Life, Liberty & The Pursuit of Sharia

Yesterday (March 7) there were protests in New York over a controversial hearing to be conducted by American Congressman Peter King. The hearings are about the radicalisation of the muslim community in the US. While it may appear to be singling out the muslim community Peter King has stated that “if Al Qaeda were recruiting any other group -- be they Jews, Hindus or Irish Catholics -- he would have the "same hearings for those groups." The truth is that it’s mainly members of the muslim community that have been indulging in terrorist acts in the US, demanding extraordinary privileges and then there are some who have gone to the extreme of wanting Islamic law in the US. Some states like Oklahoma have even passed legislation to outlaw Sharia law and there are debates on whether such legislation is actually needed.

The protests in NY have been covered extensively by our online media. Yet, when it comes to the outrages by members of the muslim community our media slips those under the carpet. Our liberatti sheds tears for the likes of Salman Taseer and Shahbaz Bhatti but there were no serious protests or reports over a Bangalore newspaper being attacked for carrying an article by Taslima Nasreen or the Statesman’s editors being attacked and dragged to court for reprint of an article about Mohammad. Those who attacked Taslima at a Hyderabad meeting roam free. The new dean of Darul-Uloom, Ghulam Vastanvi was attacked by his own community for suggesting that muslims are also progressing in Gujarat. This was twisted to infer that he supported Narendra Modi, when in reality he had made no statement endorsing Modi.

The uprisings in some countries in the middle east and north Africa have had our media gloating over how the protestors have revolted against dictators in the desire for freedom, liberty and democracy. The uprisings are justified and dictators should be thrown out. But what’s going to replace them? Secular democracy? It would be a rare mullah or Imam in the Islamic community who hasn’t strongly endorsed Sharia as the replacement. Tunisia is almost on the way to Islamic Sharia rule. Time will tell what happens in Egypt, Libya and other nations. The Muslim Brotherhood makes no secret of desiring Sharia law.

Omar Ahmed, the founder of CAIR (Council on American-Islam relations) is reported to have made it clear: "If you choose to live here (in America) ... you have a responsibility to deliver the message of Islam...Islam isn't in America to be equal to any other faith, but to become dominant...The Koran, the Muslim book of scripture, should be the highest authority in America, and Islam the only accepted religion on Earth”. Though he later denied making the statement, the reporter stood by the report. CAIR is also linked to Hamas, the notified terrorist group. ISNA (Islamic Society of North America) has also encouraged Islamic law. The very idea of overthrowing the constitution of the USA and replacing it with Sharia law is a favourite idea of many Imam’s and muslim leaders. This, coupled with the number of terrorist attacks carried out by Islamic groups, does seem to justify the hearings that Peter King has proposed to conduct on radicalisation of muslims in America.

The problem is many Imams and muslim leaders abuse the very freedoms that democracies allow them. Anjem Choudary, recently promised a march to the White House to demand overthrow of the US constitution and its replacement by Sharia law. (Later cancelled due to ‘overwhelming support’!) Now, Anjem Choudary is not even an American citizen. He is British, the judge of a Sharia Court in Britain and is a champion of the concept of an Islamic UK and USA. Yes, Britain has over 85 Sharia courts. Some of his previous organisations have been banned in the UK. And yet no serious Muslim leader questions this man. I seriously doubt any muslim leader or prominent citizen in India would protest the desire for Sharia law to replace our own Indian constitution. The Imam Bukhari of Delhi is on record stating ‘Islam will rule India again’. There can be no denying the freedom to express such views. But this is a clash of ideologies that will eventually lead to a serious war, civil or world. Events in the Mideast and Africa have the potential to generate permanent conflicts. The ones cheering the uprisings the most aren’t those who value democracy. They are the ones who see the opportunity for an Islamic Caliphate.

'The White Masjid' - sharia4usa.com

If some Hindu jerk were to strongly suggest that our constitution be replaced by the ‘Panchatantra’ I would be revolting at the idea and would be strongly protesting. Yes, I would have a good laugh too! Yet, the idea of Sharia law in major democracies through the overthrow of highly cherished and valued constitutions does not seem to evoke any strong protests from muslims. And I doubt if there is any muslim leader who does not desire Sharia law in India too. Time will tell if they speak up. The pic here from Sharia4USA.com says it all. The site desires a ‘White Masjid’!

That multiculturalism has failed has now been accepted by many European leaders. The problem lies mainly with the muslim community. Two things seem to dictate this problem. Terror and Money. The Libyan and Saudi funding of many prominent universities in the UK has had many heads rolling. (Libya and the LSE: Large Arab gifts to universities lead to 'hostile' teaching) It is a matter of speculation but one wonders how many media and other outfits in India are being similarly funded by Islamic money. If not money, the extremists will use terror tactics of the kind that killed Salman Taseer, Shahbaz Bhatti, Theo Van Gogh, and continue to threaten the lives of many others who question or criticise Islamic practices. While protesting the hearings of Peter King, muslims would do well to question why their community is under the spotlight. It is the consequence of their own community members’ doings and not of others. They are not the victims here.

"Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness" is one of the most famous phrases in the American ‘Declaration of Independence’ and considered by some as part of one of the most well crafted, influential sentences in the history of the English language. And these words represent the inalienable rights of humans (Wikipedia). But if Anjem Choudary and many like him have their way,  the constitution would have a new preamble : ‘Life, liberty and the pursuit of Sharia’. I don’t think I want that, do you?

