The Swiss minaret ban is a hope-inspiring event. Here Tawfik Hamad gives some reasons why. Hamid, former Islamic terrorist, is now identified as an "Islamic thinker and reformer." He's testament to the potential--in some cases--for human regeneration.
Can we blame the Swiss?tawfik hamid , THE JERUSALEM POST
On
Sunday, Swiss voters supported a referendum proposal to ban the
building of minarets in their country. Official results show more than
57 percent of voters and 22 out of 26 cantons - or provinces - voted in
favor of the ban. Building more minarets - in addition to the four
existing ones - was seen by many Swiss as a sign of Islamization of
their free country. The government opposed the ban, saying it would
harm Switzerland's image, particularly in the Muslim world.
Several points must be raised in relation to this issue:
1.Can Muslims blame the Swiss people for being afraid of
Islamization in their country? No, especially while the entire world
sees the inhumane applications of Islamic law (Shari'a) wherever it is
implemented. It should come as no surprise that the Swiss people don't
want a system that even today practices discrimination against women,
gays and minorities in the name of religion. The vivid images of
stoning women and hanging gays in the Muslim world should make any sane
individual inclined not to allow such an intolerant system to grow in
his country under the banner of freedom of religion.
2. The Swiss people who rejected building minarets may be
sending a message that their tolerance did not change the Muslim world
and is not reciprocated. For several decades Muslims have been allowed
to build mosques in Europe, wear their traditional symbols such as the
hijab, and preach Islam to non-Muslims. Despite such high levels of
tolerance in the West, non-Muslims are not permitted to practice
similar rights in several parts of the Islamic world. Preaching
Christianity is criminalized in a number of Muslim countries.
Furthermore, non-Muslims are not permitted to have their holy books or
to build their religious temples in many Shari'a-controlled areas. This
lack of reciprocity of Western tolerance will naturally make many
Westerners feel that showing tolerance to Muslims is not effective.
3. It seems strange that Muslims would insist on building
minarets for mosques in Switzerland while thousands of mosques exist
inside the Muslim world without minarets. The minarets are seen by many
as representing the superiority of Islam, especially when they are
taller than the churches; this sheds some light on the hidden
intentions of Muslims who insist on building minarets in the heart of
Europe. It is important that Muslims in Switzerland explain why they
insist on using such historical symbols of Muslim superiority when it
is neither mentioned in the Koran nor considered vital to building a
mosque.
4. It seems too hypocritical that Muslims demand minarets in
Europe while many non-Muslims in the Muslim world are denied basic and
fundamental religious rights.
The more important problem Muslims in Switzerland should address is the lack of basic religious rights for non-Muslim minorities, not these unnecessary minarets.
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