Peace
There are thousands of people who actively write and work against Islam, last month it was Daniel Pipes and this month it is Robert Spencer's turn in the spot-light, before them others and after them will probably be more. As a Muslim I wish them well, for I honestly think that they spread Islam more than any Muslim can. There are thousands of large web sites that truly "dislike" Islam and promote Islamophobia, they are unable to understand that it is they who are actually spreading Islam in America and to the rest of the World.
In the very early days of Islam, when there were less than 20 Muslims in the world a very smart man who hated Islam called "abu-Jahil" in Mecca warned people not to listen to Muslims nor to ask them about Islam, his actions guided many people to Islam and despite him knowing this he could not stop himself thus promoting Islam. This is not a secret it is part of the history of Islam, it is how Islamophobes have been spreading Islam since it started.
Up until the 50s an anti-Islamic book would receive as little attention as a pro-Islamic book for only a few religious scholars cared to read them. The media changed all that and have made Islam a topic of conversation around the world for decades. You can hear the word Islam in hundreds of ways each day, Fox News, for one, has millions of readers listeners and viewers - each one hears the words Islam 100s or even 100s of times a day. I do not like what Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Rilly say about Islam, but love seeing the positive effects their words have in guiding some of their listeners towards Islam or at least a better understanding of Islam, the rest of their listeners learn to hate Islam and Muslims but that is not news to anyone.
Robert Spencer wrote an anti-Islamic books that I now see being heavily promoted, from the title I gather that he thinks that Islam is not a religion of peace. It came out soon after the number Innocent Iraqis slaughtered passed the one million mark and is going higher fast - he might not care what is happening to the people of Iraq but many who read his books do and they ask questions that his books do not answer for them. Soon another writer will write another Islamophobic book, and another anti-Islamic movie will come out - they all spread Islam in the long run. I think it is because people are getting tired of all the lies. I really hope to see Mr. Spencer write dozens of best sellers about Islam - they do spread Islam much faster than any Muslim I know can.
The Quran was not available in most American book stores in the 70s for there was little demand, now a big chain like Barnes and Nobel will have rows of books about Islam, pro and con. The trend is also noticeable online with thousands of sites either Islamic, semi-Islamic or anti-Islamic. News sites that permit comments on their stories will have 100s of comments sometimes on Islam even if the article just barely mentions Islam. Many times each day I see comments by Jews, Christians and Hindus quoting the English Quran fairly, properly and with knowledge and even correcting those that misquote it - it is not something I thought to see in my lifetime.
Not only is the number of new Muslims increasing, but the number of those who actually think that Muslims are not as evil as the media (propaganda) portrays us, is increasing to. American politics had a big role in this, one party depended on spreading Islamophobia as a political strategy and the other party took great advantage of that mistake - both sides spreading Islam in America as a result. It is the same in England, Holland and strangely enough even some Islamic and Arab countries. I just pray the bloodshed stops on all sides for I would rather the spread of Islam stop altogether than see a single drop of blood shed from anyone on Earth - I mean that.
Here is something that I think proves the point:
New York's first Arabic school opens under police guard
The article is now being posted on many American blogs, some have hundreds of comments - and the subject of those comments always goes towards discussing Islam itself, pro and con as always. The people who do not like the idea of an Arabic school have got to wonder sooner or later why they do not like the idea, what made them think that way - but I am glad that they are talking about it, blogs are great that way.
Peace
There are thousands of people who actively write and work against Islam, last month it was Daniel Pipes and this month it is Robert Spencer's turn in the spot-light, before them others and after them will probably be more. As a Muslim I wish them well, for I honestly think that they spread Islam more than any Muslim can. There are thousands of large web sites that truly "dislike" Islam and promote Islamophobia, they are unable to understand that it is they who are actually spreading Islam in America and to the rest of the World.
In the very early days of Islam, when there were less than 20 Muslims in the world a very smart man who hated Islam called "abu-Jahil" in Mecca warned people not to listen to Muslims nor to ask them about Islam, his actions guided many people to Islam and despite him knowing this he could not stop himself thus promoting Islam. This is not a secret it is part of the history of Islam, it is how Islamophobes have been spreading Islam since it started.
Up until the 50s an anti-Islamic book would receive as little attention as a pro-Islamic book for only a few religious scholars cared to read them. The media changed all that and have made Islam a topic of conversation around the world for decades. You can hear the word Islam in hundreds of ways each day, Fox News, for one, has millions of readers listeners and viewers - each one hears the words Islam 100s or even 100s of times a day. I do not like what Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Rilly say about Islam, but love seeing the positive effects their words have in guiding some of their listeners towards Islam or at least a better understanding of Islam, the rest of their listeners learn to hate Islam and Muslims but that is not news to anyone.
