Somali Muslim Clerics Balk At Anti-Apostasy Booklet By Somali Muslim Scholar

There are Muslims trying to reform Islam. Not many, since those who do try are often targeted by the more radical elements in the religion. But there are some. Take Saudi educated Somali scholar Abdisaid Ismail who recently published a small booklet tackling the subject of punishment (which is usually death) for apostasy in Islam.  The book Xadka Riddada Maxaa ka Run Ah? (Is There Punishment for Apostasy in Islam?) was published in Nairobi, and discusses whether punishment is dictated by Islam, as well as touching on women's equality issues.

The book, which is little more than 130 pages, is unsettling the Somali militants as it challenges their misuse of Islam as a political tool.

Xadka Riddada, as it is commonly known, seems to be more dangerous for Islamist militants in Somalia than the thousands of troops sent by the African Union to the Horn of Africa nation, or the millions of dollars spent every month fighting Islamist terrorists.

The resistance to the book by radical clerics shows the fight against terrorism is essentially one of ideas rather than military might.
[snip]
He has done extensive research on the issue of apostasy in Islam and freedom of religion, and concluded that Islam does not prescribe the death penalty for apostasy, and that freedom of religion is clearly enshrined in Islam.

The booklet is a counter-narrative to the Islamist position that Muslims cannot abandon their religion and if they do, they should be killed -- a doctrine used to justify wanton killings in Somalia.

Ismail's take on Sharia:

Mr Ismail argues that many of the doctrines in Islam are based on the out-dated Arab socio-economic situation of the sixth century, and that much of the Islamic Jurisprudence now used by Islamists is no more than tribal reading of key religious sources.

He advocates the separation of Mosque and State, so to speak, which is contrary to the rallying call by Islamist jihadists and their ideologues for Sharia as the supreme law in Muslim countries. This call is equivalent to the Bible being declared the law in Christian countries, an unthinkable preposition in this day and age.

He also condemns "moderates" for opposing reform and basically siding with the extremists vis-à-vis their violence and brutality.

As expected, it is not being very well received by extremists, who believe apostates should be executed, and that women should remain barefoot and pregnant, and out of sight.  The book was condemned, and radical clerics have called the book "apostasy", and the death threats ensued. He was even thrown out of a Kenyan hotel in Eastleigh, and his booklet has been banned from book stores there. In democratic, liberal Kenya, no less.

So, according to Ismail, 'moderate' Muslims are not any more enlightened than extremists.

How long do you suppose the poor man will survive?

Source: AllAfrica.

78 Christians Killed In Pakistani Church Bombing, And Other Massacres This Past Week

Every week there are major acts of violence rooted in Islam. Sometimes it's Muslim on Muslim violence, other times the targets are people of other religions.

This past week was no exception.

At least 78 people were killed in a suicide bombing at a Christian church in Peshawar, Pakistan, this weekend. Of 100 or more wounded, 11 of those are critical, so the death toll will probably rise. Not surprisingly, the government seems more concerned about peace talks with the Pakistani Taliban.

Speaking to RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal, regional Information Minister Shah Farman said the attack should not be allowed to derail the country's peace process with Tehrek-e-Taliban Pakistan, the Pakistani Taliban.

"It's a tragic incident, but overall, these kinds of incidents have decreased," Farman said. "There is a peace process going on. We don't want this process to be derailed. We're waiting for the results of the final investigation to see who did this and why."

Tragic incident?  It's an abomination, but what do they care. The minority Christian population has always been expendable.

Then there was the terror attack in the Kenyan shopping mall, by those Somali al-Shabaab neanderthals. The targets there were also non-Muslims. 68 killed, 175 wounded, so far. There are still some hostages being held by the gunmen.

But it's just as easy  killing fellow Muslims.  They were having a grand old time killing each other in Iraq this past week. Let's see, a suicide bomber blew himself up at a Sunni funeral on Sunday, killing at least 12.  70 were killed at a Shiite mosque the day before. 18 were killed at a Sunni mosque on Friday, and I'm sure I'm missing more. No doubt the Sunnis will retaliate for this latest massacre.

Will it ever end? Doubtful. And Muslims wonder why their religion is looked upon so unfavorably these days.

Islamic Militants in Kenya and Nigeria Kill Christian Worshippers

Christian worshippers were killed by Islamic militants in Nigeria and Kenya on Sunday.
Although no group has claimed responsibility, Boko Haram and Al Shabaab (respectively) were more than likely involved.

The persecution and violence against non-Muslims will never stop.

Men Forcing Wives To Undergo Female Genital Mutilation

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is one of the most horrifying rituals still practiced today. And it's not just Muslims chopping off the genitals of young girls, Christians in Africa are just as guilty, in spite of widespread efforts to ban the practice.  In fact, according to one report out of Kenya,  people are going out of their way to ensure that the tradition lives on by changing the season in which it's performed- from December to August,

...to avoid media spotlight and scrutiny from Government agencies.

FGM is performed on girls as young as a few days old and usually through puberty, but now per that same report, married women who were mercifully spared the knife as young girls are being forced to have the procedure done.

"Those who evaded the cut are now being forced to undergo the cultural practice or their husbands be denied land inheritance," said Women Rights Institute for Peace (Wrip) Executive Director Mariam Suleiman while releasing the report.

This was after Wrip undertook project activities geared towards preventing attempts to subject girls to the cut in November and December in Baringo County.

Suleiman said husbands force their wives to undergo the cut to avoid missing out on family inheritance.

Some chiefs and their assistants from the areas were accused of shielding FGM perpetrators from prosecution.

Circumcision period

"In East Pokot District the community in collusion with the Provincial Administration has changed the circumcision period from December to August to avoid the public, Government and media focus that comes at the end of the year," Wrip Executive Director stated.

She added that those who escaped the practice midyear are forced by their relatives to undergo the cut in December.

The report showed that only 99 girls underwent the cut in the months of November and December while 125 escaped and sought refuge in churches and at homes of relatives who are against the vice.

Suleiman further stated that lack of awareness of constitutional rights has made some girls not to seek legal action against perpetrators of the vice for fear of reprisals from their parents.

"There is need to educate them on laws, the court processes and the outcome especially on the fact that moving to court will not have their parents arrested," she said.

The Wrip boss urged anti-FGM stakeholders to let the campaigns be a continuous process to end the vice.

It's all about control. Shameful.