Monday, October 18, 2004
Prison inmates converting to IslamMaori prison inmates, many of them gang members, are converting to a militant, politicised brand of Islam, raising concerns among sections of the Muslim community, the Sunday Star-Times reports.
Converts are being drawn to the faith through anti-Pakeha sentiment and a fascination with al Qaeda and the radical chic of African-American Muslim icons such as Malcolm X. "The ones coming in, their reasons are they admire Osama bin Laden," says Te Amorangi Izhaq Kireka-Whaanga, leader of the Aotearoa Maori Muslim Association. "They think it's all about fighting Europeans."
An Islamic convert of seven years and a staunch Maori nationalist, he sees tino rangatiratanga as a jihad, and says Islam is the perfect vehicle for Maori nationalism.
"We (Muslims) have the principle of taqwa...being godfearing. We fear nothing and no one but God. We don't fear Helen Clark, we don't fear George Bush."What God says, we do."
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I get very cautious when I hear people of any religious persuasion claim that God has told them to do something. Not because I don't believe that God can speak to people - He can. But my experience is that a high proportion of those who speak that way are not accountable to anyone. When people submit what they believe they have heard from God to someone else for validation, they tend to speak a lot more circumspectly. The trouble is, when someone dogmatically declares "God told me", there is no way to counter the declaration - no discussion is possible. I fear that these Muslim converts will not be prepared to admit that just maybe God didn't tell them what they are planning to do.
Converts are being drawn to the faith through anti-Pakeha sentiment and a fascination with al Qaeda and the radical chic of African-American Muslim icons such as Malcolm X. "The ones coming in, their reasons are they admire Osama bin Laden," says Te Amorangi Izhaq Kireka-Whaanga, leader of the Aotearoa Maori Muslim Association. "They think it's all about fighting Europeans."
An Islamic convert of seven years and a staunch Maori nationalist, he sees tino rangatiratanga as a jihad, and says Islam is the perfect vehicle for Maori nationalism.
"We (Muslims) have the principle of taqwa...being godfearing. We fear nothing and no one but God. We don't fear Helen Clark, we don't fear George Bush."What God says, we do."
................
I get very cautious when I hear people of any religious persuasion claim that God has told them to do something. Not because I don't believe that God can speak to people - He can. But my experience is that a high proportion of those who speak that way are not accountable to anyone. When people submit what they believe they have heard from God to someone else for validation, they tend to speak a lot more circumspectly. The trouble is, when someone dogmatically declares "God told me", there is no way to counter the declaration - no discussion is possible. I fear that these Muslim converts will not be prepared to admit that just maybe God didn't tell them what they are planning to do.
