by Quin Hillyer
It
must be said: The time is now for all Muslim clerics of good will,
especially within the United States, to band together for a massive
public campaign aimed not at convincing non-Muslims of the
clerics' own good intentions, but at telling all their fellow Muslims
that violent jihad, terrorism, and forced "conversion" (or punishment)
of non-Muslims is always and everywhere unacceptable and evil.
If they will not do this, then they are morally complicit in the continuing crimes against humanity represented by the Boston bombing, by 9/11, and by so many other acts of cowardly, sub-human viciousness done in recent years supposedly in the name of Allah.
Some readers might protest that one can't blame the many for the actions of the few. One can't paint all members of a group with the same brush. Just because a known liberal Tweets out obscene photos doesn't make all liberals obscene; just because a known conservative commits adultery doesn't make all conservatives adulterers; and just because some Muslims kill and maim innocent people doesn't make all Muslims murderers.
Fine. Of course. Fairness and logic clearly insist that those innocent of evil not be smeared with the assumption that they are guilty of it. But that's not the argument here.
There is no known conservative who openly advocates adultery as a good thing. There are no liberals who condone Tweeting out obscene pictures to unsuspecting women. There are no texts that conservatives or liberals revere that defend such things, much less which openly advocate violence and murder. But there are plenty, indeed millions, probably many multiples of millions, of Muslims who subscribe to the tenets of violent jihad. And they don't make it up from thin air; they can, and do, cite plenty of direct exhortations from the Koran that order Muslims to attack, maim, and torture those they consider "infidels" - with Jews and Christians both being specific targets.
As in: "Kill the unbelievers wherever you find them." (Koran 2:191.) And: "Make war on the infidels living in your neighborhood." (Koran 9:123.) And: "When opportunity arises, kill the infidels wherever you catch them." (Koran 9:5.) And: "Maim and crucify the infidels if they criticize Islam." (Koran 5:33.)
Those citations come from an e-mail chain I haven't had time to verify, but there are so many (including more from the same e-mail) similar examples that have been so often and accurately cited that it's clear that twisted devotees of Islam can read, or misread, their sacred text in order to justify their heinous activities.
There are no Christian governments that call for eradication of Muslims. There are powerful Muslim governments that openly advocate the destruction of Jews and Christians - and that deliberately carry out such destruction when they get the chance.
While this still does not make it right for all non-Muslims to "profile" all Muslims as terrorists, it does mean that within the Islamic culture there is enough fodder for those Muslims who are haters - fodder believed in so widespread a fashion, with plenty enough "official" support - that it will take a concerted effort, by any Muslim leaders who are of good will, to counteract the evil rot within large swaths of their religion.
(Of course, as I argued last week, no real religion or god could condone such evil - but if millions claim they adhere to a religion that does so, then it is incumbent on others who claim that religion to rescue it, and its victims, from such an evil bastardization of the faith they claim.)
Even for those who aren't directly culpable for errors, crimes, or evil, there comes a time when the prevalence of such evil within the ranks of those who claim a common allegiance becomes so serious that other leaders must act quite publicly to marginalize the extremists.
In this light, it is not enough for Muslim clerics to meekly protest that, well, Islam is supposedly a religion of peace and that they themselves aren't guilty. It is even worse for clerics and other Islamic leaders to spend more time protesting against the "mistreatment," via "profiling," of Muslims than they do to squash the evil in their own midst.
What's necessary now is an open, public, enthusiastic, organized, energetic, emphatic and long-lasting effort by Muslim leaders to eradicate the very idea that their faith, understood correctly, calls for violent jihad or murder. Without such an effort, it is at least arguable that, by their silence and inaction, they in effect become accessories to evil.
All of this evil done in the name of Allah must stop. It is hideous. And if other adherents of Islam won't take the lead in stopping it, they surely will answer to a higher power who demands nothing other than that we love each other and love His creation.
Quin Hillyer is Senior Editor, American Spectator.
If they will not do this, then they are morally complicit in the continuing crimes against humanity represented by the Boston bombing, by 9/11, and by so many other acts of cowardly, sub-human viciousness done in recent years supposedly in the name of Allah.
Some readers might protest that one can't blame the many for the actions of the few. One can't paint all members of a group with the same brush. Just because a known liberal Tweets out obscene photos doesn't make all liberals obscene; just because a known conservative commits adultery doesn't make all conservatives adulterers; and just because some Muslims kill and maim innocent people doesn't make all Muslims murderers.
Fine. Of course. Fairness and logic clearly insist that those innocent of evil not be smeared with the assumption that they are guilty of it. But that's not the argument here.
There is no known conservative who openly advocates adultery as a good thing. There are no liberals who condone Tweeting out obscene pictures to unsuspecting women. There are no texts that conservatives or liberals revere that defend such things, much less which openly advocate violence and murder. But there are plenty, indeed millions, probably many multiples of millions, of Muslims who subscribe to the tenets of violent jihad. And they don't make it up from thin air; they can, and do, cite plenty of direct exhortations from the Koran that order Muslims to attack, maim, and torture those they consider "infidels" - with Jews and Christians both being specific targets.
As in: "Kill the unbelievers wherever you find them." (Koran 2:191.) And: "Make war on the infidels living in your neighborhood." (Koran 9:123.) And: "When opportunity arises, kill the infidels wherever you catch them." (Koran 9:5.) And: "Maim and crucify the infidels if they criticize Islam." (Koran 5:33.)
