A Muslim Voice That Must Be Heard

Last updated on: September 12, 2012 at 3:40 pm by David French

A Muslim Voice That Must Be Heard 2012-09-12T15:40:27-05:00 David French

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Earlier today I co-hosted Jay Sekulow Live for a full hour, and caller after caller lit up our board to decry the embassy attacks of September 11 and ask, “Where are the more moderate Muslim voices? Why are the radicals so dominant?” I answered from my experience in Iraq with one word: “Fear.” In nations where jihadists live, speaking out can mean death. There were many Iraqi Muslims who hated the jihadists, or “takfiris” as they called them, but until we were able to clear al Qaeda from a village or region, their revulsion was often expressed in hushed whispers. In a nation like Egypt — dominated as it is by the Muslim Brotherhood — dissent is dangerous.

I am so used to the fear and silence of dissenting Muslims, that this blog from a fellow Patheos blogger Nancy Shehata felt like a surprising blast of cool air on a hot and miserable day:

I am so god damned tired of this. Sorry, I just can’t find any literary way to put that. I am so god damned tired of Muslims allowing themselves to be manipulated by a god damned low-budget stupid YOUTUBE VIDEO. This low-rent video was put together by a few bigoted individuals who should have been ignored. Instead, they have found fame in infamy. Their worthless little film was used by “radical Muslims” to pull the strings of ignorant puppets, to whip up a crowd into a frenzied mob, to incite people to murder. I am shocked but not surprised by the film. I am horrified and really, really pissed off at my Muslim brothers.

And . . .

There are no outside enemies who are hurting us worse than we are hurting ourselves. As long as schoolgirls in Afghanistan fear acid attacks, as long as a widow who wants to remarry fears death at the hands of her son if she does, as long as billionaires are financing ego-stroking skyscrapers while orphans are starving, as long as heroin smugglers are hiding their product in the corners of mosques and markets, as long as girls are sold into marriage to pay of debts, as long as children are being abandoned to popular culture, as long as we Muslims are not living according to Islam, we will be the worst human beings in the world. It’s not the U.S, it’s not the U.N. It’s not the satellite dishes or the fashions or chemtrails or anything else. It’s us, damn it. We’re falling short. We are not living correctly according to the Qur’an and Sunnah, we are not fulfilling our roles as the Khalifahs and role models for this planet, and as a result Allah has removed His blessing from us. Our problem, not theirs.

These are brave words. If uttered in parts of the Middle East, these words would be a death sentence. I don’t know Nancy Shehata, and I’m not familiar with her other writings, but on this day she said what needed to be said. And for that, I’m grateful.

Previous Post

September 12, 2012

A Letter from Hal and Corinne Prewitt, the New Owners of Romney's House

Next Post

September 12, 2012 Obama... Oy Vey! Only Romney Stands with Israel

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Christmas faith family ministry music Television Uncategorized

Select a Month June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 March 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz