There is some terminology that has been introduced in the modern discourse, journalism in particular but media in general, that should be objected to by Muslims. The word Islamist qualifies this category.
Here is an excerpt from today :
So why this new word? The reason is not rocket science to fathom. After decimating USSR in Afghanistan the US in particular and the west in general was looking for a suitable enemy to run down. Bernard Lewis and Samuel Huntington supplied them one - Muslims. But it is not easy to create an enemy - even for the west at its deceptive best. So Al-Qaida was created. People will remember that there was no such organization - it is a creation of US foreign policy. Once they used the term enough then Usama Bin Laden too started using it. And once that was done then there is no looking back. Earlier Muslim movements that sought to implement Islam in not only private but public life too were legitimate targets to be criticized.
Now what is wrong if Muslims want to implement Islam in their life? Christians denounced their religion as a reaction to past Church atrocities but Muslims have no such compulsion. So why expect them to denounce Islam in public life. Jewish people are the luckiest in this game. It is strange that west that frown a lot at practice of Islam completely ignores the fact that they have supplied a most protected cocoon to Jewish people to practice their religion - Israel. May be a new slogan has to be introduced into the same public discourse - hands off Islam.
Here is an excerpt from today :
CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt's Islamist President Mohamed Mursi dismissed Cairo's two top generals and quashed a military order that had curbed the new leader's powers, in a move that further stamped his authority on the country and its army.Now what is an Islamist? Well if you mean a person who intends to implement Islam in his life then there is already a word for that - Muslim.
So why this new word? The reason is not rocket science to fathom. After decimating USSR in Afghanistan the US in particular and the west in general was looking for a suitable enemy to run down. Bernard Lewis and Samuel Huntington supplied them one - Muslims. But it is not easy to create an enemy - even for the west at its deceptive best. So Al-Qaida was created. People will remember that there was no such organization - it is a creation of US foreign policy. Once they used the term enough then Usama Bin Laden too started using it. And once that was done then there is no looking back. Earlier Muslim movements that sought to implement Islam in not only private but public life too were legitimate targets to be criticized.
Now what is wrong if Muslims want to implement Islam in their life? Christians denounced their religion as a reaction to past Church atrocities but Muslims have no such compulsion. So why expect them to denounce Islam in public life. Jewish people are the luckiest in this game. It is strange that west that frown a lot at practice of Islam completely ignores the fact that they have supplied a most protected cocoon to Jewish people to practice their religion - Israel. May be a new slogan has to be introduced into the same public discourse - hands off Islam.