Those citations come from an e-mail chain I haven't had time to verify, but there are so many (including more from the same e-mail) similar examples that have been so often and accurately cited that it's clear that twisted devotees of Islam can read, or misread, their sacred text in order to justify their heinous activities.
There are no Christian governments that call for eradication of Muslims. There are powerful Muslim governments that openly advocate the destruction of Jews and Christians - and that deliberately carry out such destruction when they get the chance.
While this still does not make it right for all non-Muslims to "profile" all Muslims as terrorists, it does mean that within the Islamic culture there is enough fodder for those Muslims who are haters - fodder believed in so widespread a fashion, with plenty enough "official" support - that it will take a concerted effort, by any Muslim leaders who are of good will, to counteract the evil rot within large swaths of their religion.
(Of course, as I argued last week, no real religion or god could condone such evil - but if millions claim they adhere to a religion that does so, then it is incumbent on others who claim that religion to rescue it, and its victims, from such an evil bastardization of the faith they claim.)
Even for those who aren't directly culpable for errors, crimes, or evil, there comes a time when the prevalence of such evil within the ranks of those who claim a common allegiance becomes so serious that other leaders must act quite publicly to marginalize the extremists.
In this light, it is not enough for Muslim clerics to meekly protest that, well, Islam is supposedly a religion of peace and that they themselves aren't guilty. It is even worse for clerics and other Islamic leaders to spend more time protesting against the "mistreatment," via "profiling," of Muslims than they do to squash the evil in their own midst.
What's necessary now is an open, public, enthusiastic, organized, energetic, emphatic and long-lasting effort by Muslim leaders to eradicate the very idea that their faith, understood correctly, calls for violent jihad or murder. Without such an effort, it is at least arguable that, by their silence and inaction, they in effect become accessories to evil.
All of this evil done in the name of Allah must stop. It is hideous. And if other adherents of Islam won't take the lead in stopping it, they surely will answer to a higher power who demands nothing other than that we love each other and love His creation.
Quin Hillyer is Senior Editor, American Spectator.
Source: http://www.americanthinker.com/2013/04/cleaning_islam_of_its_murderers.html
Copyright - Original materials copyright (c) by the authors.
1 comment:
There is an Islamic concept called sitr which, loosely translated, means the commandment that Muslims draw a veil (sitr is Arabic for veil) over any wrongdoing perpetuated by fellow Muslims because it is incumbent upon them to protect the honour of their Muslim brothers.
Jon MC, writing below the line at FaithFreedom.org at http://www.faithfreedom.org/?p=1329#comment-398
"...The word “Sitr” itself is related to the Arabic word for a curtain or a veil, and carries the meaning of drawing a blind over something that is not to be revealed.
The doctrine of Sitr is related to the concept of “Aurah” or “dis-honour / shame”.
"In simple terms when a person does something “shameful” or “dishonourable” within the Muslim community, it should be hushed up and only repeated offenders should be brought to (Islamic) justice. This is justified on the grounds that in the Hadith a duty is laid on Muslims to protect each other and each other’s honour.
"Thus, according to Dr. Qaradawi, if someone assaulted another in a rage, got drunk, visited a prostitute, etc. then if he were exposed, he would be shamed. Under the doctrine of Sitr, in order to preserve the person’s “honour”, the offence should be covered up.
Note here that this “cover-up” applies to both criminal and immoral behaviour. This should not surprise us, since Islam rarely distinguishes the two, treating both types of reprehensible behaviour as crimes under Sharia Law.
"Muslim children, teaches Qaradawi, should be taught from an early age to adopt the practice of Sitr if doing so will preserve the “honour” of fellow Muslims.
"At first sight this is a doctrine which has somewhat to recommend it. It is the opposite of the “kiss-and-tell” attitude prevalent in much of the West, which can be damaging to put it mildly.
"However, I suggest that it has a darker side.
Recall that one example of something to be covered-up under the was a criminal act – that of assault. How widely does this doctrine reach, to what level of criminality (and here in the West, particularly criminality against non-Muslims) should Sitr be applied?
Dr. Qaradawi has said: “The principle of Sitr requires that [all] such [shameful] behaviour, whether committed by you or someone else, remains forever hidden behind the veil [of Sitr].”
"Does this mean that Muslims should not co-operate with Law enforcement agencies if a crime (which in these terms brings “shame”) has been committed by Muslims and perhaps especially so if the victims are non-Muslims (who are regarded as lesser mortals in Islam)?
Note also the key concept of “Honour” within this doctrine.
"Somewhat simplistically, the doctrine of Sitr is all about preserving the “honour” of Muslims individually and hence the Umma collectively. Muslims are to be seen as being the “best community amongst mankind” (K3:110), no matter the truth of the matter.
"Given the centrality of “honour”, are we then surprised that people who so flout the demands of “honour” are likely to be killed so as to restore this “honour” to their family, or that Muslims are often less than fully cooperative in Police investigations into crimes committed by Muslims, or that the widespread presence of hate-preachers in Mosques is not reported?"
This puts into context the arrests of British Pakistani males for grooming young white underage girls in the UK. It is beyond belief that no-one in their communities knew what was going on, given the time span of these horrific crimes.
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