The Karate Kid is one of the most popular and iconic karate films ever made. A coming of age story about a young boy bullied by his peers, Daniel LaRusso learns to defend himself through a wise Japanese sensei, Mr Miyagi. Along the way, he learns lessons not just about martial arts, but also about life. “Lesson not just karate only. Lesson for whole life. Whole life have a balance. Everything be better”, Mr Miyagi advises.
30 years on, the same actors have reunited in a continuation of the story. Cobra Kai on Netflix follows a similar pattern to the original with rivalries, life lessons and plenty of karate. It has a cult following with analyses and theory videos sprawling the internet about what happens next, who the real bullies are, the morals of each character and the styles of their dojos. Miguel, a young boy with asthma who gets bullied, finds a sensei in the person of Johnny Lawrence – the main antagonist in the original film who was defeated by LaRusso. Lawrence was taught an uncompromising aggressive karate style by his bullish sensei John Kreese in the dojo called Cobra Kai. “Strike First. Strike Hard. No Mercy” was the motto. Three decades on, Lawrence has messed up in life, a low-paid manual job, an estranged son and nothing going for him. Daniel LaRusso on the other hand is an extremely successful businessman selling cars. They eventually go on to reopen competing dojos with opposing methods and ideologies. It would become a rivalry lasting many seasons, causing multiple injuries to teenagers, a school-wide brawl and time in juvenile detention. Miguel joins Cobra Kai and learns to conquer his fears, stand up to his bullies, and be strong, brave and confident. Students who join Miyagi Do run by Daniel LaRusso in the same style as Mr Miyagi, learn about balance, honour, harmony and karate for self-defence alone. Throughout the seasons, these two dojos, and indeed their fighting styles, clash. Miguel takes the unrelenting and fierce style of Cobra Kai to the extreme, on the verge of becoming a bully himself and doing anything and everything it takes to win – even if it means taking advantage of an injured opponent and striking him on the injury. His sensei, Johnny Lawrence realises that the same merciless style of karate taught to him had not done him any favours in life. What is karate, and indeed life, without honour and mercy? He scolds Miguel and tells him by showing mercy when required, he could be a better fighter, and thus a better person than he could ever become. This reminded me of Islamic teachings about crime, punishment, peace and conflict. Both of these dojos represent two different ways of dealing with an aggressor. One is to fight fire with fire and be aggressive, showing no mercy. The other is to wait until you’re attacked and then fight only to restrain your opponent, which is a more passive approach opening up the possibility of a deadly counterattack and persistent aggression. The problem is quite similar to the one presented by Jewish and Christian teachings respectively. In Judaism there is an emphasis on retaliation, taking what is rightfully yours by force and punishing severely: “But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.” (Exodus, 21:23-25) Christianity is much the opposite. The emphasis is on forgiveness, turning the other cheek, and not fighting back: “But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well.” (Matthew 5:38-40) Both approaches are deeply flawed. You cannot forgive those who will keep attacking until they kill you, nor can you turn the cheek or hand over your cloak to someone who will strip you naked. Likewise retaliating in every situation, even when your opponent is overpowered and reconciliatory, is cruel and unjust. It makes you the bully and aggressor. Both these ideologies cannot work as stand-alone principles for life or any conflict resolution. With one you will be taken advantage of, with the other you will become the aggressor. In today’s age, superpowers aim to do the same – cripple and exploit other nations for their benefit. The Islamic approach is one of balance and that brings the best possible outcome for social peace and harmony. This is summed up in the Holy Quran as: “And the recompense of an injury is an injury the like thereof; but whoso forgives and [thereby] brings about an improvement, his reward is with Allah. Surely, He loves not the wrongdoers.” (Surah al-Shura, Ch.42: V.41) In other words, if you have to fight or punish then you can but only to the extent that you have been wronged. Not an iota more. However, if you can forgive and it is likely