In the absence of a proper post since Wednesday (work!), here's a link to Imam Zaid Shakir's as-ever (ma sha Allah) measured response to the cartoon affair:
Clash of the Uncivilized: Insights on the Cartoon Controversy
The current crisis shows the extent we Muslims are vulnerable to media manipulation, superficial shows of piety, and counterproductive one-upmanship militancy. If we start with the issue of media manipulation, it is clear that Western and Eastern media outlets played a large role in stirring up Muslim, and now Western sentiments. When the crisis initially broke in September, it was barely a blip on the media radar. Few outside of Denmark even knew of the cartoons. The Danish Muslim community, appropriately, by and large ignored the story. [1] It was only after a campaign undertaken by a delegation of Danish Muslim community activists to stimulate greater interest in the issue that the crisis reached the proportions we are currently witnessing. These activists traveled throughout the Muslim East trying to draw attention to the issue. When the issue was popularized by Iqra and other Arab satellite channels, and the cartoons were reprinted by several European papers, the crisis deepened. In light of that reality, it would be hard to deny the role the media has played in sparking and now perpetuating the crisis.
I agree with much of what the imam said.
Protest in my opinion is a humanist practice that muslims should not be adopting. It is based on the belief that people (those being protested against) will change their position once they are exposed to "reason" by the protesters. I see no valid reason why muslims should adopt this logic.
There is nothing measured about this response.
He once again pushes the Agenda of White (sorry, Western) Islam. He does this by implying that the problems the Muslims have in the world is due to the way they react to Imperialism. Zaid Shakir (if that is what is his name is) never has anything to say about Western Imperialism, but then again Hamza Hanson and Tim Winter also never have anything to say about Imperialism. Actually, Winter has gone one better and praised the barbarism of British Imperialism by refering to it as 'noble' in one of his essays. Also, another thing that Shakir argues for in his essay is the seperation of Western Islam and Eastern Islam without offering any theological basis.
My opinion is that Westerners (US and UK) image of Islam is due to the historical bigotry of these nations and there successful efforts to rape and pillage the countries of the Muslim East rather than what Westerners think of Muslims demonstrating over cartoons.
Jabar Yafai,
There is only one thing that can be said about Western Imperialism and that is Muslim weakness. No one is going to invade China anytime soon. THere is a reason for that. I am not suggesting we become Communist, I am suggesting that we get back to our deen and begin to look inward. Deflecting all responsibility on the kufr is a conseqeunce of Western Imperialism.
Assalaamu alaikum,
I also had a pretty strong reaction to that article. He seems to take the "West = civilized", "East = uncivilized" theme and then goes even further to apply it to Muslims, describing Western Muslims as good and civilized, while describing Eastern Muslims as ignorant, barbaric mobs who are so irritating to their Western brothers and sisters that the Westerners might have to just give up on them...
And I couldn't figure out why he dragged in the moonsighting issue, and then blamed it on the "Eastern Muslims". We're not the ones that can't figure out when to start fasting or when to celebrate the Eid; we don't have part of the community doing one thing and the other part doing another.
Very disappointing, in my opinion.
I am shocked people are attacking Imam Zaid Shakir's call for a strategic, measured response to the Danish cartoons as an apologia for imperialism. In fact, I can't think of a better way to delight the Pipes and Spencers of the world than to portray Imam Shakir as an imperialist stooge...
Assalaamu alaikum,
Let me just explain that I have nothing against Imam Zaid Shakir. I wasn't all that familiar with him before, but I know a lot of people who really like him, so if anything, I read that article expecting to have a positive reaction. That's why I was surprised and disappointed by his message - in this one article, at least.
Peter H,
Why do you treat this article as some kind of shrine to be revered and not as a piece of writing to be engaged with.
Your response is emotional. Does every word in the well written piece read Imam Zaid Shakir or does each word possess a specific meaning?
There is only one thing that can be said about Western Imperialism and that is Muslim weakness. No one is going to invade China anytime soon. There is a reason for that.
I wonder if the Muslim lands are weak because they are sitting on a sea of oil...
"Zaid Shakir (if that is what is his name is) never has anything to say about Western Imperialism, but then again Hamza Hanson and Tim Winter also never have anything to say about Imperialism."
I would strongly encourage the person wrote the above statement to give a carefull listen to the free audio lectures by Shaykh Hamza and Imam Zaid on the Zaytuna Institute website, http://www.zaytuna.org/multimedia.asp
You will find therein the condemnation of Western imperialism that you seek.
I listened to Zaid Shakir "live" last week and he explicitly condemned the adoption of the "total warfare" strategy, otherwise known as terror bombing, trying to effect political change by causing unacceptable level of civilian casualties. He pointer out this was invented in the West and is taught in Western military academies. Western politicians attempt to distinguish, in their BS definition of terrorism, between this as practiced by state, or non state actors. ZS explicitly condemned Muslim for thinking they could adopt this strategy, yet pointed out that they have a long way to go to catch up.
He illustrated from the Quran that if you kill one it is like killing all of humanity.
Many sections of his talk, if taken out of context, could have delighted either Pipes on the one hand or the most extreme "takfiri" muslims on the other. In other words, he spoke the truth.
This misquoting is something "we" are not adverse to. The Daily Mail is bad enough. As one example, many of the Sunni / Shia \*\*\*\* stirrers on both sides engage in out of context quotes, provocations, and out and out lies that would beggar belief, things I would not have believe if I had not seen them with may own eyes.
It's from both sides, and the proud individuals who refuse to accept this are the ones on the wrong side.
There are those who play with our sensibilities to use us as pawns, for their own "political" benefit. They are invariably individuals, or funded by individuals, who wish to preserve or seek privilege that their real worth does not merit. We all need to be on our guard against this fitna. If you want to know what's going on, follow where their money comes from.
Hi, if you want to celebrate British Islam, come to this event:
http://www.livingislam.co.uk
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=3S9L9S6WQDo
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=BZ1JYrU9kXM&feature=related
Best regards