Posts Tagged ‘peacful islam’

Wishful thinking from the Ahmadiyya Muslims

Posted: February 7, 2011 by datechguy in internet/free speech, opinion/news
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I’ve mentioned the Ahmadiyya Muslims on my blog before, they have a mosque on main street Fitchburg and march regularly in our 4th of July parade. They are good people and they certainly mean well with this effort:

“Our hope is to emphasize to our fellow Americans,” Sayed said, “that it is the religious duty of a Muslim to be loyal to the country where he resides…Number two that there are negative influences being exerted — upon especially the Muslim youth in the United States — by people like al Awlaki on the Internet and third the press pays attention to violent acts that people commit in the name of Islam….If we just sit by, more and more these extremists will take hold the banner of Islam and say this is what Islam is.”

I’m torn by this. It’s a worthy effort and a necessary one, and Islam needs reforms from within. Unfortunately many Muslims consider the Ahmadiyya’s a breakaway sect, they have been targets of terror and murder for their peaceful views. I don’t know if western support would simply marginalize them further within greater Islam.

So as I applaud their efforts I don’t have a lot of hope that we will see more of their point of view and less of this:

An Afghan physiotherapist will be executed within three days for converting to Christianity.

Said Musa, 45, has been held for eight months in a Kabul prison

and remember this is not Pakistan, this is Afghanistan!

He claims he was visited by a judge who told him he would be hanged within days unless he converted back to Islam.

But he remains defiant and said he would be willing to die for his faith.

He told the Sunday Times: ‘My body is theirs to do what they want with.

‘Only God can decide if my spirit goes to hell.’

Defence lawyers have refused to represent him, while others have dropped the case after receiving death threats.

As long as Islam is generating these headlines it will be a tough sell.

Now THAT’S peacful Islam

Posted: January 8, 2011 by datechguy in middle east, opinion/news
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As you know we go long on the dangers of radical Islam on this blog. It’s a serious threat that we ignore at our peril.

That being said it is just as important to note positive signs and this certainly qualifies

After a New Year’s Eve attack against Coptic Christian Churches in Egypt, there was some concern that this week’s celebration of Christmas by Egypt’s oldest Christian community (which follows the same calender as the Orthodox Church) would lead to more attacks. Which is why many Egyptian Muslims decided to show up at Coptic Churches last night

And why did they show up? To keep their word and to show unity:

Egypt’s majority Muslim population stuck to its word Thursday night. What had been a promise of solidarity to the weary Coptic community, was honoured, when thousands of Muslims showed up at Coptic Christmas eve mass services in churches around the country and at candle light vigils held outside.

From the well-known to the unknown, Muslims had offered their bodies as “human shields” for last night’s mass, making a pledge to collectively fight the threat of Islamic militants and towards an Egypt free from sectarian strife.

And unlike the “shields” of the left who show up when there is little danger (such as those trying to protect Saddam) these people actually put their lives on the line since Al Qaeda has shown no compunction when it comes to killing their fellow Muslims in the past. This is true courage and should be applauded.

The importance of this can’t be overestimated as Jawa reports explains:

Remember the Coptic Christians suffer, but the group who suffers the most from al-Qaeda’s murderous acts are Muslims. So the Copts and the Muslims both risk death by disagreeing with al-Qaeda.

Exactly right. It seems to me that a lot of people are being played by Al-Qaeda in the same way. When you see story after story like this it is a wonderful thing to see signs of hope. May there be more.