A bit of sanity in Pakistan. He said it: if I had, it would be "Islamophobia" -- but Farooq Sulehria tells Muslims to stop blaming others for all their troubles, and to take responsibility themselves for the sorry state of the Islamic world.
"Blaming others," by Farooq Sulehria in Pakistan's The News International, June 17 (thanks to James):
The Amnesty International report on human rights for the year 2007 is out. The Muslim world constitutes, as usual, bleakest chapter. Every single country across the Muslim world has been pointed out by the Amnesty International either for executions and torture or discrimination against women and ethnic and religious minorities. Punishments never handed down even during the Stone Age, have been awarded in 21st century Muslim world. In one case, two Saudi nationals were awarded 7,000 lashes. Yes, 7,000. And executions? Well, 335 in Iran, 158 in Saudi Arabia and 135 in Pakistan. Violation of human rights, it seems, is the only thing that unites the otherwise divided Muslim world.
This is because these punishments are sanctioned by Sharia, of course. So the tendency in the Islamic world in general is moving in favor of them, not against them.
The report is no exception. The Muslim world cuts a sorry figure every time a global watchdog releases its findings. Freedom of expression here remains curtailed, Reporters Sans Frontieres annually reports. Regarding freedom of expression, there is a joke often told in Arab world. At a meeting, a US journalist says: "We have complete freedom of expression in the US. We can criticise the US president as much as we like." The Arab journalist replies. "We also have complete freedom of expression in Arab world. We can also criticise the US president as much as we like."
That's an old joke about the Soviet Union that Ronald Reagan told, but never mind. It is good to see a Pakistani writer speaking up in favor of freedom of expression, just when the West, having forgotten its importance, is about to give it up.
Similarly, it is either Bangladesh or Pakistan or Nigeria which is on top of Transparency International's corruption indexes. However, when Nobel laureates gather in Stockholm every December, Muslim scientists and writers are conspicuous by their absence. In case, as Naguib Mahfouz is crowned, he is stabbed and rendered paralysed. The irony, or tragedy, is that his attacker had not even read his excellent books. Or we disown Dr Abdul Salam just because he belonged to the Ahmadiya community. Salam's case deserves special mention since it underlines the absurdity that characterises this part of the world.
Both Mahfouz and Salam were targeted for deviations from Islamic orthodoxy. That is the source of this "absurdity."
When all else fails, "Jews" and "Christian" West are there to lay the blame for all our ills. Conspiracy theories instead of scientific, rational thought holds sway across much of the Muslim world.
Yes.
And every time a rights abuse is highlighted in Iran, Saudi Arabia or Pakistan, a typical Muslim answer is: Look at Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine and Chechnya. True, imperialism and Zionism have a hand in our predicament. However, there are many wounds one can only describe as self-inflicted.
Yes, self-inflicted wounds abound -- including seeing "imperialism and Zionism" as having a hand in your predicament. Anyway, Sulehria goes on to list some of the self-inflicted wounds of the Islamic world, and then concludes by skewering the finger-pointing and arrogance we have seen from Islamic spokesmen so many times here:
The list is long. Indeed, unending. However, the solution to all our problems is always simple: return to an imagined past which, mercifully for the people of the seventh century, never existed. Every time, a scientist in the West is ready with an invention, our readymade answer is: we knew about it 1,400 years ago what the West has found only now. We kill Theo van Gogh when confronted with a film. We burn down our own cities in response to a blasphemous and racist caricature.
Racist?
Still, we refuse to understand that our answer to every "provocation" is either a fatwa or mindless violence – perhaps because creativity is anathema to us. Not because we lack fertile minds, but because we lack liberation and freedom -- liberation from self-imposed mental, moral, and cultural censors. And freedom to think and express. Time to heed the great Syrian poet Nizar Qabbani, who said:Five thousand years
Growing beards
In our caves.
Our currency is unknown,
Our eyes are a haven for flies.
Friends,
Smash the doors,
Wash your brains,
Wash your clothes.
Friends,
Read a book,
Write a book,
Grow words, pomegranates and grapes,
Sail to the country of fog and snow.
Nobody knows you exist in caves.
People take you for a breed of mongrels.
Now that I read orthodox Islamic accounts of Mohammad's touted "Final Sermon" (thanks to Frontpage Magazine), now I know why, among other things, why the Muslim Calendar regresses through the seasons--Mohammad rejected intercalary months (a needed adjustment to the Jewish lunar Calendar) as UNBELIEF! REGRESSION IS PIETY.
Well, it was nice knowing you, Farooq Sulehria.
You'll be missed.
Yea... dead man walking. Too bad.
A very courageous and convincing 'expose' - an extremely rare "Emperor's new clothes" view of the muslim world, from within, and meant for a muslim audience. Goes to show that there are brave muslims who are capable of questioning and challenging the fossilisation of the muslim mind, in general. The mullas will not be amused. The author should start looking for a safe house right now.
Farooq Sulehria- watch your back, dude.
There is a saying in Japan -"the nail that sticks out is always pounded down". Will Sulehria remarks trigger a discussion within Islam as to the obvious issue of trying to fit a 7th century ideology to a 21st century reality? Nope, they'll try to kill him like any other Muslim who dares to break the silence.
Mr Sulehria is a shining light in the darkness that is Islam. . . .and will promptly be snuffed out, for when you shine the light the people can see what a hoax Islam is.
