21, March 2006 Wafa Sultan
Wafa Sultan, a 47-year old former Muslim
from Southern California, has provoked a great deal of attention and
controversy. In an interview on Al Jazeera
television last month, she harshly criticized Islam for religious extremism. She
claims that Islam is beyond reform and its scriptures are saturated with references urging believers to
proselytize the faith using violence if necessary. There are also
frequent references of misogyny, denigrating
and subordinating the role of women. The world media has reported many high
profile tragic stories of honor killings fully supported by family members. The
mullahs and clerics remain silent when such horrific crimes are
committed. Only women's groups voice their
horror and opposition to such killings.
Ms. Sultan's radical views have been widely
disseminated in the U.S. media. Her views have appeared in the New
York Times front page and she has been plied with interview requests
from CNN, Fox, "Good Morning America" and public radio.
She has garnered large number of well-wishers —
mostly non-Muslims — lauding her "courage," offering donations
and proposals to make a documentary about her life. Ms. Sultan
"blames the mullahs and clerics for distorting the teachings of Koran
for 14 centuries and speaks about the anger and despair of fellow Muslims."
By going public Ms. Sultan has effectively tossed the gauntlet. It
is now up to Muslims to refute her claims that the religion has been distorted
and hijacked by the mullahs and clerics. Does Islam support violent
act against non-believers and relegates the role of women? Must Muslim
women be forced to be hooded from head to toe and does the Koran sanction
honor killings? If not, why do religious leaders and Muslims remain silent when these horrific crimes are committed? I urge Muslims to voice their vigorous defense of their
faith to counter the increasing hostility to Islam.
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