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Islam phobia is one of the overriding factors behind the policy of persecution and oppression of the Muslims by the US and its non-Muslim allies. Muslim-Christian antagonism dates back to the period of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) who was blessed with prophet hood in 610AD. In less than twenty years he transformed the savage Arab tribes into a civilized people. When Mecca was captured in 630AD and cleared of all the idols, he forgave all those who had persecuted and insulted him and forced him to migrate to Madina. Mecca became the cradle of a new civilization and fountainhead of a new culture. Infussed by his teachings, the Arab nomads brought about the greatest revolution in the annals of mankind. The Christians and Jews indulged in endless intrigues and conspired to undermine Islam and defame Holy Prophet. Reverence to the greatest benefactor of mankind among 1.5 billion Muslims spread all over the globe remains undiminished.
During the era of four Caliphs of Islam (632-661AD), the two mighty empires of Byzantine and Persia were dismantled. In the space of 100 years the Arab Muslim armies conquered an empire extending from the Pamirs in the east to the Atlantic coast of Morocco in the west, and northward into southern France. The Muslim Empire was a more civilized society than that of Christian Europe. Tolerance and justice exhibited by the Muslims towards other religions have been universally acknowledged. However, despite the benevolence of the Muslims, the Christians viewed the progression of Muslims as a threat to Christianity and nurtured innate grudge against them.
Spain was ruled by the Muslims from 714 till 1492 during which it attained world fame. Cordova was turned into a world ranking city of culture and education and became the centre of learning. The rulers showed tolerance towards Christians and Jews and were given complete liberty to build churches and synagogues. The glorious Muslim civilization in Iberian Peninsula dispelled the darkness that had enveloped Medieval Europe. Once the process of their decay set in, the Christian powers got united under the banner of Ferdinand and invaded Spain. Helped by disgruntled Muslim notables, Cordova was captured in 1236 and Seville in 1248. The capture of last stronghold of the Muslims at Grenada in 1492 made the Christians the masters of Spain and put an end to Andulusia civilization abruptly.
The Christians killed all the Muslims who refused to exile or convert to Christianity. A large number were converted by force while millions were banished. But even conversion to Christianity could not save them from the wrath of Spanish Christians. They were subsequently massacred. Although all traces of Muslim heritage, art and culture were obliterated after the ‘cross’ replaced the ‘crescent’ from the horizon of Spain, and the Moors themselves faded into dustbin of history, Spain and the western world stand forever in their debt. The Spanish Muslims left behind indelible marks on the Spanish culture, language, race and geography.
Although western and Hindu writers created a myth that Islam spread through the power of sword and have dried their pens describing the atrocities committed by Muslim rulers, slaughter committed by the crusaders have no parallel. Jerusalem was retaken in 1099 by Christian forces in a veritable bloodbath. All the 70,000 Muslims and Jews were slaughtered. When Caliph Omar took over Jerusalem in 7th century, he didn’t put a single person to sword.
Turning the pages of history about the Crusade wars, in their desperate bid to possess the holy land of Jerusalem, Palestine and Egypt from the Muslims, the Christian world instigated by religious priests launched series of ferocious Crusades from 1096 onwards. All told, eight Crusades were launched during the period of 1096-1271, in which the holy city exchanged hands several times. Never before the Christian world was so culturally united as it was on the occasion of first Crusade. Pope Urban II exhorted the Christians to make war upon the ‘wicked race’ that held the Holy Land.
The Crusaders apart from shedding rivers of blood of Muslims poisoned the minds of the west against the Muslims by deliberately representing teachings and ideals of Quran. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was described as anti-Christ and religion of Islam depicted as a fount of immorality and perversion. It was represented as a religion of crude sensualism and brutal violence. They kept sowing seeds of hatred and resultantly misperception about Islam and Prophet got permanently planted in the minds of Christians.
When Sultan Salahuddin Ayubi re-conquered Jerusalem in 1187, unlike the brutal ways of Christians, he spared all those who surrendered their arms. Women, children and old men were set free. When the combined armies of France, Germany and others tried to retake Jerusalem in 1189, they suffered a decisive defeat and were routed in 1192. The military defeat of the Crusaders left deep imprints of prejudice and hostility among the Christendom against Islam, the effects of which have persisted till today. The second phase of Crusades was undertaken by European nations in late 13th century. The Crusades which petered out in 17th century continue to shape global imagination of US leaders to this day. Deep-seated prejudice against Islam, found in western literature and in the minds of current generation is rooted in history of hate that took birth during Crusades.
