News Analysis

by Abdul Sattar

So it’s happened again. They decided to republish the cartoons. Perhaps it is because they want to re-emphasize their opinions on the character and personality of the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.). Maybe because they wish to provoke more reactionary Muslims into random acts of violence or demonstration. Maybe…just to show the world that they can, and stand proud in the gleaming light of free speech.

Anyone with a sense of justice can see that the apathetic Western reaction to these cartoons – full of hate and vitriolic sentiment targeted against the heritage, culture, and beliefs of over a fifth of humanity, is unjust – when compared to the resistance such cartoons would be met with if they were targeted at other groups.

The Muslims wonder why our community can be insulted, and threatened with deportation, our holy cities threatened with nuclear weapons by a U.S. Presidential candidate (Tom Tancredo), and our most sacred figures reviled? But if a whisper is raised against any other community – if a comedian goes off on a racist tirade using the N-word, or an award winning actor and director makes anti-semitic comments in a state of drunkenness – the entire Western world rises to say: “We will not tolerate your intolerance. We are better than your hate.” But when Muslims are lambasted across the country on conservative radio shows, urging violence against them, deportation, whole-scale attacks against their countries and forced conversion to Christianity……we hear no civilized response against the unholy right-wing war talk. When a mosque is burned down by a white-supremacist group in Columbia, TN, it does not even make the news. When the enlightened West is met with comments which declare “The Other” as inferior…..there is a complicit silence.

Muslims need to realize three things:

1. Do not be surprised or shocked, emotionally, or intellectually, that this is happening.

2:120

“…[They] will never be pleased with you until you follow their religion. Say: Surely Allah’s guidance, that is the (true) guidance. And if you follow their desires after the knowledge that has come to you, you shall have no guardian from Allah, nor any helper.” (Qur’an, 2:120)

When your Lord tells you that a group will NEVER be pleased with you, satisfied with you, or happy with you, until you follow their way, it behooves the Muslim to accept it as a fact. The continuous begging and pleading Muslims who yell: “Please don’t make fun of us! Please don’t ridicule us! We are people just like you! Please be impressed with our history!” is nothing short of pathetic – when you consider how sometimes the street mob goes to burn and attack their own streets in protest, as has happened in Pakistan, and a few other places in e Muslim world. A political cartoon painting Islam as violent – is given seeming credence when in reality, only a tiny speck of Muslims even think of reacting win such ways.

It is time for the Muslim to realize that the actions of a person who makes fun of the Prophet (s.a.w.), or even goes so far as to insult or ridicule God himself, is responsible for his or her own deeds. He or she will be held responsible for what they draw, say, or write on the Day of Judgment. It is not up to us to legislate against them in this world when they are living in their own countries, nor to beg powerlessly that they cease and desist their activities.

Should we defend our Prophet (s.a.w.)? Yes. Through teaching people who he was and spreading the Truth. But, It is time for us to stop being so emotionally surprised when Islamophobes insult Islam. They don’t believe in your Prophet. Or your religion. And they don’t like either of them, or you. We should grow up and deal with it. The Qur'an is preparing us for this reality with the verse above.

So let us be prepared.

2. If you are going to respond, respond in the manner of the Prophetic Sunnah (Tradition) which we are claiming to defend.

“And the servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth easily, and when the ignorant address them [harshly], they say [words of] peace…” [Qur'an, 25:63]

Realize that the Islamophobes have the right to say or write whatever they want. They do. And no one will stop them. Your complaints will make them happier. They are not in a Muslim country. Our response should be a response fitting the Sunnah of the Prophet (saw) which we claim to defend so staunchly.

When some enemies of Islam once walked by the Prophet (s.a.w.) in Madinah, they said to him, “As-Sa’mu Alaikum” (Death be upon you), trying to slyly make it sound like “Assalamu-Alaikum” (Peace be upon you). They didn’t write against him, draw against him – they spoke directly to him. He, with the calm demeanor of prophethood, simply responded – “Wa alaikum”, and upon you. He did not escalate or insult – he responded by reflecting their greeting, without mentioning anything negative himself or lowering his noble speech.

