Sunday, June 20, 2010

Britain's May ban radical preacher Zakir Naik


http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2010/06/britains-may-ban-radical-preacher-zakir.html

My original comments along with Tarek and Javed’s comments and the original article are included below:

Khalid Faridi, Thanks for sharing your opinion on the subject and I am responding to your comment that follows my comments.

Your statement,“ After all, who is more evildoer than the UK and US governments ever since.”

Perhaps your frustration is legitimate that UK and US have not banned insane men preaching hate in the name of Christianity or Judaism and why pick Islam.

Nations are not the evil doers, nor are religions, it always stems from an individual and it is shame that democracies allow that. There should not be any curb on freedom of speech, however if a speech incites people, disturbs the peace of the nation, it amounts to emotional terrorizing and must be punished or banned.

“Those who abhor him do so out of jealousy.” Khalid, please substantiate that.

“But when self proclaimed moderates jump on he bandwagon it is sad.” Again Khalid, perhaps you did not get a chance to read my comments, Here are a few from my earlier postings;

“If in fact Dr. Naik has said this non-sense” and, “I will apologize profusely, if Dr. Naik has not said that.”

“Why Tarek or Mike don't question these media”

We do that all the times, in another incident, I have said to Pam Geller on ABC radio, “that she has cooked this up” “We need to tell the truth to the American and not your BS versions”… and a whole lot more. There are over 28,000 comments on it, most of them are fine, but there are several hate mongers on it.

There are worse hate mongers that Naik out there (if he has said that).

“Tarek what do we need to do with the # 1 hate mongers in the world, these guys are actually dangerous. John Hagee, Billy Graham Jr, Pat Robertson, Alan Dershowitz and several more, they are in every religion, we can take care of ourselves, but what about these enemies of humanity?”

I have a whole blog http://hatesermons.blogspot.com/
on hate sermons where I have condemned the idiots who represent Judaism and Christianity, here are a few titles:

HAGEES HATE SERMONS ON PBS
Hate talks coming out of synagogues
The real Pat Robertson
Free to criticize religions but not with hate
Praying for Obama's death
Neocons of the World
Nonie Darwish; a hate monger
Arlington Library bans hate group
Muslims in America not for domination
Muslim Response to Lies about Qur'aan
Jewish-Muslim dialogue, a necessity
John Hagee's hate pit
Rod Parsley a McCain Ally
Hate Sermons from Pulpit

Let Tarek speak for himself, on my part, any one who does incites hate or speaks from the pulpit, be it in the name of Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism or other religions, I will speak out against it… and the right wingers among them will continue to target me. Thanks Allah for giving me the freedom to endure the nasty ugly attacks on me. I spare no one.

As far as Zakir Naik goes, it is important that we are critical of our own, that gives us credibility to be critical of others. Aren't the Jewish people accused of not being critical of their own radicals?

If you wish to comment, please do so after reading other comments at: http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2010/06/britains-may-ban-radical-preacher-zakir.html#comments

Mike Ghouse
To be a Muslim is to be a peace maker
one who mitigates conflicts and nurtures goodwill.
-------------------------------------------------

Salam,

It is not him but the fact that truth hurts and it hurts the evildoers more. After all, who is more evildoer than the UK and US governemtns ever since.

Most muslims who adore zakir do so because he stands like a beacon among apologists.

Those who abhor him do so out of jealousy. He is not an internet scholar, nor a paper's. He is alive, kicking and is doing what he can, best.

It is a tragedy that muslims scholars, internet or otherwise, seldom give due recognition to scholars who are doing what they ought to do as long as they are alive. Ironical but true.

People like Tarek quote media as gospel truth. there isn't any point arguing with them. But when self proclaimed moderates jump on he bandwagon it is sad.

Why should a muslim believe what CNN, BBC or Daniel say? Why Tarek or Mike don't question these media and instead point there guns to everyone whop doesn't agree with them?

Wassalaam
Khalid Faridi
------------------------------------------------------

AA,

Javed,

I am glad you wrote this, it has room for more accomodation, "It will be better
if Muslims stop the practice of condemning Jews as a whole and instead run their
campaign against Zionism. Strategically too it is important, as it will weaken
the support of Zionists among Jews."

