Muslim World cannot have it both ways

By Steve Paterno

June 8, 2009 — The long awaited and highly anticipated address of the US President Barack Obama to woo the Muslim World and accommodate them in a realm of West in particular, and the globalized world in general, was finally delivered. To thousands of audience packed in great hall of Cairo University , President Obama told the crowd that, the “cycle of suspicion and discord” between the Muslims and the West must end. His message was carried far and wide; throughout the Islamic populations and to the world at large. No one will tell for sure how much of impact President Obama’s speech, subsequent actions, and follow-up policies might have in bridging the gap and improving the relationships between the Muslims and the rest of the world. Nonetheless, the speech was immediately received with mix reactions, and it drew some controversies, in the US , the Middle East and from around the world. Perhaps, the varied expressions of optimism and pessimism along with the controversies that go along with the speech will be the guiding principles that will continue to define the relationships between the Islamic World and the rest, as long as one side is the one offering overture in this endeavor.

For centuries, it has always been the minorities, for instance in Sudan, that live under Islamic systems who are suffering enormously due to the cruelty, barbarism and intolerance of Muslims. It is a bit surprising for the non Muslims in Sudan to hear Islam being praised as a peaceful religion in another part of the world, given their living-experience as non Muslims in Sudan with Islamism; they never witness it as a peaceful religion at all. To begin with, the entry of Islam into Sudan was through conquest, deceit and proselytism. The conversions of the majority of the non Arab population into Islamism for the most part are done by the threats of swords. When the Muslims finally took control of Sudan and managed to forcefully convert many Sudanese, they turned to evoke Islamic religion to justify slavery. The non Muslim population became prey for enslavement, simply because, according to the interpretation, non Muslims are the only ones who can be subjected into such cruel practice. On the other hand, Black Muslims are downgraded to second class faithful, subjected to oppression by their seemingly Arab Muslims. The degree to measure one’s level of faithfulness is linked to how close in lineage one is to Prophet Mohamed’s Quraish tribe. To the majority of Sudanese Muslims who are far removed from Prophet Mohamed ancestry, the measurement can even be as ridiculous as judging someone by texture of their hair if the skin color cannot offer enough proof of lineage. These phenomena are ongoing in current modern day Sudan.

Today, the Islamic regime in Khartoum stands as a symbol of that Islamic cruelty, barbarism, and intolerance against the minority groups within Sudan. The regime is proven enough as part of the growing threat of global Islamic extremism that divides the Muslim World with the rest of the world population. General Salah Gosh, the Khartoum regime’s chief spy, proudly acknowledged that the regime has never been “civilized to believe in peace and life for everyone.” The actions of the government in Khartoum confirm Gen. Gosh public acknowledgement of the savagery of that system against minorities and others. In an annual report, recently released by the US State Department on international religious freedom, Sudan and some of its Islamic counterparts are among the designated “countries of particular concern” for having violated severe religious freedom. Sudan has been featured in that list of “countries of particular concern” for the longest time our memories can tell.

In Sudan , the Sharia or Islamic Law rules against the freedom of the minority non Muslims groups. Severe and cruel punishments of death are carried against those charged of apostasy, blasphemy, defamation of Islam, and proselytizing. The activities of non Islamic religious groups are generally restricted. With exception in the South, there are difficulties for Christians in getting permits to build churches, especially in Khartoum, which has a sizable number of practicing Christians. Instead the churches that have already been built are easily razed to the ground in government well thought-out demolition exercises. Christian missionaries and foreign based Christian organizations are normally not permitted in the country. Those organizations operating in the country and suspected to be supporting the local Christian populations are expelled from the country. A simple generous gesture by foreign nationals in the country to lend someone Christian ornaments or a bible can constitute serious problems with severe consequences to the individuals involved. Non Muslim religious leaders are under constant surveillance by security agents and are harassed, intimidated and at times detain for activities deemed threats to the Islamic regime. Muslims with desire to convert into Christianity or other religion are severely punished to death under the Islamic law or Sharia. Innocent suggestions such as naming a kid’s toy after the name “Mohammad” could get one in jail for a long time.

Such harsh and threatening living conditions are endured by minorities non Muslims in Islamic countries like Sudan for several centuries since Islam set foot in those countries. However, in recent years, the Western countries have caught glimpses of Islamic cruelty, barbarism, and intolerance, as the Islamic extremism went global, exporting their brand in deep heart of the Western World through the acts of terrorism. From hijacking and crashing airplanes into building full of people in the US—to setting subway trains with bombs in Europe and into holding Westerners hostages and then hacking their throats with swords under televised video cameras—the West has finally come to grapple with Islamic extremism and the dangers it presents not only to the whole civilization, but also to the existence of humanity itself.

Surely, the backlash and sentiments against Islam in Western World is growing, given the recent terrorism activities perpetuated in the name of Islam against the Western populations and interest. Paradoxically, Muslim countries in the face of all these are quick to react by placing Islam as the victim of hostile attacks, xenophobia, intolerance and discrimination throughout the world. The move to force President of the powerful free world, Barack Obama, to travel to the heartland of the Muslim World and offer the Muslims an overture could be seen as one of the series of efforts from the Muslim World to blackmailing others in feeling guilty and responsible in order to tolerate Islam at their own perils. Prior to this, through the United Nation Human Rights Council (UNHRC), the Islamic countries managed to push for a resolution to condemn “defamation of Islam” as a means to protect the image of Islam and tolerate its practices. Currently, the Islamic countries are considering pushing for a binding resolution through the same global body that will carry punitive actions against criticism of Islamic religion. If such efforts are successful, one will conclude that another version of Islamic law or Sharia made its way into international law. In other words, Islamic Sharia is gaining status in international arena. Until the Muslim World learn to tolerate the non Muslim populations within their own countries and take charge in joining the rest of global family in fighting extremism, and denying them from hijacking Islamic religion to perpetuate horrific acts against innocent people—these people cannot hypocritically play the role of being victims, while they either directly or indirectly responsible for victimizing others or when they are circumventing at the time their religion is being hijacked by none other than their own populations and governments.

Certainly, times have changed, and the Muslim population must change along with it as oppose to forcing others to change to the rigid ancient culture and relics of the past. The Islamic Hadith says nothing about cars, but yet in a bizarre way, Islamic countries like Saudi Arabia invoke the same Hadith in denying females to drive cars. This is nothing more than male chauvinism intending to assert males’ dominance over females in the same manner Islamic Sharia is practiced in Islamic countries to usurp power and dominate over others. Therefore, rejecting these practices—often invoked in the name of Islam and actually to fight against them—the Muslim World will have nothing to lose as far as their religion is concern. Instead, they will be in harmony with the rest of global family in marching toward freedom, equality, respect and dignity for humankind. The change that President Barack Obama is trying to promote between the West and Muslim World is a two-way give and take street, for its success depends on how the Muslim World is willing to change and not the other way around. Otherwise, any changes to emanate from this historic and well meaning endeavor are far-fetch; thus resorting to fighting each other is the likelihood for a victor to emerge at the end. At least that is the message President Obama receives from Islamic extremists.

Steve Paterno is the author of The Rev. Fr. Saturnino Lohure, A Romain Catholic Priest Turned Rebel. He can be reached at [email protected]