Catez at All Things 2 All is once again on the leading edge. She has been reading a blog by Ahmad, a London Muslim who writes under the name Iraqi Expat. Ahmad is part of a growing number of moderate Muslims who are horrified by Islamic extremism and are beginning to say so.
In a post titled Shame, Embarrassment, Time to Wake Up, Ahmad says the following:
Yesterday I said “My family and I are ashamed of being Muslims”. Many of you asked me not to be ashamed for obvious and logical reasons; however, I can’t help it but feel ashamed.
… I was ashamed when Muslims and Arabs committed the evil 9/11 attacks; I was even more ashamed when Muslims and Arabs celebrated these attacks in the streets. I despise them all.
I was ashamed because those murderers have stained our faith and heritage with dishonour. For similar reasons I was ashamed when Saddam was in power, he damaged the image of Iraq and Iraqis when he destroyed our country and committed mankind’s most evil atrocities against his own people and against others.
Yesterday I was ashamed, because Muslims have attacked innocents in the country that has given to Muslims more than any other Muslim or non-Muslim country. I was ashamed because of the wickedness and ungratefulness of those who call themselves Muslims.
There are other voices of reason in Islam, such as Mustapha who blogs at Beirut Spring. The “No To Terrorism” banner is Mustapha’s idea.
Muslim extremists are hoping that fear and terror will keep the dissenters quiet. But Islam is not monolithic, and we need to be careful about painting all Muslims as sympathetic to the politics and tactics of terror.
Islam can be reformed, but only from within, by faithful believers who refuse to allow their religion to become synonymous with murder, hatred and destruction. Pray that moderates like Mustapha and Ahmad will be joined by other voices with the courage to say No To Terrorism.
Update: London Telegraph columnist Mark Steyn agrees. (Thanks to Relapsed Catholic.)
