Académique Documents
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of Islam. However, the Soviets independence, many of these power, Christians and Jews in
found they could not completely Europeans have left, while Uzbekistan would either have
eliminate Islam so they allowed Muslim missionaries from Iran, to pay jizya (the traditional
an “official” form to exist which Pakistan and Saudi Arabia humiliating Islamic tax on
they sought to control. This have arrived. Saudi sources non-Muslims) or convert to
urge to control religion and have funded the building of Islam. Furthermore, militants
tolerate “official” manifestations many mosques in the region. trained in Afghanistan are
of religious belief continues to Meanwhile, neighbouring reported to be returning to
influence the attitudes of rulers countries are trying to influence the region, particularly to
in post-Soviet Central Asia. the region politically. Uzbekistan. Governments
The rise of Islamist (radical have responded with hard-line
Islamic) groups across Central measures, including torture
Since Asia has had a negative impact
on religious freedom in the
and mass imprisonment, plus
restrictions on religious liberty
independence region. In Tajikistan thousands
died in a conflict between the
which have affected not only
Islamists but all non-traditional
from the Soviet government and Islamists
lasting from 1992 to 1997.
religious groups including
Christians.
Union Many Islamist groups operate
in the Ferghana Valley, an
The attempt to control
religion was taken to extremes
Since the end of communist rule area which is deeply religious by President Niyazov of
in 1991, the newly independent and densely populated and Turkmenistan (died December
states of Central Asia have covers territory in Uzbekistan, 2006) who created a cult centred
been trying to re-discover their Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. on himself. In 2001 he wrote
cultural identities. For most, The most prominent group is and published a sacred book,
Islam is a part of that cultural Hizb ut-Tahrir, who seek to re- Ruhnama, and it was legally
identity, distinguishing them establish a single Islamic state, required that all places of
from the “Christian” Europeans the Caliphate, ruled by shari‘a. worship must have a room set
(such as Russians) who had Members of Hizb ut-Tahrir have aside for reading it.
settled in the region. Since stated that, if they were to gain
Missionaries
No legal prohibitions, No legal prohibitions, No legal prohibitions,
Is evangelism “Missionary activity” but converts can face but converts can face
(nationals or
but converts can face
foreigners)
permitted? is illegal problems from family problems from problems from
must register with the
or community family or community family or community
authorities
Is Christian
Religious instruction
Requires permission, Requires permission, Requires permission, Requires permission,
education requires permission,
which is often given which is often given which is often given which is often given
which is hard to obtain.
permitted?
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which Islam poses to Western society, culture and Church.
Khurram Murad, “Editor’s Preface”, in Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi, Muslims in the West: The Message and Mission, Leicester: The Islamic Foundation, 1983, p7.
2
i
Targeting Western women3 members and for Muslims in general. The Cambridge
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Muslims Community for example, organised a weekend
There are other da‘wa methods which are most certainly course in June 2006 with sessions on subjects such as:
not copied from Christian mission. Western women “The Importance of Giving Da‘wa”; “Giving Da‘wa to
are considered to be an easy way to infiltrate Western Christians”; and “Giving Da‘wa to Atheists”.
countries and make converts. A Syrian Muslim tour There is also a focus on encouraging Muslim children
guide pointed out a group of white women on one of to be active in da‘wa. Children from eleven or twelve
his tours and explained that there is a Muslim strategy
years old are encouraged to invite non-Muslim friends
to develop relationships with such women, marry them,
and to convert them to Islam. Marriage to a Westerner is home to do homework together. Then the friends’
also an easy way to settle in a Western country, providing families can be invited as well. The Muslim hosts are
plenty more opportunities for da‘wa. encouraged to show Islam in its best light and especially
At a mosque in Lewisham, south London, a speaker to emphasise to their non-Muslim visitors that Islam
addressed a group of young Muslim men in 2007, urging is morally upright and give them confidence that their
them to engage in da‘wa by marrying English women, or children are in a safe environment when with the Muslim
at least by having sexual relationships with them. (All family. Non-Muslim children can also be invited to come
babies from such relationships would be considered on “Friday School” outings organised by the mosque.
Muslims.) After this, the man can get to know her family
and friends, and share his faith with them as well. The
speaker told his audience that English girls tend to like
Arab men, especially if treated in a kind and caring way.
