Amid the controversy over the Islamic cultural center in NYC and Pastor Terry Jones' threats of burning the Quran in Florida, a recent Pew Research Center poll revealed that 42 percent of Americans believe Islam encourages violence while 55 percent admit that they do not know very much about Islam. In at least 11 states, hostile demonstrations have been staged around proposed sites for mosques, and on Sunday mornings it is common to hear vitriolic sermons by religious leaders against Islam. While none of the world's religions is impervious to fomenting conflict, Islam has often been singled out as particularly and intrinsically violent. It is nearly impossible to speak about contemporary Islam without referring to the subject of violence.
Behind the explosive headlines and images of violence, there is a neglected story of how ordinary Muslims around the world, including in the U.S., draw on their faith and tradition to build peace, engage in dialogue, resolve conflict, and use nonviolent strategies in everyday affairs. There are existing principles, tools, and resources inherent in Islam to promote cooperation and resolve conflict nonviolently.
Since the September 11 attacks, many policymakers and critics vociferously promote reforming Islamic societies, arguing for the urgent need to bring political, social, economic, and even cultural reformation to the Arab-Muslim Middle East. Such reforms include reinterpreting religious doctrines more liberally by supporting "moderate," pro-Western religious and political leaders. Others argue for bold, impulsive reforms that target changing religious education, altering political systems, lessening the influence of religious law, and diluting social and cultural practices that appear to be obstacles to progress. The promotion of American idealism -- the values of freedom, justice, equality, democracy, and the pursuit of prosperity -- are not contradictory to Islamic principles of peacebuilding or culture of cooperation.
Islamic principles of peacebuilding affirm that all humanity has a common origin, and that human dignity must be respected regardless of ethnicity, religion, tribe, or nationality. Diversity amongst people encapsulates the richness of traditions. Dialogue with others means to cooperate, collaborate, and identify practical steps for real mutual understanding. To be actively involved in one's tradition means not to lead exclusivistic, hermetic lives, but to be engaged with others in a respectful manner.
There are astounding similarities and overlapping themes in Islamic and Western peacebuilding efforts. However, unfortunately, Muslim scholars and practitioners are unrecognized for their remarkable contributions in the fields of human rights, governance, gender rights, conflict prevention, conflict resolution, peace education, development, educational reform, interfaith dialogue, and other areas.
Peacemaking and Conflict Resolution
Instead of concentrating on reforming, reinventing, and transforming Islamic societies, we need to pay attention to existing peacebuilding practices by Muslims. Peacebuilding efforts work toward preventing the escalation of violent conflict and establishing a durable and self-sustaining peace. Sunni and Shi'ite scholars unanimously agree that basic Islamic peacemaking teachings are meant to help individuals in a society to maintain healthy, meaningful relationships, both with each other and with the divine. When conflict erupts, whether it is interpersonal, communal, national or international, Muslim scholars point out the disruption and destruction of human relationships, and restoring them is essential if justice is to be served.
Traditionally, Muslim theologians, jurists, and scholars have promoted Islamic teachings of ethics to prevent, mediate, and resolve conflicts, ultimately stressing the need for personal transformation and striving toward elevating spiritual awareness and overcoming neglectfulness through fasting, prayer, charity, meditation, service, rituals of reconciliation, recitation of the Quran, love of others, adoption of orphans, and, most importantly, displaying compassion and forgiveness to oneself and to others who have done harm. This approach on personal inner transformation -- moving away from greed, egocentric desires, suffering, negative materialism, harming others -- humans then can act peacefully in the world.
Early on in Islamic history, jurists legalized and institutionalized peacebuilding efforts from the top-down approach, which is the use of a judge to oversee the process of mediation, arbitration, and reconciliation. Conflicting parties also had an option to agree on a process of resolving a dispute with a third-party mediator, where the mediator would ensure that all parties were satisfied by the outcomes. Other customary practices of conflict resolution include using an intermediary to represent the party, but not necessarily lawyers, who can best present their positions as clearly as possible and can guarantee that the parties receive a fair settlement. Compensation is not only measured in financial terms; it also includes a service to the family or community and specific gestures of sympathy or public demonstration of reconciliation.