Muslims were considered highly progressive in science and technology till 14th and 15th centuries. They had gained enviable prominence in several branches of science, especially medicine, chemistry, optics, mathematics, astronomy and philosophy. After the long rules of Ummayads (661-750) and Abbasids (750-1258), the Ottoman Empire (1290-1566) wielded considerable political and military strength and held sway in Europe, Asia and Africa. Its vast dominions included major parts of southeast Europe, West Asia and North Africa stretching from gates of Vienna to the wall of China in east; and from Ukraine in the north to the source of Nile in the south.
The great Empire started withering in 16th century due to over extension and lust for materialism.
Apart from the Ottomans, another powerful Muslim Empire that emerged in 16th century was the Safavid Dynasty in Persia that reached its peak under Shah Abbas. It ruled with firmness for 200 years. Yet another dynamic and great Muslim empire in that period was that of the Moghuls in Indian subcontinent (1526-1858) which remained at the pinnacle of its glory till 1707.
Europe was in darkness till the Renaissance in France. It had passed through orthodoxy, intolerance and irrationalism under the influence of popes and cardinals of that time. The west became civilized after annihilating eight-century old Andulusia civilization. From middle of 15th century, Europe got engulfed in commercial revolution. Spain, Portugal, Holland, France and England embarked upon exploring overseas markets in the east. By early 16th century, the European economy had expanded manifold and gave rise to capitalism. By 1600, Western Europe had gone through cultural transformation and by 1800 it had reached a stage whereby it could dominate the world in general and Islamic world in particular. Europe and North America became economically prosperous and militarily stronger than the rest of the world as a result of industrial revolution.
Europe started making speedy scientific and technological progress from middle of 18th century. The overseas colonial expansion by the European nations which had waned a little recommenced after 1870 under the title of ‘new imperialism. Industrial revolution in Europe heightened the need for raw material and cheap labor. Great powers jostled for additional colonial territories in Middle East, Africa, Asia and Pacific Basin rich in minerals and raw materials. Moral justification propounded by the colonizers to annex economically self-sufficient Muslim states was to enlighten the uncouth in Asia and Africa and to usher in progress and civilization. Forced evolution of Muslim societies was justified under the phrase of ‘white man’s burden’. By end of 19th century, the Europeans had most of Africa and much of Asia. Britain held the largest empire and its navy was unchallenged in any ocean of the world.
Economic prosperity of European powers also witnessed growth of antagonism between Christian powers vying to gain supremacy. Heightened rivalry between European powers ultimately led to First World War (1914-1918). Consequent to 2nd world war in which Germany under Adolph Hitler had embarked upon an ambitious plan to make Germany the most powerful nation of the world, the British Empire on which the sun had never set got exhausted economically and was no more in a position to administer its colonies effectively. Similar was the case with other colonial powers. In the wake of commencement of freedom movements, Britain decided to free its colonies and withdraw east of Suez. Britain convinced the newly emerged super power USA to fill up the power vacuum to checkmate the other super power Soviet Union and to subsequently neo-colonize its liberated colonies. Arab states in North Africa got freedom from France as late as 1960s.
Throughout its little less than 100 years rule, Britain went all out to shatter the spiritual and cultural heritage of the Indian Muslims. Before partition of colonized India in August 1947 by the British, Governor of United Provinces William Moore wrote a book on Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in which he wrote negatively about the Prophet. He said, ‘Two things are the worst enemies of humanity; Prophet Muhammad’s Quran and his sword’. Britain gave a parting kick to Muslims by dividing India unjustly. It penalized Muslim Pakistan and favored Hindu India. Unresolved Kashmir dispute is the British legacy left behind which has bedeviled Indo-Pak relations. Ever since India and Pakistan have become independent, Britain has always sided with India and harmed Pakistan’s interests.
From early 1950s, the US embarked upon a multifaceted program to contain communism and weaken Soviet Union. Matching nuclear and conventional power of USSR restrained USA from making headlong confrontation and restricted itself to cold war. It had to ultimately seek assistance of Muslims to defeat its arch enemy. In the Afghan war in the 1980s not a single non-Muslim soldier took part. The US and western world glorified Mujahideen. Till the downfall of USSR in 1989, communism was regarded as the biggest threat to western ideology and capitalism.
Once the cold war ended and the US emerged as a sole super power, the neo-cons in USA and in western countries started a whispering campaign portraying Islam as the chief threat to Christian world. They advocated confronting the new threat with all available means. It was in line with this propaganda campaign that Samuel Huntington came out with his book ‘Clash of Civilizations’ in 1996, which set in motion plan for 9/11. Academics and think tanks sprung into action to promote the theme. Plans were made as early as 1997 to invade Afghanistan where Jihadis from all over the Muslim world had assembled to fight the evil empire of USSR and had not returned to their respective countries. Religious seminaries established in FATA region and funded by CIA to train students as Jihadis had also multiplied.