Here is my commentary on the topic:

Zionism in its simplest form is the desire of the Jews in diaspora to live in
their home land, indeed, that is the desire of most people; to be at home where
they feel secure. Zionism encapsulates the dream of the Jewish people to have a
homeland; it is an idea of life for the people. The Word Zionism conjures up
different images to different people, we have to accept that bad elements are in
every group, whether Zionism, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism or others, we cannot
brand the whole group for the acts of few, this amounts to stereotyping and it
is wholesale prejudice.

Islamist is a bad word to lump all Muslims, or Hindutva is a bad word to lump
all Hindus, we cannot lump all Zionists as a bad people for the acts of a few.
As a Muslim and as a Pluralist, I will do my part to keep people from
stereotyping others, however, we all (people of all faiths) need to join and do
a combined education. No Muslim should smile when some one is bashing Judaism,
no Jew should gloat if some one is bashing Muslims, or Hinduism or Christianity,
that is downright stupid and not religious at all.

The word Zionism word will be used to describe the dreams of Jewish people and
to describe the extremists among them, we have the right word; Neocon Jews.

Zionist no more; they will be called Neocon- Jews or Neocon-Zionists

What Mr. Katz said may be irrelevant, as the word Yahud has been in use at least
from the times of Islam and that was 6th century.

Zionism is not going to go away, the Neocon-Jews are screwing up things and that
increases anti-semitism, and the makes them dig in their heels.

We have to find solutions for co-existence. The old methods of you or me, does
not work, it has to be us.

Mike Ghouse

--------------------------------------------------------

Mike

AA

I do not want to comment on what Dr Zakir Naik has in fact said because he is often quoted out of context. I do disagree with him on some issues, but I think he is generally advocating Islam as a religion of Peace (Islamic meaning of peace and not the distorted meaning held by the forces of globalization.) and is in normally giving emphasis on similarity between Islam and other religions. What he said regarding the concept of feminism in West is largely true. However, I will like to make a few comments regarding the position of Jews in Qur’an and in the minds of Muslims. Owing mainly to Israel’s tyrannical attitude towards Palestinians, Muslims have developed hatred for “Jews” and it is this hatred that has led many Muslim writers and thinkers to single out Jews for all that is bad in the current world. I have disagreement on this for various reasons:

First, I believe that it is not “Jews” or “Christians” but the forces of economics of the current world (whose majority happens to belong to the two communities) that are mainly responsible for the evils of the world, but this has nothing to do with their religions. They are in fact economic fundamentalists who have done everything to minimize the influence of religion;

Secondly, if the kings and rulers are determined on the basis of the community they belong to, “Christians” are certainly the bigger culprits than Jews. British, French and other Imperialists were all Christians. But I will stress again that they were Christians by birth only and their actions had little to do with their religious beliefs though Christian missionaries indirectly benefited from them.

Third, the main reason behind the position taken by Islamic experts is that they have failed to understand the difference that Qur’an makes between “Yahud” (Jews) and “Children of Israel”. If we closely scrutinize the two in Qur’an, it is not difficult to understand that Qur’an describes the religious community (as a whole) that we know as “Jews” today as “Children of Israel” and praises as well as criticizes them for what they have done in the past. But Qur’an exhorts Muslims to develop social contacts with them. “Yahud” in Quran refers to a segment of “banu Israel” that has adopted extremist, treacherous and violent ways against Jesus and Muhammad (peace be upon both). So, generalized condemnation of “Jews” in Qur’an does not relate to Jew community of today.

It is interesting to quote here from an article by Joseph Katz:

“The term "Israel" or "Children of Israel" refers to the twelve sons of Jacob and their descendants. Jews almost never referred to themselves collectively as "Jews" until after the 13th century. In the Bible, Prayer Book and Talmud they call themselves "Children of Israel", "Children of Jacob", "Israel", etc. but never "Jews". The word "Jews" derives from the Roman term "Judea" which described roughly the area allocated to the tribe of Judah including Jerusalem. More specifically it refers to the militant zealots who fought against Rome. According to Josephus, these zealots belonged to a Temple Cult at odds with the Rabbinical Jewish authorities, and a portion of which were Idumean converts to Judaism. In this sense the "Jews" or more properly "Judeans" meant militants. New Testament references to "Jews" follow this pattern, for example Jesus was labeled as "King of the Jews", i.e. "King of the militants", not "King of Israel". After the Islamic conquest "Children of Israel" came to imply the Jewish people who kept the Divinely given commandments, and the "Jews" as those who abandoned or rejected them. Borrowing from European anti-Semitic literature, modern Islamists have stressed only the latter stereotype of evil "Jews".”

