Islamic State militants beheaded eight Syrian rebels who had surrendered in a town on the border with Iraq last week despite pledges of an amnesty, a monitor said Monday.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the men were executed and their bodies hung on makeshift crosses in Albu Kamal in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor.

“The men surrendered in Albu Kamal because the Islamic State had offered amnesty to people who fought them if they turned themselves in,” Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP.

Instead, he said, the eight opposition fighters were beheaded and then hung from crosses in a method often employed by the group.   »»» Arab News

If the members of ISIS were obedient Muslims (and they are NOT), they would know that the rules of military jihad set out in the Qur’an and the Traditions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) require Muslims to refrain from torturing or killing an enemy who surrenders or is disarmed.

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The Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), having declared itself a caliphate, is now making a call to all Muslims (especially engineers and doctors) to emigrate to their new home, “Sham,” the land of Ibrahim, with the caution that ones who remain outside will be drowned in apostasy and heresy.

However, as much the militants proclaim to be the only bearers of true Islam, the actions and pronouncements of these fanatics strike most Muslims as a malevolent distortion of the religion. In fact, recently in an open letter to the leader of ISIS, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, a large number of Muslim scholars condemned the ISIS approach to Islam to be absolutely illegitimate and perverse based on Islamic legal theory and Quranic exegesis.   »»» Informed Comment

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For decades the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar (Burma) have been subjected to systematic persecution by their largely Buddhist countrymen: denied citizenship, suffering forced labor, rape and killings. The United Nations has described them as “the world’s most persecuted minority” and other observers have warned of an impending genocide.

Despite the radical reform program which began in 2011, after decades of repressive military rule in Burma, the following year violence erupted in Rakhine state between ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and the Muslim Rohingya, the American Newsweek Magazine REPORTED.

The REPORT stated that almost 140,000 people were displaced and at least 280 killed. Since then, the situation has stagnated and these people remain stuck in ¬internal camps and squatting on the outskirts of villages at the mercy of their -persecutors.

Nine of these camps, with a population of 75,000 refugees, are located closely together. The inhabitants of these camps are living in conditions that can be described as worse than prisons. There are many cases of diarrhoea, as well as numerous skin conditions and tuberculosis. In one camp, at least 20 people have died from treatable conditions.

The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation on human rights in Burma, Yanghee Lee, recently presented her findings to the UN General Assembly. After a 10-day visit to the area last July, she described the situation in the camps as “deplorable”. The report, while acknowledging Burma’s reforms, warns of backtracking and lists continuing abuses suffered by the Rohingya including: summary executions, disappearances, torture, forced labor, forced displacements and rape. “The government must meet its obligations,” says the report, to provide “lifesaving assistance” and adequate basic services including “access to livelihoods, food, water, and sanitation, and education”.

The issue of identity runs central to Burma’s on-going crisis. In March this year, the first census in 30 years was completed amid controversy. Despite living in Burma for generations, the Rohingya were excluded unless they agreed to be classified as Bengali Muslims.

According to the human rights group, Fortify Rights, persecution of the Rohingya is government policy. In a 72-page report, they documented senior ministers OPENLY discussing policies that amount to crimes against humanity as well as guidelines for security forces that enable the abuse of the Rohingya to continue.   »»» Sailan Muslim (Sri Lanka)

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Muslim readers reacted to an article in the Edmonton (Canada) Journal in their letters to the editor:

As a Muslim Canadian, I extend my deepest condolences to the family of Cpl. Nathan Cirillo and express my gratitude to House of Commons sergeant-at-arms Kevin Vickers [who killed the attacker] for a remarkable job in a dangerous situation.

There is no excuse for anyone to commit such heinous crimes in the name of religion.

In all the years Michael Zehaf-Bibeau was committing crimes across the country, he was still a Christian. After committing this heinous crime, all of a sudden he became a “Muslim brother” in the letter writer’s view.
[…]
There are 49 Muslim countries around the world and not a single one has ever supported ISIS or condoned such wrongful acts. They are all fighting against these radicals who portray Islam in a false light and wrongfully use the name of religion when committing crimes that violate the teachings of the Qur’an.

Zehaf-Bibeau deserved what he got. Anyone following that path should be dealt with in the same manner.

Z. Haqqi, Edmonton

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Michael Zehaf-Bibeau is no brother of mine, neither in faith nor beliefs.

Like every other Canadian, I have been glued to the news with shock and horror. My children are similarly confused and have asked, “Why did a Muslim do this? Killing is a sin.” What Zehaf-Bibeau did goes against everything I have taught them. All I can say is that this is not Islam.

I, and many others like me, have been outspoken through the media, seminars and open houses about the perverted use of Islam for the sake of violence and political agendas.

