Sympathies for Paris… In memories of Charlie Hebdo

By Abdul-Rahman Baban Saibo

babansaibo@gmail.com

The chronicles of Charlie Hebdo;

It’s barely eleven months since the Charlie Hebdo attack which claimed the lives of twelve journalists. The Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine is known for being a notoriously racist publication with past offensive records .Although the Charlie Hebdo publication parades itself as strongly “anti-religious, anti-racist and left-wing” its recent past never subdued it to such respects. According to the former editor of the publication Stephane Charbonnier, the magazine’s editorial viewpoints reflects “all components of left-wing pluralism and even abstainers”, yet still, ‘hate’ articles on the extreme right, religion, politics and culture remain to be the driving motive behind the publications’ fame.

Not long after the attack on January 7^th, leaders from all over gathered in solidarity to sympathize with the French and walked the streets of Paris to demonstrate their heart-felt grieves and distaste of the senseless acts. I recall how the social media went viral with the slogan “Je suis Charlie”, French for “I am Charlie”. Some on twitter went as far as hash-tagging “Kill All Muslims”. It wasn’t easy for any Muslim who saw that. I actually almost went to the point of hash-tagging “Kill All Racists”, but I had to remember, “I am not like them”!

Before any seemingly rude conclusions though, we must take a snappy look at the recent past of this magazine’s records. Back in 2000, the then chief editor Phillipe Val wrote an article in which he referred to Palestinians as “non-civilized”, a result of which got Mona Cholet a colleague of his, fired for ‘protesting’. In 2006, the magazine published an article titled “Muhammad overwhelmed by fundamentalist”. The front page of this publication showed a cartoon of a weeping (so called) Muhammad saying “it’s hard being loved by jerks”.

In 2007, “Grand mosque of Paris began criminal proceedings against the chief-editor (Phillippe Val) under “France’s hate speech law” for publically abusing a group on the ground of their religion. Lawsuit was limited to 3 cartoons including one depicting Prophet Muhammad carrying a bomb in his turbine. In March that year, ‘le tribunal de Paris’ acquitted Val, finding that “it was fundamentalist rather than Muslims, who were being ridiculed in the cartoons”. –Wikipedia. How jesting!

In 2008, cartoonist Maurice Sinet (Sine) had a column citing a rumor that Jean Sarkozy had announced his intention to convert to Judaism before marrying his Jewish heiress fiancé. This led to complaints of anti-Semitism. Whence Phillipe Val ordered that he (Sine) write an apology he replied “I rather cut my own balls off”. Quiet confident!

In 2011, there was a fire-bomb attack in the newspaper office. It was speculated that the attack was carried due to the journal’s decision to renaming the paper to the new “Charia Hebdo” (in mockery of the Islamic practice of “Sharia”) the following morning. (Prophet) Muhammad was listed as the editor-in-chief. The cover was to feature a cartoon of the Prophet of Islam saying; “100 lashes of the whip if you don’t die laughing.”Queer enough, the then Prime Minister Francois Fillon exercised no hesitation to voicing his support for the publication.

“In September 2012, the newspaper published a series of satirical cartoons of (Prophet) Muhammad, some of which featured nude caricatures of (so called) him.” –Wikipedia. Well that of course followed the series of attacks on US embassies in the Middle East as a result of the anti-Islamic movie “innocence of Muslims” then released in America. Isn’t it funny that the newspaper’s editor would say in an interview that; “we do caricatures of everyone, and above all every week, and when we do it with the Prophet, its called provocation”, and yet the government would air their support?

Sincerely, the 2015 attack shouldn’t have come to no-one as a shocker. For when someone boasts of insulting other people’s faith in the name of “provocation” should expect not a thing less, thank goodness, even the Pope agrees with me on that! But as I already have mentioned, Charlie Hebdo is a “notoriously racist publication”, it wasn’t nine months after that when the paper published yet another heart provoking racist caricature of the drowned 3 years old Aylan Kurdi whom was found dead on the banks of a beach in Turkey. That of course will send any sane man asking, “Are these Charlie Hebdo humans, or are they the Devils’ advocates”?