to lead to reformation then that is the most desirable outcome. The Quran then gives more detailed guidance with these principles: Don’t let mere enmity incite you to aggression. (Surah al-Ma‘idah, Ch.5: V.3) The old rivalry of Daniel and Johnny meant that despite being very similar themselves and now grown up, they could not get over their animosity towards each other and often clashed. Fight only in defence. (Surah TaHa, Ch.20: V.40) Conversely, Cobra Kai students are often incited to start fights and take down the competing dojo. When one attacks you, stay strong and do not turn your back. (Surah al-Fath, Ch.48: V.17) Whilst karate trains you to fight and defend yourself, Miyagi Do didn’t sufficiently instil the deep-rooted bravery and self-confidence that is needed to finish a fight. Keep fighting until the opponent’s injustices end. (Surah al-Anfal, Ch.8: V.40) Miyagi Do students don’t know how to do this. They keep getting attacked and can hold their own in a fight, but their passivity emboldens the enemy to return. At the slightest indication of peace, desist from fighting. (Surah al-Anfal, Ch.8: V.62) Characters do sometimes apologise and try to end fights and call a truce, but underlying resentments take longer to resolve. Do not go overboard or transgress. (Surah al-Baqarah, Ch.2: V.191) Cobra Kai students attack when unprovoked and aim to injure and maim their opponents. Always be on your guard and take precautions. (Surah al-Nisa, Ch.4: V.72) Miyagi Do is often caught off guard and their weaker members are picked on. The issue Miyagi Do had was that their style was too soft. Students excelled in karate but were not able to stand up to incessant bullying. The over-reliance on self-defence and never to strike first meant that while they could defend themselves just enough to not be totally annihilated, they could not withstand the onslaught of violence and “no-holds-barred” approach of Cobra Kai. The latter style bred overconfidence and a violent merciless approach which made their adherents simply unpleasant characters. Miyagi Do excels at teaching students to control themselves, regulate their breathing and emotions, and make every move with thought and grace. Cobra Kai excels at building confidence, being strong and fierce, and taking down your opponent. A mix of both is what’s needed. In the latest season, this is just what’s happened – the two dojos combine, but it didn’t have to take four seasons to get there. The Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, taught: لَيْسَ الشَّدِيدُ بِالصُّرعَةِ، إِنَّمَا الشَّدِيدُ الَّذِي يَمْلِكُ نَفْسَهُ عِنْدَ الْغَضَبِ (Al-Adab Al-Mufrad) That a strong person is not one who can knock someone down. A truly strong person is one who can control their anger and emotions. Miyagi Do taught this to students more than Cobra Kai but in practice, emotions often flared and anger resulted in deepening rifts and rivalries. Many other conflicts arose in the show because of minor, petty misunderstandings which could’ve been easily resolved. A potentially healthy rivalry quickly turned ugly. To avoid this they should have refrained from making assumptions (Ch.49: V.13), communicated calmly and clearly (Ch.33: V.71), found common ground (Ch.3: V.65) and learned from one another through healthy competition (Ch.2: V.149). A lot of the fights simply arose out of personal conflicts between two individuals from the opposing sides. Rather than the entire dojos getting involved, they should have come together to mediate between the two (Ch.49: V.10). And if one individual was to persist, the entire moral pressure of the combined dojos would have been sufficient to reform him. Excellent principles for any conflict resolution. But then again, it wouldn’t make for a very good TV show, would it? If Cobra Kai students were taught to be calm, measured and balanced, they would succeed more in life. If Miyagi Do students were taught to be braver, confident and assertive, they could defend themselves better. If both adopted Islamic principles, then they would get the best of both worlds.
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Fresh from their takeover of Afghanistan, the Taliban said women will be given rights under Islamic Shariah. This is a good thing because Shariah isn’t the barbaric, scary and oppressive law people are scared of. Millions of Muslims live their lives by Shariah, which literally means “the path to life-giving water”. The religious values which govern a Muslim’s day to day affairs is Shariah. At a state level, the main principles the Qur’an prescribes are of justice and humanity.