Robert Spencer wrote an anti-Islamic books that I now see being heavily promoted, from the title I gather that he thinks that Islam is not a religion of peace. It came out soon after the number Innocent Iraqis slaughtered passed the one million mark and is going higher fast - he might not care what is happening to the people of Iraq but many who read his books do and they ask questions that his books do not answer for them. Soon another writer will write another Islamophobic book, and another anti-Islamic movie will come out - they all spread Islam in the long run. I think it is because people are getting tired of all the lies. I really hope to see Mr. Spencer write dozens of best sellers about Islam - they do spread Islam much faster than any Muslim I know can.
The Quran was not available in most American book stores in the 70s for there was little demand, now a big chain like Barnes and Nobel will have rows of books about Islam, pro and con. The trend is also noticeable online with thousands of sites either Islamic, semi-Islamic or anti-Islamic. News sites that permit comments on their stories will have 100s of comments sometimes on Islam even if the article just barely mentions Islam. Many times each day I see comments by Jews, Christians and Hindus quoting the English Quran fairly, properly and with knowledge and even correcting those that misquote it - it is not something I thought to see in my lifetime.
Not only is the number of new Muslims increasing, but the number of those who actually think that Muslims are not as evil as the media (propaganda) portrays us, is increasing to. American politics had a big role in this, one party depended on spreading Islamophobia as a political strategy and the other party took great advantage of that mistake - both sides spreading Islam in America as a result. It is the same in England, Holland and strangely enough even some Islamic and Arab countries. I just pray the bloodshed stops on all sides for I would rather the spread of Islam stop altogether than see a single drop of blood shed from anyone on Earth - I mean that.
Here is something that I think proves the point:
New York's first Arabic school opens under police guard
The article is now being posted on many American blogs, some have hundreds of comments - and the subject of those comments always goes towards discussing Islam itself, pro and con as always. The people who do not like the idea of an Arabic school have got to wonder sooner or later why they do not like the idea, what made them think that way - but I am glad that they are talking about it, blogs are great that way.
Peace
10 comments:
Azooz, I think you've made a good point. You draw Optimism from a well of Fear. On the other hand, and I know you're aware of it, there is evidence that Islamophobia in European and some Asian countries is intrinsically fascist. In the latter case, Fear leads to justification for war and persecution. I think that's what we have to watch out for.
Thank you Sindbad, I really wanted to get your informed opinion and ideas on this subject for I am still thinking about it. You have more experiance on this than me, but I want to study it from a nice new side.
Watching Islamophobia, despite being painful, is a very good way to find who the zionists/neo-cons want to abuse next because even when they go after non-Muslims they bring up Islamophobia as a tool - natives world wide specialy. I most like to see the large number of people they guide to Islam masha Allah. I can not belittle how dangeroues the hate mongers are, and how much harm they cause, but I do like that unintented side effect in their spreading Islam. European and Asian countries rightly fear fascisim for they have seen the wars it always creates but they also see America being driven into fascisim by the Islamophobes - this makes the majoraty of them mind that Islamophobia is not used against them to empower new fascists. I am personally getting a great education from the American liberal blogs on this subject and hope to match it.
We can not stop the anti-Islamic propaganda, but nice to see that Rupert Murdoch's media empire is spreading Islam along with his Islamophobia:
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Mr Murdoch told the Nine Network that care needed to be taken to avoid a divided society.
"You have to be careful about Muslims, who have a very strong, in many ways a fine, but very strong, religion, which supersedes any sense of nationalism wherever they go," he said.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Notice that Mr. Murdoch is personally talking about Islam, his newspapers are also talking about Islam, his Radio and TV stations are talking about Islam - his anti-Islamic block buster movies and adventure shows like "24", all talk about Islam, they spread lots of Islamophbia to the viewers and readers - but they also spread Islam because some people chose not to be brain-washed.
Peace
Hi Azooz,
I want to take issue with your use of the word 'islamophobia.' What exactly is it? The Greek word would mean 'fear of Islam.' But I think that is not quite what you mean.
Please do clarify and explain to us what you mean when you use the word.
I do agree with you that we are living in interesting days and people are in a position where it is incumbent on them that they learn more about Islam. Both the good and the bad.
I think the good outweighs the bad by a large margin. I also like Muslims, have Muslim friends, and treat them respectfully.
So back to the original question: does that make me an 'Islamophobe'?
Posted a link with my response over at my blog:
http://islamdom.blogspot.com/2007/09/how-islamophobia-promotes-islam.html
Salaam ya azooz, in sha'allah anta mabsuut fi hadha al ramadan.
Ramadhan Kareem
W.S
Anonymous said...
Ramadhan Kareem
Jazak Allah khayir - and Ramadaan Kareem :)
W/A/S
- -
Abu Daoud
I have explain on your blog that I did not intend you as an Islamophobe or your site by this article - I hope you count me among your Muslim friends :)
I hope you have the time to talk about this - I really belive that the media's current Islamophobia is the driveing force (mechanichasim) behind the large number of new Muslim cinverts, especialy the frenzied Evengelical and Zionist Christian movement's media attack on Islam. They repeat the word "Islam" many times a day to their folowers and flocks. When I am in the USA among my non-Muslim ex-inlaws they always talk Islam with me, they bring it up and I have an easy time cutting thru the lies they have been fed about Islam - it shocks them how much brainwashing they have had the last few decades.
