Violent Sectarianism is anti-Islamic, says Baroness Warsi

Violent sectarianism isn't just un-Islamic,

it is anti-Islamic, says.Baroness Warsi

 @British Embassy Muscat

Dr. Mozammel Haque

Hostile and violent sectarianism is not just un-Islamic; it is anti-Islamic, said Baroness Warsi, British Foreign Office Minister, at her speech at Muscat on religious tolerance and highlighted the example that Oman provides for other countries.

While speaking at the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Muscat, on 18 February, 2014, she mentioned about rising tide of anti-Muslim sentiment in Europe. Baronesss Warsi said, “I said that we would tackle head on, the tough issues like the rising tide of anti-Muslim sentiment in Europe. In the UK I felt the bigotry of Islamophobia had increased, so much so that sentiment against Muslims had become acceptable even in the most civilised of settings.”

“I felt that it was time for government to respond. I'm delighted that this government has done so, including through working with partners such as the OIC. I said that we would reach out to new faith communities as well as revive and restore some of our oldest relationships,” she said.

Religious persecutions against Christians

Denouncing the religious persecution of Christians, Baroness Warsi said, “I said that we would not shirk from our responsibility as a staunch defender of religious freedom. And it was right that last year, when I spoke at Georgetown University in Washington, I warned about religious persecution, especially against Christian minorities in parts of the Middle East. That is a tragic global crisis and it demands an international response.”

Hostile and violent sectarianism is anti-Islamic

Baroness Warsi argued that hostile and violent sectarianism is not just un-Islamic; it is anti-Islamic. Today I want to speak from a very personal perspective, in relation to my personal faith, Islam, and argue that hostile and violent sectarianism is not just un-Islamic: it is anti-Islamic.

“It has no roots in the practice of our faith – indeed; I believe it is condemned in the founding tenets. It is tragically the cause of tension, turmoil and terrorism. It should have no place in our world today, and is something we all have a duty to condemn and tackle,” she said.

Baroness Warsi also maintained, “But whilst people have always defined themselves by a whole series of characteristics - I describe myself as British, as working class, as Muslim, as a mum - today, sadly, one's sect is becoming the dominant identifier. With the faithful not only increasingly identifying themselves by sect, but also defining themselves in comparison and in superiority to others.”

“The hatred that can exist between sects – between people who follow the same God and share the same holy book – disturbs and saddens me,” said Baroness Warsi..

Sectarian differences used justifying religious extremism

Referring about sectarianism or sectarian differences in Britain, Baroness Warsi mentioned, “And even in Britain we are not immune from this. With division being preached by some, and belittling another’s faith or denomination being used as a way of reaffirming one’s own faith. Often the strongest condemnation seems to be reserved for your brother or sister in faith.”

Baroness Warsi said, “The fact that their version of their faith does not replicate yours is no longer seen as an inevitable, healthy difference of opinion, but is seen as an insurmountable difference - to the point where sectarian difference is used as a way of justifying acts of religious extremism. Around the world such violence is reaching an all-time high. In Iraq, according to the UN, at the height of the sectarian conflict, more than 50,000 Iraqis were killed as a result of terrorist violence. More than 8,000 Iraqis died in such violence last year alone.”

Sectarian violence in the world

Baroness Warsi mentioned how this sectarian violence spreads world wide. She said, “In Pakistan, in the past two years, more than 1000 people have died in sectarian violence. Sectarian violence continues to blight in Lebanon. It takes place in Somalia, between al Shabaab and its opponents, and in Yemen, with the targeting of Shia Houthi Muslims.”

“Now I accept that not all of these deaths were necessarily motivated by sectarianism alone. Some attacks were simply an attempt by terrorists to destabilise a community or a country,” she said.

Terrorists use sectarianism as a basis of their action

Baroness Warsi said, “But the fact that terrorists use sectarianism as a basis for their actions shows how deep and dangerous this problem has become.  It reflects an attitude that underpins a worldview that states you are only acceptable if you follow my version of my faith.”

Takfiri worldview

This Takfiri worldview, said Baroness Warsi, rejects the longstanding Islamic tradition of ikhtilaf – of difference – where the faithful appear far more concerned with others' faithfulness than with their own.

Baroness Warsi argued, “I have always been taught that faith is at its strongest when people find their own way to the Almighty. And as Oman's Religious Tolerance website so wisely states: "everyone must answer for himself before God".”

She also maintained, “But there's a deeply disturbing political element to sectarianism when negative political forces exploit these differences. And this approach takes on an even more sinister tone when sect is equated with nationality or loyalty to a particular country. Where Shia Muslims in Sunni majority countries are seen as loyal to another country, and vice versa. I've spoken about this previously, in relation to the tensions between different faiths, such as when Christians are persecuted in Muslim-majority countries because they are seen as agents of the west, and where Muslims in the west are held responsible for the actions of their co-religionists in the east.”

Violent Sectarianism is not peculiar to Islam only

Baroness Warsi also said, “Of course violent sectarianism isn’t peculiar to Islam.” She mentioned, “The United Kingdom knows all too well what happens when religious differences and divisions are used as a proxy for political problems. Over decades the divisions in the historic struggle in Northern Ireland were aligned with religious difference – that of Protestants and Catholics. Many lives were lost. The Troubles, and the scars remain.”

Historic clashes within Christianity

Baroness Warsi also maintained, “Indeed, the course of our history - in the UK but more so elsewhere in Europe - has been shaped by the bitter and historic clashes within Christianity. One only has to recall during the Crusades the cry of Christians against fellow Christians "kill them all, God will know his own."”

After elaborating sectarianism and sectarian violence worldwide and within the Muslim and Christian communities, Baroness Warsi said it is an incredibly complex problem and there are no easy solution.

Belief in God and Muhammad (peace be

upon him) as His Prophet

Baroness Warsi said, “Let me go back to basics. The universal Islamic definition of what constitutes a believer in Islam is extremely simple: la ilaha illallah Muhammadur Rasulullah: a belief in God and Muhammad as his Prophet (peace be upon him). There are no other stipulations or conditions at all for belief. Even at the time of the Prophet, there were differences of opinion between his Companions over his religious instructions that were interpreted in different ways, even over sacred duties such as prayers. The Prophet viewed those differences of opinions as healthy, as an inevitable diversity, and even as a blessing of, the faith.”