As always, the Charlie Hebdo magazine would present a breath-taking cover of their weekly journal. The attack on Friday the 13^th of this month took Charlie Hebdo just less than the moment to present a mesmerizing cover, upon which was inscribed; “They have arms, F*** them, we have the champagne.” How proud? Perhaps, it is as Peter Herbert says it is, “Charlie Hebdo is a purely racist, xenophobic and ideologically bankrupt publication that represents the moral decay of France.”

Terror in France;

 

 To begin with, France is one amongst the country’s that harasses the moral definition of “freedom of expression”. It has also become a habit for their leaders to support the offensive acts of racists such as Charlie Hebdo and their accomplices. The French President this year shoved a donation of about a million Euros to the Charlie Hebdo Newspaper in sympathy of the January 7^th attack. The question is how much more of this will endure?

The phrase “freedom of speech” in the West today, has metamorphosed to becoming a shield –a somewhat immunity, for the “freedom of offence”; the human rights of freedom of expression (in the West), is now used as the “freedom to hate”; a once regarded tool for minority communities to seek justice from their oppressive leaders has this-day transformed to becoming the tool for oppressing them. Isn’t it quiet phony how the West keeps invading the Muslim nations in the name of reclaiming “social justice” –a thing themselves have not yet any legitimate means to establish?

Discrimination and harassment of Muslim-French has transformed to arecurrently transgressing phenomena since the early 20^th century. The Journalist’s Resource reports; “In 2011 the law was extended to ban the wearing of full-face veils in public places.” To mention but little in retrospect, Muslim men in France have been constantly challenged of CV discriminations for quiet sometime. In 2012, there was a heightened distaste against Muslims praying on the streets. Some freedom of religion and rights to expression that is, indeed. A quiet frightening environ oneself to be found in.

Since after “the Holocaust” there has been a continuous dilation of ‘hate’ and ‘intolerance’ against Muslims in France. “Like other European nations, France has a long and complicated relationship with the Muslim world and its own immigrant population, many of whom have been in the country for generations… The country fought a brutal war in Algeria in the 1950s and 1960s, and during the subsequent civil war, the conflict often spilled out back home — in 1995 an Islamic group carried out attacks that killed eight people and injured hundreds across the country. Incidents large and small have occurred since then, including the shooting spree by Mohamed Merah in 2012. In December 2014, 10 people suspected of being part of a jihadist network were arrested, and a charity accused of financing terrorism was shut down. Complicating matters is France’s assertive presence in anti-terrorism operations in the Middle East and Africa: Its air force has carried out raids against ISIS, and it leads operations in Mali against Islamist forces.” - Journalist’s Resource (November 16^th).

One very compelling truth about the son of man is forgetfulness. And the amusing thing about how he forgets is that he finds it surprising when he reaps what himself sewed. The attack that ended some 129 innocent lives on the 13^th of November 2015 did not occur in no place near fluke nor should it be seen in no way as coincidental act of terrorism. This, has for long been known and anticipated, for it is a thing themselves have architected for quite a while now. President Francois Hollande exercised no hesitation in his condolence speech as he concluded “France is at war”. Indeed. He who sews hate must be certain to reap enmity, terror –for that is the definite end to his known means.

It is said that the authorities found a passport of Ahmad al-Muhammad on his remains after exploding himself to fragments. Am compelled to ask, ‘how could it have survived’? Another report says a finger found identified the person Omar Ismael Mostafai said to be one amongst the terrorists whom engaged in the bombing of the place of concert. But couldn’t Omar be just an audience whom happened to be at an unfortunate place in an unfortunate time? Questions of sorts needs be asked at this juncture.

These senseless, merciless killings are undeserved anywhere in the world, but, as much as I am obliged to denounce these violence and terror, that’s also as much as I am obliged to convey the ugly truth to those facing their threats. If one feels that making a mockery of other people’s icon of faith and claim “freedom, rights”, why then would it be a crime for another (fanatic) to exercise his own freedom of expression and rights of retaliation?

