A "Martin Luther" for Islam?

Who Wrote the Koran?

For more than two decades, Abdulkarim Soroush has been Iran’s leading public intellectual. Deeply versed in Islamic theology and mysticism, he was chosen by Ayatollah Khomeini to “Islamicize” Iran’s universities, only to eventually turn against the theocratic state. He paid a price for his dissidence. Vigilantes and other government-supported elements disrupted his widely attended lectures in Iran, beat him and reportedly nearly assassinated him. In a country where intellectuals are often treated like rock stars, Soroush has been venerated and reviled for his outspoken support of religious pluralism and democracy. Now he has taken one crucial step further. Shuttling from university to university in Europe and the U.S., Soroush is sending shock waves through Iran’s clerical establishment.

The recent controversy began about eight months ago, after Soroush spoke with a Dutch reporter about one of Islam’s most sensitive issues: the divine origin of the Koran.

[...]

Soroush has been described as a Muslim Luther, but unlike the Protestant reformer, he is no literalist about holy books. His work more closely resembles that of the 19th-century German scholars who tried to understand the Bible in its original context. Case in point: when a verse in the Koran or a saying attributed to Muhammad refers to cutting off a thief’s hand or stoning to death for adultery, it only tells us the working rules and regulations of the prophet’s era. Today’s Muslims are not obliged to follow in these footsteps if they have more humane means at their disposal.

Soroush’s latest views have not endeared him to the powerful conservative wing of Iran’s establishment. Some have accused him of heresy, which is punishable by death. There have been demonstrations by clerics in Qom, the religious capital of Iran, against his recent work. But Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, unexpectedly warned against feeding the controversy. He said those who are employing “philosophy or pseudo-philosophy” to “pervert the nation’s mind” should not be dealt with “by declaring apostasy and anger” but rather countered with the “religious truths” that will falsify their arguments.

In Iran today, many opponents of the government advocate the creation of a secular state. Soroush himself supports the separation of mosque and state, but for the sake of religion. He seeks freedom of religion, not freedom from religion. Thus he speaks for a different — and potentially more effective — agenda. The medieval Islamic mystic Rumi once wrote that “an old love may only be dissolved by a new one.” In a deeply religious society, whose leaders have justified their hold on power as a divine duty, it may take a religious counterargument to push the society toward pluralism and democracy. [...]

     

Of Mice and (Muslim Clerical) Men: Kill Micky

Sharia Law says: Micky Mouse must die?

Any religion can be taken to absurdity, but Islam seems to have more than it's fair share of absurd clerics.

Islamic scholar: Mickey Mouse must die

On Aug 27 Sheikh Muhammad Al-Munajid told viewers of a religious affairs programme that mice were agents of Satan and that Sharia law called for the extermination of all mice: from the common house mouse (Mus musculus) to cartoon mouse (Mickey Mouse).

A former diplomat attached to the Islamic Affairs Department at the Saudi embassy Washington, al-Munajid appears regularly on Saudi television to discuss religious and ethical topics.

On Aug 10 he denounced the Beijing Olympics as the “bikini Olympics,” saying the immodest dress of women athletes was “satanic” and earlier issued a fatwa, or religious edict, against women’s participation in the Olympics as the games were also “satanic”. [...]

To be fair, I have heard of extremist Christians also complaining of "satanic" Disney cartoon characters. But they don't issue fatwas, and they are a small minority and nobody takes them very seriously. I wish I could say the same about some of these Islamic clerics. Many have "issues" about fun.

[...] According to a translation of the broadcast prepared by the Middle East Media Research Institute, al-Munajid was asked to state the Islamic legal teaching on mice. He responded that mice were called “little corrupters” in Sharia and it was permissible to kill them at all times.

“The mouse is one of Satan's soldiers and is steered by him,” he explained, adding that should a mouse come in contact with food, the food must be disposed of as the mouse is an impure creature.

“According to Islamic law, the mouse is a repulsive, corrupting creature,” al-Munajid said, adding that he was concerned that popular culture had given mice an undeserved positive image.

“How do you think children view mice today – after Tom and Jerry?” he asked.