Rejectionist sectarianism goes against the very

foundation of the Muslim faith

“Therefore any notion of rejectionist sectarianism goes against the very foundation of the Muslim faith. Political and religious leaders must repeat this message, loudly and clearly, far and wide,” said Baroness Warsi. We need to point to history to show violent sectarianism is not inevitable.

Different sects within Islam worked together

Citing examples from Islamic history where violent sectarianism is not inevitable, Baroness Warsi said, “We must look to times when different sects within Islam worked together and worshipped together. They must look to the fact that Imam Jafar, a key figure in Shia Islam, was actually a teacher of Imam Malik and Imam Abu Hanifa, founders of two of the most widely followed Sunni Schools of Thought throughout the world today.”

Baroness Warsi urged, “All of us, believers and leaders alike, must reclaim the true meaning of Islam, and focus on the things that unite us, rather than those that divide us.  And in reclaiming the true meaning of Islam we must also reclaim the language of Islam, much of which has been distorted and usurped for political ends.”

Defining the concept of Ummah

Baroness Warsi then defined the concept of Ummah. She said, “Ummah is, by its very nature, a definition of community, one that includes difference, not excludes it. The Prophet's 'Ummah' in Medina was multi-faith and multi-ethnic. It was an Ummah of Conscience.”

She also reminded the people, “Let's not forget: the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is constantly referred to as "Rahmat lil Alameen" – mercy for the worlds. There could not be a more clear statement than that of the inclusive concept of Ummah in Islam.  So, we must reclaim the faith, and the language of the faith. But we must go beyond that.”

“We must highlight great living examples that show how violent sectarianism is not inevitable,” said Baroness Warsi.

Oman: an oasis of tolerance in a desert of division

Giving an example of the Ummah, Baroness Warsi said, “It (Oman) is an oasis of tolerance in a desert of division – proving that, right in the geographical centre of a troubled region, different sects can and do live side by side. This is testament to His Majesty the Sultan’s wise leadership and the character of the Omani people.”

“The warm encounters between Ibadhi and Shia Muslims at the Al Lawati Wall; the praying side-by-side of Sunni and Ibadhi Muslims in mosques like this one,” said Baroness Warsi.

Bloodshed due to theological differences is shameful

Baroness Warsi argued, “The humility and openness seamlessly extended to other faiths; the welcome given to the new Christian church in Ruwi by the Omani authorities. These are principles on which Oman thrives and I couldn't put it better than the Omani Ministry for Religious Affairs, when it states: “Bloodshed due to theological differences is shameful. Prayers in the mosques throughout the country are conducted with Sunnis and Shiites at the sides of the Ibadhis. The communal prayer to God knows no theological disputes. Everyone must answer for himself before God.”

A wedding between a Shia bride and Sunni groom

Baroness Warsi witnessed a greater symbolism of this co-existence when His Eminence, the Grand Mufti of Oman, an Ibadhi, conducting a wedding between a Shia bride and Sunni groom. She had this privilege of experiencing social harmony which she would like to recur over and over again. “To share, to provide, to demonstrate the benefits of such co-existence. To highlight the benefits of pluralism, and warn of the stifling impact of sectarianism.”

Baroness Warsi makes a case against violent sectarianism

Baroness Warsi said, “In previous speeches I have made the case that Islam - by it's very nature - is moderate. Today, I hope I have made the case that violent sectarianism isn't just un-Islamic, it is anti-Islamic. It is at odds with Islam's principles and perspective and it jeopardises the future of the faith.”

Baroness Warsi at the Sultan Qaboos

Grand Mosque, Muscat

Baroness Warsi delivered the above speech in Muscat on religious tolerance and highlighted the example that Oman provides for other countries.

Baroness Warsi is the first ever Minister of Faith in the British government. In 2010, she became the first Muslim to serve as British Cabinet Minister alongside her responsibility for South Asia, Central Asia, and the United Nations. She said, “….my remit covers faith at home and religious freedom abroad. In both cases, I have made religious freedom my personal priority: promoting and protecting people’s right to hold a faith, to manifest their faith, or indeed to change their faith. This is something which I believe is not only integral to personal identity but also leads to fairer, more secure and more progressive communities.”

Speaking about her personal life, Baroness Warsi mentioned, “My own faith - Islam - has been shaped by my upbringing, coloured by the country I was born in, shaped by my experiences as a lawyer, a campaigner and a politician and my personal experience as a daughter, a wife and a mother.  In my country, for a politician to talk honestly and openly about faith, especially one's own faith, is not particularly fashionable.”

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): Mercy to the Worlds

The Prophet (peace be upon him) Mercy to the Worlds

Dr. Mozammel Haque

This is the month of Rabi al-Awwal, when Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the last and the final Prophet of Almighty Allah, was born in Makkah. The Holy Qur’an, the Final Revealed Book, was revealed to him through Angel Gabriel. I was reading a book: The Messenger: The Meanings of the Life of Muhammad, (peace be upon him by Tariq Ramadan and I am presenting some of his thoughts and ideas through this column. “He (The Prophet) received and transmitted the last revealed book, the Qur’an, which repeatedly insists on the eminent and singular position of the Messenger of God, all at once a prophet, a bearer of news, a model, and a guide. He was but a man, yet he acted to transform the world in the light of Revelation and inspirations he received from God, but also fully accepted his own humanity in what makes Muhammad an example and a guide for the Muslim faithful.” (page ix)

Intimate relationship of trust and love

While pointing out the intimate relationship of love and trust, Professor Ramadan wrote: The essence of the Islamic message is wholly expressed in this intimate relationship of trust and love with the Most High, establishing a direct link between the individual and his or her Creator, Who has chosen to demonstrate exemplary behaviour through a messenger, a human being, whom He has set as a model. Three verses were later to synthesize the exact substance of this teaching: “When My servants as you concerning Me; I am indeed close [to them]: I respond to the prayer of every supplicant when he or she calls on Me.” (Al-Qur’an; 2:186)

“Say [O Messenger]: If you love God, follow me:

