Muslim group hit the streets of London ("Take a leaflet...Discover the true face of Islam")

LONDON -- On a dark, busy late afternoon over the hectic Christmas period, a group of young Muslim men stand, braving the cold and rain, at one of several staircases leading down to the entrance to Oxford Circus tube station. Passersby, loaded with parcels, jostle for space on the heaving pavement; bright Christmas lights twinkle overhead.

Above the noise of the traffic and the thousands of people, one man at the small stall, dressed in coat, hat and gloves, attempts to make himself heard. "Take a leaflet here," he yells, "They're free. Discover the true face of Islam and remove some of the misconceptions!"

He holds a handful of booklets in the air, offering them to the busy pedestrians flooding the steps to the tube station. No one takes one. "All your questions answered!" he tries again, thanking someone gratefully as they agree to take a leaflet. "We're here every Friday - come and talk to us!"

It is almost 6 months since the coordinated London Underground bombings, which rattled the British public and made Muslim organizations throughout Britain fear even greater prejudice and suspicion than they had received following the September 11, 2001, attacks in New York City.

In response to the wave of misunderstandings and misconceptions that many British Muslims feel that they are facing, a group of young people decided that the time had come to challenge the general public's popular notions of the nature of Islam by taking to the streets. The "Discover Islam" brochure they give out, produced by the World Assembly of Muslim Youth, seeks to outline, in a simple, logical fashion, the Islamic belief system, thus making the religion accessible to a wider, non-Islamic audience.

"It's difficult," says one of the young men distributing the leaflets at the stand, who preferred not to be named. "There's a lot of fear and a lot of misunderstandings. Lots of people just don't want to know at all. Some people think that all Muslims are terrorists, and that we're really a front for something more sinister. But we persevere, and every single non-Muslim we reach is a victory for us."

It is, he adds, especially important that they try to distribute their message at tube stations, so that while traveling by tube, members of the public can take a look at their publication and think about it in the light of the bombings on that same network.

Directly following the July 7, 2005, attacks, he recalls, Muslim youths traveling regularly on the Underground found that they came under such suspicion, with fellow passengers carefully scrutinizing them or even changing seats to move further away, that the sale of clear plastic backpacks shot up in London. Many young Muslims, he says, found that the only way to avoid suspicion was to expose the contents of their bags to the rest of the world.

The World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY), the organization promoting this series of "Discover Islam" brochures and posters, was established in 1972 in Saudi Arabia, as an independent international Muslim forum, to encourage "concerned Muslims to take up the challenge by arming the youth with sound understanding of Islam, guarding them against destructive ideologies, and instilling in them level-headed wisdom".

Its aims today include helping Muslim youth to overcome the problems that they face in modern Western society, introducing Islam to non-Muslims in the hopes of bettering understanding and dialogue within Western countries, and offering charitable aid to needy Muslims in various countries across the globe.

In 1989, WAMY established a hospital in Afghanistan's Chamkani district, which serves roughly 300,000 vulnerable and poverty-stricken citizens. The organization has created nine schools in Pakistan, Nigeria, Somalia, Sudan and Saudi Arabia, and built 123 mosques throughout the world, the majority in West Africa, Kurdistan and the Indian sub-continent. It encompasses 450 student and youth organizations, and has 34 offices worldwide.

It has, however, not been all plain-sailing for WAMY. Shortly after the 9/11 attacks, FBI documents obtained by the UK-based Guardian newspaper suggested that the FBI had earlier wished to investigate the group for links with two of Osama Bin Laden's relatives.

One relative, Abdullah Bin Laden, had been US director of the group, with offices just outside Washington DC, until 2000. Moreover, for as long as the last 10 years, the organization has been repeatedly named as a channel for private and public Saudi donations to extreme Islamic groups. One recipient, for example, of its funding has allegedly been the Indian Students Islamic Movement, which is said to have aided Pakistani-supported terrorists in the disputed state of Kashmir, and wishes to create an Islamic state in India.

Nevertheless, the UK branch has continued to refute all claims of links to terrorist or extremist organizations, repeatedly stating that "we seek social change through education and cooperation, not force". Equally, the "Discover Islam" leaflets on offer each week to the British public deal simply and clearly with issues that many less informed non-Muslims might have questions about. Topics covered include the role of women in Islam, Islam's moral system, and beliefs regarding human rights within the Muslim religion. They seek to provide a balance for widespread beliefs that regard Muslims as barbaric, backward or imprisoners of women.

Back at Oxford Circus, Central London, the early evening commuter crowds have started to swarm around the Underground station, and the three young men manning the stall are busy attempting to raise interest in their cause. It is hard work, and for every 100 or so Londoners passing them by, only one or two stop to find out what they are saying.

"I'm English, and I'm a Muslim," says one man to a young woman who has stopped out of curiosity. "Just as you're English and, I guess, not a Muslim." (The woman nods warily.) "If you're a Christian, then I know quite a lot about your beliefs, especially at this time of year," he continues, gesturing around to the bright Christmas window displays in shop windows. "But do you know anything about mine?

"Do you know what holiday we'll be celebrating in the next few weeks?" She shakes her head meekly. "So here, take one of these and find out." He hands her a leaflet and she takes it with a smile. "And," he calls, as she walks away into the crowds, "Merry Christmas, eh?"

The Mind of an Islamic Terrorist (I doubt they were passing out these facts)

"The gates of Paradise are under the shadows of the swords."

The mind of an Islamic terrorist is difficult for a Western person to comprehend. What could lead a person to cause his or her own violent death is a question that is frequently raised. It is contrary to every human emotion that we have. Yet, we know there are hundreds of Islamic fundamentalists who are willing to kill and be killed for Allah.

