We cannot win the war against Islamo-fundamentalism unless moderate Muslims win it for us. They will win it for us when they conclude that nuclear suicide is not in their best interests.
Posted on 07/20/2005 3:35:51 AM PDT by Clive
Since at least Sept. 11, 2001, the non-Muslim world at large has been waiting for that segment of the Muslim population designated as "moderate" to resolutely denounce terrorists who, in defiling its faith-tradition, have subverted Islam into a cult of death.
The expectation there is a large, identifiable segment of "moderate" Muslims is a transposition to the Muslim world of the idea of "moderation" in politics and religion that sustains democracies.
It is also a natural expectation that the sort of extremism associated with "jihadi" (war-mongering) politics of Muslim terrorism and suicide bombings would generate a counter-offensive by "moderate" Muslims, repudiating such violence and isolating extremists politically and socially, while supporting the global war on terror.
But this has not happened. On the contrary, as atrocities mount, Muslims generally have remained -- their private anguish aside --publicly complacent, and their religious leaders divided on what should be the proper Islamic response.
There has been no spontaneous or organized demonstration of Muslims across the Arab-Muslim world, nor in European or North American cities where Muslims reside in increasing numbers, in support of victims of such terror and in unqualified condemnation of extremists who exploit Islam for their criminal purposes.
Dissension among Muslim religious leaders on whether to condemn terrorism and suicide bombings -- and the absence of any effort by the Muslim majority to express its disgust with extremism -- invariably lead to ques-tioning the nature of Islam by non-Muslims.
Instead of witnessing "moderate" Muslims resolutely taking back their faith-tradition from extremists and murderers, the world has grown numb to endless apologetics and polemics explaining away "jihadi" politics as a misguided, though inexcusable, response to the wrongs inflicted upon Muslims by the West.
The truth is there does not exist an identifiable body of Muslims, substantive in number or an outright majority, who could be described as "moderate" by their repudiation of Muslim extremists.
Violence has been an integral part of Muslim history, irrespective of whether it is sanctioned by Islam, and Muslims who unhesitatingly use violence to advance their political ambitions have created a climate within their faith-culture that any Muslim who questions such practice is then deemed apostate and subject to harm.
Consequently, what might pass for "moderate" Muslims, the large number of Muslims unaccounted for as to what they think, in practical terms constitute a forest within which extremists are incubated, nurtured, given ideological and material support, and to which they return for sanctuary.
Moreover, since there is little experience of democracy within the Arab-Muslim world, the culture of "moderation" remains practically non-existent.
Though the example of Saudi Arabia -- where "mutawwa," or religious police, herd Muslims to their daily religious obligations -- might be considered untypical, it provides the model of authoritarian practice of faith and politics in Muslim societies where dissent is frowned upon and where opposition runs the risk of being branded as seditious.
But there are Muslims who, at great risks to themselves, unapologetically condemn the culture of violence Muslims have bred for extremists among them to exploit.
They work alone, or in small groups of like-minded Muslims, despite being maligned and ostracized by fellow Muslims, to dissect and expose Muslim extremism to the world at large while striving against immense difficulties to keep faith in the ideals of Islam.
Their effort, irrespective of any effect in advancing Muslim reformation, remains real, while "moderate" Muslims being nowhere to be found confirm their existence is a myth until proven otherwise.
Salim Mansur is a professor of political science at the University of Western Ontario
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Article: ***The truth is there does not exist an identifiable body of Muslims, substantive in number or an outright majority, who could be described as "moderate" by their repudiation of Muslim extremists.***Article
Yes this is true , but why?
This is why:
In the Koran, Allah orders Muslims to terrorize non-Muslims on His behalf. According to the Koran, "I will instill terror into the hearts of the unbeliever, smite ye above their necks and smite all their finger tips off them. It is not ye who slew them; it was God" (Surah 8:13-17).
AND
According to the Koran: The Muslims are instructed not to befriend Jews or Christians according to the Surah 5:54 which states, " O ye who believe! Take not the Jews and Christians for your friends."
That is why there is no cohesive group of peaceful Muslims. If they form groups, they are borderline heretics
who themselves need to be punished. A Muslim moderate
is an Oxymoron, and when they exist ( as I am sure they do)
they must remain in the closet, or run and hide like Salmon Rushdi had to do.
