By Zubair Khan
According to media reports many youngsters who are Muslims by birth and youngsters who recently entered Islam are being attracted by views of Jihadi groups in the western civilized world and are making their way to Syria and Iraq. The majority amongst them is boys but also well-educated girls are joining those groups. Those civilized western countries are not that much worried to explore the reasons about this attitude of their youth but are more worried about the impact the return of these young people will have on their economy and society. They are formulating laws and taking steps against these youngsters to be apprehended by police and sending them to jail on their return. It is much more important to find the reasons that cause these youngsters to leave their countries in order to join jihadi groups. An attempt has been made to list some of the reasons that might be the causes of those sorts of attitudes along with suggested remedial measures:-
Hypocritical policies that are found in civilized and powerful countries
Nowadays those advanced countries tend to create hypocritical policies in order to solve problems around the world. Those world powers try to find solutions that first of all benefit themselves rather than the concerned countries. For example millions of dollars were spent to cure Ebola patients who belonged to western civilized countries but the poor people in African countries who were affected by this disease had to die in agony on the streets without any help. Lately on 16th of September US President opined to take some measures against this calamity. To avenge the death of 3 Israelis thousands of Palestinians including small children were killed. Countries like Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria and Libya were ill-treated by those western powers and were sent back to Stone Age. Killing of three westerners by ISIL prompted formulation of grand collation while hundreds of Iraqi soldiers got slaughtered, buried in mass graves never attracted the attention of powerful countries. The well-educated Muslim youngsters of these developed countries see these sorts of mistreatments happen and decide out of spite to join jihadi groups who apparently claim to stop this ill treatment of the people. These powerful and developed countries should stop conducting those dual standard policies and ill treatment of under developed or developing countries. On occurrence of any such atrocity, current digital and social media plays a big role by bringing out the unbiased analysis, unearthing the hidden truth thus spreading the hate towards the hypocritical steps taken by these developed and powerful countries. Therefore it is important that such hypocritical policies and steps be stopped immediately by these developed and powerful countries.
The wrong interpretation of Islamic Teachings by Muslim Teachers and Scholars and its spread on Media
Unfortunately there is a large number of so called Islamic Scholars who spread the wrong interpretation of Islamic teachings in order to succeed in reaching their aims. They use and explain the Holy Quran and Hadith exactly fitting to their ill-conceived aims and purposes thus brainwashing the minds of youngsters by pointing out that they will be rewarded paradise by obeying them. There lies a hidden potential in Islam that people follow their religious leaders once their passion is aroused. Though this is a positive aspect of Islam, but unfortunately it is used for the wrong purposes by these so called religious scholars. There are many groups in Islam who know about these sort of wrongdoings and who also emphasize them but unfortunately they fail in warning the world about it because of their small number and the lack of support from the social media. Intentional boycott of Islamic teachings presented by Ahmadiyya Jamaat is an outstanding example for this injustice. Their principle teaching is love and peace but it is being ignored by big media giants in Germany and Great Britain whereas all sorts of hate messages by Muslim scholars are shown worldwide. Those people who control social media have to stop this injustice. They must show the beauty of Islam also thus enabling the Muslim youngsters to evaluate both the sides which can save many from an ill fate.
Unjust Attitudes at National Levels:-
According to the reports in UK 500 young Muslims have joined the Jihad group and in Germany the number is 378. Probably100 of those have died. The youngest member is 15 and the majority is between 21 and 25. Amongst this number almost 70 per cent have been born in UK and Germany respectively and have received a proper academic education. They also are citizens of those countries. It is reported that 90 percent of those youngsters are males the others are females. Most of them skipped an occupation and joined those jihad groups. According to some secret agencies of both countries it has been proven that these young people suffered discrimination in all areas of life like society, academies and jobs. They were also victims of racism and native hate. They were unrestful in their minds and for any Jihadi group it was an easy game to convince them to any sort of doing which apparently aimed to eradicate such injustices. Their mental state, victim of unjust attitude in their homeland, thus was easily exploited by fundamentalists and fanatics. The politicians and ruling elite of these countries must ensure stopping that kind of injustice so that their youth can be saved from taking such a drastic step.
Religious organizations and the lack of parent’s cooperation
Parents and religious organizations play a major part in the grooming and upbringing of Muslim youngsters. Activities of such kind by religious institutions and supervision by parents can lead to success. Unfortunately most western countries don’t offer such activities and lack those kinds of religious organizations which could help young people in becoming decent members of societies. The Ahmadiyya Jamaat is an exception. It offers its youngsters numerous programs where they can get identification and develop into decent personalities. It organizes activities that help youngsters to value humanity. Parents are also advised on how to bring up youngsters properly. Therefore it has never been heard that one of the Ahmadiyya Community members ever joined these jihad groups. Ahmadiyya Community is extremely well organized in UK and Germany. Though it has theological and doctrinal difference with main stream Muslims but how successfully it groomed its youth to avoid Jihadi attitude and to become decent citizens can be studied and followed as role model by governments other Muslim Groups of Western developed countries and leading by example all other Muslim groups can copy the Ahmadiyya Model.
