A Memo to American Muslims ("EXCELLENT READ")

Islam for Today ^ | Unknown | Dr. M. A. Muqtedar Khan

[FairOpinion]

It is time that we acknowledge that the freedoms we enjoy in the US are more desirable to us than superficial solidarity with the Muslim World. If you disagree, then prove it by packing your bags and going to whichever Muslim country you identify with." In the wake of September 11, Dr. M. A. Muqtedar Khan calls for soul searching, reflection and reassessment among US Muslims.

In the name of Allah, the most Benevolent and the Most Merciful. May this memo find you in the shade of Islam enjoying the mercy, the protection and the grace of Allah.

I am writing this memo to you all with the explicit purpose of inviting you to lead the American Muslim community in soul searching, reflection and reassessment.

What happened on September 11th in New York and Washington DC will forever remain a horrible scar on the history of Islam and humanity. No matter how much we condemn it, and point to the Quran and the Sunnah to argue that Islam forbids the killing of innocent people, the fact remains that the perpetrators of this crime against humanity have indicated that their actions are sanctioned by Islamic values.

The fact that even now several Muslim scholars and thousands of Muslims defend the accused is indicative that not all Muslims believe that the attacks are unIslamic. This is truly sad.

Even if it were true that Israel and the US are enemies of the Muslim World, wonder what is preventing them from unleashing their nuclear arsenal against Muslims, a response that mercilessly murders thousands of innocent people, including hundreds of Muslims is absolutely indefensible. If anywhere in your hearts there is any sympathy or understanding with those who committed this act, I invite you to ask yourself this question, would Muhammad (pbuh) sanction such an act?

While encouraging Muslims to struggle against injustice (Al Quran 4:135), Allah also imposes strict rules of engagement. He says in unequivocal terms that to kill an innocent being is like killing entire humanity (Al Quran 5:32). He also encourages Muslims to forgive Jews and Christians if they have committed injustices against us (Al Quran 2:109, 3:159, 5:85).

Muslims, including American Muslims have been practicing hypocrisy on a grand scale. They protest against the discriminatory practices of Israel but are silent against the discriminatory practices in Muslim states. In the Gulf one can see how laws and even salaries are based on ethnic origin. This is racism, but we never hear of Muslims protesting against them at International fora.

The Israeli occupation of Palestine is perhaps central to Muslim grievance against the West. While acknowledging that, I must remind you that Israel treats its one million Arab citizens with greater respect and dignity than most Arab nations treat their citizens. Today Palestinian refugees can settle and become citizens of the United States but in spite of all the tall rhetoric of the Arab world and Quranic injunctions (24:22) no Muslim country except Jordan extends this support to them.

While we loudly and consistently condemn Israel for its ill treatment of Palestinians we are silent when Muslim regimes abuse the rights of Muslims and slaughter thousands of them. Remember Saddam and his use of chemical weapons against Muslims (Kurds)?. Remember Pakistani army’s excesses against Muslims (Bengalis)?. Remember the Mujahideen of Afghanistan and their mutual slaughter? Have we ever condemned them for their excesses? Have we demanded international intervention or retribution against them? Do you know how the Saudis treat their minority Shias? Have we protested the violation of their rights? But we all are eager to condemn Israel; not because we care for rights and lives of the Palestinians, we don’t. We condemn Israel because we hate “them".

Muslims love to live in the US but also love to hate it. Many openly claim that the US is a terrorist state but they continue to live in it. Their decision to live here is testimony that they would rather live here than anywhere else. As an Indian Muslim, I know for sure that nowhere on earth, including India, will I get the same sense of dignity and respect that I have received in the US. No Muslim country will treat me as well as the US has. If what happened on September 11th had happened in India, the biggest democracy, thousands of Muslims would have been slaughtered in riots on mere suspicion and there would be another slaughter after confirmation. But in the US, bigotry and xenophobia has been kept in check by media and leaders. In many places hundreds of Americans have gathered around Islamic centers in symbolic gestures of protection and embrace of American Muslims. In many cities Christian congregations have started wearing hijab to identify with fellow Muslim women. In patience and in tolerance ordinary Americans have demonstrated their extraordinary virtues.

It is time that we acknowledge that the freedoms we enjoy in the US are more desirable to us than superficial solidarity with the Muslim World. If you disagree than prove it by packing your bags and going to whichever Muslim country you identify with. If you do not leave and do not acknowledge that you would rather live here than anywhere else, know that you are being hypocritical.

