A New Muslim Country
By Guy Milliere
FrontPageMagazine.com | May 12, 2003
The Muslim Brotherhood is a forbidden movement in Egypt where it was born. It is a forbidden movement in the rest of the Arab-Muslim world. All the specialists speak of it as a dangerous, integrist Muslim movement that has only one aim: to take the political power and to impose Sharia, the Islamic law to whole countries.
In France, it’s different: the Muslim Brotherhood can exist officially. Under its French name, Union of Islamic Organizations in France (UOIF), it is even an important part of the French Muslim council recently created by the French government. You might think the Muslim Brotherhood goes forward by partly hiding what it wants in order to be accepted. You’d be wrong: it says exactly what it wants. It created many websites in French and in Arabian where everything is explained very clearly. It organize lectures everywhere in France where you can hear speakers saying: “we only have to obey the law of Allah”, or more nicely, “some stupid western intellectuals, mostly Jews, write that nobody has the right to kill in the name of God. They do not understand: It’s a duty to kill in the name of God.”
These speakers are the Ramadan brothers, grandsons of Hassan al Banna, the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, who have created a European center of Islamic studies based in Geneva, Switzerland. One of their stars is a man called Yahya Michaux. He is a Christian converted to radical Islam. He is one of the most ferocious and scary orators I have ever heard. His story is interesting: he was a university professor in Belgium till the moment the Belgian police discovered he was writing jihad-based justifications of slaughtering of Algerians. He was fired then and fled to Great Britain where he became immediately professor at Oxford University. Since then, he avoids Belgium where he could be put in jail for his former activities, but he comes to France every week to speak to “good Muslims.”
Every year in April, UOIF organize a national congress in Le Bourget, just north of Paris. This year, more than thirty thousand people came. If you went inside the main meeting hall, you had a shocking view: ten thousand people seated, five thousand men on the right side, sixty per cent of them wearing a thick beard; five thousand women on the left side, almost all of them wearing scarves that cover everything, the hair, the neck, the ears, and let appear only what’s in between the eyes and the chin. The orators speak about the greatness of Allah, about the fact that everything is ruled by the Quran. “Nobody must say we have to respect the secular rule of law, the Quran provides us the rule of law.” There are guests from all the main French political parties, except the rightist National Front. When it’s their turn to speak, they seem too afraid to say anything except: “Islam is one of the greatest accomplishments of civilization.”
On the Congress’s last evening, Saturday April 19, Nicolas Sarkozy, chief of the Department of the Interior, came and said he agrees with everything Muslims ask from the French Republic, except one thing: Muslim women will not have the right to have a picture of them with a scarf on their ID. A large boo came from the audience, and Sarkozy could hardly finish his speech. He then left very fast. After he left, the president of UOIF said that to push Muslim women to not wear their scarves would be a way to discriminate against them. He added, without shame or hesitation, that it would the equivalent of the yellow star Jews had to wear in the forties.
Outside the meeting hall, you can find books. The Protocols of the Elders of Zion is forbidden in France, but you can find The Sharon Protocol. And the seller will say to you: “Read it, it’s almost the same. Everything is explained, the way Jews want to seize the world and enslave all its people”. If you do not like The Sharon Protocol, you can buy another best seller: a booklet by Muhammad bin S’ad Al-Shwey’ir, a Saudi columnist. It’s called The Jews Follow the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, and many things are explained very clearly, even the fact that “Jews use human blood for rituals”. Do not say it’s anti-Semitism or immediately somebody will give you the explanation: “We cannot be anti-Semitic. Arabs are Semites, and they cannot have prejudices against Semites.”
UOIF has a student branch called Muslim Students of France. It’s supposed to be a student trade union, but their meetings have always the same object: fight Islamophobia in France, fight the assimilation of Muslims in France and explain to them they do not have to loose their identity, fight against the “Zionist entity” (they never say Israel, because for them Israel does not exist and is just an ugly pustule that will be removed from the maps very soon). They know they have strength and the future is open. Right now, Muslims are around 12 percent of the French population. Within ten years, they will be more than twenty per cent. They will be mostly young, and non-Muslim French people will be mostly old. “Be patient, be wise, time is on our side,” said one of the orators in Le Bourget. The audience answered frantically “Allahu Akbar.” Allah is great.
French socialists politicians have a big problem: “We have been identified with Zionism for too long,” one of them wrote recently. “We have to show much more to the Muslim community we respect it, and we have to show we understand the sufferings of Palestinians and their need to have a state as soon as possible.” French socialist politicians will change the way they speak, and they started to do it already.
