Islam-watch.org turned 5 today. And editor M. A. Khan looks at the progress we have made in its mission....
Some 10 years ago, when I was first introduced to writings critical of Islam—the so-called anti-Islam or Islam-bashing writings as Muslims call it—I felted offended, outrage and anger, despite my highly liberal upbringing and attitude, which I have explained in my testimony.
Yet after 2-3 years of struggle with my faith, I eventually freed myself from the shackle of Islam. And some five years later, I started islam-watch.org, realizing that there is no alternative to razor-sharp criticism of the foundation of Islam, namely the Quran and Prophet Muhammad, for effecting the much desired change in Islam—reformation, moderation, enlightenment or whatever one may call it, amidst a raging violent tide. And of course, our primary goal was to enlighten Muslims about the horrendous nature of Islam, so that they can leave Islam too.
Today, on the fifth anniversary of the launch of islam-watch.org, it is worth taking stock of how much our desired changed in Islam has been attained. Have we made some ground? Or has Islam further regressed toward violence and obscurantism?
First, to the question of helping Muslim leave Islam or increasing the pool of Muslim apostates, when islam-watch was launched, one could only hear the names of Salman Rushdie, Ibn Warraq, Ayaan Hirsi, Taslima Nasrin, Anwar Shaikh, Nonie Darwish, Ali Sina, Abul Kasem, Sher Khan, Syed Kamran Mirza, Ayesha Ahmed and a few such apostates. But today, there are hundreds of testimonies of ex-Muslims floating on the internet. There are dozens of blogs, critical of Islam, started by ex-Muslims. There are former teachers of madrassas and imams of mosques, who have left Islam and writing actively or running anti-Islam blogs.
When I started this site, our major authors were Ali Sina, Abul Kasem, Syed Kamran Mirza, Mohammad Asghar, Sher Khan, Mumin Salih, myself and a few more. Today, all these authors have mostly gone into obscurity. Our Website is today propelled by a totally different group of highly promising ex-Muslim writers. One of our major aims, while launching this website, was to nurture and help flourish promising writers, critical of Islam, from Muslim background. We have been more than successful on that front.
Another point I want to highlight here: After five years of my interaction with the critics of Islam prior to launching this site, I was intrigued by the fact that there were virtually no writers (except M. F. Mughal) of Pakistani origin. Yet, from my personal interaction with some Pakistanis, I thought there was a section in Pakistani society that is quite rational. My intuition was not wrong. Today, quite a good few of our contributors are of Pakistani origin. If you go to the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain, you would find that the testimonies of ex-Muslims there are dominated by those from Pakistani apostates. Most of all, we have quite a few highly courageous voices and critics of Islam from the Arab world—a region and people, one could have thought some 10 years ago to be impregnable by scepticism of Islam.
There are numerous half-Muslims, quarter-Muslims, who need a little direction and enlightenment to catch fire on. Websites like islam-watch.org offers that, and we are seeing the outcome.
To the question of whether 'Islam has further regressed toward violence and obscurantism?'—on the surface it may look so, especially in the Islamic world, where criticism of Islam like on our Website has failed to penetrate like it has in the West. And in the West, there is a visible change in the tone of Islam, a clear toning down of the Islamists. Protests against a Muhammad cartoon or a Quran burning/desecrating incident would draw much fewer Muslims on the streets of London today that it would have five years ago, so would the Celebration of 9/11 draw a much fewer Muslim radicals in London.
Another way of looking at it: After starting this Website, the emails I used to receive from Muslims during the first 2-3 years used to be quite frequent and unspeakably abusive or deadly menacing. And despite the readership of our site has increased no less than 10 folds, especially from Islamic countries like Pakistan, I have received not a single threat from Muslims over the last two years. Now-a-days, when I receive an abusive email from an offended Muslim, the language is much better; other unhappy Muslims write in to defend Islam is pretty much a civilized language. And the majority of emails I receive from readers of Muslim background these days are from ex-Muslims to let me know how happy they feel after leaving Islam, or Muslims asking for reading materials on Islam.
There is, obviously, a considerable shift toward toning down of aggression and radicalism amongst Muslims; and this toning down must be contrasted with the many courageous voices of moderate Muslims and ex-Muslims, challenging and attacking Islam in increasing numbers. A paradigm shift in Islamic radicalism is clearly happening in the West, probably in the Islamic world too, and it will only intensify in the coming years and decades.
There are many factors effecting this reduction in Islamic radicalism and aggressiveness, which could range from political measures undertaken, to criticisms of Islam like on our Websites, to a tactical move undertaken by clever Islamists. I believe tactical move by stealth Islamists is a factor and it's a dangerous move.
