The Muslim World

In London, on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, a day that Western countries commemorate variously as Armistice Day, Remembrance Day, Veterans' Day, with grave ceremony and sadly proud remembrance, some representatives of the Muslim community felt obliged to offer their contempt for this signal occasion by burning the symbol of the day, a red poppy.

That is the red poppy that is worn in remembrance over the heart, of people who remember the misery and dread atrocity of conflict, but still recognize the need to offer physical resistance to the would-be tyrants and aggressors on the world stage. And offer their emotional remembrance in the sacrifices of their countries' young who marched off to offer resistance to murderous totalitarian regimes.

Islamic protesters, some dressed in dark clothing, some masking their faces, carried banners, chanting slogans like "British soldiers: terrorists", confronting police officers whose presence was there to offer them protection against the outraged counter-protest by the English Defence League. For living in Britain, the Islamic protesters had the freedom to offer their opinion however outrageously, vindictively grotesque and culturally insensitive and blatantly counter to British values.

The Muslims, about thirty-five in number said they represented a group called Muslims Against Crusades: "The British soldiers you remember on this day are soldiers who have taken innocent lives in illegal occupations and unjust wars. Our aim is not violence but if people come to us with violence, Muslims will defend themselves."

Fair enough. They might wish to explain whether they also march in disgust and anger when sectarian Muslim atrocities occur, as they do with startling regularity. The news media are never idle in their incessant reports on vicious bloody attacks by Muslims against other Muslims in Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Afghanistan, Pakistan - and elsewhere in the Muslim world.

The question must be asked, and deserves a thoughtful response: Why is it that the greater Muslim community - the ummah, does not stand up in righteous protest against the slaughter that Muslims perpetrate against one another? Why is it acceptable that Sunni Muslims can characterize Shia as 'apostates' and feel justified in murdering them?

Why are the lesser sects - in terms of size of their faithful - of Islam, like the Ismaelis and the Ahmadis not recognized as true Muslims and suffer huge intolerance of constant perpetration of murderous onslaughts while praying in their mosques? Mosques represent the ultimate place of refuge, do they not? Why are they continually being bombed, and those within slaughtered?

Why is it that it is the Western world that stands up in protest when Iran flogs and stones women whom they accuse of being adulteresses? Why is it that Saudi Arabia is able to sentence young men to be beheaded, without protest? Why is it that Afghanistan can declare a death sentence for a Muslim transferring allegiance to another religion? How is it that when a Pakistani court sentences a Christian mother of five to death for blasphemy it is acceptable?

And when the Pope speaks out finally on behalf of the Christians living in Muslim-dominated countries to plead for an end to car bombings, assassinations of Christian clerics, slaughter of their parishioners, destruction of their churches, not an iota of concern is heard emanating from Muslims complacent in their belief that Islam, as a religion of peace, can do no wrong.