It is time that we faced these hypocritical practices and struggled to transcend them. It is time that American Muslim leaders fought to purify their own lot.

For over a decade we have watched as Muslims in the name of Islam have committed violence against other Muslims and other peoples. We have always found a way to reconcile the vast distance between Islamic values and Muslim practices by pointing out to the injustices committed upon Muslims by others. The point however is this – our belief in Islam and commitment to Islamic values is not contingent on the moral conduct of the US or Israel. And as Muslims can we condone such inhuman and senseless waste of life in the name of Islam?

The biggest victims of hate filled politics as embodied in the actions of several Muslim militias all over the world are Muslims themselves. Hate is the extreme form of intolerance and when individuals and groups succumb to it they can do nothing constructive. Militias like the Taliban have allowed their hate for the West to override their obligation to pursue the welfare of their people and as a result of their actions not only have thousands of innocent people died in America, but thousands of people will die in the Muslim World.

Already, half a million Afghans have had to leave their homes and their country. The war has not yet begun. It will only get worst. Hamas and Islamic Jihad may kill a few Jews, women and children included, with their suicide bombs and temporarily satisfy their lust for Jewish blood, but thousands of Palestinians then pay the price for their actions.

The culture of hate and killing is tearing away at the moral fabric of the Muslim society. We are more focused on “the other” and have completely forgotten our duty to Allah. In pursuit of the inferior jihad we have sacrificed the superior jihad.

Islamic resurgence, the cherished ideals of which pursued the ultimate goal of a universally just and moral society has been hijacked by hate and call for murder and mayhem. If Bin Laden were an individual then we would have no problem. But unfortunately Bin Laden has become a phenomenon -- a cancer eating away at the morality of our youth, and undermining the spiritual health of our future.

Today the century old Islamic revival is in jeopardy because we have allowed insanity to prevail over our better judgment. Yes, the US has played a hand in the creation of Bin Laden and the Taliban, but it is we who have allowed them to grow and gain such a foothold. It is our duty to police our world. It is our responsibility to prevent people from abusing Islam. It is our job to ensure that Islam is not misrepresented. We should have made sure that what happened on Sept. 11th should never have happened.

It is time the leaders of the American Muslim community woke up and realized that there is more to life than competing with the American Jewish lobby for power over US foreign policy. Islam is not about defeating Jews or conquering Jerusalem. It is about mercy, about virtue, about sacrifice and about duty. Above all it is the pursuit of moral perfection. Nothing can be further away from moral perfection than the wanton slaughter of thousands of unsuspecting innocent people.

I hope that we will now rededicate our lives and our institutions to the search for harmony, peace and tolerance. Let us be prepared to suffer injustice rather than commit injustices. After all it is we who carry the divine burden of Islam and not others. We have to be morally better, more forgiving, more sacrificing than others, if we wish to convince the world about the truth of our message. We cannot even be equal to others in virtue, we must excel.

It is time for soul searching. How can the message of Muhammad (pbuh) who was sent as mercy to mankind become a source of horror and fear? How can Islam inspire thousands of youth to dedicate their lives to killing others? We are supposed to invite people to Islam not murder them.

The worst exhibition of Islam happened on our turf. We must take first responsibility to undo the evil it has manifest. This is our mandate, our burden and also our opportunity.

---------

Muqtedar Khan, Ph.D. Director of International Studies, Adrian College, MI Association of Muslim Social Scientists Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy.

[sausageseller]

Yea but the 81% want the 18% to kill all the jews they can!

[sausageseller]

Because the 4,495,000,000 approved of everything their Islamic brothers do!

[yonif]

Pipes I believe estimated that 10% of Muslims are member of somet sort of terrorist group. Of course this is way more as to the percentage of the Arab/Muslim world supporting terrorists. I also believe that 90% of Islamic / Arab regimes support terrorism and engage in terrorist activities against Israel and the US.

[Luis Gonzalez]

You can always prove my number wrong.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Too bad about Dr. M. A. Muqtedar Khan. He had so much to live for.

[FairOpinion]

Ihaven't read about a fatwa against Khan yet, but it could happen any minute.

