Those who watch mainstream US media and the proceedings of US Congress may have noticed an increasing use of some words, which are designed to convey a negative image of muslims. Two of the most frequently used words nowadays are
***- Madrassah
Wahaabi***
Just the other day I was listening to a discussion panel which included a couple of Senators and one of them frequently used these words as if they are synonmous to teachings of violence. I don’t think the speakers have any more than a superficial understanding of what a “madrassah” actually is, or what exactly is the “wahaabi” movement (if there is any such thing as a wahaabi movement, in the first place). However, they couldn’t care less.
I have an increasing feeling that such sentiments are a calculated plan to prepare the American public about what is to come. Seems to me that very soon, the thin line separating mainstream Islam from violent radicals will be further blurred by the media and the politicians, to an extent that most Americans will start feeling that all muslims are madrassah-trained violent Wahaabis.
It's part of the image that these insitutions are giving the world today and frankly Muslims have done nothing to rectify this image which can be only done by making sure madrassahs don't teach hate. I have no comment on Wahabis.
I am sure a large majority of muslims are non-violent; but seems like a deliberate effort is underway by the US media and politicians to blur the lines.
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*Originally posted by Faisal: *
I am sure a large majority of muslims are non-violent
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I am sure of that too, but I'm not so sure if the large majority of Muslims don't support violence.
I think 'wahabi' is also being used to exploit the division/sectarianism among Muslims to divide them further and weaken them. Like they divide Iraq in Kurdish, Sunni and Shia area, when Kurds are Sunnis, too. Because of sectarian conflicts, other sects have talked against Wahabism, so it's save for them to exploit this tention between sects. And as I understand, Wahabis/Ahl-e-Hadis is a Sunni sect. Also, American media is telling me that Wahabis are violent, but in Pakistan never heard any such thing. In fact, there were some very religious and peaceful Ahl-e-Hadis people in our neighborhood.
Someon'es got to take the place of the Russkies as the bad guys and I guess the Wahabbis are obliging...or at least it would seem they are powerless to prevent that image being created.
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*Originally posted by Judge^MentuLL: *
Someon'es got to take the place of the Russkies as the bad guys and I guess the Wahabbis are obliging...or at least it would seem they are powerless to prevent that image being created.
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I thought Russkies were long replaced by Taliban, then Alkaida Networks Inc., then the Axis of Evil Inc.
Anyway, Muslims largely have been in denial that these wars are against Islam. Well, the bombs may not have been dropped to destroy Islam or any ammunition may not have been used against Islam but the war of words, war of ideology, war of philosophy that comes as package with the bomb/ammunition is surely against Islam. One by one, element by element Islam will be attacked. And there will be a time when Muslims will face almost same persecution in US and allied countries as faced by Jews in Germany. That time may not be tomorrow, or next year... but somewhere in 3-8 years.
^^ I agree with you on the end result, but I dont think it will be 3-8 years...more like 8-15 years.
Wahabisim is not bad, its the people in the media who have no clue what they are talking about who give it a bad name. I know there are many members here who feel strongly against the wahabis...however, if you really look at what it teaches there is no violence at all.
I don't think they're using the words like that.. remember, you have to be smart to pull off a conspiracy (or whatever you call it), they're not.
To me, it seems they use the words only to display their "knowledge". It's another keyword for politicians. They do it with everything, throw out some big words that you know the public is ignorant of (because you are ignorant of them yourself) so that they think you know what you're talking about when in reality you're just using hollow words pushing some nutcase plan that couldn't possibly be argued rationally but that you've really wanted done for a long time.
anything muslims do is associated with terrorism and terrorists. this is a valid enough reason for the west to wipe out muslims and islam. if your madaris are preaching hatred towards west then west definitely is not preaching love to its people towards islam. did anyone watch that show the prophacies of the 21st century and how that guy is portraing islam and its teachings. you see thousands of people attending his lectures and seminars and all he talk about is islam and evil, muhammad and satan and long live the state of israel. none of that makes to the main stream media but their message definitely is getting across smoothly and nicely. shouldn't they be termed as hate-mongers? yeah that will be the day but sadly they day is not coming any sooner.
about wahabis? well aren't saudis wahabis? i think they are and that can't be a bad think. america loves saudis and their repressive regiem.
First of all who the heck are wahabis? Can someone define them or what they follow? From my limited knowledge and what only 1 person has told me. Wahabis tend to be a ideological movement rather than a religious one. They discount pirs and such. They stick to the Quran and Sunnah and discount almost everything else, ie like any typical muslim. Is this true/correct?
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*Originally posted by CM: *
First of all who the heck are wahabis? Can someone define them or what they follow? From my limited knowledge and what only 1 person has told me. Wahabis tend to be a ideological movement rather than a religious one. They discount pirs and such. They stick to the Quran and Sunnah and discount almost everything else, ie like any typical muslim. Is this true/correct?
