The Final Call

Muslims take center stage in response to extremism

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WASHINGTON (FinalCall.com) - On the morning of Sept.10, before President Barack Obama gave his strategy for defeating extremism in the Middle East, a group of Muslim leaders gathered at the National Press Club to offer their guidance.

“Islam is not the problem. Islam did not produce ISIS …Islam is the solution for those communities.  Studies show that the more religious people are, the less likely they’ll turn to violence.  There are a lot of studies to back this up,” said Ahmed Bedier, President of United Voices for America.

“It’s the failed policies of that region.  Thirteen years after 9/11 we have more terrorists than we did after 9/11.  Before the invasion of Iraq, there was not a single member of Al Qaeda in Iraq.  There wasn’t a single suicide bomber.  There wasn’t a single ISIS member.  We never even heard of ISIS.  Yet today the whole region is engulfed in violence and tensions,” he added.

Mr. Bedier said he was hoping to hear from the President a solution that goes beyond air strikes because the use of drones to fight terrorism has not worked.  But the President’s four-point plan to degrade and ultimately destroy extremist groups launched with air strikes.  It does include fortifying Iraqi and Kurdish ground forces, counterterrorism capabilities and continuing the humanitarian efforts in the region. 

“There has to be a longer term approach and you have to work with what’s happening.  Whenever you don’t have democracy and freedom, the alternative is violence.  Islam has been here for 1400 years and ISIS did not exist.  They have nothing to do with Islam so for us to denounce them somehow gives them some credibility,” said Mr. Bedier.

But denounce them is exactly what right wing politicians and news media are asking for Muslims to do.  Since 9/11 Muslims have come before the media time and time again to denounce and condemn every act of terrorism while urging people to not confuse the pristine religion of Islam with the criminal acts of a few.

“We never in this country confuse the Ku Klux Klan with being a Christian organization,” Imam Johari Abdul Malik, community Outreach Director of Dar Hijrah, one of the largest masjids in the D.C. Metropolitan area told The Final Call.

“Why should we allow people then to associate Islam with the kind of violent extremism and hatred of groups like ISIS or ISIL?  Young men are feeling frustrated seeing the death and destruction around the world.  They wonder; what can I do about it?  As a result some have been deceived into thinking there is a short cut to social change.  That it comes from the barrel of a gun or a shoulder rifle.”

Portions of corporate controlled media have been influential in spreading the message that the extremism is based and fueled by Islam.

“We are very concerned about the language ‘Islamic State’.  Please media we are asking you and we are the experts representing millions, do not to refer to them as Islamic.  Put anti in front of Islamic.  This is not an Islamic state.  It’s not an Islamic state of being, it’s not like any Islamic state the Prophet (PBUH) created,” said Imam Talib Sharieff, head of Masjid Muhammad, the Nation’s Mosque.

Imam Talib read at the press conference from Article 16 of the first written constitution in history, the Constitution of the Islamic State of Medina.

Regarding collective resistances against injustice, tyranny and mischief Article 16 states in part: “There shall be collective resistance by the believers against any individual who rises in rebellion, attempts to acquire anything by force, violates any pledge or attempts to spread mischief amongst the believers. Such collective resistance against the perpetrator shall occur even if he is the son of anyone of them.”

“We stand on this constitution today.  When I hear ISIL, I hear ice.  They’ve become hard and cruel.  They are associating with a religious identity but they’ve lost that,” said Imam Sharieff.

Many wonder just who and what makes up ISIL / ISIS / IS.  This network rose out of obscurity and non-existence but is now front and center on the world stage. 

“Many were born in Abu Ghraib.  Their proclaimed leader served time there and there is documentation to prove he was there during all the torture.  Fifteen of the top generals are former Baathist regime members from Sadaam Hussein’s generals.  This is not just some terrorist group.  These are generals who served under Sadaam Hussein.  He was known to be a very anti-religious person,” said Mr. Bedier.

“This is their background.  This is where they came from.  Just because they’re waving a flag that says Islam doesn’t mean they’re Muslims. … They need real democracy, real freedom with a government that engages their participants with ways to voice their concerns,” he added.