Generalisation of Islam; Wilders and Islamophobia
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http//www.paulvanbuuren.net/download/2008/01/wilders-poster.gif
For the last 3 years a new phenomena has arisen on the anti-Islam/Islamophobia scene. My countryman Geert Wilders. His anti-Islam retoric became harsher and harsher over the last 5 years since the murder of director Theo van Gogh, who was killed by a madman who believed he acted in the name of Islam. The killer followed medival writings of several severe dogmatic scholars, who lived in a time of war and chaos. The idea that a person offending Islam or the Prophet Muhammad should be killed, contradicts the Qur'an on many points
2855 (Additionally) whenever they hear vain talk of ridicule, they withdraw from it decently and say, "To us our deeds and to you yours; Peace be upon you, we do not seek to join the ignorant.
2563 The true servants of the Beneficent are those who walk upon the earth humbly, and when the ignorant ones address them, they say, "Peace!"
But although this has been stated by many Muslims in the Dutch media, the anti-Islam retoric has increased, and whatever Muslims say, people will keep connecting terrorism and violence to Islam. Wilders had created a short movie called "Fitna", where he misquoted and even mistranslated the Qur'an, and backed these up with some extremist Imams who have never represented the majority of Muslims in the world.
Now Wilders is being trialed for discriminating against Muslims, the religion Islam, and foreigners. During the first hearing he made a statement that his remarks could not be taken as discrimination if they were the truth. And so he has conveniently switched the discussion and now Islam itself is on trial. This very interesting turn of events not only shows the arrogance, but also the blind ignorance of Wilders. the witnesses he has required to testify to prove Islam is a violent, fascist ideology, are several orientalist scholars, and several orthodox and extremist Imams and persons. Including the above mentioned killer of Theo van Gogh. So now, the court is really going to compare the Qur'an with Hiler's Mein Kampf (one of the comparisons Wilders has made).
Wilders is destroying his own defense as
- He talks about "THE Islam". While there are hundreds of schools, sects and thoughts.
- He gets people there as witnesses who cannot give an objective opinion (probably Arabist Hans Jansen), the killer who is rejected by the majority of the Muslims (Mohammad B), or a minority sect representative (Salafi Imam Faouzy).
- He is to compare a TRANSLATION of the Qur'an with Mein Kampf, while a translation is always AN approach to the Qur'an, and not THE approach. And verses should also be understood in context, and words how they are used by the Quran. Often translations are simplistic in explaining words, and miss the background history of verses.
And do these witnesses really represent Islam? Of course not, but this doesn't stop Wilders. If he had said there were interpretations within Islam that are fascistic and violent, then he could never be said to discriminate as that is the plain truth. But he doesn't do this, he generalizes and makes the minority extremists the real followers of Islam. Wilders has thus become the expert on Islam, and we the Moslims are ignorant.The 99% of 1.5 Billion Muslims on earth are ignorant and that we believe Islam to be peaceful is an illusion. Of course there are interpretations which aren't productive, realistic or rational, but this is to be expected when there are hundreds on hundreds of different ideas in Islam and 1400 years to distile them. There is no THE Islam, as we humans decide what Islam is. We read the Qur'an, we interprete the Qur'an, we apply the Qur'an, we have written the history of Islam. And so, we humans are responsible for how we express Islam.
I myself don't agree with many medival ideas present in Islamic thought, as these were not originally part of Islam, and the concept of Shari'a was never stagnant but very flexible. Sadly Muslims and scholars have been more busy with defending Islam then seeing what is really part of Islam or what parts could be reformed. But this will eventually change, as economies and governments in Muslim countries are getting better, and with more freedom and better economy, so also the intelligence grows with it.
Wilders is now also invited by 2 British parlementmembers to show "Fitna" in the British parlement. He was earlier rejected to enter the UK, because he was deemed a hazard for the public order.
I don't mind Wilders having this anti-Islamic retoric, but it is important Muslims themselves speak up more in the media, and that the voice of Islamic reform is heard. This is now partially possible through the Dutch Muslim Party (NMP), the political party which I'm part off, these brave Muslims are showing the true side of Muslims.
http//nederlandsemoslimpartij.nl/images/structure/logo_new.png
http//nederlandsemoslimpartij.nl/At the moment I'm also busy with gathering several Western non-muslim scholars/orientalist who are objective about Islam, and know and can explain the diversity of Islamic thought and especially the peacefulness of the majority.