I did read about a Fatwa about some moderate Muslim cleric in London, I think, who met with President Bush, and the terrorists consider that the ultimate sin.

I unfortunately don't have the link.

[WaterDragon]

....in the US, bigotry and xenophobia has been kept in check by media and leaders. In many places hundreds of Americans have gathered around Islamic centers in symbolic gestures of protection and embrace of American Muslims. In many cities Christian congregations have started wearing hijab to identify with fellow Muslim women. In patience and in tolerance ordinary Americans have demonstrated their extraordinary virtues.

I wonder if he noticed that the first sentence -- that it was the media and leaders who prevented a backlash against Muslims -- is a direct contradiction of the second sentence -- that it was America's generosity and fairness that precluded a backlash?

Perhaps he believes only the media's exhortations guided Americans' response. He is mistaken. Americans responded from the wonderful American ingrained character. Perhaps one day he'll understand this, as well. It is an excellent article, though. Thanks for the post.

[EUPHORIC]

Could be it a call to evacuate?

Yeppers indeed it was...

Pardon the flushing sound in the background...

[Luis Gonzalez]

A religion perpetrated these acts?

Then I'll compare it to the country and the religion that in those same two days murdered over 8,000 unborn children.

That country, and that religion, is us, and we appear to be a lot more barbaric than Muslims.

By the way, the figures and acts you posted are low, considering that according to you, we have close to a billion Muslim terrorists out there.

So, when you ask me to name a more barbaric people and religion, I say us.

[Luis Gonzalez]

Why don't you post facts and figures of your own?

If you are so absolutely certain that you are correct, then there should be plenty of facts you can post to back up your claims.

[Luis Gonzalez]

http://www.charityministries.org/missions/newsletter/newsletter-June2003-Islam.cfm

[Luis Gonzalez]

Bin Laden Is a Fundamentalist
A reply to David F. Forte.

By Daniel Pipes, director of the Middle East Forum & a columnist at the New York Post, can be reached via www.DanielPipes.org
October 22, 2001 11:50 a.m.

 

n his well-written and thoughtful essay, "Religion is Not the Enemy" (National Review Online, October 19, 2001), David F. Forte makes the important point that extremists like Osama bin Laden "do not represent historic or mainstream Islam" but are propagating "a political ideology" akin to Leninism. He very sensibly urges a U.S. policy that avoids strengthening this foul ideology.

Professor Forte mentioned me by name as an analyst who disagrees with his views, so I feel invited, if not required, to respond to his argument.

He and I do not disagree on the basics: What Osama bin Laden propagates is anathema, it differs profoundly from traditional Islam, and Americans wish to see his ideology lose membership. We differ in one main area: Professor Forte sees fundamentalist Islam as being within the parameters of historic Islam. He argues that "we must remain aware of the moral distinction between sects like the Wahhabis and terrorist groups like al Qaeda and Islamic Jihad." This moral distinction then has a practical implication: "What we must do, at all costs, is to prevent bin Laden's call to arms from bringing Islamic fundamentalists into his extremist ranks and into his political battle."

Professor Forte draws the line differently from me. Whereas Professor Forte sees the problem as a small group of active terrorists in al Qaeda; I see the entire fundamentalist movement constituting the problem. I hold that Islamic fundamentalists stand outside of historic Islam and are already within bin Laden's extremist ranks.

To me, every fundamentalist Muslim, no matter how peaceable in his own behavior, is part of a murderous movement and is thus, in some fashion, a foot soldier in the war that bin Laden has launched against civilization. He mentions the Wahhabis approvingly but I wonder why. In the 1920s, the Wahhabi movement split and the somewhat less extremist elements of this movement defeated the yet more extreme of them. The Taliban regime is a rough approximation of what the more extreme group would have created in Saudi Arabia. Its funding and support comes in good part from Saudi Arabia. In other words, there is a direct line between the Wahhabis and Osama bin Laden.

For this reason, I have written about the fundamentalists, "Many of them are peaceable in appearance, but they all must be considered potential killers." By way of comparison, I would say precisely the same about Nazis and Leninists; however non-violently they might conduct their own lives, the fact that they back a barbaric force means they too are barbarians and must be treated as such.

