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MUSLIMS MUST HAVE COURAGE TO SAY NO TO TERRORISM - American Muslim analyst |
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Written by Samira Ali Gutoc
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Wednesday, 17 September 2003 |
"We (Muslims) must have the courage to say NO," says an international expert on Islam and democracy on the topic of terrorism. Two years after the 9/11 World Trade Center attack blamed on Muslim extremists, Muslim thinkers are grappling with a backlash and curiosity from the Western world. Two American Muslim analysts came to Manila to talk on the themes “Islam and Democracy” in a series of roundtable discussions co-organized by the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) and the Philippine Council for Islam and Democracy on September 12, 2003.
"We should speak out against co-religionists when they do bad," said Dr. Louay Safi, director of the US-based International Institute of Political Thought. "It is wrong for Muslims to be in self-denial to justify 9/11," said Dr. Radwani Masmoudi, president of Washington-based Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy. This is the context of Osama bin Laden praising the people (who attacked the WTC) and naming them as heroes, cited Dr. Masmoudi. "We cannot shy or cover up (Muslims who do terrorist acts)," said Safi.
"Terrorism has no religion," said Masmoudi. Islam's historical record of wars was more "humane" than those of Christians and Jews, Masmoudi added, referring to the inquisitions of the past. "Killing of innocent civilians can never be justified in Islam even in rules of war," said Masmoudi, referring to 9/11.
The speakers also spoke out against "double standards" in the Muslim world. "Yes, we disagree with US foreign policies but the answer is never to kill innocent civilians. We (Muslims) lose the moral case and ascendancy," said Masmoudi, citing that if Palestinian (suicide bombers), who are themselves victims, start killing, they would be just like their oppressors.
The speakers also said there is "no one (form of) Islam". "There is no one who can speak on behalf of Islam. There are various interpretations and (schools of) thought in Islam," said Masmoudi. They cited it to be a "problem if we think of Muslims as one mindset" in reaction to a Filipino participant saying there was "one Islam."
While acknowledging that the US' foreign policies i.e. war on terror may be "disagreeable," the speakers citing themselves to be "proud American Muslims" said "US should be a positive force in contributing to the total advancement of the human race." They also advised the Moros to "being proud Muslims and members of Philippine society," even as they acknowledged the Mindanao problem as a "big problem which had to be resolved ASAP," said Safi. He advised the Moros to get involved politically. "As a strategy align your problems to the national problem," he said. "Perhaps federalism is a solution, where there is respect for an independent state within a federal state," Safi added.
PCSID convenor Amina Rasul concluded the forum by saying "democracy is the answer." "Ensure that there is people power, true people power, where political structure in Mindanao can have equal representation of all groups."
End.
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