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.
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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. 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. 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. How extremists are more motivated by greed, power and worldly desires as opposed to true faith and Islamic values
Muslims claim their religion teaches peace, harmony, love and goodness while the actions of some so-called adherents to the faith prove contrary. How can it be that on the one hand, the religion teaches good while Muslims commit evil? Some suggest the reason being the inherent evil of the religion itself. So is the religion itself evil or are the adherents today evil? Or both? Well. we can safely conclude that the majority of the 1.6 billion Muslims are not evil. Nor are they violent. Rather, they are the peaceful adherents of the religion of Islam. They constitute the large majority of the Muslim population the world over. This is a self-evident truth. There’s no denying extremist elements exist yet that’s no surprise since you’ll find good and evil in all spheres of life regardless of faith, race, nationality, political stance, career or any other distinguishing criteria. A cursory look at the fundamental holy book, the Qur’an would also lend support to the belief that Islam is actually a peaceful religion. After all, it exhorts to peace, justice, charity and unity. Harvard went so far as to declare one verse of the Muslim holy book as one of the best expressions of justice ever. True, there are violent verses but that's already explained by my counterparts here and here. Why then are some Muslims today totally disregarding these peaceful teachings and acting like primitive, violent people? Well let’s have a look. For one, Muslims have forsaken the fundamental teachings of the Prophet and have given themselves over to superficiality and worldliness which pervades their religious practices. Their actions betray their self-righteous speech. It’s the same with the Church - religion becomes a business. When people forget the true teachings or distort them, misunderstand the true purport or yet are misguided and tempted by worldly motives they inevitably become superficial and religious by name only. This is a phenomenon which we see all too often in religious history. Outward observance without regard for the spirit of the teaching leads to bigotry, prejudice and hard-heartedness. Religion is meant to invoke feelings of spirituality, love and open-heartedness. The form is meant to induce the spirit, the spirit being the main goal. However the spirit can’t survive without the shell, but when religion becomes a formal, hollow exercise, we see only superficiality, intolerance and judgemental mindsets - leading to violence against opposing beliefs. It isn’t anything new. Man is negligent, vain and driven by selfish desires - which true religion seeks to curb. Over time and generations the core values and principles once instilled by elders fade away being replaced with an ideology consisting only of prejudice, intolerance and superficiality. Reminders are of paramount importance therefore. In a world filled with materialism, egotism, jealousy and manic pursuit of power, the higher values of life are often overlooked with worldliness becoming intermingled with religious values. Groups like ISIS are undoubtedly more motivated by geopolitical motives than actual Islamic values. You can’t blame the car for a drunk driver crashing though. If Islam’s teachings are being misused and driven by leaders drunk with power and worldliness, then the drivers (and those who fuel the drunkenness of the drivers) are to blame, not the car. If you want to understand what’s happened to Muslims, just look at Christian history. Jesus (peace be on him) would never have approved of the Crusades, Spanish Inquisition or witch hunts up to the 18th century. Similarly, Muhammad (pbuh) warned his followers not to become disbelievers by shedding blood. Anyhow, the religion of Islam or its Prophet Muhammad cannot be held accountable for the actions of Latter Day followers the leaders of which he himself labelled as ‘the worst creatures under the heavens’. He warned his followers, that in the Latter Days, they would go to their leaders searching for guidance but instead find ‘apes and swine’ sitting there - he of course was referring to the degraded moral and deplorable spiritual condition of many Latter Day Muslim clerics. It goes without saying, if the leaders themselves are corrupt, their adherents will follow suit. Muhammad (on whom be peace) foretold of a time when Islam will be beset with superficiality and so-called scholars with their own vested motives will misguide the masses. Just as we can never place blame upon Jesus (on whom be peace) for the actions of his followers who came later, we can’t blame Muhammad for the actions of Muslims today. Nor can we hold the Qur’anic teachings or Islam as a religion responsible since Islam itself condemns the hypocritical and selfish, violent actions of some Muslims today. Likewise, Moses (peace be on him) can’t be blamed for the Jewish violence today nor can Buddha (on whom be peace) be held accountable for the genocide of Rohingya Muslims. Further, what we may see as violent behaviour by Muslims today is only a matter of perspective. Undue emphasis is given to terror acts by Muslims whereas if we look at the world today generally, terrorism, inhumanity and infringement of human rights happens by non-Muslims just as much as it does by Muslims, if not more so. China, a Communist (Communism, which is inherently anti-religious) nation has one of the worst human rights record in the world. Saudi Arabia has a similarly deplorable one as well which is why it’s quite ironic that Western countries so nonchalantly back and support such regimes (and have a history of doing so) while themselves posing as the most advanced and morally superior countries looking to police the world. The Prophet of Islam taught that whoever assists in a good deed will have a share of its reward and whoever helps