Posted on 08/16/2010 8:04:49 AM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
Ask the Imams of Mosques, the Muslim leaders, and the Islamic organizations in the US and worldwide to sign this declaration (See below)
by Tawfik Hamid
www.tawfikhamid.com
After the problem of Ground Zero Mosque has escalated it becomes an urgent necessity to distinguish 'Moderate' from 'Radical' Islam. Without making such a distinction the US and the rest of the world will remain divided regarding this issue. Debates about the issue can be endless unless we define the words 'radical' and 'moderate'.
Mosque leaders, Islamic scholars, and organizations who want to be considered Moderates MUST clearly and unambiguously declare the following declaration in their media outlets and on their websites.
I suggest that you send this declaration to Mosque leaders and the Islamic organizations inside the US and worldwide to see if they are ready to accept such a declaration or not.
Please feel free to circulate this newsletter so that we can start a process that allows us to distinguish radical from moderate Islam.
Declaration of Beliefs of Muslim Moderates -
I (We) are Muslims who want contemporary understandings of Islam to replace currently predominant harsh and radical (Salafi/Wahabbi) interpretations of our religion. We therefore declare that:
1- Redda Law, the Sharia Law that allows the killing of Muslims who convert to other faiths, must be banned in Islamic teachings and in Sharia legal doctrine. Islamic countries that practice Sharia must stop the practice of this law and must admit that Freedom of belief and the right to convert to other faith or believe is a basic right that must be given to all Muslims.
2- Current mainstream Sharia doctrines justify the use of violence against women. They encourage men to beat their wives to discipline them. They allow women accused of adultery to be stoned to death. These doctrines are barbarically inhumane, non-egalitarian, and teach Muslim children to be violent. These teachings must be ended by reinterpreting the Islamic text that justifies such violence.
3- Traditional Sharia doctrines teach Muslims that they must engage in war so that Islam will dominate the world. When Islam becomes dominant, Non-Muslims are offered three options: to convert to Islam, to pay Jizzia (a humiliating tax), or to be killed. These doctrines run contrary to modern respect for diversity and for personal freedom of speech and belief. This understanding of Jihad that seeks domination of Islam over other peoples must no longer be regarded as an Islamic value and its teaching as a duty for Muslims must end.
The early Islamic wars known as "Futohaat Islameia" were fought to implement this doctrine of Jihad. These wars therefore should now be regarded as un-Islamic and un-justifiable.
4- Jews are individuals who deserve the same respect accorded to all individuals. They should not be called "pigs and monkeys." The Islamic teaching that Muslims must fight and kill all Jews before the end of days is totally incorrect and unacceptable as it does not exist in the Quran. All teachings that encourage anti-Semitic attitudes, violence or disrespect toward Jews must be declared un-Islamic.
5- Slavery is a crime against humanity. All Sharia laws that justify slavery in our modern times must not be taught any more. Muslim scholars must have a clear and loud voice against slavery.
6- Islamic Sharia laws currently permit the killing homosexuals. These laws also are advocating a crime against our fellow human beings. They must be declared un-Islamic and their implementation must be considered criminal.
Signed,
Dr. Tawfik Hamid
Comment:
The above violent teachings, which currently are taught in mainstream Islamic books in America, are implemented in countries that allow governance according to Sharia Law. Future Muslim generations must be protected from these destructive doctrines, interpretations and customs.
These violent Sharia doctrines must be replaced with clear and unconditional explanations of why they no longer are valid.
Anything short of a fully clear and unequivocal stand against these doctrines indicates passive approval. Therefore, all Islamic leaders who genuinely consider themselves to be Muslim moderates must post these principles in English and in Arabic in full public view on their websites and declare them in their media outlets.
Failure to publically post and support these principles should be interpreted as clear evidence that a leader's mosque or Islamic organization must be considered radical.
When the only path to “moderation” requires all those interpretive acrobatics, then the problem isn’t with the interpretation: it’s with the text. In reality, a “moderate Muslim” is one who doesn’t follow the Koran at all.
My mosque is moderate; that is, it is typical, and believes most terrorism against the infidel is justified, and particularly justified against the United States.
You nailed it in your post #3.
Ah, the elusive search for the moderate mosque. A quest on par with those legendary quests for the gay christian, the conservative Democrat, the holy grail, and the lost ark.
One of these days, maybe we’ll be able to add the quest for the liberal Republican to that list, but unfortunately these days such critters are too easy to find.
It is beginning to look like the difference between a moderate Muslim and a radical Muslim is that the radical Muslim is willing to actually strap the bomb on himself.
This guy will have a fatwa (or whatever it’s called) on his head by day’s end.
Sounds like he’s heading toward conversion one day.
There is no moderate Islam. There are, however, moderate Muslims, and Muslims who possess character. They follow Islam at their own peril. Likely, they practice Islam simply based on traditions, and cultural identity. Islam does not take into account free will, and seeks to impose strict adherence too it’s teachings and laws. All, of which, simply enslave the individual. Like all men, moderate Muslims, have the fire of freedom burning within. They are welcome here. Simply know this, I will not tolerate Islam, and when it knocks on my door, I will push back.
Good luck with that.
There are no moderate muslims. There is only Dar al islam or Dar al Hab: the house of islam or the house of war.
How dreadful are the curses which Mohammedanism lays on its votaries! Besides the fanatical frenzy, which is as dangerous in a man as hydrophobia in a dog, there is this fearful fatalistic apathy.
The effects are apparent in many countries. Improvident habits, slovenly systems of agriculture, sluggish methods of commerce, and insecurity of property exist wherever the followers of the Prophet rule or live.
A degraded sensualism deprives this life of its grace and refinement; the next of its dignity and sanctity. The fact that in Mohammedan law every woman must belong to some man as his absolute property, either as a child, a wife, or a concubine, must delay the final extinction of slavery until the faith of Islam has ceased to be a great power among men.
Individual Moslems may show splendid qualities, but the influence of the religion paralyses the social development of those who follow it.
No stronger retrograde force exists in the world. Far from being moribund, Mohammedanism is a militant and proselytizing faith. It has already spread throughout Central Africa, raising fearless warriors at every step; and were it not that Christianity is sheltered in the strong arms of science, the science against which it had vainly struggled, the civilization of modern Europe might fall, as fell the civilization of ancient Rome.
-- Sir Winston Churchill (The River War, first edition, Vol. II, pages 248-50 [London: Longmans, Green & Co., 1899]).
All are radiacal as no “moderate” one would ever refuse the demands of the radical ones.
Fat(wa) chance
Houston, we have a problem here. Any declaration made by a Muslim has no value because Muslims are commanded to lie to us infidels. Trust is a must in any contract. Yep, we have a problem.
There is NO “local” mosque where I live. Not even radical sheetheads would be that stupid.
I beleive mine is mostly a wooden structure.
The logic of this writer would lead one to believe that the only civilized strain of Islam would be one which abandoned all central tenets of the religion.
Was this irony?
Well, my mosque doesn’t exist here yet ... so I look around to see what does ... the Episcopalians are about the most radical crowd we have ... but alas their numbers dwindle.
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