My belief is: suppression of Islamic radicalism through means other than the critical examination of the Islamic core, i.e. without true enlightenment about Islam, would not offer us a lasting solution to Islam's scourge on humanity. And the razor-sharp criticism of the Islamic core in Website like ours will play the decisive role in subverting the Islamic design, if we ever win this battle. Islam-watch.org, I believe, has made a contribution to that end in some measure. Enlightenment about Islam and consequent abandonment of it, silently or otherwise, is occurring on a scale never seen in history. A deluge is coming. And we will continue to battle on to enhance our contribution in this enlightenment, and, thereby, to the long-term solution of this struggle.
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written by Healer_999 , November 19, 2010
May islam-watch find more success.
written by Tanvir , November 19, 2010
written by Healer_999 , November 20, 2010
I think there is a website, muktamano, for Bengalis already.
written by atheist jabali , November 20, 2010
Spot on Mr.Khan. Nothing works like truth. Not foir nothing did the country of ur origin India told the world 5000 years ago.."truth alone triumphs"
written by Skeptic , November 20, 2010
I am a frequent visitor to your site. Though I was never a Muslim, I am terrified of the possible all out onslaught of Islam on liberal values. That will be the end of human civilization.
As a concerned member of humanity I congratulate you from the bottom of my heart for the yeoman service you have done to the wrorld community. Of course its only the beginning. But we see more than a glimmer of hope.
At this moment I am reminded of the trials and tribulations, threats, betrayals and personal agonies you would have gone through in this gigantic effort. You have done full justice to your noble objective of defrocking Islam. Hats off to you! May your unceasing efforts bear immediate and lasting fruits!
written by Archpagan , November 20, 2010
written by Editor , November 20, 2010
written by Beowulf , November 20, 2010
written by Steve , November 20, 2010
written by Healer_999 , November 20, 2010
written by Mohammad.A.Khan , November 20, 2010
Have a nice day sir!
Mohammad.A.Khan
written by Machmoed , November 21, 2010
To the fouder(s) of the site: congrats and keep up the great work.
written by From Denmark , November 21, 2010
Best regards
written by Mulhid , November 22, 2010
Hereby a "birthday poem" by Umm Jamil (Arwa bint Harb wife Abu Lahab and sister of Abu Sufyan), one of the most prescient ladies in history:
We reject the reprobate,
His words we repudiate,
His religion we loathe and hate.
written by lord garth , November 22, 2010
In another 5 or so years there will be enough apostate and scholar talent to provide staff for several radio "News of Islam" stations that could provide both the news about events like honor killing, jihad killing, blasphemy killing, etc. but then give the sources and text that are used to inspire such actions. Perhaps by then, some of the wealthy infidels will have their minds opened enough to provide the funding.
written by Reed Wilson. , November 22, 2010
written by Tim Heekin , November 23, 2010
I have long been curious about how and when the written Arabic language came about? Given the primitive nature of Arabia how is it that a written language already existed when Muhammad roamed the sands? I find that to be an interesting curiosity. Usually, it seems to me, a measure of civilization precedes the development of a written language and I am unaware of any such pre--Islamic Arab civilization from which any such development could have evolved. Again, not being a linguist or student of language, it appears superficially that the script and format of Arabic may have evolved from Hebrew but this observation is based only on the most simplistic awareness on my part.
Sir, do you have any thoughts on this?
Again, best wishes on your noble efforts of IslamWatch.
written by Mohammad.A.Khan , November 23, 2010
I just wanted to let you know that in my humble information, in the era of Muhammad, there were around 50,000 phonics in Arabic language, but today there are some around 300,000 phonics in Arabic.
like I said, i am not MA Khan the admin of website, he can better answer your questions because he is very learned person and have vast knowledge about history of Islam and Middle East.
have a good day!
Mohammad.A.Khan
written by Tim Heekin , November 23, 2010
written by Machmoed , November 23, 2010
What i know of the arabic language is that it has a longer evolution than muslims have written. If you see seriac aramic and nabatee script (and also a bit hebrew script), they both have remarkable resemblence with arabic script. On the other hand it's different on it's own. The so called KUFI script is developed in KUFFA in Irak. But scholars do not agree that this was a unique script or special. Arabic inscription are found wich are not hidjaazi (hidjaaz is the peninsula of mecca and media/region) nor kuffi, (nor nabatee or else), but much older. Arabic seemes to be older than orientalists, scholars etc have thought. Maybe linguist/filologist of the arabic script (and hebrew and nabatee and seriac aramic script) Thomas Milo (he also helped devolope arabic script for computers etc.) has a book about this. If you could read dutch i would point out a book wich sais something about this named: Omstreden bronnen van de islam.
written by Tim Heekin , November 23, 2010
written by Mohammad.A.Khan , November 23, 2010
Have a great day!