It will be better if Muslims stop the practice of condemning Jews as a whole and instead run their campaign against Zionism. Strategically too it is important, as it will weaken the support of Zionists among Jews.

Dr Javed Jamil
--------------------------------------------------------

Tarek,

Thanks for sharing this critical information, I have been swamped with things to do, but this one got me going. We have to find the truth, that is our responsibility.

1) If in fact Dr. Naik has said this non-sense, we condemn it without reservation. “There are many Jews who are good to Muslims, but as a whole … The Koran tells us, as a whole, they will be our staunchest enemy.”

He has a right to free speech, but not malign Islam with non-sense like that. Where the heck did he get his Islam from? Does the man understand Islam means peace? Does he understand that God is not prejudiced? Who wants a God that hates his own creation, he is making God to be a bad guy and not Rahman and Raheem that is on top of every thing we do, he does not get Islam right. The overwhelming majority of Muslims show respect all religions as the Prophet did, but I know I will be rebuked by a few right winger Muslims, so be it, I will not let any idiot make my faith, and the universal God to be reduced to a God who tells bad things about his own creation? That is not Islam he is preaching.

I will apologize profusely, if Dr. Naik has not said that. I know a few Muslims wrongfully believe in that non-sense; because some of the Muslim scholars in the past have interpreted Quraan in that way, thank God Quraan is beautiful and needs to be understood from the very first line of Quraan.

His statement about terrorist is goofy, but harmless if you understand what he was trying to say.

Tarek what do we need to do with the # 1 hate mongers in the world, these guys are actually dangerous. John Hagee, Billy Graham Jr, Pat Robertson, Alan Dershowitz and several more, they are in every religion, we can take care of ourselves, but what about these enemies of humanity?.

Mike Ghouse
World Muslim Congress
-------------------------------------------------------

In a message dated 6/18/2010 8:02:56 A.M. Central Daylight Time, tarekfatah@rogers.com writes:


Friends,

Zakir Naik is an Indian Islamist firebrand who has preached hatred towards non-Muslims and who is on record of saying, "Every Muslim should be a terrorist." This jihadi televangelist was to speak in Britain to tens of thousands of radical Islamists, but he has now been banned from entering the UK.

With a trip to London now out of question, what does good old Zakir Naik do? He gets invited to a Toronto Islamic Conference where is touted to be the "featured speaker" on July 2, 2010, at Toronto's Metro Convention Centre. Here is the link:http://journeyconference.com/

Who says we Canadians are not suckers for punishment. Will we welcome this hate-monger or will our government do the right thing and tell this ugly preacher to take his hate somewhere else? Only time will tell.

In the meantime, read and reflect.

Tarek
----------

June 18, 2010
Britain's Home secretary Theresa May bans radical preacher Zakir Naik from entering UK

Radical preacher claimed “every Muslim should be a terrorist”

By Christopher Hope
The Telegraph, UK

In her first major test of being tough on extremism, Theresa May, the new Home Secretary, said she was banning Zakir Naik from entering the UK. Dr Naik, a 44-year-old Indian televangelist, had been due to give a series of lectures at arenas in Wembley Arena and Sheffield.

The Home Secretary can exclude or deport an individual if she thinks that their presence in the UK is not conducive to the public good.

There had been speculation that Dr Naik would be allowed into the UK. However Mrs May said she was excluding him because of the “numerous comments” he made were evidence of his “unacceptable behaviour”.

This behaviour applies to anyone who writes or publishes material which can “foment justify or glorify terrorist violence” or “seek to provoke others to terrorist acts”.

Mrs May told The Daily Telegraph: “I have excluded Dr Naik from the UK. Numerous comments made by Dr Naik are evidence to me of his unacceptable behaviour.

“Coming to the UK is a privilege not a right and I am not wiling to allow those who might not be conducive to the public good to enter the UK. Exclusion powers are very serious and no decision is taken lightly or as a method of stopping open debate on issues.”

Home Office sources said Dr Naik had been filmed on a website making inflammatory comments such as “every Muslim should be a terrorist”.

