Denmark: Moderate Muslims Oppose Imams

From the desk of Hjörtur J. Guðmundsson on Thu, 2006-01-19 17:20

For four months The Brussels Journal has been covering the Danish cartoon affair (see links below), while the mainstream media have all but ignored the story. There is good news, however. The firm stand by the Danish government against Muslim extremists seems to be paying off.

Despite pressure by various Muslim countries (including Turkey, Bosnia, Egypt, etc.), by international organisations (including the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the European Union) and by some of Denmark’s own ‘sophisticated’ diplomats, Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen has courageously refused to limit freedom of expression in connection with the publication of cartoons of Muhammad in a Danish newspaper. Though most of the cartoons were far from offensive, Islam forbids depicting the Muslim prophet. So far no other European (or for that matter Western) government has spoken out in support of Rasmussen, but this, too, appears to be changing.

Instead of the Danish government surrendering to Muslim radicals, moderate Danish Muslims are now speaking out against the extremists. A group of Muslims in the Danish city of Århus intend to organize a network of Muslims who do not want to be represented by fundamentalist Danish imams or others who preach the Sharia laws and oppression of women. “There is a large group of Muslims in this city who want to live in a secular society and adhere to the principle that religion is an issue between them and God and not something that should involve society,” said Bünyamin Simsek, a city councillor and one of the organizers. Århus witnessed severe riots after the publication of the cartoons in the newspaper Jyllands-Posten last Autumn.

In Copenhagen, too, moderate Muslims are speaking out. Hadi Kahn, an IT consultant and the chairman of the Organization of Pakistani Students in Denmark (OPSA), describes himself as a modern Muslim living in a Western society. He says that he does not feel he is being represented by the Muslim groups. When he goes to the mosque for Friday prayers he says the imam does not say much that is useful for him. “We have no need for imams in Denmark. They do not do anything for us,” he says. According to Mr Kahn the imams are not in touch with Danish society. He says too few of them speak Danish and too few of them are opposed to stoning as a punishment.

Last week, a number of Norwegian papers decided to support Denmark by publishing the controversial cartoons. They, too, have received death threats from Muslim radicals. Nevertheless, the general secretary of the Norwegian Press Association, Per Edgar Kokkvold, has said that he supports the decision by the Norwegian papers to publish the Muhammad cartoons. Muslim organizations in Norway have suggested that the media should be obliged to respect Muhammad and offered to give them some lessons about Islam, but Mr Kokkvold has another suggestion: Perhaps the Islamic Council in Norway should invite its members to a course about freedom of expression. “We have to stand up and fight for freedom of expression every single day. Freedom of expression is not something which comes as an appendix to other human rights, it is the premise for the other rights,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Islamic World Association has condemned the Norwegian papers that published the cartoons. It has asked the Norwegian government to intervene. However, Trond Giske, the Norwegian Minister of Culture and Church Affairs, has reacted with the courage of a Dane. Mr Giske, a Labour politician, came out firmly in defense of freedom of expression. “The government will not take action,” he said. “There is freedom of expression in Norway, also for this type of drawings.” He said that he believes that issues concerning religion should be approached with respect, but stressed that freedom of expression nevertheless comes first.

More on the Danish cartoon case:

Jihad Against Danish Paper, 22 October 2005

Cartoon Case Escalates into International Crisis, 27 October 2005

Out of the Iranian Frying Pan into the Danish Fire, 29 October 2005

Pigs Do Not Fly, 17 November 2005

Bounty Offered for Murdering Cartoonists, 4 December 2005

UN to Investigate Racism of Danish Cartoonists, 7 December 2005

Dispatch from the Eurabian Front, 9 December 2005

Europe Criticises Copenhagen over Cartoons, 21 December 2005

Cartoon Case: EU and UN Call Denmark to Account, 28 December 2005

Danish Cartoon Affair: Letter from a Muslim, 31 December 2005

Danish Muslims Divided over Cartoon Affair, 8 January 2006

Danish Prime Minister Shocked at Lies, 11 January 2006

Scandinavian Update: Israeli Boycott, Muslim Cartoons, 14 January 2006

muslim gripes will lead to their destruction

Submitted by europa on Tue, 2006-03-07 22:37.

the stage muslims are doing worldwide is to their expulsion, detainment and destruction.

