Unfortunately, no amount of stating that ‘Islam is a noble, moderate religion of love and peace and tolerance’ will change the nature of Islam.
It is a sad fact of life, as much as we moderate people would wish otherwise, that Islam is neither moderate nor loving nor peaceful nor tolerant. Indeed, the opposite is the case. Islam is a religion of extremes. History shows us this.
We come to know a man not by what he says, but by what he does. It is deeds which count, not words.
This interaction between Tony Blair and David Cameron in the House of Commons yesterday, from The Daily Telegraph:
Mr Cameron said: "The demonstrations in London over the weekend caused widespread concern.Could someone explain to me exactly what this “enormous contribution” is? I really would like to know. I’m always ready and willing to be enlightened.
"Muslims contribute an enormous amount to this country and for the overwhelming majority Islam is a religion of peace.
"Do you agree with me that in all of this there is a danger that their voice will be drowned out?"
Mr Blair said: "I hope very much that the voice of the moderate majority is not drowned out.
"The fact is the vast majority of people in the Muslim community across the Muslim world totally abhor acts of terrorism or those who incite terrorism or glorify terrorism.
Then, can Mr. Cameron prove to us that “for the overwhelming majority [,] Islam is a religion of peace"? Where is the evidence for this bold assertion? It seems to me that the evidence proves the opposite!
"The fact is the vast majority of people in the Muslim community across the Muslim world totally abhor acts of terrorism or those who incite terrorism or glorify terrorism." Where is the evidence that the vast majority of Muslims abhor acts of terrorism? Or abhor those who glorify it? Simply put: I would like the evidence to back up this statement. Let's get scientific here! We need proof, proof, and more proof! Messrs Blair and Cameron: Substantiate your claims!
There are of course some moderate Muslims, especially ones who are nominally Muslim. But I believe that it would be difficult for both Mr. Blair and Mr. Cameron to prove to us that the vast majority of Muslims are moderate.
Where have these two politicians had their experience of Muslims? Have they ever lived and worked in the Middle East, for example? Have they ever mixed with ordinary Muslims? Have they mixed with the so-called working man in the Islamic world? I believe I am right in saying they haven't!
We are on dangerous ground if we think we can judge a people by the top echelons of any society. Mixing with kings and princes and rich oil sheikhs is hardly likely to give anyone a clear picture of the true nature of Islam!
I eagerly await the evidence of this moderation. Simply saying that the majority of Muslims are moderate won't make it so. No more than one's ugly daughter will grow more beautiful by repeatedly saying she is! If the Muslim community wishes to be thought of as moderate, then I would suggest that they had better start today behaving moderately. Let them show us this moderation! Let them prove it to us!
©Mark Alexander
5 comments:
John:
I won't hold my breath for that at all, because it isn't going to happen.
Isn't it sickening how these leaders can keep on spewing out this garbage?
Mussolini:
It ain't working.
No, it ain't. And it ain't gonna work, either!
Quite frankly, the refrain sickens me every time I hear it, because it is so obviously ridiculous. Asinine, in fact.
If one had a recalcitrant child, it wouldn't help that child for one to keep on saying how well-behaved it was, would it? On the contrary, it would be far more beneficial to the child to tell it in no uncertain terms that its behaviour is intolerable, and that it had better change, or else!
You are wrong to believe that Islam is a violent religion and that all (or even most) Muslims are violent people.
There are approximately 1.3 billion Muslims in the world today. It is only a small minority who are responsible for the egregious acts of violence one sees in the news these days (beheadings, suicide bombings, rioting etc.).
However, it is true that because Islam is a wholistic system, it does provide guidance on matters of struggle and conflict (war).
Nonetheless, there is nothing more than anecdotal evidence to say that Muslims are inherently violent or that Islam a religion of violence.
Of course you can quote the Quran and Hadith out of context to support a the false proposition that Islam is a violent faith.
Another common tactic of Islamophobes is to find the exegesis of one or two (or ten out of the thousands that have come and gone) Islamic scholars that interpreted Islamic texts to support wanton violence.
(N.B.: both of the foregoing methods can be undertaken by people other than Islamophobes as well)
Neither of the aforementioned tactics is intellectually honest.
If you are content to fear Islam and are not interested in understanding what the religion truly stands for, then go one doing what you are doing.
On the other hand, if you want to truly understand Islam, then at least consider alternative view points. As a starting point, read some of the writings of Dr. Khaled Abou El-Fadl.
Dotty:
all of you are dickheads...so sad why cant you just get on with your life and ....as far as freedom of speech i dont care what bloody right you want to excersise noone has to take the piss of religion. Just because western countries have lost all their morality faith and sense of shame dont mean the rest of the world is like that. I dont see why it is you have a vendetta against islam and are supporting this 'freedom of speech'... You have a bloody right but no need to piss on other peoples religions
Your insults and foul language are not welcome on this weblog, to be honest. I try and maintain a level of dignity on this site. Please refrain from using such language if you are able to do so. Gentlemen agree to disagree. They do not hurl insults at others!
But if you persist with it, you will only help me prove the points I am making! So swear away if you really have to!
...stop bitching about other peoples religion...
