Fatwas and Global Responsibilities

Finally, a breath of sanity from Islamic leaders in Canada. After the attempted Christmas Day bombing, some 19 Canadian (and one U.S.) Islamic leader got their heads together and decided to release a religious edict, a fatwa, to express their anger, annoyance and disgust at attacks taking place on North American soil by um, disaffected young Muslims. Stating, unequivocally that in their enlightened collective opinion any attack by extremists within Canada and the United States would clearly constitute an attack upon the ten million Muslims resident in those countries.

Interesting, welcome, and somewhat limited. What about Islamist attacks say in Spain, in the Middle East, in Britain, in Indonesia? Don't they count? Don't law-abiding, faithful Muslims live there too, along with Christians, Jews, Sikhs and Hindus, and perhaps members of other religions. Isn't an attack by fanatical Islamists anywhere at all in the world an attack against freedom, liberty and human rights? Don't all people have the basic right to live as they will, without being terrorized by fundamentalists who consider them human scum?

Perhaps the 20 Islamic leaders would have done well to consult an expert on anti-jihadist activities, another Muslim, for example, whom these attacks pains for many reasons, not the least of which the fact that they are enacted by those who express their devotion to Islam. One cannot doubt that someone of the ilk of Tarek Fatah or Irshad Manji would have been helpful in formulating the declaration, and making it eminently more geographically inclusive.

The intellectual and moral spearhead of the fatwa which honourably states: "In our view, these attacks are evil and Islam requires Muslims to stand up against this evil", was none other than Calgary-based Imam, Syed Soharwardy, founder of the Islamic Supreme Council of Canada. Who has said, "We are part of this society. This is my home, and if anybody attacks on Canada, in fact, attacks on my home."

Nice, very nice, Very much appreciated the declaration that it is a duty incumbent upon every Muslim in Canada and the U.S. to safeguard the two countries. Hey, what about all those other countries of the world, don't they need protection from demented, overheated Islamist jihadis? How about extending that fatwa to China, India, the Middle East, Europe, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Yemen, for starters? Isn't a jihadist-missionizing entity a blot on humanity?

And isn't Mr. Soharwardy the very individual who sponsored a Calgary Human Rights tangle with Ezra Levant for his temerity in posting the world-of-Islam-offending Danish Mohammad cartoon and pointing out his personal opinion of Muslim hypocrisy? And what about the postings in the past on his ISCC website equating Israeli-Palestinian relations with a Holocaust perpetrated by Jews upon Arabs?

And his slandering of Christians who had undertaken humanitarian relief in the wake of the Indonesian tsunami disaster, claiming that Christian missionariers were interested only in absconding with Muslim children, and using humanitarian work to rescue the tsunami-afflicted as a ruse for their true purpose? A slander that was responsible in part, for the murder of three Christian schoolchildren by an enraged Muslim in Indonesia?

Imam Sowarhardy was also an enthusiastic proponent of Sharia to become part of the Canadian legal system, a move that would have led to Muslim women becoming victim to sharia law, unprotected under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Gee whiz, is this the best we can do? Really?