ISIS is a barbaric brutal organization. It is against humanity’s most basic values. It must not just be defeated militarily but also intellectually. The civilized world should not have let this malicious ideology emerge. The problem with this organization is that it is using the name of Islam and Allah and is committing this type of barbaric act, but the Islamic world is dead silent in general. I am sure you will see a large section of Islam and the Muslim world denounce terrorism, violence, and killing in the name of Allah or Islam. Muslim leaders only issue statements or appear on TV saying that ISIS does not represent Islam. I believe actions speak louder than words. The only question I have for the Muslim world is why don’t I see massive vocal protests on the streets of Egypt, Yemen, Istanbul, Islamabad, Kabul, Indonesia, Europe, Iraq, Tunus, Tehran, or Lebanon? Why is the Muslim community not conducting a war on terror and preventing the ferocity by all actions necessary? For example, in 2012, thousands of Muslim protesters demonstrated against an anti Islam film, tore down a government building, and burned the American flags in Pakistan and in Egypt. Clashes with the police turned violent outside a U.S military base in Afghanistan and the US Embassy in Indonesia. The attacks were during a weeklong wave of violence sparked by the low budget film. which portrayed the Prophet Mohamed as a womanizer and child molester. Many Muslim protesters have attacked U.S embassies throughout the Muslims world, including one that killed the U.S ambassador to Libya. The protesters directed their hate and anger toward Americans and the American government even though the film was a privately made movie and in spite of the American government having criticized it for offending Muslims. The reason Muslims were outraged about the movie was because they claimed that the movie brought dishonor to the name of Mohamed and Islam.
The irony is that ISIS is also raping 13 years old girls, selling them to slavery, killing those who does not believe their ideology, forcefully converting non Muslims, beheading Western journalists, all in the name of Islam. By carrying the Islamic flag and reciting the Quran isn’t ISIS dishonoring the name of Islam by doing this? If Muslims claim that ISIL is not a Muslim organization, and if that is true, then why don’t I see that thousands of Muslims are outraged against ISIS and fighting against ISIS to clear the name of Muslims? Because for Muslims isn’t dying for the name of Islam an honor and wouldn’t the best honor be to kill and get rid of ISIS? I would like to see the Muslim world ban Islamic terrorism, like ISIS, Al-Qaida, and Boko Haram by publishing a list of them and targeting them through the political and military action required rather than the West, the US, or the UK doing it. I remember that a Turkish Imam, the leader of one of the largest missionary groups worldwide, Fethullah Gulen, called on Muslims to express their outrage over an anti Muslim film, but when it comes to ISIS, he just issued the statement that ISIS does not represent Islam. Then I looked at his previous statement about encouraging protesters in 2012 to be removed from the Internet. I don’t think Muslim leaders and Western leaders are consistent about how to fight against extremism. The West most often makes the mistake of thinking of Islam as only a religion, when it is an entire way of life for Muslims, one ordained by religion. A devout Muslim will always seek for the institutions of Sharia Law and its governing structure. Period. The West should get it.
Western leaders joined Islamic leaders in doing the same things For years, American leaders have lectured Muslims on the nature of Islam, in trying to convince the Muslims that America and the West are more of a friend to them than Jihadists are. President Obama in his speech at the U.N lectured Muslims and said ISIS is not Islamic because no religion condones the killing of innocents, and that the vast majority of ISIS’s victims have been Muslims. ISIL is a terrorist organization, pure and simple. Prime Minister Cameron claimed ISIS is not Muslim but a monster. Yes, they are monsters, but they are using the name of Islam. Instead of Muslims being outraged by what ISIS is doing to their faith and Islam, Imams in Britain criticized Prime Minister David Cameron and others arguing that they should stop using the phrase “Islamic State,” which they say gives credibility to a terrorist organization. Why can’t they fight against ISIS telling them to stop using the name of Muslims and Allah? I don’t think this kind of approach will stop a young Muslim from joining ISIS. If ISIS speaks for no religion and for Islam, then why are Muslims outraged by the name they use instead of fighting against ISIS for the mass rape of children and women and beheadings? What we see is Islamic fundamentalism on the rise but not because it is a fringe element. It is because the West has this notion of political correctness and double standards.
Dr. Aland Mizell is President of the MCI and a regular contributor to Mindanao Times. You may email the author at:aland_mizell2@hotmail.com