Contrary to stereotypical images of Muslim women in Arab-Muslim societies, peacebuilding is by no means an exclusive male prerogative or male-dominated field. Instead, leading civil-society organizations are directed by Muslim women, especially in conflict zones such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine, and Somalia. Suzanne Mubarak, wife of president of Hosni Mubarak, supervises the Institute of Peace in Alexandria, Egypt, where hundreds of trainings and workshops support youth empowerment and the importance of civic responsibilities. Soraya Jamjuree, founder of the Friends of Victimized Families and professor at the Prince Songklah University in Pattani, Thailand, has successfully implemented non-violent methods to mediate and resolve conflict in southern Thailand. Jamjuree publically stated, "When violence happens, the victim's family wants to take revenge if they know the perpetrators. I think we can reduce their pain, reduce their sadness and stop them from taking revenge. If we have success in this way, maybe we can stop the violence, if not now, perhaps in the future."
In Pakistan, Sameena Imtiaz, founder of Peace Education and Development (PEAD) Foundation has effectively trained hundreds of teachers and students in the most underdeveloped areas of Pakistan in peacebuilding, conflict resolution, human rights, minority rights, gender equality, and tolerance of others. In a recent workshop of peace educators, Imtiaz said, "Our work in peace education cannot be viewed as symbolic repair work, more than ever it is a necessity for the future of the nation."
Defying the role of passive victims cloaked in dark, ghastly clothing, Muslim women peacemakers are not seeking to be defended or liberated by others; rather, they are leading the field by creating new models of conflict resolution, using networks of activists, political figures, media, and religious leaders to negotiate peacemaking processes.
Despite these processes and current efforts, there is a real need to increase the support of peacebuilding activities through civil-society organizations, address political stagnation, address historical memories of violence and injustice, and identify a measurable solution to economic and political powerlessness. It is clear that the diversity of traditions, cultures, opinions, and civilizations within Islam greatly enhances and enriches the possibilities for greater peacebuilding work.
The views presented here do not necessarily reflect views of the United States Institute of Peace (USIP).
William C. Chittick, Ph.D.: The Meaning of Islam
Is Islam a religion of war or peace?
Peace in Islamic philosophy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"The Quran actually teaches respect for women that is light years ahead of any other teachings"
"The fact that in Mohammedan law every woman must belong to some man as his absolute property, either as a child, a wife, or a concubine, must delay the final extinction of slavery until the faith of Islam has ceased to be a great power among men." Churchill
"I suppose. American-Muslims seem to do fine with this."
They have not reached the core percentage of ten percent population. Once they reach the trouble starts. See UK and the small EU countries.
"Rumors of their aspiration of world domination have been greatly exaggerated, I would say."
See what these American muslims say:
“We reject the U.N., reject America, reject all law and order. Don't lobby Congress or protest because we don't recognize Congress. The only relationship you should have with America is to topple it. . . . Eventually there will be a Muslim in the White House dictating the laws of Shariah." -- Muhammad Faheed, Muslim Students Association meeting, Queensborough Community College, 2003
"Islam isn't in America to be equal to any other faith, but to become dominant. The Koran should be the highest authority in America, and Islam the only accepted religion on earth." -- CAIR cofounder and longtime Board chairman Omar Ahmad, 1998
"I have never seen anyone do this."
When the religion itself permits lying to further the cause of the faith, a Sufi becoming a Wahaabi, it should be easier than a costume change.
"Can't; I don't follow Muslim-world politics that closely."
You claim omniscience when convenient and pleads ignorance when inconvenient. I will tell you. Islam is anti democratic.
"very small fraction of Muslims support this kind of insanity."
Do blame the small numbers; also blame the theology that fuels this barbarism.
"I have no knowledge of this, one way or the other."
I will tell you. There is no muslim country that treat its minorities as per the golden rule. There is no space for minorities in the belief system of Islam.
"The United States."
If so, your claims of widespread Islamophobia is baseless. I will say Americans fear you rather than respect your religion or the followers.
"The Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) tend to be this way."