“And you [Oh Prophet] are upon the noblest of character.” (Qur’an, 68:4)

His wife ‘Aisha, who out of her love for him, acted in a way many Muslims today do and yelled: “May the curse of Allah be upon you, and his punishment, and his…!”

The Prophet (s.a.w.) stopped her saying: “Calm down O `Aishah, calm down. There is not gentleness in anything, except that it becomes more beautiful, and there is not harshness in anything except that it makes it ugly. So be calm oh Aisha.”

This exemplifies the Prophetic response. Calmness. Tranquility. Humility. He was active in spreading the message with “wisdom and beautiful preaching” with enthusiasm, vigor and strength, but he did not let insults take over his greatness. He engaged with those around him to teach them about God, and teach them about how to live their lives to the fullest. A model citizen. A good neighbor. A fortress of justice. An honest friend. A helper of the needy. A Messenger of God. This was his response. More than that, this was his driving mission.

“Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching.” [Sûrah al-Nahl: 125]

Also, that we engage those people who do believe in God, in working acts of righteousness and benefit for humanity.

3. It is time to stop being dependent on others to present a good image of us. They have not and will never do so reliably, save a few fair-minded individuals. Self-determination in our message, our image, and our work, is the only answer.

Yet another incident, when the Makkans used to try to make fun of the Prophet (s.a.w.) by twisting his name because of its meaning being “The one deserving of praise” , and calling him Mudhammam (belittled one) – he simply smiled and said, “They are making fun of a man named Mudhammam, but I am Muhammad!”

Rather than worrying about these insults, he spent his time propagating his message. He spent his time building his community and ensuring that every man, woman, and child could hear about what he had to say and how to worship God and come close to Him. So rather than focusing on what they produce, draw, write, and say – what has each of us done to paint the proper picture of the Messenger (s.a.w.)? Robert Spencer and Daniel Pipes are making millions painting a picture of a warlord and a “Prophet of Doom.” Why are we surprised when Allah (swt) told us it would happen, and more importantly, what have we done to spread a positive image of the Prophet (s.a.w.) actively?

Perhaps we are arguing about whether or not praying behind someone who eats McDonalds is allowed. Or whether wiping over our leather socks is permissible. Or if music with more than a duff is makrooh or haram. Or maybe our mufti “saab” teaches that I shouldn’t talk about Islam, Qur'an, or the Prophet without being in his presence or even read a book without his stamp of approval, turning us to intellectual zombies, far from the example of the Sahabah and the righteous predecessors. Maybe we are busy arguing about Tariqahs, Madhabs, Manhaj, Aqeedah, and other things which we have no understanding of beyond a few pamphlets and classes in our neighborhoods, and of course, the Internet.

I remember my father teaching me that when the Mongols sacked Baghdad in 1258, the `ulema and the their students were discussing whether or not it was permissible to eat crows. Unfortunately, it seems we have not learned.

It is time for the Muslim to be a self-determined, educated, citizen of humanity and of Islam. Someone who’s character aims to mirror the Prophetic character. It is time for the sisters to put down their mascara and their foundation, and the brothers to put down the Nintendo Wii and XBOX controllers, and stand up and become men and women, and stop being boys and girls. It is time for for them to become self-determined individuals, who understand that the honor of this Deen and its Ummah, can only be given by Allah, but they must work for it. Allah says:

“God will not change the condition of a people, until they change what is within themselves.” (13:11)

It is time to stop burning flags, and start burning desires.

Stop yelling in the streets against people who are overjoyed at your anger, and whisper to Allah who will become overjoyed at your prayer.

Stop breaking, burning, and screaming.
Start building, learning, and calling.

We are all guests in this world. We all come from the same earth, and when we die, it welcomes us as ‘sons of the soil’. It does not look upon you as being “white” or “black”, American, Chinese or African. The womb of the earth welcomes you as one, and interns you like prison to reward you or to punish you accordingly. This is your grave, a place of accountability that seems to be waiting endlessly for the Day of Judgement to arrive. Hopefully, when it does arrive, all accounts would have been settled, otherwise there is greater torment in store for the rebellious. Likewise, hopefully when it arrives, the good will receive even greater rewards.

