WASHINGTON –- Even before taking the oath of office, Virginia Governor-elect Bob McDonnell is already troubling Muslims because of his close links to controversial evangelist Pat Robertson, who is infamous for his anti-Islam rants. "A lot of Muslims here are very concerned," Imam Mohamed Majid, of the All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS) in Virginia, told IslamOnline.

McDonnell, who won the Virginia gubernatorial race earlier this month, received a $25000 donation from Robertson, who has earned notoriety for his scathing attacks on Islam, Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and Muslims.

The controversial evangelist attended McDonnell's election night victory party, asserting they share common ideas.

After the election, Robertson made his latest anti-Islam rant describing the Muslim faith as "a violent political system rather than a religion."

He suggested American Muslims, estimated at eight millions, should be treated like members of a communist or fascist party.

"This is a hate speech," says imam Majid.

"This is not the first time Robertson makes such ridiculous comments but what is new is that Robertson has shown close relation with McDonnell, our elected governor."

Imam Mahdi Bray, Executive Director of the Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation, is equally disturbed.

"This is not new from Robertson, he has always said hateful things about Islam and Muslims," he notes.

"But I am troubled that the governor has received money from a person who is known with his Islamophobic speech."

Robertson, founder of the Christian Coalition and a presidential candidate in 1988, has called Islam the "religion of the slavers" and described Muslims as "satanic" and "worse than the Nazis".

He said the Qur'an was a "fraudulent" and Prophet Muhammad "an absolute wild-eyed fanatic, a robber and a brigand...a killer".

Robertson believes Americans who embrace Islam exhibit "insanity" and advises against appointing Muslims to government positions.

Repudiation 

Muslims are urging McDonnell to distance himself from the controversial evangelist and his anti-Islam rants.

"During his campaign, McDonnell has reached out to Muslims. We want him now to keep his promise of being a governor of all Virginains," says imam Majid.

"We want him to address Muslims’ worries and publicly deny Robertson comments."

Ibrahim Hooper, communication director at the Council of American Islamic Relations (CAIR), also urges McDonnell to take very clear steps.

"It is very simple; he should return the campaign donation money to Robertson, repudiate his comments and apologize to all Virginian Muslims," he told IOL.

"No elected official should be close to somebody who makes such bigoted comments."

IslamOnline contacted the governor-elect office via the telephone and e-mail to ask for a comment, but got no answer. McDonnell has reportedly snubbed calls to repudiate Robertson's remarks.

Bray, the MAS-Freedom chief, says Virginia Muslims must have a role to play.

"There are about 48,000 Muslim voters in Virginia, and Muslims have been civically and politically active there," he notes.

"Virginian Muslims must act to keep this governor in the right direction and make him take his distance from bigotry."

Bray says Virginia had a history of being an ethnically lined, Islamophobic and xenophobic state.

"We must not let that governor take us back to the old days."