No. Jews and Christians do not claim with any seriousness that their religion is more relevent than others. Muslims do not accept that all religions are equal. Dr.Zakir Naik eloquently said others should permit mosques in their countries to enable other religionists to reach the right religion ultimately. Muslim countries, already with the right religion, should not permit churches and temples as they represent false faiths.
They are the owners of a vicious dog in the house and the dog is running the show. They're only tactic left is to try and convince the neighborhood not to rile up the dog and that it's the dog's fault for vicious attacks, not theirs.
This are the statements of Shahzad in the court. I would prefer to go with Shahzad and err on the side of safety than your accept your convoluted statements. I will post a detailed reply later.
Shahzad, 31, responded that the "Quran gives us the right to defend. And that's all I'm doing."
Earlier, Shahzad offered a lecture of his own for Americans, saying he felt no remorse.
"We are only Muslims ... but if you call us terrorists, we are proud terrorists and we will keep on terrorizing you," he said.
At another point, he said: "The defeat of the U.S. is imminent."
During Shahzad's statement, Cedarbaum cut him off at one point to ask if he had sworn allegiance to the United States when he became an American citizen last year.
"I did swear but I did not mean it," said Shahzad, a former budget analyst from Connecticut who was born in Pakistan.
"So you took a false oath," the judge told him.
We do not accept your democracy or your freedom because we already have Sharia law and freedom," Shahzad said.
Asked by the judge if he had any final words, Shahzad said, "I'm happy with the deal that God has given me."
"Such reforms include reinterpreting religious doctrines more liberally by supporting "moderate," pro-Western religious and political leaders. Others argue for bold, impulsive reforms that target changing religious education, altering political systems, lessening the influence of religious law, and diluting social and cultural practices that appear to be obstacles to progress."
That is why the Muslims should not worry about pleasing the non-Muslims, for indeed they will never be pleased until you follow their way. That is mentioned in the Quran in Surat Al-Baqarah Ayah # 120 --- here is a translation of that verse:
"And neither the Jews nor the Nasaara (i.e. those who call themselves Christians) will ever be pleased with you (Oh Muhammad and those who follow him) until you follow their millat (i.e. creed, religion, way). And if you were to follow their whims after what has come to you of knowledge, then there will be no gaurdian nor any supporter for you against Allah."
So don't worry fellow Muslims, if it is in the Quran and the authentic Sunnah then let us be content with what Allah has given us. If it is not from these Revealed texts and it is contrary to Islam then we should no doubt clarify the issue, but if it is from our Religion we should not let the disdain and mockery of others dictate to us what is best and most appropriate, for indeed Allah, the Most-Wise and All-Knowing revealed it.
The laws in those books were probably applicable at that time but now is a totally different, more gentler world which hopefully respects all humans as equal.
Now, I have not read any major religious book in detail and am in no way a scholar. But do consider myself a global citizen.. learning and moving forward.
For example, in Hinduism, there was a practice of burning live widows along with the corpses of their dead husbands, known as Sati, obviously based on some psychotic interpretation of their religious books. However, it no longer exists, thankfully.
The insistence of religious fanatics in blindly following whatever is written in their so called holy books without a care for others rights or feelings is plain wrong and equivalent of burning widows in this day and age.
Religion is good, as long as it is between me and my God. I am (I think) perfectly justified in saying that my God is the best, for me. The problem occurs when I start saying that My God is better than yours. Peace
-The rantings of a frustrated global citizen.
Islam in 2010 can certainly be seen as an out-of-date artifact of Middle Eastern patriarchal cultures. Everyone on Earth is a sociologist now. Tale the Burka. GAME OVER. Men in these impaired comical cultures have to grow up now and get over their life long hyper teenage "sexual hysteria".
I work with many talented women in software engineering. I have to worry about Java programming or I will lose my job and die in the gutter in this current world economy. I have to write programs that control millions of dollars in funds transfer reporting over the Internet. Women could walk around me at work fully naked and I could care less! DOES THIS PROGRAMMING CODE WORK? This ain't the 7th Century anymore! Raiding and plundering by the sword is done in other ways now! So men in the Middle East are going to have to get a real job in science and technology too! Naked women and fully clothed women are indeed a delight to contemplate in any venue but Java Programming comes FIRST during business hours in TOTAL CONCENTRATION! So guys are just going to have to get over it - right ladies of HP?