France, this is the land where the first “Declaration of the rights of man” was promulgated, and where the “doctrines of natural rights” were grounded. It is demeaning to their leaders today, to shamelessly support hate and racism as if their abolishing of such “hates” weren’t the sole elements that elevated them to greatness. Perhaps these leaders needs assume Hilary Clinton’s stands as she proclaimed, “In democracy, respecting rights isn’t a choice leaders make day by day; it is the reason they govern.”

Incidents during “Hajj”

By Abdul-Rahman Baban Saibo

babansaibo@gmail.com

The month of Zulhijja is amongst the Holy months which are celebrated in Islam. It is ordained by the scriptures of the Holy Qur’an that all Muslims must accord to the sacrifices and also to commemorate the historical spiritual struggles associated with Prophet Ibrahim (AS). These celebrated events aid in bringing the Muslim Ummah together in unison, in humility and in total submission to the Oneness and will of Allah (SWT), thus, the act is known as the ‘Hajj’ (Pilgrimage). [Surah22: Hajj; 27-34] profoundly explains how and why the Muslims should celebrate this Holy month.

The Hajj being the fourth of the five pillars of the faith of every Muslim believer is ordained to be performed only in the Holy lands of Makka (Mecca) –by those whom are opportune to do so. Nonetheless, the conglomeration of the multitudes of Muslim believers during this event grows by the year, as a result of which incidents do occur which results to deaths and sometimes fatal injuries –of which are mostly inevitable. To clarify, when I speak of inevitable incidents that could cause injuries and deaths, I mean not manmade accidents, but God ‘allowed’ accidents –which more often than not results to very minimal shocks, and sometimes even none!

The death of thousands of Muslims which occurred during this year’s pilgrimage 1436 AH, is certainly a most staggering and remorseful loss which cannot be tallied with none in recent times. We have learnt that in recent times accidents did happen during the Hajj but it is gravely unfortunate that we often hear the Saudis and the Muslim Ummah affiliate the deaths to Allah by saying “it is the will of God”, a certain censured statement by the Holy Qur’an-[Surah4: an-Nisa’; 78-79] says, “Where ever you may be, death will overtake you even if you should be within towers of lofty construction. But if good comes to them, they say “this is from Allah”; and if evil befalls them they say “this is from you”. Say to them “all is from Allah”. So what is (wrong) with these people that they cannot understand any statement?”-“What comes to you of good is from Allah but what comes to you of evil (O man) is from yourself (as a result of your mistakes or sins)… then certainly we cannot relate in anyways possible the incidents that happen almost every year during Hajj to good –and certainly not to Allah.

But Islam is a religion of knowledge. It is the only religion known to mankind that commands the believer to know his lord before he engages in His worship. The first of the seven conditions of accepting the Kalima-ashhahada is “knowledge” and to which the second is “certainty”. To justify that, Allah’s first revelation to the Prophet (SAW) was “Read (recite) in the name of your Lord who created.” [Surah96: al-Alaq; 1]. With this I earnestly ask, ‘who could be the mushrik?’ the one who knows and justifies his criticism of the Saudis with certain facts or the one who doesn’t know –doesn’t even wish to know, the ill acts and deeds of the Saudis and their Government? As for those who don’t know, I believe they aren’t doing but going parallel to the commandments of their Lord.

Albeit some would argue that the death of a Muslim in the course of the Holy rituals of Hajj is the most soothing manner for one to return to his creator –of which I have no plausible objection, for the best of deaths, is that which comes in times whence one is mostly devoted to his creator. But lest I ask, ‘is the course of Hajj meant for the Muslim to attain to his death at its ends?’ or ‘is death during Hajj the most cherished act to Allah?’ –answer to both of which is ‘NO’; could one then be blasphemous in out-pointing the negligence, recklessness and ignorance of the people responsible for these misfortunes? We must look and regard these unfortunate events that happen during the times of the pilgrimage for if we don’t, Allah (SWT) Himself will hold us accountable.

