*** The Session Has Begun. Please Submit Your Questions. ***
Answer
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Name
Said
- Canada
Profession
Programmer
Question
Your reaction to what is going on on Afghansitan??
Answer
We have to differentiate between the objective and the approach. We support the campaign to combat terrorism and to protect American citizens from attack. We also believe that the horrific attacks of September 11 warrant an appropriate response aimed at the perpetrators. However, we believe that the campaign against terrorism is not a conventional war, but a long-term struggle of hearts and minds that can only be won by tackling the root causes of terrorism. The war may not solve the problem of terrorism. It may even complicate it. Two things we recommend to tackle this disease:
1) A more balanced American foreign policy;
2) And promotion of justice and human rights in all areas of the world.
We are also concerned about the situation of the Afghani people who were on the brinks of a humanitarian tragedy even before the war started.
Name
Farkhanda
- United States
Profession
Question
I don't know what to believe. How likely is it that the U.S. airstrikes are really being careful about avoiding civilian targets? This seems to be the crux of Muslim support or condemnation of the attacks - those who condemn them say that innocent civilians will be killed, and those who support them do so only as long as innocent people don't die.
Answer
We can only hope and pray for innocent civilian lives to be speared.
Name
Scott Davis
- United States
Profession
Self Employed
Question
Why does the Taliban hate the US so much. Didn't we help their struggle with Russia? I am a loving person and hate violence. I am not scared, just confused. This man Bin Ladin has hurt many people, does he not believe he is going to hell for this?
Answer
I think the two questions need to be addressed to Taliban and Bin Laden respectively. I don’t know whether Taliban hates the US. I think they are confused and unable to serve the interest of their country. They do not represent mainstream Islam and many Muslims are offended by some of their believes, conducts, and rulings. As for Bin Laden, he has also hurt many Muslims and caused harm to the image of Islam.
Name
sally
- United States
Profession
Question
How should muslims reconcile their desire for justice for the terrorist attacks with the fact that to do so means attacking their Muslim brothers?
Answer
The decisive factor here is whether or not there will be killing of innocent people. I believe Taliban did not handle the crisis properly. And even though the evidence against Bin Laden were not made public he did not help himself by the statement he has repeatedly made which fell just short of claiming responsibility for the attack. American Muslims will not find it difficult to reconciliate the two issues:
1) As long as the attacks are limited to the perpetrator and
2) There are no civilian casualties.
3) There will be a government in Afghanistan that truly represents the will of the people.
Name
Ron
- United States
Profession
Customer Service
Question
Given the history of O. bin Laden, what would have been your response to the attacks of 9/11/01 if you were President of the USA?
Answer
I would do two things:
1) An appropriate response aimed at the perpetrators once the evidence is established.
2) I would look at the root cause of such problem and tackle them. In particular, I would try to find out what does makes those people desperate and mad and why are they particularly mad at the United States because what is required is not to suppress terrorism, but to eliminate it.
Name
Mazen Abdel-Rahman
- United States
Profession
Software Engineer
Question
Assalamu Alaikum,
I realize that maybe some of the information regarding the situation in Afghanistan may be wrong - the way the Taliban treat women for example - which seems to be to go totally against the teachings of Islam. Also - according to Amnesty international the Taliban have killed thousands of Muslims. According to an Amnesy Report dated 3 SEPTEMBER 1998 thousand of civilians were killed by the Taliban when they took over Mazar-e Sharif. Here is a link to the report: http://www.web.amnesty.org/ai.nsf/index/ASA110071998.
Why is there so much outrage at the US when we Muslims harms each other much more? While I am concerned about civilian casualties I am also hopeful that perhaps these attacks can bring true peace and stability to Afghanistan. And perhaps then the people of Afghanistan can be free and truly practice Islam the way it was meant to be practiced.
Answer
This situation of Afghanistan is very complicated because of tribalism, ethnic division, and poverty. It was further complicated by the game that many powers have been playing beginning with the Russians and some neighbor countries. The only solution for Afghanistan and for any other third world country is to have a system that guarantees that government truly represents the will of people and is accountable to them.
Name
tahir
-
Profession
Question
Do you believe that bin Laden was responsible for the bombings and is it allowed to support non-muslims in attacking muslims.
Answer
I don’t know whether he is responsible or not, but he repeatedly called for such attacks and threatened the United States and praised such acts. His statements fell just short of claiming responsibility. The issue is not to support Muslims or non-Muslims; the issue is whether the cause is just or not. We Muslims are supposed to stand for justice regardless of who is involved. We were instructed to support Muslims in two ways; support them when they do something right and prevent them from doing something wrong as instructed by the Prophet (SAAS). The bottom line is whether there will be someone who is unjustly hurt or killed. We know that this has happened on September 11th. We hope that it will not happen in the process of retaliation.
Name
walid
- United States
Profession
Question
The US now claims that other countries may be targeted in the attacks, despite the fact that they claim this is not a war on Islam...what would other attacks accomplish?
Answer
This is just speculation. I don’t think an all out war will help eliminating terrorism. In fact it may fuel anti-American sentiments. Sooner or later terrorism has to be clearly defined. Otherwise, it might be abused even by dictators to justify their dictatorships and human rights violations. We have to differentiate between those who are struggling against oppression or occupation in their countries on one hand and between terrorists who committed the attacks of September 11th on the other hand.
Name
Sohaib
-
Profession
Student
Question
When do you think the American people will realize that they were attacked not because of their values, freedoms, or way of life, but because of the unjust, oppressive, and tyrannical foreign policies of their government, particularly towards the Muslim world? Do you think Americans, who
are good-willed but also
naive, will ever collectively
see the truth?
Answer
I don’t want to speculate, but I think that the recent tragic events have already pushed many Americans to wonder why this is happening and to revisit things that were taken for granted. I expect this trend to continue and there will be more and more Americans who will actively participate in the political process and follow more closely foreign policy.
Name
Pakistani muslim
- Pakistan
Profession
doctor
Question
Despite having serious differences with the Taliban, Iran has flatly refused any support in an attack on a muslim country and blatantly condemned it; whereas our Gen. Musharraf is towing the American line, probably did not utter even a word of sympathy for those killed in Afghanistan last night and is actively being part of the US military action which has resultedin deaths of fellow muslims in Afghanistan. It has been said he has converted our 130 million people into "paid-killers"!Is it not proper and Islamic for Pakistani muslims to agitate against him and demand his removal?
Answer
I think that there is some sort of democracy in Pakistan and ultimately the will of the majority will prevail. It is not clear whether the majority is with or against Musharraf.
Name
Asma
- United States
Profession
Student
Question
How do you predict that this war will affect the relationship of American Muslims with the rest of the American society?
Answer
I think American Muslims have faced the bigger challenge in the days after the horrific attacks of September 11th. The relationship of American Muslims with their fellow citizens should not be affected by events that are beyond their control. We are an integral part of this society and like anybody else we may agree with our government on some issues and disagree on others, but that should not affect our relationship with our fellow citizens. We took it upon ourselves to provide our government with honest advices and sincere opinions that we believe serve the interest of the United States.
