Mr. Bush’s use of the term “Islamic fascists” is highly offensive and inaccurate. It is likely to promote the erroneous stereotypes against Muslims and may instigate unjustified violence against them. As a head of State, he should be responsible enough to realize the impact of such offensive terms coming from him.
The term “fascism” has been used to refer to genocidal, terribly totalitarian and highly oppressive regimes such as Italy’s fascist government and Germany’s Nazi regime.
However, in both cases, nobody uses the term “Christian fascism” or “Christian Nazism“ simply because they arouse in Christian countries and were practiced by “Christians”. Why in the world Mr. Bush or anyone else in the media selectively connects between Islam and fascism. If it is Islam, then it can never be fascist; and if it is fascism, then it has nothing to do whatsoever with Islam. When people deviate from the teachings of their prophesied faith, whether they are Jews, Christians, or Muslims, or other ways, then the normative teachings of their prophesied religions should not be connected with such aberrations.
The same form of misrepresentation of Islam is applicable to the use of terms such “Islamic terrorists” or “Islamic terrorism”.
Name
Daniela Amina
- Italy
Profession
Financial administrator
Question
As-Salamu `alaykum, first of all Shukran for this wonderful service. I visit this website every day. I was having a look at an Italian online newspaper (www.corriere. it is very reliable) and I saw a reportage about an exhibition in Tehran showing pictures/draws anti-Jews (not only Israelis, all Jews). The comment says 60 nations sent the Iranian newspaper Hamshahri about 1200 draws/pictures against Jews after Western newspapers published the draws about the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Unfortunately, I cannot attach some pictures while submitting this question. One of these pictures made me really upset: a big SWASTIKA treading on a Jew with one of its sharp “tips” stabbing the man. I am a convert to Islam Alhamdulilah but I am hating so many behaviours of many Muslims. May Allah forgive me for saying this but this is what I feel. I am hating them because they are giving the wrong image of Islam and they are giving people like Bush the right to say “Islamic fascists”(I suppose in Tehran they know what a swastika means). We, Muslims, are giving him this right. How can we react to bad behaviors with hate and BAD behaviors? Is this the Islam we want to live? I feel so sad. Please give me your opinion, also about those draws. Jazakum Allah khairun.
Answer
The Qur’an avoids sweeping stereotypes about any group of people based on religion or other consideration. What the Qur’an condemns, however, are acts of disobedience to God and injustice to fellow human beings. So when the Qur’an use a term to identify these groups, it applies only to those of them who are guilty of those acts and should not be generalized.
Furthermore, the Qur’an also indicates that people “are not the same” (Chapter 3, verse 113). Therefore, I fully agree with you that any negative or offensive depiction of all Jews is contrary to the teachings of the Qur’an and the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
Depiction, however, of those who hide behind any religion, such as Zionists or those governments such as the government of Israel to commit atrocities against other people, Muslims or others, may be a legitimate form of criticism as commonly practiced in the West and elsewhere, while the offensive cartoons about Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was terribly offensive and stereotypical and it does not mean that Muslims should respond to wrong with a similar wrong.
Name
Jack
- United Kingdom
Profession
Question
How to reply Mr. Bush when he labeled Muslims as Fascists.
Answer
First of all, check the answer to previous question of Ali.
It may be added that Mr. Bush’s statement is not only offensive and erroneous to small deviant group of people who disregard the true teachings of Islam, but it is also highly offensive to nearly 1.5 billion Muslims all over the world constituting about one fifth of the human race.
It also ignores the immense contribution of Muslims to world civilization, science, and the renaissance of Europe. In fact it was Islam, when practiced sincerely, that brought freedom and what we call today “democracy” to Europe during its “dark ages”. Many European scientists, researchers, philosophers, even in some cases clergies were the students of the thriving and highly advanced Muslim universities in Spain and elsewhere. Even today, in the period of Muslim decline, the fast majority of Muslims are the farthest from fascism.
In fairness, however, it must be acknowledged that following the strong objections of the Muslim community in the West and elsewhere that Mr. Bush changed his tone and avoided the explicit use of that offensive term. His overall tone, however, needs modification as it stills gives the false impression that what combines the violent fringe among Muslims is Islam, rather than an unacceptable response to the many injustices committed against Muslims all over the world and the clear bias and double standard when it comes to Muslims just causes.
Even worse, providing devastating armaments to those who openly committing war crimes and mass murder of innocent civilians in some areas of conflict.
Name
Ahmad
- United Kingdom
Profession
Question
Please shed light on the role of Muslim scholars regarding identifying the true image of Islam.
Answer
Scholars are duty-bound to present the true teachings of Islam not only to people of other faith communities, but also to their fellow Muslims, some of who may be espousing erroneous of Islam due to the injustice being done to Muslims.