The easiest women to target, he advised, were those Islamic music
from broken homes or with a deep need for a physical
While more puritanical Muslims consider music to
relationship. “Britain is a land of free honey,” said the
be haram (forbidden), those in the Sufi tradition use
speaker, indicating the ease of winning converts to Islam.
music for their devotional life and for da‘wa. Invitations
It is not only Arab Muslims who use this strategy in
to performances of qawwali music, a form of Sufi
the West. At a church event in east London, a group of
devotional music popular in the Indian sub-continent,
Iranian Muslims were overheard discussing amongst
gain the interest of Western music lovers and seekers for
themselves who would approach which girl in the
spirituality. CDs by famous qawwali performers, such
congregation.
as the Pakistani Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, are popular and
An article posted on the website of the London
make good gifts to non-Muslims.
School of Islamics in 2006 appears to be an interview
Yusuf Islam, formerly known as Cat Stevens, decided
with a Saudi doctor who runs a clinic for female genital
to abandon his musical career after converting to Islam
mutilation (“female circumcision”). The doctor explains
in 1979. However, in 2004 he returned to the world of
how rich Saudi men may have many concubines,
popular music with a secular album An Other Cup. He
including white women. Most are European, from
now states that, despite the controversy among Muslims
countries such as Russia, Greece, the Balkans,
about music, he is convinced that it has a role to play in
Scandinavia, France and Ireland. A few are from
promoting the devotional life of Muslims, in encouraging
America and elsewhere. She describes the women and
those in difficulties, and in da‘wa. He declares that he
what happens to them:
himself is firmly committed to sharing the message of
Islamic tawheed (the unity of God) with non-Muslims.
The young, the pretty, the stupid. Many college girls. They are
Sami Yusuf is a young and very popular Muslim
easy to acquire. Some of the rich will go on hunting trips, as
British singer-songwriter from an Azeri background. His
they are called. They simply seduce a bird that they fancy, fly
songs, in Islamic hip-hop style, focus on Islamic themes.
her to the Kingdom where she simply disappears into a harem
He has performed worldwide and uses his music as a
to never be heard from again. Many of the older Princes will
means of promoting the message of Islam.
hire a recruiter to find him the right candidate.Once here she
is turned over to the old man to do with as he pleases.
Several of the recruiters bring the candidates here for
circumcision to calm them down before going on to their final
destination. It is surprising how few western women know
Da‘wa organisations
what female circumcision is. As a general rule when they Various national and international Islamic organisations
arrive here they have no idea what we plan to do to them.4 have been established to facilitate the Islamisation of
the West. Some examples operating in Britain are the
World Islamic Mission, the UK Islamic Mission, Tablighi
Jama‘at, Jamaat-i Tabligh al-Islam, and the Muslim
Students and children World League.
The London-based Islamic Council of Europe was
Islamic student societies are especially active in da‘wa established in May 1973 with backing from Saudi
to fellow students. As they compete for influence against Arabia and the Organisation of the Islamic Conference.
secular and Christian student societies, they often engage Working in close cooperation with international Islamic
organisations and the governments of Muslim states,
in da‘wa activities such as organising special lectures,
it attempts to coordinate the efforts of more than 24
debates and other outreach events. Local Muslim Muslim organisations in Britain, Germany, France,
societies often offer special da‘wa training for their Scandinavia, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, the
3
See Rosemary Sookhdeo, Stepping into the Shadows: Why Women are Converting to Islam, 2nd edition Pewsey, UK: Isaac Publishing, 2007.
4
Dr Muzaffar interviewed in “White Girls Circumcision in Saudi Arabia” http://www.londonschoolof islamics.org.uk/DiscView.asp?mid=864&forum_id=2&
(viewed 22 April 2008)
ii
Netherlands and Luxembourg. It aims to protect and Council of Britain, who has a seat on the Board of
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preserve the religious and cultural life of Muslims in Trustees, stipulated that everything in the exhibition
Europe and also to develop “a better understanding of should comply with shari‘a.
