Is Mohammed Mahdi Akef good guy or bad guy?

[greatcalgarian]

The head of the world's oldest Islamic movement has called for the release of Briton Norman Kember, abducted in Iraq.



Mohammed Mahdi Akef, president of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, said Mr Kember and three other hostages were being held against Islam's principles. "In the name of the Muslim Brotherhood worldwide I call for the western peace activists in Iraq to be released immediately," he said on al-Jazeera TV.

CAIRO, Egypt (AP) -- The leader of Egypt's main Islamic opposition group said Thursday the Holocaust was a "myth," and he slammed Western governments for criticizing disclaimers of the Jewish genocide.

The comments by Muslim Brotherhood chief Mohammed Mahdi Akef -- made on the heels of his group's strong showing in the Egyptian parliamentary elections -- echoed remarks made recently by Iran's hard-line president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, which sparked international outrage.

Now we have the west media reporting two important Muslim leaders claiming that Holocaust was a "myth", Mohammed Mahdi Akef and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. But was that all these two leaders talked about? Or were there anything else that prompted these Muslim leaders to bring out the topic of Holocaust? Did these two Muslim leaders purposely talked about Holocaust as a "myth" in order to antagonize the Jews?

In small print the West media (CNN) added:

"If you have burned the Jews, why don't you give a piece of Europe, the United States, Canada or Alaska to Israel," Ahmadinejad said.

"Our question is, if you have committed this huge crime, why should the innocent nation of Palestine pay for this crime?"

 

[Muhhamad Abdul Salam]

Mohammed Mahdi Akef is a man with an agenda; I admire his work to free the anti-war protestors but then again all Muslims are anti-war but I'm ashamed of his claims that the Holocaust was a myth and believe that the remark was to antagonize Jews.

 

[MdmSzdWhtGuy]

Mr. Salam,

I am not trying to be too big of a jerk here, but am I mistaken, or did Muhammad not command in the verse of the sword to fight the unbeleivers? Is there not still the concept of Dar-al-Islam and dar-al-Harb? Quran talks an awful lot about jihad, and the duty to spread the word of Islam, which has often happened in history by the sword.

If these concepts are no longer being taught in Islam then I would love to hear from a practicing Muslim what is being said, if anything, in the Mosques about these concepts, which originate in the Quran, and have been a big part of history.

B.

 

[Flappycat]

When there's doubt as to whether a man is a "good guy" or a "bad guy," I think it's not improper to call him a "schmuck." Rather, he's "iffy." He's a "not really all that bad guy with a screwed-up agenda who'd be just fine if he were clobbered on the head a few times." To be very clear, he's a well-intentioned [word from swearsaurus. See link].

{Link removed. Chance of malware.)

Have I been unclear?

 

[greatcalgarian]

Mohammed Mahdi Akef is a man with an agenda; I admire his work to free the anti-war protestors but then again all Muslims are anti-war but I'm ashamed of his claims that the Holocaust was a myth and believe that the remark was to antagonize Jews.

Why do you think that he want to antagonize the Jews? What did he hope to achieve by antagonizing the Jews? Is he just trying to improve his political status and religious status by being anti-Jew? Does this have anything at all to do with Islamic teaching?

 

[greatcalgarian]

Mr. Salam,

I am not trying to be too big of a jerk here, but am I mistaken, or did Muhammad not command in the verse of the sword to fight the unbeleivers? Is there not still the concept of Dar-al-Islam and dar-al-Harb? Quran talks an awful lot about jihad, and the duty to spread the word of Islam, which has often happened in history by the sword.

If these concepts are no longer being taught in Islam then I would love to hear from a practicing Muslim what is being said, if anything, in the Mosques about these concepts, which originate in the Quran, and have been a big part of history.

B.

Jihad has been publicized by the Western media. Jihad, as far as I understand it, is called when Muslims have been attacked or being victimized. Jihad is never something fanciful to be called into place any time a Muslim leader likes. So in principal, Muslim practice peaceful co-existence with non-religious or other religion people. So unless the Muslim community has been oppressed or victimized, no Jihad will ever surface.

So if recently around the world, there are so many called for Jihad, it simply means that Muslims at many region have been oppressed. This is in theory.

 

[YmirGF]

To remain "on topic", I appreciate the effort of this man, but it is simply calculated political opportunism. I can't say he is my kind o' guy.

 

[Fluffy]

To answer Mohammed's last concern about the placement of the Jewish homeland:

Self determination is the idea whereby a group of people related by culture or race are able to rule themselves rather than forced under the rule of another group of people. It only works when there is a large enough concentration of people of a certain group. Israel's creation was based on these ideas, not to persecute the Palestinians, nor any other Western country. It was created where it was because that is where the Jews were and that is all.

 

[Sunstone]

These politicians can't offer their people economic prosperity, so they try to distract them with Israel.

