C L O S E R

C L O S E R – Annual Meeting of Muslims in France

Posted on May 6th, 2006 by .
Categories: Internal Debates, Young Muslims.

This weekend the annual meeting of Muslims in France, takes place in Bourges. See the program (*.pdf) or watch LIVE.

0 comments.

SITE Institute: SITE Publications – The Echo of Jihad – A Period Magazine Featuring General Mujahideen News

Posted on May 6th, 2006 by .
Categories: International Terrorism, Religious and Political Radicalization.

SITE Institute: SITE Publications – The Echo of Jihad – A Period Magazine Featuring General Mujahideen News
The Echo of Jihad – A Period Magazine Featuring General Mujahideen News
By SITE Institute

May 4, 2006

Sada al-Jihad, “The Echo of Jihad,” a periodic publication electronically distributed via the Internet and featuring articles concerning general mujahideen news from several regions, was recently issued in its April 2006 release. Within the 45-page magazine, authors discuss the relative importance of Islamic scholars versus mujahideen, the danger of jihadist groups joining government, the importance of security for these groups’ survival, and recent operations and media happenings of mujahideen in Chechnya, Waziristan, Afghanistan, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. In addition, an article relating prisoner stories from Guantanamo Bay and another discussing the importance of jihad are prominently featured in this issue.

The magazine opens with a short editorial written by Abu Hajer al-Lubnani, which caustically tells of those the lies spread by “simpletons” that Usama bin Laden and Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri are guilty of killing Abdullah Azzam, citing American and Jewish television channels as sources. Anyone who places faith in these channels, according to Abu Hajer, is guilty of helping the “Crusaders”.

Other articles, such as: “Though Ye Make Mock of Us, Yet We Mock at You,” by Abu Fahr, and “Our Flesh is Heard,” contain inspirational rhetoric for the mujahideen in particular and jihad in general. The latter article describes the merits of Islamic scholars and the importance of education, compared to the necessity of jihad: “Scholars usually sit [passively] and do not fulfill the duty of Jihad for the sake of Allah and of protecting the sanctum of religion as Allah has commanded them; and there are Mujahideen who wage Jihad without knowledge, and they spoil more than they correct, and do more damage than good”. However, the situation today is such that jihad is an individual duty, rather than education, and thusly, gives the mujahid greater importance.

The article, “Circumstances Enabling Survival of Jihadi Organizations,” written by al-Mu’taz Billah, emphasizes the critical importance of a security cover for a jihadi organization to prevent infiltration by spies of a “hostile country” or a different group. Al-Mu’taz states: “The downfall of the majority of jihadi organizations was due only to this issue”. He also quotes Saif al-Adl, an al-Qaeda chief, in this regard. Likewise, the piece titled: “The Security Principles and Guidelines of the Muslim Mujahid,” provides 26 qualities a mujahid should maintain, besides how he should act. These include: “pure intention,” knowledge in the field, stealth, capability of expressing thought clearly, and critical thinking.

Another article, “The Mujahideen in the Peninsula – Pain and Hope,” laments the absence of Saudi mujahideen media, be it video, audio or written word, believing that such is an important issue for every mujahid group or organization. It states that media bears “crucial importance in allowing people to know the Mujahideen, in explaining to them the path that they follow and in rejecting slander, accusations and lies”. The author urges for the resumption of Saudi jihadist publications, and advises to separate those specializing in media from participating in military operations due to security concerns.

A piece about three stories from prisoners in Guantanamo Bay alleges that American guards at the detention facility have been demonstrating respect for Usama bin Laden, converting to Islam, and being threatened with deployment to Iraq for this conversion. Also, another article, “What Benefit?,” openly questions what good can come of Hamas as a government administration, and for Islamic parties joining government, in general. It states: “Throughout the history of Islam, there were many sects, groups, men and peoples whose aim was to help religion, and they might have been devout to Allah almighty in this desire… Yet they did not achieve what they sought because the path that they followed does not help religion”.

0 comments.

RNW: Is the current criticism of Islam comparable to anti-Semitism in the 1930s?

Posted on May 6th, 2006 by .
Categories: Internal Debates, Multiculti Issues.

RNW: Is the current criticism of Islam comparable to anti-Semitism in the 1930s?
Is the current criticism of Islam comparable to anti-Semitism in the 1930s?
Transmission date: Sunday 14 May 2006

Andy Clark

05-05-2006

Can the present anti-Islam rhetoric really be compared to European and especially German anti-Semitism in the 1930s?Muslim human rights activist Abdullahi An-Na’im thinks the current anti-Islam rhetoric in the Netherlands – repeated worldwide by its leading proponents – is indeed similar to the anti-Jewish rhetoric of the 1930s.

Professor an-Na’im made his comments in a speech at Utrecht University during a commemoration day ceremony for the Second World War.

He says anti-Semitism in those days had its unique characteristics, which can never be repeated.

But, he argues, that does not deny the existence of a basic similarity, the similarity being the definition of the one community as essentially different from – and superior to – others.

