Austria’s Harsh New Laws Risk Provoking Islamic Extremism, Not Stopping It

Can a language on its own cause extremism? Well it seems that according to Austria the answer might be yes. This would account for why they’ve passed new amendments to a 103 year old ‘Law on Islam’ which bans the Qur’an in any language but German and forbids imams (the ‘pastors’ of mosques) to hold any sermons in Arabic. The law also bans any foreign funding of mosques, even when that money is coming through well vetted channels.
The lawmakers have said they want an “Austrian” version of Islam, although none of them specified exactly what they meant by that. The amendments were voted in by the majority Roman Catholic Parliament, and backed by Christian religious groups within the country. However, the passage of the amendments led to demonstrations in front of Austria’s Parliament building with over 200 people lining up and chanting for no new Islam Law.
Many of those angered over the law point out that no other religion has had their sacred texts effectively banned. Jewish members of the community are still free to study the Torah in Hebrew, and hold worship in their synagogues in Hebrew. Roman Catholics are also still allowed the use of Latin in their sermons and scripts.
Classical Arabic is considered extremely important in Islam as this is the language Mohammad used to recorded his revelations from God. Although the Qur’an has been translated into hundreds of languages from all over the globe, many Muslims believe that every Qur’an that is translated from the original Arabic version contains small mistakes, with meanings of passages becoming lost in translation. The importance of Classical Arabic is cornerstone to many aspects of the faith, including taking the ‘Shahada’ (the proclamation of faith) and reciting daily prayers.
Even further, banning the use of Classical or Qur’anic Arabic in mosques and religious scripture is exactly the sort of tool ISIS would use to point out hypocrisy in the West. When many European Muslims are facing alienation and dangerous levels of Islamophobia, instituting measures which push European Muslims further into the margins, and send signs their culture is not welcome, could be playing right into the hands of ISIS recruitment.
Interestingly, although around 170 Austrians have left to fight in Iraq and Syria (half of them Chechen according to the Washington Post) there are few issues with extremism inside the country, with Austria not suffering attacks like those in Paris or London. Writer Shadia Nasralla referred to relations inside Austria as, “relatively unproblematic,” noting that this legislation was introduced long before the Charlie Hedbo attacks that killed 17 in Paris.
The law does include some positive provisions as well, though. Under the new rules Muslims will now be able to seek religious council from imams while in the military or hospitals, with certain imams receiving funding for training. In addition, Muslim holidays will now be recognized by Austrian businesses, and food distributors will allow Muslims to produce food in a halal manner, according to Islamic law.
However many feel the provisions banning a language seen by Muslims as the sacred word of God is taking reforms too far, and constitutes an unfair punishment on the 6 percent Muslim minority inside the country. Some have also voiced concerns that these laws could open up Austrian Muslims to a slew of new laws on Islam, which would only increase division at a time when cohesiveness and unity is more important than ever.

Credit to Lizabeth Paulat

Claiming Isis represents Islam is like claiming to the Ku Klux Klan represents Christianity

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar the retired NBA star, who converted from Roman Catholicism to Islam at university, appeared on US V show Morning Joe

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has likened comparisons of Isis representing Islam as no different to describing the Ku Klux Klan as “Christian knights”.

The retired NBA star, who converted from Roman Catholicism to Islam at university, appeared on US V show Morning Joe on Monday.

Asked by host Mika Brzezinski what he thought really drove the militant group, he said: “It’s a play for money and power, and these people try to impose their will on people so people will listen to them, and they can be in charge. That’s all it’s about. They’ve taken on a fascist attitude and a fascist approach to everything. You do what we say or you die.” Watch the interview

"You can make parallels to things that have happened here in America. Like the Ku Klux Klan saying they are the Christian knights,” he added. “And they do not practice Christianity.”

Using the First Crusade of 1095 as an example, he said that religion has always been used “as an excuse” to gain status and commit harrowing acts of violence, like beheadings and execution by burning.

“It’s not an excuse, it’s no excuse and oppressing one group means that we have to look out, all groups have to get together to fight that type of oppression, because we all should be free,” he said.

His appearance on the show came after a piece he wrote for Time magazine following the Charlie Hebdo attacks in Paris last month. In it, he condemned the US media’s need to wheel out “Celebrity Muslims” to disassociate the connection between Isis and Islam.

 “Another horrendous act of terrorism has taken place and people like myself who are on media speed-dial under ‘Celebrity Muslims’ are thrust in the spotlight to angrily condemn, disavow, and explain—again—how these barbaric acts are in no way related to Islam,” he wrote.

