Regarding terror, it is the job of all Muslims to root out the extremists in their midst. As a community, the onus is on them; they are being watched and though it sounds prejudicial, so be it - we are right to do so. (It is not the Christian, Jewish, black or Hindu communities that are planning and carrying out terrorist attacks, after all.)
After the 7/7 bombings, 500 Muslim clerics issued a fatwa, a religious judgment denouncing the terror attacks. But even the influence of a fatwa can only go so far as they are not technically binding on the community or individuals within it. Mostly, a fatwa is used as a death threat against one individual only.
Just recently, the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils sent an open letter, drafted in the wake of the 7/7 London bombings, to over 200 clerics and imams, admitting that the Islamic community does not do enough to prevent terrorism.
Sheikh Taj Aldin Al-Halali, the chief Australian cleric, opined, "There is a growing and justifiable criticism that we are not doing enough to deal with extremist individuals and groups within the Muslim community."
I wonder why Londoners, especially Muslims, are not organizing an anti-terror march. There have been significant anti-war marches organized over the past three years. Even the Spanish, in the wake of 3/11, came out in droves to protest terrorism. The Muslim community should be spearheading very public anti-terror protests. There is safety in numbers, after all, so needing the cover of anonymity from hacked-off clerics is no excuse. Why is anti-war cool but not anti-terror? Are we going to allow ourselves to fall victim to dumb-ass political correctness thinking that anti-terror automatically equals anti-Muslim?
But, I very much welcome and praise the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils for their realistic attitude and dearly hope that will become the standard for Islamic community leaders everywhere.
Article comments
1 - Aaman
A 'fatwa' is not a death threat - it is a legal clarification on points that are unclear in the Shariat or Islamic law.
On the general point of whether the British Muslims have condemned the attacks or not, they have at all levels. I cannot source links at present, but will try to do so later.
2 - Floris Vermeir
I just wanted to point out that although you are right about the past attacks, the two in London and those in Sharm el-Sheik, and others,
there are also still happening terrorist attacks around the world that for example are organised and condemed by christians.
Perhaps that now that you have given them the idea that they will find the courage and the will to do so. It would be a good statement.
3 - Marc
fatwa, smatwa.
IT all means exactly nothing. In the last 4 years hundreds, if not thousands, of clerics and other Muslim "leaders" has denounced or condemned terrorist bombings. But that's all they do.
The only solution is for the leaders to impress upon their flocks it is they that support the terrorists by not watching their own neighborhoods. No one knows who and what happens in a community better than those that live in it. They all must root out the jihadist cut throats themselves.
From a couple reports I have seen out of London today it may finally be happening. One if not more of those arrested in the last two days have been turned in by friends, neighbors or relatives. If that is true and becomes a widespread practice the war on terror might actually be won in something under two or three decades.
If not there will be train bombings from N York to Portland OR and nothing will stop it.
4 - Phillip Winn
It is not the Christian, Jewish, black or Hindu communities that are planning and carrying out terrorist attacks, after all.
Not right now, no. And if any of those groups ever do, I hope we apply the same pressure.
5 - RJ
Good for Australian Muslims.
Now, we just need more proactive measures from Muslim leaders in other Western countries, like the US and UK...
6 - omer
please i need some one to help me fatwa book by jacky trevane is not truth(www.fatwajtrevane)(fatwa.living with death andtheart by jacky trevane)not truth and this woman is lie .[personal contact info deleted] please i need to face her
thank you oll
7 - omar
I am omar ( maged in fatwa story )... i am her real husband .. i want to say that this woman lives her lifes in illusion .. she wrote this book only to collect money n' to keep ma daughters away from me ..ma lovely daughters sara and dina ..:D .. she want to distort ma pic to ma daughters ...so they stay away from me .. and also to distort ma reputation..i want to point out something ( why she wrote this book after 16 years ?) and ( why she bear all the torment that she had seen in egypt above 8 years ?? and also we had 2 lovely daughters sara and dina .. sara ma eldest daughter.. she loves me very much i am sure about that .. she cried when her mother kidnap her and told to me " i love u dad i want to saty with u " but at this time i didnt know why she told me that :( anyway i am ready to prove to every one want to know the truth i have many document and pictures of her and ma daughters .. and she tarveled every year to engaland same as she want .. finally i hope anyone to help me to prove the truth and to see ma daughters and to face her with all ma proof,..notice ( she close her website maybe she afraid :D:D ) [Personal contact info deleted]
8 - anthony
i have just read this book, i found it a very good book. this is the first book i have ever read other than in school. iv seen a few comments from this omar guy on other sites. is it a wind up?
9 - sarah
omar why would she tell lies about such things. i was married to a muslim and know that some off what she is saying is the truth. and anthony if she is allowed to have her say cant he have his say fair is fair we only know one side of the story