Bangladesh: Islamic supremacist party calls for jihad, quoting Qur'an and Hadith

But don't be concerned. "Religious experts" assure us that their use of the Qur'an and Hadith constitute a misunderstanding of jihad. Why there are so many such Misunderstanders of Islam is, as always, left unexplained. "In sign of desperation, Islamist party calls for armed struggle," by Shahriar Sharif for Khabar South Asia, August 28 (thanks to Jacob):

Golam Azam, former chief of the Jamaat-e-Islami party, waves to the media on January 11th, 2012. He is one of nine top Jamaat leaders now being tried for their alleged crimes against humanity during the Liberation War in 1971.
With many of its leaders awaiting trial and its appeal on the wane, the radical Jamaat-e-Islami party has been trying to galvanize support by calling for jihad against the Bangladeshi government, authorities say.

This ominous message was contained in a booklet circulated by Jamaat at the start of the month, with over 60,000 copies circulated.

"We're sifting through the booklet and trying to figure out whether it violated the law and what kind of reaction it might have on the overall law and order situation," Dhaka Metropolitan Police (Detective) Deputy Commissioner Monirul Islam told Khabar South Asia:

Extreme messages of this kind are not new. For years, Islamist radicals have called for seizing power in order to turn Bangladesh into a theocratic state, similar to Afghanistan during the days of Taliban rule. The latest declarations, analysts say, are aimed at halting ongoing judicial proceedings against Jamaat party leaders.

The International Crimes Tribunal in Bangladesh is swiftly moving to convict nine key Jamaat figures, including party chief Matiur Rahman Nizami and secretary general Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid, in connection with atrocities committed during Bangladesh's 1971 Liberation War....

The Jamaat booklet quotes 53 verses from the holy Qur'an and 17 quotations from the Hadith to both justify jihadi action and to prove such actions are not un-Islamic. Moreover, it urges Jamaat followers do anything for the party – including carrying out acts of violence -- and sacrifice their lives, if necessary, to free its leaders.

Religious experts, however, say such calls are profoundly at odds with Islamic teachings and reflect a misunderstanding of jihad.

"There is no similarity with the situation in which Prophet Mohammad performed jihad," said Kazi Nurul Islam, department chairman of World Religions and Culture at Dhaka University.

Although the Qur'an mentions jihad, Islam said, it also discusses where it should be performed. Jihad is sometimes misinterpreted and mentioned in a way as if it is applicable at all times in all situations, he told Khabar.

The misuse of the Prophet's teachings amounts to blasphemy, some commentators suggest.

"Religion is a sacred thing. No one should try to use it as a weapon to gain political benefit," Shamim Mohammad Afzal, director general of the state-run Islamic Foundation told Khabar. "If anyone tries to do this, he should be brought to justice."...

Sounds like a plan. But it might completely overwhelm the courts in Muslim countries.

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Meryl Petkoff | August 28, 2012 4:23 AM | Reply

They quote the arabic version of Mein Kampf a.k.a. Quran and these buffoons talk about misunderstanding, misinterpreting Islam, its teachings.

*sigh*...

Jaladhi | August 28, 2012 6:19 AM | Reply

These guys really really misunderstand Islam!! Don't they know Islam is all peace and nothing else. I think they need lessons on Islam from our MSM, our leader in chief, academia and all those Muslim apologists aka Muslim liars. Ccalling New York times to send their experts on Islam to go to Bangladesh and straighten out these mullahs!!

LemonLime | August 28, 2012 6:58 AM | Reply

One must be adept at picking out the Islamic loopholes: they're always there, in any statement made by Muslims explaining that Islam is not an ultra-violent vortex of supremacist-expansionist voracity. So let's go loophole-hunting, shall we?

There is no similarity with the situation in which Prophet Mohammad performed jihad -- so says one Kazi Nurul Islam, "department chairman of World Religions and Culture at Dhaka University."

This leaves untouched the situation of a similarity. I.e., what if there were a "similarity" with the situation "in which" Mohammed went offensively plundering and pillaging and massacring and raping? Then it'd be ok, eh Kazi? And while we're on the phone, Kazi, can you explain specifically in detail just what this vague "similarity" is "to which" you allude?

Although the Qur'an mentions jihad... Kazi goes on. Nice of you to concede that the Koran (allow me carefully to pick out that annoyingly apostrophic anise seed from that ugly word and dispense with that preposterously useless hard "Q") "mentions" jihad. That's real big of you, Kazi. Now, what were you blathering on about? Oh yes:

...it also discusses where it should be performed. Jihad is sometimes misinterpreted and mentioned in a way as if it is applicable at all times in all situations.

