islam doesn't speak, muslims do | "the ink of the scholar is worth more than the blood of the martyr" – Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
I apologize for being slow on comments and on emails. For those who don’t know, I am an Islamicist (not and Islamist). So when things like the London bombings happen, I spend a lot of time going around and giving talks, writing briefing papers, and responding to the media. Most of what you get here are my first thoughts, and your feedback remains invaluable. I hope to catch up with most of the comments today and tomorrow.
A UNC library site dedicated to Afghanistan Cultural Heritage. Technorati Tags: Islamic Art, Afghanistan
One of the things that happens after a terrorist bombing committed by those who claim to be Muslim is that Islamophobes start quoting the Qur’an out of context saying that Islam is a violent religion dedicated to taking over the world and enslaving everyone else (yes, it is the Protocols of the Elders of Zion revisited). I’m waiting for the day when some Islamophobe says the proof that Islam is Judeophobic is that Muslims revere a prophet named Isa who entered a synagogue and flipped over tables and drove people out claiming that they were practicing a false religion. It…
I had hoped to create a list of Muslim organizations and individuals condemning the London bombing, because every time something like this happens, there are voices that say violence is an intrinsic part of the Islamic tradition, and claim that because no Muslims have denounced the violence, it must be true. However, Muslims are constantly denouncing violence, but we are speaking from soap boxes. The fringe of humanity (these terrorists are the fringe of humanity, not just Islam) will always be louder. While gathering my material, several other sites have compiled these condemnations, including non-English material. I am linking to…
My prayers are with the primary victims of today’s bombing attack in London. My prayers are with their families and friends. My thoughts are with the secondary victims, and with all of London as they try to recover. However, Al-Qaeda, in their self-interested perception of the world have not only killed innocents, contrary to the revelation of the Qur’an, but they have moved the news spotlight on to their egotistical selves – further proof that they are not capable of dealing with a real jihad against their base selves. This is important, because regardless of what you think the G8…
These thoughts were actually not my first on the London bombings today. However, they have recently come to me, and I want to document them. The delay in my posting was due to the fact that I was waiting to hear from/about friends and family in London. (shukrunlillah, everyone seems to be OK). It dawned on me, that as much as I talk about being Muslim and American, about the search for shared humanity, and today really brought home the point that even to me, subconsciously, there is a distinction – the internalization of being the “other?” – between a…
These attacks are horrible. I cannot say enough to demonstrate how opposed they are to the spirit of the Prophetic message, the revelation of the Qur’an, and the spirit of Islam. However, most of the day will be spent trying to do that. I’m putting together a few things, including a list of all Muslims (sites, statements, etc.) who are condemning the attack. Also, for those of you tagging, please use “London Bombing” so we can keep track. To the bombers: 5:32 To the victims: 2:156 Update: It seems “London 7/7” is another tag floating around, so please use that…