Friday, March 24, 2006

The other cartoonish topic and in harm's way ..

First it was the Danish cartoons, and now it is the Afghani convert Abdulrahman! These are truely testing times for Muslims , or are they ?

I believe that the 21st century is going to be that of Islam, many Muslims have broken God's covenant and that is why we are in such deep trouble, but from the ashes of this destruction will rise a stronger and prosperous nation following the True Faith ( Gosh look at me I sound so pompous).

Ah but you do not have to take my word for it as I am no prophet . But Abdulrahman's plight which came into a conversation we were having my friend and I yesterday about the veracity of the injuctions for killing Muslims who leave Islam, and what happens if the West starts executing its citizens who convert to Islam as a sort if 'tit for tat' ? (sidenote if one entity is being unenlightened the others do not have to behave the same though right ?it would be like being back in kindergarten)

Hard questions at times are they not ? well I never shirk away from a lovely debate, the goal though is always to remain polite and respectful ( I hope I was :) and remain so).

So where did my thoughts wander ? my proposed theory was that although a person was born into a Muslim family it does not necessarily mean this person is Muslim. These are two different things, because he/she must possess Faith or 'Iman' in the first place, having the adjective signifies only that he/she has the 'generic' make up . Faith is in our hearts and mind i.e.in our soul and not a birth right. Remember the verse I mentioned here and which I tried to translate here ? I will post it again it is Sura 28 verse 56 (thank you AT to whom I got via Sandmonkey).

"انك لا تهدي من أحببت ولكن الله يهدي من يشاء"

"It is true thou wilt not be able to guide every one, whom thou lovest; but Allah guides those whom He will and He knows best those who receive guidance. [Surah 28 - Verse 56] "

Incidently my translation was not that bad either :)

Therefore Abdulrahman is free to do what he wants with his soul and he has only God to answer to.
But in terms of does Islam call for executing converts ? I don't think so but do go and read AT 's excellent argument on this issue in his post " Can you leave Islam" ( excerpts below) :

"The problem is, there's ample evidence in the Quran (which its authenticity is not even debatable by a Muslim) that indicate otherwise! Where's is the truth? Why is the Sunnah contradicting the Quran? To most scholars, it is not. They conveniently find explanations to reconcile (out of zeal to protect Prophetic tradition). I yet to find a convincing argument in favor of the ruling that converts should be executed. [...] Obviously the Quran is not silent about the issue, and in my opinion leaves no room for interpretation. Anything said, and attributed to the Prophet (PBUH), outside of the boundaries drawn by the verses above either must have an explanation that is inline with these verses with no exception, should be considered a narration out of context, or flat out unauthentic even if its in Sahih Al-Bukhary or Sahih Muslim; otherwise we have a schizophrenic religion, which is far from the truth.
Holding Islam hostage to narration that at best constitute "probable knowledge" and neglecting the Quran is just foolish because stories and sayings are seldom narrated in context, seldom preserved in a way that ensures beyond doubt certainty, and neglecting the possibility of human error is at best completely unrealistic. Add to that the sensitivity of the subject matter! We are talking about human lives here. We are talking about killing someone! Not debating whether a Muslim should ware silk clothing or not! [sic]"

Now for the rhetorical question "if Christian's start executing Muslim converts what would the Islamic world do ?"

In my opinion they would take it as one more sign that the 'Christian West' is trying to persecute Islam and it would convince them even more of the truth of their belief. Moreover, the killed western Muslims would be considered 'shuhada' or 'martyrs' in the service of religion, and in another twist, the ambivalent ones with poor judgment might rally around the bin Ladin and Zarqawi franchises message. Oh and what is more the families of the western people whose government would have executed them may voice their opinion perhaps louder than expected ? After all they would be 'white' ( I assume that is what the question implied ) and not Arabs or Asians who have quasi no legitimacy ? Plus it would belie all the slogans we hear about the West being the beacon of freedom and democracy. It will constitute a type of Spanish inquisition similar to when [" Ferdinand and Isabella appointed Tomás de Torquemada in 1481 to investigate and punish conversos: Jews and Muslims who claimed to have converted to Christianity but continued to practice their former religion in secret. Conversos were common in Spain. Some disguised Jews had been ordained as priests and even bishops. Detractors called converted Jews Marranos, a pejorative word that can also be translated as "pigs"] . It could also be a Muslim holocaust ( although I'm aware of what the original Inquisition was about ).

