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Still Searching The Real Islam

by Abul Kasem

Believe it or not, a desperate search is going on in the land of the infidels.  Here the new Mullahs make the search for true Islam.  The religion Islam as being practiced in the Islamic heavens  (like Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sudan, Iran) has damaged the good name of Islam-the religion of peace and mercy.  The Qur'an and Hadiths, the two guiding books are not followed exactly note-for-note in these Islamic havens.  At least that is what we gather from the new Mullahs who have solidly anchored their new roots in the civilized West. Therefore, the new Mullahs need to tell the world one more time that true Islam is not what the world sees in those places.  The actions of the Islamic leaders of these countries have put a shame in the face of Islam. The new Mullahs are, therefore desperate to erase that shame. 

Let us see what could possibly be the true demeanor of Islam.  

November 1997, Luxor, Egypt.  The Islamic fundamentalists belonging to organization Al Gamaa al Islamiya slaughter 60 tourists, wound 20 others, and kidnaps all the young women tourists in the city of Luxor. The only crime of these tourists was that they wanted to visit the Pyramid. The Islamists claim that they were simply carrying out the instructions in the Qur'an.  This is not real Islam.  

March 2001, Afghanistan. The Talibans complete the destruction of the tallest Buddhist statue in defiance of the world protest that included many Islamic nations. The Talibans have no apology to seek. They were simply following the injunctions in their Holy Scriptures.  This is not true Islam.  

February 1993, Islamic fundamentalists bomb the World Trade Centre in New York City. Six people are killed and thousands injured.  This is not true Islam. 

February 1989, Iran. Ayatollah Khomeini declares Salman Rushdie, an apostate and imposes death sentence on him.  This is not true Islam. 

July 1998. Iran executes Ruhollah Rowhani for apostasy.  He converted to Bahai faith from Islam.  This is not true Islam. 

March 1971.  In Bangladesh (then East Pakistan) Pakistani Islamic army started a worst genocide in human history by slaughtering 3 million innocent lives, raping 250,000 women, and commits looting and plunder. Very few families are left that are not direct or indirect victims of this massacre. All Islamists support this action saying that it was necessary to protect Islam.  This is not true Islam . 

August 1998, Nairobi, Kenya and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Africa.  Islamic fundamentalists bomb the U.S embassy in both these places.  224 people dies and 4,500 people are injured in Nairobi. 11 killed and 85 injured in Dar es Salaam.  This is not true Islam. 

September 2000, Jolo Island, the Philippines.  The fundamentalist Islamic Abu Sayaf group kidnaps 36 tourists as hostages and demands ransom in exchange for their release. The captives suffer inhuman torture for months in the hands of the terrorists.  This is not true Islam.  

January 2001, Dhaka, Bangladesh. The Islamic fundamentalists declare death sentence on two judges on charges of apostasy (Murtad) and in February 2001 they slaughter a policeman in a mosque.  This is not true Islam. 

Pakistan. Shia Sunni Islam clash results in slaughter in mosques.  Newspaper reports about 300 Shia mosques are destroyed.  This is not true Islam.  

March 2001. Indonesia.  Islamic extremists give ultimatum to the non-Islamic believers of Kesui Island to convert to Islam or be killed.  Hundreds of people of other faith convert to Islam just to save their lives. The male converts are subjected to unhygienic circumcision and the females are subject unhygienic clitoridectomy (female genital mutilation).  This is not real Islam.  

We can go on citing examples after examples of the Islamic justices, mercy and tolerances that had been carried out throughout the world.  These steps were taken after the Islamists have consulted their Holy Scriptures meticulously and were convinced that those actions were justified for the preservation and propagation of Islam.  They can quote volumes of Qur'anic Ayats and Hadiths to backup their activities no matter how insane the world thinks of them.  They care very little for the life and property of the vast majority of the world population.  The only thing that they have learned is that Islam is the only religion in the world and all other faiths must be silenced at any or at all costs. They sincerely believe in their Holy books and are prepared to cause any amount of bloodshed to achieve their goals.  

