EU: Islam in Europe now has strong local leadership

Via The National:

There are major changes underway for Muslims in Europe. They go beyond threats to ban the burqa in France or plans to build the largest mosque on the continent in Marseille. They go beyond the Dutch elections last month, which doubled the number of parliamentarians from the anti-Islam Freedom Party.

What is more momentous is the birth of a homegrown form of Islam, an indigenous approach to practising the religion in today’s Europe.

This article was prepared by the Islam in Europe blog – islamineurope.blogspot.com

And a Dutch imam is leading the way. Himself a product of a cultural melange, Mohammed Cheppih was raised in a family of Moroccan immigrants in the Netherlands. Having learnt his faith at the knee of community elders, Imam Cheppih, 33, now believes that it is time for a homegrown form of Islam that is true to the cultural mores of the country that he and many other young Muslims consider their home.

“I personally got fed up with religion promoted by others,” he told me over coffee in downtown Beirut during a recent trip to the region. “Culturally, it is not what I believe.”

He is no stranger to challenging conventional thinking. During his religious training at university in Saudi Arabia, his ideas about Islam’s role in the West rattled more than a few cages. “I was always under threat for being kicked out of school for questioning and debating everything,” he said.

Similarly the religious texts that are available in the Netherlands are usually translated from abroad, with little relevance to everyday life in his home country. It is a deficit that many critics have identified. Muslim communities in Europe often lack well-trained imams with a local connection who can truly engage both the Muslim and European aspects of a community, especially the youth.

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Surrey: Muslims pay less for burial

Via Telegraph (h/t NRP):

Christian churchgoers have complained about the “discriminatory price” of burial plots in the Greenlawn Memorial Park cemetery in Warlingham, Surrey.

The cemetery – which is managed by Croydon Council – offers Muslims a graveyard plot for £2,383, but charges non-Muslims £2,927 – a hike of £544.

(…)

This article was prepared by the Islam in Europe blog – islamineurope.blogspot.com

The cemetery has a specially-designated area of land for Muslims, who as part of their religion only allow one body to be buried in any one plot and must be buried apart from non-Muslims and facing Mecca.

(…)

A spokesman for Croydon Council said that the reason for the price difference was that Muslims only allow one person to be buried in a grave, whereas people of other religions can use the plot for more than one person.

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Netherlands: New site for critical self-reflection on Islam

A group of Islamic ‘contemporary thinkers’ launched a new website today in order to develop ‘critical (self)-reflection’ in the Muslim communities in the Netherlands.

The Nieuwemoskee site [New Mosque] wants to break down rigid ideas about Islam and add depth to the fierce, but mostly oversimplified, Islam debate.

This article was prepared by the Islam in Europe blog – islamineurope.blogspot.com

Reflections about the difficulty of Islam to nestle in Western society are often due to simplicity, according to the founders. In Islamic circles you often hear argument such as ‘they understand Islam wrongly’. Or ‘We Muslims aren’t doing good, but Islam is perfect.” While Islam-critics rigorously bring up old filth about the religion, in their view, Islam is the problem.

“With a comment like ‘you don’t understand Islam well’ you kill any discussion,” says Ceylan Pektas-Weber, one of the four editors of Nieuwemoskee. “We’re looking for fresh, new arguments that you won’t read in newspapers, and that you don’t hear in the political debate.”

Pektas-Weber, former chairman of the Islamic women’s organization Al Nisa, says that one example of ‘a new way of thinking’ is discussions with the Pakistani-American Muslim feminist Asma Barlas. She’s the author of ‘Believing Women in Islam’, in which she focuses on a patriarchal exegesis of the Koran. “Barlas says, for example, that the fact that during Revelation a patriarchal society is assumed, doesn’t automatically mean that male domination should remain part of Islam,” says Pektas-Weber, independent consultant and publicist in the field of emancipation and Islam.

The other editors, all Muslims, are Kamel Essabane, Arnold Yasin Mol and Rashied Alibux. Essabane works as a municipal engineer and studies philosophy and religion in modern society. Mol, who converted to Islam when he was 20, is co-founder of the international Islamic think-tank Deen Research Center (DRC) and has solid theological schooling. Alibux is former editor of the Islamic broadcaster NMO. Science, environment, identity, philosophy and criticism of religion are some of the main subjects that will be dealt with on the site.

