Not a single one was free. "Jews but no Muslims at Racism Conference," from The Jewish Chronicle, June 27:
The first conference to compare antisemitism and Islamophobia in Europe was held in London this week — but without any Muslim speakers.
Now, we all now that it’s only the “radical” Muslims who exhibit animosity and intolerance towards Jews; so why did Muslim academics—they who most insist that Islam teaches “coexistence” and “dialogue”—eschew this opportunity? Perhaps they didn’t want to discuss the “differences,” the main one being well represented by the Greek words “anti” (-Semitism) and (Islamo-) “phobia”: the former denoting general opposition to something, the latter, fear of something.
The aim of the conference, held at University College, was to explore the “connections, commonalities and differences between” antisemitism and Islamophobia from both geographical and historical perspectives.
A worthy and objective endeavor—the latter element perhaps being behind Muslim reticence to participate?
But the organisers failed to find any Muslim academics who were free to participate.
Key word: “free.” To be sure, many a Muslim, academic or otherwise, is not “free to participate” in any number of things.
Co-organiser James Renton, senior lecturer at Edge Hill and honorary research fellow in the Department of Hebrew and Jewish Studies at UCL, said: “It surprised me, as we put things together, how really tough it was to find people working in this area doing academic research. There were Muslims who wanted to come on board but they couldn’t, for one reason or another.Brother words to “couldn’t”—“wouldn’t” and “shouldn’t”—would have probably better captured the meaning here.
The reason that Jewish-Christian dialogue has been so successful is that Jews and Christians share many of the same values. Where there has been Christian anti-Semitism, Jews could appeal to Christians to act more “Christian.” This is similar to blacks during the civil rights movement pushing whites to live up to the values stated in the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution.
Ultimately Christians can’t obey the command to love their neighbor if they tolerate hatred toward the Jew next door. Americans couldn’t declare all men to be equal while denying that equality to men with black skin.
Unfortunately, interfaith dialogue will not result in changes to Muslim attitudes toward Jews. There is no basis within Islamic values for treating the infidel, whether Jewish or Christian, with respect, dignity and equality.
While Christians are implored to love their neighbor and Americans to treat all men equally under the law, Islam demands its followers fight the Infidels until the whole world submits to the supremacy of Islam. The most important act for any Muslim male is participating in Jihad. Only someone killed fighting for Allah is guaranteed a place in heaven. Sharia law codifies both gender and religious apartheid.
So then, why does someone like King Abdullah seek interfaith dialogue? He fears that many in the West are learning about Islam and the societies of the Middle East, discovering the hatred taught in Saudi-sponsored Western mosques and becoming more aware of bigotry and incitement to violence found in the media and scholastic text books in Arab countries.
The Saudis certainly don’t want to lose access to American universities, doctors and financial investments. They also know that by sponsoring interfaith dialogue, Western governments will be less likely to take the necessary defensive measures to prevent the continuing spread of Islam throughout the bilad al-kuffar at a time when said dialogue brings hopes of better relations.
What better way for the Gulf Arabs to portray moderation than in reaching out to Jews. They know that there are many Jews, so eager to be loved and accepted, who will jump at the opportunity to meet the Saudis despite not the slightest shred of evidence of sincerity. Then those same Jews tell their fellow Americans, including Jews in newspapers like this, what wonderful progress is possible in solving Middle East conflicts and reducing Muslim anti-Semitism. Heck, some Rabbis and newspaper editors, so thrilled to be indulged by despotic Saudi bigots, might even explain the “Arab narrative” to other Westerners, including all the wonderful things the Saudis are supposedly doing to modernize their country, promote moderation and give women more rights.
Meanwhile, the Saudis and other Muslims will keep right on teaching their children not to take Christians and Jews as friends, honoring suicide bombers and funding hate literature for mosques around the world. They will continue to publish and broadcast genocidal anti-Semitic material in their media. King Abdullah’s government will still fund Muslim student groups on US college campuses to demonize Israel and advocacy groups such as CAIR that continue to defend the Islamists and slander Israel.
And then the Saudis will back off from the dialogue after it serves its public relations purpose, but before the Muslim masses accuse them of apostasy, without any positive gains for the Jews. Nothing will change, except that the charade will have caused the US, Western Europe and Israel to let down their guard a little more, not based on Saudi/Arab actions, but because of a few false promises and a few pleasing (but untrue) platitudes about the peaceful nature of Islam.
In the event this dialogue ever takes place, you can come back and read this comment. Things will not turn out any other way.
One more thing: let’s say the Saudis were genuinely interested in showing a little more respect for Judaism. Should we really be running to embrace a society that executes gays, treats women as less than fully human, cuts off limbs from people who steal a loaf of bread, stones to death women who have the misfortune of being raped or accused of adultery. shows no generosity toward its poorer Arab brothers who live in countries without oil and treats its foreign workers, particularly the non-Muslim ones, as little more than slaves?
I know Izzadeen is tied up at the moment, but what about Ajem Choudary? I'm sure he wouldn't have minded sharing the stage with some infidels. cough, cough
All I ever needed to know about Islam I learned on 9/11/01.
And I've been a student here at DW/JW for a year or so now, like so many others.
So, I'm thinkin' we're experts on Islam, eh? How come we didn't get any invites?
I'm just sayin'...
Good eye, Robert. You've got it exactly right: it's not that they were "unavailable" to participate--they weren't free to participate.
Frankly, I think ALL your posts could be duplicately filed under the "You can't make this stuff up" category.
Best regards,
HAID
Wow, that says it all, doesn't it?
HAID
Raymond, not Robert.
"Jews but no Muslims at Racism Conference,"
Durban 3?
Was there any Muslim bashing?