The term "Muslim Moderate" is a sobriequet. It is a term used to soften and mitigate the image of the madrassa schools, the rules of purdah, and sharia law. Muslims can never become humanists without our help, and the West has been sent by Allah to bring Muslims into the civilization of the 21st Century. Lets get on with it!
Moderate Muslims cannotnot exist above the individual level,in groups, unless protected from the revenge of all "Muslims."
Todays moderate Muslim is tomorrows terrorist Muslim.
The Muslim teacher of disabled children one day is
A London Terrorist Bomber the next. That is the social process that MUST be interupted by destroying utterly those Muslim institutions that are responsible for it.
Count on it.
No muslims = Know peace.
This is an insult to our Iraqi allies. They're fighting hard against terror and dying for it.
We cannot win the war against Islamo-fundamentalism unless moderate Muslims win it for us. They will win it for us when they conclude that nuclear suicide is not in their best interests.
GReat essay..but under Canada's new laws..doesn't it constitute hate speech
Muslims seem to have stuck in the Dark Ages. It is clear by now that they are woefully incompatible with the modern world and culture. They'll have to either change or be swept away. Judging by their actions, they are not likely to change but they won't go without a fight either.
ping!
I need to print this sucker out later, and my printer here needs a new cartridge.
What Iraq actually ends up being in another 5 years is anyone's guess. It would not shock me one bit to see an Iranian style "Islamic Republic" (now there's an oxymoron for you) or Taliban style theocracy.
Not an insult FRiend - but reality. "Ally" does not have the same meaning to an Arab that it does to a Westerner. History shows that not trusting or relying upon Arabs is a pretty wise course.
Albania, a predominantly Muslim country, was one of the most vocal backers of the U.S.-led war in Iraq.==
The formal logics says that if there is only 1(!) exclusion of common rule that in fact it just supports this common rule.
SO you just eloquently proved that under common rule islamism is enemy ideology.
I know several Muslims at the university I work at. Now, I could be totally wrong, but while they are certainly not Republicans, they are not suicide bombers. But the author is right: I've yet to see an "anti-terrorist" Muslim demonstration in America.
My problem in saying that there are not "non-violent" Muslims is a) experience (I know some) and b) the fact that just becuase a "holy book" says something doesn't mean that so-called "adherents" to a faith BELIEVE it or follow it. As best I can tell, the Bible says Jesus is the Son of God, and that there is a Holy Spirit. Ever hear of the "Unitarians?"
To outsiders, "Christian Scientists" are Christian. Are they? Are Quakers and Mormons the same?
Even WITHIN demonomiations/sects of Christianity, you have some who believe the Holy Book (and act on it) and many (most?) who do not. For ex., OUR Holy Book requires you to tithe (10% of your income). How many "Christians" do that? It's something like 3-5%. So are they "Christians?" Yes as they identify themselves, but not by their actions.
So my point is that there are large numbers of "westernized" Muslims who don't even KNOW what is in the "holy books" and wouldn't follow it if they did.
There may be... *MAY* be.. a very small minority of peacful Islamic moderates who truly abhor all the violence.
But that very small minority is afraid to speak up, since they probably enjoy their head bieng attached to their shoulders. They know that, to the fervent practitioners of the ROP, killing and maiming other human beings is just as normal as eating breakfast or walking the dog. I almost don't blame them for not speaking up. (If they exist at all)
Albanians supporting the US in Iraq are in fact the enemy and must be stopped from fighting terrorism! ==
I said that albanians are exclusion (never told taht they are to be stopped why this anyway?).
SO they are supporters by thier own agenda and against thier muslim heritage.
Other muslim coutries proves it since either against America or some foe neutral.
SO common rule stands. As far as albanians then their efforts are to be welcome.
What is your point? There is no organized group of
" moderate Muslims" . Why? Because they are scared to death!
The social process which creates violence in Muslims who live in Western countries needs to STOP. I have no concern about "peaceful individual Muslims" except to say that todays peaceful Muslim is tomorrows violent Muslim. They don't remain in one category. A look at the backgrouds of each London bomber revals that truth.
Citing the London bombers is like saying that every American ends up like Terry Nichols or Timothy McVeigh. Try again.
The fact is, there is no "Islamic religion," but rather thousands of different interpretations that, like Christianity, includes the radicals all the way to the "barely practicing," and, no, they do NOT all end up in the same spot philosophically. Our task is to make sure they do not, in fact.
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