It is time for Muslims to begin a deep self-examination

Though their influence might still be minimal, a few journalists are speaking out. In the Arabic newspaper Al-Mada, Iraqi writer Adnan Hussein offered a suggestion: We must overhaul the educational system. In a piece published just two days after the Paris attacks on Nov. 13, he said that from elementary school through university, our young people are taught — sometimes with a stick — that Islam is not only great, but also better than other religions, and that those who are not like us belong in hell. What has emerged, he wrote, is a “savage faith that stirs up decapitation, spills blood, instigates plunder and rape.” As for the real Islam, he lamented: “It has no place in our lives, or in the best of cases, it has a barely audible voice that almost nobody hears.”

On the same day, celebrated Lebanese writer and editor of the Al-Hayat newspaper Ghassan Charbel wrote that to rescue itself, the Arab and Muslim world must participate in the struggle against Islamism. Charbel called for shutting down platforms of hate and said the Middle East needs to undertake “a deep re-examination” of its society. He called for “universities, schools, mosques, TV and electronic sites to reclaim their platforms from that handful” of destructive ideologues who control them. “What threatens the Arab and Islamic world today,” he said, “is no less dangerous than the threat that Nazism posed to Europe.”

Recently, I asked my students what they thought about commentary that appeared in the Guardian newspaper in November suggesting that France and Britain had failed their immigrants through clumsy — and ultimately alienating — efforts to promote multiculturalism (in Britain’s case) and assimilation (in France’s). In this way, author Kenan Malik said, French and British policies gave Islamism an entrée into isolated Muslim communities.

Nearly all my students rejected the premise, arguing that immigrants were responsible for their own actions whether they were isolated or not. Of course, many of these students come from families who fled countries terrorized by Muslim extremists and have no sympathy for them. But they don’t blame Western multiculturalism for the rise of home-grown Islamism. “That’s silly,” shrugged one Syrian girl.

Why, then, I asked them, don’t Muslims march in the streets of London, Paris and New York loudly condemning the Islamic State? Because, they answered, mainstream Muslims are too scared that the extremists would come after them. The class brainstormed about what could be done instead. Most concluded that they, too, would be afraid to call attention to themselves.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/it-is-time-for-muslims-to-begin-a-deep-self-examination/2015/12/30/24320e5e-adb2-11e5-b820-eea4d64be2a1_story.html

truthbetold wrote: mainstream Muslims are too scared that the extremists would come after them.

CD,

Is this true of Indian muslims?

Apreciating Indian Muslim families for the important role they are playing in preventing their children from being influenced by the ISIS, Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said they are able to do this because of "our family values."

"There have been stray cases of a couple of young people being drawn to the ISIS but the first barrier to such movement in India has been the minority Muslim families. We must congratulate them for the important role that they are playing," he said speaking at a event organized by not-for-profit organization Adamya Chetana.

"...In other parts of the world, ISIS is growing but that will not happen in India and that's because of the family values we have here," he added.

confuzzled dude wrote:

truthbetold wrote: mainstream Muslims are too scared that the extremists would come after them.

CD,

Is this true of Indian muslims?

Looks like your party leader was trying to answer your question.

Apreciating Indian Muslim families for the important role they are playing in preventing their children from being influenced by the ISIS, Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said they are able to do this because of "our family values."

"There have been stray cases of a couple of young people being drawn to the ISIS but the first barrier to such movement in India has been the minority Muslim families. We must congratulate them for the important role that they are playing," he said speaking at a event organized by not-for-profit organization Adamya Chetana.

"...In other parts of the world, ISIS is growing but that will not happen in India and that's because of the family values we have here," he added.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Muslim-families-preventing-ISIS-influence-from-spreading-Rajnath-Singh/articleshow/50408088.cms

confuzzled dude wrote:

truthbetold wrote: mainstream Muslims are too scared that the extremists would come after them.

CD,

Is this true of Indian muslims?

Looks like your party leader was trying to answer your question.

Apreciating Indian Muslim families for the important role they are playing in preventing their children from being influenced by the ISIS, Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said they are able to do this because of "our family values."

"There have been stray cases of a couple of young people being drawn to the ISIS but the first barrier to such movement in India has been the minority Muslim families. We must congratulate them for the important role that they are playing," he said speaking at a event organized by not-for-profit organization Adamya Chetana.

