This "Arab Culture Night" — "jointly organized by embassies of 10 Arab countries in Seoul — Algeria, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Tunisia" — seems to have been exclusively an Islamic culture night. While noting that Islam "spread" for a thousand years, it doesn't say how. And before the emails from jihadist apologists and pseudo-intellectual Westerners start rolling in, let me clarify: I know how Muslims hate it when Westerners say that Islam "spread by the sword." And I am well aware that Islamic law forbids forced conversions, in line with Qur'an 2:256, "There is no compulsion in religion." (Although I also know that historically that restriction was often ignored.) But dhimmi status was so onerous for non-Muslims in the lands that Muslims had conquered that many saw conversion to Islam as the only path to a better life. Over a thousand years, that was the surest and most sustained way that Islam "spread."
From the Seoul Times, with thanks to Anthony:
In order to promote closeness and understanding between the Arab world and the people of Korea, the wives and Arab envoys in Korea staged an Arab Culture Night at Hotel Lotte in downtown Seoul Nov. 29, 2004 showcasing traditional Arab food, handicrafts and art objects but most importantly performances by troupes arriving from the State of Kuwait and Lebanon.Arabic folklore dances and music from various regions of the Arab world fascinated more than 300 jam-packed audience....
The event, the first of its kind ever staged in Korea, was jointly organized by embassies of 10 Arab countries in Seoul — Algeria, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Tunisia.As an Arab specialist pointed out, the Islamic world is indeed a mosaic, not a monolith. It stretches from Indonesia to Morocco and from central Europe to southern Africa.
It reaches into western Europe, the Americas and Australasia. It comprises men and women often divided by race, culture or language, yet united - by the powerful bond of Islam.
Over a thousand years, Islam spread from the land of the Prophet Muhammad into large parts of Europe, Africa, and Asia. Islamic scholars produced a dazzling array of achievements — in theology, philosophy, history, literature, architecture, art, astronomy, mathematics, medicine and other sciences.
I survey those achievements in Islam Unveiled. They came at a time when the Islamic world was open to other cultures -- for most of what they accomplished in the fields listed above built on the discoveries and findings of non-Muslims. When Qur'anic literalism prevailed, most intellectual exploration was closed off.
This rich history proves that there is nothing natural or inevitable about the sad state in which so much of the Islamic world finds itself today.Extremist dogmas are gaining ground, impeding the progress of the entire Umma and threatening the security of people all over the world.
But of course at Arab Culture Night, the problem was not Qur'anic literalism, but the big bad West, and little bad Israel:
These contemporary maladies, along with many other factors — including the legacy of colonialism and the unfair world trading system — are holding Islamic societies back. And the Islamic world has been traumatized, particularly in recent years, by the suffering of Muslims in many places.Nowhere is that suffering more acute than in Palestine, where thousands have been killed.
No one can be surprised at his or her feelings of humiliation, anger and despair — feelings that are shared by Muslims everywhere.
Indeed they are.
This article shows how Islam is currently spread, under the innocent guise of celebrating cultural harmony and understanding. We all know, especially the Saudi's, that the cult of cultural celebration is the West's (And now Westernized Korea's) Achilles’ heel.
They are busy dazzling us with their culture while revising their history. This event is actually indented to slowly acculturate the non-Muslims to Islam and slowly develop a sense of familiarity and comfort for the slow migration that seeks as always to conquer.
The West is certainly expected to fall for this multicultural mumbo jumbo, but why the Korean's and what do they stand to gain?
Dhimmitude is alive and well and not confined to the Western world.
When I was studying in China a year or so, it was very interesting to see the Muslim community exactly behaving the same as in Middle- Eastern and Western cuntries.
First of all: Every male behaved like a true follower of Mohammed should, arrogant manners vis-a-vis the Kuf'r, wearing beard, long gown and the veiled females devoutly scuttling behind the master.
In several parts of China these people, the so called Hui min zu, are converts of Chines origin, whereas the Uighurs or Wei min zu are of Turanic origin.
In Germany, a Uighur seperatist group is on the verge of being supervised.
I thought the Eastern Asians as behaving pragmatic and loyal to the old faiths, but I guess there will be a big struggle comming up in Central Asia between Russia, China and other non-Muslim states on one side and Dar- ul- Islame on the other.