On another thought the West would have no problem on their hands apart from a a moral or ethical one if they killed the converts in secret. Would that constitute state terrorism ? This spiralled me into another branch laid out below :

Nowadays when you hear the term 'terrorism', the media and other unfortunate events make you associate it with Muslims, I found Haitham's post here "Arabs and Muslims are not terrorists" eloquent and well argued, and you have to read all 256 comments, because that is where I stumbled on Rachel from the Velveteen Rabbi who has embarked on reading the Qur'an with an open mind and no hidden agenda.... She is definetely going on my blogroll.These are the types of people we need more.

Moral of the story ? Excellent conversations enrich us all in our basic humanity, we find out that we have the same fears, the same wishes and the same goals. I will do my best to keep out of harm's way and still retain my integrity.

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

We all know that every Arab is a terrorist. We all know that every Muslim is a terrorist...

Hmmmm now, let me see: that fills this planet with some 1.5 billion terrorists and any second of our lives could be the last. Probably is, some people think. Now that I call terrifying. I think that the world we live in is a pretty scary place but for quite other reasons. I might talk about them one day.

But now, I was just quite unscientifically contemplating the increasing Anti-Arab and islamophobic tendencies in the occident. Presently this seems to be a self-propelling and I can see three symbiotically interacting factors here. (1) Fear: they look strange, they talk strange, and that makes us feel insecure and scared. (2) Political Power: We might want more oil (,or We might want to expand our pretty mediterrenian coastline!). With the right rhethoric (and firepower) we can probably get it. And if we can use publicly acceptable rhethoric to achieve our own goals, then why not? (3) Media Income: we might want to maintain our astrnomical advertising revenue and our surveys have shown that it is more easily done by supporting (and thus strengthening) existing views, than by challenging them.

Highlander said...

Hanu can you please copy paste the article you posted the link to and email to me pls ? Link not working for me. Thank you :)

Adam I think you points make a lot of sense as well , but our Arab world also does have its own problems that need fixing !

Anonymous said...

Hanu: First of all I am not a muslim. I am a Buddhist and against all forms of violence. Secondly, as far as I know, the law you mention is not Islamic law. It is Sharia law which is not at all supported by all branches within Islam.
Highlander & Hanu: Yes of course there are plenty of unsolved problems in the Arab world. I was just speaking on one topic from the top of my head, in a quick post. Just because I did not mention the Arab problems doesn't mean I deny them.

Anonymous said...

It's incredible that we're living in the year 2006 and we still have to discuss elementary issues such as this... it's incredible that there are people - including an Afghan human rights body as you can read on Sandmonkey's blog - that today still think somebody's worth the death penalty because of whatever conversion from whatever religion (or none) to another one (or none).

Merely the thought of giving any punishment whatsoever from fines to the death penalty for conversion in the West is purely theoretical. I'm not claiming it's always so easy to be a Muslim in the West, yes, we do have racism, but there's no institutional or legal discrimation anywhere. (And as far as I know, the USA is the only Western country where the death penalty still exists!) During the cartoon clash, I already pointed out to various practises in the Islamic world regarding the status of the dhimmi, including bans on proselytizing, conversion and other mechanisms like that which don't exist in the democratic West.

As far as those remain and as far as there's even serious discussion in an Islamic country about institutionally killing somebody for conversion, we might think that parts of Islamophobia are based on facts we know, not just unfounded prejudices. I'm not Islamophobic myself but I have to understand people who wouldn't like to live in a country dominated by people willing to execute someone for conversion.

If Islamic countries want to have a better image in the West, that's achieved not through propaganda campaigns but through abolishing horrific practises like this.

NBA

Highlander said...

Thanks Adam , this is what I was just going to tell Hanu as well and which was the point of my post it is NOT Islamic Law ..but Sharia Law => Sharia is man derived by interpretations.This is what my links pointed to AT was arguing it very well .

Yes I understand you were not ignoring Arab problems I was just mentioning that I was aware of them and not everything is the fault of the West , though of course the West does play a large part in the problems :)

Hannu said...