"...In other parts of the world, ISIS is growing but that will not happen in India and that's because of the family values we have here," he added.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Muslim-families-preventing-ISIS-influence-from-spreading-Rajnath-Singh/articleshow/50408088.cms

truthbetold wrote:

confuzzled dude wrote:

truthbetold wrote: mainstream Muslims are too scared that the extremists would come after them.

CD,

Is this true of Indian muslims?

Looks like your party leader was trying to answer your question.

Apreciating Indian Muslim families for the important role they are playing in preventing their children from being influenced by the ISIS, Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said they are able to do this because of "our family values."

"There have been stray cases of a couple of young people being drawn to the ISIS but the first barrier to such movement in India has been the minority Muslim families. We must congratulate them for the important role that they are playing," he said speaking at a event organized by not-for-profit organization Adamya Chetana.

"...In other parts of the world, ISIS is growing but that will not happen in India and that's because of the family values we have here," he added.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Muslim-families-preventing-ISIS-influence-from-spreading-Rajnath-Singh/articleshow/50408088.cms

CD,

It is a simple question.  I asked for your opinion. Do you  agree with Rajnath Singh?  Why are you avoiding to answer a simple question.

truthbetold wrote:CD,

Since you are coy with your response, here is an attempt to interpret:

(They =) Muslim better be scared given what happened to him (= pune techie murder ) and him (= Dadri lynching) and this (Bhuvan shetty accused of killing HM Kulbargi).

The article is talking about islamic extremists coming after their own religious people if they speak up. It is about muslim deep self examination? My question was "Are indian muslims afraid of raising their voices against islamic terrorists?"

You are giving examples of Hindu extremist incidents and suggesting muslim's must be afraid.  How is muslim fear of hindu extremists answer my question?

confuzzled dude wrote:

truthbetold wrote:CD,

Since you are coy with your response, here is an attempt to interpret:

(They =) Muslim better be scared given what happened to him (= pune techie murder ) and him (= Dadri lynching) and this (Bhuvan shetty accused of killing HM Kulbargi).

The article is talking about islamic extremists coming after their own religious people if they speak up. It is about muslim deep self examination? My question was "Are indian muslims afraid of raising their voices against islamic terrorists?"

You are giving examples of Hindu extremist incidents and suggesting muslim's must be afraid.  How is muslim fear of hindu extremists answer my question?

Distinguished Home Minister has already answered your question as to how they're raising their collective voice against extremist outfits like ISIS.

truthbetold wrote:

confuzzled dude wrote:

truthbetold wrote:CD,

Since you are coy with your response, here is an attempt to interpret:

(They =) Muslim better be scared given what happened to him (= pune techie murder ) and him (= Dadri lynching) and this (Bhuvan shetty accused of killing HM Kulbargi).

The article is talking about islamic extremists coming after their own religious people if they speak up. It is about muslim deep self examination? My question was "Are indian muslims afraid of raising their voices against islamic terrorists?"

You are giving examples of Hindu extremist incidents and suggesting muslim's must be afraid.  How is muslim fear of hindu extremists answer my question?

Distinguished Home Minister has already answered your question as to how they're raising their collective voice against extremist outfits like ISIS.

CD,

One last time. What is your opinion?  You could simply say you agree with Rajnath singh.

truthbetold wrote:

confuzzled dude wrote:

truthbetold wrote:CD,

Since you are coy with your response, here is an attempt to interpret:

(They =) Muslim better be scared given what happened to him (= pune techie murder ) and him (= Dadri lynching) and this (Bhuvan shetty accused of killing HM Kulbargi).

The article is talking about islamic extremists coming after their own religious people if they speak up. It is about muslim deep self examination? My question was "Are indian muslims afraid of raising their voices against islamic terrorists?"

You are giving examples of Hindu extremist incidents and suggesting muslim's must be afraid.  How is muslim fear of hindu extremists answer my question?

Distinguished Home Minister has already answered your question as to how they're raising their collective voice against extremist outfits like ISIS.

CD,

One last time. What is your opinion?  You could simply say you agree with Rajnath singh.

truthbetold wrote:These arguments are getting long in the tooth.

What Rajnath singh said is an assessment of his and his govt.  Should I presume your opinion is ALWAYS the same as the modi govt's opinion?