facilitate evil, will share the burden thereof. Suffice to say then, the West has played a large role in fueling extremist ideology especially by being friendly with the Saudis who export their deadly, violent puritanical version of Islam which was partly responsible for the Paris attacks. Talk about fueling the drunk driver. The West (primarily Christian nations) have attacked, colonised and plundered entire nations, countries and people based on deception and resource hungry motives. They fund extremist rebels, prop up dictatorial regimes and extort whoever agrees not with them. Let’s not forget Iraq (an international war crime and responsible for ISIS as admitted by Tony Blair), Libya, Syria, the Gulf War, Afghanistan and others. No good whatsoever has come of these wars. Western wars since 1990 have killed an estimated 4 million Muslims, mostly innocent under the false guise of freedom, democracy and liberation. And yet Islam is scapegoated as the cause of the rise of terrorism. Israel continues to commit atrocities against the Palestinians and North Korea is by all accounts an oppressive regime. Not to mention Russia, another Communist nation which has in recent months invaded another country and cracks down frequently on dissidents. So to believe that the Muslim world alone is responsible for terrorism and displays brutality is a wholly undue approach to analysing the problems of the world today. A 2008 MI5 report declared that extremists are not really very religious and lack a real understanding of core religious values, something supported by recent evidence. The Paris attackers were found to be wholly neglectful of Islam’s teachings. Having never attended the Mosque, one attacker was involved in petty crime and drugs - completely irreligious if you ask any decent practicing Muslim with an iota of religious values. Other reports cite poverty and Islamophobia along with lack of aspiration as reasons for extremism. The MI5 report went so far as to say that a well-established religious identity actually protects against violent radicalisation. As for ISIS, basically created by Western intervention, it was established that they don’t even possess a copy of the Muslim holy book and lack true religious insight anyway. Their ideology was also comprehensively dismantled by the worldwide leader of the most united, organised and grounded Muslim community today which has for the last 126 years been leading the peaceful revival of the true teachings of Islam, along with efforts to unite all under one banner of ‘love for all, hatred for none’. They present viable solutions to humanity’s problems today, if only people would pay attention. Alas, man cares not for a wise, considered word. Only when our mis-actions rebound on ourselves, like the refugee crisis, Paris attacks or something worse God-forbid, will we perhaps understand and pay attention to the words of a rational, good-willed and impartial community which has long warned of the dire consequences of our deeds. Until then, we can only pray, hope and wait. The Paris Attacks Are a Reminder We Should All Listen to the London Based Khalifa (Caliph) of Islam11/20/2015 In the aftermath of the Paris attacks, we'd all be wise to listen to the 5th Khalifa of the Ahmadiyya Muslims Community who has repeatedly been giving viable solutions to remove the poison of ISIS while exhorting Muslims to be true to the faith they follow. He condemned the Paris attacks last week and prayed for its victims. Photo by Moyan Brenn Ahmadis are Muslims who believe in the Promised Messiah, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad and are today lead by the 5th Khalifa, Mirza Masroor Ahmad who frequents world Parliaments reminding leaders to take considered, reasonable approaches to policy making with justice being the overriding principle. He warned in 2014 that if ISIS were not 'stopped in their tracks', they would cause great destruction in the world. He went on to condemn those groups or nations who were financing and supporting terrorist organisations emphasising the need to cut off the funding of all terrorist groups. In an interview with LBC in the UK, he called on the government to arm the police and monitor Mosques for any extremist rhetoric to prevent youth radicalization. This year he cited "unquenchable thirst for power, influence and resources" as the main reasons for conflicts today. Just last year, at the Ahmadiyya Annual Peace Symposium, his Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad addressed the issue of ISIS shattering their ideology and in press conferences as well as private meetings has explained how stopping the funding and supply line of ISIS is the way to destroy them. In 2012 he sent a series of letters to major world leaders citing the need to join together with justice and goodwill to establish peace and prevent a global catastrophe occurring. Again, just a couple of months ago he addressed the Dutch Parliament and also had a message for Muslims saying: "Quite simply, in Europe and in the West, the governments are secular and so a Muslim can never have the right to violate the laws of the land, to violently oppose the government or to instigate any form of rebellion or insurgency." The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has been leading the peaceful revival of the true Islam for 126 years now and constantly warns the world of the dire consequences of turning away from Godliness and good morals. The Khalifa is at the forefront of seeking to bring peace to the world disregarding all considerations of self interest or vested motives. He urges all to give up selfishness, greed, jealousy and vanity so that the world may be saved and mankind may live in harmony with one another. Now, following the deadly Paris attacks, leaders, politicians and policy makers as well as Muslims the world over would be wise to listen to the Khalifa and his community who have been warning of such events and catastrophes for decades. If we're to get humanity to a better place, it's time the true Khalifa of Islam, the single leader of the world's most united, organised and disciplined Muslim community is paid due heed.
