Muslims who condemn terror
The Straight Path is a blog about Islam by Ruth Nasrullah. Ruth made a comment on TMV and I wanted to raise the profile of this welcome voice to public discussions of Islam.
Her latest post is Muslims who condemn terror
…one of my readers suggested a response to the widely-held but inaccurate opinion that Muslims in this country do not condemn terror. He said that a petition from thousands of Muslims speaking out against terrorism might have an effect. Although I can’t provide exactly what he suggested, I’ve created this thread and invite Muslims far and wide to post their thoughts about terrorism.I’m going to start with links to a few organizational condemnations, and then individuals and heads of other organizations can start posting.
Me first: I personally condemn all acts of terrorism committed by Muslims and non-Muslims.
Here’s the official fatwa (ruling) of the Fiqh Council of North America, the major Islamic religious organization in North America, condemning terrorism.
Here’s a link to public condemnations of terrorism by a variety of Muslim groups.
Here’s a link to a 9-page list of Islamic organizations in the US condemning terrorism.
“What you do will be insignificant, but it is important that you do it.” – Gandhi
15 Responses to “Muslims who condemn terror”
Salaam Ruth! Without looking up these various statements, can you tell me how many claim that the State of Israel and the IDF are terrorist organizations and acts against them are justified?
Same to you, Holly! Thanks for the comment.
The reports I linked to don’t include information that could answer that very specific question. You won’t be able to get an answer from my blog, either, because foreign affairs, including discussion of the middle east, is banned or very restricted. I do that not because I minimize the importance of discussing these issues publicly among people of all backgrounds and beliefs, but because I want readers to stay focused on my blog’s purpose, which is to discuss the experience of Muslim Americans and Islam in America. As you can imagine, a discussion about Israel would get very heated very quickly and I certainly don’t have the energy to moderate it!
However, I will say that we need Jewish voices on the board – that is, besides me talking about my own Jewish background! (See the “Michael Richards’ identity crisis” post.) Hope to hear more from you – Ruth
Well done, Ruth. And very much needed, especially given the many misrepresentations of Islam and the Koran that are both “out there” and expanding.
If you haven’t already, you should check out the appalling narrow-mindedness of Diana West’s column yesterday at Townhall. While she dimisses some of the logic of her colleague Dennis Prager’s prior diatribe(s), she unfairly feeds the “Islam as imperialist” mentality.
I have to go out now, but when I return tonight I’ll add your blog to TMV’s blogroll under OTHER VOICES. I tell pepole this is a WORKING BLOGROLL that I use myself on the road.
Holly in Cimcinnati – Israel and the IDF have engaged in
terrorist activities in the past and contimue to do so.
That makes them no different than many other countries.
None of us are that shining city on the hill that is so often talked about. Get over believing that Jews are any better or worse than the rest of us. We are all human beings with all the faults and greatness that that entails. I have no illusions that the United States is any better than anyone else, although we talk a good game.
Well come, Ruth. It is nice to hear another voice
particularly one representing the Muslim point of view.
Salaam Ruth! I am eager to learn more from you! Having been slammed many times on the Israel issue I can see why your blog has a narrow focus.
Troll: Please go educate yourself.
Here Holly -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_David_Hotel_bombing
Is this the kind of education you were talking about?
I especially like this part:
In July 2006, right-wing Israelis including former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former members of Irgun attended a 60th anniversary celebration of the bombing, which was organized by the Menachem Begin Centre. The British Ambassador in Tel Aviv and the Consul-General in Jerusalem complained, saying “We do not think that it is right for an act of terrorism, which led to the loss of many lives, to be commemorated.” They also protested against an Israeli plaque that claims that people died because the British ignored warning calls, saying it was untrue and “did not absolve those who planted the bomb.”
Are Israeli’s a unique people deserving of respect and a voice on our planet? Absolutely, just like everyone else. Are Isreaeli’s a people with a mixed and often bleak history including acts of terrorist violence? Yes, just like the Arabs, and the Irish, and the British, and the Americans, and the Chinese, etc. etc.
Sootytern: “I have no illusions that the United States is any better than anyone else…”
The government in your town isn’t better than Bulo Burto, Somalia where Sheik Hussein Barre Rage, the chairman of the town’s Islamic court says that residents who do not pray five times a day will be beheaded??
You’ve got illusions, alright.
mooredynasty: well illustrated point.
I have illusions that my life in Austin is about as good as I can imagine it: Meximum freedoms with a relatively modest code of conduct to keep us from hurting each other.
Our constitution is a pretty nifty accomplishment.
Moore and Paul, please don’t get your knickers in a nationalistic knot. The USA has committed atrocities, in case you haven’t noticed. It’s not America-bashing to admit that fact, nor is it Israel-bashing to admit that country has stepped out of bounds on occasion.
Thank you, Ruth for your work. How about you Holly, condemning “terrorism” by Israel, and the rest of us? How about we all denounce it.?
I’ll start: I oppose without reservation, acts of aggression against civilians, including unprovoked or “preemptive” wars. I condemn the crimes of kidnapping, torture, murder and all violations of the international rule of law.
No, Trolls, you need more education than that. Whereas mistakes occur and and occasionally regrettable actions take place, the IDF is not in the business of terrorism. It is by far the most ethical army in the world. I would be honored to serve in the IDF.
So Holly, moderate discourse means referring constantly to everyone you disagree with as “trolls”? It sounds to me like you are visiting the wrong website. Many of us realized around the age of 10 that name-calling is not a very respectful nor successful discussion method. Perhaps you should take your arguments to a local playground where you can engage with children your own age.
And just to give one example of your mistaken interpretation:
“Whereas mistakes occur and and occasionally regrettable actions take place”
The King David Hotel bombing was so mistaken and regrettable that the national leaders of Israel celebrated it 60 years later? I seem to have missed all the Muslim nations staging celebrations for 9/11 over the past few years.
Hmmmm…maybe you should stick to name calling.
We need to take off our nationalistic blinders to solve global problems. Holly, I’m sorry, but I really have to question your credentials to blog here. There will never be peace in Israel THIS WAY
Pete, re “check out the appalling narrow-mindedness of Diana West’s column yesterday at Townhall”, if you consider that appalling, what adjective does the murder of two female educators by the Taliban inspire in you?
The topic, as I recall, was Muslims’ condemnation of terrorist attacks. This seems like a good place to start. What is more elemental than the education of the new generation? Who is more deserving of respect than an Islamic woman who undertakes this kind of risky endeavor?
That is, of course, exactly why terrorists slaughter teachers.
The Taliban? They don’t exist any more, do they? Quoting Bush:
If only Bush had kept eyes on the ball, we could have finished them and Bin Laden, but his eye was on another ball, Iraqi oil.