Islam” in the West i.e. da‘wa. IslamExpo is an event fêted as “Europe’s biggest
In 1978 the Islamic Council of Europe organised exhibition of modern-day Islam”, first held in July 2006
a seminar in London in which various strategies at Alexandra Palace, London. The next one is set for
were outlined for Muslim minorities in non-Muslim 11-14 July 2008 in Olympia, London. It is a collaborative
countries. The Muslim community must seek to live effort between the office of the Mayor of London and
in physical proximity to each other, creating areas of the Muslim Association of Britain. Through exhibitions,
Muslim concentration in which infrastructure such as stalls, workshops, live shows, concerts, lectures
mosques and other autonomous Islamic institutions can and seminars, IslamExpo aims to dispel myths and
be established. The Muslim community must lobby the misconceptions about Islam and to depict Islam and its
host state to grant the Muslims recognition as a separate achievements in a positive light.
religious community as a step towards gaining political Another such event is the UK-wide travelling
rights and finally political domination. exhibition “1001 Inventions: Discover the Muslim
Heritage in our World”, which has moved around a
Once the community is well organized, its leaders should number of venues in Britain’s main cities starting in
strive to seek recognition of Muslims as a religious 2006. Organised by the Muslim Heritage Foundation
community having its own characteristics by the authorities. and the Foundation for Science, Technology and
Once recognized the community should continue to request Civilisation, it aims at showing the public what Muslims
the same rights the other religious communities enjoy in the have contributed to the world in the areas of science
country. Eventually, the community may seek to gain and technology. It is especially geared to schools, and
political rights as a constituent community of the nation. is recommended by the Department for Education and
Once these rights are obtained then the community should Skills (DfES).
seek to generalize its characteristics to the entire nation.5 Many local Islamic festivals and exhibitions are
organised by Muslim communities in their specific
towns. An example is Edinburgh, where the Islam
Festival Edinburgh, a month-long collection of events
promoting understanding of Muslim faith and life, has
been running for five years. It is held at Edinburgh
Central Mosque as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Such events instil in Western minds the impressive
presence of Islam in their midst, its power, culture and
wealth, and thereby serve as vehicles for da‘wa. Similar
projects include the building of prestigious mosques and
Islamic centres and the proliferation of Islamic
lobby groups.
A selection of Muslim tracts and booklets for outreach in the West Legal and structural efforts
Islamists and their supporters seeking to Islamise the
Conferences and exhibitions West in stages make constant demands for legal changes
to protect Islam and give it a privileged position in state
Beginning with the World of Islam festival in London in and society, as recommended by the Islamic Council of
1976, which was opened by the Queen, a range of Islamic Europe (see above). Such changes include the enactment
exhibitions, conferences and events have been held in of laws against incitement to religious hatred. Islamists
Britain. It is interesting to note that these exhibitions have also used the threat of violence as seen in riots in
are usually opened by important government and public Muslim areas to intimidate governments to accept their
officials, and often receive some public funding. demands.
The Islamic Society of Britain (ISB) has been The programme is also expressed in demands for halal
organising an annual four-day “Living Islam” festival food in prisons, schools and hospitals; Islamic schools;
at the Lincolnshire Showgrounds since 2003. It is hijab (the Islamic head-covering) for school girls; time
advertised as a celebration of Islamic culture and history off for employees on Friday for midday prayers, and
and usually includes performances of nasheeds (Islamic Islamic banking, pensions and mortgages. Many of these
songs), speeches and stalls - in addition to bouncy concessions are being granted in areas where Muslims
castles, sports and open-air prayers. While it is mainly are concentrated demographically.
for Muslims, it also seeks to present Islam in a positive In addition, Islamists have infiltrated many, often
light to non-Muslim Britons. more moderate, Muslim institutions, and have succeeded
The “Festival of Muslim Cultures” (2006-7) received in placing sympathetic Muslim experts in academia,
funding from the Arts Council England, the City of politics and the media. They have mounted a consistent
London, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), and effective campaign to rewrite textbooks so as to
the Home Office and the British Council. The Muslim present Islam only in a positive light, regardless of
historical facts.
5
M. Ali Kettani, “Problems of Muslim Minorities” in Muslim Communities in Non-Muslim States, London, Islamic Council of Europe, 1980, pp 91-107.
