Time to Embrace the Muslim World as a Partner, not an Enemy

Religion is only a part of an individuals identity. India and Pakistan divided on the basis of religion. Later urdu speaking Pakistan and Bangladeshi speaking Bangladesh fought each other and became two seperate countries.

European civil war ended when they formed European Economic Council [ How can we make money together ]

When the Muslim world dissociates from violence, it can be embraced.

Giving lip service to terrorism and simple criticism in words fools no one. Demanding mutual respect at this time of inadequate development of Islam is absurd.

You will be respected if you behave respectably. Islam is not even close at this time.

Political acts of a secular nation like the U.S. may justify political acts in retaliation. But religious terrorism or jihad in response to a secular nations actions are not acceptable responses from a religion asking to be respected.

Muslims must learn to understand the difference between religion and politics. Otherwise, they will be doomed to suffer because of the underdeveloped and maldeveloped philosophy of Islam, which accepts violence.

Embracing the Muslim world in its current form: not a good idea. Embracing and encouraging moderate voices within the Muslim world, however, is a different story. The U.S. must work to cultivate and strengthen moderate Muslims who will bring about change internally--change that recognizes fundamental freedoms: freedom of religion, freedom of expression, freedom of association. When Muslims within their own countries can freely express themselves and when they welcome the free practice of religion and when they adopt more democratic principles, then the U.S. should embrace those Muslim countries. It's hard to feel warm and fuzzy towards a Muslim country that imposes the death penalty for something like apostasy or blasphemy.

'But on the fore end of your post you may have been a bit one sided. Our "priests" (read fundamentalist christians), can be essentially every bit as incite full and divisive as their muslim counterparts. Drive them into the sea while we are at the work of purging the problem.'

While I don't disagree in principle, and acknowledge the divisiveness and various other evils of Christian fundamentalists in full, as well as what I view as their theocratic war on our rights, I will grant them this much: They've been mellowed in their actions by democracy, our Constitution, and an intervening Age of Reason back there a bit. Basically, their body count has gone down significantly in the last 100 years. Now they are far more likely to get up to their undermining of decency, reason and fairness in the courts, as opposed to blowing things up. So, yes, I can't wait until they grow out of it, and think humanity would be better off without their way of 'thinking', but I can't paint them with completely with the same brush, at least not using recent history.

When the Muslim world starts moving in the direction of democracy and human rights, I will begin to believe you.

When you and other Muslim women take of that headscarf, I will begin to believe you. I have heard all the arguments in favor of it, and I still find it deeply offensive to women.

When the Muslim world distances itself from sharia laws and oppression of women (and no, different but equal is not it), I will begin to believe you.

Unfortunately, none of this is going to happen in the forseeable future. So the Western world will have to reach out anyway.

The rational, secular world begs the question, why is there an Islamic/Muslim world? We understand the Judaic world at least. It is a tribal theocratic apartheid state that acts in its own self interest.

The term "Christian World" does not get much play because all of the Western world nations have laws that prevent theocracy and protect freedom of worship. Despite what conservative Christians would have us believe, a goodly percentage of Americans are secular and only give lip service to religion, and a majority of Europeans are secualar and agnostic if not atheist.

I do not see where the Western world owes support to Israel, nor to theocratic Islamic states. Even where Islamic states are not theocracies, Sharia law is allowed to govern Muslims, which means Muslim women are subject to the disriminatory laws of Islam regardless of their beliefs.

I do not particularly won't the secular to embrace theocracies of any kind. When there are no more Islamic theocracies, then it will be time for closer relationships.

Until then, the secular is in an ideological war with the Cults of Abraham, and will most often be in a violent war with Islam.

Harristheyounger,

I like what you wrote in the tail end of your post about what the US can offer the muslim world. Basically it is the liberties and freedoms of our democratic model. Good.

But on the fore end of your post you may have been a bit one sided. Our "priests" (read fundamentalist christians), can be essentially every bit as incite full and divisive as their muslim counterparts. Drive them into the sea while we are at the work of purging the problem.

The Palestinians are the victims of Christians, who are up to their necks in anti-Semitism. They initiated and carried out the holocaust in Europe; they forced the Jews out of Europe and unto the Palestinians. They armed the Jews with weapons and money to make sure that their repugnant anti-Semitism prevailed. The holocaust never stopped, it was moved to and upon the Palestinians. The Jews had every right to stay in Europe, where they had been for some two thousand years as any other people would have. And that should have been the topic of the Balfour Declaration (Balfour’s folly), and not the none-stop slaughter and displacement of Palestinians. Finally, as the Palestinians never bought into that declaration, how can you force a people to be party to a contract, which they don't willing accept? That's against the laws of God and man, thus we have the Middle East mess, a unilateral contract being forced upon a people at the point of guns. Seemingly, all people, the world over, note the stench of this but us. Could it be that our filters are fogged by what we did to our fellow American Indians? I think so.
Some sixty years have passed and it’s high time that we set straight our twisted and repugnant notions about Palestine and get a grip on the reality that but for Balfour’s Declaration our Twin Towers would still be standing and some thirty-three hundred Americans would still be alive. And don’t tell me that this is God’s doings. I am not buying it. It’s Balfour’s doing and only his. God wouldn’t touch this mess with a universe long pole; it must be a stench to his nostrils. Furthermore, if God, the love inestimable One, is capable of such gross murder and mayhem, then why do we need Satan, aren’t they on the same page? Since Adam, man has used God as a cover to smokescreen his dirty, dastardly and murderous deeds. I see no exceptions here. We need to stop lying on Him. Jeremiah said the same thing. Enough already!!