God will love you and forgive you your sins (Al-Qur’an)

The Prophet (peace be upon him), at the heart of this intimate relationship, opens the way. The Messenger taught his Companions to love God, and the Qur’an taught them in return: “Say [O Messenger]: If you love God, follow me: God will love you and forgive you your sins.” (Al-Qur’an; 3:31)

The Prophet is the epitome of the human being aspiring to the divine beyond the finitude of life: Al-Qur’an says: “You have indeed in the Messenger of God an excellent example for the person who hopes in [aspires to get close to] God and the final Day and who remembers God intensely.” (Al-Qur’an; 33:21)

Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him):

Mercy to the Worlds

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is called “Rahmatul lil aalimeen” The famous commentator of the Qur’an, Allama Mahmud Alloosi used a metaphor to explain the meaning and said, “He is the root and the world is the branch.” This metaphor emphasizes the eminent position of the Messenger of God. Dr. Musharraf Hussain in his article, “The Benefactor of Mankind” mentioned about this metaphor and said, “The root not only provides an anchor and stability to the plant but the nourishment needed by the trunk, the branches, leaves, buds, flowers and the fruits. All these need the root. Without the root they would wither and die.”

The Prophet (peace be upon him) is ‘the mercy to the worlds’ in this sense that through him everything derives sustenance and divine mercy. Rahmat means to do a favour to someone, to give benefits to others, to have pity and show kindness. In this context the implication is that Muhammad (peace be upon him) has enormously benefited not only the Arabs and Muslims but also the entire world, therefore he is the Benefactor of Mankind. Allah is “the Lord of all worlds” and He has made his beloved Messenger (peace be upon him) the “Mercy to all Worlds,” mentioned Dr. Hussain.

His Personality, Character and Behaviour

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was born in a social situation of the pre-Islamic period where prostitution and indecency were rampant and in full operation. Drinking was another vice to which the whole of Arabia was hopelessly wedded. Gambling was another curse which had a firm hold on the Arab society. One writer summed up the situation in Arabia like this: “The Arabs of the pre-Islamic period were groping about in the dark and ignorance, entangled in a mesh of superstitions paralyzing their mind and driving them to lead an animal-like life. The woman was a marketable commodity and regarded as a piece of inanimate property. Inter-tribal relationships were fragile. Avarice for wealth and involvement in futile wars were the main objectives that governed their chiefs’ self-centred policies.” The Qur'an sums up succinctly this utter deterioration that embraced every phase of life in a single sentence: "You were on the brink of a pit of fire…" [The Qur'an, 3:103.]

Though Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was born in such a demoralised society, he was not touched by all these vices. Rather in the course of a few years, the Noble Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) emancipated them from all these shackles of hereditary bondage and elevated them to the pinnacle of morality, learning and culture! The Holy Prophet (pbuh) raised this fallen humanity to the highest level of moral rectitude.

Writing about Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) Dr. Ziauddin Sardar wrote in his book: Muhammad: “He was a man of integrity, with an innate modesty and warm personality. Despite being the centre of attention, the inescapable person of renown, he was devoid of all forms of pomposity or snobbery. Khadija’s servant, Maysara, who accompanied Muhammad (PBUH) on the trading mission to Syria, gave a glowing report not just of his conduct of business but also of how well he had treated him, a human detail that stands behind the more elaborate signs and portents that Maysara is said to have reported. And the same characteristic is found in the words of Anas bin Malik, Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) servant much later in his life: “He served me more than I served him. He was never angry with me. He never treated me badly”. And Muhammad (peace be upon him) himself said: “The dearest one in a society is the one who always serves others.’ If someone sent a servant to summon Muhammad (peace be upon him) he would follow behind rather than assume a dominant position insistent on leading the way; most often, he would walk hand in hand with the servant. This characteristic of humility and respect for others can be seen in Muhammad (peace be upon him) as a husband and father, friend, social reformer and community builder.” (Ziauddin Sardar, Muhammad, Hodder Education, page 126)

Top in List of 100 Most Noble and Influential

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as he grew up, he became known for his truthfulness, generosity and sincerity, so that he was sought after for his ability to arbitrate in disputes. The historians describe him as calm and meditative.

He was not only Prophet of God, but aside from that, he was one of the best leader in the “Top in List of 100 Most Noble and influential and successful person of history”. In recent times, a book has been published in America titled "The 100," or the Top One hundred, or the Greatest Hundred in History. A certain Michael H. Hart, described as a historian, mathematician and astronomer has written this novel book. He has searched history, seeking for men who had the greatest influence on mankind. In this book he gives us The hundred most influential men, including Ashoka, Aristotle, Buddha, Confucius, Hitler, Plato, and Zoroaster. He does not give us a mere chart of the topmost  "One Hundred" from the point of view of their influence on people, but he evaluates the degree of their influence and rates them in order of their excellence from No. 1, through to No. 100. The most amazing thing about his selection is that he has put our  Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as No. 1, the first of his "100!" Thus confirming, unknowingly, God's Own testimony in His Final Revelation to the World:

Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) has been favoured by God to all mankind as a blessing from Him.

“Indeed, Allah conferred a great favour on the believers when He sent among them a Messenger (Muhammad) from among themselves” (Aale ‘Imraan 3:164)

Whenever Muslims mention the name of Muhammad, they add peace be upon him. The ritual is based on a verse from the Qur’an, which states: “God and His Angels bless the Prophet – so, you who believe, bless him too and give him greetings of peace.” (Al-Qur’an 33:56).

Professor Tariq Ramadan in his book, mentioned earlier, spoke of three important lessons through three incidents; i) Not to compromise principles for wealth and power; ii) Begin every act invoking the name of Allah the Almighty and iii) Remember God’s Infinite Power and never pronounce final judgement on anybody.