Highlander, I'll send it by email. I forgot that your great brother leader censors that page.

Adam, Shari'a to me equates to Islamic law. That's what we were taught and how I relate to it. I believe killing of converts is legit in all branches of Islam. My argument is still valid.

Anonymous said...

Thanks Hanu , I could access it from another location :) but I'm too lazy to wait till tomorrow morning at internet cafe , by the way do you wanna chat ( if you have time)? I am online now on Yahoo messenger .

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Anonymous said...

Angry Lybian American, whatever number of exclamation marks you want to use, you still write like a bigotic and narrow-minded extremist who fails to see any mistakes in his own culture, country and religion and only lists those by others (and fails to see that all the crimes you listed are just one part of the Western history and similar or worse ones have been commited by others). You really want to say that worse things haven't been perpetrated by people calling themselves Muslims or Islamic countries? And before you say those crimes have nothing to do with Islam, I can tell you that what some Serbs did to some Muslims (note: in the Bosnian war Muslim was not a religious term but that of a nationality, or do you want a lecture on Yugoslav history here?) has neither anything to do with Christianity.

I would like to "discuss" more with you of course but it's not worth it because I simply don't believe anybody can really think like you wrote. If your idea is to wage a flame war here, good luck, this was my participation in it.

NBA

Highlander said...

Dear Angry Libyan American,

It seems you are new to this blog ? you are of course welcome to participate in the discussion, but please refrain from insulting the other readers. This is unaceptable here, we do not do that. I do not censor what people write because that is their opinion, however I refuse to let my guests be insulted. That is why you will find me regretfully removing your post of 3.30 am addressed to Hanu which was absolutely off topic and offensive. I will try to clean up comment 3.04 am , if I can't it will be removed also .

I hope you will abide by the rules of this blog.
Thank you
Highlander

Highlander said...

Comment by Angry Libyan American - 'cleaned up' of insults to other bloggers and reposted by Highlander not to prevent him/her of freedom of speech

Highlander, I can't agree with you more. You seem to be the only voice of reason I have come across in a long time. And NBA as regards to your comments the other day, I am not a bigot, but I am a realist. The reality is that the CHRISTIAN WEST has been savagely attacking the rest of the world for hundreds of years, the spanish inquesition, the British Colonlial empire, the genocide of countless races of man, Vietnam, and the Nuking of Hiroshima-Nagasaki, the Autrocities of slavery in America, the CHRISTIAN SERB'S autrocities in Bosnia and Kosovo, CHRISTIAN Russian's atrocities in CHECHYNYA and Degastan, and Russias autrocities against its own population. oh yeah Hanu, Islam in theroy is not intolorent as far as muslims go you cant blame that on Islam just like you can't blame the Cathloic Churches sexual molostation of young boys on christianity. I think people like you are being unfair towards Islam. The bible both old and new testament most definatly show that the Christian and Jewish in theroy are more "inhumane" than anything Islam can muster up. And when i say "inhumane" I mean inhumane to the perverted 21 century western mind, i personaly find the Koran totally Humane. I unlike like many others on this site am a "REAL MAN". I understand the word of god, and I understand sometimes things get a little "messy", as far as the apostate goes, if he was never a muslim in the first place he should be allowed to practice his religion freely, i aggree with Highlander some one needs to sit down and put the whole "hadith" issue in context, I know for a fact that many of the Bukaria and Muslim hadiths are not authentic and many off them are aborgated by other hadiths. Many of the hadiths not all or most but many are not directly traced to the prophate Muhammad(pbuh) and many off them are broken in their Chains of narration. Someone needs to straighten it out. As far as "Shriah" the word means path, its not a law, its a way of life the way every human being should live his or her life, the laws or rules by which the dwellers of the universe live by. Hanu *******************(removed) islam means submission it is the truth, you should accept the truth, no falseness can stand next to the truth, the truth is a light which eradicates the darkness of the darkest night. The truth shall set you free. People who attempt to justify the belives or alter them do not belive. Below I have posted an amazing link ISLAM AND SCIENCE for those of you who claim to be "rational individual" and not "blind followers" this one is for you. http://www.miraclesofthequran.com/
REPENT BEFORE THE ANGLE OF DEATH TAKES YOUR SOUL. FOR WHEN YOU DIE HE WILL FORGIVE ALL OF YOUR SINS EXCEPT "SHRIK". EMBRACE ISLAM AND SEE THE GLORY!!!!!!!!!

