the tragedy of islam

I honestly don't mean to offend anyone by the title -- it's not the "Tragedy of Islam" in the sense that Islam's presence is a tragedy. Quite the opposite, as you shall see. Rather, it is a tragedy in the sense that bad things have happened to this particular religion, things which are in reality unavoidable in the grand scheme of things. To give you some background into this post, Internet, let me tell you that I have left my one-on-one lecture feeling increasingly troubled in the last week and a half. I am troubled not by the impending due date of my paper (only half of which is finished, ha) but instead by the topic we have been studying (which I wish we'd studied earlier and more in depth): the treatment of non-Muslims as required by Islamic law.

Non-Muslims are, contrary to what you might believe and what the pundits on FOX tell you, remarkably protected under Islamic Shari3a (Shari'ah, or religious law). For starters, it says outright in the Qur'an, "لا اكراه في الدين," which translates to, "There is no compulsion in religion." This has been interpreted by virtually all religious scholars to mean that it is forbidden to force someone to join Islam. And to be honest, this is a good point -- if you're trying to build a cohesive community founded on particular principles, having someone who is just along for the ride because they were forced into it is neither productive nor conducive to said cohesion. Not to mention, Muslims are required to believe both the Torah and the Christian Bible in order to actually be Muslim. So, no forcing people to convert, and then the next point: leave to the others what is theirs.

It is forbidden for Muslims to steal, take things from, cheat, or lie to non-Muslims; it is forbidden to treat non-Muslims violently; all non-Muslims who come peacefully to Islamic lands (whether to live, work, visit, or pass through) must be given protection from aggression of all kinds; all non-Muslims have the right to justice; all non-Muslims have the right to life. There are many stories found in the Sunna (Muhammad's life story, basically) and the Hadith (vignettes about Muhammad and the four first Caliphs) that blatantly indicate the above is mandated by Islam. All humans were created equal, according to the Qur'an. Moreover, if God demanded that everyone follow one religion he would have made it so without any further comment -- the mere fact that not everyone believes the same thing is proof that variety is tolerated amongst the most favored creations of God.

There is also quite a bit on women's rights in the Qur'an, all of which requires Muslims to treat women with respect and dignity -- I have some issue with the exact wording, but let's face it, women in the Qur'an are treated better than women in the Bible. That's fact, and if you want to debate it then I challenge you to find me feminist passages in the Bible. You won't. I promise.

All of this, and yet Islamic radicalism is one of the biggest threats to security in the world. Why? Why are the Islamic countries lagging so far behind the rest of the world when it comes to democracy, human rights, and the status of women? It can't just be a widespread pandemic of misinterpretation -- that's too simple an answer. Why hasn't Islam undergone a massive reformation like Protestantism? Why, why, why -- the questions just go around in circles, and I can't figure it out. There is nothing inherently bad about Islam as a religion -- no more so than Christianity, which demands that all nonbelievers be killed. I don't know enough about Judaism to make that call, but since the Old Testament comes from the Torah, I highly doubt God got any less vengeful by going backwards in time. Women in Christianity are equated to animals, and rape is widely accepted and practiced. How is it that the Islamic world is so... behind?

I'm convinced the answer lies in the lack of reformation and perhaps partly in the current methods of governance found in the Arab states, since people often find refuge from oppression in religion and the presence of God (the belief that a divine being will mete out punishment at the end of time).

But I don't really know. It's bothering me. I hate not knowing things.

In other news, I typed this post using an empty bottle box of Juhayna as lumbar support, because absolutely nothing in Egypt offers back support of any kind, and I'm really starting to feel the effects.

EDIT: this article is helpful for further reading on the rights of non-Muslims in Islam: http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/374/viewall/

another truckstop on the way another game that I can play another word I learn to say

another blasted customs post another bloody foreign coast another set of scars to boast

WE ARE THE ROAD CREW