WHAT TO DO WITH THE MOSLEMS

Hi everybody:

First of all I wish to convey greetings and best wishes to all my old friends and readers of this blog.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everybody.

Actually, I intended to discuss the Iraqi situation and my forebodings regarding the future in the light of the planned American withdrawal. However, the irksome discussions in the comments section about Islam and the Muslims force me to this digression.

Actually, I could have dismissed the ideas of OutlawMike (an old visitor to this blog) as being too extreme and outlandish and of no particular importance. However, unfortunately, I think this kind of prejudice is spreading alarmingly, especially in French speaking European countries, and even some non-French ones too. Although I am sure that it is still a minority that would go as far as our friend OutlawMike. So I would like to make few remarks apropos.

1- The slogan – “Get out of our countries”, evokes a painful recent memory of mine. In the ethnic cleansing campaign that took place in Iraq mainly in the years of 2006-2007-2008, the most common way of expelling Shiaa’s in Sunni areas and Sunnis in Shiaa neighborhoods was to slip a note on a piece of paper under the front door of the targeted family with almost precisely these words “Get out of our land” and of course accompanied with threats etc. The horrors that befell those who didn’t comply with the threats for any reason even if it was incapacity, old age or whatsoever are too painful to recount. Christian and other minorities, of-course, also suffered in these events; but mainly it was between Sunnis and Shiaas. Eventually everybody discovered that the process only brought ruin and destruction to everybody including the fact that “their lands” became worthless in commercial value.

Needless to say, this is an ancient slogan – Jews (Judens) Get out of the land of the Aryans – Bosnians Get out of the land of Serbs – Armenians in east turkey etc. etc.; the examples are countless. I advice my friend OutlawMike to drop this idea completely, and assure him that it is an extremely evil and in particular unchristian thought if he is Christian.

2- Another argument rings a familiar bell. OutlawMike, says that he knows there are some good Muslims, but since these will be included in the mass deportation that he is proposing, they should understand that it is in a good cause, and therefore accept it in a sporting spirit, as it were.

This is very similar to one argument of terrorists of Al-Qaeda et al. type. When they are told that terrorist acts kill innocent people, including some good Muslims (i.e. good as per wahabi-salafi specifications, so to speak), their retort is ready: There is no problem, since Allah (God) will make sure that they are recompensed in the afterlife and they will “understand that it was in good cause”. This argument I have heard with my own ears several times.

Another real anecdote comes to mind in this respect. A horrible massacre on grand scale of presumed “communists” took place in Indonesia after the fall of Sukarno way back in the sixties or early seventies, I don’t quite remember. It was estimated that some three million souls perished in this atrocity. These unfortunate humans were often hung from trees and hacked to death. The mobs were instigated by some clergy (the precursors of Bin Laden, I suppose), and thought that it was a good religious act because these “communists” were atheists (Kafirs). However, during the course of the massacres a problem arose. Some of these unfortunates while being hung to be butchered uttered the “Shahada” (i.e. the Muslim expression of faith: I witness that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad is his messenger). It is said that the massacres stopped for three days while the clergy or “Muftis” were pondering this theological problem- since these men pronounced the “Shahada” they could no longer be considered as atheists, and hence would it be lawful to kill them? Finally the following Fatwa (religious edict) was pronounced by these venerable Ulama. The Fatwa was something like this: “The uttering of Shahada by these communists was either sincere or fake to save their skins. If it was false, then they deserve their punishment. But if it was genuine, then by killing them they are dispatched to God, and God will reward their sincerity and they will understand that it was for a good cause.” The massacre was resumed with renewed vigor with the conscience of the mob put at ease.

I think your proposal Mr. OutlawMike, might face a similar problem. What if some of these Europeans of Moslem descent, to be deported, were actually atheists or not particularly religious? How would you solve this problem? I would like to know your Fatwa in this regard.

3- The main attribute of Fascism is not socialism – It is racism - the concept of genocide and mass punishment of whole groups of a particular race or religion. Therefore your assertion that since you hate socialism, you cannot be accused of this ideology is not valid. You, my friend are a fascist par excellence .

Finally, if you think you are Christian, you are forgetting one of the greatest principles of Jesus (PBU), nay, one of the greatest concepts of all – “Love Your Enemy”. This principle is not a kind of excessive kindness or exaggerated charity. It is a very profound religious, political and social program. I have always pondered this particular slogan. But I think this question cannot be dealt with here. Volumes can be written in exploring this fathomless idea with far reaching implications.

According to recently published U.N. estimate, 25% of the world population is of the “Islamic Faith”. In mathematical language if you divide the number of extremists by the total number of Muslims, you will get a figure which is practically equal to zero in the engineering sense, i.e. negligible. Of course not all those who are born to Moslem parents are religious or practicing. The world has become one big village, and ideas such as yours Mr. OutlawMike, are not only immoral, but they are completely anachronistic and impractical.

But In any case, I hope I have not offended you and assure you that your comments are always read by me and considered carefully.

Best regards to you and all my old friends.

Alaa