In practice Shariah for ordinary Muslims means no alcohol or pork (just like Jews), no lying, cheating or bribing, no wanton killing or injustice. Islamic Shariah actually advocates the same principles set out in the ten commandments. The reason the west is worried is because they think Islam inherently denies women their rights; it doesn’t. The only problem is that the Taliban are either lying or have a warped concept of Islam like Isis and other militant groups. So what they’ll actually implement is anyone’s guess. In the meantime here’s what it'd look like if they followed true Islamic values. Islamic Shariah is based upon the Holy Qur’an and the sayings and practices of Prophet Muhammad. What most people tend to do is conflate Muslim extremism with Islamic Shariah. What they should do is judge Muslims by the principles written in the Holy Qur’an, not judge Islam by the actions of fringe radicals. If the Taliban knew their faith, they'd realise women covering up for the purposes of modesty and dignity is a commandment not enforceable by the state. The only way for women to adopt the hijab is by personal choice, otherwise you create a whole generation of hypocrites and hollow religious belief. This is why implementation of Islamic values is by advice, not force, otherwise you make people resent the religion. The Holy Qur’an addresses Prophet Muhammad saying: 'You are only one who exhorts, you are not a enforcer... you have no authority to compel anyone to practice their faith.' So when the Prophet of Islam would not forcefully implement Islam, who gave the Taliban or other extremists the authority? A country’s penal code is another matter but even here, Islam encourages forgiveness and reformation over retribution and punishment, justice being the overriding principle. That’s conveniently forgotten by the radicals. But religious code is never allowed to be implemented by force. “There is no compulsion in religion,” the Qur’an states. Instead, Muslims are meant to show the value of a religious lifestyle by personal example, education and advice. “Mother Mary covered up, and she is honoured in the Holy Qur’an,” is a stronger argument than “cover up or we will beat you”. Every Muslim woman desires to emulate her. But before we get that far, people always forget that it is men who are told to put their hijab on first. Hijab isn’t just a physical garment but an innocent and pure lifestyle. Men are told to keep their glances down, not gaze at the opposite sex, and respect women. The Taliban should be reminded to fulfil that part of the commandment too. The wife of Prophet Muhammad, Aisha was an Islamic scholar in her own right. The Prophet told his followers to learn half of the faith from her. If Taliban leaders did so, they’d have a good perception of what Islamic values really are. They’d also do well to remember that the person credited with founding the first university in the world was a Muslim woman - Fatima al-Fihri. Muslim women have a long history of scholarship. It’s not without reason the Prophet told his followers that “seeking knowledge is compulsory for every Muslim man and woman”. And the Holy Qur’an makes no distinction between the spiritual rewards of either gender: “But whoso does good works, whether male or female, and is a believer, such shall enter Heaven.” (4:124). Also let’s not forget the Prophet’s first wife Khadija was a wealthy businesswomen who supported her husband. Other rights Islamic Shariah affords women (some which the West belatedly gave):
Privileges women enjoy over men in Islam:
The problem of course with the west trying to be the saviours of Afghani women is they don't treat their own women too well either. The Taliban may have a history of repression, but in the West women are subtly oppressed and abused. The only difference is the west has found new ways to oppress women like denying equal pay and creating entire media industries objectifying them. Not to mention the havoc created and families displaced by Western wars in recent years. This is why it's no good preaching to the Taliban when they can turn around and level similar accusations at us. You have to speak their language. Do implement Islamic Shariah, by all means. Not your own version of it, but the one which the Prophet practiced by affording women rights we only gave women here a century or so ago. The Taliban do seem to have turned a new leaf by offering a general amnesty and pledging to give women all rights under Islam. They’d do well to honour that as outlined above. There is a caveat to all this. The Taliban is not an Islamic organisation and never has been. They are not scholars of the faith nor inspired by service to God. They're more political than religious and more nationalistic than spiritual. They are a militant creation of the US which was designed to counter Russian influence in the area. A radical alien form of Islam was used as a tool to motivate and provoke them into violent action. Now they're sounding moderate to the world, but can an old dog learn new tricks? We're all hoping it can. During the pandemic, extremist organisations have spread their ideologies online on a much larger scale than before. There was a massive increase in the use of Telegram by extremist groups after April 2020 and radicals are always on the lookout for new messaging platforms. Isis has been experimenting with a number of platforms to disseminate its violent ideology, as reported by Etidal - an international counter-extremism hub.