We're all looking for it - success, but what is it and how can we get there? When the veils, garbs and blindness of success, fame and money are lifted, a person is left wondering, 'is that it'? Introspection is a worthy, noble thing. Without it all the famous footballers, sportspeople, businessmen and politicians would care not for a moment what effect their actions have on the thousands, even millions who watch them, adore them, listen to them and even worship them, let alone what effect their actions have on themselves. Is that what is to be pined for, to be striven for - to become like them, simply for fame or money? Or is there something else, more noble, worthwhile and lasting which we may term as 'success'? Whether those we call successful and famous care for others or even themselves is a matter of introspection. It's easy to lose track of what matters when you're immersed in fame, luxury and success. However these things never last and often give rise to arrogance, egotism and disillusionment in the long run which is why we must always self-reflect and redefine what success actually is. It can't be fame since we find many actors and celebrities die of depression, overdosing on drugs. Nor can it be power when leaders and politicians are ousted and defamed on a regular basis while those who are on the lower rungs of the ladder work themselves to exhaustion and even death. Can success be equated with wealth then? Well how can money or possessions be the cause of happiness when there is still a burning desire for power, influence and recognition? No, money can't buy success or happiness, nor can we equate success with anything material. There is something more to this mundane, worldly and transitory existence. This is something testified to by many millions of adherents to religions and spirituality awakened souls. We are forevermore on the search for what we are meant to become, what path to take and how we can get there, if indeed we can. In a time when many theories, philosophies and ideas are thrown about, we lose sight of what makes us happy and feel as though we have succeeded. A man at peace can be content living in a hut while one can be living in palaces yet be malcontent. This is a phenomenon too true and one which many are realising today. Success certainly isn't what your parents want you to do or what society pushes you towards or what your culture thinks is right. Everyday, people find how following the expectations of others leaves them disillusioned, discontent and ironically unsuccessful. The very pursuit of success (the false sense of success) which we are pushed towards by the world is what inevitably breeds our failure. In fact, at times it is that very failure we need to realise where our true success lies. This held true for Steve Jobs, J.K.Rowling and Bill Gates who not only have followed their destiny and achieved success after battling expectations from those around them, but have also managed to succeed in a way which benefits the world, gives them fulfilment and is free from the ills which comes with most fame and success. The very pursuit of what is deemed as 'success' is killing the initiative, creativity and prosperity of our people. It drives students to suicide in Asia, disillusionment, confusion and dissatisfaction in Europe and anger elsewhere. The pursuit of success itself is a false notion, what should be pursued is development of self, purification and trust in yourself - for trusting your heart and your inner voice amounts to trusting in the inner faculty God has implanted in each one of us which tells us which direction to go. Call it our moral compass, the soul or our sub-conscious, we all have it. However, how do we know if it really is leading us right? This is why the quote 'successful are those who purify themselves' resonated with me so much. The person who purifies his mind, heart, body and therefore soul of all vain desires, egotistical passions and false pride will augment his sense of self and sense of right and wrong. This will then direct his heart aright. We should remove all obstacles to leading a pure, simple and clean life for in this is lasting joy, contentment and purity. This is nothing less than what the great spiritual and moral, religious teachers have taught mankind. Whether it was Jesus, Buddha, Muhammad, Abraham, Confucius or any other, they all shared a common purpose and teaching striving to illuminate mankind and draw them out of the dregs of infernal existence otherwise known as the passions of greed, rancour, hatred, malice, jealousy and contempt. Similarly, success is individual to all of us and as long as we follow and augment our inner voice and moral compass, we can be sure that it'll lead us to where we're meant to go. But for that, we must purify ourselves of negativity and degradation. In this age of materialism and vice, another such religious teacher seeks to impart and reassert the same principles and values once taught by the former ones. In a hamlet of the Punjab, India named Qadian, a man was born who claimed to be the Messiah awaited by all major religions of the world and prophesied in world religious scriptures. His