It would be nice to believe the Muslim world could embrace America not as an enemy but a partner, but, by the typical Abrahamic intolerance and inflexibility of this religion, it's not likely.

'Basically, unless the United States bends over and gives in to all the demands of the muslim world(israel/palestine, kashmir etc etc.), it will continue to be looked upon unfavorably in the muslim world.'

Hell, that and a nickel won't buy you a cup of coffee. We could bend over and do all of those things, and might get a day's worth of 'well, maybe the U.S. isn't so bad'. It would last exactly as long as it took a few mullahs and imams to work up a good rant about us, then it's back to 'Death To America!', burning our flag and presidents in effigy, absolutely flooding the streets of major cities howling for our blood, etc, etc...

Until *that* element is marginalized by secular government and made to work within the lines of a decent and just society the general dynamic will never change.

Drive your priests into the sea. They are the thing that makes it so hard to believe that it's a 'tiny fraction' of Muslims that believe that way. It seems more like the larger portion is reasonable until told to be otherwise by an old man who says it is the 'Will of Allah', and every town has one.

What are we even talking about? Have their been serious wrongs done by the U.S. in the region? Of course. Is that the root cause of the general issue? Hell no, but okay. You want an exchange between the Muslim world and the U.S.? Okay, here is the *very* best gift that we can *ever* give you. It's advice, it took us a long time to get right, we've worked hard at it, and so far it's worked for us:

Oust your tyrants, both royal *and* religious. Settle for nothing less than self-government. No one can inherit the 'right' to rule you, by blood *or* by faith.

Separate your Church (or Mosque) from your State, and do it sharply.

Recognize the value of your female population and grant them EVERY right a man has.

No one can inherit the right to rule you by virtue of their blood, or by their mastery of a single book, regardless of what that book is. In fact, the more books they've mastered the better, as a general rule.

Rule *yourselves* based on equal justice under a fair and decent system of laws.

By fair I mean including women. I'm stressing that point because it appears to need it.

In all sincerity that is *the* best thing our side of the table has on it, and you can take it any time you want.

Take a look at the latest IPSOS poll. A lot of people around the world have a positive opinion of the US. Indians, Poles Brazilians and others etc continue to look upon favorably upon the US and it's people. If the reputation of the US is at an all time low in the muslim world, perhaps it is the fault of of the islamic worldview? Basically, unless the United States bends over and gives in to all the demands of the muslim world(israel/palestine, kashmir etc etc.), it will continue to be looked upon unfavorably in the muslim world.

For people who want to read the ipsos poll: http://www.ipsos-na.com/news/pressrelease.cfm?id=4243

Under the category "Favorability Towards the United States", 72% of Indians have a favorable opinion of the US. That's 72% of a billion people. Incidentally, there are approximately a billion muslims.

Under the category "Contributes to the Global Economy", 82% of Indians and 72% of Chinese have a favorable opinion of the US. Yes. 72% of 1.2 billion Chinese.

As an immigrant to this country, I've never understood why some Americans beat themselves up over what the muslim world thinks of America.

'Anti-Americanism in the Muslim world is not driven by hatred of U.S. values, but U.S. policies in the region.'

...yeah, right. That's why Bin Laden's main beef with us that he went on and on about before and after 9/11 was that we'd had troops in Saudi Arabia (saving Saudi ass). That's why it's always mullahs and imams running their mouths about our decadence that really get the crowds going. If the muslim world has a problem with U.S. policies then go form at least TWO respectable democracies that aren't window dressing for theocrats. Then, sure, maybe.

OK, pardner! Let's *go to it!* :)

Five Steps to Save Islam!!!

Using "The 77 Branches of Islamic "faith", a collection compiled by Imam Bayhaqi as a starting point- In it, he explains the essential virtues that reflect true "faith" (iman) through related Qur’anic verses and Prophetic sayings." i.e. a nice summary of the Koran and Islamic beliefs.

"1. Belief in Allah"

"aka as God, Yahweh, Zeus, Jehovah, Mother Nature, etc." should be added to your cleansing neurons.

"2. To believe that everything other than Allah was non-existent. Thereafter, Allah Most High created these things and subsequently they came into existence."

