According to this view, minarets are an “Islamic demand” and Islamism means fundamentalism. This is called making matters worse when trying to be helpful. Which part of this error should be fixed? Minarets have been around for much longer than pan-Islamism. There is no relation between the fundamentalism that is trying to be incorporated into Islam through Islamism from Protestantism.The campaign was led by right-wing, racist, xenophobic groups and those who don’t want immigrants in the country. But more and more people are paying more attention to “Islamic opposition.” The arguments rightists and racists are using in their campaigns are very important. The head of the Party for Freedom (PVV) in the Netherlands, Geert Wilders, compared the Quran to Hitler’s book “Mein Kampf” and said it was just as fascist a book. The PVV is not a marginal party; it received the second largest number of votes from the Dutch in the European Parliament elections.
This individual who is also the maker of the film “Fitna” (Strife) is openly saying “no to mosques” because he is “tired of the worship of Allah and Muhammad in the Netherlands.” This racist is so ignorant that he does not know that Muslims believe Muhammad is solely a prophet and do not worship him.
According to whites-only British National Party (BNP) leader Nick Griffin, Islam is a “wicked and vicious faith.” The party has two members in the European Parliament. Griffin is bringing a new meaning to racism and the freedom of expression. He describes former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke as “always totally non-violent.” He expressed his views before 8.2 million viewers on the BBC program “Question Time.” (Nihal Kemaloğlu, Akşam, Dec. 1, 2009)
The point we have reached is thought provoking. One out of every six members of the European Parliament is racist and xenophobic. By all means it may be said that these views are expressed by the members of certain parties. Of course it is that way. The important point is that those who spread hatred, racist thoughts and xenophobia emphasize “liberal thinking and freedom of expression.” How much liberalism philosophically allows this is another issue. The point in question is protecting hatred, racism, insults and enmity with freedom of expression. Whenever Muslims and Islamic opposition are in question in particular, liberal politicians immediately bring up “freedom of expression.”
These racist tendencies, which are on the rise, are related to Europe’s process of defining its own identity. Multiculturalism, which envisioned that everyone would be able to coexist
whilst retaining their own unique identities and sharing the same rights as others, did not find the support expected in Europe. “Europeanism and European Union ideals” are insufficient in building a common and unifying identity. Europe will either return to its Christian roots like the pope said and define its identity in that way or resort to racism and xenophobia-driven nationalism. We should bear in mind that this is a dangerous, conflict-prone and destructive identity fostered by Western secularism, which leads to nihilism. Those who are attempting to build a new identity are factionalizing Muslims and Islam by presenting them as “an imminent and ready danger.”
European racists are going to want to spread more hatred toward Muslims and try to demonize Muslims living in European as well as the global Muslim world. But the main conflict will emerge and continue in Europe. On the one side there will be those who defend building Europe’s new identity on the basis of Christianity and those who are in the “democratic bloc” (liberals, Greens, socialists, Christian Social Democrats) who argue that racist fanaticism, racism and xenophobia will harm Europe and on the other hand there will be racists and fascists.
After the attack on the twin towers on Sept. 11, 2001, Henry Kissinger said the real conflict would continue within Islam between the radicals and moderates. Today we can say the same for Europe and the West in general. The basic problem that is dividing Europe is the disagreement over the stance against Islam and Muslims and this disagreement is playing a separating role. The question is will the West choose to live peacefully with Islam or choose to clash?
Islam is helping Europe remember God and enabling it to face itself in the mirror. Of course we as Muslims are going to stand beside sincere Christians, non-Zionist Jews and the democrat bloc that defends living together.