 

[MdmSzdWhtGuy]

Jihad has been publicized by the Western media. Jihad, as far as I understand it, is called when Muslims have been attacked or being victimized. Jihad is never something fanciful to be called into place any time a Muslim leader likes. So in principal, Muslim practice peaceful co-existence with non-religious or other religion people. So unless the Muslim community has been oppressed or victimized, no Jihad will ever surface.

So if recently around the world, there are so many called for Jihad, it simply means that Muslims at many region have been oppressed. This is in theory.

Greatcalgarian,

My current reading suggests otherwise. It indicates that jihad is a natural state of affairs as long as there is dar-al-Islam and dar-al-harb. Apparently your reading has led you to think that jihad, or holy war is called for in retaliation to some perceived wrong. Neither of us are Muslim and neither of us speak Arabic (that I know of) so I was really hoping to get a Muslim perspective on this subject, . . . not that I don't appreciate your opinion.

However, my point is, that you and I are both getting our information on this subject filtered by others, and a practicing Muslim gets straight from the horse's mouth, so to speak.

The history of the world since the 7th century has been very much affected by jihad, and the Ottoman Dynasty is a testament to that, I am still waiting to hear a modern Muslim perspective on these subjects.

But to the thread issue, if this guy is calling for any harm to be done against any other group of people based on an immutable characteristic, then my vote is he is a bad guy. He may do some good, but overall, anyone calling for others to harm a group based on their ethnicity, gender, etc. . . cannot, IMHO, be considered a good guy.

B.

 

[greatcalgarian]

Greatcalgarian,

My current reading suggests otherwise. It indicates that jihad is a natural state of affairs as long as there is dar-al-Islam and dar-al-harb. Apparently your reading has led you to think that jihad, or holy war is called for in retaliation to some perceived wrong. Neither of us are Muslim and neither of us speak Arabic (that I know of) so I was really hoping to get a Muslim perspective on this subject, . . . not that I don't appreciate your opinion.

However, my point is, that you and I are both getting our information on this subject filtered by others, and a practicing Muslim gets straight from the horse's mouth, so to speak.

The history of the world since the 7th century has been very much affected by jihad, and the Ottoman Dynasty is a testament to that, I am still waiting to hear a modern Muslim perspective on these subjects.

But to the thread issue, if this guy is calling for any harm to be done against any other group of people based on an immutable characteristic, then my vote is he is a bad guy. He may do some good, but overall, anyone calling for others to harm a group based on their ethnicity, gender, etc. . . cannot, IMHO, be considered a good guy.

B.

I was surrounded by Muslim friends of a different race, and my discussion with them led me to the above. I also search web on Muslim. You may also check neutral source such as Britanica or others, and you may find the view point expressed there.

 

[greatcalgarian]

To answer Mohammed's last concern about the placement of the Jewish homeland:

Self determination is the idea whereby a group of people related by culture or race are able to rule themselves rather than forced under the rule of another group of people. It only works when there is a large enough concentration of people of a certain group. Israel's creation was based on these ideas, not to persecute the Palestinians, nor any other Western country. It was created where it was because that is where the Jews were and that is all.

Israel's creation was based on these ideas, not to persecute the Palestinians, nor any other Western country.

If the above was honestly and fairly carried out, we would not have the current Israel-Palestinian situation. The surrounding Arab nations contributed mostly to the current situation by responding incorrectly politically as well as militarily during the 1947-48 creation of Israel. But fair minded people should take note also the numerous occasion where Israel simply ignored UN resolution. The bravery of Israel in rejecting the UN resolution, was undoubtedly because she received strong support from the Western coutnry to do so.

 

[greatcalgarian]

More on Jihad:

Jihad (Arabic: جهاد jihād) is an Islamic term, from the Arabic root jhd ("to exert utmost effort, to strive, struggle"), which connotes a wide range of meanings: anything from an inward spiritual struggle to attain perfect faith to a political or military struggle to further the Islamic cause. The meaning of "Islamic cause" is, of course, open to interpretation. Mainstream Muslims consider jihad to be the most misunderstood aspect of their religion by non-Muslims[1]. The Islamic religious legitimacy of the goals or methods of various Islamist movements who adopt the terminology of jihad is often brought into question, usually by moderate and liberal Muslims.

The term is frequently mistranslated into English as "holy war"; however, the concept of jihad encompasses more than just warfare, and a more accurate translation probably would be "holy struggle" or "righteous struggle". The denotation is of a challenging or difficult, (frequently) opposed effort, made either in accomplishment or resistance.

A person who engages in any form of jihad is called a "mujahid", meaning "striver" or "struggler". This term is most often used to mean a person who engages in fighting, but, for example a Muslim struggling to memorize the Qur'an is called a mujahid. The neologism jihadist is sometimes used to describe militant Islamic groups, including but not restricted to Islamist terrorism (c. f. Jihadist organizations and Rules of war in Islam).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jihad

 

[greatcalgarian]

Or perhaps this web page is what the West understand about Jihad?