/The koreans are a bit innocent when it comes to islam. Thats because they have never historcally felt the mercy of the prophets sword.
The Chinese have a different attitude altogether.
Along with Russians & Indians.
We know the beasts and their religion for what it is.
And as my uncle in the Indian army once said to me
"What is political correctness"
if your population is in the billions, your armed forces are in the 2-3 million range.
you do not have any concern for high casualties.
What do you think the Chinese response to a Beslan/9/11 or 11/3 would be ?
Nowhere is that suffering more acute than in Palestine, where thousands have been killed.
...except of course in Sudan, where MILLIONS have been killed. But as long as it's Muslims DOING the killing, no big whoop.
"Thousands have been killed...." Oh my, it sounds soooo poignant. Actually, less than 10 thousand have been killed on BOTH sides since 1990, including both of the failed terrorist "intifadas."
In the same interim, millions of people have been killed everywhere there is a sizable Muslim population.
This cultural c3lebration shit is da'wa and tabligh by otehr means.... say no this kinda nonsense unless its freely permitted all across the arabian peninsula...the concept of 'reciprocal rights' have come of age in dealing with the islamist menace.
We allow moslems and arabs to build mosques, open schools and host cultural shows in the west (or the east in this case) only if they allow us to do the same with equal freedoma nd facility in arabia!
I just have a question from Mr. Spencer. In comparison, how was the spread of Christianity different from Islam? Similar to Islam, conquere, missionary work and trade were the force. In Europe, the sword of the successors of Emperor Constantine forced the subjects of Roman empire to convert. Many of the native Europeans, in particular in Germany and Scandinavia, did not convert for several centuries until subdued by Christian kingdoms. The regions of south America and Sub-Saharan Africa were conquered and natives converted in more forcible fashion than in Muslim kingdoms. Indonesia became muslim primarily through trade and missionary work, it was never conquered by any muslim army.
As for the Dhimmitude status, let us not forget that non-Christians had no right, in many case even to life, in many parts of Europe well until 17th century. Islamic dhimmitude (limited citizenship) indeed seems like a modern option at that time comparatively, while Jews, Muslims and even protestants alike were being prosecuted, killed or expelled from Spain, France and other parts of Europe.
The problem is not that the record of Islam throughout history is any more violant or bloodier than Christianity and other religions. It is the fact that Christinaity went through reform and was separated from state through the past three hundred years, which Islam has yet not been able to.
There were those who, within Christianity, deplored forced conversions -- e.g. Bartolome de las Casas, and his celebrated attack on the Spanish, and Spanish missionaries, in South America. Christianity itself -- not always Christians -- focusses on individual salvation, not on swelling the ranks of a certain collective.
The historical figure of Jesus is hardly to be compared, in what he preached, and what he did, with what Muhammad is reported to have said and done. Muhammad was a warrior and a conqueror; he believed that "war is deception"; he believed in taking prisoners, and where appropriate, executing those prisoners; he believed in slaughter, and where appropriate ordered or approved of mass slaughter; he believed in assassination of those he deemed to be his enemies, or even just those who made fun of him; he believed in capturing the booty of Infidels and in distributing it in a fashion that especially rewarded him; Infidel women, as well as property, were deemed worthy of distribution as chattels. He preached an endless JIhad until such time as Islam conquered the globe.
Jesus -- well, let's just say that Jesus was different. You can discover those differences by reading the New Testament.
As for the many crimes committed in the name of Christianity -- and the best short book on the subject might be that by the Roman Catholic Scot, Malcolm Hay, "Europe and the Jews" (recently re-printed, and available on-line)-- are those crimes committed according to what is in the New Testament, or despite it? With Islam, the violence, the crimes, are done in the name of Islam, and supported by the canonical texts, Qur'an, hadith, and sira.
Attempts at symmetrical dismissal of Islam and Christianity as equal offenders, are no doubt appealing to some, whether lapsed Christians or lapsed Muslims -- and everyone nowadays seems enamoured of symmetrical, equal-opportunity blame and praise sessions -- but they are almost always based on a misreading, or ignoring, of history.
