Cleaning Up Islam’s Image

Whenever the Democrats experience an electoral setback, after the fact there’s a ritual of woeful hand-wringing in the leftist media (I know, I know; that’s a redundancy).

Liberals always feel compelled to explain away their losses. The cause is never to be found in the wrong-headedness or unpopularity of the left-wing statist doctrines themselves; the problem is rather a failure to communicate fully. Voters are ill-informed. If only the media hadn’t been so biased in favor of the Republicans… if only the campaign had done a better job of explaining itself… if only the Democrats had articulated their message more clearly… if only… if only…

It seems never to enter their pretty little heads that the problem lies in the message itself, and that if the Democrats had communicated it fully they would have experienced an even greater setback.

Something similar seems to be at work with respect to Islam. Educated and intelligent people — both Muslims and ecumenical-minded infidels — seem to think that if only Islam were explained fully and carefully, non-Muslims would lose their atavistic fear of Islam. If only people were better informed about Islamic culture and history… if only Muslim practices were taught to all children as a part of their schooling… if only the false impressions about Islam could be corrected… if only… if only…

However, like socialism, the more that is revealed about the history and doctrines of Islam, the more repugnant it becomes to normal people.

But that doesn’t stop its apologists from putting more and more lipstick on the sharia pig. Consider this interview from Reset Dialogues with the new President of French Muslims (France has an official state-run Muslim establishment, a product of the country’s longtime colonial relationship with Algeria):

“We Need to Clean-Up Islam’s Image”

Interview with Mohammed Moussaoui, the new President of French Muslims

Since June 22nd you have been the new President of the French Council of the Muslim Faith. What are your priorities for this first mandate and what will you change within this organisation.

The French Council of the Muslim Faith certainly has an overall objective that consists in defending the dignity and the interests of the Muslim faith. This dignity and these interests involve a certain number of important issues… For example we must rehabilitate the image of an Islam darkened by violent events enacted in its name and also work on reconciliation for all that is Islam and Muslim. This is a long-term objective that must begin with communications strategies emphasising the image of moderate Islam.

Notice is that the concern is with the image of Islam, and not with its essence. Where does that image, the darkened picture that needs to be rehabilitated, come from? The objective is to defend the dignity of Islam, but what dignity has the religion earned? How to defend the indefensible?

These violent events that were “enacted in its name” — what do they draw from Islam? What doctrine inspired them? And how widespread are the sentiments that produce them, time and time again, all over the world wherever Muslim communities are planted?

Mr. Moussaoui doesn’t address these questions. He continues:
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As far as problems involving places of worship are concerned, French Islam must have worthy, open and reconciled places of worship that are above all places for meditation. This means not only working a great deal as far as architecture and materials used are concerned, but also on all that these places of worship can offer, through the imams firstly, but also through other religious officials who work in other locations and the imams appointed to officiate in these places of worship. Hence one must first of all provide a good education for these imams and also for others. Interreligious dialogue is a priority we must concentrate on to improve coexistence at a national level, but also as far as all the religious communities are concerned.

The recent interfaith gathering in Madrid was such an “interreligious dialogue”. Unfortunately, the man who instigated the Madrid conference, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, returned home to implement its ideas by ordering a group of Christians expelled from the Kingdom for practicing their faith.

So of what general use is “interreligious dialogue”?

What can be talked about except the submission of other religions to Islam?

As far as burial places are concerned, the Muslim community needs to preserve its historical memories with its own cemeteries. Hence, burial places must be worthy and respect Islamic tradition with regards to the interment of the deceased.

Regular readers of Gates of Vienna know that Mr. Moussaoui is referring to the Islam doctrine of the waqf, or the sacred trust. Under sharia, all property is held in trust for the entire Ummah, and any territory ever held and occupied by Muslims is considered to be under the jurisdiction of waqf in perpetuity. In particular, cemeteries where Muslims are interred are considered Islamic territory under waqf, wherever they might be.

This is, in effect, a declaration of Islamic sovereignty over those portions of France.

Mr. Moussaoui asserts his desire for a moderate Islam, and for all I know he is well-meaning and sincere in his views. But the image of Islam can’t be improved by refusing to display nine-tenths of the picture. A good hard look at the truth is the first order of the day.


Hat tip: Insubria