Evolution and the Big Bang or the "Gib Gnab" (when the universe starts to recycle) are more plausible and the "akas" for Allah should be included if you continue to be a "creationist".

"3. To believe in the existence of angels."

A major item for neuron cleansing. Angels/devils are the mythical creations of ancient civilizations, e.g. Hittites, to explain/define natural events, contacts with their gods, big birds, sudden winds, protectors during the dark nights, etc. No "pretty/ugly wingy thingies" ever visited or talked to Mohammed, Jesus, Mary or Joseph or Joe Smith. Today we would classify angels as fairies and "tinker bells". Modern devils are classified as the demons of the demented.

"4. To believe that all the heavenly books that were sent to the different prophets are true. However, apart from the Quran, all other books are not valid anymore."

Another major item to delete. There are no books written in the spirit state of Heaven (if there is one) just as there are no angels/"pwtfft"s to write/publish/distribute them. The Koran, OT, NT etc. are simply books written by humans for humans.

Prophets were invented by ancient scribes typically to keep the uneducated masses in line. Today we call them fortune tellers.

Prophecies are also invalidated by the natural/God/Allah gifts of Free Will and Future.
"5. To believe that all the prophets are true. However, we are commanded to follow the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) alone."

Mohammed spent thirty days fasting in a hot cave before his first contact with Allah aka God etc. via a "pretty wingy thingy". Common sense demands a neuron deletion of #5. #5 is also the major source of Islamic violence i.e. turning Mohammed's "fast, hunger-driven" hallucinations into horrible reality for unbelievers.

Thank you Ms. Mubarak for this essay. It is rational and insightful, and should be obvious to any thinking person. Conditioning in the western mind, like any mind, can be stubborn to get through. But it is common sense that American interventions and policies of regime change, covert cold war politics and post world war policies have caused a great deal of harm, and wrong, to the middle east as well as the rest of the world. America should take greater responsibility, starting with awareness and recognition consciously and openly, about the effect of these policies and actions on the 'islamic world'.
We should be dialoguing more on this message, and I appreciate your input to it. I hope it helps to open the eyes of many who have failed to see this perspective and these injustices more clearly.
Peace.

What must happen ?

-They(muslims) want sovereighty ?
This is field research in Syria,Jordan,Qatar,Pakistan,India and Turkey.
Arent these countries sovereign nations ?

-They want Justice and Equality(which equality,man-woman equality) and that proves there is no Justice,Equality and Democracy in muslim countries.

Will always non-muslims try to embrace the muslim world ? Wont muslims do anything ? Wont muslims try to embrace Human Rights and Democracy ?
They want US/Contemporary Values,but they dont try to embrace them,this is not reasonable.
*I want money,but I dont work,so how can I earn money*
*I want Democracy,but I dont reform anything,so how can I have Democracy*
I will not try for Democracy and I will criticize US not to bring Democracy,so how will Democracy come ?

Dear Mubarak,

You confess that there is no Justice,Equality(first of all,man-woman equality) and Democracy in muslim countries.I agree.It's an absolute reality indeed,nobody needs to research anything.
Why,why,why there are not Justice,Equality and Democracy in the muslim world ? This is the *core issue*

Ms Mubarek, Thank you for taking the time to write and issue the column. Conscientious, compassionate dialogue is absolutely necessary to start healing the relationships between the cultures. I suggest that, contrary to what is implied/suggested insome of the comments that have been posted in reaction to your column, we can't demand that the other party is near perfect before starting an ambitious dialogue. We need to start now, with what and who we have at hand. We're all in this together.

One cant argue with the fact that the US foreign policy particularly relating to the Muslim world is flawed. However, the need of the hour is also for all Muslims to do some introspection of their own.
The effects that attacks like Sep 11 and Nov 26(Mumbai,India)on the well being of Muslims in the free, flat world are bound to be adverse.
Osama bin Laden did the greatest disservice to Islam by carrying out 9/11. Never again can a Khan, Hussein, Bilal, Ahmed……………Hadia Hussein or for that matter anybody with a Muslim sounding name travel to another country, especially a non Islamic one without arousing suspicion. Muslims have lost their freedom to travel in the world at large, without constantly having to look over their shoulders. And they owe this singular privilege to ‘Al Qaeda’.
For more read http://maverickindianmusings.blogspot.com/search/label/Religion

The US has been an unconditional ally of Pakistan. Billions of US dollars have been pumped into Pakistan. Yet Pakistan has been a military dictatorship for most of its 62 year history. Why? Why does it make India into a bogeyman and wage constant wars with India?

Why does Pakistan try to annexe Kashmir in the name of Islam when 150 million Muslims live in India in freedom of their own free will?

There are 150 million Indian Muslims. When out of state actors turn up from Pakistan and try to bleed India to death with a thousand cuts, 150 million Indian Muslims suffer. Kashmir was never a part of Pakistan. Why does it try to annexe Pakistan in the name of Islam when 150 million Muslims live in India?