In the light of recent heated event in the Speakers Corner, a Jewish bretheren praised the restraint shown by most Muslims in the face of far-right provocation by following the sunnah in direct contradiction to the Islamophobic stereotypes the enemies of Islam spread:
As an Orthodox Jew and a Zionist, I refuse to judge Islam by some of the regulars at speakers corner and continue to judge it by the teachings of Muhammad.
But wallahi, if I were to judge it by some of the hotheads at speakers corner I would be a bigger Islamophobe than Tommy Robinson.
Fortunately brothers like Paul and some of the other regulars in Hyde Park shine as true ambassadors of Islam… it is thoroughly disappointing that Paul’s wisdom isn’t valued by some of the more naive/younger regulars.
Sunday’s action spawned a whole new wave of Islamophobes. Even my barber, my bloody barber had watched videos of Muslims attacking police and people with sticks in a British park.
This is not about airing laundry in public, it is about distancing yourself from violent behavior and an absolute PR disaster for British Muslims.
Some of you need to stop chasing the dunya and YouTube fame and submit to your Creator and follow in the path of his Messengers.
Note: Title edited for formatting purposes by Br. Ijaz @ 6:22 PM, 21/03/18.
Categories: Extremism, Islamophobia, White nationalism
Blogging Theology 
Paul,
You are not barred from posting anything. Your role is the same, you are an author, you can write and publish articles.
You have ended contact with me, but I am happy to see Eric posting. If you had posted the same article, there would be no issue.
Kind Regards,
Br. Ijaz.
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Good article Eric, hope you can post more like it!
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Lets examine this bit by bit. Starting with the first sentence\paragrah.
The author writes…
“if I were to judge it by some of the hotheads at speakers corner I would be a bigger Islamophobe than Tommy Robinson.”
So clearly there is an issue at Speakers corner with as he puts it “hotheads” what others would call “extramist” what I can real followers of the sunnah. But what ever you call them clearly the author indicates that there is a problem because in his words “corner I would be a bigger Islamophobe than Tommy Robinson.” That in itself is saying a lot.
The next paragraph makes two things clear when combined with the opening sentence and paragraph let’s examine this…
Point number 1:
“Fortunately brothers like Paul and some of the other regulars in Hyde Park shine as true ambassadors of Islam…”
So he believes that Paul Williams and “some others” are true ambassadors of Islam, unlike the “others” who if he where to believe would make him a bigger Islamophobia then Tommy Robinson.
Point number 2:
“it is thoroughly disappointing that Paul’s wisdom isn’t valued by some of the more naive/younger regulars.”
So lets review what we have learned thus far.
1. There is a problem at speaker’s corner that would cause the author to be a “bigger Islamophobe than Tommy Robinson”.
2. Paul Williams who is one of “some other regulars” prevents the author from becoming an Islamophobe do to his Wisdom.
The author continues to drive this point home with the following…
“Sunday’s action spawned a whole new wave of Islamophobes. Even my barber, my bloody barber had watched videos of Muslims attacking police and people with sticks in a British park.”
I don’t think its going to far out on a limb to say that the authors barber does not know Paul Williams, one of “some Muslims” who according to the author would prevent him from being “a bigger Islamophobe than Tommy Robinson”
So, lets review what we have learned so far from this short post.
1. There is a problem at speaker’s corner that would cause the author to be a “bigger Islamophobe than Tommy Robinson”.
2. Paul Williams who is one of “some other regulars” prevents the author from becoming an Islamophobe do to his Wisdom.
3. The actions by the “other Muslims” at speakers corner caused a wave of Islamophobs and even the authors barber (who does not know Paul Williams), to become an Islamophobe.
With this in mind we can now get to the heart of the post. The author nails it home with this succinct paragraph.
“This is not about airing laundry in public, it is about distancing yourself from violent behavior and an absolute PR disaster for British Muslims.”
It is the authors opinion, that the video of “some of the hotheads at speakers corner” has caused an “absolute PR disaster for British Muslims” and “a new wave of Islamophobes”
But what is more important here is the authors opinion on how to correct this “PR disaster”. It is only by “distancing yourself from violent behavior”
Now the question that Muslim readers of this blog must answer, and only they can answer. Is this what the new owner of this blog has done by removing and even editing at least one posts. That Paul wrote not only to distance himself but Muslims from the “violent behavior of these “hotheads”. Who’s behavior caught on video has caused a “new wave of Isamophobia”?
Are the following explanations given as to the reasons why these posts were removed and edited, really utilizing Paul Williams “wisdom”?
“Our aim is to please Allah through our dawah efforts and not to air our dirty laundry in public”.