An important reason is the promise that the gates of Paradise are under the shadows of the swords. During Muhammad's life, like today, there were many individuals who eagerly anticipated killing and dying in the Cause of Allah. The following is an account from the ancient classic Islamic text by Imam Muslim.

The tradition has been narrated on the authority of 'Abdullah b. Qais. He heard it from his father who, while facing the enemy, reported that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Surely, the gates of Paradise are under the shadows of the swords. A man in a shabby condition got up and said; Abu Musa, did you hear the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) say this? He said: Yes. (The narrator said): He returned to his friends and said: I greet you (a farewell greeting). Then he broke the sheath of his sword, threw it away, advanced with his (naked) sword towards the enemy and fought (them) with it until he was slain. Sahih Muslim Book 020, Number 4681

This quotation from the Sahih Muslim hadith afford us a look into the mindset of a person who desired his own death in Allah's Cause.

He trusted the words of Muhammad implicitly.
He was motivated by a promise of an eternal heavenly Paradise.

He reassured himself that he heard correctly by asking Abu Musa. We see that he was very careful not to make a mistake, since his own life and eternal destiny were at risk. He wanted to make sure that Paradise would be achieved.

He said his final farewell greeting to his friends. He did not rush to death, because he had no friends. He had friends who understood his motivation.

He unsheathed his sword and threw the sheath away, because he was resolved not to return from the battle alive. He chose to die in battle as a martyr in Allah's Cause. Casting aside his sword's sheath strengthened his resolve to bring about his own martyrdom.

He fought the enemy fearlessly until he was slain.

Finally, we see that Muhammad's objectives were achieved, because his followers were utterly fearless with their lives in Allah's Cause. This fearlessness struck terror in the hearts of those they attacked.

Muhammad taught that the gates of Heaven were under the shadow of the swords, meaning that death for Allah’s sake assures entry into Paradise. The revulsion of the bloody sword of death is in juxtaposition to the blessedness of the gates of eternal joy. So, if a Muslim were to approach directly Paradise’s gate of eternal delight, then he must know that it is found under the shadows of the sharp, glistening swords of a martyr’s death in Allah’s Jihad against unbelievers.

Personally, spiritually, politically, intellectually and emotionally, the questions that an Islamic fundamentalist faces are stark indeed. Personally, he asks himself if he loves Allah more than his own life? Spiritually, he asks whether or not he is willing to sacrifice himself in Allah's Cause against Shaytan's power and the infidel's military forces? Politically, he divides the nations of the world into two warring camps. The nations under Islamic rule are termed, the Land of Peace (dar al-Islam) while the remaining nations are called, the Land of War (dar al-Harb). He asks himself if he should participate in bringing Allah's rule over the infidels and hypocrites. Intellectually, the answers to those questions are crystal clear to him. Emotionally, his only hurdle to overcome is the fear of death. Once this emotional fear is conquered, the person joyfully takes up the sword to kill and be killed in Allah's Cause, anticipating his entrance into the gates of heavenly Paradise.

Martyrdom is the only assured path to Paradise. Other pathways don’t guarantee acceptance into the gardens of sensual delights. A person may do many kind deeds during his life, but he may only hope that his deeds will be sufficient to merit entry into heaven, but they don’t guarantee success like martyrdom in the Cause of Allah. The Qur’an notes that one who strives in Allah’s cause belongs to the highest rank, and they are assured salvation.

Those who believe, and suffer exile and strive with might and main, in Allah's cause, with their goods and their persons, have the highest rank in the sight of Allah: they are the people who will achieve (salvation). al-Tawbah 9:20 (Yusuf Ali's translation)

The Sahih al-Bukhari states,

Narrated Abu Huraira: I heard Allah's Apostle saying, "The example of a Mujahid in Allah's Cause—and Allah knows better who really strives in His Cause—is like a person who fasts and prays continuously. Allah guarantees that He will admit the Mujahid in His Cause into Paradise if he is killed, otherwise He will return him to his home safely with rewards and war booty." Volume 4, Book 52, Number 46

On the other hand, the Qur’an teaches that a Muslim’s good deeds are put into a balance (scale) to be weighed against his evil deeds. They must await the final day of Judgment to learn the outcome of their encounter with Allah’s balance.

Then those whose balance (of good deeds) is heavy,- they will attain salvation: But those whose balance is light, will be those who have lost their souls, in Hell will they abide. 23:102-102 (Yusuf Ali’s translation) Also, see Sura 101:6-8.

We shall set up scales of justice for the Day of Judgment, so that not a soul will be dealt with unjustly in the least, and if there be (no more than) the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it (to account): and enough are We to take account. Sura 21:47

Hence, martyrdom makes sense from an Islamic fundamentalist’s perspective. They know that death is the common lot of humanity. It is inescapable. So, rather than desperately clinging to life, they view martyrdom as an ultimate expression of their submission to Allah and Allah’s cause. They sacrifice their lives, because they love Allah, Muhammad, and eternal Paradise more than a few additional years on earth. They believe that martyrdom is the highest expression of their faith in Islam. Ayatollah Khomeini of Iran expressed it accurately when he said, "The purest joy in Islam is to kill and be killed for Allah."

They brandish their swords, intent upon murdering the enemies of Allah and dying while embracing the Apostle of Islam's pledge, "the gates of Paradise are under the shadows of the swords."

Muhammad invoked Allah's name to encourage his followers to murder those who did not submit to his claims. Yet today, Western Muslims claim that Islam is a religion of peace and tolerance. This was not the Islam of Muhammad.

Allah's Apostle said, "... I have been made victorious with terror ...
al-Bukhari Vol. 4, Bk 52, No. 220.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.