Date:         Mon, 21 Jul 2008 11:50:08 +0530
Reply-To:     ajay ohri <ohri2007@GMAIL.COM>
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From:         ajay ohri <ohri2007@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: A Call for Reassessment
In-Reply-To:  <68630fae-563d-4c14-8f14-a724b1c52f78@26g2000hsk.googlegroups.com>
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we need a moderator ?

On Mon, Jul 21, 2008 at 11:04 AM, <af_1999@hotmail.com> wrote:

> A Call for Reassessment
>
> A Letter Addressed to Intellectual and Opinion Leaders in the 'West'
>
> From the Conference on
>
> Glorification of the Sanctities of  Islam
>
> Held in Kuwait city, Kuwait, January 22-24, 2007
> - Preamble
>
> In the name of Allah, the Unique One, who is no God but He, and no one
> deserves to be worshiped but He, the Lord of the prophets: Abraham,
> Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad, the seal of all prophets, (Peace be upon
> all of them).
>
> This letter was drafted by a group of Muslim scholars and
> intellectuals who recently gathered to discuss development in the
> relationship with the 'West', and the best and most logical manner to
> deal with the acceleration of infringements on the sanctities of Islam
> and Muslims by individuals, and by governmental, religious, and media
> organizations in the 'West'.
>
> We, the signatories to this letter, address western thinkers,
> intellectuals, and decision makers as well as the leaders of grass-
> root movements and religious institutions. To all of them we state the
> following regarding this current phenomenon:
>
> When an entire nation faces repeated and accelerated aggressions
> directed towards what is respected and holy to its people by groups
> from other nations, reactions will emerge and questions will be raised
> as to the rationale behind these transgressions, and the environment
> which created the milieu for these continued attacks. Nonetheless, it
> is for the benefit of all humanity that these transgressions and
> attacks come to an end.
>
> No other community on the face of the earth today suffers from
> occupation, injustice and transgression from certain western forces
> more than Muslim world. No other peoples or nations are currently
> mocked, ridiculed, and hence suffered because of the western attacks
> on their religion and their holy symbols as much as the Muslim world.
> This phenomenon has reached an unacceptable level of infringement and
> injustice considering that these actions are directed at a worldwide
> culture and exceptional civilization with an immense history and
> against a divine religion representing more than a quarter of the
> world population. For this reason, we believe it is important to draw
> attention to our position concerning this phenomenon to allow for
> mistakes to be addressed and path to be rectified.
>
> - Present Relationship
>
> We realize that the western perspective regarding Islam was not
> initially positive for several reasons, the most important of which is
> that Europeans did not deal directly with Islamic culture which led to
> a continuing sense of unease and apprehension. Disunited Europeans
> eventually attempted to create a Christian front against Islam. Islam
> became the exterior enemy capable of unifying a Europe which was until
> then no more than scattered groups killing one another.
>
> There is no doubt that generalizations may lead to misjudgments. In
> this regard, we are aware of how Europe and America have attempted
> over past centuries to rid themselves of the western civilization's
> deficiencies in dealing with the concept of 'Others'.  However,
> incidents during the past few years have totally shattered these
> attempts.
>
> In this letter, when we address the 'West', we mean western society in
> general.  We are not only addressing the forces antagonistic to Islam,
> but also those who are fair, and we realize that the 'West' is
> diverse.
>
> - Examples of Aggressions
>
> We draw the attention of the intellectuals and opinion leaders of the
> 'West' to the gravity of the increasing and accelerating attacks.  It
> is unconceivable and unacceptable to witness - in less than three
> years - a series of attacks on what is sacred to us beginning with an
> assault on our Lord's holy book (the Noble Quran) by the authoring,
> publication and distribution of a parody of the Quran in which the
> beliefs, legislations, ethics, and history of our religion are
> ridiculed.  This was followed by a prejudiced and malicious campaign
> against the person of our Prophet (peace be upon him) describing him
> with the most repulsive attributes and picturing  him with the most
> mocking and ridiculing caricatures.