“sympathizing with Islamophobes is not in line with the ethos of this group”
Or is this just ignoring your very public dirty laundry in the hopes that covering it up will somehow cover the stink?
Muslims I have said it countless times before and I will say it again. It is NOT the “hotheads” that drive what you call my “Islamophobia”. Instead it is the very actions of this blog owner and other Muslim admins in varies other forums. It is the actions of Muslims at speakers corner who as Paul reports “a very real Islamic extremist was released from prison and set up shop in speaker’s corner. This very real Islamic extremist was part of a group of six, three of which “mowed down pedestrians on London Bridge and stabbed others in the Borough Market killing eight people”.
What was the Non-Violent Muslims response to this very public dirty laundry, was this very real extremist confronted by other Muslims in Speakers Corner, was and is he censored? Were other prospective reverts warned to stay away from him? No according to Paul, he converted someone and, in his words, “None of the brothers seemed concerned. Business as usual. “
Until the treatment of Islamic extremists by ordinary Muslims is no longer business as usual, until these “extremists” are PUBLICLY confronted and disowned by ordinary Muslims, and most important until Muslim’s stop labeling, name calling, and out right bulling Muslims and others for speaking out against these extremists Islamophobia will only grow.
So to the new blog owner, you need to “stop chasing the dunya” and utilize Paul Williams wisdom and re post his blog posts critical of Islam’s very public dirty laundry, without editing.
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Wake up,
Firstly, If we were to judge any religion including Christianity and Judaism by some of their “hot heads” or extremists we would all get the wrong impression of those faiths as well.
Many Muslims value the wisdom and advice Paul Williams and other Muslim leaders and true ambassadors of Islam. The disappointing fact that a few young/naïve Muslims either don’t value the advice, or choose to ignore proves nothing except for the typical, almost expected, behavior of few young/naïve kids (no matter the faith).
After having reviewed more fully, the various videos taken on that day, I am not so sure that it was the actions of some Muslims that may have caused an increase in Islamophobia. But rather the increased misperceptions of Islam may be due to highly edited videos which misportrayed the actions of Muslims, and cut out the antagonism and provocation from the other side. I will be the first to say that violence or misbehavior from either side, is not preferable or acceptable, but there were also clear cases of Muslims being attacked and subsequently defending themselves as well.
In regard to “distancing yourself from violent behavior and an absolute PR disaster for British Muslims.” – This is why I said in a previous comment below that it would have been preferable for the Muslims to have just stayed home and let the EDL have their day, rather than risk the bad PR which one could have easily predicted would come of all this. The bad PR is not worth “the opportunity for Dawah” which could have been done on any other normal day as usual.
Muslims have time and again called out “extremists” and dissociated themselves from such aberrations of Islam. Simply alleging that Muslims have not done so does not negate the fact that we have in actuality done so often and repeatedly.
In regard to the person released from prison, I don’t know all the facts, and there are many unanswered questions that need to be addressed in that regard.
I don’t think that any Muslim has a problem with posts that address legitimate critical issues in relation to Islam, but I think that such posts should be fair and well balanced as well. Many of the commenters and authors on this blog, spoke out against violence on BOTH sides, but you seem to act as if we were all ignoring the better wisdom of some Muslims, or that we were all simply silent and even encouraging Muslim violence, when the record clearly shows that is definitely not the case.
It seems clear to me that your own Islamophobia is not due to the actions of any particular Muslims or blog owner, but rather it is due to your own biased misperceptions of Islam.
Trying to use the events of last Sunday, and a disagreement between Muslims on this blog as an excuse for your own bigotry is not fooling anyone.
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Ibn Issam wrote…
“Muslims have time and again called out “extremists” and dissociated themselves from such aberrations of Islam. Simply alleging that Muslims have not done so does not negate the fact that we have in actuality done so often and repeatedly.”
Paul Williams reports that his post critical of the Muslim behavior at speakers corner was removed because and he quotes “sympathizing with Islamophobes is not in line with the ethos of this group”
And the reason that another post critical of a Muslim who was attacking people with a stick was removed “Our aim is to please Allah through our dawah efforts and not to air our dirty laundry in public”.
And of course there is Pauls posts removed by the new owner.
Tell me is that your idea of calling “out extremists” and is that what you mean by “dissociated themselves from such aberrations of Islam”?
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Wake up,
While you lopsidedly focus solely on Muslim actions and make your demands, I have not heard either you nor any other fundamentalist Christians condemning the violent actions of extremist Christians that day. While they may hide behind the secular EDL organization, they are still extremist fundamentalist Christians who engage in violence, threats, intimidation, antagonisms, provocation, lies, and all forms of hate in order to advance their own “Holy” cause. And yet you don’t seem to concerned about THAT.