Sat Mar 25, 03:04:23 AM 2006

Anonymous said...

This discussion seems to cool down, so there's place for me, the infidel who reads Muslims' writings hoping to find some defense against fundamentalist Islam, called by most Muslims merely "Islam". Highlander, dont't worry, I have found nothing useful yet :).
I didn't quite understand why the poor guy in Afghanistan is testing for Muslims. It seems that he will be released, I am happy for this. I think Highlander is right that in matters concerning God, it's best to let God judge. During the cartoon crisis (I, like NBA, keep this file open) some commented that, if the cartoons were really blasphemous, the believers had to do just one thing - stand back at a safe distance and watch God's wrath fall upon the Jullands-Posten team. Indeed, isn't it strange that people committing blasphemy are never punished by God himself? This, to my opinion, is to show that God, provided that He exists, is very tolerant. For my atheist mind, it is strange that so many believers say God is immensely merciful and yet portray Him more cruel and revengeful than any dictator in recorded history.
To the Angry Libyan American: Well, the world has suffered Christianity's Dark Ages. Why do you think that now, for balance, it is very just to inflict on everybody Islam's Dark Ages? And what if, at the end of this period (if there's an end), e.g. Buddhists invent their own Dark Ages and force them on the survivors?
Maya

Anonymous said...

It's me again, this time to comment about 21st century as the century of Islam.
Will it be? I hope not. I wonder how Muslims imagine the world at the end of such a century. Here is my vision...
100 years from now. After a century of devastating conflicts, all dry land is included in a global Islamic Caliphate. However, its ruler Mohammed II has a tragedy in the family. His daughter has had difficulties breathing since infancy and has died from pneumonia at age 4. Now, his baby son is beginning to show the same symptoms.
Conspiracy theories begin to circulate that the children have been poisoned. The main suspect is Dr. Hadjudj, Caliph's family physician. It is suddenly remembered that his grandparents had been Jews. Dr. Hadjudj is arrested, his wife divorces him, and his children change their family name.
This is Part 1; I'll continue if somebody's interested.
Maya

Anonymous said...

Greetings you all,

It sounds like most of the commentators are uttering words of opinion merely not Facts. Regardless of what happens in Afghanistan, there is this issue of reference that needs to be solved, when discussing such matters, one needs to be knowledgeable enough (even) to speak their opinion in the context of the truth. The fact that I do not eat Pork doesn't change the fact that Pig exists, one should seek knowledge before entering in to a discussion of such topic, my words are for all participants regardless.
I doubt it that any of you actually took the time and studied what Islam really says about this very issue you all chewing recklessly in-above your jaws.
With all my due respect for humanity at large.

Highlander said...

Hi Maya ..I really don't think you are an infidel , you are just enjoying the use of this word.

To answer your question the Afghani guy by himself is not testing for Islam. It is the implication of the overmediatization of his ordeal and the spin from the MSM and the alienation of public opinion which is the testing part.

AS for your vision for Islam in the 21st century I expect you were either trying to be humourous or simply to start a little comment fight ;) because as you said things have calmed down lol . Either way the picture you draw is rather bleak and stereotypical in addition to being offensive . However, that is your opinion and you are entitled to it. I do wish though that you don't write off a whole people and culture in this way. Maya you ideas are always interesting and make one think an consider. LOL I won't be drawn to a fight though ( NBA wishes that I know ;))...the wise Highlander.

Anonymous said...

Maya, how much Bulgarian grape brandy did it take to hallucinate that manuscript for the 21st century LOL? However, "Zionist doctors" are unfortunately a well-consumed role in conspiracy theories. Remember at least the conspiracy theories Stalin developed in his sick mind during his very last years, and (Highlander, tell me if I'm wrong) I remember to have read that the Libyan Great Leader also in the beginning accused Zionists of poisoning Libyans with Aids.

Quite a strong Zionist movement you have among Bulgarian nurses who wanted to work in Libya for a better life, huh.

Big Pharaoh and Sandmonkey both have good coverage on the poor Afghan infidel in their blogs. A very brave guy, especially now that he still doesn't step back from his adopted faith and doesn't want refuge abroad.