He said: “When a robber sees a policeman he’s terrified. So for a robber, a policeman is a terrorist. So in this context, every Muslim should be a terrorist to the robber.”

He has also been filmed saying: “There are many Jews who are good to Muslims, but as a whole … The Koran tells us, as a whole, they will be our staunchest enemy.”

In a web posting from 2006 he said: “Beware of Muslims saying Osama Bin Laden is right or wrong. I reject them … we don’t know.

“But if you ask my view, if given the truth, if he is fighting the enemies of Islam, I am for him. I don’t know what he’s doing. I’m not in touch with him. I don’t know him personally. I read the newspaper. “If he is terrorising the terrorists, if he is terrorising America the terrorist, the biggest terrorist, every Muslim should be a terrorist.”

He is also reported to have said suggested that western women make themselves “more susceptible to rape” by wearing revealing clothing.

He reportedly said: “Western society has actually degraded [women] to the status of concubines, mistresses and social butterflies, who are mere tools in the hands of pleasure seekers and sex marketeers”

Last night Patrick Mercer MP, the former chairman of the Commons counter-terrorism committee, said: “This is really good news. It shows that firm Government action can be taken against people. "This is exactly the sort of man who we want to exclude from this country.”

Dr Naik has been named as the third most popular spiritual guru in India and was judged in 2009 to be 82nd in a list of India’s most powerful people.=
Added later:

The Trouble with Dr. Zakir Naik – Britain’s decision to bar an influential Muslim cleric from entering the country underscores the failure of Indian secularism. OPINION INDIAJUNE 20, 2010

By SADANAND DHUME

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704365204575317833268479268.html?mod=WSJINDIA_hps_sections_opinion

If you’re looking for a snapshot of India’s hapless response to radical Islam, then look no further than Bombay-based cleric Dr. Zakir Naik. In India, the 44-year-old Dr. Naik—a medical doctor by training and a televangelist by vocation—is a widely respected figure, feted by newspapers and gushed over by television anchors. The British, however, want no part of him. On Friday, the newly elected Conservative-led government announced that it would not allow Dr. Naik to enter Britain to deliver a series of lectures. According to Home Secretary Theresa May, the televangelist has made “numerous comments” that are evidence of his “unacceptable behavior.”

The good doctor’s views run the gamut from nutty to vile, so it’s hard to pinpoint which of them has landed him in trouble. For instance, though Dr. Naik has condemned terrorism, at times he also appears to condone it. “If he [Osama bin Laden] is fighting the enemies of Islam, I am for him,” he said in a widely watched 2007 YouTube diatribe. “If he is terrorizing the terrorists, if he is terrorizing America the terrorist, the biggest terrorist, I am with him. Every Muslim should be a terrorist.”

Dr. Naik recommends the death penalty for homosexuals and for apostasy from the faith, which he likens to wartime treason. He calls for India to be ruled by the medieval tenets of Shariah law. He supports a ban on the construction of non-Muslim places of worship in Muslim lands and the Taliban’s bombing of the Bamiyan Buddhas. He says revealing clothes make Western women “more susceptible to rape.” Not surprisingly, Dr. Naik believes that Jews “control America” and are the “strongest in enmity to Muslims.”


Of course, every faith has its share of cranks; and, arguably, India has more than its share. But it’s impossible to relegate Dr. Naik to Indian Islam’s fringe. Earlier this year, the Indian Express listed him as the country’s 89th most powerful person, ahead of Nobel Laureate economist Amartya Sen, eminent lawyer and former attorney general Soli Sorabjee, and former Indian Premier League cricket commissioner Lalit Modi. Dr. Naik’s satellite TV channel, Peace TV, claims a global viewership of up to 50 million people in 125 countries. On YouTube, a search for Dr. Naik turns up more than 36,000 hits.

Nobody accuses Dr. Naik of direct involvement in terrorism, but those reportedly drawn to his message include Najibullah Zazi, the Afghan-American arrested last year for planning suicide attacks on the New York subway; Rahil Sheikh, accused of involvement in a series of train bombings in Bombay in 2006; and Kafeel Ahmed, the Bangalore man fatally injured in a failed suicide attack on Glasgow airport in 2007.