In the future there will be a blog team, to which non-Muslims will also be invited. Contributions of Islam-critics are welcome. Even from PVV leader Geert Wilders. Pektas-Weber: “There is a condition though that his piece will be built on arguments that comply with our criteria, that in addition to being critical, will also refreshing.”

The name of the site goes back to the earliest period of Islam, when the mosque, besides being a place for prayer, was also a place where Muslims (men and women) met to discuss various ideas, problems and concerns. According to the founders, there were also regular discussions with non-Muslims and ambassadors from various cultures were received. They hope that the Nieuwemoskee will develop into such a platform, in modern clothing.

Source: Volkskrant (Dutch)

Netherlands: Muslims unfazed by rise of anti-Islamic party

Via Hurriyet:

The rise of an anti-Islamic political party in recent Dutch elections leaves some Muslims in the Netherlands concerned for their future. Others, however, say the hostility is unlikely to last long because it is only a symptom of a lack of knowledge about the religion and does not reflect the day-to-day reality of their experience

Although Dutch voters gave the anti-Islamic party a boost in recent elections, Muslims in the Netherlands predict the hostile political atmosphere will be short lived, an idea bolstered by the fact that they are facing no increase in discrimination.

This article was prepared by the Islam in Europe blog – islamineurope.blogspot.com

In the recent general elections, Geert Wilders’ far-right Party for Freedom, or PVV, recorded significant gains and ended in a strong third place, with 24 seats out of 150 in parliament. Wilders campaigned on a platform that included ending immigration from Muslim countries and instituting a ban on new mosques and the Quran.

With coalition talks ongoing since the shock of Wilders’ election victory and debates continue over his possible participation in the Cabinet, many immigrants and Dutch people think the far-right’s surge in popularity is a temporary situation and does not reflect what they encounter in daily life. And, generally, they don’t take Wilders seriously.

“Although we don’t receive the anti-Islam party’s election success favorably and describe Wilders as a racist, we believe that this was not because of increasing discrimination in this country,” İslam Erkal told the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review. He also said he thought the political atmosphere would change soon.

The negative image that minorities in Holland – especially Turks – face is nuanced: Religious stereotypes, as evidenced by Gert Wilders’ party, that depict Muslims as criminals and the question of whether immigrants are integrating into European society remain as obstacles.

The Turkish Institute in the Netherlands serves to eradicate these prejudices by informing Dutch society about Turkey and its people. “It’s been two-and-a-half years since we were founded,” Turkish Institute Director Lily Sprangers said. “We still need time to change Turkey’s image.”

Whether Turkish immigrants have integrated into Dutch society is still debated, even within the Turkish community. “We can’t say Turkish immigrants have integrated into Dutch society yet,” said Zihni Özdil, program manager at the Turkish Institute. He said Turks in the Netherlands rank lowest among immigrants in the country when it comes to participating in social activities.

“The question is whether Turkish immigrants are going to become Turkish Dutch or whether they will segregate themselves,” he said. Integration means “the Dutch will become a little bit Turkish and the Turkish will become a little bit Dutch. But except in some underdeveloped countries, there is no example of this kind of ideal integration.”

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Germany: A closer look at the demographics

A couple of days ago I published a news article about a recent comprehensive report on the immigrants in Germany.

According to this report, immigrants (and their descendants) make up about a third of the population in the 0-5 age group. Does this mean that in 20 years Muslims will make up a third of the population?

This article was prepared by the Islam in Europe blog – islamineurope.blogspot.com

The data comes from a 2008 ‘micro-census’, published by the German Federal Statistical Office. The data does not give the religion of the immigrants, but rather their national background.

I put the information together in a chart. As can be seen from the chart below, Turks make up about 3% of the total population in Germany. This is about 16% of the total number of immigrants.

(click the chart to enlarge)

There are more immigrants from the EU-27 countries (5%) and those who did not answer the question (~6%).

This last group is a very interesting one, and it is definitely growing, making up almost 18% of the total population in the 0-5 age group, and more than half of the total number of immigrants in that age group.