This month's brought good news and sense to this fanatic world we live in. First, the Danish Public Prosecutor ruled that the cartoons are not against the law (http://www.rigsadvokaten.dk/ref.aspx?id=892), and now this. However, the sad thing is that the Afghan case was never really tested before a court. The Afghan government seemingly caved in before international pressure and now tries to sweep the problem their legislation has under the carpet by ruling the convert "mentally insane".

Sounds quite much like the infamous Soviet psychiatry - dissidents are insane and in need of psychiatric care.

It would really have been much better if the guy had been released in a court session. I would have preferred a strong message to the entire world that conversion should never lead to the death penalty, or if it leads, such a country where it's possible should be secluded from the international community and go back to the Middle Ages by themselves.

NBA

Anonymous said...

NBA, it seems to me there is some contradiction in your opinion. You say I am hallucinating, and in the same time you say that such cases have already happened in reality!
(Of course nobody needs fiction that is not based on reality.)
You can say that the Stalin victims, of whom I of course thought while hallucinating, were accused in a Christian, not a Muslim country. True, but I recently read an interesting article that the present-day toxic Muslim antisemitism has Christianic roots, not Koranic roots as I thought before. I recommend this article to everybody, it is at http://hnn.us/blogs/entries/21832.html.
In fact, Dr. Hadjudj is not a central character in my story - he will soon die and disappear from it.
Maya

Anonymous said...

Maya, sorry if you found my comment insulting. Didn't mean that - just tried to be funny which apparently failed. But I've bought Bulgarian grape brandy once in Bulgaria and yes, I could imagine it makes the innocent taster hallucinate LOL.

NBA

Anonymous said...

Maya , yes the Koran does not carry anti-semitism. Anti-semitism has it's roots in the West.

Anonymous said...

NBA, to tell you the truth, I thought LOL was something insulting; you understand, I am not a native English speaker and not immersed in English-speaking environment. I just checked what it means - not so bad :)!
But I never use alcohol to help my imagination, because I never drink when alone, and never write when with other people.
Highlander, in the Koran there are different statements about the Jews in different pages. I cannot be accurate because the book is not with me (I had borrowed it from a friend to read it). But in some places it says that Jews, together with Christians, are "people of the Book" and as such deserve relatively benigh treatment; while in other places, it was said that Christians are relatively similar to the Believers, while Jews are hostile, cunning, and generally hopeless. I remember that, when reading these verses, I was desperate at the prospects for the future. I found them much worse that the often-cited verses about women, because men cannot exterminate women, while non-Jews can quite easily exterminate Jews.
Paul Johnson cites Sura 5, verse 85:"Strongest among men in enmity to the Believers wilt thou find the Jews and Pagans."
Maya

Anonymous said...

What is your point Maya?

Anonymous said...

My point is similar to Hanu's point, but less optimistic.
Maya

Anonymous said...

I have stated that "most of the commentators are uttering words of opinion merely not Facts" Hanu's opinion does not reflect the facts or the truth about Islam and what Islam teaches. She is comparing cartoons that includes Jews in the Arabic media by cartoons that insults our prophet, in which you will see no Muslim or Muslim Media insulting our prophets: " Abraham, Noah, Lat, Moses, Jonah, John the Baptist, or Jesus SON OF MARRY peace be up on them and her" for that matter, again I am raising the question of what is your scientifically studied method that is based on facts that you produce such allegations with? Again the proverb goes, ‘Empty vessels make the most noise.

Maya M said...

Anonimous, Hanu said,
"Now, the possible execution of Abdul Rahman can not be blamed on Muslim extremists or any other scapegoat. It is Islamic law that dictates converts should be killed."
Another author, Spencer, writes, "(Muhammad) simply said, "If anyone changes his religion, kill him." This statement is amply attested in the Hadith, and is accepted as authentic by all except the most disingenuous Islamic scholars. It appears in various forms in Bukhari, Ibn Majah, An-Nasai, Tayalisi, Malik, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, and other authorities." (source: http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=21943; I warn that most people at Highlander's blog will dislike Frontpage Magazine.)
I haven't read the Hadith, but Hanu most likely has. So why are you saying that her opinion "does not reflect the facts or the truth about Islam and what Islam teaches"?
Are you saying that Islam does not teach killing for apostasy? Then why are so many past and present Islamic states and millions of Muslims convinced that it does? Are they all crazy?
Are you also saying that cartoons depicting Mohammed, and unable to do any harm to him, are worse than anti-Jewish cartoons inspiring murderous terror?
IQ varies between people, and some of us may be empty vessels. But in matter concerning human life it is important to make noise, so we do.

