A lesson for muslims: Be in it to win it!
Foreign muslim preachers anticipate a mighty Islam, -especially- here in the West.
Kustaw Bessems
Amsterdam
"Islam will soon reign supreme", so predicts Sheikh Khalid Yasin. "Despite the fact that unbelievers, heathens and hypocritical muslims would hate this."
"In actually", Yasin states, "Islam has always been destined to rule the world. But muslims have been weak, and for this Allah gave strength to other peoples." But this can all change, he states, as long as muslims are willing to "compete for power".
Islam institute Dar al Ilm estimated about a thousand attendants last saturday in the Apollo Hall in south Amsterdam. Fair enough, the turnout turned to be a bit less than that, but they were many regardless and nearly all of them were young. Khalid Yasin, himself born in New York and today operating out of Manchester, was one of the main speakers of this congress and as such managed to draw the crowds.
Western leaders have disqualified themselves, he feels. They've become obsolete. This offers muslim leaders opportunities. However, "you have to be in it to win it!" What that means? Muslims have to integrate into a society to a reasonable degree to be able to compete for leadership in the West.
Surrender
"Islam", Yasin believes, "has been planted in the West as a seed. The soil here is most fertile. If the West permits this seed's growth, they will find a shield in Islam in the coming hundred years. But should they fight it, the consequences would be most dire. The rise of Islam -will- take place in the West, but not with terrorism and hatred. if we prove that Islam is superior then the majority, even the non-muslims, will embrace, accept or tolerate Islam."
Ultra orthodox preachers dominated this congress. Abu Ameena Bilal Philips, a Jamaican-born convert now employed in India, and Haitham al-Haddad, a Palestinian now living in London, were both also present as speakers.
"The definition of Islam is not peace", al-Haddad claims. "Muslims who argue that it is, are suffering from an inferiority complex. Islam means surrender. Surrendering to the will of the Creator." Only Allah gets to make laws, al-Haddad feels. The problem with democracy, according to him, is that people never agree. "The muslim solution is an external, unbiased authority who has final say on everything: Allah".
According to this sheikh, surrender demands total submission to Allah's laws and to see these laws through, even if you at times do not understand them. "It's a test. The entire purpose of life is a test. Following this logic, he then reasons that it's therefore futile to answer the questions of unbelievers. "Why did the prophet have so many wifes? Why was one of them nine years old? I say: if you believe that Muhammad was sincere, there is no reason to ask about his wifes. That too, is a test."
"If we humans feel that something doesn't add up, or doesn't make sense, that doesn't automatically mean that it's illogical. Take male circumcision. At first we never understood why, but now we see that it prevents HIV infection in Africa. Or female genital manipulation. Few people are in favour of that right now. But who's to say we won't think it entirely normal in the future?"
The audience itself rarely to never presented criticism. The few questions there were usually regarded reputable scholars, books and websites. The only person slightly out of tone here was an employee at the Turkish embassy. There were also a few Dutchmen like Imam Yassin Elforkani from Amsterdam-Slotervaart. He seemed impressed by the Islamic grandeur presented on stage. "These international preachers inspire us to follow the right road. Compared to them... I'm just a boy getting started."
Salafism
Most speakers adressed the radical Sunni split-off Salafism. Beforehand it was announced that any and all mentions of Salafi Islam would be neutral and unbiased, but in the end, most of the speakers adressing Salafism were motivated Salafi muslims themselves. Beforementioned Abu Ameena Bilal Philiphs: "Salafism is quite simply the proper form of Islam." al-Haddad agreed: "Salafism simply is Islam. The way the companions of the Prophet interpreted the Quran is key. Nobody is to differ from this. Islam must not be allowed to adapt to new environments. That will simply produce as many Imams as there are people".
Emphasis was also placed on requisition of new muslim institutions. Yasin pleaded in favour of Islamic tv shows, social websites like Facebook or Myspace and even Islamic search engines. Otherwise muslim children are simply exposed to too much misinformation. And as Philips says: "Media love to speak ill of Islam and spread falsehoods around. This behaviour can be traced back as far as the Crusades".
al-Hadded encouraged Dutch muslims to demand Sharia courts to apply muslim law. "It's the only way. The amount of muslims grows quickly. Halal food is commonplace, as if that has nothing to do with Sharia. To get what one wants, one should simply say: I am a Dutch citizen and as such you
have to give me what I ask."
According to Philips, the "destructive influence of the West" must be countered via education. "Sending your children to non-muslim schools is one hundred percent haram." In response to the question what parents should do in the situation of a muslim school providing poor education and a non-muslim school good education, he simply answers: "What is more important. That your child becomes the president of some bank, or that he goes to heaven?
Source: Newspaper De Pers, Monday May 18th 2009
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