They are really creating an atmosphere in which the many different types of beliefs, governments and systems will lose tolerance towards all the muslim countries and stop doing business, evict those who live among them or imprison, torture or kill them.
The reason why muslims attack western countries is because they know that there are many elements in such societies that would tolerate and defend their cause to an extent and because of the many laws, checks and balances in a democracy.
They can't get away with it with communist countries at all. what I see forming is other types of government that would probably end up being a nazi type cause of islamic threat to those societies.
They are creating an atmosphere in which the world will NO LONGER TOLERATE their INSANITY!

Five Simple Questions for Muslims!

Submitted by A New Believer on Tue, 2006-03-07 22:15.

I took this from a writer I respect and so I really have to ask it of the "peaceful muslims" writing here or any muslims. But you must address the questions.  No Rhetoric! The article comes from the Los Angeles Times, byline to Dennis.

(1) Why are you so quiet?

Since the first Israelis were targeted for death by Muslim terrorists blowing themselves up in the name of your religion and Palestinian nationalism, I have been praying to see Muslim demonstrations against these atrocities. Last week's protests in Jordan against the bombings, while welcome, were a rarity. What I have seen more often is mainstream Muslim spokesmen implicitly defending this terror on the grounds that Israel occupies Palestinian lands. We see torture and murder in the name of Allah, but we see no anti-torture and anti-murder demonstrations in the name of Allah.

There are a billion Muslims in the world. How is it possible that essentially none have demonstrated against evils perpetrated by Muslims in the name of Islam? This is true even of the millions of Muslims living in free Western societies. What are non-Muslims of goodwill supposed to conclude? When the Israeli government did not stop a Lebanese massacre of Palestinians in the Sabra and Chatilla refugee camps in Lebanon in 1982, great crowds of Israeli Jews gathered to protest their country's moral failing. Why has there been no comparable public demonstration by Palestinians or other Muslims to morally condemn Palestinian or other Muslim-committed terror?

(2) Why are none of the Palestinian terrorists Christian?

If Israeli occupation is the reason for Muslim terror in Israel, why do no Christian Palestinians engage in terror? They are just as nationalistic and just as occupied as Muslim Palestinians.

cont.

 

Odin be Praised!  Baldur Save Us!

Five Simple Questions for Muslims cont.

Submitted by A New Believer on Tue, 2006-03-07 22:17.

3) Why is only one of the 47 Muslim-majority countries a free country?

According to Freedom House, a Washington-based group that promotes democracy, of the world's 47 Muslim countries, only Mali is free. Sixty percent are not free, and 38% are partly free. Muslim-majority states account for a majority of the world's "not free" states. And of the 10 "worst of the worst," seven are Islamic states. Why is this?

(4) Why are so many atrocities committed and threatened by Muslims in the name of Islam?

Young girls in Indonesia were recently beheaded by Muslim murderers. Last year, Muslims — in the name of Islam — murdered hundreds of schoolchildren in Russia. While reciting Muslim prayers, Islamic terrorists take foreigners working to make Iraq free and slaughter them. Muslim daughters are murdered by their own families in the thousands in "honor killings." And the Muslim government in Iran has publicly called for the extermination of Israel.

cont.

Odin be Praised!  Baldur Save Us!

Five Simple Questions for Muslims completed!

Submitted by A New Believer on Tue, 2006-03-07 22:19.

(5) Why do countries governed by religious Muslims persecute other religions?

No church or synagogue is allowed in Saudi Arabia. The Taliban destroyed some of the greatest sculptures of the ancient world because they were Buddhist. Sudan's Islamic regime has murdered great numbers of Christians.

Instead of confronting these problems, too many of you deny them. Muslims call my radio show to tell me that even speaking of Muslim or Islamic terrorists is wrong. After all, they argue, Timothy McVeigh is never labeled a "Christian terrorist." As if McVeigh committed his terror as a churchgoing Christian and in the name of Christ, and as if there were Christian-based terror groups around the world.

As a member of the media for nearly 25 years, I have a long record of reaching out to Muslims. Muslim leaders have invited me to speak at major mosques. In addition, I have studied Arabic and Islam, have visited most Arab and many other Muslim countries and conducted interfaith dialogues with Muslims in the United Arab Emirates as well as in the U.S. Politically, I have supported creation of a Palestinian state and supported (mistakenly, I now believe) the Oslo accords.