Anonymous said...

Maya,
Islamic jurisprudence (with no reference to any case non what so ever, either the Afghani person or other) is so detailed and can not be taken lightly like you have referenced Hano saying or most likely had read or not read or quoted or what ever she did in your absence, it takes the matter considering all aspects that surrounds the accusations or the breach of rule of law including that of ruling state, timing, previous actions and behaviors of the accuser and lots more, you can go to ww.sultan.org for this matter and check the web site that suites you and educate your self and Hano as well on these matters before you utter any thing about Islam.(Islamic law is no different then any law in matters of executing the law, simply make a fuss on the people who are "killed humanly" in America today)
as for you humane sensitivity, you may as well refer to terror that have been inflicted on people of the area including that of Afghanistan and Vietnam, Palestinians have been under terror since 1912, you argument does not justify the insults on prophet Muhammad peace be up on him. As for the cartoons about Jews or Jewish representation again I am repeating, it does not insult prophets or people who are hold dear to the heart and faith, it deals primarily with politics and the deception that it comes with the terrorist occupiers of Palestine or Iraq for that matter.
As for the jurisprudence regarding apostasy since you are a non Muslim what matters to you what Islam says about it regardless, you have stated your(and Hanu) opinion that is based on your own production of what Islam says about apostasy in which Islam is totally free and clear from. Again I am calling you to go open books and learn more about Islam you as well as Hanu, with no proper knowledge please do not speak Empty, and that is what the vessel that is empty means, you are making a noise that has no substance about Islam. ( I remind you that I am not considering what happened to that Afghani man and he does not fall under the rule of an Islamic state period).

I gotta Jet

Maya M said...

Dear Anonimous,
Of course I pity the Afghan victims of terror such as the teacher killed for educating girls (http://www.un-instraw.org/revista/hypermail/alltickers/en/0044.html) and the Vietnam people who suffer under their terrorist Communist regime. Ah, you meant people killed by Americans? I know I am right now, how much do I hate being right. I pity them but I still approve the Vietnam and Iraq war, exactly as many muslims pity the victims of Muslim terror but still approve it.
Well, be as you say, I'm going to www.sultan.org.
Is this site run by you, Anonimous? I mean - again anonimous. I like seeing authors' names, nicknames, affiliations etc. Even my favourite opponent Safia knows better and puts her name under what she writes.
"Discover Islam - the fastest growing religion in the world!" Don't the anonimous authors simply mean that too many Muslims seem to have never heard of family planning? On our overpopulated planet, I would not boast with this fact.
Then I follow some links and find an article "Jihad explained". At least it has an author, and he tries to convince me that jihad is not the holy war against infidels.
If it's not, then why it is considered duty of able-bodied men and it's said that women and disabled men normally cannot take part in it?
This is what the Dane Kjartan called "Muslim hypocrisy" and the Libyan Hanu (I still wonder how you dare accuse her of incompetence in Islam) called "doublespeak".
It's bad enough to be in a war, but when the other side keeps claiming how peaceful they are and coming with all sorts of absurd accusations, it is really annoying.

Anonymous said...

Maya,
You keep coming up with all these accusations that are baseless about Islam and the Muslim people you talk to etc. etc. I have no clue what you are talking about, never the less I still recommend that you learn about Islam on your own, added I have never said any thing of the sort you are claiming. Relax, sit down, have a cup of tea or coffee(Colombian dark roast is good), maybe a chamomile would be better for you and pick up a Quraan translation in your language, and read it.
It is as simple as that, after you get tired go lay down or maybe take a walk and ponder about the creation and the creator of this universe, by the way kirspycreme has good doughnuts you might try them as well after your walk, they might increase your bodily fats but the taste is worth the while.
With all my respect to you dear.
Enjoy your Quraan reading

The Better of the Two Worlds