Islam and the Brussels bombings
Re: As The World Burns, editorial, March 21; Analyze The Causes — And Act, letters to the editor; Tired Platitudes In The Face Of Daily Atrocities, both, March 24.
Faced near- daily with Islamist atrocities and acts of terrorism, we are subsequently to read the same sincere responses echoing the same claims: “Islam is a religion of peace and tolerance.” I’m willing to be convinced of that and even to give benefit of doubt to those espousing such claims, but might supporters point out where (and perhaps when?) in the Muslim world this is the case?
Ron West, Welland, Ont. When I first heard of the attacks in Belgium, I closed my eyes in disgust and disappointment. I knew that this attack would add to the cascade of terrorist activities that have been culminating in an intensely anti-Islamic rhetoric. The bombings in Brussels are not the result of Islamic teachings, but rather political objectives. I cannot believe people who believe in the Qur’an — which proclaims “there is no compulsion in religion” and “killing one person is equivalent to killing all of mankind” — can believe they are fulfilling their religious duty by harming innocent civilians. Terrorism has no religion.
Saqib Mahmood, Maple, Ont. The attack on Brussels was a crime and, according to Islam, a sin. Murder is unequivocally wrong, and these terrorist acts are not endorsed by any Islamic teaching, philosophy or precedent. Syrian Christians and Muslims have both faced the worst from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Children have lost their parents, and parents have lost their children to ISIL. These Syrian Muslims and Christians are the same as the innocent people who died in Paris and Brussels. And yet ISIL doesn’t care. We all, Muslims and non-Muslims, need to unite and somehow find a way to bring an end to all of this. True Islam teaches that humanity goes beyond any division of beliefs or culture. Apparently ISIL missed that part.
Mohsin Kamran, Calgary. There is a simple solution to many of the worlds problems. Western countries need to put together an overwhelming ground force of, say, 1.5 million soldiers and send them to Syria. They would eliminate Syrian President Bashar Assad and ISIL, destroy all weapons in the country, set up a provisional government and invite all the refugees to return and rebuild. The force would have to be large enough so that Russia would not attempt to interfere. This seems preferable to a whole continent of people being misplaced. It isn’t legal, but what is these days?
Ken Page, Toronto. The word “phobia” signifies an irrational fear. “Islamophobia” signifies an irrational fear of Islam. It is, however, difficult to argue that a fear of “Islamism” if not of Islam itself, is in any way irrational. And therefore, confusion of “radicals” with “moderates” while regrettable, is virtually inevitable. Even in Canada no amount of official denial can change the fact that a majority of ordinary people feel an instinctive distrust of the larger Muslim community. We are taught to be ashamed of these feelings, but we feel them nonetheless.
Imperatively, modern Muslims must repudiate not only the means, but also the goals of Islamism: they must clearly articulate a religious vision that does not involve the submission of other persons to their faith. Only thus can people, anywhere, be reasonably expected to live without suspicion beside their Muslim neighbours.
Gordon Friesen, Montreal.