>
> The source of these attacks emerged from a Danish newspaper spreading
> to several European countries where certain news outlets supported and
> others encouraged the spread of these caricatures.  The situation grew
> even worse when the Roman Catholic Pope described Islam, the Quran,
> and the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) in a prepared public
> speech with attributes that are unjust, to say the least.
>
> Muslims worldwide are also closely following the repeated assaults on
> the noble Quran at the hands of American soldiers in detention centers
> of Abu Ghraib in Iraq and Guantanamo in Cuba where the degradation of
> human beings was coupled with the humiliations of the Quran.
>
> It continues to surprise Muslims worldwide to follow the news about
> infringements of personal freedoms of Muslim citizens and residents in
> the largest capitals of western countries.  Let us also not forget the
> repeated attacks on mosques in occupied Iraq and Afghanistan sometimes
> through direct destruction, or by other means such as forced entry
> into mosques under the pretext of rooting out and killing militants,
> which, in turn, leads to the killing of innocent people inside these
> mosques.
>
> There is also an air of superiority transpiring from the sayings of
> many leaders and politicians, the writings of some thinkers, and also
> in diverse media productions such as movies, series and novels that
> made it a habit of stigmatizing Islam with defects, violence and
> terrorism.
>
> We are perplexed by the continued lack of public outcry from the
> majority of intellectual and opinion leaders against these repeated
> acts of aggression which occur in your countries in the 'West'. It
> leads us to question which side you belong to: the side of freedom for
> all, protecting human rights of others, and supporting the global
> ethic of respect, or the side of repression and curbing other people's
> desires to preserve their own identities?  We indeed ask:  Are you
> siding with the insolence and mockery of the prophets in the name of
> the freedom of expression, or siding with freedom against the
> phenomenon of repression and suppression?
>
> - The Attack on the Prophet of Islam (Peace be upon him)
>
> Although some civilizations have engaged in wars against Muslims in
> the past, most have not retained the hatred heritage toward the
> Prophet of Islam when compared with the small countries of Europe and
> their churches at the same time.  Furthermore, Christian animosity
> toward Islam and the Prophet of Islam outside of western Europe were
> never transformed into what has been observed in western Europe; an
> historical abhorrence which was celebrated and emphasized during
> religious occasions and was portrayed on the walls and ceilings of
> cathedrals and houses of worship.  It is a phenomenon worth studying
> and it is more important to limit its negative impact.
>
> We question the reasons behind the endeavors of certain people in the
> 'West' to destroy the reputation of historical and contemporary role
> models. For those who live with no role models, we believe they will
> have no future; and a nation with no sense of history is like a
> building with no foundation.
>
> Is this, perhaps, the fundamental raison d'etre for the focused attack
> on our Prophet? Do certain movements in the 'West' - calling for
> materialism and decadence - want human beings in general, and Muslims
> in particular, to abandon their desire to follow the steps of
> enlightened historical role models?
>
> We are convinced that attacks such as these recent ones on the best
> role models in our tradition are nothing but a clarion call in a chain
> of events attempting to eradicate the historical value of these
> exemplars.
>
> We remain confident that the Muslim world will never waver when it
> comes to defending the Prophet of Islam and all other Prophets. This
> is a dividing line which we will never allow it to be crossed on the
> false pretext of free expression of opinions or views.  Furthermore,
> the Muslim world can not be forced to accept all the outcomes of
> freedom of expression in the 'West' just as the 'West' does not want
> to accept some of the outcomes of other human freedoms in the 'East'.
>
> We call upon western intellectuals to take a strong stance in dealing
> with these attacks. We expect they will be more concerned with
> protecting the accomplishments of the western civilization rather than
> protecting the 'rights' claimed by some in the 'West' to scorn others
> and ridicule Prophets.
>
> - The Aggression on Al-Aqsa Mosque (The Mosque of all the Prophets)
>
> We consider the occupation and repeated attacks on Al-Aqsa mosque to
> be yet another example of aggressive behavior on what is considered
> sacred and holy to Muslims everywhere. These transgressions are
> happening with the support or silence of most western governments and
> the approval of some western religious movements as well.