Are they Muslim? Not according to every other statistical measure. Muslims are estimated to be 4-5% of the total population, and most Muslims in Germany are Turks. Adding the ‘unknowns’ to the data as Muslims would mean that Muslims make up 9% of the total population in Germany today, and that Turks make up just a third of that.

Back to the Turks. While they make up 6% of the total population in the 10-15 age group, they make up less than 3% in the 0-5 age group. This drop shows up in absolute numbers as well: down from 234,000 children aged 10-15 to 81,000 aged 0-5.

Immigrants make up 34% of the children aged 0-5. A third of those are from Europe (17% from the EU-27 countries, and 17% from elsewhere in Europe). 8% are from Asia, Australia and Oceania, 3% from America, 4% from Africa. 51% are ‘unknown’.

I would love to get to some conclusions on this issue, but I find it impossible to do with that big group of ‘unknowns’.

What I do see from the given data is that the groups coming from Muslim majority areas (Turkey, Bosnia, Middle East, Southeast Asia) are either decreasing in population in the young children age groups, or are pretty much static.

In Surah Al-Ahzab, Allah addresses the wives of Prophet Muhammad [صَلى اللهُ عَليهِ وَ سَلم] with specific commands to guard their chastity:

“And abide quietly in your homes, and do not flaunt your charms as they used to flaunt them in the old days of pagan ignorance; and be constant in prayer, and render the purifying dues, and pay heed unto Allah and His Messenger: for Allah only wants to remove from you all that might be loathsome, O you members of the [Prophet’s] household, and to purify you to utmost purity.” [33:33]

The word قَرْنَ stems from the root letters وق ر or, according to other scholars, the root letters ق ر ر, both implying more or less the same implicit meaning. According to Lane’s online Arabic-to-English lexicon, the root of the word قَرْنَ means –> to settle; be firm, steady, fixed, settled or established; be motionless, quiet, still, standing, stationary; to rest, remain, continue or reside in a place. Synonyms are ثَبَتَ and سَكَنَ which, when used for a man, also imply to reside or rest somewhere ’with authority or power’.

According to Tafsir ibn Kathir, ”And stay in your houses” means “stay in your houses and do not come out except for a purpose. One of the purposes mentioned in Shari`ah is prayer in the Masjid, so long as the conditions are fulfilled, as the Messenger of Allah [صَلى اللهُ عَليهِ وَ سَلم] said:

- “Do not prevent the female servants of Allah from the masjids of Allah, but have them go out without wearing fragrance“.  According to another report:

“…even though their houses are better for them” [Abu Dawood: 567]” [End quote tafsir.com]

Tafsir Maududi expounds, “The word قَرْنَ in the original is derived from قرار according to some lexicographers and from وقار according to others. In the first sense, it will mean: “Settle down, stick firmly;” and in the second sense: “Live peacefully, sit with dignity”. In both the cases the verse means to impress that the woman’s real sphere of activity is her home; she should carry out her functions within that sphere peacefully, and she should come out of the house only in case of a genuine need.

This explanation makes it abundantly clear that what Allah forbids for women is to move out of their houses showing off their physical charms and beauty. He instructs them to stay in their houses because their real sphere of activity is their home and not the world outside. However, if they have to move out of the house for an outdoor duty, they should not move out as the women used to do in the pre-Islamic days of ignorance. For it does not behoove the women of a Muslim society to walk out fully embellished; to make their face and figure conspicuous by adornments and tight-fitting or transparent dresses, and to walk coquettishly.”

[End quote Maududi tafsir]

We need to keep in mind the context of the revelation of these verses of the Quran. The wives of the Prophet [صَلى اللهُ عَليهِ وَ سَلم] were being specifically addressed. Just before this verse, they were commanded not to soften their speech when conversing with non-mahrum men due to necessity. After being told to stay in their homes, they were commanded not to do تَبَرُّج (wanton display of charms and beauty).

Muslim women emulate the wives of the Prophet [صَلى اللهُ عَليهِ وَ سَلم], considering them role models. Any Quranic command addressed towards the latter, particularly one that aims to establish lofty moral character and conduct, automatically becomes a praiseworthy goal for the average Muslim woman, for all time to come. Therefore, the necessary traits of moral behavior of exemplary Muslim women, whom other women of the ummah would always look up to, viz. the Prophet’s wives, are being outlined here.

