IN-NEWS
Updates from and about Pakistan around the world
Islam vs. Islamists
PAKISTAN CHRONICLE • Friday, August 31, 2007
By Kami Butt
Washington, D.C., Apparently it hasbecome fashion to get attention by Trashing Islam for some con artists who disguise themselves as Muslims. The other day I attended an event at The Heritage Foundation (THF), a conservative think tank, which is located at walking distance from my home in Washington.
The speakers included an Iranian-American so called Sufi "Muslim" names Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani whose beard looks little longer than that of Usama Bin Ladin. While Usama is determined to make Islam a religion of fascism and oppression by his brutal violent acts against innocent civilians, Kabbani seems to be endorsing the same concept as a gentle and sweet sufi 'Muslim.'
Before the Q-A session, the audience watch a documentary names "Islam vs. the Islamists. Produced by the Center for Security Policy, the film frames good, of course, Kabbani and his type of 'Muslim' vs. the rest all of us as the bad Wahhabi and violent Muslims.
In the event these people expressed some truth about the intolerant attitude of Muslims, but as whole the event was a propaganda against Islam, I believe.
After the panel finished their talk, I told Kabbani that to raise his concerns about Muslim intolerance his team has chosen a place (THF) that is known for its Islam bashing. Off course, the people from the Heritage foundation didn't feel good about my comments and they rebuttaled my statement.
Then, I asked Kabbani a question about the respect of Muslim life in the West and if that is one of the factors of causing anger among Muslim masses in the third world. He didn't answer that part of my question. In the past, I have observed that some writers like a Pakistani intellectual names Hussein Haqqani makes sure that in the public setting like this his answers don't displease his Western listeners. So keeping Haqqani in my mind at the end of this meeting, in the presence of his assistant and another white gentleman standing next to Kabbani, I asked him the same question privately.
Instead of looking at me, Kabbani tried to garnered some support, for his counter question to me, from the gentleman standing next to him. Then partially looking at me, he asked if I were not protected in the States against intolerant elements.
By pointing toward the gentleman, Itold Kabbani that he didn't need to appease the white man standing next to him. Then I stated to him that anybody, including him and me, is protected under the U.S. constitution in the States, but my question was about U.S. foreign policy, especially toward the Muslim countries.
Once again, instead of answering my question, he said if I don't like this country, America, I should go back to my home country, Pakistan.
I could not tolerate his manipulation and hypocrisy anymore. Of course, I was very upset. I looked into his eyes angrily and said you are an intellectually dishonest and very hypocrite man; the very long beard and rob you are wearing is nothing but a charade.
While walking back toward the elevator, I thought how easy it has become to take the center stage in these conservative think tanks for these so called 'Muslims' who might be making their living by making most Muslims seen as violent people, unfortunately.
The speakers included an Iranian-American so called Sufi "Muslim" names Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani whose beard looks little longer than that of Usama Bin Ladin. While Usama is determined to make Islam a religion of fascism and oppression by his brutal violent acts against innocent civilians, Kabbani seems to be endorsing the same concept as a gentle and sweet sufi 'Muslim.'
Before the Q-A session, the audience watch a documentary names "Islam vs. the Islamists. Produced by the Center for Security Policy, the film frames good, of course, Kabbani and his type of 'Muslim' vs. the rest all of us as the bad Wahhabi and violent Muslims.
In the event these people expressed some truth about the intolerant attitude of Muslims, but as whole the event was a propaganda against Islam, I believe.
After the panel finished their talk, I told Kabbani that to raise his concerns about Muslim intolerance his team has chosen a place (THF) that is known for its Islam bashing. Off course, the people from the Heritage foundation didn't feel good about my comments and they rebuttaled my statement.
Then, I asked Kabbani a question about the respect of Muslim life in the West and if that is one of the factors of causing anger among Muslim masses in the third world. He didn't answer that part of my question. In the past, I have observed that some writers like a Pakistani intellectual names Hussein Haqqani makes sure that in the public setting like this his answers don't displease his Western listeners. So keeping Haqqani in my mind at the end of this meeting, in the presence of his assistant and another white gentleman standing next to Kabbani, I asked him the same question privately.
Instead of looking at me, Kabbani tried to garnered some support, for his counter question to me, from the gentleman standing next to him. Then partially looking at me, he asked if I were not protected in the States against intolerant elements.
By pointing toward the gentleman, Itold Kabbani that he didn't need to appease the white man standing next to him. Then I stated to him that anybody, including him and me, is protected under the U.S. constitution in the States, but my question was about U.S. foreign policy, especially toward the Muslim countries.
Once again, instead of answering my question, he said if I don't like this country, America, I should go back to my home country, Pakistan.
I could not tolerate his manipulation and hypocrisy anymore. Of course, I was very upset. I looked into his eyes angrily and said you are an intellectually dishonest and very hypocrite man; the very long beard and rob you are wearing is nothing but a charade.
While walking back toward the elevator, I thought how easy it has become to take the center stage in these conservative think tanks for these so called 'Muslims' who might be making their living by making most Muslims seen as violent people, unfortunately.