Too bad. He would make a great addition to the cause of freedom and peace.
Oh Boy! Sorry, thanks for the critical analysis but some Jihadi is waiting for a chance to bang those 72 virgins in heaven I do not know if you would qualify as the infidel scum. However, your affront to Islam is a death wish, it is brave but you will end up like few Muslims who have spoken against Islam, either killed or silenced and taken to exile and a life of running in fear. Islam is a nightmare...a real nightmare!
So much of what Farooq Sulehria has to say is right on target--it is very refreshing to hear this, and very brave of him to venture such criticisms.
And, so, I hate to be negative. Bits of this are, however, the same old stuff.
from above:
True, imperialism and Zionism have a hand in our predicament.
.........
Robert rightly points out the tired nature of this plaint. In the case of "Zionism" it is especially stupid--the idea that the entire "Muslim world" has somehow been retarded by the existance of a tiny nation with no further territorial ambitions is ludicrous. Rather, they could use Israel as a model of how a Middle Eastern country--even one without oil, and under constant seige--can thrive.
from above:
We burn down our own cities in response to a blasphemous and racist caricature
.........
Again, good for Sulehria for noting this insanity. To refer to the Mohammed cartoons as "blasphemous and racist caricatures", however, is pretty far off the mark. "Blasphemous"--according to whom? Not only do we not have laws against blasphemy in the West (so far, at least), but non-Muslims do not consider Mohammed to be a sacred figure in any case. And how are these works "racist"? As is often pointed out--not often enough, though--is that Islam is not a race.
from the work by Syrian poet Nizar Qabbani:
. . . Sail to the country of fog and snow.
Nobody knows you exist in caves.
...............
Well, Muslims have certainly taken this bit of the poem to heart, at least. Oh, not the parts about behaving decently, becoming productive, and finally showing some self respect. As far as making their presence known in the "countr(ies) of fog and snow"--Europe, perhaps? Well, at this point they are becoming harder to ignore all the time with their burgeoning demands.
Still and all, kudos to Farooq Sulehria for speaking out. I hope his co-religionists will ponder his words, rather than respond--in Sulehria's own words, to "this "provocation" (with) either a fatwa or mindless violence".
Ruh roh, someone's gonna be the latest effigy model.
The name Bill Cosby comes to my mind for some reason. Unfortunately for Mr. Sulehria, the fallout will be much harder for him.
I have to admire his honesty - and bravery - though.
Next time we hear about Mr. Sulehria, he'll be on trial for blasphemy, and that's only if he's lucky.
I emailed Mr Sulheria, congratulating him. I hope he stays safe....I fear he may pay for this honesty.
He's right about the reflex of violence the poor sod. I think he's going to get a first hand example of that.
Not because we lack fertile minds, but because we lack liberation and freedom -- liberation from self-imposed mental, moral, and cultural censors.
Once again, making Muslims the victims. They don't lack freedom. What they DO lack is a respect for others' humanity. It's easier that way.
Many people at many times have liberated them. They're just not interested in freedom. Freedom is harder than tyranny.
He called the censorship self-imposed. Only free people can impose something on themselves.
Once they begin treating others as they themselves wish to be treated then the looting and killing stops. They won't as long as it's easier to read the Quran and blame "the other" for all their woes.
This is a tremendously helfpul critique, specifically as it comes from within Islam.
It can be a reference to those of our friends, family and colleagues who suspect that we Jihadwatchers are somehow a bit obsessed or incapable of being fair witnesses to the depredations of the baleful regio-political cult of Islam, and that only Muslims are so qualified.
I'd have Farooq Sulehria's link at the ready to fire off to the PC-brigade:
http://thenews.jang.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=118852
Er.. am I the only one who is having problems with what the great Syrian poet Nizar Qabbani said ?
arjun asks:
"Er.. am I the only one who is having problems with what the great Syrian poet Nizar Qabbani said ?"
I really don't see anything objectionable about his poem. What do you find objectionable? Aside from the fact that it doesn't PERFECTLY match your own ideas and beliefs?
I think that if that's what is required, then none of us will ever write anything that is free of objection to any of us! But perhaps I am simply blinded by my own system as to what is objectionable...
I appreciate the comments, too, concerning this line:
"Not because we lack fertile minds, but because we lack liberation and freedom -- liberation from self-imposed mental, moral, and cultural censors."
In conjunction with that poem, I believe that the key for these reformers is to understand what Thomas Jefferson said, that the tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots.
So, simply following the advice of the poem is in fact, not enough. You must RESIST your "self-imposed censors", and fight them as your own enemy and the enemy of the liberty of your fellow people (however you define your fellow people).
The same, I think, can be said here in the USA concerning our own vigilance against loss of liberty.
Yes, we can allow the Patriot Act, for example, in time of fearful war against the fascist jihadists who are determined to inflict millions of deaths and widespread devastation and control over our lives.
But we should remain vigilant and always ask: In what ways am I accepting my own loss of liberty and freedom? We know all the usual leftist threats, usually relating to Marxism, socialism, and governement (bureaucratic overlords that rule).
But I'd like to challenge the usual conservative thinkers here on this blog with a different one: If the Patriot act is to be a TEMPORARY acceptance of loss of liberty and freedom, for the purposes of national security and fighting this war, we must be prepared to identify the conditions at which we then demand that this TEMPORARY loss of blessed freedom and liberty be rectified. What are those conditions?
~mike