>
> It is worth noting that the Veto right of United States of America is
> rarely used in the United Nations for any purpose but to defend
> repeated Zionist attacks on occupied Palestinian land and to protect
> Jewish domination on Al-Aqsa mosque, which Muslims worldwide will
> never forfeit.
>
> We reiterate our inquiries to the intellectual and opinion leaders:
> What is your position regarding these transgressions on what is sacred
> to Muslims in Palestine, and regarding injustices incurred by the
> Palestinian people who are deprived of their most basic rights.
>
> We observe the blatant contradiction of the 'West' when it calls upon
> Muslims to adopt western forms of democracy while the same western
> governments agonize over what kind of free elections and what form of
> government Palestinians can be free to choose.
>
> The silence of western intellectuals and thinkers about these
> transgressions on what is sacred to Muslims in Palestine is
> humiliating; it is a stain on the foreheads of those who champion
> freedom and democracy in the 'West'.
>
> We call upon you to remove this stain by joining forces with many
> impartial intellectuals worldwide who are actively defending the
> rights of peoples and nations to liberate their occupied lands, to
> recover their holy sites, to fight for their rights to freely choose
> their representatives and those who would manage their political and
> social affairs, to retain their human dignity and their ability to
> resist humiliation and occupation, and to stand against injustice
> using all legitimate means.
>
> - Mocking the Islamic Veil
>
> Personal freedom is central to western democracies. It can be seen in
> western contemporary social life and also in intellectual literature.
> It should then be one of the fundamental rights of women in a
> democracy to have the personal freedom to choose their own clothes as
> far as they are not contradicting any general moral or social value.
>
> The Muslim world is astonished to watch the increased attacks and
> mockery of the veil of Muslim women in the 'West'. These attacks
> directly contradict democratic principles which are currently being
> promoted in the Muslim world. The world's women-rights groups have not
> taken any concerted steps to defend the rights of Muslim Women. We
> cannot help but wonder how the right of nudity is accepted and
> defended while the right of decency is attacked and questioned?
>
> One of the basic human rights in the 'West' is the right for one's
> identity to be preserved and even protected and not attacked. How can
> the 'West' allow attacks on its own Muslim citizens for exercising the
> right to wear what suit them? Furthermore, we ask: what happened to
> the religious, social, and intellectual heritage of the western world?
> Modest western women would –and still do– wear decent clothing which
> closely resemble the Islamic dress code as in the cases of nuns and
> countryside women?
>
> If the 'West' has abandoned this legacy of decency, does it mean the
> rest of the world must follow suit?  We reject the 'war on decency' in
> today's world.  We also do not accept the notion that this is the
> price to be paid for modernity and prosperity. Could the attacks on
> the veil of Muslim women result from the fact that, in itself, it
> represents just another symbol of decency?
>
> The laws and regulations that were passed recently by several European
> countries to limit the rights of women to wear the veil appear to be a
> clear negation of their civil liberties.  We wonder: is this happening
> because of a continued sense of animosity toward Islam by some, or
> because of the anti-decency position of some liberal supporters, or is
> it simply to please supporters of social and moral decadence? These
> are questions directed at western thinkers and intellectuals by the
> Muslim world.  Our expectation is that they must stand firm against
> double standards in western intellectual norms which this phenomenon
> points to.
>
> - Confrontation of Ideas
>
> Islam has been stained with numerous accusations in the last few years
> by a group of thinkers and religious and political personalities in
> the 'West'.  The accusations range from allegations that Islam has
> spread by the sword, that 'Reason' has no place in the Islamic
> intellect, that Islam is a religion of terrorism and backwardness, and
> other false accusations.
>
> This letter does not aim at providing a detailed refutation of each of
> these allegations. We, nevertheless, highlight the fact that they
> contradict rational discussions and also breach basic research
> principles accepted worldwide. It seems, however, that these
> allegations correspond well with the policy of 'War of Ideas' which
> some American influential institutions are calling for in order to
> alter Islam.
