A Muslim Manifesto for Norway

A Norwegian convert to Islam has written a Muslim manifesto for Norway and published it as an article in Aftenposten. Our Danish correspondent Kepiblanc has kindly translated it for Gates of Vienna, and includes this brief introductory note:

The author is one Trond Ali Lindstad, a converted doctor, born 1942. Originally a communist, he abandoned that ideology and converted to Islam. He founded an Islamic school in Oslo and became its headmaster. The school was shut down by the authorities after an investigation.

Kepiblanc’s translation is below. Emphasis is either mine or the translator’s.

		Muslim Manifesto by Trond Ali Lindstad
1.		Norwegian Muslims need to know how to react towards daily life and greater issues. The following is a Muslim Manifesto for Norway.
2.		“The good land readily produces its plants by the leave of its Lord, while the bad land barely produces anything useful.” (Quran 7:58) Muslims must be the good land, and shall be known by their actions.
3.		God is the supreme authority. In fact the only authority. No Muslims bow to other than Him.
4.		In this country executive power belongs to Norwegian authorities. Muslims must respect this. The authorities make the law and the citizens must comply. But the state is secular. And some law-enforcing persons might be as well. Muslims shall not subordinate themselves to ideas and norms, be it from the state or others, if they are not in compliance with Islam.
5.		Norway is a welfare state. It strives to give social and economic welfare to the citizens. That’s a good thing and must not be abused.
6.		Muslims might occasionally find themselves in opposition to the state. That’s not unfair. With its secular ideology the state suppresses the Muslims in order to impose its values upon the Muslims. The state demands sovereign executive power, be it in values and minds. And it expects compliance from the Muslims.
7.		Norway is at war, directly and indirectly. Today a silent war is waged against the peoples of Gaza. Its main actor is the USA. But Norwegian authorities participate together with Israel in starving the peoples of Gaza.
8.		The USA is a hegemonic power with military bases all over the globe. It has a navy with nuclear arms in the Persian Gulf. And barracks in the region. But all this power is unidirectional: there is no Islamic navy in the Gulf of Mexico and no Islamic barracks in the Midwest. Neither is there a plan to expel people from the Midwest, like the plan to expel people from Palestine. The American dominance must be countered.
9.		Beware of the Islamic identity. And hoist the flag of Islam! Create Islamic institutions. Erect Islamic schools, kindergartens and clubs. But do so humbly. Do not expose Islam. Remember that our work is for God.
10.		Do not provoke the majority! They are not Muslims and show them respect nevertheless. Why should Muslims erect mighty towers when building their institutions? And thus risk being considered provocative and strange by the original dwellers of the country, the bearers of their own culture? Muslims should not expose their endeavours, that is not Islamic.

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11.		Be positive towards non-Muslims. Debate with them “as best as you can”, as the Quran prescribes.
12.		Some negative trends are in play. Some Muslims are tempted to become “important persons” and collaborate with the powers that be. They must be left alone due to their compromises. Others join political parties, left or right, but accept the rules of the authorities. Some prefer to adopt the attitude of an introvert towards the society. They tend to decay into sectarianism and dogmatism. They do not use “common sense”. While others think that Islam must be advanced with spectacular actions and indiscriminate use of weapons. But without saying how. They aim at the political imperium, the USA and its allies. And that is not necessarily wrong. But those actions are indiscriminate, striking military personnel and civilians alike, often without any clear intention. Neither do they establish wise alliances. Finally, others comply with the western culture and become part of it. It is a secular attitude, with a little Islam thrown in. They must be awakened and make a choice.
13.		Muslims do not believe in liberal democracy, the present sate of affairs around here. Its basis is secularism. It creates its own elite who influence opinion, politically and cultural, in a secular direction. It does not promote a defining morale. It demands hegemony and dominance in political matters and values. That is no challenge for Muslims.
14.		Islam is an offensive religion. It is sanctioned by God. And it applies to all and everyone. It is revolutionary and aims at a better world. We must have a strategy for that.
15.		Islam is the ultimate religion. It will be so until the end of the world. Be it in a hundred, thousand or hundred of thousands of years? Muslims are patient. And only God knows. But we face challenges and we must know how to meet them.

Hat tip: Steen.