Let the Islamic Mullahs of the world "dream on" because they are going to have to deal with THIS now!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izYTskwE0As
The teenage boys in bearded adult bodies in those lands had better Google "Qurrat Al-'Ayn Tahirah" and prepare for massive change.
can you please expound"
He means drwing Mohammed cartoons; the lady who did that has disappered, on the advice of FBI, and lives under another identity, fearing her safety from the religion of peace.
"Right now, in the world scene, Islam is being attacked ideologically and Muslims even being attacked physically."
Rubbish. It is those who criticise Islam are under real attack; like Daniel Pipes, Robert Spencer, Pamela Geller, Danish Cartoonist, Geert Wilders etc. Danish cartoonist was actually attacked and the police saved him in the last moment. Theo Van Gogh was killed for a movie. Exmuslims are under threat for their lives. Your claim that you are under attack is plainly bogus.
"we can be right only by being a secular-Muslim cross hybrid."
Thanks for validating my statement that muslims can never be secular nor democratic.
"A handful of Muslims collectively create a mishap and kill those that they perceive are attacking the Muslim world,"
A terror strike is not a mishap; it is man made disaster, as Obama obsequiously describes it. In 1915 the Turkish muslims killed 1.5 million Armenian Christians in one sweep. There were no Iraq, Afganistan, Kashmir, Chechennya, Palestine etc. It is calleed Armenian genocide. Tell us why they did it?
The Muslimeen can sit at a peace table but no one is listening to us these days, since a collective sword is being delivered to us threw invasions in Muslim lands, subjugation threw financial MOU's giving away our homeland's for American money and secular schools that retrain the Muslim into a quasi secular-Muslim cross -hybrid.
Peace is elusive for us now in this dunya (world) and we see that many Muslims now join forces and insurgencies to drive out these invaders, innovators that tell us that we are wrong in being Muslim and we can be right only by being a secular-Muslim cross hybrid.
Peace is a prerequisite in our religion and tell us that we should share with our neighbors and find common ground. But, their is no common ground for us as Muslims with our non Muslim neighbors now!
In Europe and America have begun steps to attack our dress and stop the spread of our religious houses (masajids).
Make no mistake, we are under attack! Can we pray to ask Allah swt to bring us peace in this dunya? Do we fight back? Do we join the increasing insurgencies in our lands? Is the Mahdi coming?Are we steadfast?
It is under the shari'ah that a woman can choose to marry whom she chooses, in some corners of Islamic world, this has been denied them, which is again against the sunnah and the shari'ah. She cannot Marry a non Muslim man, this is forbidden!
female circumcision is forbidden and this horrible action is practiced more in non Muslim societies than in the Muslim world.
A woman's testimony is half as much in adultery cases only. She can testify and give expert testimony in every other field.
While I am speaking of this, if you review the ahadith book of witnesses, testimony is crucial and a scorned women in the past in your world have put many innocent men in jail, this incident is prevented in the shari'ah if she has had a previous relationship or in involved in family disputes and so on. This testimony is discounted in the shari'ah. So too is the man who in the past has dispute with the accused or family disputes his testimony is dismissed.
Example, if a woman is accused by four men that she is a fornicator and one of the witnesses was a former suitor,family dispute, this testimony is stricken and the case thrown out.
In the Islamic world today, the secular rules have taken hold and the rights of the woman has been lessen!
this is a important factor and the west contributes to wholesale lies, distortions misinformation and disinformation about the shari'ah when in fact they know it is western trained Islamic leaders that are ruling in our lands today. They have instituted laws like in the west so the woman has seen her inheritance, her salary from work take a hit and divided in divorce cases, these items under the shari'ah is forbidden since the her money, inheritance, her salary are off limits in the shari'ah!
India proved him wrong; Pakistan proved him right.