Why are the new Mullahs so upset over those activities of the Islamists?  After all, they (the Islamists) are just carrying out what the founder of their faith did in dealing with the non-Muslims 1400 years ago.  The Islamists are simply following the footsteps of their founder in every inch of their way.  Why should the new Mullahs not support their actions?  Well, this is exactly what puzzles ordinary people like you and me.  Let us look at some clues to this enigma. 

The new Mullahs really admire the Western style of secularism that gives them the absolute freedom of expression for their beliefs and thoughts.  The constitutions of these infidel countries guarantee this right.  When the press reports the uncivilised, inhuman and savage activities of the Islamic fundamentalists they simply feel ashamed and guilty about the innocent people massacred by their compatriots.  They just run for cover to hide their Islamic faces.  They just cannot believe that these actions of the fundamentalists are indeed the pure and straight interpretations of their dear faith.  They (the new Mullahs) know rather well that the neighborhood and the country in which they live may soon start to look at them in the eyes of contempt.  Therefore, they start the damage control actions.  They start preaching to any one who questions the inane activities of the fundamentalists.  They will quote from the ambiguous Qur'an and Hadiths those nice and sweet verses.  This makes the gullible and ignorant (about Islam) people with the idea that Islam is not what the fundamentalists are doing and are satisfied that everything is fine and dandy with Islam.  One reason why the new Mullahs have difficulty in understanding the madness of the Islamic fundamentalists is that most of them have never seen any Islamic paradise like Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Islamic Republic Of Iran, Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Islamic Sudan.  It is simply beyond their comprehension what an Islamic paradise looks like.  This is similar to a politician's false promise to his voters.  The voters have illusive ideas of the promises.  They fall for the promises and vote the politician.  Only after the politician assumes office, the truth starts to emerge.  If ever these new Mullahs have an opportunity to experience what these Islamic countries practice and how happy are the citizen of these Allah's land, then only, will they realize how real Islam works.  For my part, I had had enough of Islamic paradises in some of the Islamic countries where I lived and worked previously.  

Another ploy by these new Mullahs to raise the savage image of Islam to a civilised status is to declare that Islam is very scientific.  Oh my!  What a cruel joke!  I think if this piece of information can find it's way to the graves of all the scientists who were once persecuted by religion for their scientific discoveries, they may jump out of their graves!  Why should the new Mullahs portray to the world that Islam is very scientific? Here is the answer.  Nowadays, there are two words in the world that people love to hate. These two words are 'fundamentalist Islam.'  The new Mullahs by living in the infidel countries have discovered that one of the most respected words in the West is the word 'scientific.'  If anything is proven to be scientific, then people give credible recognition to that thing or idea.  That's it!  The new Mullahs have found the solution to the derogatory term (fundamentalist) associated with their faith.  They just need to add the word 'scientific' with the word Islam (that is, scientific Islam) and that's it.  All the bad connotation about Islamic fundamentalism will simply vanish in the thin air.  What a novel idea!  What a great pretender!  

The idea that Islam (or any other religion for that matter) is scientific is simply laughable. Any sensible person can see that this (Islamic science) is a very hollow and capricious idea propagated by none other than the new Mullahs. This idea had never been mooted by the fundamentalists at any time.  They (the fundamentalists) are quite happy with whatever they have in their hands.  In fact, they are too busy to implement what they have learned from their existing religious rules.  However, the new Mullahs want to create an impression that because Islam is scientific, therefore whatever the fundamentalists are implementing are unscientific and so not Islamic.  This is the trick the new Mullahs want to play with the educated and knowledgeable people of the West and the infidel countries.  

Let us now briefly elucidate what science has to say on this matter. 

The foundation of scientific knowledge is the absence of blind faith.  Science questions anything everything even the religious dogma.  What is the foundation of Islam (or any other religion)?  Isn't it the blind faith in the Qur'an, Hadiths and the Prophet (pbuh)? How do the Islamists prove that it is possible to practice Islam without blind faith?  