Zehaf-Bibeau’s traitorous acts go against the Islamic principle of loyalty to one’s country. As an immigrant who has spent most of my life in Canada, I am honour-bound to this nation that has provided the chance to live in comfort and peace. It is unfortunate that Zehaf-Bibeau’s acts have marred the contributions of many Canadian Muslims and put their loyalties into question.

These accusations and responses take away from the sacrifice given by Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, and my heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to his family.

Let us not be divided. As a Canadian and a Muslim, we all felt the loss of our Canadian brother on Oct. 22.

Humda Malik, Edmonton

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While some may be quick to blame Islam, we must view these events with rationality and examine the root of the problem.

Like Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, many of these converts seem to be suffering from an identity crisis and view Canada as being complicit in the deaths occurring overseas. I do not condone this perspective, as it is a very myopic view of complex political events staged by an array of nations.

Men like Zehaf-Bibeau — who have no identity, no cause, no social network — learn to live through the suffering of others; they adopt an identity unlike their own so that they can feel significant.

As a Muslim, I condemn his actions, as he has taken the life of an innocent man and violated the security of our nation and the sanctity of my faith. What happened in Ottawa will have repercussions throughout the world, and what happens elsewhere will likewise affect us.

I’m sad for Cpl. Nathan Cirillio, but also feel pain for those killed in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. There is no right or wrong party, just a lot of nations with blood on their hands. Let us strive for peace because every life is valuable.

Mansoor Baber, Sherwood Park

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Love for all, hatred for none

Islam imparts peace and submission, is full of noble teachings and aims to establish peace between man and Allah, the creator of all; between man and man, and between man and the rest of God’s creations.

Unfortunately, these days we see the term “jihad” being used very loosely, and men claiming to be Muslims taking lives to achieve a status in heaven. Unfortunately, most of these ill-informed individuals are misinterpreting and misusing the guidance and teachings of Islam.

One such beautiful teaching holds that the unlawful killing or shedding of innocent blood is like the killing of the entire human race. In other words, the taking of a single life is like the massacre of thousands of innocents.

When anyone, Muslim or not, reads this guidance, why would they kill another, as that would clearly be going against the laws of Allah? God almighty has clearly stated how big a sin it is to kill someone without cause. […]

My deepest and most sincere condolences go to the family and friends of the soldier killed in this attack.

I hope and pray that people of every faith will come to realize and uphold the motto of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community: Love for all, hatred for none.

Khalida Khawaja, Edmonton

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I cannot begin to understand how taking an innocent life was valid in Michael Zehaf-Bibeau’s mind.

Since coming to Canada 30 years ago, I have been able to practise my faith freely without fear. I have been blessed with the chance to get somewhere in life and pursue my dreams, whereas in Pakistan I had to hide my identity as an Ahmadi Muslim to avoid persecution.

As immigrants, we have come to Canada to find peace and have the hope of a tomorrow. We should all recall how desperate we were to come here while we suffered in refugee camps, or how we prayed that our case was accepted by immigration. We must all leave our baggage at the door. I will never accept that this land of freedom and opportunity can be destroyed by the sick mentality of individuals like Zehaf-Bibeau, who do not know what it means to be a Canadian, a Muslim and, most of all, a human being.

The Muslim community should be on guard about how Islam is presented to new converts and be quick to challenge those who corrupt Islam for their political beliefs.

May God keep our land glorious and free. Amen!

Malik Hafiz Ullah, Edmonton   »»» Edmonton (Canada) Journal

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A mullah who raped a 10-year-old girl in his mosque was sentenced to 20 years in prison after a dramatic trial here in Kabul on Saturday during which his accuser, weeping and shaking, summoned the courage to confront him.

Women’s activists attending the packed proceedings hailed the sentence as a victory because the mullah was successfully prosecuted under a 2009 law meant to fight violence against women in a country where rape had long been treated as adultery, implicitly placing partial blame on the victim. The judge in this case dismissed the mullah’s Shariah law defense.   »»» NYTimes.com

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Isis could not have emerged without support from western powers and their regional allies. These facilitated the travel of jihadis from 80 countries into Syria, funded them, and then trained and armed them. So long as these jihadis were committing crimes in Syria against Syrians and Assad’s regime (which, to be clear, bears responsibility for the ongoing disaster there), western governments turned a blind eye. After all, at the time Isis was doing the bidding of the same neoconservatives and liberal interventionists who had decided that the overthrow of Libya’s despot, Gaddafi, should be followed by the overthrow of Assad. This would then enable them to go for the main prize, the Iranian regime. However, Isis became a problem for the west when, following the pattern established by al-Qaida and the Taliban, they turned their guns against western interests in the region and tried to capture the oil fields of the Kurdish region, which was not part of the plan.