“Even creatures that are repulsive by nature, by logic, and according to Islamic law have become wonderful and are loved by children. Even mice. Mickey Mouse has become an awesome character, even though according to Islamic law, Mickey Mouse should be killed in all cases.”

Don't get me wrong; I'm all for killing vermin. I live on a farm, and I kill vermin. One doesn't have to be Muslim or even religious to understand that vermin carry diseases and need kill'n. It's just that in a modern, enlightened culture, people generally understand that one can make distinctions between disease carrying vermin, domestic pets, laboratory animals, and cartoon characters. Mice can be each of these, yet each is distinctly different, and not hard to understand. But if you are slavishly devoted to rigidly interpreting a book according to 7th century standards, in a completely literal and narrow context, you are going to cause a lot of problems in the 21st century. Like having to kill everyone and everything that disagrees with your interpretation of your 7th century religion.

The truth can always hold up to scrutiny. The Islamic world could benefit greatly by scrutinizing many of their long-held beliefs. In this regard, I think there are some reasons to be hopeful. The 21st century beckons us all. I think we can all get there in one piece, and live in peace, if we don't become unduly overly-concerned with things like rodents in all their many manifestations. Or women in sports. Or short pants on soccer players.

As for this particular cleric, I have to agree with George Handlery at the Brussels Journal:

Duly Noted: Mickey Mouse Must Die

[...] There must be a shortage of Christians, Jews, Hindus, Animists and Buddhists to kill. When will the Religion of Peace go after Donald D.?

Indeed.



Here is a video of the cleric who feels threatened by Micky Mouse:

Saudi Cleric Muhammad Al-Munajid: Mickey Mouse Must Die!




Related Links:

Is Islam compatible with a free society?

Hamas Micky Mouse becomes Martyr on TV
(apparently mice are good when they die for Jihad)

Omar Sharif and other Arabs in a changing world

     

Dr. Wafa Sultan condemned to death...

... for speaking out and telling the truth. More death-threat fatwa crap from Islamo-fascists. Frank J. Gaffney, Jr. at Townhall.com reports:

A Truly Endangered Species

[...] Dr. Sultan is currently in hiding somewhere in this country after an appearance on March 4th on the Islamofascists’ favorite television network, Al-Jazeera. In the course of a heated debate about the Danish cartoons with an Egyptian Islamist named Tal'at Rmeih, she bravely declared:

“All religions and faiths, throughout the history of humanity, have been subject to criticism and affronts. With time, this has helped in their reform and development. Any belief that chops off the heads of its critics is doomed to turn into terrorism and tyranny. This has been the condition of Islam, from its inception to this day. Islam has sentenced [its critics] to prison, and whoever crosses the threshold of that prison meets his death. The Danish cartoons have managed to break down the first brick in the wall of that prison, and to open up a window, through which the sunrays enter, after a lengthy darkness. The Danish newspaper exercised its freedom of speech. Liberties are the holiest thing in the West, and nothing is more important. But if Islam were not the way it is, those cartoons would never have appeared.”

Dr. Sultan added: “If you want to change the course of events, you must reexamine your terrorist teachings, you must recognize and respect the right of the other to live, you must teach your children love, peace, coexistence, and productive work. When you do that, the world will respect you, will consider you in a better light, and will draw you in a better light.”

On March 16, one of the world’s preeminent Islamofascists, Sheik Yusuf al-Qaradawi took to the airwaves of Al Jazeera to denounce Wafa Sultan and provide the religious basis for her murder. [...]

As if that isn't bad enough, the Murderous Sheik and his colleagues are engaged by prominent commercial institutions to serve as “Shariah advisors” ... read the whole article for the details. Such murderous thugs do not need to be supported by Westerners, and we certainly shouldn't be supporting commercial institutions that support them.

Here are Youtube videos, excerpts of the of the Al Jazeera appearance by Dr. Sultan on March 4th:



Dr. Sultan debates an Egyptian Islamist, Tal'at Rmeih, on the current state of Western-Islamic relations against the backdrop of the Danish Cartoon Scandal. The clips are divided into two segments, each is about 6 minutes long.



Al Jazeera later issued an apology for letting her speak, and on a later show, Sheik Yusuf al-Qaradawi takes it further... see the article for more details.