Another basis of science is the meticulous observation of a natural phenomena, critical analysis (based on mathematical, statistical and logical principles) and infer from the analysis the possible cause/s of the phenomena.  As our knowledge of mathematics, statistics and logic progresses, so is the knowledge of science. That means scientific principles are not immutable.  They may change as our understanding of nature and it's intricate working mechanism advances.  I do not understand how this cardinal principle of science can be applied to Islamic faith where every word in the Holy Scripture is considered immutable and cannot be questioned.  To conform to a scientific law any experiment or observation must be repeatable.  This is similar to a formula.  Every time certain things happen then the natural outcome will always be the same.  This is the premise of a scientific law.  And because of this principle, it is possible to send a man to moon and bring him back. This principle assures the safe return of a space shuttle....etc. If any law fails to comply with the repeatability principle than that is not a scientific law. Straight and simple.  Let the Islamists prove that their faith complies with all these strict rules of science.  

It is simply a fun to observe that some new Mullahs try to trick the scientific community with their absurd ideas and whims.  I remember that at one time in 1960s Monem Khan, the then Governor of East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) asked the local intellectuals to write Rabindra Sangeet (Tagore songs) that conformed to Islamic principles (that is, Islamic Rabindra Sangeet)!  He used to say that 'we (the Pakistanis) do not want Indian Rabindra Sangeet.  We shall make Pakistani Rabindra Sangeet'!!  I shall not be surprised that very soon the new Mullahs will cry for Islamic Civil Engineering, Islamic Mechanics, Islamic Thermodynamics, Islamic Electronics, Islamic Medicine, Islamic Geology, Islamic Statistics, Islamic Calculus, Islamic Gynaecology, Islamic Neurology, Islamic Genetics, Islamic Physics, Islamic Chemistry, Islamic Gravity, Islamic Newton's Law, Islamic Theory of Relativity, Islamic Evolution (which they already have, remember genesis?) and so on.  How amusing!  The new Mullahs assert that science has become too Westernised, so they want to make it more Islamised.  What an absurd idea it is!  How about the Hindu science, the Buddhist science?  How about the Jewish science? How about the Sikh science and how about the Falun Gang science.  All these religions too have the rights (?) to call their faith scientific too.  There is a newspaper called 'The Christian Science Monitor,' published from, U.S.  Shall we very soon see 'The Real Islamic Science Gazette', 'The Falun Gang Science Herald', 'The Hindu Science Tribune ---.and so on?  

The notion that science is 'Western,' 'Eastern,' 'Indian,' 'Arabic,' etc., is totally wrong and illogical.  The purpose of science is to study the natural phenomena and discover the laws governing these phenomena.  Simply speaking, this means the logical and rational explanation of natural phenomena. It is absolutely not dependent at any place or time. Why the Islamists call science 'Western'?  It is because they are very very jealous and angry that the West has advanced so far due to the science.  They are simply frustrated that even with the enormous petro-dollar in their hands the oil rich Islamic countries could not produce is a single scientist of international repute.  All that the petro-dollar has contributed is in the creation of more and more fundamentalists (read close mind) and more killing, more tyranny and frightening terrorism around the globe.  These Islamists have forgotten that the development of science and technology does not depend on money and wealth but more so on nurturing open mind. It is the freedom of expression and innovative mindset of the entire population of a society.  Innovative thinking and ideas cannot be fostered in religious blindness, bigotry and intolerance.  In the Western society, the advancement in science and technology skyrocketed only when they became secular/freethinking and threw the blind faith in religion out of their lives.  Is that possible in Islamic societies?  The new Mullahs simplistic notion that adding the word 'Science' after the word 'Islamic' will make it real Islam is just as good as going to the barber for brain surgery!  The barber also works on your head but that does not make him a brain surgeon.  