The lack of propagation of Islamic teaching regarding peace both at National and International Level:
Unfortunately most places of worship and education like mosques and madrassas which are the center of Islamic teaching have lost their importance in western countries. They used to be places where children were taught the beautiful teachings of Islam but nowadays they are used to bring up youngsters who turn into fanatics. Mullahs have been given a free hand whileno check and control system prevails to see what these so called Mullahs and religious scholars are doing. Hence they succeed in outing dangerous youngsters who follow every single order given by their fundamentalist teachers. It is important that an eye is kept on all these places of worships and laws are brought in which deal with this matter in a tough way. Inquiries have to be led by the government. One way to do this is to spread the beautiful message of peace loving Islam on a national basis through a centrally controlled network. Also to make sure that all mosques receive and spread these centrally controlled and prepared messages and refrain from permitting any local so called scholar or Mullah to deliver his own jihadi oriented sermons. The suggested scheme if implemented with the support of national leaders and proper Islamic scholars can definitely yield extremely good results in eradicating the jihadist and fanatics.
Categories: Europe, Europe and Australia, European Union
It’s a true analys, the point is how to counter attack the drawbacks! Jamaat is doing a lot, but of cause not enough.
A critical position towards the national politics of everybodies own country is urgently required. We need more privat discussions within our Jamaat about it. It would be a good alternative for just gossip talk.
Let’s start!
abdullah
The above points (reasons) are correct. Jama’at has not been able to convince many in the west of its peaceful program. There is much input in Jama’at from our leaders and Khalifah sahib but there is hardly any output. There is a hush hush policy amongst the common Ahmadis lest they make any mistake.
The Jama’at members are all slowly drifting into the same mistakes and habits as are practiced by non-Ahmadi Muslims. That is when nothing much has been achieved by the Jama’at Ahmadiyah Muslimah.
Jama’at members have to return to the Quran and to return to the mosque in large numbers and to open up in their discussions.
We need to defeat the non-Ahmadi Muslims about their understanding of Arabic words “Momin”, “Muslim”, “Kafir”, “Murtadd”. More than 100 years have passed and we are still being called Kafir by non-Ahmadis even though Quran clealy depicts the kafir as a hostile, fanatic, violent, belligerent disbeliever. Same is not highlighted in our translations of the Quran. Kafir is just being described as a disbeliever.
That gives a wrong message to many Muslims and non-Muslims that every peaceful non-believer in Muhammad is a Kafir and must be killed.
Muslim should be described as a peaceful person. Any one who is not peaceful is not a Muslim.
We Ahmadis have to fight the non-Ahmadis on the intellectual front. We have to create interest amongst our youngsters. If there is no interest, they will not learn and will not co-operate.
Muslims try to explain away the violent tendencies and practices in their societies by saying that Islam is being misunderstood and misinterpreted by those Muslims. Well, Islam has been here for 14 centuries and we think that we have still not understood it. How many more centuries we need to reform ourselves and develop a peaceful understanding of the Quran. If after 14 centuries we think that others should discover the hidden peace in the Quran and run with it, we are only fooling ourselves.
Some claim that Ahmadiyya movement is the peaceful face of Islam. Ahmadis are a small minority which is being ostracized and persecuted everywhere. Under these circumstances any group of people will claim and act peaceful.
But Ahamdis understanding of Islam is not much different from other Muslims. Look at the women’s rights, issue of pardah, permission of music, dancing and enjoying, insistence on beard and such other stuff. Wherever they have control, they act exactly any other Muslim group. This is after being in existence for 125 years and living in the West for decades.
I believe what exists today in Islam including the Ahmadis, has no hope of reforming the Muslims. Unless we can radically change the meaning and interpretation of the Quran and stop basing our interpretation on hadith and the understanding of the people of previous centuries we cannot expect improvement.
@CS
“Some claim that Ahmadiyya movement is the peaceful face of Islam. Ahmadis are a small minority which is being ostracized and persecuted everywhere. Under these circumstances any group of people will claim and act peaceful.
But Ahamdis understanding of Islam is not much different from other Muslims. Look at the women’s rights, issue of pardah, permission of music, dancing and enjoying, insistence on beard and such other stuff. Wherever they have control, they act exactly any other Muslim group. This is after being in existence for 125 years and living in the West for decades”
What ever points you raised have nothing to do with violent Islam which is the main theme of this article. Any organization can fix few rules. Church has dress code for women representing church. Ahmadiyya also drew few guidelines which pertain to societal behaviour. Except for corrective measures never ever any Ahamdi faced unjust treatment for not observing points raised by you. Better would be comments should restrict to violent interpretation of Islam rather than involving internal guidelines/rules of Ahmadiyya Community.