“The principle is to first reduce a people to a stereotype and then say that therefore they are bad people. In that way, defining superior Dutchness as opposed to Islam is in fact comparable to anti-Semitism,” he said.

Professor an-Na’im says he fled the tyranny of Sudanese Islamists, but now he sees the same type of thinking in the anti-immigration and anti-Islam rhetoric in Europe. Ironically, he says, the critics in Europe of Islam and the fundamentalists themselves both advocate the same claim – that human rights are incompatible with Islam.

What do you think? Is there a witch-hunt against Islam comparable to 1930s anti-Semitism?

The panellists:

Professor Abdullahi an-Na’im is an internationally known Muslim reformer and human rights activist. Originally a law professor at Khartoum University, he fled Sudan after his mentor and friend, the Sudanese Muslim reformer Mahmoud Taha, was executed as a heretic in 1985. At present, professor an-Na’im is a guest lecturer at Utrecht University.

“The Dutch people have to be on their guard not to turn the Netherlands into a Dutch fortress,” he said.

0 comments.

Protected: Trouw, deVerdieping| overigeartikelen – Generatie Lonsdale / Vol hormonen en niet lekker in hun vel

Posted on May 6th, 2006 by martijn.
Categories: Multiculti Issues, Youth culture (as a practice).

Enter your password to view comments.

Protected: Trouw, deVerdieping| overigeartikelen – Generatie Lonsdale / Vol hormonen en niet lekker in hun vel

Posted on May 6th, 2006 by martijn.
Categories: Multiculti Issues, Youth culture (as a practice).

Enter your password to view comments.

Protected: Trouw, hetNieuws| nederland – ’Lonsdale-jongeren zijn vooral bang’

Posted on May 6th, 2006 by martijn.
Categories: Multiculti Issues, Youth culture (as a practice).

Enter your password to view comments.

Protected: Trouw, hetNieuws| nederland – ’Lonsdale-jongeren zijn vooral bang’

Posted on May 6th, 2006 by martijn.
Categories: Multiculti Issues, Youth culture (as a practice).

Enter your password to view comments.

Protected: Trouw, deVerdieping| dossiers – Naema Tahir

Posted on May 6th, 2006 by martijn.
Categories: Arts & culture.

Enter your password to view comments.

Protected: Trouw, deVerdieping| dossiers – Naema Tahir

Posted on May 6th, 2006 by martijn.
Categories: Arts & culture.

Enter your password to view comments.

NPR : 'The Caged Virgin': A Call for Change in Islam

Posted on May 6th, 2006 by martijn.
Categories: Misc. News.

NPR : ‘The Caged Virgin’: A Call for Change in Islam
‘The Caged Virgin’: A Call for Change in Islam

Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Steffen Kugler

Dutch author and politician Ayaan Hirsi, pictured here talking to reporters in February 2006, scolded European leaders for appeasing radical Muslims rather than demanding greater equality for women.
Day to Day, May 4, 2006 · Dutch parliamentarian Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a native of Somalia who emigrated to The Netherlands in the early 1990s, is no stranger to controversy among her fellow Muslims. Living in the West, she felt free to publicly criticize Islam’s treatment of women.But that freedom came at a price. In 2004, a short film Ali scripted called Submission was shown on Dutch television. In the film, naked women veiled with see-through shrouds painted with verses of the Quran kneel in prayer, telling their stories as if they are speaking to Allah.

The film’s co-writer and director Theo Van Gogh was later stabbed to death by a Muslim radical. A letter pinned to the body with a dagger threatened Ali’s life. Since then, she has been under the constant protection of body guards.

The danger hasn’t stopped her from remaining outspoken about her beliefs. Ali calls her new collection of essays, The Caged Virgin, an “Emancipation Proclamation” for women and Islam.

0 comments.

NPR : ‘The Caged Virgin’: A Call for Change in Islam

Posted on May 6th, 2006 by .
Categories: Misc. News.

NPR : ‘The Caged Virgin’: A Call for Change in Islam
‘The Caged Virgin’: A Call for Change in Islam

Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Steffen Kugler

Dutch author and politician Ayaan Hirsi, pictured here talking to reporters in February 2006, scolded European leaders for appeasing radical Muslims rather than demanding greater equality for women.
Day to Day, May 4, 2006 · Dutch parliamentarian Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a native of Somalia who emigrated to The Netherlands in the early 1990s, is no stranger to controversy among her fellow Muslims. Living in the West, she felt free to publicly criticize Islam’s treatment of women.But that freedom came at a price. In 2004, a short film Ali scripted called Submission was shown on Dutch television. In the film, naked women veiled with see-through shrouds painted with verses of the Quran kneel in prayer, telling their stories as if they are speaking to Allah.

The film’s co-writer and director Theo Van Gogh was later stabbed to death by a Muslim radical. A letter pinned to the body with a dagger threatened Ali’s life. Since then, she has been under the constant protection of body guards.

The danger hasn’t stopped her from remaining outspoken about her beliefs. Ali calls her new collection of essays, The Caged Virgin, an “Emancipation Proclamation” for women and Islam.

0 comments.