Not to compromise principles for wealth and power

In the early years in Makkah when the situation was getting increasingly difficult for Muslims, when insults, rejection, and ill-treatment became the rule, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) began looking for a solution to alleviate the trials and suffering endured by the first Muslims. He was thought of approaching Walid, the chief of the Makhzum clan. Professor Ramadan wrote the story thus: “While he was setting forth his arguments and trying to win Walid’s support, the Prophet was interrupted by a blind man, poor and old, who had already converted to Islam and was asking him to recite some surahs from the Qur’an for him. Muhammad first turned aside calmly, but he soon became irritated by the insistence of this old man, who was preventing him from presenting his case to Walid. The chief, full of contempt, eventually refused even to hear the matter. A surah was to be revealed as a result of this incident, requiring Muslims to draw a lesson from it for eternity:

Commenting on this Professor Ramadan wrote: “No one must ever let power or social, economic, or political interests turn him or her away from other human beings, from the attention they deserve and the respect they are entitled to. Nothing must ever lead a person to compromise this principle of faith in favour of a political strategy aimed at saving or protecting a community from some peril. The freely offered, sincere heart of a poor, powerless individual is worth a thousand times more in the sight of God than the assiduously courted, self-interested heart of a rich one.” (page 48-49).

“History, with its many examples of how the thirst for power and wealth has led individuals to compromise their principles, has since taught us how true this intuition was. In this respect, another of the Prophet’s warnings echoes in our minds, addressing his spiritual community for the centuries to come: “For every [spiritual] community there is an object of discord, tension, and disorder [fitnah], and for my community, this object is money.”, quoted by Professor Ramadan (page 49).

Begin every act invoking the Name

of Allah the Almighty

While writing the biography of the Prophet (peace be upon him), Professor Ramadan mentioned another incident. The Quraysh were at a loss about how to prevent the Prophet’s message from spreading further. They decided to send a delegation to Yathrib to ask Jewish dignitaries. The Rabbis suggested the people of Makkah should ask him three key questions.  Back in Makkah, they went to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and asked him the three questions. The Prophet replied almost instantly: “I shall answer your questions tomorrow!” (page 57)

But the next day, the Angel Gabriel did not appear. There was no Revelation. Nor did the Angel come the day after. Professor Ramadan said, “Two weeks later, he received a Revelation and an explanation: “Never say of anything, “I shall do that tomorrow,” except: “If God so wills,” and remember your Lord [Rabb, “Educator”] when you forget, and say: “I hope that my Lord will guide me ever closer than this to the right course.” (Al-Qur’an; 18:23-24)

“This Revelation once again involved and a teaching: it reminded  the Prophet that his status, his knowledge, and his fate depended on his Rabb, on the One and Sovereign God, and that he must never forget it. This is how one should understand the meaning of the phrase Insha Allah, “if God so wills”: it expresses the awareness of limits, the feeling of humility of one who acts while knowing that beyond what he or she can do or say, God alone has the power to make things happen. This is by no means a fatalistic message: it implies not that one should not act but, on the contrary, that one should never stop acting while always being aware in one’s mind and heart of the real limits of human power. For the second time, the Prophet was called to account by the Transcendent. Whatever adversity one faces, one’s strength and freedom on earth consist in remaining constantly aware of one’s dependence on the Creator.” (page 57)

“Only later was the Prophet to receive the answers to the three questions he had been asked. The delay was paradoxically to strengthen the believers’ conviction and to baffle the Prophet’s interlocutors: his initial inability to answer and then the belated communication of Revelation proved that Muhammad (peace be upon him) was not the author of the Book that was being constituted and that he did actually depend on his Rabb’s will,” wrote Professor Ramadan (Page 58).

Remember God’s Infinite Power and never

pronounce final judgement on anybody

While narrating the story of Umar’s conversion, Professor Ramadan wrote: Umar had gone out of his home determined to kill the Prophet, blinded by his absolute negation of the One God; there he was, a few hours later, changed, transformed, as the result of a conversion induced by a text and the meaning of God. He was to become one of the most faithful Companions of the man he had wished dead.”

Commenting on Umar’s conversion, Professor Ramadan wrote: “This heart’s revolution was a sign, and it carried a twofold teaching: that nothing is impossible for God, and that one should not pronounce final judgements on anything or anybody. This was a reminder of the need of humility in all circumstances: for a human being, remembering God’s infinite power should mean healthy self-doubt as to oneself and suspending one’s judgement as to others. Thus, the more he moved forward with God, every day becoming more of a model for his Companions and for eternity, the more the Prophet was attaining humility and modesty as expressed in being, knowledge, and judgement.” (Page 65).

Key to Paradise

Last year, in 2013, during the month of Rabi al-Awwal, I read a book , Biography of the Prophet (peace be upon him) written by Shaikh Abdullah Ibn Al-Shaikh Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahab, translated by Sameh Strauch and published by Darussalam, in 2006.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said to Mu’az, “Oh, Mu’az! You are going to People of the Scripture and they will ask you regarding the keys to Paradise; tell them that the keys to Paradise are the words: “La Ilaha Illallah” (None has the right to be worshipped except Allah). These words pass through everything until they reach Allah, and there is no barrier between Him and it. Whoever comes on the day of Resurrection with these words, sincerely, they will outweigh his sins.” (Vol. II, page 859)

Equality before law

During the Conquest of Makkah, a woman from Banu Makhzoom stole something and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was informed of it and he ordered that her hand be cut off, as reported in the authentic Hadith. Her people hastened to Usamah Ibn Zaid Ibn Harithah to ask him to intercede for her with the Prophet (peace be upon him). When Usamah interceded for her with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), the colour of the face of Allah’s Messenger changed and he said, ‘Do you intercede with me in a matter involving one of the legal punishments prescribed by Allah?”

In the afternoon, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) got up and delivered a sermon to the people. He praised Allah as He deserves to be praised and then said; “Amma Badu (To proceed): The nations prior to you were destroyed because if a noble person amongst them stole, they used to excuse him, and if a poor person amongst them stole, they .would inflict the legal punishment on him. By Him in Whose Hand is Muhammad’s soul, if Fatimah, the daughter of Muhammad stole, I would cut off her hand.” (Vol. II, page 689).

Muhammad (peace be upon him) as a Prophet

This year, 2014, during Rabi al-Awaal, I was reading two books, one entitled Muhammad: Prophet for our Time by Karen Armstrong, published by Harper Books, London, 2006 and another Muhammad: Man and Prophet by Adil Salahi, published by The Islamic Foundation, Leicester, 2010. Long before the birth of Muhammad (peace be upon him), it was known to the people of the Revealed Books about his arrival. Learned theologians of both Christianity and Judaism were aware of the fact. The Jews in Madinah used to tell the polytheist Arabs there that a Prophet would soon be appearing in Arabia.

