Muslims feel strain of global terrorism's grip on their faith

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 8/1/5 | Charles Levinson

[SmithL]

Cairo -- From the pulpit of the Peace Mosque in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt's leading Islamic cleric ripped into terrorists who kill innocent civilians. They will be damned in this life and the next, he thundered before hundreds of worshipers.

"The aggressors who blow up themselves, their cars and bombs against innocent men, women and children will not be given any mercy by God. ... They will be cursed by God and his angels," Grand Sheikh Mohammed Sayed Tantawi said during his sermon preceding Friday's prayers.

Tantawi, the grand imam of Al-Azhar, Sunni Islam's most venerated institution, last month condemned the killings of Egypt's envoy to Baghdad and of Iraqi children, begging for candy, massacred by a suicide bomber.

Muslims across the world are struggling to deal with an escalating campaign of violence waged in the name of Islam. At the core of the debate is a growing realization that religious leaders, and the governments that often support them, have not done enough to discourage the extremism that is plaguing Muslim society across the globe.

"The statements from Muslim groups and leaders that we read whenever a terrorist attack is carried out are getting old and repetitive, and I do not know if anyone is listening anymore," wrote Mona Eltahawy, an Egyptian journalist, in the London-based Asharq Alawwsat daily on July 10, three days after suicide bombers killed or wounded hundreds of bus and subway passengers.

Religious leaders condemn the bombings in one breath and justify them in another, . . .

[SmithL]

TROP Alert

[Dallas59]

Looks like the hippies don't want to live under Sharia law after all...

[ThreeTracks]

From the article: "I am worried that London will not believe the condemnations that begin with 'Islam is against these kinds of attacks that target innocent people' and end with 'but we must place them in the context of Iraq and Afghanistan and (any other place you think Muslims have suffered an injustice)'. That 'but' will always be our worst enemy."

I've noticed the same "but" coming from left-leaning Americans. Anyone else noticed that?

- ThreeTracks

[ThreeTracks]

From the article: "I am worried that London will not believe the condemnations that begin with 'Islam is against these kinds of attacks that target innocent people' and end with 'but we must place them in the context of Iraq and Afghanistan and (any other place you think Muslims have suffered an injustice)'. That 'but' will always be our worst enemy."

I've noticed the same "but" coming from left-leaning Americans. Anyone else noticed that?

- ThreeTracks

[NeilGus]

This is good news.

After 9-11 I thought that "moderate, mainstream" Muslims did not stand up loudly enough to radical Muslims, both is America and abroad. Now, even in the Middle East, many Muslims are speaking out.

This can only be good for our side.

[ThreeTracks]

Oops, sorry for double tap. Browser error.

- ThreeTracks

[snarks_when_bored]

From the pulpit of the Peace Mosque in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt's leading Islamic cleric ripped into terrorists who kill innocent civilians. They will be damned in this life and the next, he thundered before hundreds of worshipers.

"The aggressors who blow up themselves, their cars and bombs against innocent men, women and children will not be given any mercy by God. ... They will be cursed by God and his angels," Grand Sheikh Mohammed Sayed Tantawi said during his sermon preceding Friday's prayers.

I'm pretty sure that a video of this guy while he was giving this sermon would have shown that his fingers were crossed the whole time.

[Dark Skies]

bump

[DoctorMichael]

".........Muslims across the world are struggling to deal with an escalating campaign of violence waged in the name of Islam........."

Really?

Sympathy-crap from the Lefty Multiculturalists in San Francisco.

[AliVeritas]

Another butmonkey

[AliVeritas]

Here, have some must see Arabic TV:

http://www.memritv.org/

[BunnySlippers]

It was okay until the last paragraph.

[AliVeritas]

Struggle means jihad...right? >sarcasm off

[the OlLine Rebel]

Yes, I want a full transcript. So we can put his comments in "context".

Too little, too late IYAM.

[the OlLine Rebel]

It's only about fighting w/your inner self. You know that.

[Eddie01]

"Muslims feel strain of global terrorism's grip on their faith."

[Translator] beep beep PING!!

"Muslims getting nervous their true nature is being revealed."

Wait until ordinary citizens take up arms and walk (drag, whatever...) them out the door.

[the OlLine Rebel]

NNnnaaaaaaaahh. Never noticed such.

[DoctorMichael]

Struggle means jihad...right?

Right you are, Sir! [*LOL*]

Nonetheless, I agree that the double entendre is a little 'revealing' in the context of the story.

[Wurlitzer]

The lying bastards have remained silent (at best) for 30+ years. Now that the spineless have had enough and are starting to point fingers at the devil worshiping, cockroach infested, cult of islime, the cult followers realize they must appear to be against terrorism.

Anyone stupid enough to believe this tepid condemnation of terrorism does not deserve to be in the gene pool.

Unfortunately, it is very hard to assign the proper blame to this cult in the media as the MSM will not print or broadcast such true analysis.

We at the FR could at least refrain from ever placing the word "religion" anywhere near the word islime or mudslim or MoHamMud unless it is to say "it is not a religion". No belief system that instructs the killing of nonbeliever should be allowed to use the cover of religion.

[NeilGus]

I don't dispute that many Muslims support the extremists. But for us to ultimately succeed, the Muslim masses must reject the extremist's message. Hopefully, this trickle is the start of a river that will overwhelm the extremists.