So I went on a journey speaking to former extremists to find out how they were radicalised and what factors led to their reformation. There were three lessons I learnt. 1. Having a strong moral upbringing protects from radicalisation later on. 2. Traveling shows you how different cultures and faiths peacefully coexist 3. Spending time with those different to you humanises them These experiences are found in all three of the following people I spoke with. Drew As long as a child’s upbringing is based on solid moral foundations and a respectful and tolerant worldview, they’re less likely to complete the radicalisation process and be involved in violence, even if exposed to extremist content later in life. I spoke to Drew who had a liberal upbringing and was taught to be accepting of others. But being autistic and exposed to online gaming communities during the Gamergate controversy, which was a culture war around female representation in games, he started harbouring hateful views towards feminists, immigrants and Muslims. Each Muslim terror attack ingrained those views further. But after the Nice attacks in France when there was an increase of Islamophobia and anti-immigrant sentiment, he realised this was not the way he had been brought up. After seeing anti-Semitic posters in university, the gravity of his worldview hit home and he abandoned the anger he had towards other groups. Drew also went traveling to Europe after the Nice attacks and visited the city, where he saw people of different faiths mourning together. Yossi Distance and generalisations about those we have anger towards contributes to radicalisation. Yossi is a Jew originally from New York whose dad survived the holocaust. He hated Germans and the rest of the world after hearing his father’s stories. But his parents also taught him respect and living life with dignity. As a teenager he joined the Jewish Defence League and even prepared terrorist attacks. But he could never take the leap to violence. He could be friends with terrorists but couldn’t become one of them. Deaths caused by the JDL shocked him and when the group got more extreme he re-examined his beliefs and travelled to Europe. Here he described “small acts of kindness” and curiosity about Jews by Europeans as moments which led to his deradicalisation. He started to remember that while his father warned him about the world, he also taught him to be a good person. Yossi moved to Jerusalem and spent time praying with Muslims and Christians eventually developing a “deep love for Islam”. Now he’s involved in peace efforts between Israelis and Palestinians. Alex When we learn about other faiths and cultures based on isolated incidents in the media, it’s easy to develop animosity towards them. Alex grew up in Texas thinking that all Muslims lived in the Middle East and were extremists. Though he never believed it, these thoughts were difficult to challenge as he’d never spent time with Muslims. “My lack of education and exposure to Muslims muddled my perception of them,” he said. His mother taught him to respect everyone; she was the daughter of an army colonel and spent time in Libya, Greece, Japan and other countries. Alex moved to Singapore as part of a student exchange programme and lived with a Muslim family during Ramadan, observing their “kindness, devotion and commitment to their children”. He said: “Living with different cultures really humanises people and too often in the US, ethnic and racial groups live in the same city but separate areas so you could go your whole life not having to meet a Muslim.” He credits the change of his views to his mother and spending time with the Muslim family. He noticed that in Singapore schools have cultural education days and its Ethnic Integration Policy prevents the formation of ethnic enclaves placing quotas on how many residents of one racial group can live in a building. I decided to speak to people like Drew, Yossi and Alex to understand why people turn to extremism, how they turn back from it and what we can do to prevent radicalisation. It was part of a UN project called EDIN - Empowering Dialogue & Interfaith Networks - to equip young faith leaders and young media makers to tackle hate speech online. My conversations have reinforced the need to remove the barriers to open conversations, meet people different from you, and give children strong moral frameworks with which to see the world. Covid has meant extremists have turned to online media even more to spread their hateful views. But there are a host of young media makers and faith leaders like me providing the counter-narrative. Extremist thought is allowed to linger too long in this country and freedom of speech is no excuse5/30/2017 It was a welcome move by LBC to finally remove Katie Hopkins from her provocative show. However, it took an especially grotesque tweet to do so which shows how overly tolerant or simply blind we’ve become to the abuse of free speech taking place. For far too long we’ve allowed extremists, Muslim and non-Muslim the airtime to spout their hate-filled and divisive rhetoric. Anjum Choudary similarly was was placed on platform upon platform, news channel upon news channel before being sentenced to imprisonment for supporting terrorism. Why does it take a heinous attack and a vile tweet calling for mass extermination of Muslims, to make us realise what the issue is here? The Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad said: “publicity is the oxygen sustaining most terrorist or extremist groups”. And he was right because without publicity the recruiting mechanism of extremists would fail. And yet we play right into their hands by giving extremists ample airtime. He also recommended arming police (something we’re now seeing on the streets), monitoring Mosque sermons and for the media to limit extremist exposure. The Caliph’s own sermons are broadcast live throughout the world and published often the same day on various media platforms. Fortunately, Britain has a good record of curbing extremism, be it political or otherwise. In the 1930s the National Government was successful in repressing political extremism through legislation and likewise limited the IRA’s influence in the late 1980s to the mid 1990s. Similarly the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 outlined measures to prevent radicalisation and cease terrorist activities. In recent years the government has banned certain hate speakers from entering the UK - a thoroughly commendable step. Some however seem to think removing hate-filled rhetoric is an attack on free speech. It isn’t, it’s an attack on toxic messages which lead to terror. We did it in the past with the IRA and we do it today by banning those who would create disorder. Hate speech, provocation