Egypt & 'The Fifth Column'

TV channels and other media are full of the ongoing protests in Egypt and other Middle East states. A quick over-throw of the regime in Tunisia has followed protests in Jordan, Yemen and the ones in Egypt have been the most dramatic and have caught the world’s fascination. On Tuesday (February 1) Arnab Goswami went hammer and tongs at the USA. Some of his outrage included “America should stay out of Egypt”, “US should stay out of middle east” and so on. Those are not quotes but what he effectively said. The others aren’t too far behind. It was impossible for Christianne Amanpour to not be there, so one can understand how hard it must have been for Barkha Dutt to have not rushed to Egypt. Someone must have stopped her, and thankfully so. Typically, most of our TV channels turned it into greater drama than was already on the streets of Cairo and the anchors themselves were calling for Hosni Mubarak to step down.

A thought on revolutions. Our own independence struggle was a revolution and partition was a consequence. Where democracy and real freedom are not at the core it will be easy to see where states can go. Former Soviet Union’s October Revolution needs to be remembered. That Pakistan, with its Islamic Republic Constitution, has gone down the drain is not hard to see. Iran is not hard to see. Tunisia is already in the making. That is the danger for Egypt. And this can spread much farther.

The Fifth Column?

Arnab Goswami’s calls for America to stay out is understandable.  However, for a super-power that brokered peace between Israel and Egypt, for a country that has poured billions into Egypt, for a country that has several interests in the mid-east, it is not possible to stay completely out. And it shouldn’t. Indian governments have been stupid enough to either get fully involved or completely withdrawn from our own neighbours. Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar are all good examples of how these countries are slowly being courted by the Chinese to strangle India from all sides. And, of course, we have the friendly Pakistan next door which our TV anchors, journalists and communist media love so much.

Hosni Mubarak’s rule of 30 years has been autocratic, corrupt and one of suppression. One that has also seen killings of minorities and church bombings regularly, especially Coptic Christians. The longer a government’s rule the more ineffective, the more brazenly corrupt it’s likely to be. Sooner or later people are bound to revolt. This has been seen in Iran before in 1979, in China in 1989 and in many other places. It is a lesson that no party should be voted to power twice in succession. India is already paying the price with the corrupt UPA government. So one can imagine what 30 years of power can do. Imagine what 60 years of Congress has done to India.

However, much as we would like to believe and are being told over and over again by the media that the popular uprising in Egypt stems from the people’s desire for more freedoms, economic well-being and a yearning for democracy, one hopes it is just that and does not turn into what Iran has come to be. There’s a reason to be skeptical. The protests are largely backed and driven by the Muslim Brotherhood, even if not openly so. There may be more, but the one sane analysis of the situation comes from Swapan Dasgupta on his blog – ‘Islamist regime may follow Mubarak exit’.

First, about the Muslim Brotherhood. This is an organisation founded in 1928 and is banned in Egypt since the assassination of Anwar Sadat in 1981. Members of this organisation, however, contest as independents to the assemblies in Egypt. They support terrorist organisations like Hamas and many other Jihadist organisations. Their final goal : An Islamic Caliphate across the middle east and maybe later across the world. They are staunch opponents of Israel’s existence. Egypt’s peace treaty with the Jewish state is also a cause for the unrest with the Muslim Brotherhood.  Anti-Israel posters also find place with others in the current protests. Early morning on February 3 protestors were heard shouting ‘Jihad, Jihad’ on CNN in Cairo, in the middle of clashes between pro and anti-Mubarak crowds.  

Robert Spencer, a keen observer of ‘Jihad’ and ‘Islamic’ activities had this to say on his site Jihadwatch.org:

"Research analyst Lorenzo Vidino writes about The Muslim Brotherhood's Conquest of Europe: "Since the early 1960s, Muslim Brotherhood members and sympathizers have moved to Europe and slowly but steadily established a wide and well-organized network of mosques, charities, and Islamic organizations." Their ultimate goal "may not be simply 'to help Muslims be the best citizens they can be,' but rather to extend Islamic law throughout Europe and the United States. With moderate rhetoric and well-spoken German, Dutch, and French, they have gained acceptance among European governments and media alike. Politicians across the political spectrum rush to engage them whenever an issue involving Muslims arises or, more parochially, when they seek the vote of the burgeoning Muslim community. But, speaking Arabic or Turkish before their fellows Muslims, they drop their facade and embrace radicalism." Read the devastating full post here on the infiltration of the West by the Muslim Brotherhood.

Former American Special agent Paul David Gobatz infiltrated CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations) and revealed the deep nexus between CAIR, Hamas, Muslim Brotherhood in his book titled “Muslim Mafia: Inside the Secret Underworld That's Conspiring to Islamize America”  It would be naive to think the Mafia will want to stop at Europe or America. They have more than willing support in places like Pakistan and some countries in South Asia as well.

In every country where the muslim population has attained significant levels there is a growing desire for Islamic rule or implementation of Sharia. Britain, France, Germany are prime examples. And consequently the existence of ‘The Fifth Column’ should not be dismissed as wild conspiracy theory. In India our own Imam Bukhari, of Delhi’s Jama Masjid’ is on record stating: “We were rulers here for 800 years. Inshaallah, we shall return to power here once again”" and threatens “this country is in for another partition, so let us be prepared for nation wide riots and violence. ”

Islamic regimes and Sharia are incompatible with Democracy. Let us be under no illusion regardless of how our media paints the Egypt protests as. It is in the interest of democracies to be on guard and therefore Western & Eastern democracies must be closely involved in Egypt and the Middle-East. The lies and paints of the Indian media notwithstanding.