We're getting warmer, Kazi. Could you tell us precisely where it should be performed? Granted that it is not, apparently, "applicable" willy-nilly (or, as you say so fastidiously, "at all times in all situations"), the searingly acute question for us Kuffar is: When you "department chairmen of World Religions and Culture" do get around to deeming it "applicable", should we be concerned about our necks and our underage daughters becoming spoils of war?

No need to worry your pretty ugly little head, Kazi; we already know the answer. The question was ruthlessly rhetorical.

Now that we're done with Kazi, we see the article mentions that "some commentators suggest" something relevant here. What is it they "suggest"? Let's see:

The misuse of the Prophet's teachings amounts to blasphemy.

Again, this leaves unanswered just what specifically precisely constitutes "misuse", and whether right use may ever entail jihad about which we Kuffar should begin to get nervous.

Then we hear from one Shamim Mohammad Afzal, "director general of the state-run Islamic Foundation" (what the nikah is an "Islamic Foundation", anyway?). This Third World bozo says:

Religion is a sacred thing. No one should try to use it as a weapon to gain political benefit...

Again with the prevaricatingly vague equivocation -- as oily and serpentine as a basket of snakes writhing in liquid tallow. Who is to say, Shammy -- may I call you "Shammy"? -- that what the Bangladeshi government is doing in anxiously protecting itself from these Jamat Muslims is not "using Islam to gain -- or to maintain -- political benefit..."? In order for us to know if you are correct, Shammy, you need to specify precisely what constitutes a "misuse" of "religion", so that a clear distinction can be drawn and seen between the Bangladesh government in this case, and the Jamat Muslims.

But again, don't bother. It's long past time for a Harrison Ford moment while you Orientals flash your ridiculously childish swordplay.

London Jim replied to comment from LemonLime | August 28, 2012 3:04 PM | Reply

Love it, LL. :-)

You're a great & learnèd thinker.

LemonLime replied to comment from London Jim | August 28, 2012 5:13 PM | Reply

Thanks, LJ -- I appreciate it.

gravenimage replied to comment from LemonLime | August 28, 2012 7:51 PM | Reply

The Jamaat booklet quotes 53 verses from the holy Qur'an and 17 quotations from the Hadith to both justify jihadi action and to prove such actions are not un-Islamic. Moreover, it urges Jamaat followers do anything for the party – including carrying out acts of violence -- and sacrifice their lives, if necessary, to free its leaders.

Religious experts, however, say such calls are profoundly at odds with Islamic teachings and reflect a misunderstanding of jihad....
..................................

This all comes down to what is deemed "sufficiently Islamic".

According to Islam, you may not rebel against an Islamic government—to do so is to stir up "Fitnah", that worst of Muslim crimes.

On the other hand, it is not only Halal to rebel against an Infidel or "insufficiently Islamic" government, by most lights a pious Muslim is actually obligated to do so.

So—is the current Bangladeshi government "sufficiently Islamic"? Jamaat-e-Islami sure doesn't think so—despite their allowing underage rape victims to be caned to death.

You even find Jihadists fighting the Saudi regime, one of the most barbaric Shari'ah states in existence.

The Muslim Brotherhood is declaring that any criticism of Morsi's government to be "un-Islamic", while even "faster" Jihadists are attacking the Egyptian military in Sinai.

In chaotic Islamic hell-hole Somalia, you actually have rival gangs of Jihadists declaring each other "insufficiently Islamic", and turning on each other with murderous violence.

Much of this is the struggle for power—but it is impossible to detach this from the question of "what is sufficiently Islamic"? And in devout Islam, these are one and the same, in any case—since the only way to gain power in a truly Islamic state is to seize it.

So—this is a zero sum game, a race to the bottom.

LemonLime wrote:

Brilliant, LemonLime.

American Delight | August 29, 2012 3:43 AM | Reply

Maybe it's undeserved, but whenever I read news like this, I always feel sympathetic towards the government of Bangladesh. It seems like they're constantly assaulted by Islamists but manage to hang on.

But should I be so sympathetic? Can any regional experts comment on whether the government of Bangladesh deserves our support?

Walter | August 29, 2012 8:00 AM | Reply

Of course the jihadists will site the Quran to justify the violence. In all fairnees they are not misusing the Qiran in doing so. For the Quran is indeed a book that teaches the use of violence. Not only just in the past,as in the Bible, but for the present and for all times. For example, to site just three of the many such verses, in 9:112 it teaches The believers fight in Allah's Cause, they slai and are slain, kiland are killed." and 8:39 "Fight them untill all opposition ends and all submit to Allah." then there is 9;14 "Fight them and Allah will punish them by your hand..."
By the way, to all this it's very tempting not to quote the American Patriot, Thomas Paine, from his book THE AGE OF REASON in which he wrote "Any system of religion that has anything in it that shocks the mind of a child cannot be a true system.'

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