>
> We recognize that Islam has propagated through Jihad for the cause of
> Allah and it also has spread by other peaceful means. In fact, all
> civilizations have acquired and used force to preserve and defend
> their accomplishments and values.  Moreover, we draw your attention to
> the fact that the concept of 'Just War' was accepted by the European
> Church and the secular movements in order to preserve the interests of
> the western civilization. Why then deny the same philosophical
> position when it comes to Islam?
>
> Any person studying world history would realize that millions of
> people in many countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines
> as well as some Asian and African nations have accepted Islam even
> though they were never invaded or attacked by any Muslim military
> force.
>
> Another question: Why does Islam continue to grow worldwide nowadays
> and more particularly in the 'West' with no use of any military force
> to propagate it?  It is happening, we believe, because of Islam's
> inherited influence and its harmony with the best of human nature.
>
> As for the fundamental place of Reason in Islamic civilization in
> comparison with other civilizations, we must begin by stressing that
> historians unanimously agree that western history is full of incidents
> which either disregard the role of reason or idolize it; thus in fact,
> moving from one extreme to the opposite.
>
> On the other hand, the Muslim world has been known for its moderation
> in the use of reason to properly serve humanity.  We ask: why do
> certain religious leaders in the 'West' try to attack the role of
> reason in Islam? Is it to conceal deficiencies they encounter within
> their own faith, or to align forces with the secular movement in its
> confrontation with Islam?
>
> We call upon Church leaders to reexamine their own beliefs beginning
> with the concept of divinity.  Upon rigorous introspection and
> research, they will perhaps recognize the more-than-ample rational
> contradictions that this concept holds.  The overpowering domination
> of Church leaders and their hostility towards science and reason could
> have been the main reason for the revolution against the Church in the
> past, and could also have inspired the materialistic and atheist wave
> which has developed throughout western countries.
>
> We invite western intellectuals and thinkers to unshackle themselves
> from an intellectual position that was inherited from unjust religious
> wars, which the 'West' itself called 'Crusades'; wars that perfectly
> fit today's definition of 'terrorist warfare'.  As for those who
> accuse us today of terrorism, they were and still are the cause of
> most of the horrors and catastrophes of wars that have decimated tens
> of millions of persons in our contemporary world, especially the two
> World Wars, which the Muslims had no role in igniting.
>
> Intellectuals in the Islamic world continue to notice the changes
> taking place in the tactics used by some adversaries in the 'West' who
> are shifting their position from attacking Muslims to attacking Islam,
> and from efforts to change Muslims to attempts to 'reform' Islam.  We
> pronounce: Islam is in no need for a contemporary Protestantism, which
> would corrupt it, because Islam is well known for its ability to renew
> itself.  Furthermore, Islam is spreading with no need to modify it. We
> question then, why some in the 'West' demand to alter Islam?
>
> It is interesting for us to note that extreme egoism has caused some
> western intellectuals and decision makers to call for intellectual and
> religious reforms in a faith in which they barely know.  They call for
> the reform of Islam simply because it is different from what was
> agreed upon in contemporary Christianity when it merged with western
> liberalism to form a new religion whose followers are arrogant enough
> to demand that others must change their own positions to match and
> adhere to the norms of this new religion.
>
> We are confident that our religion, which will never be altered, is
> quite capable of healing the problems of western civilization.  This
> may explain the uphill struggle of some opponents in the 'West' who
> are trying to get rid of the pure form of Islam. Furthermore, we
> believe that to maintain an unaltered Islam would obliterate for some
> the 'End of History' myth.
>
> We strongly reject any attempt to repress the right of our community
> to adhere to its own intellectual reasoning system.  We affirm at the
> same time our interest to get acquainted with other civilizations and
> to benefit from what they have, and is useful to us.