“That Christians and Jewish theologians should know in advance of the coming of the Prophet is not surprising, because both the Gospel and the Torah include references to Muhammad as the last of God’s messengers and Prophets,” mentioned Adil Salahi in his book Muhammad: Man and Prophet, page 60. Mr. Salahi also mentioned about a Jewish scholar, named Ibn Al-Hayyaban, who came to Madinah from Syria before the advent of Islam. He was a very devout person. Mr. Salahi explained that he came to Madinah only because it was time for a new Prophet to appear and that Madinah would be the place to which he would emigrate. “I hoped,” he said, “that he would appear before I died so that I could follow him. His appearance is very imminent, so let no one follow him ahead of you.”” (pages 621-62)

Prophet’s (peace be upon him) non-violent policy

When international community praised and acknowledged Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) for his personality, good moral character and non-violent policy, there is an animosity among some people who used all kinds of abuses against him as the people of Jahiliya used to do in the seventh century. Karen Armstrong wrote: “We have a long history of Islamophobia in Western Culture that dates back to the time of the Crusades. In the twelfth century, Christian monks in Europe insisted that Islam was a violent religion of the sword, and that Muhammad was a charlatan who imposed his religion on a reluctant world by force of arms; they called him a lecher and a sexual pervert. This distorted version of the Prophet’s life became one of the received ideas of the West, and Western people have always found it difficult to see Muhammad in a more objective light.” (pages 17-18).

Karen Armstrong also mentioned, “Western critics also persist in viewing the Prophet of Islam as a man of war, and fail to see that from the very first he was opposed to the jahili arrogance and egotism that not only fuelled the aggression of his time but is much in evidence in some leaders, Western and Muslims alike, today. The Prophet, whose aim was peace and practical compassion, is becoming a symbol of division and strife – a development that is not only tragic but also dangerous to the stability on which the future of our species depends.” (pages 22-213)

 

Mr. Bakir Izetbegovic on Islam and Muslims in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnian President Mr. Bakir Izetbegovic on

Islam and Muslims in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Dr. Mozammel Haque

Mr. Bakir Izetbegovic, the Member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, toured the beautiful new building of the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies (OXCIS), Oxford, on 28 October, 2013. The building was only in the planning stages when he visited the Centre twelve years ago, that was in April, 2001, he came with his father, Alija Izetbegovic who gave a lecture at the Centre entitled “Bosnia on the Historical Border.”

Bosnian President at the Oxford

Centre for Islamic Studies

Mr. Bakir Izetbegovic gave a lecture at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, Oxford, entitled “The Quest for Dignity, Freedom and Democracy in the Islamic World: A Bosnian Muslim’s Perspective” at the Examination Schools, Oxford, on 28 October 2013. This write-up is based entirely on the lecture delivered by the President of Bosnia and Herzegovina.  I am grateful to the Bosnian Ambassador in the UK, Mr; Mustafa Mujezinovic, and his staff for their cooperation and I am also grateful to the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies for inviting me to attend the lecture.

Alija Izetbegovic

Bosnian President started his lecture with an introduction to the former President of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Alija Izetbegovic, saying, “In his rich and eventful life my father was many things: a writer, a dissident, a statesman. If I had to describe the essence of his vocation and commitment, I would say he was a fighter for freedom, equality and dignity of Muslims, and for the proper understanding of Islam. He had visions and dreams of the awakening of Muslims from centuries of lethargy, and of the return of the Islamic world to the centre stage of history.”

He quoted from one of his early works, Alija Izetbegovic wrote: “The entire Muslim world is in a state of ferment and change. No matter what this world will look like after these changes make their first upward cycle, one thing is certain: it will no longer be the world of the first half of this century. The age of passivity and stagnation has passed forever. For, a world of 700 million people, with tremendous natural resources, occupying a first class geographical position, the world which is heir to colossal cultural and political traditions and the bearer of the living Islamic mission, cannot long remain in a position of subjection. There is no power that can prevent the new Muslim generation from putting an end to this abnormal state.”

Forty four years have passed since these words were written, said Bosnian President Bakir Izetbegovic and continued, “The number of Muslims in the world has since doubled. The economic power of the Ummah has grown tenfold. The number of schools, students and teachers in some parts of the Islamic world has increased hundredfold. The flourishing of the Islamic world has begun to disrupt its ossified structures of power. We are witnessing social fractures, revolutions and conflicts. Profound social and political changes that have been fermenting for decades are finally moving in the direction of creating free societies and democratic structures of government. A well-educated, free-thinking generation of Muslims is yearning for free societies instead of closed ones, the rule of law instead of the rule of one person, democracy instead of authoritarianism, justice and fairness instead of oppression and corruption. No force can stop this generation from winning freedom, taking charge of their destiny and taking part in shaping the world of the future. No matter all the staggering, mistakes, crises, and stalemates, this process is irreversible and unstoppable.”

Inclusive Islam

Bosnian President said, “The spirit of Islam is inclusive. It acknowledges all that is good and progressive. It is not destructive. It builds and upgrades. Anything that makes the world better and liberates human creativity cannot be against Islam. Anything that is truly Islamic cannot be against freedom, progress and the liberation of human potential.”

Muslim contribution to universal

culture and civilization

He also mentioned, “In not so distant past, Muslims made colossal contributions to the development of universal culture and civilization because that generation of Muslims accepted, with joy and curiosity, and then cultivated, the knowledge discovered in the conquered territories. One Byzantine emperor noted with amazement that an Arab general, whom he called "barbarian,” sought, as a term of armistice, the right to purchase Greek manuscripts. Cultural, scientific, and technological ideas and advances could not be prevented from disseminating even then, in the time when the territories and nations were strictly separated.”

