Islam And The West

Back in November 2007 I wrote a post entitled “Christian Churches In Muslim Countries- A Blatant Western Lie Exposed“. The main thrust of the article was to prove that Christian churches do exist in the Muslim world. The post gained a little traction in the blogoshpere and I was inundated with e-mails labelling me a  dishonest propagandist amongst other things.

This was not the first time that blatant inaccuracies concerning the Muslim world have been exposed here. Earlier in July 2006 I exposed another series of claims, this time by Barbara J. Stock,  concerning the Muslim world. That post can be accessed by clicking “Refuting A Western Hate-Monger“.

Which all brings me to the subject of this of this post. Much is written about the Muslim world and a lot of it is mere speculation. Some of it is written by ignoramuses while a lot of it is written by people with a definite political agenda. The reality of the Muslim world especially for the western observer is lost between these two poles. For the most part the everyday existence of millions in the Muslim world is mundane dare I even say normal.

Much is made of the fact, especially in the west, that Muslim countries don’t allow Christians to build churches. In reality this is not true, while it is  true for Saudi Arabia, Saudi is not the be all and end all of the Muslim world.

The reality is that Christians and churches exist throughout the Muslim world. As this report from The National shows Christians have found not only religious tolerance but support also in Oman:

“….Christians in Oman say they enjoy tolerance and a number of privileges in this deeply conservative Muslim society and that the country’s ruler has made a point of supporting the diverse community.

“We are lucky that His Majesty the Sultan has placed a special interest in Christianity in Oman. In our church, the Sultan of Oman has bought us a new organ, imported from Britain, after the original one was destroyed by Gonu,” 52-year-old Father John Fernandaz, the head of the Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Muscat, said….

…Christians in Oman pray regularly for the long life of Sultan Qaboos, and say he has always been their greatest supporter.

“We hope that we will always enjoy the same freedom of worship we have today, thanks to His Majesty. It is not only his moral support but his financial donations as well that we appreciate,” Patrick Mascarenha, a 50-year-old Indian plumber, said. [The National]

Popularity: 2% [?]

Many westerners believe that Islam and democracy are incompatible. Not only that they believe they are diametrically opposed to each other. Such statements are usually  made,  when anti-Islam bigots, want to premise an argument that finally ends in the voluntary or forced expulsion of Muslims from the west.

(more…)

Popularity: 1% [?]

The Al-Azhar Univserity in Egypt is considered one the highest centres of learning in the Muslim world. Founded around 975 C.E. by the Fatamid rulers of Egpyt, Al-Azhar has  been continuously  issuing  degrees since that time.

It’s current dean, Sheikh  Tantawi has signalled his intention to ban the niqab at the university:

“Egypt’s highest Muslim authority has said he will issue a religious edict against the growing trend for full women’s veils, known as the niqab.

Sheikh Mohamed Tantawi, dean of al-Azhar university, called full-face veiling a custom that has nothing to do with the Islamic faith.” {source: BBC News}

Al-Arabiyah has more background to the news and below is my translation from their Arabic site:

“The Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar Mohamed Sayed Tantawi, forced a veiled female student to take off her veil….stressing his intention to issue a formal decision to prevent the entry of veiled women to Al-Azhar’s institutes….” {Source: Al-Arabiya}

Sheikh Tantawi’s impending fatwa seems at odds with an earlier Egyptian court ruling surrounding the case of doctoral student Iman al-Zainy.

Al-Zainy was banned from attending the American University of Cairo campus, on account of her wearing the niqab. The court found the universities decision to ban her unlawful.

Popularity: 6% [?]

In 1969 Farah Pandith emigrated with her parents from Srinagar, Kashmir to the United States.  Now she finds herself  Hilary Clinton’s  special representative to Muslim communities:

“The US State Department has appointed a Kashmiri-origin woman as a special representative to Muslim communities as part of the Obama
Administration’s effort to reach out to the Muslims around the world.

State Department spokesman Ian Kelly told reporters today that the appointment was made two days ago and in this capacity, Farah Pandith would advance US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s efforts to “engage with Muslims around the world on a people-to-people and organisational level”….

…Pandith immigrated to the US in 1969 with her parents from Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir.” {Source: The Economic Times}

Popularity: 1% [?]

Ravaged by years of occupation and insurgent violence Iraqis are turning to the nightclubs of Baghdad to forge unity in dance and  alcohol.

As reported back in February 2009 business is booming in the bars and nightclubs of Iraq. Now it seems that young Iraqis are using night life to forge connections between different sects and ethnicities:

“...For one of Baghdad’s elegant bars the fun kicks off at midnight when Sunni, Shiite and Kurdish youth flock to a night of fun…

…Club-goer, Sayyed Ali, moves between the tables to reach the stage where he throws money at the singer before he whispers something in her ear, the woman responds by shouting out a salute from the people of Nasiriyah to the people of Anbar.

Another person stands up and hails the Awakening Council, a coalition of tribes that maintain security in different parts of Iraq. As a third man salutes the people of the south, it becomes clear that this is the place where sectarian tension comes to die.” {Source: Al-Arabiya}

C’est la vie !

Popularity: 2% [?]