Closer to home, on a related note, there is this:

CAIR Portrays "War on Terrorism" as Malicious "War on Islam"

While it is certainly true that not all Muslims are our enemies, and we are not at war with the whole of Islam, it's clear that a portion of Islam is at war with us, whether we wish it or not. Those among us who support that war need to be exposed for who they are, and treated accordingly.


Related Links:

Wafa Sultan interview: A "crack in the wall"

Wafa Sultan and Nasar Khader both endure death threats

     

"Fitna", the Geert Wilder's Film, is here

I believe it's been banned from Youtube, you can see it posted on LiveLeak for now, here is the URL:

Fitna the Movie: Geert Wilders' film about the Quran (English)

Michelle Malkin has posted about it here:

Fitna has arrived; Update: “Restraint?” We’ll see; Plus: A case of mistaken identity

[...] It’s 15 minutes with scenes of jihad interlaced with quotes from the Koran. We are reminded of 9/11, Madrid, the murder of Theo van Gogh, and the threats to Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s life.

The film ends not with any blasphemous image of Mohammed, but with an image of a hand about to tear out the murderous verses of the Koran and a sound effect of tearing (with a caption explaining that the sound was actually the sound of a page being torn from a phonebook).

Prepare for more March Madness. I don’t know what “solidarity” is in Dutch, but show it by embedding the video, e-mailing it, and writing about it. Their fight for the right to criticize the Religion of Perpetual Outrage is our fight. [...]

(bold emphasis mine) The phonebook page caption is an interesting gesture, to try to avoid offending Muslims. I'm sure it will make no difference at all to those who are determined to be offended, or looking for any excuse to riot. There is only one message for thugs like that:


"I will not submit"


UPDATE 03-28-08:

It got pulled off-line, due to threats by Muslims. Surprise surprise. That's what happens when you bend over backwards to tolerate the intolerant; they feel they have the "right" to silence any criticism of themselves, even by the force of violence and death threats. Fascism knows no limits in the face of weakness. When will the appeasers among us understand this?

There may be some bit-torrent links that still work, but I don't use bit-torrent. If a reliable, lasting link to the film appears anywhere, I'll post it here.


UPDATE 03-31-08:
Here is a new link with the movie:

Fitna the movie

Let's see how long it lasts. Also, Maynard at Tammy Bruce's blog has more links here:

"Fitna"

So "Fitna" ended up on YouTube. Click to view the English-subtitled Part 1 and Part 2. The 15-minute film consists of verses from the Koran interspersed with violent media clips. (Here is an abridged 10-minute version without the Netherlands-specific material).

You can read his entire post for more details and commentary.


Related Links:

Censorship from the Cowards at Youtube

Worse than Wilders. But No Death Threats

Algerian Journalist Posts Geert Wilders' "Fitna" Film On His Blog

Appeasing the Islamists: Geert Wilders’s Ordeal and the Lessons of the Past

Ahmadinejad continues his Lunatic agenda

Iran's insane president Ahmadinejad visits Iraq, tells the US to get out of the Middle East, claiming that our presence there has brought only destruction and division. He should talk. Through Hezbollah, Iran funds Hamas and other terrorist groups throughout the Middle East, with tentacles spreading even further.


Even now Iran is backing and supplying arms to Hamas for the current rocket attacks on Israel from Gaza, just as it arms Jihadists in Lebanon, all via Hezbollah. His visit to Iraq has nothing to do with peace and everything to do with Iran's pressing needs and Iraq's vulnerability.

Ahmadinejad has plenty of people in Iran worried, even members of the Iranian government. So they should be. Ahmadinejad is a nut-job who believes that a massive war and it's attendant bloodshed is actually needed to bring about the return of the Mahdi, the Hidden Imam.




The situation with Iran today is the direct legacy of Jimmy Carter, which was further abetted and supported by Bill Clinton. The Democrats just make us weaker and more vulnerable each time they're in charge. Shall we put another Democrat in the White House, so they can finish us off?


Related Links:

THE MULLAHS' TERRIBLE VISION

Is it time for regime change in Iran yet?

Hizbullah TV in Lebanon, courtesy of Iran

Iranian Internet users face blockage during coming election
     

Will Turkey bring Islam into the 21st century?

