Dr Louay Safi
I had hoped to write the last of my comments on the Swiss referendum that has banned construction of any further minarets in that country. One of my regular kibitzers decided I was just an Islamophobe (and homophobe to boot) and packed up his tent. Yet, this press release by Dr. Louay Safi of the Islamic American Society of North America deserves a respectful response on certain points. Here is Dr Safi's article below:
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ISNA concerned and saddened by the ban on minarets, a violation of religious freedom
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Plainfield, IN – November 30, 2009) The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) receives the news of the Swiss ban on the construction of minarets with grave concern and sadness. ISNA is troubled that Swiss voters have succumbed to the intolerance and fear mongering of the Swiss People’s Party (SVP) by voting to ban mosque minarets.
The decision to ban mosque minarets is an act of religious discrimination and intolerance, as it targets Islamic places of worship and denies Swiss Muslims the freedom to build their house of worship using their preferred architectural style.
The ban is a source of great concern for Western Muslims as they see European commitment to religious freedom and human rights unravel in the face of extremist threats on one side and extremist fear mongering on the other. The Swiss vote will undoubtedly invigorate the forces of intolerance worldwide and will give the wrong signals to countries struggling to build traditions of civil rights.
The move will be also celebrated by extremist voices in Muslim societies, who will use the incident to drive a wedge between Muslim and Western countries. It will further complicate the task of European Muslims who are working to build bridges and promote tolerance and understanding, and will set back the efforts to develop tolerance and respect for religious freedom throughout the world.
It is vital that Western democracies do not cave in to violent threats by religious extremism, and continue to serve as models for protecting religious freedom and civil rights. Their ability to integrate Muslim minorities and treat them with dignity will set a good example to people all over the world, including Muslim societies, to persevere in their pursuit of more open and inclusive societies.
It is now the time for leading voices of freedom and tolerance in Switzerland and European democracies and the United States to challenge this discriminatory law. We also call on human rights organizations and religious groups, including European Muslims, to challenge the law in Swiss and European courts and make sure that this palpable discrimination against the free exercise of religion does not stand.
Contact
Louay Safi, Director of Communications and Leadership Development
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I don't know much about Dr Safi except that he is generally recognized as a scholar and a moderate Muslim. Therefore, I will treat this as respectfully as I can hopefully to stimulate some honest and frank discussion.
"The decision to ban mosque minarets is an act of religious discrimination and intolerance, as it targets Islamic places of worship and denies Swiss Muslims the freedom to build their house of worship using their preferred architectural style."
This may seem a trivial point, but as one who has spent considerable time in Switzerland, I would not understate the Swiss desire to maintain the architectural integrity of their towns. Most Swiss towns are small, old and built in the traditional style of the region in which they are located. Thus, the German-speaking cantons tended to build their towns in the German style, the French-speaking cantons in the French style, and the one Italian-speaking canton in the Italian style. The presence of a minaret, especially in a small town, would seriously alter the appearance of that town. That doesn't even address the possible noise issues (calls to prayer). Those concerns are not connected to religious intolerance in and of themselves.
"The ban is a source of great concern for Western Muslims as they see European commitment to religious freedom and human rights unravel in the face of extremist threats on one side and extremist fear mongering on the other."
I assume here that Dr Safi is referring to "extremist threats" as coming from extremist Muslims. He might want to make that sentence a bit clearer.
"The move will be also celebrated by extremist voices in Muslim societies, who will use the incident to drive a wedge between Muslim and Western countries. It will further complicate the task of European Muslims who are working to build bridges and promote tolerance and understanding, and will set back the efforts to develop tolerance and respect for religious freedom throughout the world."