A phobia is an irrational fear of something. Not just a fear of something.
We would be wise to remember this distinction.
It figures that no Muslims would show up. BTW, the literal meaning of phobia from Greek phobos means fear or even terror. It is only modern usage that has made the term "phobia" to mean "irrational fear."
There's nothing whatsoever irrational about fearing Islam and Muslims; it's a perfectly rational fear.
What? Not even the Bunglawussie?
Yusuf Irfan to the front!
http://planetirf.blogspot.com/
For the benefit of anyone new to this site, today: the Quran several times very strongly enjoins Muslims not to befriend non-Muslims (Jews, Christians, ANY non-Muslim).
The only exception is that friendship may be feigned for Muslim advantage.
One must conclude, I am afraid, that those Muslims who were asked to speak at this particular conference, did not discern any advantage likely to accrue to Islam, from attending it, and so preferred not to have to smilingly endure the company of kafir.
Some background information.
Verses of hate:
Qur’an 3:118 - “Believers! Take not into your intimacy those outside your religion (pagans, Jews, and Christians). They will not fail to corrupt you. They only desire your ruin.."
Qur'an 5: 51 -' O ye who believe! take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and protectors: They are but friends and protectors to each other. And he amongst you that turns to them (for friendship) is of them. Verily Allah guideth not a people unjust."
The verse which is used to authorise the doctrine of strategic dissimulation:
Qur'an 3: 28 - 'Let not the believers Take for friends or helpers Unbelievers rather than believers... except by way of precaution (prevention), that ye may Guard yourselves from them (prevent them from harming you.) But Allah cautions you (To remember) Himself; for the final goal is to Allah."
Here's a Hadith:
Narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari, v7, p102, that Abu al-Darda' said:
"(Verily) we smile for some people, while our hearts curse (those same people)."
On March 27 2007, discussing taqiyya (strategic dissimulation) Mr Spencer drew attention to Ibn Kathir's exegesis of these texts:
"The Sunni Qur’an commentator Ibn Kathir explains that in this verse -
“Allah prohibited His believing servants from becoming supporters of the disbelievers, or to take them as comrades with whom they develop friendships, rather than the believers.”
'However, exempted from this rule were “those believers who in some areas or times fear for their safety from the disbelievers. In this case, such believers are allowed to show friendship to the disbelievers outwardly, but never inwardly.
'For instance, Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu Ad-Darda' said, 'We smile in the face of some people although our hearts curse them.' Al-Bukhari said that Al-Hasan said, 'The Tuqyah [taqiyyah] is allowed until the Day of Resurrection.'"
Deception - including feigning a friendly attitude - is recorded (and regarded as exemplary, not as reprehensible) in canonical stories about Mohammed and his crew:
Here is a passage from the Hadith, describing the plot to murder an elderly Jewish poet who had criticised Mohammed and the Muslims:
Bukhari:V5B59N369 “Allah’s Apostle said, ‘Who is willing to kill Ka’b bin Ashraf who has hurt Allah and His Apostle?’
Thereupon Muhammad bin Maslamah got up saying, ‘O Allah’s Apostle! Would you like me to kill him?’
The Prophet said, ‘Yes,’
Maslamah said, ‘Then allow me to say false things in order to deceive him.’
The Prophet said, ‘You may say such things.’”
And here is another delightful story, about someone who had joined Mo's Mob, and was being sent back under cover, to infiltrate his community and cause dissension within it, in order to weaken it (they had opposed or harmed the Muslims):
Tabari (earliest Muslim historian), Bk VIII:23 -
“The Messenger and his Companions continued in the fear and distress that Allah has described in the Qur’an. Then Nu’aym came to the Prophet. ‘I ‘ve become a Muslim, but my tribe does not know of my Islam; so command me whatever you will.’
Muhammad said, ‘Make them abandon each other if you can so that they will leave us; for war is deception.’”
The Islaamic Concept of al-Walaa' wal-Baraa.' - by Khalid El-Gharib
[Excerpts]
"[...] As regards walaa' (allegiance), it is manifesting sincere love and help for Allaah, and for His Prophets, and for the Believers. Whereas baraa' (enmity) is manifesting enmity and dissociation from falsehood [i.e. not-Islam] and its people.
'And these matters are actually from the most fundamental issues of faith (eemaan)."
[And from the Koran] "Indeed there is for you an excellent example in the Prophet Ibraaheem and those with him, when they said to their people:
'Indeed we are free from you and whatever you worship besides Allaah; we have rejected you, and there has arisen between us and you enmity and hatred, until you believe and worship Allaah alone." [Qur'an, Soorah al-Mumtahanah 60:4] ".
Finally, a truly delightful Hadith:
"When judgment day arrives, Allah will give every Muslim a Jew or Christian to kill so that the Muslim will not enter into hell fire" (Mishkat Al-Messabih, no. 5552).
Given such teachings - that Muslims should keep themselves separate from, and feel enmity toward Jews, Christians, etc., unless they may need to feign friendship for tactical reasons - it is not at all surprising that no Muslims showed up for the conference.
@ shechild
Yes, I speak English, not Greek.
Sorry, Raymond.
Robert may have a good eye, but my eyes are pretty bad.
I'm not sure I understand your "Muslim bashing" comment, however. Of course I was agreeing with your sentiments, or rather with what I thought were Robert's. You didn't think I was an incensed Mohammedan, did you? Look at my nom de plume again.
Maybe I'm just a bit slow, as well as blind.
Anyway, I like to get off to a better start with new acquaintances, so although this thread is a tad old now, I hope you get back to it.
Best regards,
HAID
If you are NOT afraid of Islamic jihad, you are either ignorant or a fool. Or an ignorant fool.