I think it’s unfair to have an event like this that criticizes terrorism (which i also am against), whilst making no effort to highlight who the real mujahideen are. You mentioned in your post briefly that there are sincere ones who’s effort we don’t hear about that are fighting western imperialism whilst fearing Allah and doing their best to avoid civlian deaths. Why not publicise awesome feats such as this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_F29PxYTck

Please watch this video. It is a french WOMAN (yes, a woman), who was brave enough to go right up to the mujahideen and interview them and spend time with them. Why is it that we don’t see any support for these kinds of things on blogs such as this. That’s why I think this ilmfest was unfair (i didnt go to it, I’m basing my judgment on this post of yours), because it’s aim is to completely disregard any true physical resistance to imperialism and tyranny.

If you were to post this vid on your blog – it would be a step in the right direction

And Allah knows best

No one has a right to become prosecutor, judge, jury and executioner to kill his daughter or sister as honor killing even if she has committed a sexual crime. She must be tried through due process of law. This is what happened in Pakistan.

A Pakistani tells how he killed 4 daughters
The laborer, 40, says he took their lives to save his family’s ‘honor’
Associated Press Dec. 28, 2005

Nazir Ahmed, 40, who killed his three young daughters and their adult stepsister, is processed in police detention in Gago Mandi near Multan, Pakistan. : AP

MULTAN, PAKISTAN – Nazir Ahmed appears calm and unrepentant as he recounts how he slit the throats of his three young daughters and their 25-year old stepsister to salvage his family’s “honor” – a crime that shocked some in Pakistan. The 40-year old laborer, speaking to the Associated Press in police detention as he was being shifted to prison, said he had only one regret – that he didn’t kill the stepsister’s alleged lover too.

Hundreds of girls and women are killed by male relatives each year in this conservative Islamic nation, and rights groups said Wednesday such “honor killings” will only stop when authorities get serious about punishing perpetrators. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said that in more than half of such cases that make it to court, most end with cash settlements paid by relatives to the victims’ families, although the minimum penalty is 10 years and the maximum is death by hanging.

Ahmed’s killing spree – witnessed by his wife, Rehmat Bibi, as she cradled their 3-month-old baby son – happened Friday night at their home in eastern Punjab province. It is the latest of more than 260 such honor killings documented by the rights commission, mostly from media reports, during the first 11 months of 2005. Ahmed said he killed his stepdaughter because she had committed adultery, and his daughters because he didn’t want them to do the same when they grew up.

How many Muslims have read this Aya in the Holy Quran and still believe killing of innocent human beings by Talibans in markets, hospitals, girl schools, in mosques is allowed by Allah? Are Muslims the worst enemies of Islam?

Quran “If any one killed a person … it would be as if he killed all mankind; and if any one saved the life of a person, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind.” (Quran V: 32).

According to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) “Murdering a human being is one of the biggest sins.” He adds: “Be kind to all living beings so that Allah may be kind to you. Allah does not shows His mercy to whosoever shows no mercy to fellow humans. Also learn more from this site …………..mark the word human beings that include all mankind regardless of rheir religion……not just Muslims.

http://members.aol.com/khananis/coexistence.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtg0qj0GyRk

I don’t know about all his other comments about jihad…but for this one he has a point. Lets give him the benefit of the doubt.

But when it comes to challenges where there are universal Islamic values to be considered, then yes of course they can advise Eastern Muslims. In your example about the Taliban, I don’t recall reading any Western shyoukhs’ statements criticizing them for failing to be in line with “Western values”, but rather they were criticized for their actions and excesses that were incompatible with Islam. The issue of womens’ education, the killings of the Hazaraa, etc.

But if you can show me specific examples, whether in this case with the Taliban or other countries and groups, where Western shyoukh advocated “Western values” that are [in your opinion] incompatible with Islamic values and ethics, that would help me understand your POV much better.

Regardless, there is the issue of greater leverage available to Western Muslims than is available to their Eastern brethren and the implicit responsibility to use that leverage for the greater good of Muslims all around the world. Political, economic and financial, media, professional, etc. In North America for example there are maybe 10 – 12 million Muslims, if you take liberal estimates. These Muslims have a massively disproportionate influence over world affairs available at their fingertips. The two groups of Muslims are NOT equal and shouldn’t be treated as such either.

Eastern scholars should keep their noses out of Western Muslims’ business but western scholars & layman can poke their noses in the East. We want to advice not only on they wage war but how they rule their countries… Let’s take the example of Taliban, the laws they ruled by were criticized because they failed to be in line with western values. How come their ’3urf’ didn’t matter?

Possibly surprised to say this, but I somewhat agree with Swarthmoor. Yes, fighting extremism is necessary but that fact of the matter is that certain methodological approaches are more conducive to the formulation of an “extreme” outlook than others.

Regardless, I think it is a result of our intellectual stagnancy and mass-media pomp culture that we find valid criticisms being labeled as “hate” and “negative opinions”. A groups aesthetic appeal, organizational ability, and amassing of crowds is not a sufficient reason to deem their beliefs as being sound. The criterion of soundness is what the `ulema of old, the authorities, have stipulated and outlined.

This isnt to say that specific groups have not done good. They have and credit is due wherever it is deserved. There are “bigger’ issues that people of divergent viewpoints can work upon, but this does not and should not necessitate the dumbing down of our tradition, the hindering of positive debate, and the further development of the Sunni tradition.

In the end, someones popularity with the crowd is not the reason why we should accept them as whole.

Wasalam
Salman

So yeah by and large, most Eastern scholars should keep their noses out of Western Muslims’ business.

Sh. WB says that these individuals are mistaken when they say that schoalrs who are not in the lands of jihad should not pass fatwas or judement on their actions.. well he may be rite but the hypocrisy I see on part of those who have the same stance as Sh. WB in the west (other scholars as well as layman) is that they are saying that the scholars who live in the east should stop passing fatwas for ppl who live in the west as they don’t understand the situation & circumstances.

So the question is why the double standards.. either the opinion is valid in both situations or it is not.

Are you comparing Frank to Shaytan?

I didn’t understand your point.