Here, Dr Safi clearly refers to extremist Muslims. In his reference to European Muslims, he talks about people working to build bridges and promote tolerance and understanding. Fair enough. Surely, European Muslim communities have those who are engaged in that endeavor. However, Dr Safi must acknowledge the presence of other Muslims in Europe, those who are promoting violence and hatred. I refer first of all, to those in the UK, under the leadership of Anjem Choudary and his Islam4UK movement that demands shariah law in Britain. Others in the UK demonstrate openly with posters that proclaim, "Behead those who insult Islam", "Islam will dominate", etc. In other European countries like The Netherlands, France, Sweden, Denmark and others, native citizens experience the same kind of hatred and intolerance coming from groups of immigrants who have nothing but disdain for the local host country, its religion (what little is left), its traditions and culture. Many speak openly of an Islamic takeover of the very country that has allowed them to settle there. How are Europeans expected to react to that?
That takes us to the central point; who is it that is being intolerant? The Europeans have been bending over backwards to be politically correct, avoid any charges of racism and accommodate their immigrants. But if you look at the countless incidents, the hatred being preached in certain mosques, the riots in France, the dramatic increase in violent street crime in once peaceful cities and the disdain for local customs being actively shown by many (not all) Muslims in Europe, the Swiss peoples' decision should not be a surprise. In one European nation after another, people have voiced overwhelming support for the Swiss peoples' vote. That of course does not reflect the attitudes of European leaders, who prefer to put their heads in the sand and hope that someday it will just all go away.
Have I mentioned what happened in Madrid and London yet? I don't think I need to. Have I mentioned anti-Jewish sentiment on the part of many Muslims and the fact that in many European cities, the small Jewish population is afraid to wear garments in public that identify them as Jews for fear of being attacked by Muslim street youths? Why is that?
"Their ability to integrate Muslim minorities and treat them with dignity will set a good example to people all over the world, including Muslim societies, to persevere in their pursuit of more open and inclusive societies."
Dr Safi raises a good point here. When the wave of Muslim immigrant workers began coming to Europe a few short decades ago, the Europeans made little effort to integrate them and encourage assimilation. Today, they see the results of that. The Muslim communities in Europe are not well assimilated. They are mostly living in separate societies. At this point in time with world events being what they are, I am pessimistic that these communities can be assimilated.
Though not explicitly stated, Dr Safi has hit on one point; The exploding Muslim presence is not particularly welcomed by the everyday people of Europe. There is a great divide here, which is a problem crying out for a peaceful and amiable solution, but I don't know what it is.
When it comes to the points of religious intolerance raised by Dr Safi, I would like to respond in this way; everyone should be allowed to believe in and worship their own religion with tolerance and respect. That includes Muslims, and in the West (the Swiss minaret ban notwithstanding), they have been allowed to do so. But if authorities learn of a mosque where hatred, violence and sedition is being preached, they have an obligation to act. We should not have to tolerate intoleance itself.
Similarly, I would remind Dr Safi of the religious intolerance that exists to this day in many Muslim countries. In Egypt, the Coptic Christians are subject to discrimination and repression. Recently, some Copts in small Egyptian towns have seen their homes burned to the ground. In Pakistan, Christian minorities are being singled out for persecution. During this Christmas season in Iraq, the tiny Christian minority is afraid to celebrate the season in the open for fear of angering Shi'ites who are celebrating a parallel Muslim holiday. In that same country, we see Shi'ites and Muslims killing each other and bombing each others' mosques, while in Iran, Bah'ai are regularly persecuted by the government because their religion is "not recognized". When I talk of persecution, I mean arrests, torture, rape and murder. In Saudi Arabia, it is illegal to openly practice any religion but Islam. And in Yemen, the last remnant of the centuries-old Jewish population is desperately trying to emigrate to escape violence directed at them-because they are Jews. Let's be frank, Dr Safi; when we speak of religious intolerance in the world today, most of it is being practiced by Muslims. Whatever religious intolerance may or may not be evidenced by the Swiss minaret ban is dwarfed by the examples I have mentioned. Instead of calling for some international body or court to overrule the democratic decision of voters, would it not be better to examine why the Swiss people have spoken out in this manner and why people all over Europe are in agreement with the Swiss people? These are the problems that need to be addressed.
The Swiss, the other Europeans and we Americans do believe in religious tolerance and we do want to see a permanent reconciliation between Muslims, Jews, Christians, Hindus and everybody else. But tolerance is a two-way street. Before you can expect tolerance, you must give it.
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