Qantara.de - Dialog mit der islamischen Welt

on The Janus Head of of the Musharraf Regime, by Thomas Bärthlein

I largely agree with Boris Wilke, but please allow me to elaborate on following issues:

1) The "Islamists" are not only some remnant pro-Talibans in the tribal areas or even only to the religious MMA alliance. The "Islamists" are also fully a part of the Pakistani Armed Forces officers corp, other political parties in the Parliament and even Overseas Pakistanis. In particular, I would like to emphasise that the Pak Armed Forces currently chaired by General Ehsan-ul-Haq (Musharraf is the Army Chief) was largely "Islamified" under the former rule of General Zia-ul-Haq during the 1980s. This "Islamification" of the Armed Forces was mostly supported by Western powers ...More

A confused Egyptian

Abd El-hak is a taxi driver in Cairo. I met him by accident, that is, as most Egyptians meet each other, and we spoke as if we knew each other for many years. He introduced himself as a building engineer working in one of the meaningless jobs in the governmental administration. He explained that his salary is not enough for his family and he had to work an extra job. I told him most people in the developing countries were doing the same, he agreed and we looked at what we called gloomy future.

I asked him why he was not an optimist then he turned his head and looked at me as I was sitting the left corner in the back seat of the car and asked whether I was maybe not from Egypt but from outer space. I ...More

on Deserted in Western Sahara, by Saeed Taji Farouky

S. Farouky's paper on the Sahraoui Arab Republic is biased, unbalanced and smacks of simplistic or manicheist reporting of the under-developed reporting current during the Cold War era, to say the least.

At no time the disruptive role of the successive Algerian dictatorships during the last 30 years or so is mentioned, nor are their constant, blatant hegemonist policies questioned. Nor the fact that Algiers' successive dictators may have greatly varied in their often bloody styles of government, and that their dangerous, geopolitical goals never changed.

Without Algerian money – squandered among others on the grandiose ceremonies like the one that Mr. Farouky and the other ...More

on Bomb in Turban, by Peter Philipp

The letters to the editor regarding the Danish cartoon controversy exhibit a clear misunderstanding of Freedom of the Press, the concept of a principle and the concept of a "right".

In the US, and in much of Enlightenment Europe, rights are inalienable. That is, they are principles that underpin and delimit the governments right to govern and are rights of the people and not favors dispensed by the government. As such, they can be limited by consent of the governed and not, except in time of war, by unilateral fiat of the government.

Principles cut both ways, and a principled person acknowledges their validity whether they favor or oppose his opinion. The freedom of the press derives from the ...More

on Bomb in Turban, by Peter Philipp

Can the Muslims understand the strength of feeling on the opposing side?

If a Muslim person kills or threatens to kill a journalist or a writer or a politician, in the name of Islam or their idea of Islam, then this sends a message to all those who might like to express an opinion on Islam, to either not express one, at all or to be extremely careful of what one says.

Islamic people should come to grips with the fact that other people may see this as a form of censorship – and one under the threat of Islamic violence.

In Europe this kind of censorship had not been seen since the WWII. And these cartoon drawings were created specifically as a protest against the self-censorship, which many ...More

on The Reactions Are Themselves Caricatures, by Raja Ben Salama

Raja Ben Salama has ignored many issues on the cartoons subject.

As a Muslim, these cartoons are not offending but the message behind them are. Portraying Islam as violent and terrorising is not acceptable.

Europe is supposed to promote harmony with their local ethnic communities. This is the way forward, not depicting the prophet Muslims believe in.

Offending other people's religion should be made an offence, it is racism and ignorance.

Raja Ben Salama doesn't live in Europe or worst in Denmark, so she doesn't have the knowledge the about the real issues Muslims live in.

I am very disappointed at her views about Marx and others, since those do not insult ...More

on Bomb in Turban, by Peter Philipp

The depiction of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in Danish press seems to keep the clear intention to offend and provoke around 1793.12 million Muslims population across the globe. Islam is a faith and hope for this population. If Islam is not respected out of ignorance, it should not be a subject of insult out of prejudices and stereotyped image of Muslims.

I have seen these pictures and must say that they are truly problematic, especially when one considers that the foundation of Islam is based on the fact that "There is no divinity but God and Muhammad is his prophet.

Of course if a democratic state preserves the right to the protections of freedom of speech and press, it also encompasses the right ...More