Sadly, I must report that the sympathizers of Osama bin Laden are legion. Fully one quarter of the populations in Pakistan and the Palestinian Authority (survey research finds, in separate polls both overseen by U.S. organizations) consider the September 11 attacks acceptable according to the laws of Islam. To me, this suggests that a very substantial body of Muslim opinion is already in bin Laden's camp; more, that virtually the whole range of fundamentalist Islamic opinion agrees with his goals and his methods.

This difference between Professor Forte's and my views has immense policy implications. He can cheerfully advise Washington to work with the huge majority of Muslims to isolate a tiny fringe of violent ideologues. I grimly tell the policymakers that the problem is not just the miniscule element he points to but the much larger one of fundamentalists, which I estimate at 10 to 15 percent of the Muslim population. Professor Forte does not explicitly say so, but his argument suggests that the U.S. government can cooperate with regimes such as those of Iran and Saudi Arabia in an effort to isolate the Taliban; I see all three as just different aspects of the same problem.

I wish I could subscribe to Professor Forte's sunny conclusion that "By recognizing bin Laden's evil for what it is, Americans can begin a process of engagement with the vast populations of the Muslim world." Instead, I must offer a more pessimistic formulation: "By recognizing the wide backing of bin Laden's evil for what it is, Americans must begin a process of confrontation with 10 to 15 percent of the vast populations of the Muslim world."

[JasonC]

"We are more focused on “the other” and have completely forgotten our duty to Allah."

Quite. Somebody gets it. Now, will anyone listen to him? Do any of them believe a word of their own religion, or is it just a political weapon to all of the extremists? That is the question.

[txhurl]

You really think it was? Evacuation from LA message?

I have reasons why, what are yours?

This is so miserable to follow.

[txhurl]

Wha? you say?

No, Valin, I just want to know if - and of course you're aware that AQ has been advising L.A., D.C. and NYC muslims to evacuate, no? - this particular program was a message to L.A. muslims to evacuate L.A.

Nothing more or less. Why, what do you know of this?

[Doc On The Bay]

There can be NO "argument" that the "Cancellation" of MANY "Potential Lives" from participation in our Culture is a "Terrible Loss!"

EVEN BEYOND That Fact, We MUST consider the Lost "Contributions" of "Those who are our 'Contemporaries'!"

LUIS, the "Dialog" is "amoung the Living!!"

MANY of Us STILL Understand that Precepts of our Cultural/Legal status remain Unchanged.

There is the TERRIBLE LOSS of the Contributions of the Potentially "Unborn!"

We must STILL "Conduct our Lives" on the Basis of the Pre-existing concepts/beliefs of the "Born!"

Those of Us who "Live" must create a "Milieu" which Nurtures & Promotes the Lives of "Those Who are 'Newly Born' as Members of Humanity!"

To Perpetuate Humankind, ALL of Us MUST nurture our "Offspring!"

Simple!

"Abortion" is an Issue Entirely Separate from the Perpetuation of Humanity.

By ANY "Biological Standards," "Humanity" OUGHT TO survive.

BUT--by Normal "Biological Criteria--the "Human Race" is NOT a "Biological Lock!"

If our Species Survives, we will have--Once Again--Defied Most Mathematical Criteria.

So Be IT!!

Doc

[TASMANIANRED]

Sorry if someone has already responded to this. I do seem to be a day late.

We nearly wiped their rear ends off the face of the earth. Then we rebuilt them, gave them a constitution. Taught them how to have elections. Rebuilt the country and forgave them.

It's called teaching the bustards a little respect.

[dennisw]

Good post. And Israel is surrounded by these obsessives who blame others.

[Stopislamnow]

Too little, and way too late. Of all the 1.2 billion moon god cultists 4 articles against it is hardly impressive, or convincing.
And for every one of those articles, you can more than likely find 1000 articles denouncing America and everything it stands for and calling it 'The Great Satan'.

I am unabashedly against the death cult, it would take a momentous act to convince me otherwise.

On Sept 11 muslims around the world cheered, also here in America, Dearborn, MI was one such site. I drove by on my way to work. They danced, they praised the Moon God and his pedophilic prophet. You will NEVER see footage or a report of it anywhere either. Even though Detroit's Channel 4 and 7 were there.

The cult of islam needs smashed.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=35825

[Stopislamnow]

When the truth slaps you in the face enough, one of two things happen, you wake up, or you suffer more of the same until you slap it back.

This is one of the best articles I have ever read on FreeRepublic.


http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/864108/posts