The question arises as to why the wives of the Prophet [صَلى اللهُ عَليهِ وَ سَلم], as the epitomes for all Muslim women, were commanded to mostly stay in their homes? Also, what falls under “genuine need” that allows a woman to emerge from her home in full hijab?

The purpose of this command is not the confinement of women to their homes out of a disdain for their intelligence or productivity as individuals. Neither does Islam consider a woman solely responsible for the moral vices that emerge in a society. If that were the case, men would not have been commanded to lower their gaze and guard their chastity [Reference: Quran, 24:30].

As the word meaning of قَرْنَ implies, a Muslim woman should keep her home as the focus of her attention and activities, and make it the base of her affairs. A cursory glance at women all over the world shows that, no matter how hard they work outside the home (whether in plantation fields, picking up the children from school, or for other pursuits), eventually they always return home. When they do, they have to run its affairs too, such as the sometimes mundane tasks of cooking and cleaning. Even if they choose to delegate these internal home affairs to employees or paid helpers, the task of supervision, planning and follow-up still remains their primary responsibility. Whether it is a rural lass in the valley of Chitral or a housewife in suburban California, matters such as what the family will eat for the day and when the clothes will be washed, are up to the women of the house to decide and execute.

Here are a list of necessities that allow Muslim women to leave their homes:

1. To perform salah in the masjid, especially the Jum’uah and Eid salah.
2. To perform hajj and umrah.
3. Pursuit of education/knowledge.
4. To visit sick relatives, or to respond to social calls and dinner/wedding invitations; to visit neighbors, extended family, and other people for the sake of joining relations; commiserating after a death and attending a funeral, or matchmaking/negotiating marriage proposals between families.
5. To visit the doctor or the hospital when sick and needing medical treatment, or to give birth.
6. To work at a job, if there is no mahrum man providing for them (out of chance or choice). For the conditions that allow a Muslim woman to work, please see: Guidelines on Women Working Outside the Home (IslamQA.com).
7. To teach or cater to other women and children viz. work as professors, primary school teachers, Montessori teachers, daycare providers, or institution administrators/program coordinators.
8. To work to provide medical services and other care to women and children viz. to work as  doctors, nurses, dentists, surgeons, physiotherapists, lactation consultants, counselors, psychiatrists, psychologists, and necessarily, as obstetrician-gynecologists and midwives.
9. To work as domestic helpers/maids, nannies, cooks, personal assistants/secretaries, and as attendants to elderly or invalid women. We all know how often Muslim women need other women to help them in their day-to-day affairs. For example, a doctor’s office or ladies’ gym might need a receptionist or office assistant; a Professor at a University might need a teaching assistant; and so on.
10. To work for security. At airports, visa-issuing embassies, and other checkpoints, women need to be present to check other women for security reasons. This is extremely necessary in order to prevent Muslim women from being checked by male security personnel.
11. To work as technicians, trainers, fashion designers or beauticians. Again, the restrictions ordained by Islam need to be observed whilst pursuing this line of work, but it is a fact that women love to beautify themselves and they need/pay other expert women to help them out, for example, to achieve just the right shade of lowlights in their hair, or to have henna applied for a wedding. The beauty industry can actually be a very fruitful profession, especially for young artistically inclined girls, as it allows them to offer services for a fee to women clients even within private homes.
12. For passports and national identity documents, women need to be photographed and those who choose to cover their faces, should have the option to uncover their faces only before a female photographer. Unfortunately, because women do not usually enter these fields as professionals, veiled women have to have their pictures taken by men instead.
13. Similarly, in laboratories, trained female technicians should be present to serve female clients, e.g. to draw blood from their veins for blood tests,or take their blood pressure and other vital statistics.
    Although our scholars are quick to point out very quickly and all-encompassingly that “Muslim women have been commanded to stay in their homes!”, they do not point out those fields or professions, where some women should work, as a fard kifayah, in order to serve the other women of the ummah, especially to prevent them from going for the same services to men. For example, I know many women who were not exactly pleased to find out, after having chosen to take an epidural for childbirth, that a man will come in to administer it to them, right above their backside (which meant uncovering their lower back to him, and that too while in labor!). In Pakistan, at least, no women are trained to administer the epidural shot.