Nonetheless, when the doctor appears on a mainstream Indian news channel, his interviewers tend to be deferential. Senior journalist and presenter Shekhar Gupta breathlessly introduced his guest last year as a “rock star of televangelism” who teaches “modern Islam” and “his own interpretation of all the faiths around the world.” A handful of journalists—among them Praveen Swami of the Hindu, and the grand old man of Indian letters, Khushwant Singh—have questioned Dr. Naik’s views, but most take his carefully crafted image of moderation at face value.

At first glance, it’s easy to understand why. Unlike the foaming mullah of caricature, Dr. Naik eschews traditional clothing for a suit and tie. His background as a doctor and his often gentle demeanor set him apart, as does his preaching in English. Unlike traditional clerics, Dr. Naik quotes freely from non-Muslim scripture, including the Bible and the Vedas. (You have to pay attention to realize that invariably this is either to disparage other faiths, or to interpret them in line with his version of Islam.) The depth of Dr. Naik’s learning is easily apparent.

But this doesn’t fully explain Dr. Naik’s escape from criticism. It helps that Indians appear to have trouble distinguishing between free speech and hate speech. In a Western democracy, demanding the murder of homosexuals and the second-class treatment of non-Muslims would likely attract public censure or a law suit. In India, it goes unchallenged as long as it has a religious imprimatur. However, create a book or a painting that ruffles religious sentiment, as the writer Taslima Nasreen and the painter M. F. Husain both discovered, and either the government or a mob of pious vigilantes will strive to muzzle you.

In general, India accords extra deference to allegedly holy men of all stripes unlike, say, France, which strives to keep religion out of the public square. Taxpayers subsidize the Haj pilgrimage for pious Muslims and a similar, albeit much less expensive, journey for Hindus to a sacred lake in Tibet. This reflexive deference effectively grants the likes of Dr. Naik—along with all manner of Hindu and Christian charlatans—protection against the kind of robust scrutiny he would face in most other democracies.

Finally, unlike Hindu bigots, such as the World Hindu Council’s Praveen Togadia, whose fiercest critics tend to be fellow Hindus, radical Muslims go largely unchallenged. The vast majority of Indian Muslims remain moderate, but their leaders are often fundamentalists and the community has done a poor job of policing its own ranks. Moreover, most of India’s purportedly secular intelligentsia remains loath to criticize Islam, even in its most radical form, lest this be interpreted as sympathy for Hindu nationalism.

Unless this changes, unless Indians find the ability to criticize a radical Islamic preacher such as Dr. Naik as robustly as they would his Hindu equivalent, the idea of Indian secularism will remain deeply flawed.

Mr. Dhume, a columnist for WSJ.com, is writing a book on the new Indian middle class.

Happy Fathers, Daughters and Sons day

Of course every day is father’s day, but once you have your own nucleus of a family, father’s day becomes special. My father was very special to me and I am blessed with his infinite affection to last for my life time, and I deeply feel for those who did not have one.

There are many of us out there who grew up without a father, or if we had one, he was not there for us. I feel the pain and incompleteness one feels and I extend that fatherly affection to you, even if you don’t know me, I hope you feel the energy, I am with you. You are welcome to call me to chat for a few moments. This father’s day belongs to my kids and you; you could be of any age.

God (causer/creator/she/it) has programmed us to be adaptable, what we miss in a father, we may find in a Mother, an older brother, uncle or a friend. My heart goes out to those of you who have had an abusive father, and I want you to know that God may have appeared to be cruel to you at times, but you endured it and your rewards with the lord would be bountiful, spiritually you are ahead of most of us. Indeed, you are truly blessed by God to experience the pain just as Jesus had endured it for the humanity.

Continued: http://mikeghouseforamerica.blogspot.com/2010/06/happy-fathers-daughters-and-sons-day.html

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Fatima Zahra: The Mother of her Father

The prophet had mentioned to look up to three women as role models ( OK may be five), Mary, Asiya and Fatima. All the three played leadership roles defying the prevalent norms of the society, leaders set the tone for the others to follow. I believe, articles like these help the kind of womanship we need to encourage and look up to.

