Fighting a lost battle

The fact is, Islam has and is continuously being misused as an instrument of power.

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Does this ONE God of Islam really exist?

Can someone prove it?

Did the Quran really drop from the sky?

If so where is the original copy?

These were the questions imposed on me on the morning of Maulidur Rasul by a non-Muslim.

It all began with a Facebook post by a follower showing a visual of a few Arab men beating up a transvestite. The status read: “This is Islam. This is the religion of peace.” And in no time, there was a long thread of hate comments dedicated to Islam.

To tell you the truth, I was so fired-up when I decided to write an article on this matter, I wanted to bash everyone who bashed my faith. I wanted to insult everyone who insulted my religion. I thought if respect works both ways, so does insult.

However, right now all I am capable of feeling is hurt and frustration.

Yes, it hurts to fight a lonely battle. And that is exactly what this is.

Perhaps it was my mistake to credit people with intelligence when they have demonstrated none. The fact is, Islam has and is continuously being misused as an instrument of power. That’s the core problem. Yes, Islam is hijacked by idiots. And those who don’t get this are also idiots.

I do realise there are many non-Muslims who are worried due to the negative connotations heaped on Islam. It may be true that Sharia Law as imposed by our religious authorities in Malaysia (and many other Islamic countries) seem to trample on human rights and disregard women’s rights, affecting not only the lives of Muslims but non-Muslims too. But this does not justify anyone ridiculing the faith of Muslims.

The thing is, while non-Muslims think the silence by the majority of Muslims is empowering the authorities all the more to impose Sharia Law, they fail to understand that by openly bashing Islam, they are also making the authorities amend current laws so a stricter Sharia Law can be imposed.

Perhaps now you know why more and more Muslims are tight-lipped when it comes to matters of religion. On second thought, that would require intelligence.

But it’s not only about the Muslims who are silent. It is also about non-Muslims who choose to be silent when Islam bashing takes place. Why keep your distance when your voices are very much needed, I ask?

Honestly I am feeling very disillusioned now.

I am a Muslim. I may not be a hardcore Muslim but I believe in Allah and I believe in goodness among human kind. I have been making my voice heard for so long. I have been standing firmly against the wrongdoings of the so-called religious scholars and religious authorities. And there are many other Muslims like myself who are fighting this lonely battle. But lately we have asking ourselves if this is a battle worth fighting.

When you say Islam is evil, when you say Islam is untrue, when you ridicule Islam – you are not only criticising the faith of extremists, fanatics, scholars and authorities, you are also aiming your words at us, the liberal Muslims – the same Muslims who have been fighting alongside you.

Has anyone ever imagined what would happen if we, the liberals decide to give up the fight? Well, perhaps it won’t take too long before that happens.

The truth is, Islam is a peaceful religion. While some Muslims practice violence and aggression in the name of Islam, please do not expect the rest of us to sit peacefully in a corner while other non-Muslims ridicule our faith. We won’t. I won’t.

The world speaks of Islamic extremists but no one speaks about non-Muslim extremists. Why?

For what it’s worth, have a Merry Christmas. Hope you enjoy the roast turkey and fruit cake. As for me, I shall spend my holiday sharpening my knives and polishing my rifles and if time permits, I shall be preparing an explosive or two – you know how we Muslims are, we are violent, aggressive, selfish.

Merry Christmas!

“Christians and Muslims celebrating their respective founder’s births so close to each other. Yet their followers have never been more apart.”

– Emmanuel Joseph