It becomes clear, then, that far from being confined to their homes twiddling their thumbs, Muslim women will need to emerge very often in order to fulfill the obligations of Islam - such as seeking and imparting knowledge - and to perform social and moral duties in their society. It is for this purpose that hijab has been ordained and they have been warned in the same verse not to do tabarruj as in the days of the first ignorance/jahiliyyah (implying that the same jahiliyyah would re-emerge in the future, which has unfortunately happened).

No matter what their religion, culture or ethnicity, women today who choose to pursue full-time, demanding careers almost always face a crossroads in their professional lives when they hear their biological clock ticking loudly during their thirties, especially if they have consciously chosen career over marriage and motherhood. Even after having babies, those women who choose to work, admit to living with a constant guilt; a nagging feeling of having let down their family, or not being there for their children when they need them (which is several times a day). And even those women who have achieved accolades and won awards for their accomplishments in their professional lives, admit to feeling a sense of desolation when, at the end of the day, they come home to a lavish but empty apartment/villa and have dinner alone.

In contrast, those women who keep their home their priority, or shall we say, their “primary occupation”, but continue to dabble in their professions and hobbies on a part-time or freelance basis – viz. at a level that doesn’t obstruct fulfillment of their responsibilities at home - lead a more satisfied life, entering into a win-win bargain. Their homes and families are taken care of, fulfilling their maternal and nurturing instincts, whereas their mental and intellectual faculties also remain stimulated because their spare time is used constructively for the benefit of others in society.

Oslo: Mosque promotes anti-terrorism fatwa

The Minhaj-ul-Quran mosque in Oslo is promoting a fatwa condemning extremism in the name of Islam.

“Terrorism, radicalism and extremism in the name of Islam is an abuse of our religion. We want to show the image of moderate Islam,” says Hassan Qadri.

The Islamic scholar from Pakistan is on a tour of Europe to explain a new and controversial Islamic ruling. A so-called ‘fatwa’ against extremism and extreme groups.

This article was prepared by the Islam in Europe blog – islamineurope.blogspot.com

Extreme Islamic groups have abused the religion and committed attacks in the name of Islam which they wrongly called holy war, declares Qadri, who was brought here by the Minhaj-ul-Quran Oslo mosque.

Qadri’s father, Dr. Taheer Qadri, a leader for millions of Muslims in more than 80 countries in the international Minhaj-ul-Quran movement, is the one who authored the fatwa.

The Oslo mosque is the first to translate the over 600 pages long ruling into Norwegian. The summary says that it’s a ‘prohibition against terrorism against non-Muslims even i war’ and a ‘prohibition against imposing one’s faith’.

“It was unclear if a terror attack as part of an Islamic struggle can be accepted or if it’s forbidden according to Islam. This fatwa is clear that suicide attacks aren’t allowed even in war,” says Qadri.

“After terror attacks like 9/11 in the US, the metro attack in London and the bombs in Mumbai, some claimed that those who are responsible for it are martyrs who will be greeted by 70 virgins in paradise.”

“This fatwa clearly says: Suicide bombers won’t be greeted by 70 virgins. Suicide is not acceptable in Islam, and causes you to go to hell,” says Qadri.

The ruling led to to fierce debate in Muslim communities all over the world. It’s been called the most discussed fatwa since ayatollah Khomeini’s death sentence against the author Salman Rushdie in 1989.

“The contents of this ruling means that we are quite exposed, despite the fact that no scholar in Islam challenged this fatwa’s legitimacy,” the vice-president of Minhaj-ul-Quran in Oslo, Mehtab Afsar, told VG.

“The ruling is actually the first of its kind which is directed against radical groups who abuse Islam,” adds Afsar.

The seemingly not so controversial statements to ban violence in the name of religion led to death threats against the authors from both al-Qaeda and the Taliban in Pakistan.

Q: What with the Palestinian suicide bombers in Israel. Do you condemn that?

“Suicide attacks in themselves are a forbidden act. But Muslims also have a right to defend themselves.”