Although Isis is a product of the west’s policy of domination, it is also a Sunni version of Iran’s Khomeinism. It was Ayatollah Khomeini who sanctified and glorified violence under the garb of religion, and the heinous crimes committed by his regime set precedents for Isis.

Khomeini, Iran’s one-time supreme leader, implemented a doctrine of victory through terrorisation (al-nasro-be-rob), and his regime’s ideologue, Mesbah Yazdi, has said that “if violence is the only way of achieving the Islamic goal, then it is necessary to use it”. He also said that “if, in a place like the desert where the police are not accessible, and if somebody insulted God, the prophet and Islam, then the sentence [hokm] for insulting Islamic sacred is execution and if there is no possibility for a trial, then it is the duty of any Muslim to personally carry it out”. This is exactly what Al-Baghdadi, the leader of Isis, is doing. Needless to say that Khomeini could not justify his crimes with even one Qur’anic verse, and neither can Isis. I challenge them to cite a single verse from more than 6,600 in the Koran which tolerates, let alone permits, such savagery.   »»» Isis is a monster created by many countries. It requires an international solution | Abolhassan Banisadr | Comment is free | theguardian.com

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A fifty-four year old Frenchman has been sentenced to six months in prison after yelling “Long live the Islamic State,” and threatening to return to the scene with a gun. He was found guilty for “publicly condoning an act of terrorism.” The case dates back to last Monday when the man, who received government financial assistance and had already been charged with threatening public order, became angry.   »»» Euro-Islam: News and Analysis on Islam in Europe and North America

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A prominent Canadian Muslim cleric says he intends to reach out to other imams to make sure that new converts to Islam are watched closely for signs of radical beliefs.

Soharwardy, the founder of Muslims Against Terrorism and the Islamic Supreme Council of Canada, said imams should look for warning signs, such as a criminal record or drug abuse, before allowing an individual to convert.

“I’m not sure who helped them to convert to Islam. Who was the imam? What kind of relationship did those people have with those people who converted them to Islam? Those very important questions need to be answered,” said Soharwardy.

“They should take on the responsibility of checking backgrounds and staying in touch and make sure this person is not being recruited by any radical organization or terrorist organizations.”

Soharwardy estimates 20 to 30 Canadians convert to Islam every week. He said it is the responsibility of clerics to make sure the converts are doing it for the right reasons.

Soharwardy said he was sickened by the fatal attacks on Canadian soldiers this week. His organization has scheduled a memorial service Friday in Calgary for Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent and Cpl. Nathan Cirillo.

Soharwardy said he believes that many Muslims are being brainwashed by radical groups such as ISIL. He said there needs to be more sharing of intelligence between Canadian law enforcement and trusted members of the Muslim community who could work together to “deradicalize” those at risk.   »»» CTV News (Canada)

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Debra Schubert was born and raised in Regina, Canada. She converted to Islam 12 years ago because she believed it was a peaceful way of life. She wants to remind people the recent attackers, who both converted to Islam, do not represent or understand the religion.

“It’s a very selfish act and I feel like they are very uneducated because if they knew about the religion they would know that this is completely unjustified and denounced in every way,” Schubert said.

Muslim groups here in the province of Saskatchewan and across Canada have denounced the recent attacks on Canadian soldiers.

“For me ‘recent convert’ means they actually don’t know anything about the religion and that they are just taking authority into their own hands and not caring about the society at large,” she said.   »»» Yahoo News Canada

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Representatives of major Canadian Muslim groups gathered Thursday to reiterate their denunciation of terrorism in the name of Islam at a news conference in Ottawa, even as fear of harassment and violence grows in the Muslim-Canadian community.

“Our message to anyone who believes in violent extremist ideologies is that you have nothing to do with Islam,” said Ihsaan Gardee, the executive director of the National Council of Canadian Muslims and one of several speakers at Thursday’s event. “You have nothing to do with the noble principles of our faith, which categorically condemn the taking of innocent life.”

Muslim associations across Canada were quick to issue statements of solidarity with their fellow citizens as events unfolded in Ottawa on Wednesday and the killer of Cpl. Nathan Cirillo was identified as Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, a recent convert to Islam.

Speakers at the news conference expressed grief and extended condolences to the families affected by the attack, but they also hinted at the strains the event will likely put on Muslim-Canadian communities.

Muslim community leaders, who placed a wreath at the National War Memorial where the fatal shooting took place, spoke with numerous media outlets as well as other Ottawans about what had taken place in the city, with Imam Sikander Hashmi of the Kanata Muslim Association telling Postmedia News that it was “a very emotional day.”

“Obviously there’s a lot of sadness and perhaps some anger as well,” Hashmi said in a phone interview. “This is my country. I haven’t lived anywhere else and I call this home, so for someone to spread bloodshed and violence in my homeland, I don’t take that very kindly. I take great offence to that.”   »»» The Province (Vancouver, Canada)

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