>
> It is important to stress that the western thoughts in the domain of
> values, morals, legislation, and creeds are neither universal nor
> sacred.  Attempts to make them as such will never succeed.  Muslim
> societies in general are beginning to believe that attacks on Islam by
> some westerners under the banner of 'War of Ideas' only reflect their
> own fear of the enlightened message of Islam which stands firm against
> western domination.
>
> What you are accustomed to call the 'War of Ideas' is a preference
> which we do not approve of.  Nevertheless, we will never hesitate to
> face up to whatever hurts our sentiments. The theatre of war in the
> field of ideas is our own battleground. We will excel in this war not
> necessarily because of the superiority of our intellectuals or
> decision makers, but rather because of our unwavering confidence and
> certainty in our fundamental principles.  We are confident of our
> ability not only to reveal, but also to cure the severe contradictions
> western civilization has in the domain of ideas, intellect, and
> beliefs.
>
> - How to Explain the Attacks on our Sanctities?
>
> It appears from the official statements of some western leaders and
> from verbal or written opinions representing the prevailing
> intellectual trend today that the attack on the Islamic world is not
> an isolated event or in response to a specific incident.  It rather
> appears to be the outcome of a master plan that was carefully
> constructed to eclipse the impact of the Islamic community on the
> world.
>
> The development of this master plan could be detected in the use of
> the word 'Crusade' used by U.S. President George W. Bush in describing
> his open war on what is being called 'terrorism' in Iraq, Afghanistan,
> and elsewhere.
>
> It could also explain statements by the former Italian Prime Minister,
> Silvio Berlusconi, who claimed that western civilization was superior
> to that of Islam. Berlusconi said that Islam was 'racist,
> inflammatory, and uneducated' ignoring Islam's long history of
> accomplishments. Such statements were also echoed by the former German
> Chancellor who remarked that he would not allow Islam to become a
> threat to the European civilization. An important question comes to
> mind here: What is the real purpose of this multifaceted attack on
> Islam?
>
> If the explanation is the freedom of expression in criticizing other
> religions, then we do not see in contemporary western literature
> similar attacks on other religions such as Hinduism, Judaism, and
> Buddhism.  We only observe continuous attacks on Islam. We also
> wonder: could this campaign of aggression be in response to recent
> political incidents? We must also disagree with this reasoning because
> aggressions against Islam have long preceded the recent events when a
> small group of Muslims has been accused of initiating aggression.
>
> Many Muslim leaders and intellectuals perceive current attacks on
> Islamic rituals and sanctities as a direct result of the realization
> of some western leaders and intellectuals that the Islamic world is
> experiencing a revival, and is going through a fundamental
> renaissance.  It also appears they realize that the Islamic world is
> resuming its mission to reform humanity to bring real happiness, and
> that Islam is becoming a real contender in intellectual and
> civilizational areas.
>
> We examine with interest the report published by the 'Ontario
> Consultants on Religious Tolerance' which estimated the number of
> Muslims in 2003 to be 1.226 billions representing 19% of the world
> population that year.  The report also confirms that Islam is the only
> religion whose adherents' proportion is increasing while the
> proportion of the other major religions' adherents is decreasing.  The
> organization also predicts that before 2023, Islam will be the world's
> first religion.  Could these and other similar statistics be the
> driving factor behind the return of the fear of the Islamic world
> among certain western thinkers and leaders? The question is directed
> to you.
>
> We are convinced of double-standards when we witness western leaders
> and intellectuals stress upon the value of individual liberty and
> democratic processes while at the same time they suppress freedom
> rights for Muslims in western countries.  They promote the intolerance
> of Islamic symbols appearing in the daily lives of Muslims in the
> 'West', and even attempt to harm Muslims in their own homelands.
> Moreover, they continuously export oppression and colonial domination
> to the Islamic world.
>
> We notice that the atmosphere of hostility from some western leaders
> has permeated some populations under the effect of the media and the
> hostile policies which are being falsely justified both culturally and
> intellectually.  We believe the western media is no longer completely
> independent from policymaking.  It rather appears sharing roles with
> decision makers.  As a result of the media's ability to incite people
> and disseminate policies, a more dangerous effect is also developing:
> It is the deterrence of nations from accepting the divine guidance.
