Muslims Denounce Terrorism

Unfortunately, a flame war/heated discussion has arisen on one of my email listservs regarding the question "where are the Muslims who denounce terror?"

It's a spurious question. All you have to do is google Muslim Denunciations of Terror and you get about 115,000 links.

Start here: North American Muslim Scholars Issue Edict (fatwa) Against Terrorism.

Terrorism Repugnant To Islam: Muslim Summit

Read Juan Cole's roundup of Muslim responses to Osama Ben Laden - an answer to a mendacious Thomas Friedman column.

Muslim American Society Calls for End to Terror

Muslims Against Terrorism - a website with information about Islam, discussions of prohibitions against suicide bombing and terrorism in Islam, and links to more info.

Muslim blogosphere reacts to London bombings (2005)

No to Terrorism features anti-terrorist photos and placards sent in by regular folks, most of them seemingly Arab and/or Muslim. I think this blog started after the London blasts, then picked up more entries after the triple bombing in Jordan recently.

And so forth. Next time you hear somebody ask where the Muslim denunciations of terror are, send them these links.

Comments

[V]

Good cop - bad cop strategy. It reminds me of Syria's behaviour during the Lebanese war. You blow something, and you try to justify it afterwards.

[Leila]

Oh yeah, all 1.2 billion Muslims can be lumped into one phrase: good cop/bad cop. Yes, those wily Muslims, if they say anything moderate or reasonable, it's just a plot to fool us trusting Westerners.

You've been watching too many Hollywood movies, buster.

[Richard Silverstein]

I can't tell you how many times I've been asked the same question by some of my less informed readers (including many Jews of which I am one).

It's deeply aggravating because it shows how totally insular people can be. They "know" that Israel is a victim. They "know" that all Palestinians are mindless terrorists merely expressing some eternal Jew-hatred. If they can prove or believe there are no Palestinians who oppose violence, then they can feel comfortable w. much of Israel's bad behavior in implementing the Occupation.

It's sad. But that's why we progressive ME bloggers exist--to show them they are wrong & possibly to educate them with ideas they might never have considered.

Keep up yr good work!

[JordanR]

A recent Prinston event featuring 3 former terrorists.

Walid Shoebat: Former PFLP member

“We knock on heaven with skulls of Jews was written as graffiti all over the West Bank when growing up,” Shoebat explained. “Every day of school, at the meal table, in general conversation, the topic was the Jews and how to destroy them.” He continued, “It’s not about land, it’s not about occupation or jobs or apartheid, it (Jew hatred) is indoctrinated in us from an early age.”

Zachariah Annani: 223 verified kills in Lebanon

While he never killed any Jews, he agrees with Shoebat that Jew hatred is the number one problem in the middle east conflict and that Islam drives the true hatred and purpose behind the war, not land, not economics, not occupation, and that the West needs to know this

Ibrahim Abdullah:

Ibrahim Abdallah recounted how he was born in America, but inculcated with hate for Jews in his Palestinian home right here in Dearborn, Michigan. He later moved to the West Bank where Fatah recruited him. He explained how the Koran drives Jew hatred and is really behind the conflict and cited specific examples. He also said he was well on his way to becoming a suicide bomber when he was deported back to America by the Israelis after being arrested for terrorist acts, something he says saved his life.