Moderate muslims: Isn't it time you guys launched a compassionate jihad to fight radical injustices...?
... against your own people?
We know that women and schoolgirls suffer in the hands of the Taliban and other similar radical band of Islamists in Saudi Arabia or Somalia. Why don't you guys stage a large scale protest against what's happening there? or better still, fight those radical islamist who are killing your sisters (and brothers of a different sect.)
why don't you initiate large scale, proactive measures against what is happening in Darfur? the usual response we get from muslims about these atrocities is just "oh, it is an injstice we agree, we feel sorry for them, let's perform dua ([prayer) on thier behalf"?
We always hear from you that the gender discrimination, violence and bigotry so prevalent in Muslim socieities today are not in accordance with Islam, but just remnants of centuries old tribal customs that Islam apparently failed to wipe out amongst its adherents....
Well, why not do something about it? Geert Wilders makes a film, you protest and lobby. Guantanamo detainees are mistreated, you launch a widescale protest. The pope makes an unflattering speech about your prophet, you loudly protest and ask for his public apology. Cartoons of your prophet appear in just one or two newspapers, again, widespread protests (some with violent and tragic outcomes) from the likes of you. Sunnis are killing shia's; shia's are killing sunnis; sunnis call for the execution of ahmadiyas: again, this violence does not seem to move you moderate muslims to finally take active measures to stop these things.
Radical Islamists call for shariah in the West, you queitly claim to denounce their stand, however, you never speak out publicly.
Are you just afraid for your own life? But then, since all these things, as you so claim, go against Islam, which you claim is a peaceful and tolerant religion, why dont you do somethnig about it? Isn't Islam worthy of speaking out for? the Will of Allah for all humankind to be treated justly and with compassion?
whenever non-muslims speak out against horrors committed in the name of Islam, they are accused of Islamophobia. perhaps it is time for real muslims to show to the whole world that Islam respeects women, that Islam advocates peace and justice towards non-muslim or muslims of differing sects... instead of just quietly claiming to condemn what is happening.
what do you say?
2009-03-15T01:04:16Z
Ms. Revolution: I am not American. My government is run by self-described moderate, peace loving Muslims who themselves have shown no attempt whatsoever to work towards ending the pain & suffering of poor muslim women, children and blacks under Islam in Darfur, S.A, etc.
2009-03-15T02:56:22Z
amallay, you do not understand my question; are not the muslim victims of muslim violence themselves not important to you? are they not important in the eyes of Allah? if Islam means human rights and equality for women, if it means peace and tolerance for people of all skin colors, then why are you supporting the violent acts of these radical islamists? you are indirectly admitting that what these people are doing is right and is actually supported in the quran? there are so many Muslim men, women and children whose sufferings have nothing to do with the Iraq war, 911 and America or Israel. These atrocities have been existent since before the time of Mohamad until today. Yet, most muslims do not speak out or become activist to stop it.
2009-03-15T03:22:26Z
Kencana (and those who like to blame the West for all evils in Islamic lands): how in the world did Western Colonialism divide Malaysia and Indon? If so, what is to stop them from forming one country now, since western colonialism has ended in malaysia and Indon? as you can see, now its the corrupt muslim governemnts who are thieves and robbers of the people. and if you say that Western Colonialism destroyed your precious Islamic Caliphate, then where is the mandate of Allah / Almighty God of the Caliphate's authority then? Maybe it is Allah's will that the corrupt Islamic Caliphate be destroyed in the first place.
p/s: When I say Compassionate Jihad, I don't necessarily mean a violent one. Muslim propagandists have tried to paint a picture that Jihad means 'an innter struggle to better oneself and the greater ummah/muslim community'. So what is wrong if muslims come together to unite againts the violence committed against innocent victims purportedly in the name if Islam?
Anonymous2009-03-14T23:30:23Z
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Audacity of Me, you made and excellent point and it is very true!
The reason has nothing to do with Western imperialism or the west fighting for the Muslims or not.
That fact is whether the west was there in the Middle East or not, the radical Muslims would still end up murdering innocent people including women. Why can decent Muslims stand up and protest against these evil people? No one knows why and several western reporters have asked these questions but never got a single answer.
But as you mentioned, the minute you criticize or make fun of Islam, the Muslim gets angry and murders or threatens the source. But when an innocent Muslim woman is raped or murdered, Muslims do not get angry and do not seek revenge on the rapist or murderer. Where is the Jihad against these evil Muslims? You can not blame this on the west.
As far as Shariah law is concerned, it is just another tool for theocracy. Theocracy is an evil from of government whether it is Muslim, Jewish, or Christian. It is a dictatorship just like Nazi Germany. Who died and made these religious leaders God? They do evil things and justify it by saying it is God’s way. That is just hypocrisy! Remember, you will never have any real justice in a theocracy. Also religious law is man-made and has nothing to do with believing in God.
A lot of the problems in the Middle East are not because of the west. And even if it was, that is still no reason for what they do to their own people.
The west is not brainwashed as some Muslims think. You do not have to fight a Jihad to believe in God or Allah.
Try reading the book called “The Truth about Muhammad” by Robert Spenser.
Additional comment: Good point Natassia!
Additional Comment: Not all Muslims are one. There are EXTREMIST or radical Muslims whether Islam addresses it or not. There are evil Muslims that rape and murder innocent Muslims as well as non-Muslims. These are hard facts. And the west is not the cause of this. And why can we ask you do declare Jihad against evil Muslims? Because they are Muslims? That does not make sense in any period of history.
And please do not declare Jihad or fatwa against non-Muslims or the west. You are going to have to learn to be tolerant just like the Jews, Christians, and atheists.
