Muslim Heretics Conference

As Muslims, we are advised in the Holy Quran to practice “Justice and tolerance” in our daily life and in our interaction with others. The Holy Quran, in fact, is full of verses encouraging the ordinary Muslim individual to achieve some kind of “peaceful coexistence” with oneself and with others. For example, in the holy book, we as Muslims are encouraged to speak “mildly,” to those whom we disagree with (Taha 44). Moreover, in the chapter entitled “Alma’eada” we are supposed not to let “hatred of others” make us “swerve to wrong and depart from justice,” for being just according to the Holy Quran is “next to Piety” (8). For my humble self, at least, I see no contradictions between practicing such basic Islamic ethics on justice and tolerance and practicing a rational daily existence! Indeed, for those who want and are “willing” to be tolerated by others, there should not exist for them any kind of paradoxes between the Quranic statements about tolerance and justice (and their importance in daily life,) and between “common sense” contemporary living.

However, “intolerance” continues to plague many Arab and Muslim societies, destroying human potentials and undermining the possibilities of peaceful coexistence among the human family. It is actually due to distortions of the peaceful messages in the Holy Quran, that our ME region remains one of the most explosive human environments on the planet. Nonetheless, it is actually possible to achieve a unique equilibrium between our religious obligations as Muslims and becoming positive and active members of our different societies, whether they be Muslim or otherwise.

Allah loves the “just and tolerant,” but it rests upon our individual choices as ordinary Muslims to see through the intended meanings of “peace” in the Holy Book. There are for example other similar moral standards in the Holy Book underlining a fundamental Islamic fact: Islam, as a religion, should work for all ages, and in all human environments and throughout the centuries.  Therefore, it is possible to argue that a Muslim individual can choose willingly to become a tolerant person. It is quite constructive of course to achieve such “productive” living in any human environment, yet such peaceful adaptations usually require seeing through the negative impacts of intolerance on human life. Being very destructive to peaceful human existence, intolerance toward those who are non-Muslims produces the same negative results to those who practice intolerance and injustice.

As a case in point, according to the general Islamic perception about the integrity of human life, it is necessary to maintain its sacredness. In fact, in the Sunnah, the reported sayings of our prophet (peace be upon him,) it is immoral and in fact inhuman to strike people on the face! In addition, Allah advises us as Muslims to be lenient with those whom we disagree with. Such delicacy of manners and such honest use of positive moral standards in Islam create numerous opportunities for personal happiness. Those who choose otherwise, adopting intolerance against other Muslims and non-Muslims, Allah describes them in the Holy book as “ignorant.” In surah “Al’araf” a Muslim individual must need to “hold to forgiveness; command what is right; but turn away from the ignorant (199). Allah loves the just and tolerant, so should we!
khaledaljenfawi@yahoo.com

Arab Times :: ‘Intolerance’ continues to plague Muslim societies

Muslim reformers and critics of Islam around Europe are being silenced by Islamic extremists.
The new Centre for Social Cohesion report, Victims of Intimidation: Freedom of Speech within Europe’s Muslim Communities warns that unless European governments take urgent action to protect these individuals and their right to freedom of speech, Islamic extremists will be empowered and the evolution of a peaceful, tolerant ‘European Islam’ will never take place. The report is available here.

Victims of Intimidation, by Douglas Murray and Johan Pieter Verwey, tells the stories of nearly 30 Europeans of Muslim background - some believing Muslims and others not - who have been threatened by Muslim extremists. Based on interviews with many of these individuals, the report details the substantial threats and violence they have faced as a result of critical inquiry into aspects of their faith or lifestyle.

The victims of this intimidation include politicians, journalists, writers, artists and human rights activists. Their personal stories are diverse and wide-ranging. Some have criticised Islam itself; others seek to reform traditionalist practices. All, however, have been targeted on the pretext that they have broken Islamic rules and traditions.

Many of the individuals featured in Victims of Intimidation have suffered physical assault and are forced to live under constant police protection as a result of their words and actions. Several tell of community and religious leaders’ failure to support proponents of moderate Islam. Others warn of ineffectual government responses to coercion by extremists.

New Centre for Social Cohesion report released today (The Centre For Social Cohesion)

Douglas Murray

Last month Mark Thompson, the director-general of the BBC, admitted that he thought Islam should be treated more sensitively than other religions. As the London-based publisher of The Jewel of Medina (the novel about Muhammad and his youngest wife Aisha) could tell you, it can pay to be careful. Gibson Square had its London offices firebombed just before publication. But this is no time to accept any kind of censorship - whether self-imposed or worse.

The Centre for Social Cohesion has produced a publication which details the cases of almost 30 Europeans born to Muslim parents who are risking their lives to speak out against aspects of their faith and culture. The most important rarely receive more than passing attention. But they deserve our focus. For the risks that they – and many other reformers – are taking will in the end be for us all.