But Muslims, and especially radical Muslims are more trusting of Jacques Chirac and his moderate right party. “Chirac knows very well we are the future, and he accepts it completely,” says a document written for the members of UOIF. And I think the document is right. Chirac knows very well radical Muslims are the future. A book has recently been published in France and is on its way to become a best seller. It’s called The Orient of Jacques Chirac, the author, Ahmed Youssef, says “Chirac is more Muslim than many Muslims.” “He acts through feelings, not reason.” And “he respects authority”. “He has been the builder of many bridges between France and the Arab world.”
France will become a Muslim country. French leaders know it. They will never take a decision that could make young radical Muslims angry. It’s one of the reasons why they could not support the United States during the war in Iraq. The results would have been riots in the suburbs, and the French police is ill equipped to face riots. French leaders have no choice except to be the leaders of the Arab-Muslim world. They accepted too many things to go backward now. The rift between France and the United States will become bigger and bigger. France is already the main enemy of western civilization. The most dangerous enemy is always the enemy within, and France is the enemy within. What France has become could have consequences for Europe and for the world. The faster France appears dangerous and powerless, the better.
Milliere er professor i kulturjistorie og legal filosofi ved Sorbonne Universitet i Paris.
Salafi er ikke nogen ekstrem bevægelse; de fleste troende muslimer er salafi. Jeg vil anslå, at cirka 90 af alle arabiske sunnimuslimer i Danmark tilhører salafi-retningen.
Naser Khader har i øvrigt selv indrømmet, at han også er salafi. Det skete under et foredrag i Virum Kirke den 24. oktober 2005. Citeret også i lokalavisen “Det Grønne Område” den 25. oktober 2005, som jeg har en kopi af. Ved samme lejlighed udtrykte Naser Khader ønske om at statsminister Anders Fogh indgik i dialog med muslimerne på deres egen hjemmebane. Og at islam i øvrigt er en venlig og kærlig religion.
Det var efter dette foredrag, at jeg fattede sympati for Naser. Khaders brødre kommer også af og til i Islamisk Trossamfunds lokaler for at bede, så jeg tror ikke, at Akkaris mærkelige humor og Abu Labans billedsprog har skræmt Naser. Han skal nok blive gode venner med Akkari igen. Hvis det ikke var haram at vædde, ville jeg vædde 100 stærke på det.
A Salafi (Arabic سلفي referring to early Muslim), from the Arabic word Salaf سلف (literally meaning predecessors or early generations), is an adherent of a contemporary movement in Sunni Islam that is sometimes called Salafism or Wahhabism. Salafis themselves insist that their beliefs are simply pure Islam as practiced by the first three generations of Muslims and that they should not be regarded as a sect. Most do not like to be called Wahhabis, although this name was acceptable in the past.
Contents [hide]
1 Overview
2 Distinctive beliefs and practices
3 Currents of thought within Salafism
4 Note on Salafi vs. Wahabi vs. Qutubi
5 Notable Salafis
6 See also
7 External links
7.1 Non-Salafi
7.2 Pro-Salafi
7.3 Anti-Salafi
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Overview
The word Salaf means predecessors (or ancestors) and refers to the Companions of the Prophet Muhammad (the Sahaba), the early Muslims who followed them, and the scholars of the first three generations of Muslims. They are also called Al-Salaf Al-Salih or “the Righteous Predecessors”.
The Salafis view the first three generations of Muslims, who are the prophet Muhammad’s companions, and the two succeeding generations after them, the Taba’een and the taba Tabe’een as perfect examples of how Islam should be practiced in everyday life. These three generations are often referred to as the Pious generations. This principle of law is derived from the following hadith (tradition) stated by the Prophet Muhammad: “The best of people is my generation, then those who come after them, then those who come after them (i.e. the first three generations of Muslims).” (Reported by Bukhari and Muslim b. al-Hajjaj).
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Distinctive beliefs and practices
Salafis claim to preach a purified Islamic monotheism, or tawhid. Salafis believe that widespread Muslim practices such as venerating the graves of Islamic prophets and saints are wrong. Photographs of any living being that possesses a soul are forbidden. Celebration of Muhammad’s birthday (Mawlid) is discouraged. All these practices are considered shirk (a comprehensive term which is commonly translated as polytheism), or as bidah (innovation). Salafis in general are opposed to both Sufism and Shi’a Islam, which they regard as heretical.
In matters of theology and law, most Salafis do not follow mainstream Sunni theology (kalam), nor do they adhere to any of the four recognized schools of traditional legal interpretation (madhabs) — though the jurisprudence of the strict Hanbali madhhab is viewed less unfavorably than the others. They believe that literal readings of the Qur’an and the hadith (or oral traditions), are sufficient guidance for the believing Muslim. However, they do have high regard for the teachings of the controversial 14th century Syrian scholar Ibn Taymiya, and his students Ibn al-Qayyim and Ibn Kathir.