Extremism, terrorism, fundamentalism and "moderate" muslims are concepts created by the west propaganda to excuse the unjust wars in muslim countries and the robbery of their resources.
BUT there are muslims with a good understanding of the religion and who are practising islam.WHILST there are other muslims who are just muslims by name.
If u really knew about islam u would be a muslim by now, and if u had proper knowledge of sharia, u would be asking for it, even if u were not muslim.
But inshaAllah one day u like others have the courage to find out the truth and overcome all the misconceptions about islam.
And yes...we are working within our own communities to increase the knowledge of current muslims who have also been brainwashed by the media.
Yes, I alert that some part of Muslim are really radical on their way. But let me tell you something - "who causes it?"
It has been causes by Western Colonialism. They separates Iraq and Turkey from Arabs, Persian from Pakistan, Malaysian from Indonesia, Afghanistan from Middle Asia, and North Africa from West Africa.
There is no such as EXTRIMIST or Radical or Moderate thing during our Caliphate. West destroy our Caliphate and make we divided so that they can take advantanges of divisions to steal our natural resources.
And about Sharia Law... It should be centralized to the Caliph, actually, but since the West are meant to divide us and prevent Caliphate, I can't do anything for that.
If a Caliph still exist, then the law should be standardized for entire Muslim community, therefore, majority of Muslim (that you say as moderate) can cast their idea of Law in very appropriate way.
p/s: We can't punish another Muslim except according to Law, but the Law is already decentralized and become local after the fall of Caliphate.
And please don't ask us to declare JIHAD against Muslims. I don't even attack our enemy, ISRAEL and America, how can I do that to my loving bretheren?
Another p/s:
Shariah and COMMON LAW of British is quite same. Common Law adapted many of Shariah law since 1200 AD...notice that.
There is no such thing as modern Muslims. Your either Muslim or non-Muslim. There is no need for Islam to be reformed. Islam is perfect the way it is, providing we don't let the Kuffar and Western Ideals seep into Muslim lands and poison the Ummah. Shariah Law is a wonderful justice system when it is enacted correctly without stupid interpetations from mankind.
The problem is Western imperialism. Many Muslims see Muslim radicals as a counterweight to Western expansionism. Without the threat of Western intervention (which has been going on for the past three hundred years, starting with the English take-over of Muslim India), Muslim moderates would have greater voice and would be able to prevail. Otherwise, they are easily sidelined as puppets of Western imperialists and lose the propaganda war.
Extremism exists in all cultures and religions, and some of the most brutal extremist acts have been perpetrated by atheist regimes, the classic example being Enver Hoxa's Albania which officially made atheism state policy and many people were hanged for praying. Pol Pot is another example.
As in other religions, religious zealotry has existed among Muslims, yet it rarely resulted in mass violence. The only example that I can think of where extremists took up arms and succeeded is when Ibn Saud and his tribesmen took over what is now Saudi Arabia. But the House of Saud has also been friendly with the West, and the strict monotheists ("wahabis") have never wanted to invade or take over other nations or to spread Islam by force outside of their own region. Saudis do finance Islamic projects to propagate Islam but that is through peaceful means.
After the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the CIA working with Pakistani intelligence ISI and funded by Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states, started the "Jihadi" movement in the border areas of Pakistan. Jihadi textbooks were prepared at the University of Nebraska and distributed in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan by the ISI. Religious extremists were used as "useful idiots" to get the Soviets out. It worked.
After Soviets left, Osama bin Ladin returned to his own native country, Saudi Arabia, and two things happened: 1). the US decided to establish permanent military bases in Saudi Arabia after the first Gulf War, and 2). Israeli brutalities against the Palestinians and the Lebanese continued unabated, with impunity. Bin Ladin realized that the Americans have no intention of ever leaving the Middle East, they have established full military control over Gulf countries, and they are hurting interests of Muslims by their actions or strategic non- actions, such as their refusal to condemn or pressure Israel. So his strategy was to use the same trick against the US as they themselves had used against the Soviets. The same team was selected. The strategy didn't work this time for several reasons: 1). There was no super-power backing this time. 2). Afghans who had hosted the liberation movement had themselves become divided. 3). The Western Powers controlled the international media and the banking system. 4). The US forces were entrenched in too many Arab countries. 5). Unlike the Afghans, and contrary to American public opinion, the vast majority of Arabs do not normally stick their neck out unless they really have to, and they were afraid of Iraq-like chaos, and that's something that Bin Ladin also alludes to in couple of his speeches.
So even though al-Qaida strategy has failed, the desire on the part of ordinary Arabs and Muslims to liberate their countries from Western hegemony has not ebbed. Hardly any Arab or Muslim believes that the US or Britain is fighting for 'their' freedom. They are the ones they need freedom from! To achieve their goal of having political and economic independence from the West, some Muslims have proposed uniting Muslims in some form or another, so that they would have the strength to stand up to Western imperialism. (Al-Qaida, by the way, never took that position). That was a mistake on the part of Arabs/ Muslims because Jewish lobbies immediately used the bogey of "global Jihad" for the establishment of a Caliphate to make a case that that is the root cause of terrorism-a demand that can never be met. The CORE political issues i.e., freedom for Palestinians and presence of US/British troops in the Middle East was then either ignored or quickly dismissed. So, for example, in the recent PBS series, "America at a Crossroads," towards one of the episodes they briefly mentioned that the US is keeping troops in 130 countries but wouldn't elaborate on it as the one of the very reasons why terrorists are attacking the US. That would have offended the Conservatives and Jews in this country; PBS chickened out. Not only that, PBS gave one full hour to Michael Isikoff to perpetuate this myth.