This is the stark reality of the state of helplessness. At this point in time we are all powerless and helpless. There is nothing we can do to improve upon our past nor are we given the opportunity to redeem ourselves. All we are left with are our deeds, and these will determine whether we will be punished or rewarded.

When you reflect upon this situation a question comes to mind. “Is it worth behaving in an ungodly manner? What do you hope to gain through a life of deceit and deception? Are all your ill-gotten gains going to be of some use to you when you are gone? What about the power, wealth and position you acquired? Did you put it to good use serving the cause of Allah?

Yes, don’t wait for that time and day when you will be rendered powerless – when you will be stripped bare of all your belongings. Don’t wait for that day when you will be humiliated to such an extent, that you would wish you never existed. Take this opportunity in life to serve Allah well through righteous deeds. Act with humility. Bestow on those who have rights their rights, for every complaint on their part reaches Allah, and Allah is ever mindful of all that you do. There is not a single atom that escapes His gaze. Be mindful of your intentions, for false ones end up like wild grass on the roadside. They are not like wheat and corn. They offer you nothing but loss and sorry. Look upon this life as a field being ploughed. Sow the right grain so that you may reap its lawful profits, and while you do so, possess hope and fear in Allah, because He has the right to destroy your crops; to reduce to poverty. Such trials are sustained by faith and piety in Allah.

Our hearts do go out to all in pain. No one would wish even for his enemy such a disaster but these things (tidal waves, earthquakes, tornadoes, typhoons etc) all do take place from time to time. Are these Acts of Nature or are they Acts of God? Is there a difference between September 11th and what took place recently in the form of a Tsunami?

Since we are all raised in a secular manner, our education is linked to science rather than to God. And as a result of this we are made to believe that these are Acts of Nature rather than Acts of God. Not long ago there was a headline on the Internet saying, "Are You Prepared For A Visit By Nature", a reference to an approaching Hurricane heading for the Americas. Well, to a certain extent this is true but it is also incomplete because it only provides one part of the overall answer.

The thing about science is that no matter how advanced it is, it cannot really solve a problem. For example, you can place a whole series of sensors on the ocean bed to detect Tsunamis but you will be able to only issue a warning, and each warning sets off an exodus of people costing millions of dollars. Hawaii has experienced many such instances. What this indicates is that the last say lies with God, and all it takes is one command from Him to "Be" and it "Becomes!" Science can only help you understand what God (Allah) has set into motion in the form of what is known to us as The Laws of Nature, The Law of Causation etc. In the Qur'an these are referred to as "His Fitrah". What this also means is that God (Allah) does not go about waving a magic wand, but rather it is human behaviour that leads to accountability bringing about His blessing or His punishment. September 11th is such an example, likewise earthquakes, tsunamis, typhoons etc. Do ask "Where Was God?" Instead ask, "Why Are You Visited By God?"

The Scriptures of the Bible and the Qur'an do inform us of such devastating events. They include the flood at the time of the Prophet Noah, the events surrounding Sodom and Gomorrah, the era of the Prophet Moses and Pharaoh, A'd and Thamud and many others examples of God's wrath on a sinful disobedient people. The only reason why many are not able to relate the Scriptures to present day existent is simply because of the secular way we have been raised. To many those are past events taking place in the presence of Prophets. Today they are Acts of Nature! The truth is, there is no difference between those events and what takes place today. They all come under the orbit of God (Allah), for nothing takes place without His consent.

Before we get down to answering this question we should ask ourselves the following:

To understand Saddam Hussein's predicament, one needs to go back in time to the events surrounding the downfall of the Shah of Iran, the ransacking of the American Embassy in Tehran and the rise of Ayatollah Khomeini. Having been kicked out of Iran, the Americans then went about raising Saddam Hussein. The West provided him with chemical weapons, missiles and weaponry to attack Iran.

