Home >> Middle East >> Islam

     Email   Print 

Walk In My Muslim Shoes

Ghazal Omid - 7/12/2007

For more than five years, since 9/11, we have been hearing about terrorism. Lately another phrase seems to be dominating the media; in some cases with very valid concerns: "Muslim (or Islamic) extremism."

Case in point: London. Since the transit bombings, London has become the hotspot for radical Islamists preaching hate who present themselves as the rightful Muslims. They see everything in society as black and white, and themselves as the arbiters. One wonders, why do these people live in London if they hate non-Muslims so much?

I can understand a non-Muslim's frustration and concerns and ask, as a Muslim, that you of other faiths understand mine.

Recent polls among radical Muslims in London show that most favor Shariah Law. Shariah Law was laid down by Prophet Mohammed, peace upon him, centuries ago to guide the people of his time in obeying God's laws as passed down through him because the people were simple, nomadic barbarians with little respect or understanding of the laws of the land. Prophet Mohammed himself interpreted the law to make sure people did not abuse it.

As a practicing Muslim, had I been living in the time of the Imam Mahdy, about whom I will write in my next article, it would have been a privilege to honor Shariah Law because he would not have interpreted it as he pleased but would have listened to God and consulted with God Himself through the angel Gabriel. Can those who boast they are practicing Shariah Law today do that?

I can prove to anyone who wants to challenge that the kind of Shariah Law the radicals are promulgating today is nothing more than the barbaric customs practiced prior to Prophet Mohammed. I will not let them impose their ideology on non-radical Muslims. Their behavior is so reprehensible that if the Prophet were alive he would shun them for their actions. Prophet Mohammed said, "There will be a time in the future when people will use my name to do evil. They are not my followers." He also insisted on educating children. There are many accounts of his stating, "Send your children to the furthest place on earth, to China if you must, for education". (At the time, China was considered the furthest point on earth.)

The damage extremists have done to the core of Islam is very personal to me. I am a victim of childhood incest. If my religious family had found out that I was being molested, some barbaric mullah would have preached that I must be put to death. You can understand that I don't agree with that concept of justice and will do everything I can to see that such barbaric law is never practiced in the Western world and is abolished in those backward societies where it is still common.

Due to my molestation with no place to turn for help, I turned against God. At age 13, I was so against God that I told him I would deny him till the last day of my life if he did not show me that he heard my pleas. If those who professed to practice Shariah Law had known my secret I would have been stoned to death. Instead, God himself made it possible; not through angels but by people who were placed on my path and truly acted angelic to enable me to go to Mecca. When I entered the house of God, I wasn't a Muslim. It is forbidden for non-Muslims to enter there. If He wanted to punish me, He would have done so. God doesn't need the followers of Bin Laden or ignorant people who admire extremism to become His advocate.

I am confident most readers know that extremism is not true Islam. However, a lot of people who read interpretations of verses from the Koran find chapters that command the killing of infidels.

For the life of me, the infidels are called those who kill for their pleasure, out of ignorance, in the name their idols, and or will use God or their Gods to destroy a generation. In my opinion, as a practicing Muslim, Bin Laden is an infidel. Khomani was an infidel. Sadam was an infidel, Al Zarquawi was an infidel. And Hitler definitely was an infidel.

It doesn't matter whether a person is Muslim, Jew or Christian. If God had wanted every non-Muslim branded an infidel, do you think he would have given us both Moses and Jesus? And referred to non-Muslims in the Quran as "people of Book." In keeping with the respect that the Quran shows for Moses and Jesus, Muslims should never mention their names without adding "peace upon them," because they are men of God.

If God wanted everyone who is a non-Muslim killed, don't you think that Jesus or Moses would have told you so? Were the two great men of God not sent by God himself? Or do non-Muslims think, that the Muslims worship a different God?

God Himself says in the holy Quran, "You shall not interpret the verses of the Quran the wrong way because that is one of the biggest sins."

For God's sake, don't let the ignorance of the radical Muslims rub off on you.