So don’t come crying to me about Muslims.
Its a two way street.
Trying to use the events of last Sunday, and a disagreement between Muslims on this blog as an excuse for your own bigotry is not fooling anyone.
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Ibn shirked my question by trying the following.
“I have not heard either you nor any other fundamentalist Christians condemning the violent actions ”
My response: Sure sympathizing with Muslim Extremest is not in line with my ethos
And just in case you did not get my point…
My aim is to please Jesus through my witnessing and not to air our dirty laundry in public.
So you accept that I called out “extremists” and dissociated themselves from such aberrations, Right?
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Wake up “shirked my question” by deflecting back onto Muslims as usual, rather than rebuking Christian fundamentalists. He cowardly refuses to call out the extremists within his own ranks.
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In fact Br. Paul, if you are going to be dishonest, you would remember I am the one that approved this article on the SCL group on your behalf, without question. To say now, that I wouldn’t allow it, is a gross lie and misinformation. I am sad to see that you have chosen to go down this route.
Kind Regards,
Br. Ijaz.
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That’s nice to hear. I agree that thanks to the more level-headed regulars the worst was avoided. But isn’t he being a tiny bit theatrical? Even his barber (yes, his bloody barber) watched videos (in plural) of Muslims (in plural) attacking the police?
If he genuinely cares about the image of Muslims, how about he heeds the sound advice he has for them, and as a Zionist denounces the systematic demonisation of Muslims by his fellow Zionists and ambassadors of this “whole new wave of Islamophobes” (e.g., Tommy Robinson, Katie Hopkins, Rebel Media, Anne Marie Waters, Caroline Cox, Douglas Murray, Pat Condell and co.)?
(Tbh I won’t hold my breath, since anti-Muslim sentiment is a geopolitical tool in the advocacy of Israeli colonialism.)
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Exactly.
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I will go on any channel and denounce Islamophobia.
I run the Israel Advocacy Movement and judaism-islam.com, I’ve spent around 10 years combatting Islamophobia in the Zionist community and antisemitism in the Muslim community. Here are examples of this.
You need only visit my Facebook to see me regularly condemn Islamophobes within my own community.
If you have a channel I will happily come on it and speak out against Islamophobia, I’ve been doing it for nearly a decade.
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So you give free dates from colonised lands to whitewash and advocate more colonialism. That’s a very nice gesture of you towards the Muslims.
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Joseph,
Good for you!
It still doesn’t negate 60 years of occupation and Palestinian dispossession. (To say nothing of appropriating Palestinian Dates, calling them “Israeli” dates and benignly offering them to Muslims on Ramadan as if they were really yours to give in the first place).
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Ibn Issam, Jews have been living in that land continuously for thousands of years.
You cannot rewrite history to suit your politics.
I have Jewish friends who had lived their for centuries, some of whom were even saved by Arabs when the 48 war broke out. This is not the forum to discuss Israel/Palestine as I know Paul likes to keep politics off his blog.
But happy to do this on camera if you are?
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Joseph,
Palestinians, Arabs, have been living on that land for thousands of years as well, in fact, they were there long before the Jews ever existed as a people.
If anyone has rewritten history it is the Zionists – “A land without a people for a people without a land.” That slogan was easily swallowed by uninformed people in the past, but now anyone with a mouse and access to the internet can clearly see that it was a complete and utterly baseless lie.
It is nice that you claim you are standing against Islamophobia, I applaud you for that. I will do my best to stand against Anti-Semitism. But I refuse to conflate anti-Semitism with anti-Zionism and criticism of unjust Israeli policy.
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You’re building strawmen and arguing with yourself 🙂
As I said, happy to have this conversation on camera.
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The brutal injustice of occupation, and the Jewish/Zionist led dispossession, dehumanization, degradation, depredation, false imprisonment, torture, land theft and usurpation, home destructions, crimes against humanity, war crimes, destruction of olive groves, apartheid walls, barbed wire, military checkpoints, separate dual legal systems, unjust policies, appropriation of culture, and tyranny and oppression – all directed at the Palestinian people – are NOT a “strawman”…….
……And I don’t need your condescending attitude OR your camera, in order to point it out.
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Verdant Servant,
I think that we can surmise from the video of Joseph taking down a Palestinian flag that he is very petty and does not truly believe in free speech nor the rights of the oppressed to express themselves peacefully. This is the problem with Zionists and colonialist occupiers, they can never abide the questions that the counter narrative presents.
