It is sad to note that now a days in the Western Media Islam bashing has become fashionable and oft and on we see provocative articles, cartoons, videos and other propaganda items against Islam and the Muslims. A latest slur is the fifteen minutes video by the racist anti-immigration right wing Dutch politician Geert Wilders called fitna. This film features violent imagery of terrorist attacks in New York and Madrid set against passages from the Holy Quran that are distorted and taken out of context. Under the guise of freedom of speech irresponsible politicians such as Wilder are stirring hatred against Muslims not only in their own country but throughout the world. Wilder is not alone in this malicious spin, but it would seem that an organized crusade by the vested interests in the West has been unleashed to demonise Islam and Muslims. It is reported that a theatre in Germany is staging a play based on the infamous book Satanic Verses of Salman Rushdi, while a few weeks ago Pope Benedict was seen baptizing the conversion of a Muslim journalist from Egypt during Easter. It was the same Pope who last year delivered a lecture in which he gave hateful interpretation to the Prophet Muhammad´s mission. In year 2006, a Danish newspaper published cartoons of Prophet Muhammad linking him to bombs and terror. In fact a mega liar Ayaan Hirsi Ali an anti-Islamic slanderer was awarded many awards including Norway's Human Rights Service's Bellwether of the Year Award, the Danish Freedom Prize, the Swedish Democracy Prize, and the Moral Courage Award for commitment to conflict resolution, ethics, and world citizenship etc. Interestingly this is the same person who concocted lies just to gain Dutch citizenship. In May 2006, the television program Zembla reported that Hirsi Ali had given false information about her real name, her age and the country she arrived from when originally applying for asylum. The program also presented evidence that she was untruthful about the main reason for her asylum application being forced marriage. Hirsi Ali admitted that she had lied about her full name, her date of birth and the manner in which she had come to the Netherlands. One may wonder why the West is demonizing Islam. It is in fact an organized and systematic Western campaign to malign Islam and impose their hegemony over the Muslim world. Now a question arises what the Muslim can do to counter these insults? The following are some of the potent ways through which the Muslims can effectively protect its religion and faith:
1. MUSLIMS MUST TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT QURAN AND ISLAM:
Muslims should calmly and professionally respond to the cowardly media assaults by coming up with films, news, books, blogs, and other media in countering the lies and educating the world about the truth and what Quran and Islam stands for. Muslims have the talent and resources and must fight back with wisdom and mature arguments clarifying points raised as well providing truth and facts about Islam and the Quran. Who knows anti-Islam propaganda like these may offer opportunities for non-Muslims and convert to Islam. In fact it has been proved the more the West vilifies Islam more Westerners specially Christians are converting to Islam.
2. BOYCOTT WESTERN PRODUCTS AND SERVICES:
There are 1.3 billion Muslims in the World and if a country or some of their politicians and journalist portray Islam negatively, then the Muslims should boycott their products and services. Let us say No to the Dutch products must be the slogan of every Muslim and every Muslim must boycott their products. Muslims governments must also respond by cancelling contracts assigned to these anti-Islamic governments and companies. I am confident these materialistic Westerner will never ever dare again to insult Islam if we boycott their products and services. They have no right on our money and economy if they do not respect our religion. Boycott is more potent than physical attacks and suicide bombing as the later is doing disservice to Islam and not the West.
3. PEACEFUL PROTESTS:
Every Muslim in the world must register a peaceful protest against malicious propaganda against Islam, Quran, Prophet Muhammad and Muslims. Protest we must as it is not a freedom of speech but abuse of the freedom to defame other´s religion. Isn´t it a crime in the West to abuse Jews or deny holocaust? Then why are the Western governments allowing the insult of a religion dear to more than a billion human beings. The answer is that the Western governments themselves encourage such elements to defame Islam as they help them with their own agendas.
4. DIALOGUE WITH THE WEST:
Dialogue is the best way to resolve issues and problems. There is a need for a dialogue by the head of states of the Muslims states, intellectuals, NGOs and other parties to persuade the Western governments, journalists, and even those who deliberately wish to defame Islam and Muslims through stereotypical assumptions and misguided pronouncements. These dialogues must be actively initiated and pursued by the Muslims themselves and given wide coverage in the media so the world also knows that the Muslims want a dialogue with all civilizations of the world.
5. UNITY AMONG MUSLIMS:
Last but not the least the Muslims must realize that if they do not unite they will have to face forever the Western Islamophobia. Muslims must be so united that with one call they take a unified action against those defaming Islam and spreading lies about Quran and Prophet Muhammad. If other nations especially Westerners can unite why not Muslims who have one God, one Prophet, one religion and one belief.