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CM, you are right. Thats what the "wahabi movement" was about, and thats what Saudi government spends money on spreading it out. But alongwith that, many Saudis went out and joined war in Afghanistan. Also, opposition of that group claims that the same funding is used by groups like Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (which are "anti-Shia", "anti-Brelvi" armed groups) to kill "non-Wahabis".
Thats how Saudi is blamed for "exporting Wahabism" and use "Wahabism" as synonym for "extremism" and now "terrorism".
. MAdhanee...
"I was disgusted to see a Saudi young man on CNN saying that the Riyadh Suicide bombing was NOT Justifiable, because “Jihad is not against your own people”. That’s a Wahabi in a nutshell for you. And some countries are churning them out in 1000s a day, who only see Justification if the Jihad is waged against others. What a bunch of crackpots."
MAdhanee you know what,thats just what happens at the global level. At the national level, I mean in Pakistan we also have the same brand of people, espousing and believing in the same ideology and guess what(I know you have a fair idea) its not just 'the others' but even those who fall within the pail of Islam yet belonging to different sects are also the target of their rigid beliefs and hatred...referred to as apostates and infidels
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*Originally posted by lost soul: *
. MAdhanee...
"I was disgusted to see a Saudi young man on CNN saying that the Riyadh Suicide bombing was NOT Justifiable, because “Jihad is not against your own people”. That’s a Wahabi in a nutshell for you. And some countries are churning them out in 1000s a day, who only see Justification if the Jihad is waged against others. What a bunch of crackpots."
MAdhanee you know what,thats just what happens at the global level. At the national level, I mean in Pakistan we also have the same brand of people, espousing and believing in the same ideology and guess what(I know you have a fair idea) its not just 'the others' but even those who fall within the pail of Islam yet belonging to different sects are also the target of their rigid beliefs and hatred...referred to as apostates and infidels
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Blatant misrepresentation of Wahabisim....They do not believe any of the nonsense you are talking about. Its your opinion that Wahabis belive in terrorism. There is no proof of that. Wahabis believe that we as Muslims should seek guidance from Quran and Sunnah and not go to these pirs grave, hold chalisvas , urs, taweez etc. You need guidance, seek it from Quran and hadith. Nothing less, nothing more. That is a Wahabi in a nitshell. Rest of the stuff is your opinion and its false.
wahabis may be more puritanical in their ideology but that does not mean every wahabi is an extremist, I lived in saudi arabia for a few years and the people we interacted with were nice, friendly, hospitable people. in the late 70's and 80's shia groups caused a lot of issues but would it be fair to say all shias are terrorists..even though it was painted as such in the papers in thise days.
people all of a sudden become experts on everything these days, its the politicizing of an ideology that is the problem..since is it more puritanical, it may be easier to exploit it more. because all wahabis are not extremists, i had pals from KSA in college who were peaceful, simple folks, yet they were wahabi, thats the norm, not the nutjobs who we see pulling all kinds of crap.
i agree with everything you have written, i am sick of this intolerance and it has been promulgated by the wahhabis, no doubt about it.
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*Originally posted by Madhanee: *
Yeah, that’s why there are Synagogues and Churches on every corner in Saudi Arabia. It’s that kind of fanatical thinking (Shrines not allowed) that creates such terrorists as the Saudis are. 19 Wahabi Hijackers, why not a single Shia Hijacker. Just like going to school to study Physics does not imply that one will make nukes, but to make nukes, one must know the laws of physics. Wahabism is such a Physics and it has created an atmosphere of terrorism and fanaticism and that’s why it is synonymous with fanaticism. What gives Wahabis the right to tell others where to seek guidance? It is that self-righteous head-in-the-ass mentality that creates the environment where fanaticism flourishes. If fanaticism is a tree, think of Wahabism as fertilizer.
Fraudz, Saudis who go to study abroad are semi-Wahabis.
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Well, personally, I don't particularly like to argue what exactly is or is not a wahaabi movement, and what their beliefs are. Point is, there are many many sects within Islam, but none of them are considered synonmous with violence. However, true or not; an impression is being regularly fed to folks in US that the word 'wahaabi' is akin to terrorist, violence and anti-America to the point of hatred.
Frankly, a typical American can not even tell the difference between a sikh and a muslim; for them to differentiate various muslims based on finer points of Islamic teachings is an unreal expectation.
I am pretty sure this thrust of the media and the politicians is well thought-out. Its not coincidence, its not un-intelligent and its most certainly not careless. The fine line between portraying muslims as a peaceful nation as a whole with some black sheep will slowly give way to the notion that the whole muslim lot is out to destroy America and American way of life, so Americans should consider them all as enemies and attack them in their countries before they can attack within America.
