Are Muslims unwilling to accord others the same rights they demand for themselves? From the Pak Tribune, highlighting the tolerance of American Christians and Jews and sharply criticizing the Taliban, the Saudis and Muslim ‘apartheid’ toward other religions, this article by columnist and former Pakistan Air Force pilot Anwaar Hussain argues that it’s time Muslims looked in the mirror before complaining about the injustices practiced by members of other religions.
For the Pak Tribune, Anwaar Hussain writes in small part:
Someone needed to say this, so here it is.
We huff and puff in a self-righteous rage over the refusal of a few in the US of A to allow the building of a mosque near Ground Zero. Particularly for the bigots on either side, the issue has become so all-consuming that it’s hard to distinguish their collective voice from one continuous, high-pitched, piercing blare.
Quite a few on my mailing list enthusiastically forwarded me an amazing article written by Michael Moore (yes, of Fahrenheit 9/11 fame) titled as, If This Mosque isn’t Built, This is no Longer America. In this stunning piece, Michael Moore wants the mosque built “not two blocks from Ground Zero” but “on Ground Zero.” He goes on to give a long list of reasons for this. What really stumped me in Michael’s write-up was that since the beginning, according to him, it has been the Jewish Community Center in Manhattan whose rabbi has been helping the New York Muslim community in their quest.
And I thought the Jews were our worst enemies.
Bang in the middle of this controversy, other dazzling news was almost drowned out. According to a Christian Science Monitor report, the hundred-thousand strong Muslim community of the Italian city of Milan are pushing for building the first-ever mosque in that city. And who is their most steadfast ally in this quest? Lo and behold, it’s none other than the Vatican itself. Says Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi, the Catholic Church’s highest authority in Milan, “Milan civil institutions must guarantee everyone religious freedom,” and “Muslims have the right to practice their faith.”
All power to the Muslim communities in New York and Milan – and Michael Moore and Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi, but where does that leave ordinary Muslims like me? I’m all confused. I thought these people could never be friends with Muslims. That, as a matter fact, is an article of faith with us Muslims. I appeal to the paragons of moral consistency to now come to my aid. And pronto please. What’s happening? Someone please reassure me that these friendly gestures are actually more “Judeo-Christian conspiracies” against us Muslims. And if they are, what exactly are we going to do about them? Refuse the help or refuse building the mosques?
Later, in a very interesting exposition about how the Saudis treat non-believers, Hussain writes in part:
Not allowed to practice their faith openly, Christians are forced to worship secretly in private homes. Even articles and symbols like Bibles, crucifixes, statues, carvings, items with religious icons, etc. are prohibited. The government doesn’t permit non-Muslim clergy to enter the country for the purpose of conducting religious services. In that country, blood money for the accidental death of a Christian male is half as much as that for a Muslim (lucky, one would say, because all others i.e. Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs etc. are valued at 1/16th the amount).
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