Good news, right? Thousands of Muslims taking to the streets to protest how Islam is practiced by some other Muslims. A bright spot in the growing clash of civilizations, yes?
Well, maybe. Yes it is great to see so many Muslims expressing their anger at how Islam is defined and practiced by the leaders of Islam, yet the definition of Islam today is the dominate narrative, expressed by jihad attacks which use copious Qur'anic quotes and the shouting of "Allahu Akbar" before the bomb goes off. The Muslims who commit jihad do so in the name of Muhammad and Allah and make no bones about the doctrine behind their actions.
Until the recognized leaders of Islam, those who define and drive Muslim actions, take it upon themselves to re-interpret Islamic doctrine(through ijtihad) and issue official legislation(fatwa) changing the dogma of Islamism, the actions of these thousands of "moderates" will amount to nothing more than a small squeak in the giant wheel that is Islam. Make no mistake, these Muslims and their group should be supported in their actions, but realistically we must accept that their actions will change nothing in the near term.
From The Chronicle Herald September 25 by Sylvia Hu
Muslims rally against Islamic extremism
LONDON — Thousands of Muslims gathered at a rally in London on Saturday to fight extremism and promote a moderate, inclusive version of Islam.
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Well, maybe. Yes it is great to see so many Muslims expressing their anger at how Islam is defined and practiced by the leaders of Islam, yet the definition of Islam today is the dominate narrative, expressed by jihad attacks which use copious Qur'anic quotes and the shouting of "Allahu Akbar" before the bomb goes off. The Muslims who commit jihad do so in the name of Muhammad and Allah and make no bones about the doctrine behind their actions.
Until the recognized leaders of Islam, those who define and drive Muslim actions, take it upon themselves to re-interpret Islamic doctrine(through ijtihad) and issue official legislation(fatwa) changing the dogma of Islamism, the actions of these thousands of "moderates" will amount to nothing more than a small squeak in the giant wheel that is Islam. Make no mistake, these Muslims and their group should be supported in their actions, but realistically we must accept that their actions will change nothing in the near term.
From The Chronicle Herald September 25 by Sylvia Hu
Muslims rally against Islamic extremism
LONDON — Thousands of Muslims gathered at a rally in London on Saturday to fight extremism and promote a moderate, inclusive version of Islam.
The event’s organizers Minhaj-ul-Qur’an International say some 12,000 Muslims are expected at Wembley Arena. The event will be broadcast live to dozens of countries around the world.
The group’s founder, the Pakistan-born Islamic scholar Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri, says killing innocents is forbidden in Islam and Muslims must integrate into the societies in which they’re living.
Some Islamic scholars have warned that a power vacuum in North Africa and the Middle East could lead to militant and extremist groups gaining ground in elections arising from the so-called Arab Spring.
"If these elements come into power, it will be a big disaster," Tahir-ul-Qadri told The Associated Press.
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