Hugo, allow me to explain my point here that the current problems with Islamic faith and muslims in general are that we have not yet been able to reform our views over the past three hundred years or so, not that the history of our faith has been any more cruel or bloody than others.
You mention that the widespread inhuman and violent acts of middle ages were not prescribed by new testament. However, nobody, including no church officials and no Pope, thought so at the time. All those actions were justified in the name of Christianity, in the name of passages such as Leviticus 24:16, in the name of salvaging the souls of the sinners. It is very fine now, and indeed a sign of reformation of the faith of Chritianity to reject all that, but denying the fact at the time every Christian believed in the religious grounds for those actions, is not very honest.
As for Mohammad vs. Jesus, Mohammad in Muslim faith is considered not the lord but a prophet similar to, say, Moses. All the actions that was attributed to Mohammad, including massacres, had been also ordered by Moses and other nation builders throughout history until the modern ages. Comparing to the people of his time, Mohammad was a visionary and a great leader. The main problem is when muslims today try to copy a 7th century leader into the 21st century, which has totally different morals and ideals. This is what has to change.
Again "there is no compulsion in islam" is an islamic reflection on the interpretation of it's "rightness", not on the threat of punishment for leaving it (which are well known). After all, who would knowingly walk off a bridge? One would stick to the "right" path. This is the way it is intended; indeed, those who reject it earn punishment for their 'obstinacy' or 'falsehood'. This is something islam is slow to admit.
Geoff
SeenathePersian:
I agree with your observation on the contemporary dilemna facing Islam and modernity. Do you think Islam is capable of reformation and by what means do you think this is possible?
SAY; now that they are all together in one place and all of a sudden....... and then........wow did you see........, ahhh only 24 Christmas shopping days left this year. Santa would you...........and then..........
The problem with the reformation of Islam is a daunting one, for you cannot reform a bloc of concrete. Similarily, it is as imposible as to making an omellette without craking the eggs and beating them beyond recognition. Simply stated: a reformed Islam is not Islam at all. Or, as I say when the occasion arrives: A moderate islamist is the one who proclaims he is no more.
Daunting indeed, considering that "innovation" in matters of religion and worship within Islam are considered to be contamination, error, and deviation.
SeenathePersian,
Nobody is perfect or behaves like an angel all the time along the whole of his life. It is also true that some people (mis)behave more that others. In order to clasify peoples or doctrines according to the quality of heir deeds (or lack of it), we need to resort to the principles governing their actions, the sort of moral gravity that always ends up prevailing in the long run. So prey to pay attention to the following considerations: the symbol of Christianity is a cross, indeed an instrument of torment; and the one who died on it -call Him a profet if you wish, putting aside the pretension of his divine nature- is the archi-victim, a preacher of love and forgiveness and a paradigm of altruism if we are well informed that he offered himself to redeem the human race, the validity of his assumptions nothwithstanding. On the other hand we see another profet blandishing a sword, having a jolly good sex life, nonchalantingly distributing the war booty (a war he started) and blatantly expressing his will to dominate, the famous: convert or else...
If one of your sons asked your advice to make friends with one or the other, what your counsel would be?
Ah, I am not a believer myself but have enough common sense and decency to call a spade a spade.
Islamic scholars produced a dazzling array of achievements — in theology, philosophy, history, ?????????????
What does that mean? They created history? err .. made it up?
That's about right.
WHAT ABOUT THE 300,000 IRAQI PEOPLE KILLED BY saddam[found in a hole don't shoot i'm a yellow coward] I AM SO SICK OF THIS THE MUSSIS DON'T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT THE PALIS THEY HAVE BEEN KICKED OUT OF EVERY MULSUM COUNTRY ASK YOUR SELF WHY??
SO THEY CAN ALL LOOK LIKE VICTIMS BEFORE THEIR POP GROWS TIL THEY CUT OFF YOUR HEAD!!
Part of the American Tribe
Squirrel Hunter
Spder Killer
God Bless the USA and her Fighting Forces and ALL who Fight with her give them Strength,Wisdom,Sight and Courage to stay the course to Defeat ALL Islamic Terrorist and ALL who Support them Open the Worlds Eyes to their Threat Amen