Readers, please stop and think for a while. Think about all the modern appliances that we use at our home every day!  Think of radio.  Think of Television. Think of Microwave Oven, Think of movie pictures. Think of mobile phone. Think of computers. Think of the Internet. Think of e-mail.  Think of the rocket that carries a man to moon and brings him safely back to earth.  Think of the communication satellites.  Think of the robots that goes to Mars and sends back 3-D pictures of Mars' landscape.  Think of modern medicine.  Think of X-ray, of penicillin and antibiotics.  Think of CT scan and ultrasound that enable us to see an unborn baby in a mother's womb.  Think.  Think. Think.  Can we tell which of these inventions were possible as a result of Qur'an and Hadith?  Can we quote a single Islamic name that was involved with any of these modern scientific and technological achievements that we take for granted?  Nope!  Why?  Why? If real Islam is so scientific, why is it that it has next to nothing contribution in the storehouse of human knowledge?  

A popular tactic by the new Mullahs for damage control is to portray that true Islam is a very tolerant religion.  Let us test the tolerance of true Islam.  Let us send this essay to an Islamic web site.  Readers, believe it that this essay will never be published by any of these Islamic web sites.  I personally have done this.  I wrote small letters to these web sites which questioned the veracity of some aspects of Islam.  My letters were never published.  If you visit those Islamic sites the only essays and letters you will see are those that are in praise of Islam and eulogize the faith.  This is the tolerance of true Islam!  The tolerance is for nothing but praise of Islam.  However, the secularists web site (like NFB, secularism, etc.), not only respects the new Mullahs religion but also publishes essays that are critical of secularists/free thinkers. The new Mullahs take advantage of the liberal attitude of the secularist/free thinkers and use their web sites to propagate their age-old brand of faith in a new bottle.  Is this fair?  

Let us not be bewitched.  Let us not be fooled by these hypocrite new Mullahs. The real Islam is the Islam practiced by the Islamic abodes of Allah (Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Sudan, etc.). These countries follow the Islamic Scriptures to the letter and whether we like it or not, they are determined to show to the world the true demeanor of Islam.  They are not shy or hesitant to carry out the implementation and the enforcement of the injunctions of Qur'an   Our new Mullahs simply wished that these verses in Qur'an did not exist. How sad they feel to learn that there can be no Sahih Qur'an like the Sahih Hadiths!  

Is there any one who actually knows or knew about real Islam?  The answer, surprisingly, is yes.  We need to go back around 1400 years behind for this information.  It was 621 AD and after the death of Khadija, the Prophet's (pbuh) first wife.  God's angel Gabriel speaks quite frequently to Mohammad and reveals the messages of Allah.  Being illiterate, the Prophet (pbuh) had a faithful scribe by the name of Abdullah ibn Saud to write the messages of Allah while the Prophet (pbuh) dictated this (the message) in his state of trance.  The occasion was the revelation of Sura 23 ("The believers"translation by Pickthall).  As Prophet (pbuh) started to murmur, Abdullah ibn Saud wrote:  

23:12 Verily We created man from a product of wet earth;

23:13 Then placed him as a drop (of seed) in a safe lodging;

23:14 Then fashioned We the drop a clot, then fashioned We the clot a little lump bones, then clothed the bones with flesh, and then produced it as another creation.

After revealing up to this point the Prophet (pbuh) was tired.  He took a breath when Abdullah ibn Saud completed the verse 14 with "So blessed be Allah, the Best of creators!" and to his shock Mohammad replied "yes, that's it" (Source: The life of Muhammad. Ch.2. by Robert E. Burns) 

Abdullah knew exactly what was going on.  He could not bear the trickery any more.  So, he left the Prophet (pbuh) and became an apostate.  The merciful Prophet (pbuh) wasted no time to finish off with Abdullah after he conquered Mecca.   

I am sure by this time the intelligent readers should have found out what the real Islam is!

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Abul Kasem writes from Sydney, Australia.