Jihad in Afghanistan had encouraged Muslim freedom fighters in Indian occupied Kashmir, Chechnya, Uzbekistan and elsewhere to wage liberation movements. The neo-cons not only desired annihilation of the main base of Jihad in Afghanistan but also the Jihadi producing seminaries in FATA. Invasion of Afghanistan and converting it into a permanent military base became all the more vital when Taliban succeeded in controlling social vices in Afghan society by introducing Sharia, and Pakistan aligned with Taliban turned nuclear. Iran had already slipped out of US hands. It was feared that unless proactive measures were taken, an Islamic bloc of Pakistan-Iran-Afghanistan may come into being. Denuclearization and secularization of Pakistan were listed as priority objectives.
The hidden hands of neo-cons and Jewish lobby prevailed upon the US Supreme Court to declare George W. Bush a winner in November 2000 elections despite that he had lost to Al Gore. 9/11 gave President Bush a readymade excuse to play havoc with the Muslims under the garb of global terrorism. After the attacks on World Trade Centre and Pentagon, Bush gave a policy statement, ‘We are starting a long-drawn-out Crusade’. On another occasion he said, ‘We will dry up ponds (Madaris) which produce mosquitoes (Islamic Ulemas). Vice President Dick Cheney viewed Muslim world as ‘brute and nasty’.
After such pronouncements, the militarily strongest and economically richest countries of the world pounced upon Afghanistan, one of the poorest countries of the world which had no connection with 9/11 and trampled it with their military boots. An orchestrated propaganda war was unleashed in USA and whole of Europe. Rupert Murdock managing Fox TV channel led the propaganda assault against Islam, coloring the perceptions of the west with many false impressions about Islam. CNN, ABC, BBC and western print media also chipped in. Jihadis of 1980s eulogized as Mujahideen and holy warriors were converted into terrorists. Small and unknown al-Qaeda outfit under Osama bin Laden created by CIA to fight the Soviet forces in Afghanistan was depicted as a global threat.
The mass media propelled by the US neo-cons constantly poisoned the minds of the west. Public thinking and perceptions about Muslims were thickly colored by portraying them as terrorists and Islam defined as a terrorism breeding religion. To further harm Islam, the western media further accentuated the British inspired concept of categorizing Islam into two categories as radical and moderate, and Muslims were treated accordingly. A notion was implanted that terrorism was exclusively confined to Muslim Arabs and non-Arab Muslims. The propagandists put aside left-wing and right-wing terrorists and international terrorists present among all religions and atheist world. All guns were trained on radical Muslims and non-Muslim radicals were spared.
Soon after annexation of Afghanistan, McCain, Lieberman and John Kyl lobbied for Saddam Hussein’s removal at the behest of Israel. Paul Wolfowitz, another Zionist insider was also a proponent of Iraq invasion. Fictitious stories to justify invasion of Iraq included WMDs, ties with al-Qaeda, Iraqi bio weapons laboratories, and purchase of yellow cake uranium from Niger. Saddam was declared a danger to humanity and Iraq was unjustly invaded. After destroying a modern and progressive country which was not involved in 9/11, and had done no harm to USA, Saddam was sent to the gallows.
It has now been established that 9/11 was engineered essentially to neo-colonize the Muslim world and capture its resources so as to pre-empt future danger from Islam, which the sole super power considers to be the only potent threat that could thwart its ambitions to gain total global monopoly. Many Americans contend that it was an in-house affair.
Even if 9/11 was not an in-house affair, the act was performed by few individuals who could have been brainwashed. Mind control techniques are in use of CIA for over six decades. What was so difficult for the CIA to control the minds of 19 Arabs for the implementation of neo-cons-Jewish agenda against Islam? Under no hypothesis it can be said that the suicidal acts were Islam inspired or supported by Muslims.
Military interventions against Muslim countries were justified under the veneer of morality by using false phrases of freedom, liberty, democracy, women emancipation and human rights. Muslims were persecuted on the plea of homeland security of USA. Different set of phrases were used for the two annexed countries.
Pamphlets were circulated projecting Quran as a book of terrorism. Few years ago a translation in English of Quran was published, which was subsequently translated in ancient Ubrani language. Under the title ‘Quran the ultimate truth’, thirty objections were raised which were widely circulated through media. An effort was made to prove that Quran was not a divine book but authored by Prophet Muhammad. Highly insulting language was used in respect of Holy Prophet. At one place it is written, ‘Quran is full of contradictions; hence it cannot be a book sent by God. Rather, it is a creation of a person suffering from delusion and dejection, or else few persons have collectively compiled it’.