"Not Sufis. Surely you understand the distinction by now (between Sufis and extremists)."
Changing a Sufi costume with a Wahaabi one is fairly easy, I trust.
"Democracy....? Democracy is a very modern concept, there are plenty of Muslim countries in the world that are Democratic, must I list them?"
Name one muslim country that has a sustained democracy? Turkey and Indonesia have a facade of being democratic; Turkey is posturing to get into EU; it is moving towards Iran than towards the West.
"Granted, the punishments are more severe, but then again, the crime rate in those Muslim countries"
It is all right to stone to death for women seen in company with unrelated persons etc. That is crazy.
Doug. I repeat the questioons:
The followers of Islam may not be accceptable component in a plural society because:
> they can not accept that all religions are equal
> they can not accept or practise gender equality
> they can not obey the secular laws overriding shariaa
> their aspiration of world domination of Islam and universal imposition of sharia; borderless umma is against the concept modern state.
Name one muslim country that treats its minorities with equity, justice and fairness
Name one non muslim country where minority muslims are respected as peaceful and productive sections
I've never seen anyone do this. You really think Imam Rauf, who has a great reputation as a peace-making, inter-faith bridge-building American Muslim, for the last 30 years, including his work with the FBI and the U.S. State Department, and who indicates his extremely liberal (by Muslim standards) attitudes with ongoing statements and videos ----- is actually somehow a conservative Wahhabist "in disguise".
Let's just say that our opinions differ. To put it very mildly.
"Name one muslim country that has a sustained democracy?"
Can't; I don't follow Muslim-world politics that closely. I do know that Imam Rauf and other American Muslims are trying to help that process along, though.
"It is all right to stone to death for women seen in company with unrelated persons etc. That is crazy."
I agree with this statement. The problem I have is with the ongoing erroneous statements which make it sound like anything more than a very, very small fraction of Muslims support this kind of insanity.
"Name one muslim country that treats its minorities with equity, justice and fairness."
I have no knowledge of this, one way or the other.
"Name one non muslim country where minority muslims are respected as peaceful and productive sections."
The United States. The Muslims here certainly warrant it, per links I've posted, and most people are fine w/Muslims.
Peace to all.
"The followers of Islam may not be accceptable component in a plural society because:
> they can not accept that all religions are equal"
The Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) tend to be this way. If this is actually an inherent problem, though, why are the millions of Muslims in the United States some of our most peaceful and productive citizens?
"> they can not accept or practise gender equality"
They seem to, here in the United States; at least as much as any other religious group does, anyway. Sufis are absolutely about equality for all. The Quran actually teaches respect for women that is light years ahead of any other teaching, until some of the social-equality gains in the 20th century.
Un-Quranic hadiths, of course, do not - "hence all the trouble."
"> they can not obey the secular laws overriding shariaa"
Depends which Shariah you mean, I suppose. American-Muslims seem to do fine with this.
"> their aspiration of world domination of Islam and universal imposition of sharia; borderless umma is against the concept modern state."
Rumors of their aspiration of world domination have been greatly exaggerated, I would say.
Especially with respect to American Muslims.
Glad we had the chance to clear this up.
Peace to all.
I do not hate either muslims or the religion. All my comments do clinically analyse the subject and presented with precision. I am happy and contended. I am forceful because of my concerns for the future generations of my commmunity. They are supported with relevent quotes. You can not brush aside the comments of Churchill and others as racist.
However I find it distasteful to find many who deny outright that a problem exists in Islam and reforms are unnecessary. Islam is a religious system and every system requires reform movement once a while. The denial exposes that musllims do not intend to change. They will continue to blame others, like Iraq war etc or eternally rely on explanations like misinformed and other misses. This is unacceptable.
I encourage every Muslim who embraces America to stop isolating and participate in America! get on your school board, your PTA, run for city council, invite a neighbor to dinner, lend him a lawn mower, do some civic engagement so that bit by bit we're known primarily as engaged and active concerned citizens first and foremost-- who just happen to be Muslims. This could go a long way to demystifying the Muslim experience for non-Muslims.