Formula of inclusiveness and integration

“There is an intense battle of ideas and ideologies, which permeate, collide and create synergies,” mentioned Mr. Bakir Izetbegovic and said, “Muslims must engage in this battle. We must remain open to dialogue. We must not be poisoned by the bitterness accumulated through centuries of physical and spiritual domination by the West. We must not fall into the trap of radicalism. We must not give in to the desire for revenge. We must not fear the other and the different. We must not subscribe to the dangerous ideologies of isolation, introversion and exclusiveness. We have to look for a formula of inclusiveness, for a functional combination of the original Islamic values and the best of values we consider Western and modern. European Muslims play a special role in the quest for this formula of integration and inclusiveness because we are in direct contact with and immersed in Western culture, and because we have a special interest in reconciling the traditional within and the modern around us.”

Europe is not the birthplace of

Any monotheistic religion

Europe is not the birthplace of any monotheistic religion. President Izetbegovic mentioned, “When we talk about Islam and Muslims in Europe, it is necessary to immediately refute the view that Europe is exclusively Christian and that European culture is exclusively Judeo-Christian. It is especially important to refute the dangerous fallacy about the alleged cultural and civilizational conflict between the supposedly progressive Christian Europe, on one hand, and supposedly retrograde Islamic-Oriental threat, on the other hand.”

“Europe is not the birth place of any of the great monotheistic religions. Jesus Christ was neither born, nor did he preach in Europe. All three great monotheistic religions came from the same source, from the same, relatively narrow geographic region. Most importantly, all three religions brought nearly identical messages and teach identical basic values. Islam is no stranger to Europe. Nor is Islam alien to the spirit of Europe,” said Bosnian President

Islam intensely present in Europe

Quite the contrary, he said, “there probably would not be what we know today as the spirit of Europe without Islam’s contribution to the formation of European identity and culture. Islam has been intensely present in Europe for over 1,300 years, having arrived in some of its parts more than two centuries before Christianity. The Umayyad Caliphate was established on European soil in the early eighth century. The Islamic state had reached heights in philosophy, science, technology and state organization by the time Christianity expanded to eastern, central and northern Europe. Islam influenced the formation of spiritual and cultural identity in north-eastern Europe through the Golden Horde and the Crimean, Kazan and Astrakhan Khanates; and in south-eastern Europe through the vital and powerful Ottoman Empire.”

Humanistic revival in the West

Islamic thought introduced historical science and scientific method and laid the foundation of the Italian Renaissance. Bosnian President said, “Islamic thought initiated the humanistic revival in the West, introduced historical science and the scientific method, helped Scholastics reconcile philosophy with faith, stimulated Western mysticism, laid the foundations of the Italian renaissance, and directed modern European thought until Kant. Muslims were the bearers of progress in that era. They were the bridge between the philosophy and knowledge of the ancient Greece and the science of the Western world. Much has been written and said, including at this Centre, about the contributions of Islamic scholars to medicine, mathematics, astronomy, chemistry, geography, architecture and finance. All of this clearly confirms that Muslims are the co-creators, and thus co-owners, of European culture and civilization.”

Bosnia: A meeting place of ideas,

religions and interests

The Bosnian Muslims, Bosniaks, are an indigenous European people who have been Muslims for half a millennium. Although small in number, they carry a great burden of history. Mr. Izetbegovic mentioned, “In their struggle for survival and freedom, the Bosniaks have, in their own microcosm, passed through many temptations and resolved some of the critical challenges that Muslims worldwide face today and will face in the future.”

“Throughout its existence, Bosnia was the point of contact of the East and the West, a meeting place of ideas, religions and interests. Above all, it was a place of largely harmonious coexistence of followers of the Abrahamic traditions. Unique to medieval Bosnia was the existence of the indigenous Bosnian Church, which was heretical and close to Catharism and Patarenism. Members of the Bosnian Church, who were called “The Good Bosnians,” did not recognize sacraments, liturgy, church hierarchy, icons, or statues,” he said.

Bosnia: a multi-cultural multi-religious society

Explaining the multi-cultural and multi-religious character of the Bosnian society, Bosnian President said, “What Bosnia really was – a multi-cultural and multi-religious society – was built through centuries of peace, tolerance, and respect for the other and the different. Sarajevo is a city with hundreds of minarets, but also a city of many great churches and synagogues. Amid Catholic cathedrals and a striking Orthodox church, there is a large Protestant and an Adventist church. Located within one square kilometre in the historic part of Sarajevo, these houses of worship almost physically touch and lean on one another. “

“The Bosnian language and the Bosnian script appear in the Charter of Kulin Ban of 1189, in which this ruler of Bosnia gave certain guarantees to the Republic of Dubrovnik (Republic of Ragusa). The first vocabulary of the Bosnian language was printed as early as 1631,” he mentioned. .

Bosniaks accepted Islam before the arrival of Ottomans

Speaking about the Islamic faith of the people of Bosnia, the Bosniaks, President Izetbegovic mentioned, “The Bosniaks had already begun accepting Islam before the arrival of the Ottomans to Bosnia. The mass adoption of the new faith gradually occurred during the first century of the Ottoman rule. The Bosniaks and Bosnian Church had resisted – spiritually, politically and militarily – the East and the West, the Vatican and the Byzantium, popes and kings. The Ottoman invasion, however, was not understood as catastrophic because the Turks had in several turns been allies of the Bosnian kings, and because Islam was, in many respects, a natural extension of the faith of “The Good Bosnians.”

Mentioning about the nature of the Ottoman rule, he said, “While the Ottoman Empire was conquering territories, it was not enslaving peoples. It was not obliterating their cultures or forcing them to convert to Islam. Non-Muslims were given the choice of opting out of military service in exchange for a cash payment. They were also given the opportunity to accept Islam, which they often took, and with it military duty and a chance to progress to the top ranks of the Ottoman Empire. After the withdrawal of the Ottoman Empire within the borders of present-day Turkey, churches, monasteries, synagogues as well as countries, peoples and cultures were fully preserved. Some historians, therefore, believe the correct translation of the phrase “Osmanli Devlet,” which was the official name of the state, should be the Ottoman Commonwealth, rather than the Ottoman Empire.”