and taking advantage of the climate of extremism are not justified under free speech. Otherwise we wouldn’t have laws, regulations and rules banning racism, anti-semitism and hate. Those defending Hopkins’ right to air her poisonous views like to cherry-pick our laws just as the extremists cherry-pick religious verses. Article 10 of the Human Rights Act while upholding freedom of expression does not permit the misuse of it. It allows restrictions to protect morals, public safety and prevent disorder. Extremists don’t win when we censor material which is likely to pervert our young. They win when their ideology is publicly aired and shared by all the media outlets. Our tabloid newspapers are quick to jump on the divisive bandwagon too. It’s about time we have greater restrictions on such who flagrantly flout principles of journalistic integrity let alone of human decency. We saw this when Kelvin McKenzie was rightly sacked for his crude comments against Everton footballer, Ross Barkley. McKenzie has a history of impropriety and it shouldn’t have taken this long to remove him. The media is bound by reporting restrictions anyway when it comes to court proceedings or police investigations. Why should it be any different when it’s about public safety, decency and limiting extremist output? Freedoms come with responsibility and restrictions because there exist among us those who use those freedoms to further their own perverse and selfish agendas. Muslim or non-Muslim, extremists are among us. But so are the infinitely decent and right-minded people who value diversity, respect and responsible free speech. And as long as these people exist, there’s hope yet that the radicals will never gain ground. A survey has revealed that less than a fifth of Christians in the UK believe the resurrection of Jesus as told in the Bible. The survey was commissioned by the BBC and found exactly half of those surveyed did not believe in the resurrection at all. However, the concept still exists in some form or another in other religions. Faith leaders spoke about what resurrection meant to them and what their religion taught. Gen Kelsang Wangmo, Buddhist Nun said: “This body can’t come back because we can observe it and see exactly what happens to it.” Zvi Solomons, Jewish Rabbi said: “We read of the national resurrection during passover because that’s when we became a people.” Salman Muzaffar, Muslim Youth leader said: “Your soul is affected by your actions in this life.” The concept also exists in Hinduism as reincarnation. Of those who said they believe in an afterlife, 32% said they think it will be a type of physical reincarnation while 65% said your soul will simply live on. Belief in an afterlife was split equally between those that did believe and those that did not.
More than 2,000 adults demographically representative of Britons were interviewed by phone for the study. Also published in The Muslim Times. The leader of the oldest and largest organised Muslim community in Britain said hundreds of thousands are joining his community because of its peaceful teachings. The comments, made at the annual Peace Symposium of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community this year, came after renewed fears of radicalisation in the aftermath of the London attack. The Caliph of the community, His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad said: “You will never find any case of radicalisation in our community. “Hundreds of thousands are joining the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community because of our teachings of love, peace and harmony. Just last year, 535,000 joined us.” He explained the reasons why members of his community are never radicalised. He said the teachings and fundamentals of the religion are made clear with guidance directly through the Caliph in any points of dissension. He explained, for example, Islamic terminology like Jihad is often misunderstood and misrepresented. He said: “The true Jihad is the one where you strive for self-reformation”. This is in contrast to many other Muslim organisations who still have to provide such a distinct interpretation of commonly misunderstood Islamic concepts. The Ahmadiyya community has been clear on this interpretation since its founder started the organisation in 1889. It has published thousands of books and leaflets clarifying such misconceptions. He further explained that according to him, integration did not mean abandoning the principles of one’s faith. Rather, he said it meant one should love one’s nation and work for its betterment. The community’s organised structure and extensive work with its youth is another factor preventing radicalisation. The auxiliary branch of the organisation - the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association engages its members in various activities like tree-planting, homeless feeding, workshops, sports days and spring retreats. However, many Muslims do not consider the group to be true representatives of Islam. A contentious theological point has caused rifts between mainstream Muslims and Ahmadis often resulting in persecution and ostracization of the latter. Mainstream Muslims say Prophet Muhammad was the final Prophet and none can come after him. However, Ahmadi Muslims say Prophet Muhammad was the final ‘law-bearing’ Prophet but Prophets subordinate to him can still appear. They say their founder Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad was the awaited Messiah and a subordinate Prophet to Muhammad. This has led Ahmadis to be labeled as heretics and non-Muslims and even resulted in persecution in the UK and abroad. Algeria has begun a recent crackdown on the community, arresting its national president in February as human rights groups call on the government to uphold religious freedom. The government says arrests were for individual crimes and not targeted at the community. Likewise, last year an Ahmadi shopkeeper was murdered in Glasgow by a man from Bradford who was radicalised by hate-speech against the group. The community was forced to migrate from Pakistan to London in 1984 after the dictator General Zia outlawed it and cracked down on its followers. Since then, they have been headquartered in Wandsworth, London. They are spread in over 200 countries with tens of millions of members.
Hundreds of Muslim youth from across Surrey and Hampshire gathered in Haslemere for moral, spiritual and physical training.
It was organised by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association UK (AMYA UK), a Muslim men's group made up of members up to the age of 40.
The purpose of the conference was to train young Muslims to serve their faith and country, teaching them how religion and loyalty to one's nation go hand in hand.