It is of course with a poignant heart that one receives the ill-fated news of the horrific crane crash in the Masjid al-Haram and the stampede that happened on the walkways of the Jamarat. Yet still, it is gravely disheartening as one sees and hears the Muslims clearly being wholly dishonest with themselves. Regretful as it happens that whenever the Saudis go wrong and a portion of Muslims criticize the Saudis, some Muslims out of sheer ignorance find it comforting to swiftly call them Shi’a or sometimes even Kafirs.

The unfortunate crane crash that resulted to the death of over two hundred people in the Masjid al-Haram was a clear recklessness by the Saudis. When a thing of that mass is situated above hundreds of thousands of Hujjajs whilst a raging wind is violently hovering all around it, a common excuse that “it has been there for long” will never suffice. Then came the blame-game of the remorseful deaths of many on the bridge of Jamarat. Despite eye witnesses attesting that the result of that was caused by the deputy crown prince’s entourage; the Saudis are yet to affiliate the unfortunate event to him. Rather they chose to pin the cause of the misfortune on African pilgrims, where others say it’s the fault of the Iranians who refused to follow instructions. So why do they conflict in their statements? “O you who believe, fear Allah and speak words of appropriate justice (be straight forward in your speech).”-“He will [then] amend for you your deeds (straighten up your affairs) and forgive you your sins. And he who obeys Allah and his messenger have certainly attained a great attainment.” [Surah33-al-Ahzab; 70-71]

In 2006, the collapse of the Al-Ghaza hotel near the Masjid Al-Haram can with all humility be accepted as Qadr (fate) and although we can’t eliminate man’s own miscalculations, we could say it is the will of God –but not his making. But a crane crash and a sequential stampede are never neither the will of God nor His own making. Reports say over 1200 pilgrims are still missing since the day of the stampede but the Saudis tells us that the death toll is just a little over 1000. Where is the Islamic honesty and sincere dealing? Denounced are these deceitful acts and insincere behaviors in Islam. Muslims must learn to tell the Saudis the truth of their wrong doings in order to awaken the fast slumping moral, decent and honorable image of their Deen.

Earnest be told, the Saudis must come to accepting that the Ka’aba and the Holy lands of Makka and Madina does not belong to them alone, but to the entire Muslim Ummah. The ways and manners the Saudis take control of the affairs of these Holy monuments is as if the scriptures of the Quran itself gave them the rights of their “custodianship”. It is understood that they (the Saudis) dwell within these sanctified lands, and for that it’s their responsibility to take care of all that is within it. But, Kaaba, Masjid al-Haram and the entire Holy places which are required to be visited for rituals during the acts of Hajj belongs to the Muslims of the world and not to Saudi Arabia! And unless the Saudis learn to allow the Muslim Ummah take part in organizing and conducting the control of the ever-growing crowd of people during the acts of Hajj, am afraid, but manmade accidents will be inevitable, and they must learn to accept blames to their misdeeds and not toss it toward God. Prophet Yunus (AS), when he disobeyed the commandments of Allah (SWT) and got swallowed by the whale, he said “… there is no deity except you [O Allah]; exalted are you. Indeed, I have been of the wrong doers.” [Surah21-al-Anbiya’; 87] and did not push his woes unto his Lord.

Today, these self acclaimed sanctimonious sycophants whom sees neither the Saudis nor their misdeeds worthy of cautioning for the reasons that the Saudis are the also self acclaimed “custodians” of the Holy Mosque are not any-less the enemies of Islam as are the ISIS and the Boko Harams. For what it is, I must say yes ‘Saudi Arabia is a Holy land, but are the Saudis any Saintly people?’ We must learn to tell our fellow Muslims the truth –no matter the stake; for who else will guide the Muslim if not his fellow Muslim –especially in this era whence Islam constantly suffers bombardments?