Bosnia under Communist regime

Talking about the life and property of the Bosniaks under the Communist regime, President Izetbegovic said, “The Communist regime that ruled for the following nearly half a century brought some good to the Bosniaks: the nationalisms were muffled, their lives were protected, they had a chance to educate themselves and be part of the government and military establishment. They were not entitled to owning significant assets. Factories, forests, farm fields and larger residential houses they owned were expropriated. They had no right to have their own ethnic name. In censuses they were classified as “undecided,” their language had to be the Serbo-Croatian. They were not allowed to have their Academy of Sciences or other national and cultural institutions.”

“Mosques, madrassas and other institutions of Islamic education were shut down or severely constrained. The Grand Mufti was de facto appointed by the Central Committee of the Communist Party. Political parties (except the Communist Party) were not allowed to exist. Free media was abolished. Those who resisted the ideological terror of the Communist regime were imprisoned. The resistance of the young Bosniak intellectuals who were organized under the illegal organization “Young Muslims” was crushed with draconian measures and penalties. Its leaders were executed or sentenced to decades in prison. The terror against the Bosniaks that stretched throughout the twentieth century, changing only in form and intensity, caused the bulk of them to seek refuge in exile abroad,”he said.

President of Bosnia also mentioned that about two million Bosniaks live in Bosnia today, while twice as many went to Turkey, the United States and European countries through several waves of emigration.

Complicated government structure

Speaking about the complicated governmental structure of Bosnia and Herzegovina, President Izetbegovic said, “The structures of government established by the Dayton Peace Agreement are very complicated. The decision-making procedures provide too many opportunities to block progress. This is why Bosnia is seriously lagging behind on its path towards membership in the European Union. Forces and actors that devastated Bosnia with military means are still strongly present in its political life, and there is always the danger they will try to complete their war aims by political means, by blocking the state and making its institutions dysfunctional. This must be prevented, and stabilizing reforms must be continued, with the help of the international community.”

Bosnia; a crossroads of civilisations

Rebuilding of the multiethnic matrix is needed. Bosnian President said, “The rebuilding of the multiethnic matrix of Bosnia that was torn by force and crimes must be completed. Bosnia is one of those places where relations and emotions from the whole world entangle and untangle. It is a meeting point, a crossroads of civilizations, a bridge between the East and the West. The restoration and preservation of this microcosm is important not only for Bosnia and the Bosniaks. It is of crucial importance for the whole world. It thus should be supported by the whole world.”

President Bakir Izetbegovic said, “ As Surah Al-Balad conveys to us “We created man into hardship ... to climb the steep trail.” The struggle for freedom, dignity and democracy is akin to climbing a treacherous steep trail. “The Bosnian experience teaches that it is easier to climb this trail if you hold tightly to the rope of faith, morality and knowledge; if you are forgiving; if you are not afraid of freedom; if you are not afraid of the other and the different; if you are inclusive; if you protect and nurture diversity; if you embrace change that brings progress; if you can unite diverse forces around a common cause and if you have leadership that is moderate, wise, patient and genuinely rooted in the nation.”

We must harmonize our actions

with His (God’s) Will

Concluding his lecture, Bosnian President said, “We belong to a living faith whose return to the global stage will mark the twenty-first century, a faith that will have to contribute to stopping negative global trends. The growing power of humankind brings progress and prosperity. Yet, the selfish side of that power cuts into the very substance on which our future depends – our physical habitat and our spiritual essence. Our world is changing at a speed and in a direction that is worrysome. There is ever more violence, alienation, injustice, inequality, intolerance, pollution and depletion of natural resources. And there is ever less goodness, justice, compassion, humanity, solidarity, healthy relations and family life.”

“The direction in which the world is going must be changed. Ideologies that do not respect God, or are against God, are obviously not capable of doing that. It can be done only by those who respect the One who created the world and the order of things within it. The wondrous planet on which we live and die is completely unique in the universe. There is nothing like it in the sight of the most powerful telescopes. We are used to it, so this wonder no longer astonishes us,” said Bosnian President and added, “Everything on this planet is a testimony to the Almighty Creator’s touch and His intent to make a home for us. He endowed us with a miraculous gift: free will in a world that is completely determined. We must show appreciation and responsibility. We must harmonize our actions with His Will. We must bear this gift properly, with devotion. Particularly those of us He calls the Devoted.”

Bosnian President on Islam and its contributions to civilizations

Bosnian President Mr. Bakir Izetbegovic on

Islam and its Contributions to Civilizations

Dr. Mozammel Haque

Mr. Bakir Izetbegovic, the Member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, toured the beautiful new building of the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies (OXCIS), Oxford, on 28 October, 2013. The building was only in the planning stages when he visited the Centre twelve years ago, that was in April, 2001, he came with his father, Alija Izetbegovic who gave a lecture at the Centre entitled “Bosnia on the Historical Border.”

Bosnian President at the Oxford

Centre for Islamic Studies

Mr. Bakir Izetbegovic gave a lecture at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, Oxford, entitled “The Quest for Dignity, Freedom and Democracy in the Islamic World: A Bosnian Muslim’s Perspective” at the Examination Schools, Oxford, on 28 October 2013. This write-up is based entirely on the lecture delivered by the President of Bosnia and Herzegovina.  I am grateful to the Bosnian Ambassador in the UK, Mr; Mustafa Mujezinovic, and his staff for their cooperation and I am also grateful to the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies for inviting me to attend the lecture.

Alija Izetbegovic

Bosnian President started his lecture with an introduction to the former President of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Alija Izetbegovic, saying, “In his rich and eventful life my father was many things: a writer, a dissident, a statesman. If I had to describe the essence of his vocation and commitment, I would say he was a fighter for freedom, equality and dignity of Muslims, and for the proper understanding of Islam. He had visions and dreams of the awakening of Muslims from centuries of lethargy, and of the return of the Islamic world to the centre stage of history.”

He quoted from one of his early works, Alija Izetbegovic wrote: “The entire Muslim world is in a state of ferment and change. No matter what this world will look like after these changes make their first upward cycle, one thing is certain: it will no longer be the world of the first half of this century. The age of passivity and stagnation has passed forever. For, a world of 700 million people, with tremendous natural resources, occupying a first class geographical position, the world which is heir to colossal cultural and political traditions and the bearer of the living Islamic mission, cannot long remain in a position of subjection. There is no power that can prevent the new Muslim generation from putting an end to this abnormal state.”