Over the course of the day, there were lectures, competitions and workshops designed to engage the delegates.
The conference ended with prize distribution and a final speech by the president of AMYA UK, Mirza Waqas Ahmad. When the 2005 London bombings took place, I was on my way to the school bus as I heard what had just happened. I couldn’t believe it was true until I got home and saw all the pictures on the news. This time the pictures, notifications and reports flooded in from everywhere and so did the heroic brave stories of those who tried to help the victims and the police who put themselves in between the danger and the public - ready to sacrifice their lives. This time I didn’t care if it was a Muslim or not because it didn’t matter and never does since all terrorists share the same ideology - that of hate. I cared how we’d react. Jo Cox’s murder is always in the back of my mind because I still don’t believe our nation as a whole woke up that day to the toxic effects of divisive speech, suspicion and hate. This time, while I was shaken, shocked, and terribly aghast at the vile nature of the attack, my heart felt a sense of pride at our nation’s response to such reprehensible deeds. Columnist Simon Jenkins made a sagacious point, one which the Muslim leader, Caliph Mirza Masroor Ahmad of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has also made in the past. The Caliph said: “Publicity is the oxygen sustaining most terrorist or extremist groups." Mr. Jenkins said: “The terrorists’ aim is not just to kill a few but to terrify a multitude. For politicians and media to overreact would play into their hands.” That is, publicity is the oxygen which extremists thrive on and rather than overreact and publicise terror acts, giving them notoriety, we should focus on the great work of the public and emergency services. Many were inspired by the brave attempts of Bournemouth MP, Tobias Ellwood who desperately tried to save PC Keith Palmer by administering CPR. Politicians showed solidarity and resolve as they were locked in the Commons Chambers tweeting how they had heard gunshots and had little idea of what happened. The Prime Minister likewise rightly condemned the ‘sick and depraved’ attack. They didn’t cower or express fear but remained calm and composed as you’d hope your leaders would in such times as these. It gives hope our country is still run by talented, professional and sincere individuals. Perhaps even more inspiring were the emergency services who we just never appreciate enough. Doctors and nurses literally ran from nearby St. Thomas’s Hospital to the scene at Westminster bridge where passers-by were helping the injured. This is how our nation comes together and good overcomes evil. The police were mobilised within minutes and videos emerged of policeman at Westminster evacuating the area, trying to save the public, shouting for them to get under cover. Extra patrols were deployed across the country overnight to protect citizens and armed officers stood guard everywhere. Likewise our intelligence and security services’ work made this the exception, not the rule. Fifty attacks have been averted by counter-terrorism police since 7/7 but this was one they didn’t see coming. Investigators will continue to make raids and arrests and capture anyone else linked to the attacker and their quiet work behind the scenes keeps us safe in the long run. Brendon Cox has become the voice of reason since his wife’s murder in trying to build bridges and continue his wife’s work in that regard. He expressed heartening thoughts saying the ‘sense of public support’ and ‘thousand of acts of kindness’ helped him in the aftermath. Messages of hope have been drawn on the floor at Trafalgar Square and last night a vigil took place where members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community stood alongside all others with large banners saying ‘love for all, hatred for none’, wearing t-shirts with the words ‘I am a Muslim’ so everyone knows how Islam stands for loyalty and unity. They reiterated the point that the Qur’an teaches whosoever kills an innocent person, it’s as if they’ve killed all mankind, and whosoever saves a life, it’s as if they’ve saved all mankind. With the efforts of the public and emergency services, humanity was saved more times than it was killed when the crazed man drove across Westminster bridge. Masood was criminal turned terrorist. He can never be a reason to divide us or a reason to think his actions were inspired by any religious motive. He had previous convictions and was involved with petty crime at a young age - like others who turn out as killers.
