As Canadian Muslims we must....

[tenni]

I found this commentary by a Canadian Muslim, Sheema Khan, important under the circumstances or radical actions in North America in the past two weeks.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/commentary/as-canadian-muslims-we-must-stand-up-to-threats-from-within/article11496517/

A few weeks ago, a local community leader shared the disturbing spectre of the rise of the salafist movements overseas in Tunisia and Egypt. Whereas before the salafis shunned all political participation, they took advantage of the post-Arab Spring tumult to forcefully stamp a hardline approach on wider society. Muslims who do not agree with them are labeled as disbelievers. There is no middle ground.

The concern is a spillover of the salafist trend to Muslim institutions here, as the hardliners vie for influence over local communities. Before, they were content to remain insular. And make no mistake – they are looking to bring youth into the fold, away from the decadence of teen culture.
The dizzying events in Boston and the sudden arrests yesterday may seem disconnected at first. In Boston, two young men of Russian origin and raised in the U.S. killed and maimed innocent civilians. In Toronto, two Middle Eastern immigrants in their 30s allegedly planned the same.(one living in Canada for 20 years)

..preliminary media accounts suggest that Mr. Esseghaier and Mr. Jaser followed a very strict interpretation of Islam, remaining insular from the wider community. The elder Mr. Tasarnaev and Mr. Esseghaier were vocal in opposing Muslims who did not share their narrow visions. Tamerlan interrupted two Friday sermons at a Cambridge mosque when the imam encouraged Muslims to embrace valuable lessons from Independence Day and Martin Luther King Jr.

Mr. Esseghaier chastised a Muslim co-worker for paying Canadian taxes, and allegedly ripped a charity poster that showed a picture of a woman. While not all those who ascribe to such absolutism are violent, all violent extremists ascribe to this paradigm. The worry is that these views are gaining currency among Muslim youth living in the West.

Such was the concern of the unnamed Toronto imam who alerted CSIS about the extremist influence of Mr. Jaser on local youth. And this is the concern of Muslim communities everywhere: as Muslim youth take a heightened interest in their faith and geopolitics, how do we help them navigate through complex issues as they forge an identity?

Muslim communities should be commended for working in partnership with our security agencies. A supportive word from the Prime Minister would help. However, more work needs to be done. Muslim youth need safe spaces to frankly discuss issues that matter to them. Let’s help them to channel their energy towards social justice programs, political participation, and even create innovative programs open to all, such as a youth peace corps program.
Terrorists seek to avenge and destroy. We will not let them succeed.

Your thoughts?

[Erotinaughty]

I do not believe that Islam is a "religion of peace." I feel that we would all be better off if they were over there and we were over here.

[jamieknyc]

This is stupid. Most Muslims in the US (and I assume the same is true in Canada) are just people trying to make a living, who don't want to be involved in politics.

[DiamondDog]

This is stupid. Most Muslims in the US (and I assume the same is true in Canada) are just people trying to make a living, who don't want to be involved in politics. I agree with you. Most Muslims in the United States are just "normal" (I don't really like that term but it applies here) everyday people just trying to live their lives who happen to practice the religion of Islam. They are not violent and are not into radical orthodox Islam, and they are for human rights and equality for everyone including women and LGBT people; but they don't want to get into politics or politics surrounding the extreme orthodox Muslims in other countries.

[Tanzanite]

I agree that Muslims should speak out for peace, and we should give them credit when they do (and encourage more). Are there any progressive or feminist or pro-LBGT-equality Muslim groups we can encourage or work with?

[jem_is_bi]

Christian, Muslim. or any other religion, those members that take their devotion to extreme and beyond extreme become extremely arrogant and self-righteous. Thus, they feel justified to purify the world of non-believers by whatever means available. They are not capable of knowing how evil they have become.
We need people that feel strongly about their faith and live by it's teachings. But, we need a world that promotes moderation. I have no idea how to create that situation. But, I think it would be wise if we tried not to make things worse.

[tenni]

I agree that Muslims should speak out for peace, and we should give them credit when they do (and encourage more). Are there any progressive or feminist or pro-LBGT-equality Muslim groups we can encourage or work with?

www.salaamcanada.com


Queer Muslim Community of Canada. Salaam is anorganization dedicated to Muslims who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and ... (http://www.glaad.org/2011/06/28/muslims-speak-out-in-support-of-lgbt-equality)





(http://www.glaad.org/2011/06/28/muslims-speak-out-in-support-of-lgbt-equality)



http://www.glaad.org/2011/06/28/muslims-speak-out-in-support-of-lgbt-equality (http://www.glaad.org/2011/06/28/muslims-speak-out-in-support-of-lgbt-equality)

A recent poll (http://www.politics.co.uk/news/2011/06/27/surprise-poll-shows-widespread-muslim-support) of Muslims in the UK indicates that support for LGBT rights has increased dramatically in just the past two years. American Muslims show similar support. Representative Keith Ellison (D-MN) states on his official website (http://ellison.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=47&Itemid=30) that he is “working to advance [LGBT] equality in Congress by ending existing discrimination written in federal laws, giving law enforcement tools to pursue perpetrators of hate crimes, and extending marriage rights and responsibilities to same-sex couples and families.” Saqib Ali (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111770008), the first Muslim elected to Maryland’s state legislature, echoes Ellison’s views, stating that marriage equality “doesn't affect [his] marriage; it doesn't affect anybody else's marriage.” Ali’s support for LGBT equality (http://ww2.gazette.net/stories/07312009/policol162635_32531.shtml) comes from an understanding that he “represent[s] people of all faiths and no faith at all. If [he] tried to enforce religion by law — as in a theocracy — [he] would be doing a disservice to [his] both constituents and to [his] religion.”
Ibrahim Abdul-Matin (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ibrahim-abdulmatin/muslim-americans-gay-marriage_b_884759.html), who is both Muslim and African American, relates his support for LGBT equality to his own identity. Hehttps://barenakedislam.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/jihad-poster.jpg?w=300&h=234 (http://www.ajihadforlove.com/home.html) states that “[m]ajorities in the country have attempted to define the American experience in limited and controlled terms,” but “[t]his is a diverse nation and to limit the rights of one group opens the potential to limit [the] rights” of all Americans.Melody Moezzi (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/melody-moezzi/muslim-states-must-suppor_b_882930.html), an author and UN Global Expert, also argues that Muslims must stand up for the equality of all minority groups, stating, “if we, as Muslims, expect our rights to be respected around the world, then we too must respect the rights of other minority groups.”