If he really supports the two state solution he should have no problem with the Palestinian flag. The fact that he insensitively and arbitrarily removed the flag is very revealing. On one hand he denounces Islamophobia (while handing out Colonialist “Israeli” dates) and on the other hand he removes the symbol of the very state that he “claims” to support.
Should all Israeli flags be removed for “attempting to turn the British public” against Palestine, I am sure that he would take issue with that and possibly even accuse that person of being anti-Semitic.
Rather than taking it as his own religious/civic duty to remove a so called “illegal” flag he should leave that responsibility to the authorities. He labels the Palestinian flag “illegal” when the British Dept. of Communities and Local Government “plain English Guide to flying flags” states the following:
The full list of flags that do not require consent are:
(a) Any country’s national flag, civil ensign or civil air ensign;
Click to access flying_flags_guide.pdf
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It is good to praise the restraint shown by most Muslims in the face of far-right provocation, just as it is good to give naseeha to those who fell short of the Prophets Sunnah and example.
In the aftermath of all this, one has to wonder if it would have been better if all the Muslims would have just stayed home and let the EDL have their day, rather than risk the bad PR which one could have predicted would come of all this. If the Muslims would have stayed away, the news story would have been about “Racist and religiously bigoted EDL hate group hijacks free speech at speakers corner” rather than about “Muslim violence.”
– But I guess that sometimes there is a fine line between playing it safe vs. giving in to hate.
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Judging from the videos I have seen, it was definitely a tough situation and a trying day for everyone involved. We should not let such a thing as this come between us as Muslim brothers…….
I pray that those of us who have differences of opinion on the matter will soon reconcile and but this behind us so that we can continue to move forward working for the benefit of Islam and Muslims everywhere.
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The problem is that zionism itself is an extreme racist ideology. So an radical extremist is condeming other type of extremism. Talk about double standards!
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Except I’m not racist.
Happy to have this conversation on camera if you are 🙂
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Calling oneself a zionist is like calling oneself a nazi. Zionists have killed, maimed and expelled hundreds of thousand Palestinians.
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I’m happy to have a conversation about Zionism and Israeli war crimes. Can’t have it on camera though since I don’t live in the UK.
Zionism is a racist ideology. Arab Israelis don’t have the same rights as jews let alone Palestinians under Israeli occupation. On top of that many top Zionists have openly expressed racist views about Arabs. On top of that you have all the war crimes committed by Israel in Arab countries such as Lebanon and Palestine. This is well documented!!!
You sir openly and without shame support nothing less than state terrorism. True Jews like the Naturei Karta are opposed to Zionism.
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I want to respect the admins of this blog as they don’t want it to be a politics place.
But as Neturei Karta is a religious question, here is a short video I produced that explains why they’re not “True Jews” like you claim.
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Joseph Cohen
You cannot mention the names of these thousands of Jews who says Jews are forbidden to have a land.
You have to retract the statement that you can count the names of anti brutal Israel Jews and that they are tiny. These Brooklyn, USA Jews against brutality are not tiny and let alone the Jews world over against brutality.
We appreciate your efforts in standing against Islamophobes and will also appreciate if you can add Israel brutality against Palestinians by using phosphorous poison, helicopter gunship against babies in UN marked compound in Gaza. Bulldozing Palestinian farm lands, houses etc.
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As a Muslim I’m obliged to be fair. Joseph, it’s good that you’re not a racist. It’s also good that you denounce Islamophobia. I’ve seen some of your youtube videos and you seem to be a balanced and well-mannered bloke. You also seem to have a genuine respect of Islam. I’m not against you personally. I’m don’t have anything against Jews either.
I do however have an issue with Zionism and Israeli terrorism. By far the greatest perpetrator of terror in the Middle East if you go by the number of people killed from 1948 until now.
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One more thing, it’s quite ironic that far right activists accuse muslims of terrorism when many of them support the greatest terror states in the world, Israel, USA and it’s allies. Why has nobody called them out on this double standard. Just ask them if they support Israel and or western military “intervention” in the world. If they say yes, then case closed!
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Joseph, only a very small minority of Jews have lived in Palestine for centuries or more. The vast majority of Jews are not real ethnic Jews. They are converts from other peoples. The real descendants of Jews are the Palestinians. Ben-Gurion himself believed that many Palestinians are descendants of Jews and among the Bedouins almost 100% are.
Here’s an article from Times of Israel: http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/most-palestinians-are-descendants-of-jews/
By the way, you yourself don’t look like a real ethnic Jew. How many Jews looking like Scotsmen were running around Judea 2000 years ago or looking like an average blond european or like a black Ethiopian?
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LOL!!
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