Saddam Hussein's weakness was that he did not realise that he was being made use of. In his quest for power and glory he became brutal and had a lot of people killed. Some of these were in retaliation over failed assassination attempts. Overall, Saddam did a good job of running his country. His gravest mistake was supporting the Palestine Intifada, where he rewarded every Palestinian martyred with financial cash. This angered Israel and America.

On the whole Saddam was doing a good job and when you compare events during his reign and those taking place today, he can be compared to being an angel in comparison to living hell in Iraq. Saddam was not an intelligent man, neither was he good in a religious sense, but he was sent by Allah in the words of the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.), who said that 'Allah sends a ruler to a nation in accordance with the nature of its people', and by Allah, there is no other way to handle these people except in a threatening manner, otherwise you will end up the way Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet was dealt with by the very same people, who claim to ardent followers of Ali and Hussein (may Allah be pleased with them both).

Saddam may have been guilty of many things and he deserved to die, but the way and manner he died was unjust. He was a victim of circumstances. He was a pawn used in a widening political game orchestrated by America and the West. It is and continues to be a western tactic to pitch one Arab nation against another; to weaken them; to cause them to be preoccupied with one another, and through he process allow themselves to be manipulated by America and the West.

In the past it was Iran, then it because Iraq, and now its back once again to Iran. All these moves have been instituted by the West to serve American-Israeli interests. The game is one of instilling fear within the rulers of all these nations, beginning with Egypt, Saudi, right down to Iran, Lebanon and Syria. If you join the West, you are not an 'axis of evil', but if you tread an independent line, you are an enemy, a threat to humanity, a threat to security etc. You are not allowed to develop nuclear energy or weapons but it quite all right for the Israelis to possess them.

What the Muslim World needs to do is to establish international agreements over their security with one another. They need to develop trust and they need to cooperate more closely so that they may develop and progress in accordance with Islam to serve their own needs. Muslims do not need more Saddam Hussein's, Mubarak's, or Royalty, what they need is sincere and honest rulers. If you ask anyone in the Arab World, Hizbollah enjoys more respect than any ruler in the region. Being a Shia' or Sunni makes no difference, fulfilling Allah's commands and serving the Ummah is a priority.

Bush is no different from Saddam. The amount of deaths that have taken place in Iraq and Afghanistan would surpass those gassed by Saddam Hussein. The only difference between the two is that one rules the world while the other is an insubordinate. The 'greater plan' has always to serve Israeli interest first, then to secure oil rights, then to install puppets, and then to convert us all into western zombies, godless creatures. As such, the manner in which Saddam was tried was totally unjust. If killing him will resolves one's pain, it is a misconception, because every guilty man repents and is forgiven, while those who act in the name of justice, serve their own ambitions, and in due time will also meet the same fate of crimminals.

Muslims worldwide need to wake up to the realities of existence. They are not appreciated or liked, but tolerated. If the West had its way, it would do away with this inconvenience, and if they can't, then subjugation, bullying, threatening, and slandering will suffice for the time being.

Of late there have been many books published by Muslims declaring that Islam Is Against Terrorism. Much of this material is apologetic in nature, coined by His Majesty’s Service and Loyal Servants of the West. To truly understand what terrorism is all about one has to understand the factors can cause it to exist in the first place, and in this context the Malaysian Prime Minister’s statement is valid when he says that we have to get down to the root cause of such problems.

After years of reading the daily news J. M. Andrade has come up with the following. He said that people's interest in political definitions is very commendable. "Allow me to assure you that they are by no means the only people who are confused by such remarkable display of double standards in every day life - in fact a small dictionary was published in France years ago to try to explain media jargon."

"Briefly, bandits are terrorists if you are fighting them, guerrillas if you are not, and freedom fighters if you want them to win, and guerrillas (or 'boys from the bush') afterwards. A government or regime if it shows no desire to surrender to its enemies - or (just to make things more interesting) after it does surrender, usually through lack of the will to win. Likewise, a murderer is a criminal if not politically motivated, an extremists or a terrorist if he is a right-winger, and an urban guerrilla if he is a Marxist;; in the later case, if he is arrested he becomes a political prisoner and his trial is seen as a politically motivated act of vengeance.

