Moderate Muslims Must Denounce Armed Jihad
By Farzana Hassan
March 12, 2015
On Tuesday, Parliament was in turmoil debating Islamophobia, radical Islam and all the manifestations of Islam’s troubled nexus with Western society.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper defended his position on banning the Niqab from citizenship ceremonies, while Liberal leader Justin Trudeau alleged such talk marginalizes all Muslims.
Yet the best way to fight Islamophobia is for moderate Muslims to step forward and candidly address real issues that plague and stigmatize the Muslim community, both in Canada and abroad.
Up to now, such efforts have been half-hearted and largely futile in the face of the seductively strident rhetoric of the extremists.
A fresh attempt is a TTC ad campaign launched by Imam Steve Rockwell, a convert to Islam from Christianity.
He says he is a disciple of Ahmed Deedat, a Muslim active until the nineties in ecumenical dialogue with Christians, but also with a well-known policy of spreading Islam through the Western world.
Rockwell hosts a weekly television program called “Call of the Minaret”, which he says invites viewers to see Islam in a dispassionate light, by shedding all their prejudices.
It addresses what Rockwell says are “misconceptions” about Islam.
Rockwell’s organization “Muslims Against Terrorism” also claims to fight terrorism on behalf of all Canadians – including non-Muslims.
It has posted an ad inside a Toronto TTC station stating: “Any Muslim who hurts Canada or a Canadian is an enemy of Islam”.
That may be a potent statement opposing Islamist terrorism, depending on exactly what it means.
Rockwell should clarify whether his priority is to defend Canadians or Islam – and how.
The ad goes on to state: “We, the Muslims of Canada, want you the Canadian to know that we will watch your back. We will do whatever it takes to guarantee your safety.”
That sounds more like a rhetorical statement, unless Rockwell is backed by a law enforcement agency.
He did say his organization, “if we see or hear of somebody going to join ISIS or commit an act of terrorism, we’ll call (the authorities) ... It is no pleasure to the Muslim community when a Canadian is hurt.”
What matters most, though, is that anyone who claims to be a follower of moderate Islam must specifically repudiate armed jihad in all circumstances.
Terrorism is inextricably linked to jihadism in the contemporary world.
Does Rockwell believe, for example, that this doctrine is inappropriate in the 21st century?
Any narrative that claims to fight terrorism must address Islam’s concept of jihad, and how and why it has come to be used and applied by the terrorists.
Rockwell is forceful enough at elaborating his other intention: To protect and enhance Islam’s image.
In an interview with the Toronto Sun, he said, “I think Muslims in this country should not sit back and let the twisted view of Islam fly. From all the violence perpetrated by ISIS and the Taliban and Boko Haram, these are sensationalized by the media ... and with the few Muslims that are responding to them positively and joining (groups like ISIS), it gives a twisted view of Islam, and that is not what Islam is all about.”
But if the imam truly wants to defend Canadians from Islamist terrorists, he must raise a public and forthright cry about how they apply the doctrine of jihad.
He must openly declare that view is destructive and irrelevant to the contemporary world.
Then he will have done something useful to protect Canadians.
Source: http://www.torontosun.com/2015/03/12/moderate-muslims-must-denounce-armed-jihad
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