Credit to Jenn Selby

Egypt bombs Islamic State targets in Libya after 21 Egyptians beheaded

Egyptian jets bombed Islamic State targets in Libya on Monday, a day after the group there released a video showing the beheading of 21 Egyptian Christians, drawing Cairo directly into the conflict across its border.

Egypt said the pre-dawn strike hit militant camps, training sites and weapons storage areas in the neighbouring oil-producing country, where factional fighting has unleashed virtual anarchy and created havens for jihadi Islamists.

While Cairo is believed to have provided clandestine support to a Libyan general fighting a rogue government in Tripoli, the 21 decapitations pushed President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi into open action, expanding his battle against Islamist militancy.

"And let those near and far know that the Egyptians have a shield that protects and preserves the security of the country, and a sword that eradicates terrorism," the Egyptian military said in a statement.

Egyptian state television aired footage of fighter planes leaving a hangar with "Long live Egypt" emblazoned on their tails, followed by night-vision aerial footage showing bomb explosions and the aircraft returning in early daylight.

Libya's air force also participated in Monday's attack, which targeted Derna, an eastern coastal city regarded as a base for fighters of the ultra-radical Islamic State.

"There are losses among individuals, ammunition and the (Islamic State) communication centres," Libyan air force commander Saqer al-Joroushi told Egyptian state television, adding that dozens had been killed.

Joroushi, who is loyal to Libya's internationally recognised government, which set up camp in the city of Tobruk after losing control of the capital Tripoli, said there would be more strikes on Tuesday.

The rival Tripoli-based parliament, which is supported by some Islamist groups, said the air raids were an assault on Libya's sovereignty. Omar al-Hassi, premier of the self-appointed Tripoli government, said three children, two elderly men and a 21-year-old woman were killed in the attack.

It was not possible to confirm either faction's accounts of the number or nature of the casualties.

CHRISTIAN ANGER

Cairo called on the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State in Iraq and Syria to broaden the scope of their operations to include Libya, highlighting how the insurgent group has expanded its reach around the Arab world.

Since the fall of strongman Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, a number of Islamist movements have taken hold in Libya. Recently, some have declared ties to Islamic State and claimed high-profile attacks in what appears to be an intensifying campaign.

The U.S. military estimated in December that only around 200 Islamic State fighters were operating in the country.

Egypt is not the only Arab nation sucked into confrontation with the group by the gruesome killings of its citizens.

Jordan has taken a leading role in conducting air strikes against the group in Syria and Iraq this month after the militants released a video showing a captured Jordanian pilot being burned alive in a cage.

The 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians were marched to a beach, forced to kneel and then beheaded on video, which was broadcast via a website that supports Islamic State.

The victims were among thousands of unemployed Egyptians desperately seeking work in Libya, despite the risks. Egypt's foreign ministry said it was banning travel to Libya and had set up a crisis centre to bring home Egyptians.

Thousands of traumatized mourners gathered at the Coptic church in al-Our village, where 13 of the 21 victims came from, struggling to come to terms with the fate of compatriots who paid a gruesome price for simply seeking work.

Before the videoed killings, one of the militants stood with a knife in his hand and said: "Safety for you crusaders is something you can only wish for." Afterwards, he says: "And we will conquer Rome, by the will of Allah."

The head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis, condemned the beheadings. "They were killed simply for the fact that they were Christians," he said at the Vatican.

Egypt's Coptic Christian pope was one of the public figures who backed Sisi when he, as army chief, ousted Islamist president Mohamed Mursi in 2013 after mass protests against him.

The killings put pressure on Sisi to show he is in control of national security, even as he makes progress against Islamist militant insurgents in the Sinai, some of whom have recently pledged allegiance to Islamic State.

"It's swift and decisive, it's not about strategy, it's about containing anger within Egypt," said Hassan Hassan, co-author of a book on Islamic State.

"Just like in Jordan, it's more about saving face, saying: 'You can't mess with us'. .... It's likely to evolve into a sustained strategy of helping in the fight against ISIS (Islamic State) in neighbouring countries."

Fears the crisis in Libya could spill across the border had already prompted Egypt, the Arab world's most populous nation, to upgrade its military hardware.

Egypt signed a 5.2 billion-euro deal to buy French weaponry on Monday, Egyptian media said, including 24 Rafale combat jets made by Dassault Aviation, a multi-mission naval frigate, and air-to-air missiles.

Credit to Yara Bayoumy