Source: VG (Norwegian)

Sweden: Manifesto for Muslim Social Democrats

The Swedish Social Democrats established a special section on their site (h/t Snaphanen) for Muslim social democrats, which includes a manifesto, information about their journal “Islam and Politics” and a clip from a conference the party held in the fall about why 70% of Muslims vote for the party, and why Muslims should vote for left-wing (red) parties. The manifesto is available in Swedish, English, Arabic and Somali.

This article was prepared by the Islam in Europe blog – islamineurope.blogspot.com

Being a Muslim is about having an identity that means different things to different people. The first group of Muslims are the individuals who adhere to the religion of Islam and its teachings, and may practise Islam to varying degrees. Then there is another group who identify themselves as Muslims, have a Muslim identity, but are not necessarily practising. A large number originate from a country where the majority follow Islam or that is a Muslim state. Many in this group do not always identify themselves as believers.

Being a Social Democrat is about having an idea for building society together, which we feel goes hand in hand with Islam’s sense of fairness and justice. The land of opportunity is a Sweden based on the insight that we are stronger together, that a good society is built on everyone working and contributing to society according to their ability and everyone being supported by society according to their need. The key is the equality that creates equal opportunities for freedom. That gives the individual the opportunity to grow, to always have new chances to achieve success and to realise their life’s adventure. A Social Democrat wants everyone involved.

An active political fight for freedom, equality and solidarity lies at the heart of Social Democracy, and for us it is also a question of the best way to turn the Koran’s message from words to action.

The following eight points in this manifesto are for and by those who identify themselves as Muslim Social Democrats.

1. We are Muslim Social Democrats, believers fighting for peace, solidarity and justice. What unites us is the progressive fight for an open and democratic society, we are a little redder, a little greener.

2. We consider Muslims to be part of Sweden and to have the same rights and responsibilities as everyone else, to follow the nation’s laws, to live with and show respect for our fellow citizens.

3. We want to see an open and democratic society. We seek the right to build mosques wherever they are needed, to have Halal food in schools, at conferences and on courses, to have requests for time off for Friday prayers and religious festivals treated sympathetically, and a society where the right to be treated well with or without a veil can be taken for granted.

4. We strive for a world free from superiority and subordination, without class difference, without rifts, inequality and oppression on grounds of skin colour, religion or gender, where everyone is needed and everyone has a place, where everyone has the same rights and value to society.

5. We are a movement that works to counter the stigmatisation of Muslims and that also works against all forms of self-isolation. There is no conflict between being Swedish and being Muslim.

6. We stand for a pluralistic and democratic society that feeds curiosity and interest in different ways of life, even those that seem incomprehensible. We oppose an authoritarian and restrictive society that feeds challenge and conflict.

7. We believe that all people must have the freedom to choose their own life and the right to their religious convictions and practices, in accordance with our democratic laws. It is only in respect for the lifestyle of others that we can gain a true sense of freedom and justice in society.

8. We want to see an open social climate where people do not see difference as a threat, but take different lifestyles and norms seriously and see the opportunities.

Source: English manifesto, PDF

See also:

* Sweden: Christian Social Democrats turn to Muslims

* Sweden: 80-90% of Muslims vote for the Left

Noway: Krekar press conference tapes published

Last week Mullah Krekar held a press conference for the foreign press in Norway. The foreign press were expected to ask their questions in Norwegian while Krekar answered in Arabic via translator.

Norwegian broadcaster NRK and Aftenposten both published a translation/summary of Krekar’s statements. NRK’s is an independent translation. The Norwegian security service is meanwhile working on getting a full transcript.

This article was prepared by the Islam in Europe blog – islamineurope.blogspot.com

The press conference was divided into several segments, which were posted online. The following is based on both summaries, and is probably a bit out of order. I might update the post as more quotes are published.

———

Part 1: Krekar feels unjustly treated

Krekar arrives at the pres conference and thanks those who are there for their interest in his case.

He say that he doesn’t wish to have contact with the Norwegian media because he thinks that he didn’t receive any sympathy from them.

Krekar also tells of how he feels unjustly treated by the Norwegian state and deprived of his rights, that he’s been attacked six times, but was never convicted though he’d been charged more than 40 times.