"A Communist is a Communist in a Communist State, a Subversive element in a non-Communist State, a Liberal in the United State, a Leftist in Britain, a Gauchiste in France, a follower of Marxism-Leninism-Mao-Tsetung-Thought in China, and a Marxist in Africa. An Anti-Communist is as one progresses towards deeper and deeper shades of pink, a starry-eyed dreamer, an old fashioned bigot, a reactionary, a fascist, a Nazi and an enemy of the people. Orwell would undoubtedly say that one must really be a double-plus-good double-thinker to understand what all those headlines and broadcasts are all about."

Under the 'New World Order' of today the Palestinians who lost their land are looked upon as terrorists for reclaiming it. A Muslim on the whole is viewed as a Fundamentalist, Extremist or Terrorist - a threat to world peace. We are made to believe that terrorism is evil when it is performed by Muslims, but holy when America, and its allies, and Israel perform acts of terror.

During the first week of July 2003, the European Council for Fatwa and Research convened in Stockholm for its 11th session. The council, which was established in 1997 in the U.K., is comprised primarily of Islamic scholars from the Arab world and is headed by Sheikh Yousef Al-Qaradhawi, one of the most influential clerics in Sunni Islam and amongst Islamist groups and organisations. The council convenes every few months in a European city to conduct discussions and issue Fatwas on questions concerning Muslim communities in the West. Following differences of opinion on the matter of martyrdom bombings during the previous session (convened in Dublin in January 2003), the council decided to research the matter and bring it up for discussion at the July session..

Though the Stockholm conference was called "Jihad and Denying its Connection to Terror," the five reports that were presented focused on dictionary definitions of the word "terror." The London-based Arabic language daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat reported at length on the research by Sheikh Al-Qaradhawi, who classified terror according to the following categories: colonialist terror, state terror, international terror, political terror, terror that is permitted by Islamic law, terror that is prohibited by Islamic law, and martyrdom operations. The following are excerpts from the report:

"The martyrdom operations carried out by the Palestinian factions to resist the Zionist occupation are not in any way included in the framework of prohibited terrorism, even if the victims include some civilians. This is for several reasons:

First of all, due to the colonialist, occupational, racist, and [plundering] nature of Israeli society, it is, in fact, a military society. Anyone past childhood, man or woman, is drafted into the Israeli army. Every Israeli is a solider in the army, either in practical terms or because he is a reservist soldier who can be summoned at any time for war. This fact needs no proof. Those they call 'civilians' are in effect 'soldiers' in the army of the sons of Zion.

Second, Israeli society has a unique trait that makes it different from the other human societies, and that is that as far as the people of Palestine are concerned, it is a 'society of invaders' who came from outside the region - from Russia or America, from Europe or from the lands of the Orient - to occupy Palestine and settle in it..."

"Those who are invaded have the right to fight the invaders with all means at their disposal in order to remove [the invaders] from their homes and send them back to the homes from whence they came... This is a Jihad of necessity, as the clerics call it, and not Jihad of choice... Even if an innocent child is killed as a result of this Jihad - it was not intended, but rather due to the necessities of the war... Even with the passage of time, these [Israeli] so-called 'civilians' do not stop being invaders, evil, tyrants, and oppressors..."

"Third... It has been determined by Islamic law that the blood and property of people of Dar Al-Harb [the Domain of Disbelief where the battle for the domination of Islam should be waged] is not protected. Because they fight against and are hostile towards the Muslims, they annulled the protection of his blood and his property."

"Fourth, the Muslim clerics, or most of them, have agreed that it is permissible to kill Muslims if the army that attacks the Muslims hides behind them, that is, uses them as barricades or human shields, and sets them at the front so that the fire, arrows, or spears of the Muslims will harm them first. The clerics have permitted the defenders to kill these innocent Muslims, who were forced to stand at the head of the army of their enemies... Otherwise the invading army will enter and annihilate their offspring and their harvests. There was no choice but to sacrifice some [of the Muslims] in order to defend the entire [Muslim] community... Therefore, if it is permitted to kill innocent Muslims who are under coercion in order to protect the greater Muslim community, it is all the more so permissible to kill non-Muslims in order to liberate the land of the Muslims from its occupiers and oppressors.

