Manila Times Special Reports branded as anti-Islam

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Written by Brother Deen

Tuesday, 02 December 2003

The Manila Times (www.manilatimes.net), one of the first newspapers to thrive in the Philippines, published a three-part special report Islam from Decmber 17-19. The series, however, was met with a rash of criticisms from several Muslims who branded the articles as "ignorant special reports by their equally ignorant senior reporter".

The so-called "Ignorant special reports by the Ignorant senior reporter" of the Manila Times.

The following are some issues raised by the three-part series, along with reactions by this writer.

"There's been no serious study on the state of mind of people who revert to Islam, but law-enforcement authorities lump them with Muslim radicals. If that line of thinking were followed, Balik Islam would share the psychological profile of the terrorists arrested since September 11."

The bulk of people who would revert to Islam especially in Saudi Arabia are what you call "moderates" for I know for a fact that in almost all Islamic centers for Filipino reverts in Saudi Arabia, the Issue of Jihad is given secondary treatment if not outrightly avoided. I think the group that "share the psychological profile of the terrorist" is the "law-enforcement authorities" of the Philippines. Just who are the kidnap leaders, the drug lord czar, etc? The people who are suppose to enforce the law are the one breaking it.

"Zamzamin Amaptuan, chief of Office of Muslim Affairs, agreed that the reverts are prone to indoctrination to the "deviant" interpretation of Islam that those arrested for terrorism follow."

With due respect to Mr. Ampatuan, somebody should have reminded him of the hadith of the Prophet that says "he who believes in Allah and the last days, should speak good or remain silent" [Muslim and Bukhari] - "Not a word does he utter but there is a watcher by him ready to record it" [Surah Qaf (50): ayat 18].

"Ampatuan continued, "It can be taken advantage of by some people [because it makes them] more prone to conditioning and exploitation, since they don't fully understand."

On the contrary, most of the reverts I know of here in Saudi are better learned than some muslims out there. This is a fact of life. It's a sad situation that most naturally born muslims have become complacent about their religion while these brothers/sis (reverts) burn the midnight oil just to learn the faith.

"Mendoza said Balik Islam does not fall into a specific age group or social status, because disappointment at the state of the country's affairs is not limited to any class or education level.

But it's also associated with poverty, people are giving up." he said. "[Religion] is like a magnetic pole that attracts the poor."

It's pure ignorance on the part of Mendoza, for most of the reverts are not from low-earnings OFW but rather most of them are with good jobs and high paying professions.

"My mother was asked once what a madrasah was, and she said it was where children go to become terrorists," he said. Ledesma added that his wife is so allergic to Muslims that she spanks their five-year-old son whenever the boy shows interest in Islam."

The boy's experience is a stark example of how difficult it is to be a Muslim in a predominantly Catholic country. Besides the many required rituals, Muslims must also live with distrust and animosity from strangers to the faith. Still, they stick to their religion, believing that they will be rewarded in the afterlife

Isn't it the families of the reverts who are perpetrating the "distrust and animosity" here. Why blame the Muslims? And look the wife is the "terrorizing" the innocent poor boy. So who's the terrorist? I pray Allah makes it easy for Brother Yusuf and all of the Bro/Sis who are living with "terror" families.

"The Police Intelligence chief, Sr. Supt. Arthur Lomibao, acknowledged that Balik Islam is a "potential security threat, but not in the short term."

The biggest security threat are the military and the police force. Oakwood, NAIAA, Davao Bombings and what have you.

"He said being identified as a terrorist supporter or financier just added to the reasons not to send as much zakat, or the mandatory donation of at least one percent of one's annual savings. To offset the decline in donations, iscag is renting out apartment space inside its Dasmariñas, Cavite, compound.

Another leak of total ignorance. This "Senior Reporter" should have done his research more, for Zakah is not "one percent" but 2.5 percent annually (nisab)

and lastly -

"We are at war with Islam, and the Muslims are the aggressors. Nobody wants to recognize that, but that's what's happening," Mendoza said.

Islamophobia in the highest office of the GRP. It's not an isolated view but rather a widespread epidemics.

Brother Deen is a member of the Young Muslim Professionals. He is also the webmaster of the award-winning website bangsamoro.info and regularly writes a Q&A portion for bangsamoro.com.

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