From: jodar@aludra.usc.edu (Nicholas Jodar)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.bosna-herzgvna
Subject: Re: The Moslems  and BiH.
Date: 1 Oct 1992 23:55:27 -0700
Organization: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
NNTP-Posting-Host: aludra.usc.edu
Summary: 'Who's a "fundamentalist"..?'
Keywords: Fundamentalists, Islam, BiH

Assalaam 'Alaikum...

In article <kutluk.717981764@ccl.umist.ac.uk> kutluk@ccl.umist.ac.uk (Kutluk Ozguven) writes:

[deletion]
>  I read the ideas about the religious aspect  of the
>conflict. I believe there are extreme cases in both sides. First of all,
>the Bosnians are not a single religious entity but the mixture of the
>three. Many Serbs and Croats fight together with Muslims. It is also
>true that sometimes the less informed of our Islamic brethren often
>have misconceptions about the nature of the Bosnian Islam, which is
>the descendant of the Islam as the religion of the powerful, which is
>more a reactionary and tranquile interpretation than the
>interpretation of the suppressed. 

This statement about 'Bosnian Islam' is quite interesting,
especially in light of a later statement,...

[deletion]
>... However they [Bosnian Muslims] will remain
>distinct from other parts of the World in the way they see Islam.

It seems that there are very many people in the world who are 
confused about what 'Islam' is.  And not a few of them seem to 
be muslims.  Perhaps a very brief overview of what is contained
within Islam (of which there's only one 'kind') will help to
clear up some of the questions and confusion rampant here.

Islam is a way of life.  It includes Religious, Social,
Political, Judicial, Economic, Educational, and Environmental
framework, governing all aspects of life, yet is flexible enough
to leave room for cultural differences.  A State is successful,
and its people happy and productive, when Islam is practiced as 
a whole.  The afflictions of the so-called 'Islamic Countries' 
is an example of what happens when it is not.

A 'muslim' is a person who bears witness that there is nothing
worship of worship or servitude except Allah (SWT), and that 
Muhammed (SAW) was one of 'His' Prophets.

A 'Mu'min' is a person who believes in Allah (SWT) and devotes
themselves to following the Laws of Allah (SWT) given to them.

All Mu'min are practicers of Islam, whether or not they have
heard of Muhammed (SAW).  When they do hear the Truth, they
acknowledge it.  Not all muslims are Mu'min.  Some muslims are
hypocrites, or have been misled.

In the Qur'an, Allah (SWT) has instructed the Mu'min to behave 
in an exemplary manner.  Passages are noted below.

------------------------
Behavior
  - argue in a kindly manner with those given earlier revelation 16:125, 29:46
  - avoid becoming involved in matters you know nothing of 17:36
  - avoid grave sins and shameful deeds 53:32
  - avoid guesswork about one another 49:12
  - be generous 16:90
  - be just in your opinions 4:58, 5:8, 5:42, 6:152, 16:90 (see judgement)
  - be true and equitable 4:135, 5:8, 25:72, 55:8-9, 70:33, 83:1-3
  - community should be moderate 2:143, 25:67
  - conceit discouraged 4:36, 57:23
  - don't
    - be unreasonable 16:90
    - behave shamefully 16:90
    - betray trust 8:27
    - cheat trading partner 4:29
    - chide those who seek your help 93:10
    - consider yourself pure 53:32
    - deride others 49:11, 104:1
    - mention evil things openly 4:148
    - speak ill of each other 24:12-19, 49:12, 104:1
    - spy on each other 49:12
  - each group [of people, in the past] given a law and way of life 2:148, 
    5:48, 10:47, 10:74, 13:38, 16:36, 16:63, 16:84
    - and a prophet 10:47, 16:36
    - and a way of worship 22:67
    - God could have made them one community 5:48, 11:118, 16:93, 42:8
      - one community under God 21:92
  - forgive Jews who distort the Qur'an 5:13
  - forgive non-believers 31:15, 45:14
  - forgive readily 42:37
  - keep promises 2:177
  - maligning believers is sinful 33:58
  - men (toward women) 24:30
  - pass by frivolous people in a dignified manner 25:72
  - peacemakers rewarded 42:40
  - perform excellent deeds 4:58
  - repel evil with something better 41:34
    - thereby perhaps making a good friend of a former enemy 41:34
  - rulers make decisions after consultations 42:38
  - speak justly toward those in want, if you can do nothing else 17:28
  - towards
    - aging parents in your care 17:23
    - other Muslims 33:6
    - others 17:26-29, 17:35, 17:53, 60:8
    - parents 46:15
    - religious migrants 8:72, 8:75, 33:6
    - slaves 24:33
      - do good unto 4:36
      - share sustenance with 16:71
  - treat non-belligerent non-believers with equity 60:8
  - wives of the Prophet 33:28-34
  - women (toward men) 24:31

Conservation 6:141, 7:31

Ecology (see also conservation)
  - earth has been spread for all living things 55:10

---------------------------------

In addition, let me mention human rights secured by Islam.

