THE TELEGRAPH: Whitehall's support only puts us at greater risk from the religious revolutionaries, says Andrew Gilligan.
Over the past 10 days, like a submarine just below the surface, the outline has become visible of a massive Whitehall row, the outcome of which could be almost as important to our country as fixing the deficit.
The argument is about the influence that Islamism should have in the British state. Islamism should never, by the way, be confused with Islam. Islam is a religion, practised by millions of British citizens who have never sought to overthrow anything in their lives. Islamism is a revolutionary political doctrine, supported by a small minority of Muslims, whose aim is to overthrow secular democratic government and replace it with Islamic government.
In the words of Syed Mawdudi, its founder: "Wherever you are, in whichever country you live, you must strive to change the wrong basis of government, and seize all powers to rule and make laws from those who do not fear God."
Our new ministers appear to be moving towards a clear and obvious policy, of no official support for Islamism. But they face surprising resistance from the people supposed to carry out their wishes: the Civil Service.
There are, in Whitehall, a number of senior officials and paid ministerial advisers who are sympathisers of Islamism. One of them, Mohammed Abdul Aziz, is an honorary trustee of one of Britain's most important Islamist-controlled institutions, the East London Mosque.
Mr Aziz wrote a paper – leaked to this newspaper – saying that the new administration should build closer ties with the East London Mosque. He recommended that ministers should consider appearing in public with Islamist organisations which promote "a message of divisiveness, expressing intolerance towards other communities in the UK". He said that officials should even deal privately with some organisations which may support "violent extremism in Britain". Continue reading and comment >>> Andrew Gilligan | Friday, August 06, 2010
Mr Gilligan, you have fallen for the pabulum that there is a distinction to be made between Islamism and Islam. And you have made that distinction – erroneously.
There is but one Islam, and that's Islam proper. No self-respecting Muslim would talk of Islamism, for he would know that such a term is a nonsense made up by ill-informed kufaar, or infidels.
To be a Muslim means to submit to the will of Allah (the root verb is 'salama'), and to follow his messenger, Muhammad. All Muslims believe that Muhammad was the perfect man – al insaan al kamil. Good Muslims follow his lead and his example.
What Westerners call good Muslims, Muslims call fallen ones! They are moderate by dint of the fact that they do not follow correctly and closely the teachings of their prophet. Once they do, they become, in the eyes of people like you, Islamists.
We have a huge problem here in the West. First of all, we have to learn about Islam, and understand it; then we have to be determined to take the action it will take to purge the West of this cancer. If we cannot bring ourselves to do this, we will go down.
For your information, Islam has snuffed out each and every culture it has been allowed into. Ours will be no different. – © Mark