[tenni]

However, I think that several are missing or ignoring what the OP post is stating. With prejudice and bigotry that some young Muslims are dealing with they have few outlets to intergrate their beliefs with the issues of contemporary society. Radicals comes from somewhere and become radical extremists due to certain causes. If these sects such as salafis are radicalizing young Muslims, then these people need to be pointed out to the law by Muslims such as the Iman in Toronto who reported these two men and how they were trying to influence/ bully other Muslims to follow more extremist radical interpretations of Islam.

[zigzig]

I agree that people can't ignore the power of the religion, when the extremists are using it and exploiting young, naive people to act violently. I have muslim friends so I can say that there are some, who are very free thinking, and other ones, who takes their religion too seriously. The stingy ones gives bad image of the liberal muslims. Example, burqa ban in France, where some muslim women still refuse to follow the law of the country, which they live in.

[darkeyes]

Muslims tend not to see Christianity as a religion of Peace.. and historically with much justice..and even today many consider western interventions in Islamic countries Christian crusades...

As to Islam being incompatible with western culture... it is far more compatible with western culture than Christianity was a couple of millennia ago... culture evolves and our culture is far more compatible with Islam than it was half a century ago...

..and we in the west have far more chance of meeting a grisly end at the hands of some nice "Christian" than from the blade of a muslim... and not simply because there are more of them... there is little wrong with being radical.. it is the form that radicalism takes which is the problem.. the violent extreme (whatever extreme means) form is as much caused by our own short comings and the actions of our own governments and militaries abroad as ever as it ever is from the words and thoughts of any Islamic scholar or "radical"...

..in the case of the wearing of the burqa... I am quite sure as many do, that Christian people would be and are upset when told they cannot wear a cross around their neck as happens in this country occasionally (for heath and safety reasons at work mostly).. for good or ill it is a part of their religion as they see and practice it and for many people, Christians as well as Muslims, their religion takes precedent over the laws of the country in which they live.. it is also part of their freedom of expression and we threaten that at our peril... many of us would take a dim view if we were told we could not wear particular garments.. I know I would.. how much more of a dim view would we take if it was wrapped up as a part of something which was as precious to us as life itself?

Most Muslims like most Christians and those of other faiths and those of no faith are decent hard working (if they can get a job) law abiding human beings but like the rest of us will often get hot under the collar about some issues... but relatively few will become so "radicalised" that they become a threat to society as a whole... people can spread their Islamophobia if they wish but they should look at just what they are getting phobic about before they open their mouths and let their bellies rumble.. not simply just listen to their base prejudice, myth and legend and the crap that many western politicians and political groups and some western so called Christians and others preach.. or that the media spreads... the politics of hate is always the politics of hate and is the way by which unscrupulous and power crazed people from both sides use religion and ethnicity to continue fostering the suspicion, paranoia and hatred which prevents our world and its inhabitants from living at peace...

[zigzig]

15294

[tenni]

from the Toronto Star less than fifteen minutes ago
"“This Criminal Code is not holy book,” Chiheb Esseghaier, 30, told the court as he stood in the prisoners’ box at Old City Hall.After Justice of the Peace Susan Hilton cautioned him he was on the record and he spoke with duty counsel, Esseghaier continued to comment on his detention, saying the (criminal) code could not be relied on.

“Only the Creator is perfect,” he said.

“It doesn’t matter in this court,” Hilton told him, before ordering his detention pending a next appearance on May 23."

http://www.thestar.com/news/crime/2013/04/24/toronto_terrorism_plot_montreal_suspect_chihed_ess eghaier_to_appear_in_toronto_court.html

The above is from this morning's court appearance of the two radicals who are charged with planning to blow up a VIA train. To me it shows just how radical and almost mentally ill these extremists can be. I'm not sure if Esseghaier is the one who has lived in Canada for twenty years or not but if he is he was raised and educated in the West...Canada to be specific. His views are quite different from the views of most Muslims living in Canada(I certainly hope so). His views seem different from the OP statements. To become so radical that you deny your country's justice system and believe that only a holy book (and your own interpretations) seems mentally ill to me? Rejection of a country's legal system may be a political view but if we have people immersed in a culture rejecting the legal system of the culture, we have more to deal with than one or two incidents of terrorism.

Co incidentally (not) the Canadian government has re introduced & fast tracked legislation on Tuesday severely restricting rights and empowering the police with "tools". This along with the Boston Marathon bombing is just a little too coincidental to be a co incidence imo.

For those not familiar with the case, other parts of this article.

"According to reports, including the Wall Street Journal, there is at least one other suspect being investigated in the United States in connection with the alleged plot, but no arrests have been made.The RCMP, who coordinated the investigation with help from local police in the GTA and Montreal as well as the FBI, said the alleged plot had support in the form of “direction” and “guidance” from Al Qaeda in Iran."