Brendon Cox was again the one to respond with the wisest of words: “We have to remember that the person who did this is no more representative of British Muslims than the person who killed Jo is representative of people that are from Yorkshire." Normal services resumed the day after and Parliament was in session as usual. Even though this tube sign which went viral turned out to be fake, it perfectly summed up the British response: ‘All terrorists are politely reminded that THIS IS LONDON and whatever you do to us, we will drink tea and jolly well carry on.’ Even if one tube message was fake, at least this one was real: ‘The flower that blooms in adversity is the rarest and most beautiful of them all.’ Never have more pertinent words been written. After this attack, the greatness of our nation reveals itself even more. Now more than ever, it’s vital to not only appreciate the great things about this wonderful nation, but also to respond with that much more love, trust and unity towards every single person who lives alongside us in modern Britain. Muslim leader and Hiroshima survivor to warn of nuclear war and urge for peace after London terror3/23/2017 This month, Hiroshima survivor Ms. Setsuko Thurlow will give a speech in London as she claims the 2017 ‘Advancement of Peace’ Prize presented by the Caliph of the oldest Muslim organisation in Britain. It’s for her anti-nuclear activism describing the horrors of living through nuclear devastation in what she calls ‘hell on earth’. We must listen to what she has to say, especially in light of repeated warnings a nuclear war is on the horizon. She was 13 when the bombs fell in her homeland and now campaigns for nuclear disarmament. In a politically tense and nuclear-filled world, hearing what the survivor of an atomic bomb has to say will be the most sagacious approach to preventing a repeat of a tragedy that could conceivably hit any city in the world - such are the wide-ranging nuclear capabilities of nations today. Nine countries possess more than 15,000 nuclear weapons. Modern day conflicts and violence could easily lead to the conclusion that man has forgotten the death and carnage caused by former generations. Centuries of human violence, bloodshed and wars see no end with only 10 countries considered free from conflict according to the Global Peace Index. The seemingly great strides in unity, pluralism and civility after World War 2 face ruin with populism, terrorism and war ripping through any endeavour of peace today. Forecasts of a third global war are increasingly being made with some suggesting the stage is already set, while others believe it has already begun. For example, in the buildup to World War 2, far-right nationalist parties gained ground, the League of Nations proved ineffective and economic recession had hit the markets hard. It just sounds ever too familiar. Today we have a UN ineffective at dealing with the conflicts, poverty and war widely prevalent, creeping far-right movements in Europe and America and erratic global financial markets. The similitudes are deafening. Echos of the Cold War reverberate almost daily and the great powers are already at war, albeit a proxy war with Syria the biggest victim of the power struggle. The outlook seems bleak in the grand scheme of things but there can still be found glimmers of light and hope. The keynote speaker at the event who will present the peace prize, His Holiness Caliph Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has long been warning of the devastating effects of nuclear war. He said at a previous conference: “The weapons available today are so destructive that they could lead to generation after generation of children being born with severe genetic or physical defects. Drinking water, food and vegetation will be all contaminated by radiation. We can only imagine what type of diseases such contamination will lead to. It is my ardent wish and hope that the leaders of all major nations come to understand this dreadful reality. And so instead of adopting aggressive policies and utilising force to achieve their aims and objectives, they should strive to adopt policies that promote and secure justice.” Meanwhile, NGOs, charities and activists like Ms. Setsuko Thurlow continue in their efforts to disarm nations of destructive weapons. The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) is advocating a ban on nuclear weapons in the same category as chemical and biological weapons. The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) is joined by 191 states including 5 of the nine possessing nuclear armaments. Only India, Israel and Pakistan are the nuclear powers who haven’t signed up. Ms.Thurlow says the excuse of a deterrent is nonsense. “We have been lucky the past 71 years but we can’t keep pushing our luck. As long as those weapons exist, we keep competing and are leading ourselves to catastrophe. She frequently tells her story of experiencing the bombs as a schoolgirl in Japan, urging for the complete abolition of the catastrophic weapons. Both her and the Caliph are expected to speak on the issue when she’s presented with the accolade for her efforts. The peace prize is awarded by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community at the annual Peace Symposium in the UK’s biggest Mosque, based in Morden. Previous winners include Lord Eric Avebury and Abdul Sattar Edhi. It will take place on the 25th of March and I for one will be eager to hear what both have to say. Mr. Robert Spencer replied to my article published in the Huffington Post. Below is a response to his comments. His comments are in bold.
