The Estranged Attitudes Towards the Muslim Community in the West are Uncalled for
By Jan Freidun Taravosh November 30th
Introduction: I am of the opinion that in the west, the misconceptions concerning Islamic thought creates an estranged attitude towards the Muslim Community which I think is un called for even within the progressive movement.
The greatest prejudice among the western establishment concerning Islam in today world has more to do with how Islam has always been and remains a reliable force for the abolishment of imperialism and colonialism and exploitive behaviour.
Now - with that said - Much of the Islamophobic attitudes which remain in western society has more to do with islams anti capitalist and anti corruption sentiments Thus many profound writings of Muslims scholars, are either hard to find or ridiculed in the west . or in a few cases, they are being studied half heatedly, more or less for novelty purposes.
Western prejudice against Muslim scholars a priori
Now what causes me frustration is that lots of prejudice, harsh words, and rude statements are being hurled at Muslim scholars, simply only because they happen to be Muslim.
The western media is narrow-minded in this sense, as they try to portrait the Muslim world as isolated and as ignorant, and anti scientific.
Such statements, described above tell the reader more about the generally limited understanding of Islamic thought in the west than anything else. It doesn’t tell you much about the actual teachings of Islamic thought. More over I think that isolated, anti scientific description is in fact more apt to the history of western colonialism which conquered nations hand in hand with the Catholic Church. (during the dark ages in western Europe, the Islamic world encouraged, science culture and stood up for human dignity, and still does this).
The western establishments freight of allow people to think for themselves effects the general populace in judging Muslim scholars a priori, I.E. even before they even get a chance to acquaint themselves with the general concept of Islamic thought.
To have a clear example of the above, Let us look at the stereotyped western view of Imam Sayyid Ali Khamenei.
Who is Ali Khamenei?
Ali Khamenei is The Islamic Republic of Iran's former President and elected Supreme spiritual leader in the revolutionary council since 1990 (taking office after the passing of Ruhollah Khomeini)- In the west he is known for opposing the U.S and more or less that’s it. In the west, his points of view , his degree of knowledge, experiences and literary scholarships - it’s is not important, not worth even considering.
The western liberalists they talk often about openness and embracing different cultures. But this is nothing more than empty words - to them the Islamic Republic is nothing more than “an axis of evil” type of country, and with that said, the western establishment are trying to scare people away, from studying Islamic thought, and for what reason? The claim is that Islamic scholars pose a threat the existence of the western life style, because they “impose a negative influence on “our way of living” (whatever that means)
Yet to be frank, the only thing treathening the existence of the western lifestyle is the negative sides of the western lifestyle itself.
and more over - You don’t see, imam Khamenei, occupying Afghanistan or Palestine or Iraq, you don’t find him endorsing excessive use of natural resources for selfish reasons, and you won’t find him rejoicing over ruinous commercialism - and you won’t find him seeking world supremacy.
Now I am not the one to tell you if you should agree with the Imam or not, yet all I am trying to say is that before you decide perhaps you should try to listen to what he actually says, free from all prejudice, and when we get down to what is really the core of Islamic thought, I am certain you will find nothing to be afraid of - perhaps even you will have found a new outlook at life and the world, which wasn’t that strange after all.
“One of the most pitiful events of our days is the distorted concept of Tawhid; and
this should be regarded as a tragedy by all those who have a say in emancipation
of man, because of the bearing of this distortation on the common and most
fundamental concept of all the religions, as there cannot be found any other
concept in the expanse of history that could have been so efficacious in the course
of emancipation of man besides its being a harbinger of redemption for the
oppressed masses.
In history, as far as we have known, the divinety prophecies were movements
momentous towards the benefit of mankind, freeing the oppressed ones against
atrocities, discriminations and encroachment”
The above quoted was an extract from Ali Khamenei’s essay “The Essence of Tahwid” to be found on the web-site Khamenei.Ir.
Of course now of course I must admit, that I have both Muslim and Iranian roots, but read the text once again then, and you will find that, you don’t have to be particularly educated either in Iranian politics, culture or Islamic thought to understand the main concept of the above stated. Islam by the way teaches that the prophets, were modest, regular human - beings, so with an open pious frame of mind it’s easy to understand that the above stated concept is accessible to anyone.
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