Hundreds of millions of non-Muslims want honest answers to these questions, even if the only answer you offer is, "Yes, we have real problems in Islam." Such an acknowledgment is infinitely better — for you and for the world — than dismissing us as anti-Muslim.

We await your response.

Truly your response is awaited. If you can answer these rationally without going beserk or islamofascists on me I will be convinced.

Odin be Praised!  Baldur Save Us!

Muslims

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 2006-02-01 20:31.

If all the muslims just would be so stron fighting for the rights of the christians in Egypt, Turkey or any other muslim country. We are in the christian part of the world. We admit everyone his own religion but if muslims don´t feel well in our part of the World; Good bye !!!!
I don´t need any Imam telling me how to run my live.

thats right we must ban

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 2006-02-02 10:50.

thats right
we must ban islam faith until they allow christianism in saudi arabia,
they allow to build churchs in egypt ,iran ,libya ,yemen,.....etc
until then banned ,that stopped them coming here.
is not fair they can come here and we cant go to their countries ,isnt fair at all.
lets see if our politics awake !!

I am absolutelly sickened

Submitted by Me (not verified) on Thu, 2006-02-02 11:33.

I am absolutelly sickened and disgusted that the editor of the French newspaper has been sacked for printing the caricatures. It is maybe not surprising when you see that the owner is an Egyptian. Muslims are very quick to riot in France over very minor things so I hope that the non-muslims put up an equally strong protest over this sacking.

the cartoons are greatly

Submitted by Tanya (not verified) on Thu, 2006-02-02 15:30.

the cartoons are greatly correspond to the policy of islamists. so why not to priny it. if the didn't use ther religion or prophet name for their bloody acts they wouldn't have now peoples' mock.

Unfortunate situation...

Submitted by lighthouselover123 on Mon, 2012-09-03 21:24.

It is too bad that there continues to be things that separate one person from another. In the case of Egypt, there are sooo many other things to focus on that would really unite people. There are things there that could be the focus, or even historical elements that make the country unique in its own way... like this ancient lighthouse . I always find it helpful to look at wikipedia.org when I want something positive to focus on when talking about one country over another.

are we the real terrorists

Submitted by dier ezzour\syria (not verified) on Tue, 2006-01-31 00:22.

I hope that the euorpeans
will undrstand the real nature of islam it is the relegion which respect all the prophets and treat them aall the same ,Musa ,Jesus,yosef,Ebrahim,Muhamad etc.
this religion is based on the word (Peace)in arabic (salam)
we didnt hurt anyone who
respected us and our beleifs
the christians themselves
insult the christ while
the islam beleifs defend him and celbrate him
so what did we wrong just because
we are against u.s.a
and the globalization,american supremacy and the new American world.

To Dier Ezzour

Submitted by Lars (not verified) on Wed, 2006-02-01 17:06.

Dear Dier. The problem is not Islam as a religion in my opinion, but the way that leaders in many muslim countries have imprisoned control of the prophet Muhammad, only to use him as a puppet when serving their interests. A cartoon of Muhammad with strings being used as a puppet by greedy Arab regimes, would have been a more fitting satirical cartoon for Jylland Post to show. The strict control of media and freedom of speech by these governments have restricted a more moderate form of Islam which could adapt to modernity. This is why that this boycott is so hypocritical. When speaking of Saudi Arabia, we are talking about a country which whips people publicly, ban rational human rights for women, not to mention rights of its citizens, exploit foreign Muslim labour, ban foreign culture, like Pokemon and only have oil and terrorism as its main exports. Now the great Saudi nation will start imposing sanctions on Denmark in order to restrict freedom of the independent press? It is worrying that the Danish Government is backtracking on this issue, trying to appease these authoritarian regimes. I’m sure that if we only wrap our products in pure gold and covered with jewellery, then the greedy regimes of these countries would buy out the stock at the expense of their people.

More Mohammed pictures from Denmark

Submitted by Messengerboy (not verified) on Mon, 2006-01-30 11:16.

The story of Jyllands-Posten's Mohammed Cartoons started with this book.