Fifth, in modern war, all of society, with all its classes and ethnic groups, is mobilised to participate in the war, to aid its continuation, and to provide it with the material and human fuel required for it to assure the victory of the state fighting its enemies. Every citizen in society must take upon himself a role in the effort to provide for the battle. The entire domestic front, including professionals, labourers, and industrialists, stands behind the fighting army, even if it does not bear arms. Therefore the experts say that the Zionist entity, in truth, is one army.

Sixth, there are two types of Fatwas: Fatwas concerning a situation of calm and choice, and Fatwas concerning a situation of distress and necessity. It is permissible for a Muslim, when in a situation of extreme necessity, to do what is prohibited to him [in circumstances allowing] choice... Thus, one of the clerics has espoused the rule: 'Necessities permit prohibitions.' Our brothers in Palestine are, without a doubt, in a situation of extreme necessity to carry out martyrdom operations in order to unsettle their enemies and the plunderers of their land and to sow horror in their hearts so that they will leave, and return to the places from whence they came..."

"What weapon can harm their enemy, can prevent him from sleeping, and can strip him of a sense of security and stability, except for these human bombs - a young man or woman who blows himself or herself up amongst their enemy. This is a weapon the likes of which the enemy cannot obtain, even if the U.S. provides it with billions [of dollars] and the most powerful weapons, because it is a unique weapon that Allah has placed only in the hands of the men of belief. It is a type of divine justice on the face of the earth... it is the weapon of the wretched weak in the face of the powerful tyrant..."Those Who Oppose Martyrdom Operations and Claim that they are Suicide are Making a Great Mistake

"Those who oppose martyrdom operations and claim that they are suicide are making a great mistake. The goals of the one who carries out a martyrdom operation and of the one who commits suicide are completely different. Anyone who analyses the soul of [these two] will discover the huge difference between them. The [person who commits] suicide kills himself for himself, because he failed in business, love, an examination, or the like. He was too weak to cope with the situation and chose to flee life for death. In contrast, the one who carries out a martyrdom operation does not think of himself. He sacrifices himself for the sake of a higher goal, for which all sacrifices become meaningless. He sells himself to Allah in order to buy Paradise in exchange. Allah said: 'Allah has bought from the believers their souls and their properties for they shall inherit Paradise.'

"While the [person who commits] suicide dies in escape and retreat, the one who carries out a martyrdom operation dies in advance and attack. Unlike the [person who commits] suicide, who has no goal except escape from confrontation, the one who carries out a martyrdom operation has a clear goal, and that is to please Allah..."

The Guardian reported, under the heading, "The Right To Resist" saying, "It would have been hard to predict in advance that the US and British occupation of Iraq could go so spectacularly wrong so quickly. The words of the historian Tacitus about the Roman invasion of Scotland in the first century AD might just as well have been written about our latter-day Rome's latest imperial adventure: "They create a wasteland and they call it peace."

"In Britain, the unravelling of what US deputy secretary of defence, Paul Wolfowitz, called the "bureaucratic" pretext for war - the supposed threat from Iraqi chemical and biological weapons - has created the most serious political crisis for Tony Blair's government in six years and removed the last vestige of possible legality from the aggression."

"With no sign of any such weapons on the ground in Iraq, intelligence leaks and the withering accounts of former cabinet ministers Clare Short and Robin Cook have stripped bare the ultimate New Labour spin operation. Polls show most British people are now convinced the government deliberately exaggerated the evidence that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction to bounce public and parliament into war. Not surprisingly, attitudes to the conflict itself are also beginning to turn. Add to that the rampant lawlessness, insecurity, looting of all public institutions, destruction of national treasures, epidemic of murder and robbery, and it is little wonder that most Iraqis appear to find it hard to see themselves as having been liberated. And far from being lower than expected, the number of Iraqi civilians killed is now estimated - on the basis of hospital, mortuary and media records - to have been between 5,500 and 7,200, while Iraqi military deaths are thought to run into tens of thousands."