For the Islamophobes who worry about radicalism in mosques: No Muslims in America want that either, but taking an inflammatory and incendiary , almost bigoted rhetoric doesn't help us.Yes, we need to police our own, provide youth alternatives, etc. Work with us and not against us for a safer America for all of us.
Heated talks in a Khutbah is not the answer and instances these kind of talks are not sunnah, according to certain ahadiths. Certainly, the American Islamic community is in a tailspin, not knowing which way to turn. Many have adopted the terms that these same non Musims call us in hopes that they would call us 'good Muslims' and different from the rest. This kind of thinking and action is short lived since seeking approval from an open enemy is not sunnah either as it has been so explain in numerous ayats in the Qur'an.
You can police the ummah, stress peace and seek to gain love and admiration from non Muslims, this will not help and it is against the sunnah to do this!
As long as American invasions, occupations, establishing secular schools amidst in bombs in our lands continue, talking is not going to help. The Muslim lands are under attack by the American government and how do you tell your brother who has been killed for 9/11 and his village destroy not to join insurgents and how can you condemn him without condemning those that are killing our brothers?
Some of us are paying the right kind of attention to all this.
"Members of the American Muslim community have been -- and continue to be -- strong partners in fighting this emerging threat."
~Eric Holder, Attorney General of the United States of America
Congressional Report, Countering Violent Extremism
http://www.mpac.org/programs/government-relations/mpac-american-muslims-featured-in-congressional-report-on-countering-violent-extremism.php
"This research project found that Muslim-American communities strongly reject radical jihadi ideology, are eager to contribute to the national counter-terrorism effort, and are fiercely committed to integration within the mainstream of American social and economic life."
"Muslim-Americans have developed strong working relationships with federal and local law enforcement agencies."
"Public opinion polls in the United States suggest that a significant minority of Americans are highly suspicious of Muslim-Americans and seemingly unaware of the consistent and strong public denunciations of violence by Muslim-American organizations and leaders."
"This research confirmed what has been observed in other studies of Muslim terrorists: most of those who engage in religiously inspired terrorism have little formal training in Islam and, in fact, are poorly educated about Islam."
~quote from the Conclusion of Anti-Terror Lessons of Muslim-Americans, a 64-page research report published by Duke University
http://fds.duke.edu/db?attachment-34--4912-view-1255
Peace to all.
My guess is most of the other 45% know nothing about Islam.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agOU2R6MTbg&feature=player_embedded
http://blog.beliefnet.com/mindfulnessmatters/2010/10/ted-tuesday-imam-faisal-abdul-rauf-lose-your-ego-find-your-compassion.html
... and realize that preconceptions about anyone, including Imams, is a really good way to block reality.
Peace to all.
I can only sympathize with you -- The hate you have in you is unbelievable. This
hate is not allowing you live a normal and happy life .. You can't give place to
peace and happiness unless you empty or at least reduce the amount of hate in
your heart.. Life is too short and looks like 2/3rd of yours is already over if 1941
is your year of birth - I hope I am wrong..
~ The price of hating others is loving oneself less. ~
Eldridge Cleaver
~ We hate some persons because we do not know them; and will not know them because we hate them. ~ Charles Colton
~ If you hate sombody, you hate something in him that is part of yourself. What isn't part of ourselves doesn't disturb us. Herman Hesse
~ I imagine one of the reasons people cling to their hates so stubbornly is because they sense, once hate is gone... they will be forced to deal with pain. ~
James Arthur Baldwin
~ One does not hate as long as one has a low esteem of someone, but only when one esteems him as an equal or a superior. ~
Friedrich Nietzsche
Truth hurts - but there is no way around it .. so pay heed
How about freedom to blaspheme...so freedom is out.
Democracy is out.
Justice is a totally different concept in Islam.
can you please expound
Democracy....? Democracy is a very modern concept, there are plenty of Muslim countries in the world that are Democratic, must I list them?
Justice...is inherent in Islam and demands that Justice be fulfilled. Granted, the punishments are more severe, but then again, the crime rate in those Muslim countries, such as Saudi Arabia are dwarfed by the statistics in USA and Europe. Peace.