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Why don't they go back to their countries?
By, Ibrahim Saada
Akhbar Al Youm Newspaper, May 10, 2003
Translation from Arabic by Abdullah Al Araby
There is presently a crisis between the French government
and the Islamic communities living in France. The tension exists
because France insists on imposing secularism on its citizens
and those who have sought residency in the country.
It is no secret that France respects all religions. France
has allowed Muslims to build mosques, practice their rituals,
and open stores that sell Islamic products. France has also allowed
some Muslims to conduct public prayers on streets in spite of
the ill effect that it has on traffic. The result has been an
annoyance to non-Muslim drivers.
After Christianity, Islam is considered the second largest
religion in France. There are more than 5 million Muslims living
in France. There is no discrimination against Muslims. Like Christians,
Jews and Buddhist, they can study in its schools, work in its
departments and companies. Unfortunately, the reaction of Muslims
to this is infuriating and harmful to the tolerant Islamic religion.
The explosives they are producing have killed innocent non-Muslim
French people. Some Muslim advocates have called for a jihad against
“the Crusaders” everywhere, in every country that
does not impose Islamic Sharia. Last week, French television aired
a program about the daily life of a young man in his twenties
of Algerian origin. He had left school because he believed it
was infidel “Kafir.” He grew the traditional beard
and dedicated all of his time to reading Islamic books. He imagined
himself to be the defender of Islam who must impose its teachings
on Western societies, starting with France.
The T.V. Camera filmed the young man from the time he awoke
and his travels form within his car. French is the only language
that he speaks. His conversations with other Muslim youths were
recorded on videotape. The camera crew accompanied him as he went
into stores, restaurants, and mosques. More often than needed
he repeated the word “jihad”. To him, jihad means
that every Muslim must rise to fight the infidels and the seculars
in every country in which they reside. This man has never received
Islamic training in any Islamic institution or college. “Jihad”
in his opinion will not materialize by peaceful admonitions or
by explaining Islam as a tolerant religion. It is to be accomplished
by the use of violence, killing, and explosives. He believes that
the gates of paradise will open wide for Muslims that die as a
result of practicing Jihad.
It is important to note that regardless of the tolerance of
the French and their respect for all religions, French television
was not stopped from broadcasting this program that called for
violence and the killing of innocent people. Security apparatuses
did not interfere by arresting the young man and the hundreds
like him. These advocates are free to deceive others as they present
themselves as possessing knowledge that exceeds great Islamic
scholars such as Sheikh Ghazali and Sheikh Sharaawi.
The latest polls in France show that the French are getting
worried in regard to what is occurring in their country. To avoid
the potential for more and more violence, most French people are
demanding that their government preserve the secular system that
its constitution calls for. The Minister of Interior conducted
a series of meetings with the different Islamic factions. It resulted
with an agreement that will establish an Islamic Council to represent
Muslims to the French government. It will convey Muslim’s
concerns and hopes to the government. This was met with a wide
acceptance among most normal Muslims. They fear that the wrong
practices of ignorant fanatics will have the consequences of harming
Islam and Muslims.
Because of security considerations a crisis ensued when the
Interior Minister insisted that the ID and passport photos of
Muslim women must be shown without the veil. To explain this decision,
the Minister pointed out the fact that Christian nuns are also
required to remove their head-coverings when photos are taken
for ID purposes.
In spite of this logical justification, some Muslims in France
did not approve of this decision. Some Muslim advocates, took
advantage of this situation to wage a fierce criticism of the
French government and the Interior Minister. They accused them
of racism and depriving them of the simplest religious rights.
The crisis is still in process as each side holds to its opinion.
According to polls, the results are that there is increasing fear
and worry among the French people in regard to their secular system.
As a result of all of this, along with France, most Western
and European countries have started imposing new immigration laws
that will limit Islamic immigrations. This coincided with what
Muslims call racism and discrimination in filling jobs that French,
British or German citizens from Islamic background apply for
One French politician, sarcastically, commented:
“They accuse us of racism, and of infringing on their
religious rights, and of depriving them of freedom of expression,
and the right to dress in the way they like. Why then they insist
on staying in our country?! Why don’t they go back to where
they came from, where citizens enjoy full political, economical
and human rights? There, they can enjoy democracy, multi political
parties, and freedom of the press. Women will be free to work
and reach the highest positions, and to dress in what they like
rather than what is imposed on them”
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