The individuals profiled range from cabinet ministers to journalists, writers, academics, artists and even pop singers. Most are in trouble for having criticised elements of what they see in Europe’s Muslim communities, particularly the treatment of women. Nyamko Sabuni, the Swedish minister for integration and gender equality, has been the subject of death threats since speaking out against female genital mutilation and proposing that all Swedish schools should have mandatory gynaecological examinations to discourage the practice.

In Denmark, Manu Sareen, a city councillor and social worker who helped victims of “honour violence”, was forced to give up his job after being approached on the way to his office by two men who told him that if he helped more of their women he would be killed.

Governments across Europe, including our own, make regular pronouncements about helping moderate Muslim voices to emerge above the din of radicals and radical-affiliated groups who have such a knack of grabbing the headlines. But the truth is that many of the individuals detailed in Victims of Intimidation either never had, or took a long time to get, the support they deserved.

Ehsan Jami, 23, the Dutch Labour party politician and founder of the Central Committee for Ex-Muslims, was repeatedly assaulted before being guarded by the Dutch police. He now requires constant protection but his own political party, instead of assisting his right to speak out about what he saw in the religion he was born into, tried to make him tone down his public statements about the treatment of women, apostates and homosexuals within Islam.

Those like Jami who have left Islam are often treated, by our governments and broadcasters as much as by the Muslim communities, as though they are out of the discussion. The British government has repeatedly elevated orthodox and highly conservative Muslim groups here but steers clear of former Muslims or still-practising Muslims who are seen to have harsh critiques of certain Islamic practices. In doing so it operates a terrible double standard. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights declares “freedom of speech and belief” as among “the highest aspirations of the common people”. But freedom of belief for Muslims in Europe seems not to operate in the same way. A different standard is expected.

Deepika Thathhaal (or Deeyah), the Norwegian-born London-based pop singer, was attacked on stage at a concert in Oslo and has had her life repeatedly threatened. She has been criticised for her dress, dancing, music and her music video What Will It Be? which highlights the victims of “honour killings”.

As Deeyah has said herself: “What’s been a hard and sad thing for me to realise is how not one single person from the religious establishment within the community has shown any support.” Earlier this year she launched a project called Sisterhood to support female Muslim rappers and singers. Daud Abdullah, deputy secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain (who both the government and the Conservative party continue to deal with) responded to this modern woman’s right to self-expression by saying: “The moral framework of Islam has already been laid down and women should not push beyond its boundaries for the sake of commercial gain.”

Muslim reformers, whether believers or not, are not extended the same rights that the rest of us enjoy. They find themselves stuck between reactionary, self-appointed Muslim spokesmen and a European artistic and political establishment which is either too cowed or too misguided to notice that it is applying a different standard to people born here to Muslim parents.

Government talks a lot about elevating the right voices in the Muslim community. None hit more important or more fundamental notes than the figures profiled in Victims of Intimidation. It is time that our leaders finally started encouraging the true progressives – the people who are the best hope not just for Muslims but for us all.

Think tank: Betrayal of Muslim reformers | Douglas Murray - Times Online

I am shocked, aghast and dismayed at the fatwa on Yoga and the dressing of not so feminine clothes. What will they think of next? It seems to me these people have nothing better to do. Their posts are redundant and they have to do something to attract attention. Unfortunately the attention they attract is very negative and further destroys the liberal image of Islam Hadhari which the Prime Minister had tried to portray.

I have been practicing yoga since I was young and have never become a “lesbian” or joined the Hindu religion as alleged by these ignoramus! What an insult to Muslims and particularly women. Insulting women and belittling them seems to be the main target of these men! Stop it before people start calling you MORONS!

There are more important issues to focus and worry about such as the killing of innocent civilians, women and children under the false guise of ‘jihad’  The killing of innocent women who have been raped. Instead of punishing the rapists, the poor innocent victim is put to death for the ’shame’.

This is not ISLAMIC! Islam stopped the killing of innocent female infants! Read the Quran and know its meaning properly. Study what is the SUNNAH – THE WAY OF LIFE OF THE PROPHET ad follow it! Any level thinking person will know that they are way off track. No wonder the International media too has been has such a negative view of ISLAM by headlines such as ‘Muslim terrorists’ and the like. How is that we never see headlines like ‘Christian terrorists’? As such they blame every negative incident on Islam whereas it is these ignorant and not so well informed people who are further enhancing the true meaning and purpose of Islam.

Stop it now before it is too late! JAKIM should be shut down immediately and safe good public funds which could be put to better use to assist the poor and needy. There are enough ‘Muslim’ organizations already looking after the Muslim interests without them messing it up and making more Muslims particularly women angrier. When the women march there will be no stopping them!

Hajjah Marina Yusoff
A Muslim Malay woman who loves her religion

Note: I personally like to know what the NGO, Sisters in Islam, has to say on this issue. Will all the so-called liberated and intelligent Muslim women in Kuala Lumpur speak up on this issue. Well, I think this fatwa is politically motivated and damaging to the image of our country. — Din Merican

Access Malaysia Today at http://mt.m2day.org/ - A respected muslim woman comments on yoga fatwa