Mubarak: Muslims share responsibility for wrong impression on Islam

[bishop]

http://www.ynetnews.com/Ext/Comp/Art...317313,00.html

Egyptian president says Islamic world was facing cruel and incorrect accusations, but Muslims themselves must take some responsibility for others' erroneous impressions President Hosni Mubarak said Thursday that the Islamic world was facing cruel and incorrect accusations, but said Muslims themselves must take some responsibility for others' erroneous impressions. Mubarak made the comments in an address to senior Egyptian officials and Muslim clerics on the 27th day of the holy month of Ramadan, which Muslims believe marks the night of the revelation of the Quran to the Prophet Muhammad. "Shouldn't we Muslims shoulder part of the responsibility of these wrong ideas about Islam? Have we fulfilled our duty in correcting the image of Islam and the Muslims? What did we do to face a terrorism that wears Islam's cloak and targets the lives of the people," Mubarak said in the remarks that were televized live. Muslims are angry about drawings in the West mocking the prophet and about accusations that Islam encourages terrorism. "We don't accept insulting our sanctities in the name of freedom of opinion or press, because disrespecting our beliefs inflames angry emotions, extremism and takes us toward grave paths," he said. Mubarak cautioned the world against "sedition, confrontation, theories of the clash of civilizations and religions; don't mix religion with politics or politics with religion in international relations or tie Islam and Muslims with blind terrorism that knows no home or religion." He said Islam for 14 centuries had established "principles of forgiveness, righteousness and reform and prevented wrong doings and did not allow racism or discrimination. Fascism or Nazism did not rise from Islam's land." Mubarak said the golden age of Islamic civilization had retreated when creativity in Islam disappeared and people strayed away from the essence of the doctrine. "We need a new religious approach that teaches people the correct things in their religion that gives greater value for interrelations, behavior, devotion and advocates principles of forgiveness and stands against exaggeration and extremism," he said.

[shrike]

I read this article recently I have found it very educational.I advise to forum members to read it.It give a nice overview of reformism and fundamentalism in Islam.

Conclusions To sum up, extremist Islam, or Islamism, is an organized force with a comprehensive doctrine and with no shortage of funding. Its adherents are consumed by a raging hatred of Western culture, a fanatical belief in their mission, and the unshakeable conviction that they will ultimately triumph. This is a force that must be combated. In contrast, the Arab reformists do not constitute an organized force. These are individuals, often isolated, often with divergent liberal views. Many are persecuted in their countries. They lack political and financial support. In order for reform to take root in Arab society, the West must listen to them, encourage them and support them. In short, extremist Islam is a threat and a danger; Arab reform offers opportunity and hope.

Special Report - No. 34

[bishop]

the unorganization of the reformists vs. the organization of the fundamentalists is almost the exact same problem we have in the states with christian fundies vs. moderates/liberals..

moderates lack the organization, the political and financial support, etc... just look at how nutjobs like jerry fallwell and pat robertson have such high-level access to not just any old political leader - but the president himself...

i would suspect that a similar situation exists in israel, where i've heard that most people don't particularly care for the nuts on the "frontier".

at a base level, mubarak's statements can be set to focus on islam. but at a higher level, they can (and should) be applied to all societies where religious nuts have great control over the political process. his comments are a call for secularism.

[shrike]

I agree with you but i think that is not only apply to religion but to any ideology taken to the extreme (communism I think is a good example)
Extremists usually have populist platform to get support among general population