I also challenge Wilders to put me into the witness stand! I myself have studied Islam closely for years now, and have read hundreds and hundreds of books and articles on Islam and the Qur'anic message and meanings, and work together with many famous Islam scholars and writers, this website is a testimony of my efforts. And my conclusion about Islam is It is is diverse as any religion, and it has contributed and will contribute immensely to worldpeace and progress. May peace be on the world, and may Wilders see the difference between a person calling himself Muslim and who acts as a Muslim, a peacekeeping person.
1025 God invites to the abode of Peace.
And not to the abode of war or violence....
Original source
http//www.deenresearchcenter.com/Blogs/tabid/73/EntryId/96/Generalisatie-van-Islam-Wilders-en-Islamofobie-Generalisation-of-Islam-Wilders-and-Islamophobia.aspx -
Great thing to establish a muslim party. Taht is the way to go.
May God bless your endeavour.
A "Muslim" party?
What do we have to do with Sunnis anyway. They don't recognize any of us here? Wilders should have talked about hadiths, but he stikes me as an iiot. Anwyas its good the Quran will be on trial. The Quran will come out innocent from all charges easily. What is Wilers going to quote, verse 9.5? Ok then just read verse 9.4 and 9.6 plus verse 9.13 along with it. Whats left, verse 9.29? Ok then just talk about on whom that verse came down on. Its reall that simple, won't take 5 minutes.
If he was smart he would have talked about Moses and Khidr or Solomon and Sheeba in the Quran. They are somewhat more challenging. But he's an idiot and thats why he mis on trial. he should have learned from Spencer and use Quran only as refernce and rely on hadiths. But he's an idiot. I don't care about Sunnis one bit. They are not me community, in fact most of them are my enemies. They would not lift a finger to save any one of us. Just look at whats happening with many Quranist activist.
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I also challenge Wilders to put me into the witness stand! I myself have studied Islam closely for years now, and have read hundreds and hundreds of books and articles on Islam and the Qur'anic message and meanings, and work together with many famous Islam scholars and writers, this website is a testimony of my efforts. And my conclusion about Islam is It is is diverse as any religion, and it has contributed and will contribute immensely to worldpeace and progress. May peace be on the world, and may Wilders see the difference between a person calling himself Muslim and who acts as a Muslim, a peacekeeping person.
Instead of challenging Wilders, submit this article as third party motion to the court with an introductory paragraph. If it is a decent court will include you as opposing witness or third-party with interest.
PS The books (2 copies of Critical Thinkers and 3 copies of Manifesto are shipped as priority international mail. You will inshallah receive them within a few days.
Peace,
Edip -
I have never seen "Fitna", but if Geert Wilders is attacking the quran then he is simply dishonest, and of bad will. However, since the state of his soul is not under discussion, I wonder why people are not more upset over these so called "anti-discrimination laws" and "anti-hate speech laws". They are tyrranical and anathema to the rule of law and western civilization. If "muslims" don't like what he has to say they can make their own documentaries refuting him; they can boycott and ask others not to support him in anyway, this would be the ethical, moral and Quranic way to handle someone like this.
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Instead of challenging Wilders, submit this article as third party motion to the court with an introductory paragraph. If it is a decent court will include you as opposing witness or third-party with interest.
PS The books (2 copies of Critical Thinkers and 3 copies of Manifesto are shipped as priority international mail. You will inshallah receive them within a few days.
Peace,
EdipPeace,
The court doesn't allow any outside intervention because they want to make the trial bigger then it already is, or to more time then needed. But as the Dutch Muslim Party we will try to influence the media, and so a Dutch version of the above article will be given to the Dutch media.
And the Dutch Muslim Party is the perfect expression of the Islamic thought of positive reform in the world. And it influences traditional Muslims in reforming their approach to Islam. I have written a few articles on Islam and Democracy, and these are well received. See the English version
http//www.deenresearchcenter.com/LinkClick.aspx?link=The+Quran+Democracy+and+GlobalEthics-AYMol.pdf&tabid=36&mid=606&language=nl-NL