The Koran and the life of the prophet Mohammed
Original in Danish: Koranen og profeten Muhammeds liv - Kåre Bluitgen - Høst & Søn
Høst & Søn Denmark ISBN 87-638-0049-7 24-01-05

It was this book that started the whole row. The author Kaare Bluitgen was not able to find an artist who would draw illustrations for the book, in fear of Muslim reprisals. This started editor of Jyllands Posten Flemming rose to ask a number of artists to draw Muhammed. Now Danish goods are being boycotted in Muslim countries, and Danes have been threatened.

Here are the pictures from the book which started it all. I hope it is going to be translated into many languages!

Download the pictures for safekeeping, and post them on other boards please.

Kaare Bluitgen Mohammed book illustrations

Other Mohammed Cartoons:

Jyllands Posten Mohammed Cartoons

"DEATH". That sums up the

Submitted by Fred (not verified) on Wed, 2006-02-01 16:35.

"DEATH".
That sums up the typical muslim tolerant, respectful (!) response to anything not quite in keeping with Islamic fundamentalist teaching.
Editor - Ban this person.

Freedom to lie?!

Submitted by devout muslim (not verified) on Sat, 2006-01-28 08:18.

Ur Liberty ends where the freedom of others begin...Muslims have the right for freedom of expression against the caricatures. And freedom of expression is one thing but Lying is another...the caricatures are a bunch of lies about our religion and prophet peace be upon him...thus freedom of speech plus truth of speech...

Moderate Muslims Oppose Imams

Submitted by peace (not verified) on Wed, 2006-01-25 14:00.

If you humilate muslims it would be democracy
if you make fun of the Jesus christ and virgin Mary it would be cultural freedom but anyone dared to make fun of the Holocaust or show any suspicious about it?
that would be a crime and the one who talked about that should be punished
I think the word Holocaust shakes the breath out of Europians people over all the conteint.

(Danish) Muslims ready to "throw in the towel"!

Submitted by DanishDynamite (not verified) on Fri, 2006-01-20 20:42.

The Danish muslims behind the international furor, the 12 prophet cartoons brought about, now wish to end this issue.
The group of some 29 "Danish"-muslim organisations called for a press-conference today(friday) at 15.00 Danish time. What was said at the press-conference has yet to hit the news media, but they did make a statement prior to the conference:
"We will present a proposal to bring this issue to a close. An end (to this issue) is ofcourse dependant on both parties, but atleast we are extending a hand. The hands will then have to meet in the air somewhere".

Wow, if only the rest of

Submitted by Jordan (not verified) on Fri, 2006-01-20 07:38.

Wow, if only the rest of Europe was of the same quality as the Scandinavians.

Denmark shows the way

Submitted by Hjörtur J. Guðmundsson on Fri, 2006-01-20 16:22.

Denmark (and now Norway) is showing the way how to approach this issue. By not giving up the basic values western societies are built upon.

For moderate Muslims, who want to integrate and become "westernized", to speak out they have to be confident that governments will back them up in defying the fundamentalists. And now the Danish government has shown moderate Danish Muslims that it will.

According to the Jyllands-Posten many moderate Muslims in Denmark don't dare to speak out against their imams fearing the consequenses. But now hopefully that is beginning to change.

Yes, freedom of expression

Submitted by Claire (not verified) on Fri, 2006-01-20 05:05.

Yes, freedom of expression is the foundation upon which other rights are based on- Good on the Danes for not bowing under pressure- Hopefully the rest of Europe will gain some backbone from this and follow suit.

It's a shame the story isn't

Submitted by Danish Dynamite (not verified) on Fri, 2006-01-20 00:48.

It's a shame the story isn't completely up to date. Another Norwegian newspaper is "considering" publishing the cartoons and is urging ALL newpapers in Norway to publish them.

Thanks for the update

Submitted by Hjörtur J. Guðmundsson on Fri, 2006-01-20 01:04.

Thanks for the update! Well, at least we're following the story much better than the mainstream media :) But in any case, we're definately not throught with this issue.

Modern Democracies cannot

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 2006-01-19 23:28.

Modern Democracies cannot live without Freedom of Speech and Equality under the Law. Why don't those immans go back to their 7th century societies if they love their Sharia laws so much? They must be delusional if they think that after losing millions of people over the last century for the sake of freedom, the West would hand their freedom to a bunch of medieval whiners.