Heroic, Female and Muslim (NYTimes)

People always see Islam as violent and extreme religion. But this Somalian woman clearly showed not only to the west but also to the Muslims around the world that if you have a firm belief in what is right, you can stand up to anyone and achieve anything you want. Not only did this woman defeated the extremists, she got them to submit to her.

Muslims around the world, we need to follow her lead and stand up to the extreme elements in their ranks, fight them back and redeem the name of this great religion, Islam.

Read the New York Times story.

Not Islam

I just read about a brutal incident that took place in Sudan. It is both pathetic and disturbing, this is exactly what I have discussed in my previous posts about the Shariah law. As a Muslim, I condemn this behavior, it is inhumane, uncivilized as well as un-Islamic.

The contractors of Islam

While browsing BBC News today, I came across an article which was very shocking and depressing. The article consists of different stories of women who fled Somalia to save their lives (Read the article). The country has been turned into hell by some interest groups who supposedly want Islamic law dominant in the country.

Somalia is an Islamic country, since the civil war, religion is just but an interpretation of some powerful individuals, in other words warlords. The article portrayed a very timorous period for these women in Somalia. At the same time, the gangs were referred to as “Islamists” who were carrying out such tragic acts. Rapes, forced marriages, mass murders and any other awful act you name it and its there. What’s more sad is, non in the supposedly Islamic world is standing against these crimes.

Why is it not evident to the Muslim world that it is the name of Islam which is at stakes. The defenders of Islam are found everywhere in the world. They protest on everything, at every time when there is an act of blasphemy against Islam. Well I ask them, whatever is happening in Somalia in the name of Islam, is this not blasphemy? Are these the values of a peaceful and tolerant religion? Where is your dignity as a Muslim, as a human being. These are the ones who are deteriorating the name of Islam every day. Somalia has been a failed state for about 20 years now, are these the symbols of an Islamic state?

These are the real threats to Islam, it is something that is also effecting Muslims across the world. No wonder we are thought of as militants, enraged, angry and emotional, and it will continue to be that way until and unless we reject them who use Islam as a tool to subdue those who are weak. If such barbaric acts continue in the name Islam we as Muslims should brace ourselves to be humiliated and defamed  more in the future. If this is not a wake up call, then I don’t know what will be.