Because the West is facing a concerted effort by Islamic jihadists, the motives and goals of whom are largely ignored by the Western media, to destroy the West and bring it forcibly into the Islamic world -- and to commit violence to that end even while their overall goal remains out of reach. That effort goes under the general rubric of jihad.

Jihad (in Arabic, "struggle") is a central duty of every Muslim. Modern Muslim theologians have spoken of many things as jihads: the struggle within the soul, defending the faith from critics, supporting its growth and defense financially, even migrating to non-Muslim lands for the purpose of spreading Islam. But violent jihad is a constant of Islamic history. Many passages of the Qur'an and sayings of the Prophet Muhammad are used by jihad warriors today to justify their actions and gain new recruits. No major Muslim group has ever repudiated the doctrines of armed jihad. The theology of jihad, which denies unbelievers equality of human rights and dignity, is available today for anyone with the will and means to bring it to life.

Jihad Watch is dedicated to bringing public attention to the role that jihad theology and ideology plays in the modern world, and to correcting popular misconceptions about the role of jihad and religion in modern-day conflicts. We hope to alert people of good will to the true nature of the present global conflict.

http://www.jihadwatch.org/

 

[greatcalgarian]

Muslim view on Jihad:

Abdul-Moti Bayoumi, of the Islamic Research Center at Cairo's al-Azhar University, mainstream Islam's top seat of learning, says for jihad to be legal, it must fulfill several conditions.

Among them: a Muslim should not provoke the aggression; a Muslim should only fight the one who fights him; and children, women, and the elderly should be spared.

"There is no terrorism in jihad or a threat to civilians," Bayoumi said.

Based on that interpretation, Bayoumi said the suicide attacks in the United States were unjustified and therefore considered by Islam as "terror acts."

But he said the attacks against Israelis are acceptable because Palestinians don't have the high-tech weapons like Israel's.
(...)

The grand mufti of Saudi Arabia, Sheik Abdulaziz al-Sheik, sharply disagrees. He declared in April it is "strictly forbidden in Islam" and that "the one who blows himself up in the midst of the enemies is also performing an act contrary to Islamic teachings."

Suicide bombers, the theologian added, should be buried without Islamic ritual and away from other Muslims.

The opposite view is taken by Sheik Youssef al-Qaradawi, an Egyptian clergyman highly respected among the world's 1.2 billion Muslims. While condemning the attacks in the United States, he said rulings against suicide bombings were issued by "people who are alien to Sharia (Islamic laws) and religion."

Sheik Ikrema Sabri, Jerusalem's top Muslim cleric and an appointee of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, took a similar line - bombings in Israel yes, elsewhere no.

Muslim Scholars Debate Suicide Tact, AP, Sep. 16, 2001

http://www.apologeticsindex.org/j16.html

A good web page to learn.

 

[Muhhamad Abdul Salam]

Mr. Salam,

I am not trying to be too big of a jerk here, but am I mistaken, or did Muhammad not command in the verse of the sword to fight the unbeleivers? Is there not still the concept of Dar-al-Islam and dar-al-Harb? Quran talks an awful lot about jihad, and the duty to spread the word of Islam, which has often happened in history by the sword.

If these concepts are no longer being taught in Islam then I would love to hear from a practicing Muslim what is being said, if anything, in the Mosques about these concepts, which originate in the Quran, and have been a big part of history.

B.

The Holy Prophet Muhammad did say to fight the infidels but only in self-defense as opposed to turning the other cheek completely. Jihad is mentioned in the Qur'an but due to extremists the true meaning of jihad has been forgotten. Jihad means a struggle against oneself as in spiritually or fighting temptation, struggle against one's enemy which could be translated as a war/fight but only in self-defense, and struggle against satan hence the Qur'anic reminder to guard against evil and to take Allah as a shield. Im not able to go to the mosque as much as I'd like to but what Im telling you is what I know to be the truth after extensive study of Islam and the Qur'an.

 

[Fluffy]

If the above was honestly and fairly carried out, we would not have the current Israel-Palestinian situation. The surrounding Arab nations contributed mostly to the current situation by responding incorrectly politically as well as militarily during the 1947-48 creation of Israel. But fair minded people should take note also the numerous occasion where Israel simply ignored UN resolution. The bravery of Israel in rejecting the UN resolution, was undoubtedly because she received strong support from the Western coutnry to do so.

I am by no means arguing that either or both sides were faultless in this saga just that the actual decision of where to place the Jewish homeland was due to the high proportion of Jews in Israel, not to persecute against Palestine. It would be totally ineffective to have placed the homeland somewhere else which is what Mohammed was suggesting.