This is rich coming from a Muslim! I think you will find that the Islamic world bitches about other people's relgion the most. For example, how much bitching about the Jews do Muslims do? That should give you some indication of the Muslim's amount of bitching about the religions of others! To many in the West, religion is of little importance or relevance. Further, devout Christians are not given to bitching about other peoples' religions; rather, they are given to pitying them for their lack of enlightenment!
i [sic!] dont care what bloody right you want to excersise noone [sic!] has to take the piss of religion.
I do not believe that those cartoonists were making fun of your religion. Not at all. they were testing the boundaries of free speech and freedom of expression in their own country, fearing that the growing Muslim presence there had made inroads into that freedom because all illustrators for a children's book were afraid to do the job of illustrating Muhammad, because they feared for their own lives on the basis of the savage attacks in recent times in Europe from the Muslim community. That's all!
I dont [sic!] see why it is you have a vendetta against islam [sic!]
We don't have a vendetta against Islam. I certainly don't anyway. But I am convinced that Islam does not belong in the West (certainly not in its present form), it does not belong in the modern world, it does not belong in a civilized world. Islam, as is, is a mediaeval religion for a mediaeval mindset.
Think about it deeply, and you might even come to a similar conclusion yourself.
People are judged by their deeds, not their words. And what kind of examples of the deeds of Muslims have we, the Kuffar, got to judge you Muslims on?
Junaid Afeef:
Welcome to my weblog! And thank you for your thoughtful comment. Please allow me to respond.
You are wrong to believe that Islam is a violent religion and that all (or even most) Muslims are violent people.
I'd like to take this in two parts. First, that I am wrong to believe that Islam is a violent religion.
The record of history shows that Islam is inherently violent. Islam has, after all, been largely spread by the sword. That is a historical fact which neither you nor I can easily refute.
The second part of your assertion is false. Nowhere have I ever stated that all, or even most, Muslims are violent. I know from personal experience in the Middle East that this is not so. So I believe that you must have misunderstood my message if you believe this of me.
...the egregious acts of violence one sees in the news these days (beheadings, suicide bombings, rioting etc.).
I am glad that you call them egregious acts of violence, for that is surely what they are. Your words, not mine!
Were I to be a Muslim - which thank God I am not - then I should be ashamed of my 'Muslim brothers' committing such acts in my name, and in the name of my faith!
Why is there not a hue and cry from these so-called peace-loving Muslims which you speak so proudly of?
We have a saying in English which I am sure you are familiar with: Silence gives consent. One can only assume that in the absence of protestations from the so-called moderates that they really do consent to this evil committed in Islam's name.
However, it is true that because Islam is a wholistic system, it does provide guidance on matters of struggle and conflict (war).
Yes, it certainly does provide guidance on matters of struggle and conflict and war. Most certainly! The Qur'an is replete with verses telling the believers to kill and slay the infidel. We know that. And boy, do you Muslims take those verses seriously!
Moreover, we shouldn't forget here that it is Muslims who classify the world in two parts: Dar ul Islam. or the 'House of Peace', and Dar ul Harb, or the 'House of War'. Violence is prescribed for the Dar ul Harb until Muslims are triumphant and have conquered the world.
Nonetheless, there is nothing more than anecdotal evidence to say that Muslims are inherently violent or that Islam a religion of violence.
Nothing more than anecdotal evidence? Wow! Please forgive me for asking, but which planet do you inhabit? The evidence is all about us! Just look at the recent violence committed in the name of Islam, the so-called 'noble religion of love and peace and understanding and tolerance'!
Of course you can quote the Quran and Hadith out of context to support a the false proposition that Islam is a violent faith.
There is absolutely no need for me, or any other infidel for that matter, to quote anything out of context. The Qur'an reads like a 'manual of war'!
Another common tactic of Islamophobes is to find the exegesis of one or two (or ten out of the thousands that have come and gone) Islamic scholars that interpreted Islamic texts to support wanton violence.
Let's establish one thing here: I am no Islamophobe in the sense you probably mean. My fear is not at all irrational. But if what you mean is that I and people like me are fearful of Islam's aspirations to take over the world, then I suppose you could call us that, since we realize the darkness the world will be plunged into if it ever got to that!
If you are content to fear Islam and are not interested in understanding what the religion truly stands for, then go one doing what you are doing.
I am content to fear Islam, because I know what it has done to all the Christian countries, and non-Christian ones too, wherever it has been allowed to take root. It has snuffed out the local culture and religion and supplanted it with Islam. I don't want that to happen in the West.
On the other hand, if you want to truly understand Islam, then at least consider alternative view points. As a starting point, read some of the writings of Dr. Khaled Abou El-Fadl.
Frankly, Junaid, I do not need any starting point in my understanding of Islam! I have been studying Islam for about twenty-five years now. I have also had much first-hand experience of the religion in the Middle East. I have already read many, many books about your religion, books written by Muslims and infidels alike. I think my understaning of Islam is pretty sound. However, I shall look out for the book you refer to, and I shall assess how worthy it is to be added to my library, assess whether it can enhance in any way my understanding of Islam still further.
In the meantime, I should like to suggest two books on Christianity to you. Both are written by C. S lewis. The one Mere Christianity will be an excellent introduction to Christianity for you. It has been called "a collection of scintillating brilliance"! The other The Screwtape Letters has been called "Excellent, hard-hitting, challenging. provoking".
If you keep an open mind, I am sure you will enjoy reading them. They will appeal to your intellect, I feel sure.
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