name was Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. He said he came in the name of all previous Prophets and Divine religious teachers to unite mankind in the Latter Days through truth, love, peace and prayer. I'm one of his many millions of followers. In his early days, his father also wished for him to get gainful employment somewhere at which his reply was that his father worried unnecessarily and he was already employed to Whom he wished to and wasn't interested in employment by men. He put his trust in God and wasn't interested in wealth, fame or glory. He was content reading books, living in solitude, studying religion and holding discussions with friends and acquaintances. Later, he established a community of followers by Divine command to unite people of all religions under one banner. Now, after 126 years, as per his prophecy that his message would spread across the world, his community spans 207 countries, with tens of millions of followers, united under one leader, broadcasting a 24 hour international TV channel, publishing thousands of books, leaflets and literature for the peaceful propagation and revival of the true, original teachings of Islam, which has been corrupted by self-styled so called scholars of today. He taught me success isn't in worldly glory or fame but in relinquishing base desires and striving to inculcate pure and noble qualities to benefit mankind at large. As Gandhi put it, 'be the change you want to see in the world.' Muhammad said God looks not at your appearance or wealth but at your hearts and actions. Ahmad explained 'you can't be accepted in the presence of your Lord unless you are pure inside and out' and 'if all worldly honour is lost to you (as a result of your noble struggles) then God would grant you everlasting honour in the Hereafter,' It is his teaching that neither wealth, power nor any kind of worldly acclaim can lead to salvation or lasting peace. True success is in purifying one's self of all negative, harmful, immoral thoughts, beliefs and practices, for in this lies lasting prosperity. 'Verily, he truly prospers who purifies himself' - Holy Qur'an 87:15 I was delighted when the BBC Inside Out programme came to meet me and a bunch of young British Muslims at the London Mosque (London’s oldest Mosque) to get our views on Islamophobia. Here are some of my experiences and thoughts on the issue. It was broadcast on Monday 7th September at 7.30pm. The full programme can be viewed here. I'm on an almost daily battle with Islamophobes whether online or in my mind trying to figure out why these people have so much hatred against Islam. Today, Islam has been demonised, scapegoated and unjustly equated with terrorism as the media typically over-sensationalizes the actions of some extremists. It’s convenient for both Islamophobes and the media alike - Islamophobes find another excuse to justify their prejudice and hatred against Islam while the media loves any story which makes a shocking headline. As a freelance writer and British Muslim, I have to try and refute those who seek to spread hatred of Islam and mislead people about what Islam really teaches. People who haven't done their own research or know little about Islam get misled and misinformed by Islamophobes, the media and some so-called extremist Muslims. Much of what I’ve experienced is online and by the media, after all the media is a powerful tool. However, despite there being a significant Islamophobic problem, much of it is due to complete ignorance about what Muslims truly believe and the majority of people I meet are very open-minded, understanding and tolerant. I organise peace leafleting campaigns for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in the south of Surrey and we always get smiles, compliments and appreciation from householders when we explain that we’re here to give the message of love, peace, loyalty and freedom - the same values Islam stands for. Only around 5% or so actually refuse the leaflet politely saying they’re not interested. Comments like ‘you should do this more’, ‘we completely agree’ and ‘I have no misconceptions or issues with Islam’ are not uncommon. So while we do see much negativity in the media and online against Islam and Muslims, my overall experience as a British Muslim has been a very positive one. The British public overall are very understanding, open-minded and educated. This is an era when we can easily access information about anything, and as long as people do their research and keep a fair, unbiased perspective, they’ll see Muslims are nothing to be scared of. People asked questions in school and college about purdah, marriage etc. It was a pleasant experience since my classmates were taking an interest in my faith and I was given the opportunity to explain my beliefs. If people were more curious, had goodwill and realised that regardless of all our differences, we are all still one (despite some seeking to divide us), Islamophobia wouldn’t exist and we’d all get along very nicely. Having said all that though, Muslims have caused issues at home and abroad, there’s no doubt about it. But so have many others, not forgetting all