Part 2: Krekar tells of his Norwegian enemies and threatens Erna Solberg

Here Krekar tells of the three enemies he has in Norway: the political right wing, the intelligence service and the media. He also says who he thinks was behind the shooting at his apartment. Krekar thinks it was the Kurds, though nobody was suspected or arrested after the shooting.

He then threatens Erna Solberg. To the question of what he thinks might be the consequences if he’s deported from Norway, Krekar answers:

“My death will cost Norwegian society. Erna Solberg says Mullah Krekar should be deported from Norway and thrown to his death. Then she must pay a high price. Whoever takes her life, I don’t know. It can be Ansar al-Islam, al-Qaeda, my children or relatives. But she will pay the price regardless.”

To a direct question on whether the threat means that somebody will come to Norway and kill the person or persons responsible, Krekar answers:

“I say this with full awareness: if I die, the person who’s the cause of it will suffer the same.”

Q: You mean that somebody will be sent from Norway or abroad to kill?

“I don’t know how. I don’t have a plan for this, but my supporters won’t let this pass so easily.”

He ends by saying that his life isn’t hopeless.

“Had it been, then I would have carried out a suicide attack myself,” says Krekar.

Part 3: Krekar tells of the attack on the apartment, and his own backgrund – his wife has both the man’s and woman’s role at home

He explains why he thinks it wasn’t Arabs or Westerners, but rather Kurds, who were behind the shooting.

Krekar also boasts of the police efforts in the initial part of the investigation after the attack against him.

Krekar also speaks of his background, education, work, his interest in languages and books, that he’d read over 4,000 books and wrote over 40 books.

Also also says that he headed a party which was bigger than the Conservative Party, then he tells of how his wife has both the man’s and woman’s roles at home, since he doesn’t work and earn money.

In this clip he also tells of how he wanted to move to Cuba and become a communist and why he praises Osama bin Laden.

“People praise sports stars, the Jews praise Sharon, why shouldn’t we Muslims get to praise bin Laden?” Krekar asked rhetorically.

“One of the good things with Islam is that we describe things as they are. My description of Osama bin Laden is based on who Osama bin Laden is, a good, brave, Muslim and just man.”

“The West pesters us with Palestine, hijab and the cartoons, so we can get even by speaking about bin Laden, to give them a lesson and pester them a bit.”

After the hour and a half long meeting with the foriegn press in Norway, Krekar also defende his right to praise bin Laden.

“It’s not to provoke. It’s also not to provoke when Norway gives Obama the peace prize. You say your opinion, we say our opinion.”

Part 4: Krekar wished to go on the ship which were going to Gaza with aid

Here Krekar answers why he as a Muslim wanted to participate in the convoy with relief items which was supposed to go to Gaza.

Krekar says he wanted to participated in fighting against the Jews with his own teeth.

He tells also of why he went back to North-Iraq several times in the past few years, the same area he escaped from.

Part 5: Krekar talks about living in Norway and about his family. He says that Norwegian soldiers can be killed, but he doesn’t support terror attacks against civilians.

Here Krekar speaks again about the attack against his apartment.

“I think that the first attempt was well planned. It it will be repeated, it will be more difficult, because out opponents know that we’re watching out better than before.”

Krekar that those who attacked failed, and that nobody will succeed in getting him as long as the Norwegian state is not part of the planning. [ed: this means that Norway is now officially on notice as being responsible for his life, since if he dies, it must be Norway's fault]

Q: But a Palestinian in Norway was killed by the Mossad without the Norwegian state being involved?

“Everything is possible. I think the relationship between Norway and Israel is different than teh relationship between Norway and the PUK.”

Q: Are you afraid they will succeed?

“I am not afraid, but am more careful now.”

Krekar got questions on how he would have reacted if one of his children said they wanted to marry a Western non-Muslim.

“(laughter) I have four children. Two of them are married, so I hope I’ll avoid getting into this situation. For boys it’s not a problem marrying non-Muslims, but we try to maintain our traditions, our culture and our religion.”

“My children will get to like like youth here, as I’ve lived as a youth in my country. I will not interfere in their way of life, they’re good in school and make their own choices.”

