Muslim Charter of Misrepresentation

Thursday, January 10, 2008 saw the signing by representatives of 400 European Muslim organizations, of a Charter of European Muslim Understanding, whose text you may read at UpPompeii. The charter is the work of the Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe.

Let us critically examine some critical provisions of the charter. Section 1, Article 5: [Emphasis added for clarity.]

5. Islam has honoured human beings as stewards of the earth. This honour embraces all the children of Adam, both male and female, without discrimination. By virtue of this honour, human beings are to be protected from anything that is an affront to their dignity, is harmful to their mental faculties, is damaging to their health or which abuses their rights by exploiting their vulnerabilities.

All human beings, male and female are equal, without discrimination. All are to be protected from affront to dignity and physical harm; their vulnerabilities are not to be exploited. Is there any truth in those statements? By what standard and what evidence shall we judge this matter?

1. Our understanding of Islam is based on immutable principles that are derived from the authentic sources of Islam: the Qur'an and the Prophetic traditions (Sunnah), within the framework of consensus with consideration for the time factor as well as the specifics of the European reality.

What does Allah, in his Qur'an tell us about the dignity of women?

• 2:223. Your wives are a tilth for you, so go to your tilth (have sexual relations with your wives in any manner as long as it is in the vagina and not in the anus), [...]
• 4:11. Allâh commands you as regards your children's (inheritance); to the male, a portion equal to that of two females; [...]
• 2:282. [...]And get two witnesses out of your own men. And if there are not two men (available), then a man and two women, such as you agree for witnesses, so that if one of them (two women) errs, the other can remind her. [...]

What do the traditions testify to the dignity of women?

• Sahih Bukhari Volume 1, Book 6, Number 301: [...]The women asked, "O Allah's Apostle! What is deficient in our intelligence and religion?" He said, "Is not the evidence of two women equal to the witness of one man?" They replied in the affirmative. He said, "This is the deficiency in her intelligence. Isn't it true that a woman can neither pray nor fast during her menses?" The women replied in the affirmative. He said, "This is the deficiency in her religion." [...]

What of the dignity of disbelievers; what did Allah say?

• 8:22. Verily! The worst of (moving) living creatures with Allâh are the deaf and the dumb, those who understand not (i.e. the disbelievers).
• 2:65. And indeed you knew those amongst you who transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath (i.e. Saturday). We said to them: "Be you monkeys, despised and rejected."
• 3:112. Indignity is put over them wherever they may be, except when under a covenant (of protection) from Allâh, and from men; they have drawn on themselves the Wrath of Allâh, and destruction is put over them. This is because they disbelieved in the Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allâh and killed the Prophets without right. This is because they disobeyed (Allâh) and used to transgress beyond bounds (in Allâh's disobedience, crimes and sins).
• 9:29. Fight against those who (1) believe not in Allâh, (2) nor in the Last Day, (3) nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allâh and His Messenger (4) and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth (i.e. Islâm) among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), until they pay the Jizyah with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.

And what did Moe testify to our dignity?

• Sahih Bukhari Volume 1, Book 8, Number 387:
  
  Narrated Anas bin Malik:
  
  Allah's Apostle said, "I have been ordered to fight the people till they say: 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah.' And if they say so, pray like our prayers, face our Qibla and slaughter as we slaughter, then their blood and property will be sacred to us and we will not interfere with them except legally and their reckoning will be with Allah."
  

Dignity, equality, protection; three strikes and yer out!!

7. Islam calls for equality between man and woman within the framework of mutual respect and views that a balanced life is one in which the relationship between man and woman is harmonious and complementary. It unequivocally rejects all notions or actions that undermine women or deprive them of their legitimate rights, regardless of some customs or habits of some Muslims. Islam strongly opposes the exploitation of women and their treatment as mere objects of desire.

Is that true? What did Allah say about that?

• 4:24. Also (forbidden are) women already married, except those (captives and slaves) whom your right hands possess. [...]
• Sahih Bukhari Volume 5, Book 59, Number 459:
  
  Narrated Ibn Muhairiz:
  
  I entered the Mosque and saw Abu Said Al-Khudri and sat beside him and asked him about Al-Azl (i.e. coitus interruptus). Abu Said said, "We went out with Allah's Apostle for the Ghazwa of Banu Al-Mustaliq and we received captives from among the Arab captives and we desired women and celibacy became hard on us and we loved to do coitus interruptus. So when we intended to do coitus interrupt us, we said, 'How can we do coitus interruptus before asking Allah's Apostle who is present among us?" We asked (him) about it and he said, 'It is better for you not to do so, for if any soul (till the Day of Resurrection) is predestined to exist, it will exist."

9. Islam respects human rights and calls for equality among all human beings, it rejects all forms of racial discrimination and emphasises the importance of liberty. Hence it condemns compulsion in religion and allows the individual freedom of conscience. Furthermore, Islam encourages that freedom ought to be exercised in accordance with moral values and respect for law, such that it does not infringe upon the rights of others.

What did Moe say about discrimination?

• Sahih Muslim Book 020, Number 4476:
  
  It has been narrated on the authority of 'Abdullah that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: The Caliphate will remain among the Quraish even if only two persons are left (on the earth),
  
  

And what of compulsion? [See 9:29 cited above.]

• Sahih Bukhari Volume 6, Book 60, Number 80:
  
  Narrated Abu Huraira:
  
  The Verse:--"You (true Muslims) are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind." means, the best of peoples for the people, as you bring them with chains on their necks till they embrace Islam.
  
  

10. Islam calls for mutual acquaintance between people, dialogue and co-operation among people and nations so as to enhance co-existence and achieve peace in the world. The term Jihad that occurs in Islamic texts means to exert all efforts towards good, starting from reforming oneself to spreading truth and justice between people. Jihad in its understanding as warfare is regarded as one of the means available to a Muslim state when it needs to defend itself against aggression. This is in compliance with international law. Based on such an understanding of Jihad, Islam rejects indiscriminate violence and terrorism and supports just causes and affirms the right of all people to defend themselves by legitimate means.

What did Allah say?

• 8:39. And fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and polytheism: i.e. worshipping others besides Allâh) and the religion (worship) will all be for Allâh Alone [in the whole of the world ]. [...]
• 9:29. Fight against those who (1) believe not in Allâh, (2) nor in the Last Day, (3) nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allâh and His Messenger (4) and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth (i.e. Islâm) among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), until they pay the Jizyah with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.
• 9:123. O you who believe! Fight those of the disbelievers who are close to you, and let them find harshness in you, and know that Allâh is with those who are the Al-Muttaqûn (the pious - see V.2:2).
  

What did Moe say?

• Abu Dawud 14.2635
  Narrated Anas ibn Malik:
  
  The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: I am commanded to fight with men till they testify that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is His servant and His Apostle, face our qiblah (direction of prayer), eat what we slaughter, and pray like us. When they do that, their life and property are unlawful for us except what is due to them. They will have the same rights as the Muslims have, and have the same responsibilities as the Muslims have.

Now we know that Islam remains true to form, contstant in its practice of al-Taqeyya. There is no truth in it!