the wars our nation and the West are responsible for. A more forthright person might suggest Islamophobia is due to our politicians making questionable foreign policy and starting needless wars in the Middle East. If we’re at war with Muslim nations, is it any wonder why natives would be suspicious of Muslims. Islamophobia has existed since the very inception of Islam when the Holy Prophet was labelled a ‘madman’, ‘magician’ and ‘dangerous’. A lady carrying some bags was on her way back to her town fearful of being victim of the ‘magic’ of the Prophet Muhammad. As it happens, he walked by her and offered to help her with her bags. She told him she’s very afraid since there is a man named Muhammad who is tricking people, corrupting the youth and misleading them. The Prophet remained quiet and helped her take her bags home. When she arrived home, she was so surprised at the entirely altruistic and kind nature of the man she desired to know his name. He replied I am the same Muhammad you were so afraid of. Needless to say, she accepted him and believed in Islam. Many were convinced of his truth simply by his sublime character and supreme moral qualities. Moral of the story being that we shouldn’t just follow rumours and propaganda since ‘hearing is not like seeing’. We must investigate and search for the truth for ourselves and then we’ll arrive at the right conclusion. Misconceptions and Islamophobia will be removed if people come and see for themselves what Muslims are like. Come to our Mosques, meet us, question us and speak with us. People who see the true Islam completely change their perspective - Jason Leger, Nick Ferrari and Tommy Robinson to name a few. Jason Ledger who protested against Islam wearing an offensive shirt stating ‘F*** Islam’ in Phoenix, Arizona, USA had a change of heart when he was invited inside a Mosque. Afterwards he declared: 'Out of respect for the Islamic people, knowing what I know now, because I have talked to them and spoke to them, no I would not do that again, just because I don't want to offend or hurt those people. When I took a second to actually sit down and listen to them, and actually enter their mosque, and go in and watch some of their prayers, it is a beautiful thing, and they answered some of the questions that I had.’ If everyone actually came to a Mosque, met Muslims and spoke to them, they’d realise 99% of us are normal, law-abiding, peaceful, contributive citizens. Nick Ferrari also changed his stance somewhat when he visited the largest Mosque in Western Europe - the Baitul Futuh Mosque after which he realised that Islam is peace, serenity and love. Islamophobes are largely to blame for fuelling the fire of Muslim extremists. By firebrand hate-filled rhetoric they create Islamophobes and deliberately provoke ignorant Muslims into committing atrocities in the name of Islam justifying it under the guise of free speech. Why don't they use their free speech to speak good words and work with true, peaceful Muslims in condemning such acts and declaring that violence is against the teachings of Islam? That way simple-minded Muslims wouldn’t be duped by radical hate preachers nor would Islamophobia spread.
Islamophobes, some who have made it their life's work to attack Islam and Muslims would have us all believe that the Qur'an teaches nothing but violence whereas the vast majority is about peace, love, good works and truth. The teachings of violence are in a very limited context under specific circumstances, such as war or when you are attacked - self-defence is permitted. The Jewish and Christian scriptures contain far more violent teachings. We don’t see them attacking those scriptures or communist ideology or capitalist imperialistic nations who subjugate weaker nations around the world. Such bigotry, prejudice and intolerance of some Islamophobes will always be exposed for all to see. As for others who are fearful of Islam, it’s quite safe to say that it’s mostly down to ignorance since we witness as staunch opponents of Islam when they realise what Islam truly teaches and what Muslims really believe - immediately apologise and change their views. People have nothing to be fearful from Islam. The fundamental teachings of Islam are and always have been of love, peace, loyalty and unity. Extremists have and always will use anything, twisting and misconstruing verses to suit their own agenda. It's nothing new. What were the crusades about? ISIS and Muslims extremists say the same thing - justifying their political ambitions using Islam whereas Islam is primarily concerned with a person's inner reformation and relationship with God - our Creator. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community across the world strives by way of their peaceful ‘jihad’ to stem the tide of Islamophobia and extremism with peace campaigns, leafleting, charity walks, blood drives and many other initiatives. So kudos to the BBC for getting our side of the story and for doing more in general to have a balanced perspective. It's about time. |
AuthorAtif Rashid writes about faith, extremism & mental health. Categories
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