Mike Ghouse
~~~~~~~~~~

Fatima Zahra: The Mother of her Father- By Arif M Khan ( Courtesy- Sunday Guardian )

June 13, 2010

Sometime around AD 616, a man was offering his prayers at the house of God in Makka. Close to him were sitting some leading persons of Makkan aristocracy. They were angrily discussing how the teachings of this man have impacted their underclass particularly slaves, who were now asserting their human rights and posing a serious threat to the Makkan establishment.

The aristocrats decided to insult and humiliate the preacher. One of them procured abdominal remains of a slaughtered camel and placed it between the shoulders of the devotee when he went down in prostration. Among the onlookers there were some who resented persecution but they were in no position to protest against the rich and powerful. They stood there as helpless spectators while the tormentors laughed and made fun of the preacher.

But not long before, a young girl appeared on the scene, severely rebuked the tormentors and removed the intestines from the back of the preacher. The preacher was none other than Prophet Mohammed and the young girl was his daughter Fatima. The history says that for next six years till his migration to Medina, Fatima followed her father like a shadow and bravely protected him against the heartless persecutors. During the time when Makkans had imposed a ban on the prophet and his family, Fatima is singled out as having endured the hard times with great dignity and patience.

Fatima is portrayed by history as a young girl moving by her father through the streets of Makka, braving hatred, taunts, mockery and contempt. Whenever the father was overwhelmed by the adversaries, she threw herself upon him as a protective shield. With her beautiful small hands, she cleaned the garbage they threw upon him and nursed the wounds they inflicted on him. She comforted him with her affectionate words and brought him back to the safe environs of their home.

The relationship between the doting father and protecting daughter has become a legend in Islamic history. The enthusiasm and zeal of the daughter earned for her the title of “Mother of her father” (Umm Abiha). It is for these reasons that the Islamic tradition holds her up as a model of suffering, patience, generosity, wisdom and valiant heroism finally culminating in martyrdom.

A study of the life of Fatima establishes one fact beyond any doubt that her ethical and moral purity posed no obstacle in the performance of what she perceived to be her social responsibilities. If she fiercely protected her father in Makka, in Medina she stood for her husband, who was sidelined after the death of holy Prophet. This was at a time when many people gathered in her house to console and comfort the bereaved daughter.

The new political establishment in Medina viewed these gatherings with suspicion. Maulana Shibli in his book ‘Umar Farooq’ has quoted from a historical report saying that at one point Hadrat Umar standing at the gate of Fatima’s house threatened: “O daughter of Prophet, we love you more than others but if these gatherings continue then I shall set fire and burn your house”. The men inside felt apprehensive but Fatima was undeterred, she came to the door and by sheer force of her eloquence made the threatening group retreat in haste.

Fatima received another blow when she was denied her legacy and the grazing land of the Fadak was confiscated. Her husband withdrew from public arena to devote himself to academics, but she refused to give up. She publicly pursued her cause and made sharp criticism of the new rulers. She lived only six months after the death of her father and told her husband to bury her during the night to ensure that her funeral is not attended by people who made her unhappy.

Such was the first daughter of Islam, Fatima Zahra, who played important public role and spent all her life protecting her father and defending her husband. Now compare this with Deoband fatwas which seek to reduce Muslim daughters into dumb dolls by imposing veil and secluded life. If Fatima was product of Islamic teachings then these fatwas surely lack in religious merit and substance.

(Arif M Khan is former Union Minister)

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

RE: MuslimAgenda :: -"Muslim Reformers in Iran and Turkey: The Paradox of Moderation"

Dear All:

I was present in Melbourne, Australia during the Parliament of World Religions Conference. I must say in all honesty that what Mike Ghouse presented was magnificient research on pluralism and reformers in Islam.

Congratulations for the wonderful work that has been recognised on Global Scale.


Iftekhar Hai, President
UMA Interfaith Alliance
Tel: 650-872-2578 http://www.umaia.net/

-"Muslim Reformers in Iran and Turkey: The Paradox of Moderation"

Staff and students of Islamic  Middle Eastern and the Arab World at large  will   find a recent publication of mine  " Us and Them: Muslim Christian relations and social harmony in Australia" by the Australian Academic Press, of great interest. The publication has been recommended as a  reference to all NSW government schools, and is  being nominated for the Prime Minister's Book Award in 2010.

