Islamophobia: French Government Is Responsible For Protecting Religious Minorities, Islam and the West, NewAgeIslam.com

Islam and the West

Islamophobia: French Government Is Responsible For Protecting Religious Minorities

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am fully aware that coming here to tell you about violations of Muslims’ rights living in France can appear inadequate.

It is true that every day, thousands of people are detained, killed, tortured throughout the world, because of their religious, political beliefs, their sexual orientation, or colour of skin.

On the other hand, France, the country of my ancestors, has always claimed to be the champion, not to say the inventor of human rights.

French diplomacy has excelled in giving lessons in this issue.

However, we are facing important movements is Islamophobia, characterized by violence especially conducted towards Muslims.

That is why, just like many citizens, we were first surprised than astonished by what happened during the period from May 2003 to March 2004.

It is during this time that a so-called debate took place on the national level leading to the adoption of the 15th March 2004 law banishing in state schools the wearing by pupils of religious sings showing ostensibly a religious belonging, also called (anti- veil law).

http://newageislam.com/islamophobia--french-government-is-responsible-for-protecting-religious-minorities/islam-and-the-west/d/2743

UN rights body to condemn Swiss ban on minaret,

Islamic World News

UN rights body to condemn Swiss ban on minaret

The United Nations Council of Human Rights is intended to condemn a move by Switzerland to impose a ban on the construction of new minarets in the Alpine nation, characterizing the measure as "Islamophobic."

A draft resolution proposed by the Muslim states for consideration in the 47-member council, "strongly condemns ... the ban on construction of minarets of mosques and other recent discriminatory measures," AFP said.

Such actions are "manifestations of Islamophobia that stand in sharp contradiction to international human rights obligations concerning freedoms of religion, belief, conscience and expression."

They "fuel discrimination, extremism, and misperception leading to polarization and fragmentation with dangerous unintended and unforeseen consequences," cautioned the draft resolution.

The draft resolution is to be put to the Council for adoption by the end of the month.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay has described the ban as a "deeply discriminatory, deeply divisive and a thoroughly unfortunate step for Switzerland to take."

The Organization of the Islamic Conference has also called on Swiss officials to abandon the move.

In a referendum last year the Swiss voted to stop Muslims building more minarets, a move that met with global condemnations.

http://newageislam.com/un-rights-body-to-condemn-swiss-ban-on-minaret/islamic-world-news/d/2565

An anti-burqa law to renew Islam in Europe, Islam and the West, NewAgeIslam

Islam and the West

An anti-burqa law to renew Islam in Europe

By Samir Khalil Samir

Wearing the all-enveloping outer garment is not a religious requirement, but a cultural tradition from Saudi Arabia. It is the symbol of an attack by extremist Islam on Europe, and this has generated contempt for a certain retrograde form of Islam. A law is needed against wearing full-face veil in public spaces, but what is even more needed is a broad dialogue between East and West that would allow Islam to be modernised and integrated into European culture, and thus have an opportunity to contribute to world civilisation.

Beirut (AsiaNews) – The practice of wearing the veil has spread across the Islamic world in recent years. Hundreds of articles have been written about it in the Arab-Muslim world. Among Muslims, the practice has been met by a number of reactions and points of view. In some cases, it has been totally or partially banned (especially the full-face version); in others, women have been encouraged to wear it, in some cases at all times. This shows that the Ummah’s is far from being unanimous (ijmâ‘) over the “Islamic nature” of this type of garment, or about the attitudes towards it. In any event, the veil is an issue around the Muslim world. The full-faced veil is indeed a major problem.

The burqa and the niqab raise fear . . . for good reason. They scare Muslims and non-Muslim alike. When this practice is associated with Islam, when it is made into one of its essential elements, this fear is not only about Muslims, but also about Islam itself. The term phobia in “Islamophobia” in fact stands for “fear”.

http://newageislam.com/an-anti-burqa-law-to-renew-islam-in-europe/islam-and-the-west/d/2468

Fort Hood Fallout: Muslim Soldiers Profess Love For America Amidst Growing Islamophobia, Muslims and Islamophobia, NewAgeIslam.com

Muslims and Islamophobia

Fort Hood Fallout: Muslim Soldiers Profess Love For America Amidst Growing Islamophobia

When Nader Alsafari of Dearborn was sent to Fallujah, Iraq, in 2006 to fight with the U.S. Marines, some of his fellow Muslims at a local mosque weren't pleased because they felt it was an unjust war.

"Most of them didn't like it," Alsafari, 23, recalled last week. "They'd be like, 'You should try to get out.' ... They were thinking, we were just going to go and kill innocent people."

But Alsafari -- like other Muslims -- saw himself performing his duty as an American. There are some 3,500 declared Muslims in the U.S. military. And they're in the spotlight after the Nov. 5 shootings at a military base in Ft. Hood, Texas. The suspect, Army Maj. Nidal Hasan, is an Arab-American Muslim.

Caught between two worlds, they're trying to carve out their own identity during a time of war when some are questioning their loyalty.

A director with a conservative Christian group says Muslims should be banned from serving. And amid the many Muslim leaders who denounced the Ft. Hood shootings were a few who praised Hasan, saying his actions were Islamic.

But Muslim veterans strongly reject the extremists on both sides.

"We love this country," said Shelton Hasan, 54, of Detroit, an Army veteran, "and want to protect it like anyone else."

Muslim troops aim to build trust in U.S. military

When Jamal Baadani, a native of Dearborn and U.S. Marine, was visiting his nephew a few years ago, he noticed the 5-year-old boy didn't want to play with him as usual.

"What's the matter?" Baadani said he remembers asking him.

http://newageislam.com/fort-hood-fallout--muslim-soldiers-profess-love-for-america-amidst-growing-islamophobia/muslims-and-islamophobia/d/2099

The Task before Jews: Not fanning Islamophobia but opposing colonization of Palestinians, saving Israel from further isolation, Islam and the West

Islam and the West

22 Aug 2011, NewAgeIslam.Com

The Task before Jews: Not fanning Islamophobia but opposing colonization of Palestinians, saving Israel from further isolation

By Roger Cohen 20 Aug 2011 IN his novel “Deception,” Philip Roth has the American protagonist say to his British mistress: “In England, whenever I’m in a public place, a restaurant, a party, the theater, and someone happens to mention the word ‘Jew,’ I notice that the voice always drops just a little.” She challenges him on this observation, prompting the American, a middle-aged writer, to say, yes, that’s how “you all say ‘Jew.’ Jews included.” http://www.newageislam.com/islam-and-the-west/the-task-before-jews--not-fanning-islamophobia-but-opposing-colonization-of-palestinians,-saving-israel-from-further-isolation/d/5298