"Some suggestions to risk taking moderate Muslims"

I am very disappointed by the recent article “Rocking the Casbah” [1] in the December 20th, 2004 issue of Newsweek by Christopher Dickey and Carla Power.

The Muslim world backs Palestine not only for their homeland but it was also the very first “Kabbah” for the Muslims. Secondly, the Muslim world is like a body if one part of the body is in pain the other parts will be suffered as well, so these authors need to recognize that all over the world, Muslims have the same emotions about Palestine and Israel. It holds the same scared meaning for Christian and Jewish as well. To solve this problem all three faiths need to compromise on a mutual agreement.

Islam is a very flexible religion and has a very systematic process of adjustment to the needs of all times. So Islam has already been modernized. In order to be adjusted in the modern world its extremist followers need to change their mentality.

Same suggestion is for the issue of homosexuality that has equally been discouraged by all the other religions as well.

The statement made by Ayaan Hiris Ali member of the Dutch Parliament and scriptwriter of the movie Submission that “My main aim is to reform Islam, to make people think and to decide on a more humane Islam” need some explanation.

Islam does not need to be more humane because these two so called educated Muslim women should know about the historical pardons and forgiveness by our Prophet Mohammad (Peace be upon him) after the capture of Mecca. How come a religion like Islam is un-humane when his believers and followers should greet everyone by “Asalamuailakum” meaning “May God bless you?”

Islam does not need to be reformed so that it will not be squandering the talents of women the fully half of God’s creation, because Islam already gives equal rights to the women thousands of years ago. If women are still abused then it’s the fault of the fanatic followers, not the true teachings of Islam.

According to the British Crown Prosecution services, “117 cases of deaths or disappearance of women over the last 10 years had been identified and that “MAY” have been the honor killings.” But these kinds of incidents are happening everywhere. Everyone must have followed the recent brutal killing of Laci Peterson here in America by her loving husband Scott Peterson. Was it also a “may have been” honor killing?

Let me remind you another case of Lori Hackings also killed by her husband. Violent murders and abuses are happening each and every part of the world, so why risk taking true Muslims like Manji and Ali are blaming only Islamic world? Why do they only need to reform Islam? They need to reform the whole modern western world.

The comparison of the Islamic scarf “Hijab” to the chain in a slave’s neck is absolutely wrong. It is a part of a dress code and has the same significance in Christianity as well. When women in America choose not to wear anything and love to show their bodies, then Muslim women also have every right to cover their bodies with anything.

If following a dress code of a religion is a masochistic symbol of identity and compared to slavery, then Muslim women are proud to be a slave and let every Muslim women show their identity. If Hijab or Scarf is a like a wall between East and West, then let all the Muslim women be on the modest and respectful side of the wall, because that’s exactly what a scarf is for a Muslim woman.

I would not call the two authors attention seeking opportunists, but if they are so victimized by the mantras of Islam, why then remain a Muslim? They can change their identity anytime. Islam does not need such ignorant flashy people. Islam does not need such “risk taking, dissident, silence breakers, and openly but not arrogantly gay.”

Note:

[1]. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6700425/site/newsweek/