Islamophobia in the Light of Hypocrisy
A Huffington Post article by Michael Shank triggered one of my Google Alerts. I have selected two excerpts for dissection.
The first excerpt follows a litany of "scares", ending with Islamophobia. There is purpose here. When entire races, religions or regions are dehumanized, it is easier to wage war, expel immigrants, and forge new, discriminatory (or oppressive) domestic and foreign policies to deal with these vilified populations.
Which of those things did we do? Did we wage war against Communism? Did we outlaw the Communist Party? Did we arbitrarily expel Communists? How about Catholics & Jews? We did go to war against Japan, seems like there was some valid reason for that action. I do not remember Pearl Harbor, but some of my readers might. The issue of internment is highly charged, but I have seen indications that the policy had some grounding in reality. Next, we get down to the issue: Islamic violence.
We have few notions of Islam and nonviolence, in large part because our fear has focused on the extreme outliers and because our largely Christian nation has not yet fully embraced -- in media, policy, education or law -- religious diversity, no matter how nonviolent, peaceful and tolerant the religion's majority. It is time we do so. There is much to embrace -- if only we open our eyes to it.
dehumanized
Islam depicts Jews as those who "earned Allah's anger"; Christians as those who "went astray". It describes Jews as the "worst of living creatures"; "apes and swine". It curses us and declares war on us.notions of Islam and nonviolence
Are notions of nonviolent Islam grounded in reality? Here is a list of the Islamic episodes of violence in the table of contents of Guillaume's The Life of Muhammad. The first raid: on Waddan 281Hamza's raid to the coast 283
Raid on Buwat 285
Raid on al-'Ushayra 285
Raid on al-Kharrar 286
Raid on Safawan 286
Fighting in the sacred month 286
The change of the Qibla 289
Battle of Badr
Raid on B. Sulaym 360
Raid called al-Sawiq 361
Raid on Dhu Amarr 362
Raid on al-Furu' 362
Attack on B. Qaynuqa' 363
Raid on al-Qarada 364
Killing of Ka'b b. al-Ashraf 364
Muhayyisa and Huwayyisa 369
Battle of Uhud 370
The Quran on UQud 391
The day of al-Raji' 426
Treachery at Bi'r Ma'una 433
B. al-Nadir exiled 437
Raid of Dhatu'l-Riqa' 445
Last expedition to Badr
Raid on Dumatu'l-Jandal 449
Battle of the Ditch 456
Attack on B. Qurayza 461
Killing of Sallam 482
Attack on B. Lihyan 485
Attack on Dhu Qarad 486
Attack on B. al-Mustaliq
Raid on Mu'ta 531
The occupation of Mecca 540
Khalid followed by 'Ali go forth as missionaries 561
Khalid destroys al-'Uzza 565
Battle of Hunayn 566
Capture of al-Ta'if 587
Division of the spoils of Hawazin
Raid on TabUk
Ghalib's raid on B. al-Mulawwah 660
Zayd's raid on Judham 662
Zayd's raid on B. Fazara 664
'Abdullah b. Rawaha's raid to kill al- Yusayr 665
'Abdullah b. Unays's raid to kill Khalid b. Sufyan 666
'Uyayna's raid on B. al-' Anbar 667
Ghalib's raid on B. Murra 667
'Amr b. al-' As's raid on Dhatu'l-Salasil 668
Ibn Abu Hadrad's raid on Idam 669
His raid on al-Ghaba 671
'Abdu'l-Rabznan's raid on Dumatu'l-Jandal 672
Abu 'Ubayda's raid to the coast 673
Salim b. 'Umayr's raid to kill Abu' Afak
'Umayr b. 'Adiy's raid to kill' Asma' 675
Capture of Thumama b. Athal 676
'Alqama's raid 677
Kurz's raid on the Bajilis 677
'Ali's raid on the Yaman 678
extreme outliers
Was the founder of Islam an extreme outlier? He said that he was "ordered to fight the people". He said that he was "made victorious with terror". No, Muhammad defined Islam, and set its standard with the exemplary conduct listed in the contents of his biography. Is Allah, Islam's deity, an extreme outlier? He ordained jihad for Muslims. He commanded Muslims to wage war against pagans until resistance ceases and only Allah is worshiped on a global scale. Allah commanded Muslims to wage war against Jews, Christians & Zoroastrians until they are subjugated and extorted. Are Al-Qaeda, HAMAS & Hezbollah extreme outliers or are they Salafists, obedient to Allah and emulating Muhammad?religious diversity
Muhammad said "I will expel the Jews and Christians from the Arabian Peninsula and will not leave any but Muslim.".nonviolent, peaceful
Are they believers? Or are they hypocrites? If they are believers, they are neither nonviolent nor peaceful.9:111. Verily, Allâh has purchased of the believers their lives and their properties; for the price that theirs shall be the Paradise. They fight in Allâh's Cause, so they kill (others) and are killed. It is a promise in truth which is binding on Him in the Taurât (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel) and the Qur'ân. And who is truer to his covenant than Allâh? Then rejoice in the bargain which you have concluded. That is the supreme success .
If they are nonviolent and peaceful, then: [See 9:84...89 for the definition of hypocrites.]
4:88. Then what is the matter with you that you are divided into two parties about the hypocrites? Allâh has cast them back (to disbelief) because of what they have earned. Do you want to guide him whom Allâh has made to go astray? And he whom Allâh has made to go astray, you will never find for him any way (of guidance). 4:89. They wish that you reject Faith, as they have rejected (Faith), and thus that you all become equal (like one another). So take not Auliyâ' (protectors or friends) from them, till they emigrate in the Way of Allâh (to Muhammad ). But if they turn back (from Islâm), take (hold) of them and kill them wherever you find them, and take neither Auliyâ' (protectors or friends) nor helpers from them. 9:68. Allâh has promised the hypocrites; men and women, and the disbelievers, the Fire of Hell, therein shall they abide. It will suffice them. Allâh has cursed them and for them is the lasting torment.
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