In order to prove their contention that Quran is not a heavenly book, they challenged one of the injunctions of Quran saying ‘If you have doubts about its veracity, produce one Surah’ matching its quality. Four Surahs were produced by the challengers. Such wicked attempts to malign Quran were off and on made by non-Muslims, but after 9/11, Quran was targeted with a vengeance. For centuries the Jews and Christian zealots have been trying to prove that Quran is not a divine but have failed. As against all other heavenly books, Quran is the only Holy Scripture in which not a word or even comma has been modified, added or subtracted and remains unchanged because God had promised to protect it.
Vatican Pope played a negative role in undermining Islam. He has ignored prolonged caricature campaign in newspapers and on internet in some western countries to malign the image of revered Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), injuring the sentiments of 1.5 billion Muslims.
Nonie Darwish a converter to Christianity and Frank Gaffney are among the leading Islamophobes in USA. Darwish presents Islam as cruel, intolerant and anti-women. In her view, mosques and schools in Arab world teach the children virtues of Jihad and instigate them to resort to violence against non-believers. Both are inflaming hysteria against Islam. Islam-haters forget that the west is the originator of terrorism and is Muslim focused.
Hatred of non-Muslims against Quran and Islam has risen to such an extent that rulers of advanced countries are pressing the Muslim rulers to modify Quran by way of deleting verses pertaining to Jihad and Qital. They are demanding closure of Madaris or as a minimum changing their teaching syllabus since in their view these institutions are fomenting terrorism against the west. While image of Madaris and the ones running them are being smeared, no mention is made of ‘mind control techniques’ being employed by CIA.
54 out of 57 Muslim states have been made secular and efforts are in hand to secularize the rest as well. Most Muslim rulers are pawns of USA who accept its discriminatory and anti-Islamic policies. Practicing Muslims in Muslim countries and residing abroad are being brutally persecuted while those who know little of their religion and have adopted western culture are treated as transitory friends best-suited to defame Islam.
The US wants to impose western brand of democracy and civilization upon the Muslim world. It wants puppets and not upright and popular Muslim leaders. Having learnt bitter lessons from Algeria’s fair and free elections in early 1990s and Palestinian elections in 2003 in which Islamists were elected, it encourages use of fraudulent means to ensure election of compliant rulers. In case of Pakistan the US was instrumental in brokering a secret deal between Gen Musharraf and late Benazir and later on in the issuance of hated NRO which enabled USA to micro-manage Pakistan affairs and brought it to such a sorry state.
Islamophobia in actuality is an irrational fear of Islam and is an effort to save socially decaying western civilization. It is ironic that the age-old western resentment against Islam should still persist subconsciously at a time when religion has lost most of its hold on the imaginations of the people of the west. The shadow of Crusades hovers over the west to this day. A recent example of this inbuilt hatred was seen in Florida where a bigoted pastor Terry Jones burnt copies of Quran and is unrepentant on his shameful act. Without having read the Quran, he maintains that Quran encourages terrorism against Christians and poses a threat to USA and western world. Such self created lurking fears of extremist Christians together with their economic ambitions have upped the level of their hatred against Muslims to such heights that their thirst to suck the blood of Muslims has become unquenchable.
While Afghanistan and Iraq have been ruthlessly destroyed and close to two million people massacred, Pakistan is being continuously bled and economically ruined despite that it is an ally. Propaganda war as well as physical war against Muslims under Barack Obama has not scaled down even a wee bit. Sudan has been divided and Libya is now targeted and soon there will be a regime change and a US puppet installed. Sooner than later, Syria will be under fire. Yemen is fast cracking up from within and several other Arab states in turmoil are providing opportunities to USA to intervene. Military interventions and slaughter of Muslims are solely aimed at neo-colonizing Muslim world, capturing their natural resources and giving a deathblow to Islam.
The US supported by western allies, Israel, India and Russia are all engaged in killing Muslims on the pretext that extremist Muslims are all terrorists and pose a danger to world peace. The UN supposed to follow even handed policies is highly biased and is anti-Muslim. While it promptly points finger at Muslim countries and unhesitatingly approves economic sanctions and military actions, it ignores high handed policies and human rights violations of USA, Israel and India. It is rightly dubbed as the mistress of USA since it has all along served non-Muslims vested interests.
Sensing that the roots of Islam are being systematically weakened with the help of their pawns within Muslim countries, the Islamists dubbed as terrorists are confronting anti-Islamic forces with whatever primitive means available and are getting bled profusely. Muslim blood will continue to be spilled by non-Muslim powers as long as Mir Jaffars, Mir Sadiqs, AlQami and Toosi are present within Muslim ranks and string-puppet rulers dancing to the tunes of Washington sit in corridors of powers. No foreign conspiracy, covert war or physical intervention can succeed without their support.
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