Bad Fatwa by Muslim-American body against airport body scannersSpeak up Muslims
The word "Fatwa" is wrongfully associated with "death threats", it may be wise for us, until we educate the public that it is merely an opinion, and instead use the word "Opinion". The word Fatwa carries a negative perception and until it is removed, it is not wise to use the word in this context. After all, we are using the English language to communicate and let the language be in English.
Furthermore, this "Fatwa" will be wrongfully propagated as Anti-American, which it is not, but the right wing media thrives on it, hate is their food and they will spew it out in the media. I just want to assure you, the majority, indeed the overwhelming majority of Americans would understand and silently support it, but they are good for nothing, just like the majority of Jews, Christians, Muslims or Hindus are good for nothing, they do nothing about anything.Our wisdom should prevail and as Muslims one of our roles is to mitigate conflicts and nurture goodwill, it was one of the first examples set by the prophet when he reset the Aswad stone back into the wall of Kaaba.
I would urge Muslims to use the word "Opinion", that is what it is, it is not a legal binding enforceable opinion, at least in America.
The question is the safety of 301 Million Americans and we cannot compromise that, if we take the opposite stance, it will become an instrument of wedge. We had better think about such pronouncements. Work with the system, the system will work with you. America is the best hope for mankind.
Rogue run states like France may take the cue from it, and just to piss off Muslims, they may go ahead and do it, the idiot Geert Wilders will feast on it. What are we going to do about it? Nothing! What have we done with Switzerland, France, Australia and some other nations, nothing! What have we done with the human rights violations in Sudan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Iran, nothing! Then let's not give thoughtless opinions that affect the average Muslim, who is living his American dream of a home, a family, kids and retirement.
Did any scholar have had a chance to look at it and speak up against it? Let no opinion come out without any one opposing it, opposing has a corrective and tempering element in it that sets things right. Even the Prophet invited opinions, for what? To understand if there is another point of view.
Speak up Muslims, silent no more
Mike Ghouse
World Muslim Congress
Article Link: http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2010/02/bad-fatwa-by-muslim-american-body-about.html
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Muslim-American body issues fatwa against airport body scanners
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/Muslim-American-body-issues-fatwa-against-airport-body-scanners/articleshow/5564134.cms
IANS, 12 February 2010, 12:47pm IST
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WASHINGTON: Some Muslim-American groups are supporting a fatwa issued by a body of Islamic scholars forbidding Muslims from going through full body scanners at airports, a media report said.
The Fiqh Council of North America issued the religious ruling this week that says going through the airport scanners would violate Islamic rules on modesty, Free Press reported.
"It is a violation of clear Islamic teachings that men or women be seen naked by other men and women," reads the fatwa issued Tuesday. "Islam highly emphasises haya (modesty) and considers it part of faith. The Quran has commanded the believers, both men and women, to cover their private parts."
After the Christmas Day bombing attempt in Detroit by a Muslim suspect from Nigeria, some US airports are now in the process of buying and using the body scanners to find explosives and other dangerous materials carried by terrorists.
But Muslim groups say the scanners, which show in graphic detail the outlines of a person's body, go against their religion. One option offered to passengers who don't want to use the scanners would be a pat down by a security guard. The Muslim groups are urging members to undergo those instead.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) says it endorses the fatwa. "We support the Fiqh Council's statement on full-body scanners and believe that the religious and privacy rights of passengers can be respected while maintaining safety and security," Nihad Awad, national executive director of CAIR was quoted as saying.
Currently, there are 40 full-body scanners at 19 airports in the US, including two in Detroit, said spokesman Jim Fotenos of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). There are plans for 450 more body scanners in US airports, he said.
In a statement, the TSA said it is committed to keeping passengers safe and also protecting their privacy.
"TSA's mission is to keep the travelling public safe. Advanced imaging technologies are an important tool in a multi-layered security system to detect evolving threats such as improvised explosive devices.
"TSA's use of these technologies includes strong protections in place to safeguard passenger privacy. Screening images are automatically deleted, and the officer viewing the image will never see the passenger."
The TSA stressed that the body scanners are "optional to all passengers". Those who turn them down, "will receive equivalent screening that may include a physical pat-down, hand-wanding, and other technologies".
"Physical pat-downs are performed by transportation security Officers of the same sex as the passenger in a private screening area, if the passenger requests."
Body scanners "do not produce photos", the agency said. Rather, the images "look like chalk outlines".
You are welcome to write your comments at this link:
http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2010/02/bad-fatwa-by-muslim-american-body-about.html#comments
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Muslim-American body issues fatwa against airport body scanners
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/Muslim-American-body-issues-fatwa-against-airport-body-scanners/articleshow/5564134.cms
IANS, 12 February 2010, 12:47pm IST
Text Size:
WASHINGTON: Some Muslim-American groups are supporting a fatwa issued by a body of Islamic scholars forbidding Muslims from going through full body scanners at airports, a media report said.
