Despite mountains of evidence that Muslim schools are turning out terrorists, Beirut’s Dar Al-Hayat editorializes against any Western-influenced revision of Islamic textbooks.
“Several Arab countries have declared that they are in the process of changing or improving their educational curricula in order to remove all material, which incites fundamentalism, violence and hatred. We do not know if Arab governments are truly convinced that their curricula encourage terrorism or their position comes in response to the American hurricane, which is howling that there is no room anymore for hatred and radicalism. Donald Rumsfeld has already declared the defeat of terrorism which is accomplished not only through military might but also through the ‘war of ideas,’ hinting to the danger that the Islamic religious schools represent. . . .”
Of course, no piece of this kind would be complete without the obligatory accusation of the Jews: “In fact, if the Americans read the material that Jewish students read in Israel, they would be shocked because of the incitement to kill those who are different.”
Why not change the books? “The problem is that the Americans will not be satisfied with changing some texts in the curricula but they will demand rigorous work in terminating the sources of religiosity in society.”
Why? Are the sources of religiosity then synonymous with the sources of terrorism?
“This will lead to a negative counter-reaction as far as internal and external violence are concerned; especially that the American understanding of Islamic text will surely be frivolous. Will it be required to change the texts regarding the concepts of atheism, faith, and Jihad (holy war) because they might be interpreted as hostile to others?”
I hope so! Certainly in regard to the texts about jihad.
“What about the political issues like the Crusades or the historic battles between Muslims and Jews or the Israeli occupation?
“Therefore, the media publicity, the changing of curricula as well as the American ‘war of ideas’ will only succeed in promoting hatred and instability in Arab countries, if their leaders are receptive to the Americans.”
So we are to believe, evidently, that teaching that Qur’anic verses such as “slay the unbelievers wherever you find them” (Sura 9:5) must not be applied to today’s political situation will foment more hatred, not less? (Thanks to Nicolei.)