>
> It is interesting to note that the religious movement in the 'West'
> has strongly participated in this campaign by either concealing the
> truth about Islam, attempting to defame it and alienate people away
> from it, or by hiding the explicit 'Good News' pointing to of the
> prophet-hood of Muhammad (Peace be upon him) in the Old and New
> Testaments.
>
> There is another trend of concerted political and media attacks on any
> impartial western writing which appears to be unbiased towards
> Muslims.  This trend confirms to us that certain western political and
> intellectual forces consider it in their best interest that people in
> the 'West' get a somber image of Muslims and the religion of Islam.
>
> - In Conclusion
>
> We affirm the importance of proper inter-cultural dialogue in reaching
> the truth and limiting unjust aggression on others. Nonetheless, we
> are certain that talking about dialogue for some people is nothing
> more than a way to justify actions of the 'West' and to suppress the
> dissenting opinions and the authentic Islamic thinking and ideals. We
> stress the fact that communication between civilizations is quite
> possible in today's world but on the condition of establishing justice
> and fairness.
>
> The contemporary western civilization is an outcome of the
> accumulation of the accomplishments of all previous world
> civilizations and their civic and progressive creativities.
> Nevertheless, the 'West' desires to monopolize its benefits for
> itself, and only for those who circle in its orbit. The 'West' appears
> to be adamant about depriving the Muslim world of the means of
> technological and materialistic progress to keep it occupied with
> inter-fighting and struggles fueled and instigated by the 'West'
> itself.
>
> The stagnation of Muslims in development and creativity - due to many
> reasons - is an exception to the norms of the history of the Islamic
> civilization. This stagnation does not indicate that we are a backward
> community in terms of civilization or values. On the contrary, the
> Muslim world community encompasses a wealth of morals, ideals, values,
> and sources of guidance and enlightenment, and it will never abandon
> them.  It will always carry the responsibility of calling humanity to
> these virtues.
>
> We call upon you to reconsider the position of claiming civilizational
> supremacy over others. We further urge intellectual and opinion
> leaders among you to maintain neutrality and fairness with regard to
> Islam, its noble values, and its good virtues which has bequeathed
> humanity over ages.
>
> The current situation of our Islamic world might not be great, but the
> foundations of Islam in creed, legislation, civilization, and ethics
> are nonetheless magnificent and applicable to every time and place.
> Furthermore, it is important to state that while the 'West' has
> achieved strong materialistic progress and technological innovation,
> the foundations of its civilization as they currently stand are not
> beneficial to humanity in the long run.
>
> The defects of our current situation do not affect our conviction of
> the value of our religion and our civilization for humanity.  This is
> why we are addressing you, the opinion leaders and decision makers,
> and we address through you the silent majority of the western peoples
> as well as those who are implicated in the campaigns of aggression on
> our sanctities and our resources and we demand from all the following:
>
> First: Stop inflicting injustice upon us.  Bring to an end the
> interference in our affairs, and stop attacking what is sacred and
> holy to our Muslim world community. Continuing these acts of
> aggression will not serve your vital economic interests in our
> countries.  The only way to preserve these interests is through
> justice and fairness.
>
> Second: We call upon you to join forces with us to stop media and
> cultural campaigns which insult what is sacred to us, ridicule our
> noble Quran, and attack the character of our Prophet. Otherwise, the
> Muslim community will have no choice but to continue exercising its
> legitimate right to resist the western oppression in all its forms:
> cultural, civilizational, political, and military.
>
> Third: Rather than allocating resources and efforts on current
> campaigns aiming at containing and dominating us culturally,
> economically, politically and militarily, we urge you to allocate some
> of your intellectual and research efforts to determine the real causes
> of the rising civilizational conflict between us.  We also urge you to
> research and study the real essence of the message of our Prophet
> Muhammad (Peace be upon him).  We call upon you to open your minds and
> hearts to comprehend and appreciate the universality of Islam and the
> realities of our religion before attacking them, or calling people
> away from them.