Ibn Taymiya’s teachings were revived by the 18th-century teacher Muhammad ibn Abd al Wahhab, of Nejd in Arabia, and were instrumental in the rise of the House of Saud to power. Prominent Saudi Salafi scholars include Ibn Baz, Muhammad Naasiruddeen al-Albaanee, Muhammad Ibn Saalih Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, and Shaykh Muqbil ibn Haadee al-Waadi’ee.
Salafis insist that Salafism is not a purely Arabian movement, and regard some clerics and scholars outside Arabia as proto-Salafis or Salafi-influenced. The names cited include the Egyptian Muhammad Abduh and his student Rashid Rida, the publisher of the influential journal Al-Manar. Hasan al-Banna, the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood movement, is said to have been influenced by the ideas of Abduh and Rida. According to Salafis, Ibn Taymiya’s teachings were revived in Syria by al-Qasimi and in Iraq by al-Alusi. In addition, the extensive “Ahl-e-Hadith” movement in the Indian sub-continent is regarded by most Salafis as a valid Salafi methodology.
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Currents of thought within Salafism
Some Salafis distinguish between traditional Wahhabism and modern Salafism. They say that Wahhabism is practiced in Saudi Arabia and propounded by Saudi regime scholars such as Ibn Humaid, Ibn Baz, and Ibn Uthaymin. Wahhabis adhere to the Hanbali school of law. Non-Wahhabi Salafis, they say, are possibly best represented by the Syrian based scholar Al-Albani, the 19th century Yemeni scholar ash-Shawkani and his Indian student Siddiq Hasan Khan.
Other Salafis would disagree that a distinction could be drawn between Wahhabi and non-Wahhabi Salafis and regard “Wahhabi” as purely a pejorative term.
Salafis also disagree as to the status of the Saudi government and the necessity of violent jihad.
Some Salafis believe that Saudi Arabia and the House of Saud are to be supported and accepted as a righteous regime. Ibn Baz, now deceased, was a strong supporter of the Saudi state. Currently, the scholar Rabi’ al-Madkhali is perhaps the best-known of the pro-government Salafis.
Some Salafis distance themselves from the Saudi government, but will not oppose it so long as it does not require them to do anything against their understanding of Islam. In this they follow a long line of Muslim thought which emphasizes the importance of avoiding fitna, discord in the community.
Some Salafis believe that the Saudi government has strayed from true Islamic purity and is to be opposed, albeit non-violently. One such prominent Salafi is the scholar Safar Al-Hawali.
Some Salafis believe that most majority-Muslim countries, including Saudi Arabia, have strayed and that the only answer to the plight of Muslims today is violent jihad. These are the Salafis often called Islamists, jihadis, or Qutbis. These Salafis are thus often linked with terrorism.
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Note on Salafi vs. Wahabi vs. Qutubi
The term Wahhabi was coined as a reference to Muhammad ibn Abd al Wahhab, an Arabian teacher instrumental in reviving Ibn Taymiya’s thought. While the term was once used in Saudi Arabia, it is now usually considered derogatory by self-described Salafis.
Qutbist Salafis follow the thought of Sayyid Qutb. Those Salafis who do not support terrorism insist that Qutbis are not true Salafis. Others regard such statements as mere “spin” and obfuscation. These critics say that the Saudi establishment has consistently backed the militants, even while claiming not to do so. See the article on Qutbism for further discussion of this controversy.
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Notable Salafis
Ibn Taymiya
Muhammad ibn Abd al Wahhab
Ibn al-Jawzi
Syed Nazeer Husain
Shams-ul-haq Azeemabadi
Abdul ‘Azeez ibn Abdullaah ibn Baaz
Muhammad Naasiruddeen al-Albaanee
Muhammad Ibn Saalih Ibn ‘Uthaymeen
Abdur-Rahman al-Mu’allimee al-Yamani
Ibn Humaid
Osama bin Laden
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi
Ayman al-Zawahiri
Abul A’la Maududi
Sayyid Qutb
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See also
List of Muslims
Wahhabism
Salaf
Shirk
Bidah
Tawhid
Nasibi
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External links
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Non-Salafi
New Yorker article on Osama bin Laden and Salafism
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Pro-Salafi
http://www.spubs.com
http://www.madeenah.com
http://www.thewahhabimyth.com
http://www.salafimanhaj.com
http://www.salafisisters.org
http://www.allaahuakbar.net
http://www.therighteouspath.com
http://www.turntoislam.com
http://www.salaf.dk
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Anti-Salafi
The Deception of the Devious Salafi Sect (ummah.net)
Radical Salafism: Osama’s ideology (muslim-canada.org)
Retrieved from “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salafi”
Fra http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salafist