Hamed's Commentary

Huntington and his critics: the West and Islam

2007-02-15T17:07:00.000-08:00

I recently found an article by Glenn E. Perry relating to Samuel Huntington and his famous 'Clash of Civilizations' thesis. The clash of civilizations theory, for those who don't know, is about how various world cultures are incompatible and would be prone to conflict, most notably the Western cultures and the Muslim cultures. The article goes on to state how many of of Huntington's ideas have been misinterpreted as to be a neocon screed in support of Western imperialism and as a call for Islamophobia. The article notes that Huntington was very critical of Western jingoism. Verily he has said: "In the emerging world of ethnic conflict and civilizational clash, Western belief in the universality of Western culture suffers three problems: it is false; it is immoral; and it is dangerous".

The article states that what Huntington really was talking about was the need for realistic and rational foreign policy for the US, with the intention of improving the security of the US, as opposed to spreading American values by force. The article also notes that this would make him more in line with postmodernist liberals and leftists than with the conservatives he is usually associated with, due to his disbelief in moral absolutes. Huntington also states that Western supremacy is bound to decline, and that the Western world must learn how to start treating other countries as equals.

Huntington and his critics: the West and Islam- by Glenn E. Perry

See also:
An Interview with Samuel Huntington- Islamica Magazine

The rise and fall of Salafism

2007-02-09T00:25:00.000-08:00

As it has been pointed out throughout the Muslim blogosphere, Umar Lee wrote a ten part series on "Salafism" in the United States. He told about how "Salafism" received a devoted membership in the United States, even to the point of becoming cult-like. Umar also talks about how various "Salafi" groups split up and became hostile to each other, which along with other events such as 9/11 and the deaths of high ranking "Salafi" scholars. Umar Lee is a "Salafi" himself so his essay should not be read as a critique of "Salafism" per se, but on how it has been preached and practiced. This is a very interesting essay, it enlightens us about stereotypes about "Salafism", such as their supposed extremism. This essay could easily become a classic and a reference about the Salafi movement.

"Undercover Mosques"

2007-01-23T22:55:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, "Dispatches", a documentary show on UK's Channel 4 , did a special on mosques in Britain. They found things which they found to be obectionable, such as mosque goers advocating the killing of people by crucifixion. I believe that the documentary was unfair, as it took various quotes of masjid goers out of context, as it did seem in the responses by the imams of the mosques Dispatches researched. It should also be known that the mosques did however preached a "Salafi"(albeit of the reletively moderate Saudi version of it) brand of Islam, which I, as a traditional Muslim, find to be heretical, and as such, those mosques cannot be said to represtent the real Islam, though we still need to be fair and listen to their side of the story.

Austrolabe- Undercover Mosques?- includes video of the Dispatches program and the Imams' response

Green Lane Masjid's response to dispatches

Response by the Saudi Government

Imam Abu Usama's reponse

Eid Mubarak/Happy New Years; Saddam has been excecuted

2006-12-31T23:30:00.000-08:00

I have been gone for a while, I have been mostly doing my studies. Well, anyway, it seems as if Saddam has been executed. He died at around 6 am yesterday by being hanged. I think he deserved it, but I do not believe things in Iraq are going to change for the better.

Links:
Saddam Mourned in Hometown- USA Today
Saddam's fate divides opinion within Baghdad- Taipei Times
Execution of Saddam Hussein- Wikipedia

On the Taj al-Din al-Hilali and Rape Controversy

2006-10-29T21:15:00.000-08:00

Apparently, in Australia, an Imam from Egypt made some controvertial statements. He had said that if a woman is scantily clad in public, she deserves to be raped, comparing such women as pieces of meat. He also said that "when it comes to adultery, it's 90% the women's responsibility". He also commented on the case of Bilal Skaf, a Lebenese-Austrailian serial rapist who was later apprehended, saying that the judge in Skaf's case had 'no mercy' when Skahf was sentenced to 55 years in jail . This has caused a firestorm in Austrailia, with many Muslim organizations condemning his statements

Clearly, this imam has got some issues. In Islam, rape is illegal, unless it is done to one's wife or female slave (the English common law also makes such an exception). While the woman should have covered up, this still does not justify an assault. Similarly, if a person does not lock his car when he goes out, and his car is stolen, while he should have taken that precaution of locking his car, it still does not exonerate the car theif. He also accuses Skaf's judge of being merciless, however, it is in Muslim countries, unlike Western countries, that punishes rapists with the death penalty.

For more info:
Indigo Jo- Shaikh Halali, Westerners and rape
Muslim Apple- Shame on You...
Austrolabe- Guilty Meat But Innocent Cats

Umar Lee offers a contrarian view:
In Defense of Hilali (At Least for Now)
Joe Buck & Suppan and More on Sheikh al-Hilali

Eid Mubarak!!!

2006-10-23T19:17:00.000-07:00

Why We Fight

2006-10-18T23:33:00.000-07:00

I just watched a documentary, called 'Why We Fight', by Eugene Jarecki. It talks about the so called 'military-industrial complex', the cabal of the defense industry and the U.S. military, and how it has taken control of American public policy. It is a very interesting film. It talks about how after WWII there was a build up of armaments and military equipment. It analizes the policies of president Dwight Eisenhower, and tracks the foreign policies of America. It also talks about the war on terror, its excesses, and how the invasion of Iraq hurt America.

Story about a controversy over fifth avenue Apple store is false

2006-10-15T00:04:00.000-07:00

According to news reports, the Muslim community is apparently outraged by the New York City's fifth avenue Apple Computers' store, whose cubed shape is incendentally similar to Islam's holiest shrine, the Kaba. A report, by MEMRI, states that a muslim complained about the resemblence between the two buildings. This comes after several recent moral panics from the Muslim community, including the Danish cartoons controversy.

MEMRI was the one who originated the story, and with MEMRI's record of being biased, the report itself is supect. It just so happens that the story was way overblown, by conflating the opinions of one random muslim with that of the whole Muslim community. There have been no demonstrations or floods of letters on behalf of the Muslim community, and the Muslims, as whole, have been either indifferent or supportive of Apple Computers.

It is understandable, however, that the MSM did not treat the report with skepticism. This did come in the same year as the Danish cartoon fiasco and with the outrage of the pope's anti-Islam speech. Apparently, various establishments have been censored, for the possible fear that this would lead to a moral panic, even when the Muslim community has yet to respond, as was the case with the remake of a Mozart play, Idomeneo, which was censored even before it was it was debuted. Fortunately, the there was no outrage, and the story was essentially a hoax. As the saying goes "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery", and in my opinion I woud quite flattered if Apple tried to imitate the Kaba.

Who's Complaining?- Tariq Nelson
Not offended by Apple Store- Indigo Jo
Muslim Website Says Muslims Aren't Offended By Apple Store
'Apple angers Muslims' claims refuted