@Zubair Khan
This type of thinking is the root cause of all problems in the religions. “Don’t look at me. Let us look at someone else.”
Every religious group thinks in these terms. To them their belief appears perfect no matter how flawed it is. They refuse to acknowledge their own shortcomings. They make just a “few” rules with good intentions and for the good of those upon whom these rules are applied. Even punishments are delivered for the good of those who are being punished.
Ahmadis are persecuted as a result of this thinking. Jihadis are killing their own people with exact same mind set. All religions are scared of self analysis and criticism. Unless we throw away the yolk of blind obedience of our religious leaders and develop the ability to question them no matter how sacred or holy they are, no reform can happen.
Let me tell you how to do it. Do not follow the leader: Follow the Quran! This is the advise given by the Prophet in his last sermon to all Muslims. He did not mention obedience of ANY religious leader or scholar.
@CS: But Ahamdis understanding of Islam is not much different from other Muslims. Look at the women’s rights, issue of pardah, permission of music, dancing and enjoying, insistence on beard and such other stuff. Wherever they have control, they act exactly any other Muslim group. This is after being in existence for 125 years and living in the West for decades.
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That is not right. There is much difference between Ahmdis and non-Ahmadis UNDERSTANDING about many religious beliefs, as follows:
1. The non-Ahmadi Muslims have weird view about life and death and putting on the cross of Jesus a.s. Ahmadi Muslims believe that Jesus a.s. had a good long life of 120 years and passed away peacefully. Non-Ahmadis believe that Jesus never went near the Cross and he was taken up alive into heavens. And that Jesus is still alive and he will come back to correct the ills of this world.
2. The non-Ahmadi Muslims had the wrong notion of Jihad. They still believe in violent Jihad with bombs to gain converts. They believe that all those not reciting the Kalimah are Kafir and liable to be killed.
3. Ahmadi Muslims believe in peaceful Jihad of the pen i.e. peaceful interfaith dialogue. Ahmadi Muslims believe in the separation of the mosque and the state.
4. Non-Ahmadi Muslims believe in killing any one who changes his religion. They believe in killing the apostates. Ahmadi Muslims do not allow that. Ahmadi Muslims believe that nobody should be punished (harmed) for changing his faith and nobody should be oppressed just for his/her beliefs.
5. Non-Ahmadi Muslims believe that adulterer should be killed. Ahmadi Muslims do not believe in killing the fornicator or adulterer.
6. Ahmadis believe in a living God who is still communicating with His creatures. God (Allah) is still speaking. Non-Ahmadis believe that there is no Wahi of any kind.
In the past nations, God even spoke to the ladies and gave them special instructions. Example is the mother of Moses a.s. and Jesus a.s. God even spoke to the disciples of Jesus a.s.
Our Ummah is the best of Ummas. This grace of Allah of communion cannot be denied for our best Ummah.
7. There is a long list of differing beliefs. I say quite a long list and many points will be missed here.
8. About smoking and dancing, it is better to keep away. Also, there is no need for men to apply blade to the face every day and shave. Any one can do it if he wants. But it is better to avoid it. Beard does not harm any one.
9. About free mixing of genders, it is better to keep away from these bad practices. Otherwise Ahmadi ladies are at liberty to be bold and controlling their own destiny. They may operate more freely in their own class.
10. Free mixing of men and women, boys and girls has had quite a bad effect on the society. In England (long ago), in the evening, I used to see a group of young boys running after very young girls. If I caught any boy and asked what he was doing, they would say “We are chasing the girls.”
But in Germany, in those days there was more modesty. Kissing in open was not tolerated.
11. I have not mentioned the belief about “Khatam e Nabuwwat” that is the bone of contention between Ahamdi and non-Ahmadi Muslims. In that matter also the non-Ahmadis are derailed (misguided) from the right belief. This can be proved by checking the writings of very old Muslim scholars.
12. There is no concept of blind faith in Ahmadis. You are right that there should be no blind faith and respect and obedience of the leader. You said the right thing. There is no such thing in Ahmadis. But there is respect and obedience in the well known good things. The proof is the Ten conditions of Bay’at (pledge). See the last condition. In that the Promised Messiah and Imam Mahdi a.s. had requested his followers to obey him in all good (Ma’aroof) things.
An example of blind faith and obedience had been in the time of Adolf Hitler. Perhaps that let him down too.
Our Khalifah or Ameer (presidents) do not want obedience in every good or bad matters. They are sensible enough to present a good way for us. So there is no problem for Ahmadis. Al hamdu Lillah.
Wassalam.