“O you, who believe, be persistently standing firm in justice, witnesses for Allah, even if it be against yourselves or parents and relatives. Whether one is rich or poor, Allah is more worthy of both. So follow not [personal] inclination, lest you not be just. And if you distort [your testimony] or refuse [to give it], then indeed Allah is ever, with what you do, Acquainted.” [Surah4-an-Nisa’; 135] “O you who believe, be persistently standing out for Allah, [as] witnesses in justice, and do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is acquainted with what you do.” [Surah5-al-Ma’idah; 8]

# I Stand With Ahmed

 By Abdul-Rahman Baban Saibo

babansaibo@gmail.com

The arrest, a misconception (?):

On Monday 14^th of this month, Ahmed Mohammed a freshman at MacArthur High School in Irving, Texas, was in class whence an alarm sounded in his school bag. His English teacher’s attention was caught and she asked Ahmed what was making the noise in his bag? Ahmed opened his bag and brought out his new invention. “It’s a digital clock I created.” He tells the English teacher. “It looks like a Bomb to me”, was his teacher’s first reply, but of course the boy retorted “it doesn’t look like one to me.”

Moments later Ahmed was in police custody. And so it took just an invention to end a fourteen year old American Muslim kid’s day in an interrogation room. How gravely unfortunate for Ahmed whom thought of impressing his science teacher with the digital clock he (Ahmed) invented with a pencil case, instead, it made him prime crime headliner of the day.

In Ahmed’s words “They arrested me, and told me I committed the crime of a hoax bomb-a fake bomb.” He then explained that “I repeatedly told them ‘it’s a clock’, but no matter how much I told them, I guess that’s not a bold enough answer to them.” But of course, they wanted to hear him say he’s a terrorist for that’s what he is to them.

Elhassan Mohammed (Ahmed’s father) a Sudanese immigrant whom happened to run twice for Sudan’s presidency, tells the media that “the boy was just trying to create something nice for humanity.” He then went to making excuses for what happened, “but because of what happened on September 11^th he got mistaken for a terrorist.” The question here is, would September 11^th forever remain to be an excuse for Muslims in America and the West to keep being discriminated, humiliated, harassed and segregated?

Islamophobia: A legitimate Fear or a reason for Hate?

Islamophobia (the fear of Islam) has now grown to becoming the worst fear as well as the most justifiable reason for discrimination and abuse of Muslims and Islam in the West. The average American is made to believe that Islam is a pugnacious religion which promotes violence. Unfortunately, despite the West’s ceaseless propagation of blemishing Islam, the West records its highest number of converts to Islam more than ever in history. Today in the West, Islam grows by the second, thus the reason for the bedlam.

The West and America had created the fear of Islam to globalize their hegemonic might of occupation and invasion of the Muslim lands. After September 11^th the world came to sympathize with America for the misfortune that befell her. But in order for America to exercise vengeance, it needed to set the whole world in trance, and for that they crafted a space in the project “New World Order” for “Islamophobia” just so their outraging massacre in the Muslim lands and excessive discrimination of Muslims at home would be justified in the name of ‘war against terrorism’, and ‘security’. And of course the world would find the absolutism to remain numb toward America’s violation of human rights and ungodly acts over the Muslims. – See: “Why the West fears Islam: The enemy within.” On; www.twf.org

Quiet queer for Muslims out-side America (like myself) to apprehend why Islam is a threat to Americans and the West. We so often hear Islam is the most tolerant religion in the West, we so often register that Islam and Muslims are the most victims of racial discrimination. Yet, seldom do we see them walking the streets to protest their so often violated rights. It is confusing when a particular subject remains constantly under attacks from others and yet it is claimed to pose a terrifying phobic status to the public. Paradox!

If Christianity is the most practiced religion in the West, and still remains to be the most racist religion there, why is there nothing like Christianophobia in the Western world? And that is besides the fact that over eighty percent of the American military personnel that drops the endless bombs on Baghdad and Afghanistan killing innocent people are Christians. Yet again, aside the Israeli massacre of thousands of Palestinian men, women and children, the Jews happens to control more than fifty percent of American security, Economy and Political power. I ask again, what happened to Jewophobia?

The war against Islam in the Western world, cannot wholly and solely be blamed on September 11^th, the war against Muslims is way beyond that story which is given the title Islamophobia, this war is a war raged against truth, against good, and against the plausibility of both reigning in a world where hypocrisy and evil are the predominant ruling factors.

