years since he traded megastardom for an ascetic Muslim lifestyle raises certain questions with regard to what it means to listen to and to buy his music at this juncture. There are a number of political controversies surrounding the former Cat Stevens.

Yusuf Islam was alleged to have fully supported the fatwa proclaimed by the Ayatollah against Salman Rushdie following the publication of The Satanic Verses. Although he has subsequently distanced himself from such sentiments, the man who once sang "I Love My Dog" and "Granny" did state in 1989: "The Qu'ran makes it clear if someone defames the Prophet, then he must die." (Ironically, in The Satanic Verses Rushdie had a caricature of Stevens -- the convert pop star Bilal X -- sing "Burn the books and trust the Book; shred the papers and hear the Word.") Moreover, Islam has also been subject to accusations that he used his royalties to fund the fatwa. When Boyzone had a hit in 1996 with a version of "Father and Son," Islam publicly denied that monies from the song would end up in Iran. But questions persist about just where his money is going. Last month, he was refused entry to Israel amid further accusations that he had donated tens of thousands of dollars to Hamas....

[I]t is well documented that Islam has channeled some significant portion of his profits into worthy, constructive causes, building schools, funding charities, supporting orphans in Bosnia, and releasing educational audio-books on his own label. But the question mark still hangs over what else he may have used his money for; it might be something to weigh in the balance as you consider these re-releases.
[Wilson Neate, popmatters.com, 2000]

Predictably suspicious TalkLeft...blithely reports that "something isn't adding up". That's true: TalkLeft failed to unearth the fact that Stevens, who has been called Yusuf Islam since 1978, donated money to Hamas in 1988.

Another factor at play may have been Islam's public support of the Ayatollah Khomeini's fatwa against Salman Rushdie in 1989.

To be fair, let me note that Islam has claimed in his defense that he simply gave money to charities in Hebron, an orphanage in particular, some of which may have been run by Hamas unbeknownst to him. This is possible, although I'm not inclined to believe him. (He also denies supporting the fatwa against Rushdie, but on that he's completely unconvincing.) And in preemptive support of his character, TalkLeft trots out this denunciation by Islam of the Beslan child-massacre. I doubt, though, that Hamas would share Islam's recent sentiments.
[John-Paul Pagano, Fightin' With Grabes]