Name
Mahmoud
- Canada
Profession
Student
Question
Among foreign societies, some people may be able to differentiate between true and false statements given by their leaders or through their media in general. However, some others are affected easily. How can an ordinary Muslim living in such societies contribute effectively to solve this misunderstanding?
Answer
While Muslims do not have the similar access to mass media such as the Foxes and Wolfs” that are constantly deforming the true image of Islam and Muslims, there are still some avenues to correct these misunderstanding. In the digital age many are turning away from the biased media to the internet for other sources of information.
Muslims in the West, however, may contribute to this correction through outreach programs, interfaith as well as civil societies, and above all, by being good examples of a true Muslim whose faithful and beneficent citizen of the country of his or her residence.
Name
Osama
-
Profession
Question
It is clear nowadays that Muslims in the West are living in conflict between fulfilling their duties towards their fellow Muslims everywhere and the antagonist foreign policy of the countries they are living in. Please explain!
Answer
There is no inherent contradiction between the obligation of Muslims towards not only other Muslims in the world but to any oppressed person anywhere in the world on one hand, and their religious and civic obligation to object to their government’s policies that are unjust and harmful to the long term well being of countries of their residence.
Even if there are moral and political positions are not embraced by the majority of their fellow citizens, this is how democracy should operate so long as their intentions are positive and beneficent.
Name
Hind
- Australia
Profession
Question
What is terrorism and can we call Islamists or the Islamic resistance terrorists as they targeted Israeli civilians?
Answer
There is no truly universal definition of terrorism. Some powerful governments are avoiding a truly international debate to define terrorism in a fair and universal manner.
My humble definition is that terrorism is: any act of deliberate victimization of the innocent whether the culprit is an individual, organization or state.
Furthermore, international law and the UN charter give the right to any country, which is occupied by foreign aggression to resist that occupation and usurpation of their legitimate right even through the use of force if other JUST and Peaceful means fail.
According to the clear instruction of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) the ethics of war must be observed, including not hurting, sparing non-combatants, he specified in particular: women, children, old people, clergy, and all those who are not involved in hostility. He also forbade the destruction of what we call today the infrastructure of the country such as residential homes, public structures, essential utilities such as power stations and water resources. Also bridges and roads. It is unfortunate that hiding behind the excuse of targeting the Israelis have been “not apparently and deliberately” violating international law. But actually deliberately targeting passengers fleeing the bombardment US escorted a caravan and even charitable organization caravans carrying critically needed war and other supplies to the victims of Israel, savage and relentless department from the air, land and sea.
These major violations on part of the Israelis in their use of their overwhelming and far superior military power should not be matched with by Muslim.
Name
Sami
-
Profession
Question
Doesn't Islam call for peace?
Answer
Islam indeed calls for JUST PEACE. So using the last resort “force” may be a necessary prerequisite to secure through, lasting and sustainable, peace.
Justice is a prerequisite to achieve that compressive peace. Peace does not mean surrender to injustice and oppression, nor does it mean giving up legitimate right to avoid any conflict.
Name
Abd Ar-Rahman
- United States
Profession
Question
Could you please elaborate the implications of attacking Islam and labeling Muslims as fascists, terrorists, fundamentalists, fanatics, etc.
Answer
Often times people use terms without knowing what they are talking about, much less defining the terms they use. Such labels are often promoted and used by those whose agenda seems to be to attack Islam and Muslims and distort their image. it is a serious form of stereotyping and may have some similarity with the pre-holocaust propaganda of demonizing and dehumanizing other fellow humans. The worst possible impact is to pave the way to commit genocide against those "less than humans"! The world had enough bigotry and what is needed is honest and accurate understanding of and by all.
Name
Hosam
-
Profession
Question
Dear scholar, I want to say that by labeling Islam and Muslims with accusations such as fascism, violence, etc, they want to put Islam and Muslims in the defense corner. Even though some non-Muslims and some non-Muslim media spare no efforts in participating in the war against Islam trying to inculcate a certain (false) image about Islam in the minds of people, many converts to Islam here and there. Could you please explain this phenomenon?
Answer
It is amazing that even in periods where Islam as the universal faith of all great prophets continues to spread even at the times of unjust attacks on it. The reason may be that a lot of people from all faith communities (or no traditional faith) are both honest and discerning. When Islam is misrepresented such people try to educate themselves and search for other viewpoints; once they discover the true normative teachings of Islam, they will not take the action of some violent “Muslims” as the true presentation of Islamic teachings. In the digital age, even the major and powerful biased mainstream media are not the sole information for all.