“Two of my children are studying to be doctors, one is studying Arabic and media and the youngest was born here in Norway and says “Pappa, I want to be like Ronaldo”. I feel most sorry for him. He was seven when my case came up in court and he had fellow students coming with a newspaper to school with a picture of me and called me a terrorist.”

Q: What happens with you when you become sick, as you don’t have social security?

“I must be patient, as I was when I was in Kurdistan. I had a toothache for over two months before I found somebody I could trust to help me. Therefore I’ve become better at watching what I eat.”

Q: Have you tried making contact with Norwegian politicians to tell them of the situation you’re in?

“I think my case is well known. My laws tried to get to several solutions without success.

Q: What do you do during the day, since you can’t work?

“I know several languages and teach in Arabic and Kurdish. Many want to learn it. I like to read and am on the internet a lot.

Q: The Norwegian government wants Krekar deported, what did they take away his passport?

“(Laughter) It’s a joke. You give me the passport, I can travel out again and be killed in Mosul or wherever. But this isn’t just a case for Norway, it’s become a European case. They deport me, all of Europe will react. But what’s strange is that while I sit here Norwegian women are giving out Bibles in Afghanistan.”

Q: What do you think of the American government that wants you extradited?

“They’re lying, they have a document that shows that Krekar isn’t a problem in the US. I’m not wanted there, give me a visa and I’ll go there voluntarily. But because of my beard they will arrest me and take me to the US as a prisoner and not as a free man.”

Q: Are you still on the UN’s terror list?

“Yes I am. Two days after I was acquitted in Norway, I was blacklisted. They tried to pressure Norway, but they didn’t have enough to get me imprisoned. The legal system understood that it was a political game.”

Q: Are you thankful to be in Norway?

“Naturally I am grateful for getting to come to Norway”

Krekar was then asked what he thinks should happen to Norwegian soldiers in Iraq.

“Today it’s not Norwegians in Iraq, but anybody who contributed to occupying Iraq you can kill. If you were a Norwegian soldier and you went abroad it’s naturally right that you can be killed. Every day when I speak with people on the phone I answer “you have a right to kill the Americans. You don’t have a weapon, then throw your shoe at them and at all those who support the occupation in Iraq.”

As for Afghanistan:

“And naturally, if you are a Norwegian in Meymaneh or Faryab where the Norwegian soldiers are, it’s obviously proper to kill you.”

Q: Do you support terror attacks in the US?

“I don’t support any actions that kill civilians. It’s only allowed to kill in a war zone.”

Q: Do you know of Islam Net and their recruiting?

“No, I don’t know of them. I don’t have contact with mosques or Muslim organizations in Norway.”

Krekar was asked whether he regrets anything he said or did in Norway.

To that Krekar answered that he doesn’t regret anything, because he thinks he didn’t wrong anyone.

Krekar was also asked why he came to Norway as a refugee if it’s so bad here.

“I didn’t choose to come to Norway,” says Krekar and points out he was registered by the UN and that they were the one who decided to send him to Norway.

Sources: NRK, Aftenposten 1, 2 (Norwegian)

UK: ‘Follow Islamic spiritual principles’ to protect the environment

Prince Charles yesterday urged the world to follow Islamic ’spiritual principles’ in order to protect the environment.

In an hour-long speech, the heir to the throne argued that man’s destruction of the world was contrary to the scriptures of all religions – but particularly those of Islam.

This article was prepared by the Islam in Europe blog – islamineurope.blogspot.com

He said the current ‘division’ between man and nature had been caused not just by industrialisation, but also by our attitude to the environment – which goes against the grain of ’sacred traditions’.

Charles, who is a practising Christian and will become the head of the Church of England when he succeeds to the throne, spoke in depth about his own study of the Koran which, he said, tells its followers that there is ‘no separation between man and nature’ and says we must always live within our environment’s limits.

The prince was speaking to an audience of scholars at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies – which attempts to encourage a better understanding of the culture and civilisation of the religion.

His speech, merging religion with his other favourite subject, the environment, marked the 25th anniversary of the organisation, of which he is patron.

He added: ‘The inconvenient truth is that we share this planet with the rest of creation for a very good reason – and that is, we cannot exist on our own without the intricately balanced web of life around us.

‘Islam has always taught this and to ignore that lesson is to default on our contract with creation.’

Source: Daily Mail