"It also helps to explain the scale of civil and armed resistance, which is concentrated in the Sunni triangle to the north and west of Baghdad. Around 50 US soldiers have been killed by Iraqi fighters since the war was declared won - getting on for half the number killed in the war itself. A series of punitive counter-insurgency operations by US troops in the past week has led to the capture and deaths of hundreds of Iraqis - sweeping up many innocents in the process - but appears to have had no impact on the level of attacks. US commanders have branded the guerillas "subversives" and even "terrorists", or tried to dismiss them as "remnants" of the regime. The evidence suggests that while Ba'athists form part of the resistance, that is far from being the whole picture."

But what they cannot by any sensible reckoning be called are terrorists - nor does the US have any right to try guerillas who attack occupation troops as criminals, which Bremer announced it plans to do this week. It is an almost universally accepted principle that a people occupied by a foreign power has the right to use armed force to resist - though whether force will be the best tactic is another matter. It was the crudest self-delusion on the part of the invading states to imagine that because most Iraqis wanted an end to the Saddam regime they would accept the imposition of a foreign occupation to replace it. s.milne@guardian.co.uk - Thursday June 19, 2003

Muslim leaders and Muslim nations should not fall for such gimmicks nor believe that Islam is against terrorism. Had this been true then the Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. could not have fulfilled his mission, as the pagan Quraish were the established authority, just as America is today, and any changes introduced by the Prophet s.a.w. would have made him a terrorist to the Quraish, the Persian Empire and Roman Empire. Therefore in addressing this issue one has to view the fundamental principles of justice which we don’t see taking place today; where America, the West and the U.N. have all failed to bring about just solutions to world issues. And it is this over boiling pot that has led to frustration, desperation, anger and hatred towards the West as a whole.

It is understandable for Muslim leaders living in the West and those living as minorities in non-Muslim lands. Their hands and feet are tied. In fact they should become Sufees, a patient, suffering lot of believing Muslims, unable to say a word or two. As for those who support aggression by supporting America, they have a lot to fear, as was rightly declared by Deputy Sheriff, Howard of Australia. This fear is from Allah, for the unjust have a lot to fear from the deranged, insane and crazy.

The question that arises here is: "What has happened to the backbone of Muslim leaders from Muslim Nations?" Take for example Saudi – a staunch supporter of America to look after their interest which was basically directed towards Iran – take a look at them as see what they are going through these days. In the end the Qur’an is never wrong in its advise, concerning those who prefer the kafir to fellow Muslims.

How can we ever expect acts of terrorism to end just like, when we see Spanish soldiers being shipped out to Iraq wearing badges reading, "Moor Killers"? The Guardian reported that a row broke out in Spain after the country sent its first troops to patrol Iraq wearing on their shoulders the Cross of St James of Compostela - popularly known in Spain as "the Moor Killer". Patches bearing the cross, the symbol of a saint who allegedly guided the Medieval Christian recapture Spain from the Muslims, are to be worn by a 2,000-strong Spanish brigade in central Iraq, who will patrol the sacred Shia city of Najaf.

While newspapers and radio stations reacted with astonishment at the choice of symbol, politicians avoided the argument. "If we start debating this subject the risks surrounding the mission will only be increased," said a spokesman from the opposition Socialist party, Jesus Caldera. Just observe how conveniently the West goes around things, while Muslim leaders in turn have to act like dogs with their tails under their asses (by being apologetic etc).

The double standards observed by America, its Allies and the West as a whole clearly indicate that the issue of terrorism will never end. There will always be someone to seek martyrdom and justice. What is amazing is that Islam and Muslims are made out to be evil, when the evil ones are those who institute mischief and discord on earth though the use of force and aggression. Therefore, it is important for the world community to get their act together and resolve the root causes of all human discontent that leads to terrorism. [ mokhtar stork].

News Analysis

A Brief Guide To Media Jargon