Name
Sister
-
Profession
Question
What is the expected future of Islam in the West? And what is the expected future of the Arab-Israeli conflict?
Answer
There are many indications that in spite of the severe and coordinated war on Islam that many in the west are discovering its truth, and in some cases, embracing or espousing such truth. Even those who do not accept Islam, at least they are likely to correct their erroneous perception of Islam and its true teachings and should be welcomed as fellow citizens. The future, I hope and I expect, will be better, God willing, even if there may be some setbacks on the path of mutual understanding and peaceful and just coexistence.
As for the second question, hopes may not match expectations. My hope is that justice prevails so that real peace can be achieved. historically, there has been long periods of times where Muslims, Christians, Jews and others were able to coexist peacefully and work together for the well-being of all. Examples, the house of wisdom in Baghdad and in Muslim Spain. Realistic expectations, however, are troubling. There is a huge disparity of power between the two warring parties. On one hand, the Israelis have the fourth strongest army in the world. They are supplied by the most modern and devastating arms and led by those who hold the Zionist ideology which is different from the true teachings of Judaism in our understanding. On the other hand, we have the besieged Palestinians who are killed on a regular basis, being subjected to extra-judicial assassination, their lands are usurped, they are being strangulated economically and socially, unable even to move freely to seek education or business or even get to the hospital freely without constant long delays and harassments. With this huge imbalance, there is a human tendency on the part of the powerful to persecute and mistreat the less powerful. Unless there is real change of hearts on the part of all especially the powerful it is likely that this tendency of “arrogance of power” to continue. After all, as it has been said, “power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
Name
Sunyani
- United States
Profession
Question
As-salamu `alaykum! As an Muslim African American, whose ancestors have lived under terror and white supremacy for centuries, do you think that the underlying cause for war by the USA and Israel against Lebanon and Palestine is white supremacy? Since Israel support apartheid in South Africa and so did USA, and the Jews consider themselves white by American standards, their fundamental beliefs is that Christianity and Judaism, is a white religion based on white supremacy, which is indirect contravention to Islam! Can this be an underlying philosophy for war with Lebanon and Palestine? jazakum Allahu khayran!
Answer
Wa`laykum as-Salam wa rahmatu Allahi wa barakatu. There may be an element of racism in various conflicts today. In fact many felt that some of these sentiments that were not expressed openly before 9/11 because they were “politically incorrect” were freely expressed in the post-9/11 atmosphere and somehow became accepted as “politically correct”. Some of those racist sentiments or superiority complex may have been latent than explicit. However, the situation is more complicated as other elements such as religious fanaticism and intolerance as well as geo-political and economic interests may have crucial role as well.
Name
W. S
-
Profession
Question
If Bush claims that Muslims are fascists, so what about him?
Answer
It is not helpful to engage in incendiary labeling of others simply because they used that against us. As indicated in an answer to a previous question, Mr. Bush seems to have realized his grave and offensive mistake and changed his tone subsequently.
Name
Abubakar
- Canada
Profession
Question
The life of a Muslim in the western world is only getting only worse. What do you see in the future for Muslims in these countries? Are you optimistic about the future of Muslims in these lands that once used to be known as the lands of honey and freedom?
Answer
I do realize and live those difficulties; however, the future will be better insha’Allah provided that we do our best to correct those injustices against us and never give up that noble struggle.
Name
Akmall
-
Profession
Question
If whatever bad things happen in the world, they are attributed to Muslims, how about what America and Israel are doing everywhere?
Answer
The Qur’an teaches us to be fair-minded and objective and never use double standards. If only other fellow humans whether America, Israel, or others follow this ethical teachings of all prophets, they will engage in self-criticism and self-evaluation before they criticize others. But Muslims should do the same as well.
I believe that the US and Israel should reflect on the damaging long-term consequences of their present unjust stances towards the legitimate right and suffering of Arabs and Muslims. Injustice provides the perfect ground for the emergence and consolidation of extremism, whether political or religious.
Name
Samar
-
Profession
Question
Do you think there is a fascist regime in the world today?
Answer
There may be more than one and in differing degrees or forms.
Name
Hasan
-
Profession
Question
Does Islam call for violence?
Answer
The connotated meaning of violence is negative. Some define it as an illegitimate use of force or illegitimate or excessive use of legitimate force.
Name
Host
-
Profession
Question
.
Answer
Finally, we would like to thank brother Dr. Jamal Badawi for taking the time to answer the questions of Islamonline viewers today, and we also thank all those who participated in this dialogue. We apologize for not being able to accommodate all the questions within the time allocated to this session. If you feel your question is very important, feel free to contact us at EngLivedialogue@islamonline.net and we will try our best to answer your question. We encourage our readers to join us in upcoming sessions.