But, “who speaks for Muslims?” asks Dalia Mogahed (senior analyst and executive director Gallup Center for Muslim Studies), when it’s “a community that is often discussed but seldom heard.” Dalia described the occurrence as a “Hollow clash between the West and Islam.” But of course the world would come to stand with Dalia in asking ‘who speaks for Muslims’ of the Western world? According to Dr. Ali al-Mazrui, “Muslims of the world are more sinned against than sinning.”

It is a habit of the Americas and the West to blame every terrorist act on the religion of Islam, and that have been only to castigate Islam’s image. But yet the multitude of converts to Islam believes that “Islam’s doctrine is simple and rational, all believers are equal, and it is a ‘practical’ religion which lacks priesthood.” And that’s according to an American-Christian convert to Islam.

Again, Dr. Ali Al-Mazrui asks “what about relations between the American People and the Muslim people?” in his paper “Islam between clash and concord civilization: changing relations between the Muslim world and the West” (presented at Chatham house in 2007), he explained “there has also been increasing evidence of desecration of the Holy Quran by Americans guarding devout Muslims. This is quite apart from the harassment of Muslims at American airports.” He further goes to tell of his experience as a victim of the airport harassment. “Muslims who are harassed at American and international airports are beginning to multiply. On august 3^rd 2003, on arrival from overseas, I was detained at Miami airport for seven hours under repeated interrogation. Detaining a 70year old man as a potential terrorist,” he said “is a case-study of the new paranoia at airports.”

Dr. Ali al-Mazrui in the same paper asked again “But are there global war-games unfolding at the expense of the Muslim world in this day and age?” Dr. Ali iterates further, “In this new 21^st century, the values of America have continued to diverge from the principle of Islam. As the new century unfolded, homosexuality was not only legalized, it was in the process of being religiously legitimated.” And that is the Western motive against the world; to degenerate humanitarian etiquettes of moral virtues and modest characters; to promote ills and corrupt acts; to regard nudity as ones’ self pride of beauty; to embrace fornication and adultery as acts of freedom; to faithfully, morally and ethically adulterate the basic mores of humanity.

And if Islam is a religion with doctrines and dogmas that supersedes every individual rights and ideas of its believers, which gives room only to puritanical judgments, yet still, about twice the number of converts to the Christian faith in the Western world submits to it (Islam) every year, why then won’t the West be Islamophobic?

So, whither the living-hood of the Muslims of the West? And “How can America learn to trust the Muslim world a little more? How can the Muslim world in turn, be better protected from American militarism? Both (trio in this case) solutions need to restrain America’s arrogance of power.”- Dr. Ali Ameen al-Mazrui

A Fortunate Ordeal;

“It made me felt like I wasn’t human,” says Ahmed. “It made me felt like I was a criminal.” Little did he know that so long he keeps bearing “Ahmed” and continues to practice Islam in America, he’ll always be regarded as a ‘criminal’. But if his name were Dylan Roof or Craig Hicks, he’d have never been mistaken for a terrorist even if his invention succeeded in killing nine black innocent Christians or three young innocent American-Muslims.

Fortunately for young Ahmed, his predicament transcended him to becoming great. President Barack Obama invited him to the White House, and along his “hoax-bomb”. Now NASA tells young Ahmed #EngineersForAhmed. And millions around the world tweeted with pride and compassion #IStandWithAhmed. Something tells me Ahmed’s English teacher wishes she never accused the boy of hoaxing a bomb, for Ahmed has transcended to becoming someone neither she nor the entire school staffs would ever dream of becoming.

Hence, my little advice to my young brother Ahmed is but of three great principles, with which the noble Prophet of Islam lived; “Keep relations with those who cut you off. Do good to them, even if they harm you. And speak the truth even if it is against yourself.”

And to my Muslim brothers and sisters in the West, I dedicate to you INVICTUS:

“Out of the night that covers me, black as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be for my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance I have not winced nor cried aloud. Under the bludgeoning of chance My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears Looms but the horror of the shades, and yet the menace of the years Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate, How charged with punishment the scroll, I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.”

- By William E. Henley.