Mohammad.A.Khan
written by Tim Heekin , November 23, 2010
written by Editor, M. A. Khan , November 23, 2010
I do not have much knowledge on the development of Arabic writing. So, I may not be able to add much to what Machmoed has put in already.
Writing, it is said, was originated in Sumeria (c. 5000 BCE), a neighboring civilization to Arabia, and not long after by the Chinese (c. 4500 BCE). And consistent with the backwardness of the Arab civilization, writing developed in Arabia very very late, not long before Muhammad. Probably starting in the first millennium BCE until c. 500 CE, various forms of writings existed in different regions of Arabia in non-Arabic scripts, namely Thamudic, Lihyanite, Safaite, Aramaic, Nabataea, Syriac and Greek etc.
The development of modern Arabic script probably started, it is said, with adaptation of the Aramaic alphabet by three Christians of Tayi, who introduced 22 letters. Another Syriac scholar and Christian, named Mar Amer aka Moramir, later added 6 more letters. These letters were improved and perfected by the Christian calligraphers of Kufa (Akula), and so became named Kufi script. The Kufi script, used mainly for monumental inscription of the scriptural verses on churches, was further developed by the Christians copyists of Hira for flowing style of writing, called naskhi, for transcribing manuscripts.
The Arabs, it is said, learned writing from the people of Hira. It is learnt that in 560, a Christian prince from Duma near Syria (brother of Okaydir, rulers of Duma, whom Muhammad had forcibly converted and later killed for apostatizing) visited Mecca and taught the Hira script to Abu Sufian's father Harb ibn Umayya, through whom it was transmitted amongst the Meccans. And in this Hira script, developed by the Christians, would later preserve and transmit the verses of the Quran.
Yet, in Muhammad's days, the writing was still very primitive, without any vowels and punctuations, which were introduced later. So, in Muhammad's days, the word for 'kill' would be written as QTL, which could read as QaTL (killing), as QaTiL (killer), as QaTaLa (he killed) and so on. This is the style of writing in which the first Quran was compiled under the patronage of Caliph Umar (so obviously there existed many variant readings). And even in post-Muhammad days, the vast improvement in the Arabic scripts and writing was done by mainly Christians while working as translators of Greek and other manuscripts into Arabic under the patronage of Muslim rulers—Umayyad and later the Abbasids.
Authors such as Nicholson, Grumebaum and Diringer have done some good work on the development of Arabic writing.
written by Karen , November 24, 2010
written by Reed Wilson. , November 24, 2010
I think it is a late faculty acquired by mankind. Even sign language seems older. It is just my feeler. It is definitely primitive and rapidly progressing capability. Today the expression needs so many props including dance, music, body language and painting. This shows something is lacking in literal expression.
Hebrew and Arabic are sister languages. Hebrew seems senior. But Hebrew is getting obsolete like Latin in European languages.
I wish and hope we get a satisfactory answer on this site or at least a source.
written by dd , November 28, 2010
Islam tries very hard to erase the greatness of pre-islamic societies, so it would be hard to find such civilization. The rise of Islam led to the dark ages of Arabia and Africa. Dark ages have a method of hiding and obscuring knowledge of pre-Dark age greatness.
written by Editor, M. A. Khan , November 28, 2010
1. Diringer, D (1947) The Alphabet, A Key to the History of Mankind, Hutchison, London
2. Nicholson RA (1969) A Literary History of the Arabs, Cambrige University Press
3. Grunebaum, Gustav von (1961) Medieval Islam, Chicago University Press
written by Reed Wilson. , November 28, 2010
written by Anil K Bali , December 04, 2010
written by Jennie , December 04, 2010
And now we have these stupid naked picture machines in the airports. I'm so delighted to read your words about a "deluge" leaving islam, but honestly getting afraid that we're going in the other direction. Like the guy above said, most people would not believe you if you told them about things like blashphemy killings.
Anyway, your site really gives me hope. I had no idea such a huge population of ex-msulims were around, and I think you're all fantastic!
Keep fighting the good fight, and so will we.
written by Y.K , December 15, 2010
thanks for the team of Islam-watch
http://truthunlimited.blog.co