On September 30, 2013, the Palestinian Authority daily Al-Ayyam published an article by Dr. Khaled Hroub, a researcher and lecturer at Cambridge University, stating that jihadis stain Islam with their acts of terrorism and blacken the image of Arabs and Muslims in the eyes of the world. He states that Muslims' weak defense of themselves and their religion against this stain is having no effect, and says, "The Muslim majority... must respond to Islamic terror in a concrete way, not just with words" and must "toil day and night to come up with ways for presenting the other Islam – the moderate Islam – to the world, to people, and to the casualties of the acts of terror perpetrated by the radical groups." This effort, he says, must include establishing an Islamic fund for victims of Islamic terrorism.
Following are excerpts from the article:[1]
"Where Are... Moderate Muslims In Light Of The Actions Of A Criminal Minority That Affiliates Itself With Them?"
"Where is moderate Islam, and where are moderate Muslims, in light of the actions of a criminal minority that affiliates itself with them and carries out shameful terror acts in the name of their religion? We have lost track of the terrorist acts carried out by groups that morphed into multiple other groups. Terrorist acts are carried out in the name of the religion and jihad, and with their actions the perpetrators are staining all those with ties to Arabs or Muslims.
"The general image of Arabs and Muslims in the world is black, ugly, and terrorist, thanks to the 'heroic mujahideen'... [and] all we have done [against this] so far is to say shyly that they represent neither us nor our true religion. We hasten to cry out against the Western media that 'distorts our image and accuses us of terrorism' – but there is no need for Western or other media for plots against us or for distortion of our image... all that is needed is [information about and] filming of the actions of the groups that affiliate themselves with us, without [further] explanation."
"Attempting To Present Theories On Our Religion's Tolerance... Will Neither Convince Nor Compensate Any Mother Who Has Seen Her Children Murdered In Front Of Her By Mujahideen Bullets"
"Defending ourselves verbally, and attempting to present theories on our religion's tolerance, its [capacity for] coexistence, and its past – which is a legacy for the generations – will neither convince nor compensate any mother who has seen her children murdered in front of her by mujahideen bullets. They will also neither convince nor compensate any orphaned child, or any of the dozens of wounded, or any of the families of those murdered or tortured, or any of the [men or] women violated in the 'heat of battle.'
"Words cannot contradict action, and we cannot put out the fires caused by the terrorism of these groups that are burning up the overall image of the Muslims with statements stressing that we are [actually] good. [Such statements] are meaningless [in the face of] the blood of the slaughtered innocents. [Such statements] are a naïve, even an impudent, attempt to alleviate the pain."
"It Is Our Duty To Establish An Islamic Public Fund For Compensating Victims Of Terror"
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"The Muslim majority, headed by the Arabs, as leaders and founders of the so-called 'Islamic terror,' must respond to Islamic terror in a concrete way, not just with words. This majority, the intellectuals and shapers of opinion, must toil day and night to come up with ways for presenting the other Islam – the moderate Islam – to the world, to people, and to the casualties of the acts of terror perpetrated by the radical groups.
"It is our duty to establish an Islamic Public Fund for Compensating Victims of Terror. Its main task would be to reach out to all those harmed by the criminal actions attributed to jihad and Islam, to provide them with moral and humanitarian support, to show solidarity with them, and to compensate them monetarily for their loss of life and property.
"You cannot compensate a man who has lost a son, brother, father, or mother by murder or by evil terrorism – but solidarity and material compensation can soften the blow and can also send an important and urgent message that these murderers represent neither Muslims nor their religion, and that their crimes have no religion or value.
"The shameful terrorist slaughter by the Islamic Somali Al-Shabab movement [at the Nairobi mall in September 2013] must be considered blind terrorism against defenseless civilians peacefully shopping with their children and wives at shopping malls.
"Where is the heroism and bravery, or even the manliness of the jahiliyya era, when women and children are abducted, terrorized, separated out, and asked about their religion – and when the Muslims are released and the Christians are murdered?
"Which religious precepts did these criminals read to justify their rape of abducted children? Afterwards, their leaders apologize, brazenly claiming that 'this behavior and these mistakes are the acts of individuals.' What is the magnificent achievement of the mujahideen in murdering dozens of innocents, and wounding and crippling hundreds more? All they are doing is fomenting resentment and hatred against all those connected to Islam and Muslims, in Kenya and anywhere people witnessed such slaughter and saw it on television and in the media.
"Pakistan and India also have those who are terrorists and criminals in every sense of the word, who wage unnecessary war against churches or Shi'ite mosques, shouting religious slogans, in their madness and moral bankruptcy, as if they had won a tremendous victory. But all they really did was spill the blood of [a few] Muslim worshipers here and there.
"Closer to home, in Syria, the mujahideen of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria [ISIS] continue with their heroic deeds – smashing church symbols and crosses and terrorizing all those who do not obey the imbecilic commanders.
"Volumes can be written on the heinousness of the mujahideen in Iraq, who are immersed in the blood of innocents. Since the terror of 9/11, the image of Arabs and Muslims and their religion has deteriorated. In the age of instant media that disregards the comprehensive picture of cultures and societies, it has come to be associated with violence, terrorism, and extremism. The deeds of the worthless terrorist groups, carried out worldwide in the name of the religion – bring destruction upon all Muslims, and cause all the others to unite against them. Complex cerebral and emotional problems prevent us from being honest with ourselves and acknowledging that most terrorism aimed against defenseless civilians has Islamic sponsorship."
Our Complaining About The West's Imperialist Crimes "Is Aimed At [Allowing Us To] Shirk [Our] Responsibility"; "The [Muslim] Majority Must... Strike Out Against These Simpleminded Groups That Are Scuttling Our Own Ship"
"We often complain about the crimes of the West, its imperialism and its wars in which civilians are killed. Historically, this is accurate – but essentially it perpetuates an argument and is aimed at [allowing us to] shirk [our] responsibility. There have indeed been Western imperialist crimes, and there are today as well – but will proving this help stop the deterioration of the image of Islam and Muslims among ordinary people, say, in Kenya?...
"The [Muslim] majority must awaken and defend itself. It must strike out against these simpleminded groups that are scuttling our own ship – for if we do not, the ship will go down drowning all its passengers and erasing them from history."
Dr. Khaled Hroub (Image: Alarabiya.net, July 7, 2011)
Endnote:
[1] Al-Ayyam (PA), September 30, 2013.