Forty four years have passed since these words were written, said Bosnian President Bakir Izetbegovic and continued, “The number of Muslims in the world has since doubled. The economic power of the Ummah has grown tenfold. The number of schools, students and teachers in some parts of the Islamic world has increased hundredfold. The flourishing of the Islamic world has begun to disrupt its ossified structures of power. We are witnessing social fractures, revolutions and conflicts. Profound social and political changes that have been fermenting for decades are finally moving in the direction of creating free societies and democratic structures of government. A well-educated, free-thinking generation of Muslims is yearning for free societies instead of closed ones, the rule of law instead of the rule of one person, democracy instead of authoritarianism, justice and fairness instead of oppression and corruption. No force can stop this generation from winning freedom, taking charge of their destiny and taking part in shaping the world of the future. No matter all the staggering, mistakes, crises, and stalemates, this process is irreversible and unstoppable.”

Inclusive Islam

Bosnian President said, “The spirit of Islam is inclusive. It acknowledges all that is good and progressive. It is not destructive. It builds and upgrades. Anything that makes the world better and liberates human creativity cannot be against Islam. Anything that is truly Islamic cannot be against freedom, progress and the liberation of human potential.”

Muslim contribution to universal

culture and civilization

He also mentioned, “In not so distant past, Muslims made colossal contributions to the development of universal culture and civilization because that generation of Muslims accepted, with joy and curiosity, and then cultivated, the knowledge discovered in the conquered territories. One Byzantine emperor noted with amazement that an Arab general, whom he called "barbarian,” sought, as a term of armistice, the right to purchase Greek manuscripts. Cultural, scientific, and technological ideas and advances could not be prevented from disseminating even then, in the time when the territories and nations were strictly separated.”

Formula of inclusiveness and integration

“There is an intense battle of ideas and ideologies, which permeate, collide and create synergies,” mentioned Mr. Bakir Izetbegovic and said, “Muslims must engage in this battle. We must remain open to dialogue. We must not be poisoned by the bitterness accumulated through centuries of physical and spiritual domination by the West. We must not fall into the trap of radicalism. We must not give in to the desire for revenge. We must not fear the other and the different. We must not subscribe to the dangerous ideologies of isolation, introversion and exclusiveness. We have to look for a formula of inclusiveness, for a functional combination of the original Islamic values and the best of values we consider Western and modern. European Muslims play a special role in the quest for this formula of integration and inclusiveness because we are in direct contact with and immersed in Western culture, and because we have a special interest in reconciling the traditional within and the modern around us.”

Europe is not the birthplace of

Any monotheistic religion

Europe is not the birthplace of any monotheistic religion. President Izetbegovic mentioned, “When we talk about Islam and Muslims in Europe, it is necessary to immediately refute the view that Europe is exclusively Christian and that European culture is exclusively Judeo-Christian. It is especially important to refute the dangerous fallacy about the alleged cultural and civilizational conflict between the supposedly progressive Christian Europe, on one hand, and supposedly retrograde Islamic-Oriental threat, on the other hand.”

“Europe is not the birth place of any of the great monotheistic religions. Jesus Christ was neither born, nor did he preach in Europe. All three great monotheistic religions came from the same source, from the same, relatively narrow geographic region. Most importantly, all three religions brought nearly identical messages and teach identical basic values. Islam is no stranger to Europe. Nor is Islam alien to the spirit of Europe,” said Bosnian President

Islam intensely present in Europe

Quite the contrary, he said, “there probably would not be what we know today as the spirit of Europe without Islam’s contribution to the formation of European identity and culture. Islam has been intensely present in Europe for over 1,300 years, having arrived in some of its parts more than two centuries before Christianity. The Umayyad Caliphate was established on European soil in the early eighth century. The Islamic state had reached heights in philosophy, science, technology and state organization by the time Christianity expanded to eastern, central and northern Europe. Islam influenced the formation of spiritual and cultural identity in north-eastern Europe through the Golden Horde and the Crimean, Kazan and Astrakhan Khanates; and in south-eastern Europe through the vital and powerful Ottoman Empire.”

Humanistic revival in the West

Islamic thought introduced historical science and scientific method and laid the foundation of the Italian Renaissance. Bosnian President said, “Islamic thought initiated the humanistic revival in the West, introduced historical science and the scientific method, helped Scholastics reconcile philosophy with faith, stimulated Western mysticism, laid the foundations of the Italian renaissance, and directed modern European thought until Kant. Muslims were the bearers of progress in that era. They were the bridge between the philosophy and knowledge of the ancient Greece and the science of the Western world. Much has been written and said, including at this Centre, about the contributions of Islamic scholars to medicine, mathematics, astronomy, chemistry, geography, architecture and finance. All of this clearly confirms that Muslims are the co-creators, and thus co-owners, of European culture and civilization.”

We must harmonize our actions

with His (God’s) Will

Concluding his lecture, Bosnian President said, “We belong to a living faith whose return to the global stage will mark the twenty-first century, a faith that will have to contribute to stopping negative global trends. The growing power of humankind brings progress and prosperity. Yet, the selfish side of that power cuts into the very substance on which our future depends – our physical habitat and our spiritual essence. Our world is changing at a speed and in a direction that is worrysome. There is ever more violence, alienation, injustice, inequality, intolerance, pollution and depletion of natural resources. And there is ever less goodness, justice, compassion, humanity, solidarity, healthy relations and family life.”

“The direction in which the world is going must be changed. Ideologies that do not respect God, or are against God, are obviously not capable of doing that. It can be done only by those who respect the One who created the world and the order of things within it. The wondrous planet on which we live and die is completely unique in the universe. There is nothing like it in the sight of the most powerful telescopes. We are used to it, so this wonder no longer astonishes us,” said Bosnian President and added, “Everything on this planet is a testimony to the Almighty Creator’s touch and His intent to make a home for us. He endowed us with a miraculous gift: free will in a world that is completely determined. We must show appreciation and responsibility. We must harmonize our actions with His Will. We must bear this gift properly, with devotion. Particularly those of us He calls the Devoted.”