The Fiqh Council of North America issued the religious ruling this week that says going through the airport scanners would violate Islamic rules on modesty, Free Press reported.
"It is a violation of clear Islamic teachings that men or women be seen naked by other men and women," reads the fatwa issued Tuesday. "Islam highly emphasises haya (modesty) and considers it part of faith. The Quran has commanded the believers, both men and women, to cover their private parts."
After the Christmas Day bombing attempt in Detroit by a Muslim suspect from Nigeria, some US airports are now in the process of buying and using the body scanners to find explosives and other dangerous materials carried by terrorists.
But Muslim groups say the scanners, which show in graphic detail the outlines of a person's body, go against their religion. One option offered to passengers who don't want to use the scanners would be a pat down by a security guard. The Muslim groups are urging members to undergo those instead.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) says it endorses the fatwa. "We support the Fiqh Council's statement on full-body scanners and believe that the religious and privacy rights of passengers can be respected while maintaining safety and security," Nihad Awad, national executive director of CAIR was quoted as saying.
Currently, there are 40 full-body scanners at 19 airports in the US, including two in Detroit, said spokesman Jim Fotenos of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). There are plans for 450 more body scanners in US airports, he said.
In a statement, the TSA said it is committed to keeping passengers safe and also protecting their privacy.
"TSA's mission is to keep the travelling public safe. Advanced imaging technologies are an important tool in a multi-layered security system to detect evolving threats such as improvised explosive devices.
"TSA's use of these technologies includes strong protections in place to safeguard passenger privacy. Screening images are automatically deleted, and the officer viewing the image will never see the passenger."
The TSA stressed that the body scanners are "optional to all passengers". Those who turn them down, "will receive equivalent screening that may include a physical pat-down, hand-wanding, and other technologies".
"Physical pat-downs are performed by transportation security Officers of the same sex as the passenger in a private screening area, if the passenger requests."
Body scanners "do not produce photos", the agency said. Rather, the images "look like chalk outlines".
You are welcome to write your comments at this link:
http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2010/02/bad-fatwa-by-muslim-american-body-about.html#comments
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This new technology using millimeter waves poses unknown health and psychological risks. Naked body scanners can also provide extra income for TSA workers with camera phones or other means to store and send scans. Scans of celebrities and children will fetch the highest prices. Blackmail and internet exposure are likely.
ReplyDeleteDear Ghouse Sahib:
ReplyDeleteAA....
I quite agree with your narrative below. We are so historically tuned to the word "Fatwa," as though it is the word of God. And we use the word so loosely--and not all must buy into any such verdict. It is merely an "Opinion" from some Islamic scholar (or some ingnorant 'mullah' in some corner of the Islamic world)--and the gullible accept it and act upon it as though the last word. You probably remember a mullah's 'fatwa' sometime ago in a remote village of India, whereby he declared a husband had in fact divorced his wife when he, the husband, had merely dreamed about it.
The medieval Christian equivalent of 'Fatwa' would be 'cannon law' -- and hardly anyone uses that expression. We must abandon the word, indeed, for reasons that you eloquently mention. There is enough other negative concoctions about Islam/Muslims in the land.
Best wishes.....
Ghazi
Dr. S.M. Ghazanfar
Salaam - The FCNA did not call its opinion a "fatwa." that word was introduced by the media.
ReplyDeleteYour point is well taken Mike, right wingers will distort the position taken by FCNA and will present its statement as an attempt to undermine national security, as some of them have already done so. They have consistently attacked Muslims and Muslim organization, even when they were engaged in a charitable work on behalf of people of other faiths.
ReplyDeleteFCNA didn't even use the word fatwa in its statement, but "expert" and "pundits" volunteered to provide the "proper" name for it.
The question that matters most is what we are going to do about right-winger propaganda?
Thank you Mr. Safi and Mr. Hooper for giving us this information, Mike and I will soon draft a letter regarding this issue and send a press release to the media.
ReplyDeletewhat's the difference between an opinion and fatwa by the FCNA? both are non binding, both seem to use islamic references and is aimed at resolving questions of interest to Muslims. But wondered if there is some specific difference. just out of interest...
ReplyDeleteBhaskar, the difference is the perception, turn on any bloody radio, these hungry jacks are having a hey day... these vultures feast on any thing hateful, truth or not.
ReplyDeleteThe word Fatwa is simply an opinion for an intellectual like you, but not for idiots like Bill O'Reilly, Limbaugh, Hannity and several others. They make money off of it, and shamefully a few of us Americans listen to them, that encourages them to stand their ground on falisities.
I am glad to find the truth, about the usage of the word opinion by ISNA and CAIR. Now, it is every one's responsibility including yours and mine to correct where ever it appears. We owe it to the peace of mind of the people and peace in the world. ... See More
I would request ISNA and CAIR to post the actual press release if there was one.