For a long time, I had ambivalent feelings about Turkey. I felt the Bush administration was too soft on them, too cooperative, too accommodating. But as I have read more and more about Turkey, and come to understand more about the situation there, I've come to better understand our policies in dealing with them. Among Islamic countries, Turkey is a very special place. While there might be much to criticize, there is also a great deal to praise and admire. I've criticized them a lot in the past, but in this post, I can only praise them.

I have found the following article astounding in it's implications:

Turkey in radical revision of Islamic texts

Turkey is preparing to publish a document that represents a revolutionary reinterpretation of Islam - and a controversial and radical modernisation of the religion.

The country's powerful Department of Religious Affairs has commissioned a team of theologians at Ankara University to carry out a fundamental revision of the Hadith, the second most sacred text in Islam after the Koran.

The Hadith is a collection of thousands of sayings reputed to come from the Prophet Muhammad.

As such, it is the principal guide for Muslims in interpreting the Koran and the source of the vast majority of Islamic law, or Sharia.

"This is kind of akin to the Christian Reformation. Not exactly the same, but... it's changing the theological foundations of [the] religion"
           Fadi Hakura, Turkey expert, Chatham House

But the Turkish state has come to see the Hadith as having an often negative influence on a society it is in a hurry to modernise, and believes it responsible for obscuring the original values of Islam.

It says that a significant number of the sayings were never uttered by Muhammad, and even some that were need now to be reinterpreted.

'Reformation'

Commentators say the very theology of Islam is being reinterpreted in order to effect a radical renewal of the religion. [...]

They are talking here about a very logical, educated, calm and rational look at the Hadiths, in context of all the history they were written in, and reinterpreting them for a modern world. This is practically unheard of in the Muslim world.

And in case you think this is just posturing on the part of the Turkish government, I would say look closer. Look at not just what they say, but what they are doing:

[...] As part of its aggressive programme of renewal, Turkey has given theological training to 450 women, and appointed them as senior imams called "vaizes".

They have been given the task of explaining the original spirit of Islam to remote communities in Turkey's vast interior.

One of the women, Hulya Koc, looked out over a sea of headscarves at a town meeting in central Turkey and told the women of the equality, justice and human rights guaranteed by an accurate interpretation of the Koran - one guided and confirmed by the revised Hadith.

She says that, at the moment, Islam is being widely used to justify the violent suppression of women.

"There are honour killings," she explains.

"We hear that some women are being killed when they marry the wrong person or run away with someone they love.

"There's also violence against women within families, including sexual harassment by uncles and others. This does not exist in Islam... we have to explain that to them."

'New Islam'

According to Fadi Hakura, an expert on Turkey from Chatham House in London, Turkey is doing nothing less than recreating Islam - changing it from a religion whose rules must be obeyed, to one designed to serve the needs of people in a modern secular democracy.

He says that to achieve it, the state is fashioning a new Islam.

[...]

Significantly, the "Ankara School" of theologians working on the new Hadith have been using Western critical techniques and philosophy.

They have also taken an even bolder step - rejecting a long-established rule of Muslim scholars that later (and often more conservative) texts override earlier ones.

"You have to see them as a whole," says Fadi Hakura.

"You can't say, for example, that the verses of violence override the verses of peace. This is used a lot in the Middle East, this kind of ideology.

"I cannot impress enough how fundamental [this change] is."

(bold emphasis mine) They aren't just talking the talk, they're walking the walk! They are taking this out to the people, even in rural areas. Reinterpreted Islam may still seem like a strict religion to people in the West, but it's not near as harsh as Islam as practiced in places like Saudi Arabia or Iran.

I'd love to go through the whole article point by point, just to emphasize what a big deal this really is, to emphasize the "how" and "why" of it, but then I'd have to republish the whole thing here, so instead I would just urge you to read the whole thing. It's not very long, but it is very important. It's an answer to one of my most fervent prayers!

I know that this does not solve all problems, but I also know we are not at war with the whole of Islam. We NEED friends in the Islamic world, and in Turkey we may have friends well worth supporting.

Here is a link to a page that has this and all my other posts about Turkey:

Compilation of posts about Turkey and Turkishness