The quotation is from p105.
iii
Interfaith dialogue exchange surpluses now use sovereign wealth funds
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(SWFs) to buy Western assets. By 2007, the United Arab
Islamists often engage in interfaith dialogue with Emirates ranked first with the largest SWF holdings in
Christians with the purpose of promoting Islam. They the world, with Saudi Arabia third and Kuwait sixth.
aim to weaken and divide Christian churches, block Western states now worry about the security implications
Christian mission to Muslims and gain acceptance of oil-rich Muslim states acquiring important positions
of Islam. The Islamic concept of presenting Islam, in their key industries and companies. Wealth and power
Christianity and Judaism as closely linked “Abrahamic are a key instrument in Islamic da‘wa as they help to
faiths” has gained much credence amongst Christians attract non-Muslims to the faith.
recently, despite the fact that it is completely unbiblical
and, if followed to its logical conclusion, should result in
all Christians converting to Islam.
Conclusion
Most Christians are happy to see mission as a two-way
Islamic awareness seminars process, with each faith having the freedom to propagate
its message and convince others. Muslims, however, see
Islamic awareness seminars are another tool for da‘wa. da‘wa as a one–way street: only Islam has the right to
These are offered by prestigious Islamic institutions to propagate itself. Muslims reject all Christian mission
personnel at government and public institutions who endeavours and seek to suppress them and smear them
come in regular contact with Muslims as an opportunity as aggressive, deceitful and evil.
to better understand Islam and Muslims. Police officers, All over the world an extensive and well-funded
hospital staff, teachers, university staff and many other network of Islamic da‘wa organisations and emissaries is
groups attend such seminars. This is all perceived as seeking to win converts to Islam and to change societies
part of the duty to “exhibit the beauty, simplicity and and states in the direction of becoming more Islamic. In
consistency of the message of Islam”. addition to individual and organisational efforts, Muslim
states are also involved in promoting this project, using
their considerable resources and influence to further the
cause of da‘wa. While individual converts are welcomed,
pressures are also brought to bear on non-Muslim
Islamic finance societies to change their cultural, legal, educational and
economic culture and make it more Islamic.
The spread of what is described as shari‘a-compliant Under the cloak of multiculturalism, improving
finance in the West is also seen as a da‘wa method in that community cohesion, combating Islamophobia and
it promotes the Islamisation of the West. It subverts the removing prejudice, Western governments and public
Western financial system and impresses non-Muslims bodies are unwittingly supporting and partly funding
with the great wealth of Islam and its supposedly more a growing and sophisticated campaign of Muslim
ethical approach to finance. As an increasing number of missionary activity.
Islamic financial products are made available in Western These various efforts have succeeded in attracting
countries, and various regulations are introduced to a growing number of converts to Islam and starting a
facilitate this process, the structures and values of Islam process of Islamisation of societal structures in Western
and shari‘a become embedded in Western society. It states. This article has focused in particular on what is
is striking that not only Muslims but also many non- happening in the UK, but the same is being repeated in
Muslims are making use of Islamic financial products. most countries of the West. The ultimate goal of da‘wa is
The alarming irony is that the requirement for “interest- to establish Islamic states in every country of the world.
free” finance is by no means universally accepted by all
Muslims as part of Islam; rather, it is a modern Islamist (Part 1 of this article was published in Barnabas Aid,
interpretation of Islam’s source texts, and is rejected by May-June 2008 and entitled “What is Da‘wa?”)
many mainstream Islamic leaders.
Furthermore, Muslim states with huge foreign © Barnabas Fund, 2008
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incidents and churches closed, and a list of names and addresses you can write to at
www.barnabasfund.org/algeria Alternatively contact your national Barnabas Fund office
for a copy to be sent to you by mail.
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Suffering Church Sunday
November 2008 – book your church’s date now
“I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these
brothers of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:40
We encourage local churches and fellowships again this year to set aside a Sunday
in November to remember our brothers and sisters around the world who suffer
because of their love for the Lord Jesus Christ. Barnabas Fund will provide resources
and ideas to help you focus on this theme in Sunday worship and small group
meetings.
This year’s Suffering Church Sunday will highlight the issue of poverty. In many
countries where Christians are a despised and oppressed minority, choosing to follow
Jesus often means choosing poverty as well. Being a Christian may close the doors
to getting a good education, securing a decently paid job or even finding work at all.
© Barnabas Fund 2008 For permission to reproduce articles from this magazine, please contact the International Headquaters address above.
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