A tale of two leaders and a book

A Dutch court today acquitted the prominent Dutch Islamophobe, Mr Geert Wilders, of charges of incitement against Muslims, a verdict very much in line with what many commentators had anticipated. Mr Wilders has continually manipulated the right of free speech to attack Islam, calling it an ideology, and the Quran, comparing it with "Mein Kampf", Hitler's tirade against Jews. In 2008, he also made a controversial 17-minute film, ‘Fitna’, in which he misquoted and misinterpreted the Quranic verses to air his mistaken views about, and his hatred towards, Islam.

He claims to have ‘legitimate concerns’ and spoke with a rhetoric "on the edge of what is legally permissible" but not illegal.

Now we ‘understand’ that it is Islam, and its holy Book the Quran, which is the real problem for Mr Wilders and his ilk. The Bible, of course, is no longer seen by him as a problem, because of what the secularist atheists, like him, have done with it, and now Christendom is on course to be ‘civilised’.

So what is wrong with the Quran? Why are so many people upset with Islam? It is no good to simply say that Islam is an ideology. People must have, I agree, a proper debate about Islam in a proper context. One must be ‘allowed to discuss Islam in public debate’, and with this I also agree.

But what is a public debate? Why only debate Islam in an effort to suffocate it in the name of ‘free speech’ or ‘freedom of expression’? The irony of this question is that we use the pretext of ‘freedom of speech’ only to suppress or castigate the freedom of others’ freedom of speech.

However, British Ex prime Minister Mr Tony Blair has used his freedom of speech, both in the past and in the present, to express his opinions about the Quran and Islam.

Remember, he was one of the two most hated political world leaders who, after 9/11, unleashed the full force of the means and might at their disposal, to wage the ‘war on terror’. Even so, Mr Blair was extremely careful not to talk about Islam and the Quran in a derogatory fashion or to suggest that the book was the source for Islamic violence, or that the agitation shown by Muslims the world over, stemmed, somehow, from it. Unfortunately, his actions led to talks about Foreign policy grievances and the failure of multiculturalism, and he failed to counteract the divided sense of loyalty then felt by many immigrants with a Muslim cultural background.

Mr Blair’s sense of obligation, created by the concerns arising from these actions, and only in private, led him to read about Islam and the Quran. And it seems he has been doing so ever since……

Now, look at what the Ex Prime Minister says (without the constraint or fear of being mugged, by Mr Wilders and his supporters):-

Mr Blair claimed that he read the Quran every day, and gave his reasons for doing so as: ‘partly to understand some of the things happening in the world’ (possibly alluding to ‘violence in the Muslim world’, ‘Islamic’ terrorism, Muslim agitation against the ‘infidel west’, etc.), and continues: ‘but mainly just because it is immensely instructive’.

Well, the Quran tells its followers that it is guidance for the believers and for those who seek discipline in their lives. That is the positive sense of the teachings which discipline the course of human life in ways that are beneficial and introduce justice to human society. Any negative connotation of being ‘instructive’ would be unwarranted in this context, just like implementation of discipline in armies, certain clubs and societies and educational institutions.

Further, according to Daily Mail reports, Mr Blair ‘considers the ‘Koran’ a reforming and inclusive book’. I wonder if Mr. Wilders would have come to the same conclusion! Or is his anger and malice in vain, and he repeats just what some perpetrators of the present clash of civilisations claim, only because it is maliciously enjoyable to do so?

It struck home forcibly, when Mr Blair was reported to have claimed: ‘Muslim Faith being beautiful and the Prophet Muhammad, being an enormously civilising force’.
I am glad this did not come from the mouth of a Muslim, although most Muslims would have claimed it anyway.

I do hope people in Mr Wilders country of residence, where the cartoon controversy originated, as well as those who receive his allegations positively worldwide, take note of the ‘Prophet Muhammad being an enormously civilising force’.

Mr Blair seems to have studied the Quran to a deeper level. Consider the implications of his following words: words that could not have been said just to appease Muslims, or with any apparent hidden meaning.

He says, about Islam: ‘It extols science and knowledge and abhors superstition. It is practical and way ahead of its time in its attitudes towards marriage, women and governance’.

If we drew up a list of ‘misconceptions about Islam’, the impact of this sentence would become immediately apparent, and refute Mr Wilders’ vindictively perpetrated allegations and help to stop his advocating the banning or banishing of the Quran from Europe, or burning it.

Perhaps people now have more reasons to read the Quran and discuss its teachings in public debate. Who is afraid? I hope no one, given the due respect it deserves, when comparing it to other ‘books’ old and new. As far as Muslims are concerned, I would tell them to be confident and to read the Quran and understand it, as our Ex PM does.

Don’t know where the blame for all this strife and anger lies? Still with Islam, because some people think it is an ‘ideology’ a violent one, or because it is a ‘religion’ as the word is commonly misunderstood? Perhaps there are those who, very conveniently, tend to ignore the right place and people to blame………

Think…..Hmmmm……we may just know where the problem lies!


Written by: Sh. Rashad A Azami