>
> Fourth: It is more important for western intellectuals and leaders to
> focus on reforming their own countries before interfering in the
> affairs of other nations and civilizations. The 'West' is undeniably
> in need of several fundamental reforms. It is far more imperative to
> tackle these reforms than to impose western reform projects on the
> Muslim world. We are confident that western nations and societies are
> heading towards a grievous abyss of incoherence, deterioration, and
> cultural bankruptcy if their leaders continue their approach of
> exporting corruption and inequalities to the rest of the world.  All
> these mounting abuses will eventually return back as arrows hitting
> the hearts of those who spread and propagate them.
>
> To reiterate: This letter is a call to the intellectual leaders in
> western countries to implement a 'Western Reform Initiative' to
> rekindle the true virtues of faith which all Prophets called for, to
> pay due respect to these Prophets (Peace be upon them), to aid the
> innocent, and to prevent injustice and aggression in the entire world
> and not just in the 'West'.
>
> Before making calls to reform the Islamic world (or the Greater Middle
> East as they call it), the thinkers and leaders of the 'West' should
> adopt a project to reform their own societies with regard to family
> values, marriage and virtue.  We also call for a western economic
> reform, which will protect people and individuals from being
> 'terrorized' by corporations and capitalistic market forces.  This
> reform will bring back respect and appreciation to moral values rather
> than market values.  It is a reform project which will enable the
> 'West' to join global forces working together in order to stop the
> alienation of the underprivileged, and to reinstate intrinsic value to
> real education.
>
> Now is the right time to launch this initiative to rescue the 'West'
> from the dominance of an atheist minority seeking to destroy all
> contemporary religious values and moral standards.
>
> Fifth: The 'West' must apologize for its repeated assaults on Islam.
> Furthermore, it must apologize for the numerous crimes that were
> committed in its name against Muslims during, before, and after the
> colonial era.
>
> Our message to those who are determined to continue their aggression
> against our Muslim community is this: The propagation of Islam never
> ceased when it was attacked at any time in the past nor will it come
> to an end if it is harassed in this era or until the end of age. The
> Muslim world has a unique resiliency; a capacity to rebound after
> setbacks as witnessed throughout history.
>
> The role of our Muslim community will not be limited to defending our
> religion and what is sacred to us.  It will also extend to expose the
> tactics of the enemies of humanity. Citizens of the western world will
> come to recognize that what the enemies of Muslims in the 'West' are
> doing will harm the western world far more than it will harm the
> Muslim community.
>
> The 'West' could possibly lose the advantages of economic trade with
> 1.25 billion people representing an overwhelming market share of world
> consumers. It will risk trade relationships with many Muslim
> countries, which retain a vast wealth of all current natural energy
> resources needed to fuel the wheel of modernity and development.
> These are the same Muslims who carry the largest share of the burden
> of sustaining human fairness and justice.
>
> We believe that welcoming the western technological advancements,
> which are beneficial to humanity, does neither indicate nor
> necessitate trading our own values in order to merge into western
> cultures. We reject blind adherence to the 'West' or anyone else.  At
> the same time, we do not object to trade and exchange benefits with
> the 'West' or to make use of its technological and industrial
> innovations.
>
> We call upon the intellectual and opinion leaders in the 'West' to
> truly understand the religion of Islam, and the Muslim community. What
> motivates us to do so, and our evidence to it, is the divine order in
> the Book of Allah – The Noble Quran, which we find to be the very best
> way to conclude our letter to you. The glorious God states: "Say: 'O
> people of the Scripture: Come to a word that is just between us and
> you, that we worship none but God, and that we associate no partners
> with Him, and that none of us shall take others as lords besides God.'
> Then, if they turn away, say: 'Bear witness that we are
> Muslims.'" [Quran,3:64]
>
>
>
> http://www.islamhouse.com/
>