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American Attacks... What Next? |
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The crashing
of commercial airliners into symbols (military– Pentagon and economic–
World Trade Center) of American society has stunned the world into
disbelief. The world watched in horror as some of these symbols were
reduced to smouldering heaps of rubble. The chronological sequence of
events played tricks with reality. That was … but what does the future
hold. |
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As Muslims, we were there
before. Remember the last act of “barbarism” the Oklahoma City
Bombing, blame was apportioned to Muslims but it turned out to be the work
of a home grown American, Timothy McVeigh. (He was executed a few
months ago without demonstrating any remorse much to the dismay of the
Americans.) |
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Islâm and Muslims do not condone nor advocate
terrorism in any form— individually engineered or state sponsored.
Whilst this may be seen as a simple line and easy to understand, the
debate regarding the definition of terrorism and how it is applied has
presented us with an example of a person labelled as a terrorist 20 years
ago but revered today as one the greatest living statesman. |
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Media reports are carefully constructed and
presented to shape opinion. As the American public are reeling from the
devastating strikes, its leaders were already pointing fingers. Though
explicit references were not made, implicitly inferences were drawn. Thus
Muslim children were told by their mates: “You Muslims do bad things”.
Reports of Muslim harassment have been received from the USA. We wait with
abated breath how things will pan out in the days, months and even years
ahead. |
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Are we going to be pragmatic and brace ourselves
for whatever eventuality or is our optimism so weak that it will give way
to complacency? History should make a person wiser. The collapse of the
Ottoman Empire and subsequent events in the Muslim world has not succeeded
in snuffing out the life of the Muslim soul or make him subservient.
Consequently, one can rightly hope
that insha-Allâh efforts and strategies will only be intensified.
O Muslim, Allâh says: |
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“Their intention is to extinguish Allâh’s
light with their mouths but Allâh will complete His light even though the
unbelievers may detest it.” (61:8) |
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In order that we meet the challenges of the
future, we should: |
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Finally, difficulties that befall Muslims should not necessarily be seen as tragedies but rather as temptations and trials. Therefore should such testing times befall us, supplicate to Allâh that He allows us to negotiate them with resoluteness and fortitude befitting a Muslim. Âmîn. |