The religious aspect does not interest me, bores me really - but I am fasinated by how the anti-Islamic media itself is guiding Christians and Jews towards Islam - I used to talk to many converts about this when I had an Islamic forum, it was the media that interested them into reading the Quran, made them interested enough to read the Quran to see Islam for themselves.
Muslims are always angry by the anti-Islamic media, that bores me to - but it also draws Muslims themselves towards their Islam. Islamic shows were very few and far between on the Arabic TVs, but now it is all I see, flip from one and see another - no end of callers to - it has even got me interested to learn more about Islam :)
As for the apostates - the Quran promises that God will replace them with great new Muslims: "people who love God, and God loves them" - the word "Ridah" has two spellings in the Quran in this regard that would take hours to explain, but nice to. I do not mind how many apostates there are, and they are mostly Iranians - God will replace them with special people - guided most likley by Mr. Murdoch's Media attack on Islam, or Mr. Spencer, Mr. Pipes or another Islamophobe.
The thing I hate about this is how lightly many Christians take the murder of Iraq, Lebanon, Afghanistan - the they have no complaints if Syria and Iran are also "Hit" by the neo-cons, Zionists or whatever you want to call them - they name is unimportant, they all kill millions of humans same as the Nazis did.
One thing you will notice, even if all I say about the media's role in spreading Islam is proved - you will not be able to stop the attack even if it causes millions to convert to Islam - for the love of religon is not part of it, just an excuse to get more wealth and land.
I read up on the neo-con blogs and forums every day, FreeRepublic.com especialy - I read the comments and notice Islam as a polorizing factor dividing them - two sides. These are American political sites, yet they talk about Islam non-stop, and the comments are either becoming much more informed or much more hatefull. That is what I notice, and I read the same observaions by Christians and Jews to - it is hard to miss really - the media is useing Islamophobia to build up hate for Islam, and it is also spreading Islam as a side-effect.
Peace
A non religious example of how propaganda backfires sometimes. President Bush and many American politicans voiced lots of anger at an anti-war ad by MoveOn.org - the result:
Bush raises half a million for MoveOn
The media attack gave MoveOn.Org LOTS of new members who had never heard of them before. What unites them is their "dislike" of the war against Iraq and the fear of the neo-cons plans for more wars.
MoveOn got more members and funds. Islam hopefully has also gained more voteing Americans who no longer think Muslims are as evil as their media says we are.
Besides the all points you make about media and current news drawing people to find out more about Islam, it also has caused the American Muslim minority to be more vocal. Before September 11 happened, I knew there was a mosque in my neighborhood but I never heard anything from them. Immediately afterwards, they passed out fliers around the neighborhood and ever since they've been much more active in the community with frequent public activities, guest speakers, and open houses.
In my experience, most people are very open minded and slow to blindly accept much of the anti-Islamic propaganda spouted my many. However, most of my interaction is with a fairly enlightened university crowd. I definitely still do run into those who are firmly set in their prejudices and won't be swayed but I find that most people are curious and open-minded (or at the very least disinterested either way) about Islam, especially after meeting and interacting with Muslims.
Welcome Searcher - I'll have a hard time keeping up with you on three blogs but will try :)
The media has also made the Muslim sects closer - there are many small things that we do not like about "other" sects and the non-Muslim media says what we can not say - I have always wanted Muslims to be more open minded and nice to see the media helping in that regard to. I am glad that the Mosques opened up after 9-11, in the 80s there was just too much distrust on both sides of their doors - even inside the sect and race issue was asked, despite being a sin - so the media was not all bad.
University students are much more resistant becuase they have the tools and knowledge to check facts - age is also a factor I have seen mentioned for older people are slower to change their ideas. Arab university students are a lot more controled (monitered) but they are forceing the old guard to change to - Egypt in particular has a very big generation divide problem these days.
Minorities in America to, the Islamophobes constantly point out how intolarnat Islam and Muslims are - while forgetting that minorities, like majorities, can read the Quran and ask Muslims about it.
Muslims have discovered the internet as a great tool for knowledge, we call it Ayatallah Google or Imam Google (depending on sect) - it has made us much more aware of the theology Islam and more able to talk about things. We are not used to such openess, Arab Muslims in particular, and it is nice to see things getting "saner".
Islamopbobia has spread Islam to Muslims to - but that is another subject that I'll leave to others.
Peace
Salaams Azooz,
An interesting point you make here. An excellent blog too, by the way. Ma sha Allah.
I look forward to reading more of your thoughts insha Allah.
Abdur Rahman
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