Why is it only being reprinted now? Is the Islamic propaganda machine running short of new material? Well it’s a timely reminder because clearly it didn’t reach some people back then. It’s interesting Spencer thinks there is a ‘Islamic propaganda machine’ considering the fact Islamophobes are the ones not only spending but being paid thousands to carry out their own anti-Islamic propaganda. Well, we all have to earn a living don’t we? Anyway, this is a particularly risible farrago of assorted nonsense. You’d think even the Huffington Post would be embarrassed to publish something like this, but such is the state of the public discourse these days. We’re now supposed to believe that Islam is the mother lode of good ideas, the wellspring of freedom and democratic values. The Huffington Post realises the sanctity and value of all faiths including Islam, one of the major world religions. Rather than make it their life effort to mock, defame and ridicule religion, they appreciate the good all religions bring to the table. Such is the state of public discourse these days that even the layman can come to more logical conclusions about Islam than a self-professed ‘expert’ on Islam. And yes, as I proved in my article, Islam does put forth strong values of freedom, democracy and good to the extent where it says ‘Allah loves those who do good’ - Holy Qur’an 2:195. Did Spencer miss this and countless such verses when ‘studying’ Islam? I’ve often mocked government spokesmen and the mainstream media for insisting the jihad terror has nothing to do with Islam while jihad terrorists routinely invoke the Qur’an and Sunnah to justify their actions and make recruits among peaceful Muslims. Now Atif Rashid has taken this idea that massive numbers of Muslims misunderstand their own religion a step farther: apparently we are now to buy the notion that every Islamic state that has ever existed and that exists now has misunderstood Islam. If “Islam from its very outset advocated for complete freedom, justice and democratic values,” it is extraordinary that there has never been a single state that has governed according to Islamic law that has ever allowed for “complete freedom, justice and democratic values.” Every Islamic state, from the Umayyad, Abbasid and Ottoman caliphates to contemporary Saudi Arabia, Iran, Pakistan and the rest, has misunderstood Islam, and missed the principles that Atif Rashid is here presenting as self-evident. Actually Mr. Spencer, terrorists citing of Qur’an and Sunnah is mere deceptive bravado to mislead the masses by cherry-picking and distorting verses much like Islamophobes do - to suit their own agenda. It’s been repeatedly proven that such terrorists or extremists have neither knowledge or understanding of the basic principles of their faith. ISIS don’t even possess a copy of the Qur’an let alone read it! Mr. Spencer then misses the facts of history:
How can the claims made in the article be false when clear evidence and links to the religious texts which substantiate them were provided? Ask most Muslims in the world, they would also agree (however Spencer will see fit to ask only the extremists with whom he agrees). But if Spencer wishes only to listen to the extremists, then that makes him part and parcel of their nefarious activities. Such fear-mongering, suspicion and unfounded accusation is what is wrong with the world today. In reality, the only arguably democratic state in the history of Islam has been Kemalist Turkey, now in its last days. Secular Turkey was founded upon an explicit rejection of political Islam, not upon a development within Islam that allowed for democratic government. There never has been an Islamic humanist democracy in the 1,400-year history of the religion.
All right. It’s farfetched enough to claim that every last Islamic state in the world today fails to follow Islamic injunctions faithfully, but every last one throughout history would also have had to have done so if what Rashid says is true. Even if there were “great advancements made during the Islamic Gold Age from the 8th to the 13th century,” and that claim in itself is wildly exaggerated, they never resulted in democratic rule. As I’ve mentioned above, the Caliphs were elected = democratic rule. And democracy is only in full play when the needs of the people are met and their concerns listened to. Today, not many modern democracies can claim this to be true for them. Plutocracy would be more accurate. What Islam strongly advocated from the beginning was absolute justice in governance. So if there is no democracy and the rights of the people aren’t protected, how can there be justice? The 2nd Caliph, Umar is renowned for setting up a welfare state in the Islamic world and personally seeing to the complaints and needs of the citizens. Leaders today speak of themselves as being in ‘power’, early Muslim leaders considered their rule as a huge responsibility for which they were answerable to God directly, let alone the people. This means that not only did Islam teach democracy and justice, those immediately after the Prophet carried out such forms of governance. When? Where? Notice that Rashid offers no examples, because every last Islamic state throughout history has been an authoritarian state. Perhaps try Malaysia for a start. Indonesia also. And Morocco next. Don’t forget the first Islamic state - Medina or the ones during the first 4 Caliphs. Rashid goes on to offer an exposition of the Qur’an that purports to establish “Islam’s support for a democratic government.” The obvious response to his exegesis is this: why is he apparently the first to have discovered it? Why has no Islamic state ever applied it? Lest we continue to go around in circles, I’ll refer Spencer to my answers above. And why does the Huffington Post so assiduously engage in Islamic apologetics? Why is it so intent on making sure that Westerners think Islam is benign in every aspect? What is the endgame here? I’ll leave that for HuffPost to answer but I suspect Arianna Huffington is a sagacious and open-minded woman who likes to give a platform for like-minded individuals. The end-game is to transform suspicious and one-track minded individuals into positive, accepting and informed citizens which I hope and pray Spencer one day becomes, rather than dedicating his life to attack a religion of peace which has millions of devout, harmonious and contributive followers. |
AuthorAtif Rashid writes about faith, extremism & mental health. Categories
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