Several of the chapters contain findings from a DIAC funded national survey conducted in several hundred  SCHOOLS including  Catholic , Anglican, and Muslim.
 
 I have enclosed the table of contents and back cover as a broad guiding statement, below, as your staff may consider using it as a primary reference.

We would value you drawing the attention to them by copying the flyer attached to them,; or directing them to the Australian Academic Press : http://www.australianacademicpress.com.au/Publications/Books/4-921513190.html

or, Melbourne University bookshop link:
http://www.bookshop.unimelb.edu.au/bookshop/p?AU.ata//all

Thanking you.

Abe W Ata (Dr)
Senior Associate Fellow
St Patrick's Campus - Melbourne
Australian Catholic University

MUSLIM SPEAKER

MUSLIM SPEAKER
Email to: SpeakerMikeGhouse@gmail.com

Voice of Moderate Muslims

Voice of Moderate Muslims
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quraan burning

Planned Muslim Response to Qur'an Burning by Pastor Jones on September 11 in Mulberry, Florida

PRESS RELEASE
August 19, 2013| Dallas, Texas

Mike Ghouse
Text/Talk: (214) 325-1916
MikeGhouse@aol.com

Mirza A Beg
(205) 454-8797
mirza.a.beg@gmail.com

www.WorldMuslimCongress.com


PLANNED MUSLIMS RESPONSE TO QUR'AN BURNING BY PASTOR JONES ON 9/11/13 IN MULBERRY, FLORIDA

We as Muslims plan to respond to pastor Terry Jones' planned burning of 3000 copies of Quran on September 11, 2013 in positive terms.

Our response - we will reclaim the standard of behavior practiced by the Prophet concerning “scurrilous and hostile criticism of the Qur’an” (Muhammad Asad Translation Note 31, verse 41:34). It was "To overcome evil with good is good, and to resist evil by evil is evil." It is also strongly enjoined in the Qur’an in the same verse 41:34, “Good and evil deeds are not equal. Repel evil with what is better; then you will see that one who was once your enemy has become your dearest friend.”

God willing Muslims will follow the divine guidance and pray for the restoration of Goodwill, and on that day many Muslim organizations will go on a “blood drive” to save lives and serve humanity with kindness.

We invite fellow Americans of all faiths, races, and ethnicities to join us to rededicate the pledge, “One nation under God”, and to build a cohesive America where no American has to live in apprehension, discomfort or fear of fellow Americans. This event is a substitute for our 10th Annual Unity Day Celebration (www.UnitydayUSA.com) held in Dallas, but now it will be at Mulberry, Florida.

Unwittingly Pastor Jones has done us a favor by invigorating us by his decision to burn nearly 3000 copies Quran on September 11, 2013. Obviously he is not satisfied by the notoriety he garnered by burning one Qur'an last year.

As Muslims and citizens we honor the free speech guaranteed in our constitution. We have no intentions to criticize, condemn or oppose Pastor Terry Jones' freedom of expression. Instead, we will be donating blood and praying for goodness to permeate in our society.

We plan to follow Jesus Christ (pbuh), a revered prophet in Islam as well as Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) – that of mitigating the conflicts and nurturing good will for the common good of the society.

We hope, this event and the message will remind Muslims elsewhere in the world as well, that violence is not the way. Muslims, who react violently to senseless provocation, should realize that, violence causes more violence, and besmirches the name of the religion that we hold so dear. We believe that Prophet Muhammad was a mercy to the mankind, and we ought to practice what we believe and preach. We must not insult Islam by the negative reactions of a few.

We can only hope it will bring about a change in the attitude of the followers of Pastor Jones, and in the behavior of those Muslims who reacted violently the last time Pastor sought notoriety – We hope this small step towards a bridge to peaceful coexistence would propel us towards building a cohesive society.

Like most Americans a majority of Muslims quietly go about their own business, but it is time to speak up and take positive action instead of negative reaction. May this message of peace and goodwill reverberate and reach many shores.

Lastly, we appreciate the Citizens of Mulberry, Florida, Honorable Mayor George Hatch, City Commissioners, police and Fire Chiefs for handing this situation very well. This will add a ‘feather of peace’ in the City’s reputation. We hope Mulberry will be a catalyst in showing the way in handling conflict with dignity and peace.

We thank the Media for giving value to the work towards peace rather than conflict.






URL- http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2013/08/planned-muslim-response-to-quran_18.html



Thank you.

CIVIL DIALOGUE

The people in Dallas are making an effort to understand and clean their own hearts first, when we are free from bias, it would be easy to share that with others. Islam teaches us in so many ways to "respect the otherness of others" and it is time we find simple practical ways of doing it.