It is an undeniable fact that Islam is under attack by Muslims and not by the west. What is striking is that most Muslims in positions of leadership don’t seem to think so and those who do haven't figured out what to do about it. They expect the average Joe to simply take their word for it that real Islam is different than the one portrayed on the news and that Radical Muslims are totally wack and would do anything for political gain.
The reaction of Muslims scholars and the public to the almost daily Terrorist attacks committed by extremist Muslims has evolved quite a bit since 9/11 but there is no apparent sense of urgency among Muslims to try to find a solution to their predicament.
More Muslims need to come to this realization that the extremists are their enemies and the enemies of Islam as their acts of terrorism effects Muslims directly in more ways than one. Islam’s standing with young Muslims and people of other faiths is suffering daily. It is not hard to imagine how the future generations of Muslims may start feeling more and more ashamed of their religion and heritage. One would think that with so much at stake we would see a more proactive offensive against “radical Islamists” by every Muslim in a position to express an opinion. If terrorism was a Christian phenomenon one would expect to see ads run by Christian religious organizations in every medium against radical Christianity. Such act would be in the interest of self preservation and in defense of Christian values.
It is astonishing that most Muslims haven’t awakened to the threat posed by radical Islam or at least so it seems. They need to stop focusing on talking about Islam to outsiders and start talking to each other about the threat radical Islamists are posing to all Muslims and to the future of Islam Itself. In the process they also need to flush out the few sympathizers who pretend to be centrists but secretly agree and support the radical Islamists. I say to Muslims, Let’s do something crazy, lets stop talking only about the root causes of terrorism, poverty, imperialism, and dictatorships. Let’s instead focus on talking about the responsibilities of every Muslims to rise up and defend their faith, their heritage, and themselves from radical extremists living among them.
CAIR and other Islamic organizations need to buy ads on Aljazeera to run against radical Islam after each terrorist attack, rather than buying ads in the United States to improve the image of Islam. The image of Islam would improve if Muslims rise up and tackle their problem with radicalism at the source, at home. There needs to be a demand for action to go along with the usual condemnation of terrorism. I for one am tired of having to defend my Islamic heritage because some nutcase decided that he can make killing kosher by having a radical Imam approve it. I say more of us should say “not in our name” but say it in our own communities and in Muslim countries, not just at meetings in the UN or western forums.
When ordinary Iraqis are attacked and killed during the holy month of Ramadan the silence of the so called Muslim scholars is deafening. They need to declare, on Muslim media, in unison, their outrage at both the targets of such attacks and the timing given that even in ancient times fighting during the holly month, except in self defense, was forbidden. Other attacks like the ones targeting places of worship are another obvious example of outrageous inexcusable acts of violence that should not be treated as just “news” in the Muslim world.
So I ask where is the outrage? Where are the demonstrations on the Arab and Islamic streets?
In case anyone reads this and decides to organize a Muslim demonstration in Makah or Cairo against violence committed in their names, it would help if such demonstration avoids the slogan “death to the radicals”, Just a thought.
The reaction of Muslims scholars and the public to the almost daily Terrorist attacks committed by extremist Muslims has evolved quite a bit since 9/11 but there is no apparent sense of urgency among Muslims to try to find a solution to their predicament.
More Muslims need to come to this realization that the extremists are their enemies and the enemies of Islam as their acts of terrorism effects Muslims directly in more ways than one. Islam’s standing with young Muslims and people of other faiths is suffering daily. It is not hard to imagine how the future generations of Muslims may start feeling more and more ashamed of their religion and heritage. One would think that with so much at stake we would see a more proactive offensive against “radical Islamists” by every Muslim in a position to express an opinion. If terrorism was a Christian phenomenon one would expect to see ads run by Christian religious organizations in every medium against radical Christianity. Such act would be in the interest of self preservation and in defense of Christian values.
It is astonishing that most Muslims haven’t awakened to the threat posed by radical Islam or at least so it seems. They need to stop focusing on talking about Islam to outsiders and start talking to each other about the threat radical Islamists are posing to all Muslims and to the future of Islam Itself. In the process they also need to flush out the few sympathizers who pretend to be centrists but secretly agree and support the radical Islamists. I say to Muslims, Let’s do something crazy, lets stop talking only about the root causes of terrorism, poverty, imperialism, and dictatorships. Let’s instead focus on talking about the responsibilities of every Muslims to rise up and defend their faith, their heritage, and themselves from radical extremists living among them.
CAIR and other Islamic organizations need to buy ads on Aljazeera to run against radical Islam after each terrorist attack, rather than buying ads in the United States to improve the image of Islam. The image of Islam would improve if Muslims rise up and tackle their problem with radicalism at the source, at home. There needs to be a demand for action to go along with the usual condemnation of terrorism. I for one am tired of having to defend my Islamic heritage because some nutcase decided that he can make killing kosher by having a radical Imam approve it. I say more of us should say “not in our name” but say it in our own communities and in Muslim countries, not just at meetings in the UN or western forums.
When ordinary Iraqis are attacked and killed during the holy month of Ramadan the silence of the so called Muslim scholars is deafening. They need to declare, on Muslim media, in unison, their outrage at both the targets of such attacks and the timing given that even in ancient times fighting during the holly month, except in self defense, was forbidden. Other attacks like the ones targeting places of worship are another obvious example of outrageous inexcusable acts of violence that should not be treated as just “news” in the Muslim world.
So I ask where is the outrage? Where are the demonstrations on the Arab and Islamic streets?
In case anyone reads this and decides to organize a Muslim demonstration in Makah or Cairo against violence committed in their names, it would help if such demonstration avoids the slogan “death to the radicals”, Just a thought.
