Why Don't More Muslims Speak Out Against Islamic Extremism?

Photo: Norwegian-Somalian Kadra, critic of
Imams' support of female genital mutilation

People often wonder: "Where are the Islamic 'moderates'?" Why don't the "moderate" Muslims speak out against the extremists? One reason may be what happens when they do.

When Muslims actually do speak out against Islamic extremism, they receive death threats-- and, in many cases they are actually physically attacked by Muslim fundamentalists.

Ayaan Hirsi Ali was a devout Muslim, born in Somalia. As such, as young girl, she was forced to undergo the cruel practice of "female genital mutilation". She eventually emigrated to the Netherlands, and left Islam.

She is an outspoken critic of Islamic extremism (and had a good platform for expressing her views as she was elected to the Dutch parliament). She teamed up with Theo van Gogh to make Submission, a short film critical of the Islamic abuse of women.

Van Gogh was brutally murdered, and Hirsi Ali is still under constant guard due to the death threats she has received.

Unfortunately, these are not unusual examples. It seems that whenever Muslims speak out against the extremism so prevalent in their religion they become subject to the threat of violence. The Danish cartoonists who published the "Mohammed cartoons" all had to go into hiding. (In the riots and embassy burnings following the publication of the cartoon, over 140 people were murdered-- all over some relatively mild cartoons satirizing Mohammed!)

Kadra is the latest victim of this ongoing violence against critics of Islamic extremism:

Norwegian-Somalian Kadra, who became famous in Norway for exposing imam support of female circumcision, was beaten unconscious on Thursday

Kadra was attacked and beaten senseless by seven or eight persons of Somali origin, newspaper VG reports.

"I was terrified. While I lay on the pavement they kicked me and screamed that I had trampled on the Koran. Several shouted Allah-o-akbar (God is great) and also recited from the Koran," Kadra told VG.

Kadra linked the attack to recent remarks in VG where she said that the Koran's views on women needed to be reinterpreted.

Kadra's role in a 2000 hidden camera TV documentary revealing the positive attitude of Muslim leaders to female circumcision had a massive impact on Norway, and sparked new legislation. (complete article)

For more about FGM ("female circumcision", or "female genital mutilation"), some fascinating information about the life of Ayaan Hirsi Ali , and a video interview of a panel discussion about Islam with Hirsi Ali, Bill Maher and others, click here.

Baha’i children abused in Iranian schools

From the Barnabas quotidianus weblog:

Disturbing news has emerged that Baha’i kids in primary and high schools in Iran are being bullied and vilified by their teachers and school administrators.

Young Baha’is are being forced to identify themselves as Baha’is. They then have to endure a catalogue of abuses. Among other thing, they’re insulted and degraded in front of their classmates and pressured to convert to Islam.

One Baha’i reports that children in Kermanshah were called to the front of the classroom and reduced to tears by being forced to listen to insults against their Faith.

A Baha’i student, accepted for study at an art institute, was followed and seized by the authorities. This student was blindfolded and beaten. Not once. Not twice. But three times. (Read it all)

Barnabas quotidianus also has a link to a video about the treatment of Baha’is in Iran and Egypt; Difficult Images weblog has information and photos of the more general widespread abuses of human rights in Iran.