The Lal Masjid mosque in Islamabad, Pakistan is widely known to be a center of Islamic radicalism. The word "lal" in Urdu means "red," and this Red Mosque and its adjoining Jamia Hafsa madrassa have fomented pro-Taliban and pro-Al Qaeda activists for years. Of late mosque activists have been threatening to impose Taliban-style Islamic law on the people in the Pakistani capital.
On Sunday, April 15 more than ten thousand Pakistanis rallied in the country's biggest city, Karachi, to protest the radicalism of the Lal Masjid, and to call for a more traditional form of Islam that can coexist with other religions and other nations. Noting that the radicals in Lal Masjid have armed themselves with Russian-made rifles, Altaf Hussain, a Pakistani party leader said that "Islam is a religion of peace and it does not need Kalashnikovs and sticks."
As the New York Times reported on Monday, the interesting aspect of this rally is that it was not organized by the secular ruler Pervez Musharraf, and in fact the demonstration was partly aimed against him--for coddling the Islamic radicals! Musharraf maintains his power by keeping a delicate balance of support in the various sectors of Pakistani society, and he often seeks to defuse Islamic radicalism by coopting and in effect encouraging it.
So where are the traditional Muslims who are standing against fanaticism, terrorism and radicalism? There were more than 10,000 of them on the streets in Karachi on Sunday.
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)
1.
I'm very glad to hear that, perhaps it will have an impact on the many in our country today who believe that all Muslim's are terrorists, terrorist supporters, or moderates who tacitly support it by not speaking out "lougly enough" against it.
Peter2 at 2:10AM on Apr 17th 2007
2. The actions of the "Red Mosque" are supported by the constitution of the Islamic (yes that's right) Republic of Pakistan.
If there are people in Pakistan who want to shut down centers of prostitution and save their people's decency they can't be branded as "terrorist" or "pro-Taliban".
Sameer Haydar at 10:23AM on Apr 17th 2007
3. According to various reports there were a million people in the march againt the Lal Masjid (Red Mosque). It's interesting to see how most of the media did not cover the MQM rally against the Islamic radicals as much as they should have.
I hope more and more people of Pakistan, and other Muslim countries, to stand up against the Islamic radicals and their twisted version of Islam.
Humayun at 11:31AM on Apr 17th 2007
4. American "journalists" never cover the "Good Guys". That would be anti-productive. They want Iraq to fall with all our soldiers.
Jeff Dubiel at 1:40PM on Apr 17th 2007
5. Wow... 1 billion Muslims and only 10,000 speaking out against radical Islam.
mob at 2:02PM on Apr 17th 2007
6. Im glad that there is a blog set-up for muslims to speak out on terrorism but the title and hyperlink to this page is insanely ridiculous. "Anti-Terrorist Muslims?". Heres a question for AOL and Dinesh D'Souza. Who the **** said all muslims are terrorist anyways? Honestly, if you are ignorant enough to make an assumption like this I really don't give damn about what your opinion is on me, my religion, and all my brothers and sisters in faith. I refuse to believe that my fellow non-muslim americans are under the impression that all muslims are pro-terrorist. Dinesh D'Souza and AOL need to stop telling americns what they think and Dinesh D'Souza stop being AOL's bitch. I understand you are trying to do a good thing here by setting up this blog but they way you went about is undereducated and I find it very insulting to all americans rather they be muslim or non-muslim.
Sharif at 9:40PM on Apr 17th 2007
7.
You would be surprised, Sharif. There are many people in this country who think that. I have heard other bloggers state it bluntly that moderate Muslim's don't speak out against terrorism because they don't entirely disagree with it. The comments on those blogs often say much much worse.
It's sheer ignorance but it exists. People are scared and more than willing to sacrifice the freedoms of innocent Muslim's for their own misguided feelings of safety. That is exactly why the Japanese were interned during WWII and it's exactly why a surprisingly large portion of American's today favor interning Middle-Eastern looking people as well.
Peter at 10:53PM on Apr 17th 2007
8. i wish this kind of thing was highlighted more in the media. but of course it's not. it's sad when we are forced to put disclaimers after we mention what ethnicity we are or what religion we subscribe to.
i'm muslim, but i'm not terrorist. i'm south korean but i don't think it's right to shoot up college kids. i'm mexican but i am here legally. i'm american but i'm not ignorant.
we are so quick to judge, and we are quickly judged.
noodles at 12:28AM on Apr 18th 2007
9. The media should cover this more, but they only care if some homewrecker ruined jennifer anistons husband. Sad, ignorant meanies
Nazkhan at 12:37AM on Apr 18th 2007
10. This is excellent news. I just hope the other more liberal muslims follow suit.
Sharina at 1:03AM on Apr 18th 2007
11. Thank you for Dinesh, for all your work and for pointing out that not all Moslems are murderous fiends bent on world domination. The majority, of course, are content to practice their religion peacefully.
Unfortunately, peaceful Moslems share one thing in common with the overwhelming majority of former Soviet citizens, and the overwhelming majority of German citizens during the Nazi regime.
What all three groups share is they were and are irrelevant. They are not in power, they don't have the weapons or the funding, and they have no control over those that do.
The Free World is in yet another fight of our life, this time against radical Islam.
Mike at 1:48AM on Apr 18th 2007
12. I did not see anything about this on Tv this week. Perhaps because of its significance, we should ask our own media to keep us better informed on things like this.
It could be that - similar to their blatant anti-Catholicism - the US news media would prefer not to portray Islam in any sort of reasonable light.
It might be that our cultural left wants to portray all Muslims - both the traditional and the fanatics - as moronic throwbacks to the dark ages who need to be reformed and modernized (maybe re-education camps is too strong a term).
In any case, the perferred Muslim reformation or modernization would be as per the Left (naturally, for they are the enlightened), and would be complete of course, only when they (i.e. the reformed, modern Muslim) finally came to approve of abortion, birth control, ethanasia, pornography everywhere, gay marriage, and everything else the cultural left has to offer.
Good job on publishing this. I will follow up and find out more - thanks.
Ken Berg at 12:33PM on Apr 19th 2007
13.
please visit my URL to see the pictures. 1000000 NOT 10000 see 4 urself
Abrar Baig at 10:18PM on Apr 21st 2007
14. http://www.mqm.org/English-News/Apr-2007/news070415.htm or just try www.mqm.org
i saw the MQM rally in Karachi against extremism and acts of Lal Masjid. Hundreds of thousands of people had gathered without government support. good things are not reported in the media, unfortunately.
Abrar Baig at 10:23PM on Apr 21st 2007