Islam, Quran, Prophet Muhammad and Muslims have been the target of Western media attacks since centuries. Such irresponsible and hateful pronouncement will not help anyone but stir hatred and more conflicts in the world which is already choking with wars and miseries. The Western media must not add fuel to the existing conflicts as it will also engulf them. Neither should they attack Islam in the name of freedoms of expression and speech. They have the right to speak but no one has the right to abuse others religion and ideals. One can disagree with Islam or with what some Muslims do without having to be hateful. It is the duty of every Muslim to counter the Western Propaganda through proactive actions. Inaction is not the answer rather the Muslims must tell the truth and confront those who are spreading lies about Islam, Quran, Prophet Muhammad, and Muslims. This can be the best Jihad which we must embark on.
Dr. Adalat Khan is the president of Mina Resources Sdn Bhd a leading training organization providing various training services who can be reached at e-mail mina@streamyx.com or visit the website: www.mina.edu.my http://www.selfgrowth.com/experts/dr_adalat_khan.html
1. MUSLIMS MUST TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT QURAN AND ISLAM:
Muslims should calmly and professionally respond to the cowardly media assaults by coming up with films, news, books, blogs, and other media in countering the lies and educating the world about the truth and what Quran and Islam stands for. Muslims have the talent and resources and must fight back with wisdom and mature arguments clarifying points raised as well providing truth and facts about Islam and the Quran. Who knows anti-Islam propaganda like these may offer opportunities for non-Muslims and convert to Islam. In fact it has been proved the more the West vilifies Islam more Westerners specially Christians are converting to Islam.
2. BOYCOTT WESTERN PRODUCTS AND SERVICES:
There are 1.3 billion Muslims in the World and if a country or some of their politicians and journalist portray Islam negatively, then the Muslims should boycott their products and services. Let us say No to the Dutch products must be the slogan of every Muslim and every Muslim must boycott their products. Muslims governments must also respond by cancelling contracts assigned to these anti-Islamic governments and companies. I am confident these materialistic Westerner will never ever dare again to insult Islam if we boycott their products and services. They have no right on our money and economy if they do not respect our religion. Boycott is more potent than physical attacks and suicide bombing as the later is doing disservice to Islam and not the West.
3. PEACEFUL PROTESTS:
Every Muslim in the world must register a peaceful protest against malicious propaganda against Islam, Quran, Prophet Muhammad and Muslims. Protest we must as it is not a freedom of speech but abuse of the freedom to defame other´s religion. Isn´t it a crime in the West to abuse Jews or deny holocaust? Then why are the Western governments allowing the insult of a religion dear to more than a billion human beings. The answer is that the Western governments themselves encourage such elements to defame Islam as they help them with their own agendas.
4. DIALOGUE WITH THE WEST:
Dialogue is the best way to resolve issues and problems. There is a need for a dialogue by the head of states of the Muslims states, intellectuals, NGOs and other parties to persuade the Western governments, journalists, and even those who deliberately wish to defame Islam and Muslims through stereotypical assumptions and misguided pronouncements. These dialogues must be actively initiated and pursued by the Muslims themselves and given wide coverage in the media so the world also knows that the Muslims want a dialogue with all civilizations of the world.
5. UNITY AMONG MUSLIMS:
Last but not the least the Muslims must realize that if they do not unite they will have to face forever the Western Islamophobia. Muslims must be so united that with one call they take a unified action against those defaming Islam and spreading lies about Quran and Prophet Muhammad. If other nations especially Westerners can unite why not Muslims who have one God, one Prophet, one religion and one belief.
Islam, Quran, Prophet Muhammad and Muslims have been the target of Western media attacks since centuries. Such irresponsible and hateful pronouncement will not help anyone but stir hatred and more conflicts in the world which is already choking with wars and miseries. The Western media must not add fuel to the existing conflicts as it will also engulf them. Neither should they attack Islam in the name of freedoms of expression and speech. They have the right to speak but no one has the right to abuse others religion and ideals. One can disagree with Islam or with what some Muslims do without having to be hateful. It is the duty of every Muslim to counter the Western Propaganda through proactive actions. Inaction is not the answer rather the Muslims must tell the truth and confront those who are spreading lies about Islam, Quran, Prophet Muhammad, and Muslims. This can be the best Jihad which we must embark on.
Dr. Adalat Khan is the president of Mina Resources Sdn Bhd a leading training organization providing various training services who can be reached at e-mail mina@streamyx.com or visit the website: www.mina.edu.my http://www.selfgrowth.com/experts/dr_adalat_khan.html