1)  Security of Life and Property
2)  The Protection of Honor
3)  Sanctity and Security of Private Life
4)  The Security of Personal Freedom
5)  The Right to Protest Against Tyranny
6)  Freedom of Expression
7)  Freedom of Association
8)  Freedom of Conscience and Conviction
9)  Protection of Religious Sentiments
10) Protection from Arbitrary Imprisonment
11) The Right to the Basic Necessities of Life
12) Equality Before the Law
13) Rulers Not Above the Law
14) The Right to Participate in the Affairs of State

A discussion of any of these will not be made here.  Suffice it
to say that these rights are for every individual, muslim or not,
and the job of the Head of an Islamic State is to see that they
are protected.

The term 'Islamic fundamentalism' refers to a belief in all of
the above, and thereby refers to Mu'min, as they believe in all 
of the above and fight for truth, justice, and the way of Allah 
(SWT) and the Prophets (AS).

Now that we're clear on that, let's continue....

[deletion]
>... The individual Muslims or muslims
>all over the world are making their donations not to create a base in
>Europe, but because they know that what is happening to Bosnians can
>and is also happening to them. 

Mu'min ('Believers,' in english) don't need a 'base.'  They have
Allah (SWT).  What they WANT is to see Islam practiced and
everybody to go to heaven.

[deletion]
>  Let's be honest. The Serbs and the Croats who are fighting alongside
>with their fellow countrymen are not fighting for Muslims but for
>themselves as well. 

We can also say that the Mu'min fighting with the Serbs and
Croats are fighting for EVERYBODY.  Mu'min are always the first
line of defense.

>They shouldn't feel hurt when the Islamic community
>(which is hardly more religious than the Bosnian) is sensitive to the
>Bosnian case, and when Muslims fly to Bosnia to fight for a country they
>never heard a year ago. 

The Mu'min working in Bosnia would be there even if there were no
muslims there.  It is unfortunate that they must deal with those
who are sabotaging their efforts under the guise of 'helping.'

[deletion]
>... This, on the other hand, does not give anybody
>the right to interfere in Bosnian internal affairs and to my
>knowledge, there had been no such thing.

Should the Bosnians succeed in establishing an Islamic State,
they will suddenly find themselves accepting allegiance from all
the muslims in the world.  (About two billion.)  This is why the
leaders of the so-called 'Islamic Countries' are scared to death.
They would lose their position and possibly face punishment for
the countless people they've murdered and oppressed.

>  The West knew that time was in favor of the Muslim ethnic group in
>BiH, and many pro-establishment papres such as The Telegraph of
>London, from the beginning pointed to the hazard of having a Muslim
>majority state in the middle of Europe. However if the West had been a
>fairplayer, recognized BiH in time, and minimized the catastrophy by a
>few bomber sorties around the hills, they would avoid the present
>solidarity of Muslim states in an international affair.  

The US government has screwed up, big-time.  They wanted a small 
war, not a big one, and the Slayers from Serbia have gone 
overboard.  Now the government is trying to both downplay what is 
going on and look like it's helping out at the same time.

But you can't fool all the people all of the time....

[deletion]
>  I believe that BiH will not be alone in its righteous struggle
>against the army of genocide, and eventually be the victorious side.

The Mu'min will always win.  That is the promise of Allah (SWT).
Let us hope that Shaitan, the Accursed One, does not steer us
from the path of Islam, as has happened in Afghanistan.

>Let us not harm this by meaningless discussions of faith and
>anti-faith that play into the hands of the barbaric invador. The
>Muslims from Turkey, Pakistan, Iran, Arabia as well as Europe will
>keep sending - until the Bosnian children can play in the countryside
>without any fear.

And the Brothers from America, and Australia, and Africa,...  Our
'leaders' may be against you, BiH, but Allah (SWT) and his Mu'min 
are for you!


-Abdul Qadir

[I beg Allah's forgiveness for my weakness and insufficiency in ]
['His' service, and I ask for his protection from Shaitan and   ]
[from my own Desires.  None can protect me except Allah.  If I  ]
[have made any errors, I beg Allah to bring them to my attention]
[so that they may be corrected.  If I have made none, then it is]
[only through the Grace of Allah and all praise is due only to  ]
['Him.'                                                         ]