Mrs. Sultan, an ex-Sunni Muslim psychologist from Syria, is known for her vociferous campaign against Islam, and the danger it poses to the democratic Western states. Indeed, any new political ideology taking route in a country which espouses and upholds a set beliefs, completely inimical to another set of beliefs, within the same area, would certainly cause some stirs. However, in Ms. Sultan’s article, Contemplating Islam, published December 15, 2008, she does more than the article suggests: she includes in her contemplation on the recent comments made by former-Secretary General Colin Powell about Muslims, Barack Obama’s historic presidential election and the effects of both on Islamist’s rise to power in the United States.
Colin Powell, on ‘Meet the Press,’ mainly discussed Barack Obama and his rival McCain, but ventured into territory most generals and politicians avoid, the defense of Muslims. During his interview, Mr. Powell discussed the remarks made by McCain’s cabinet members about Barack Obama being a Muslim, and he responded: “Well, the correct answer is, he is not a Muslim, he’s a Christian. He’s always been a Christian. But the really right answer is, what if he is? Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer’s no, that’s not America. “[1] Mrs. Sultan in her article responds:
“Mr. Powell’s admonition at others who dare questioning Muslims, or Islam and its implications, in particular, people like me, who suffered immensely precisely because there is “something wrong with being a Muslim,” would indeed be disheartened. If Powell doesn’t understand what may be the dire consequences for being a Muslim, then who should understand? The man, who once held the post of American Secretary of State, asserts categorically that there is nothing wrong with being a Muslim, even though the country he led has been suffering immensely from Muslim terrorism and has paid a high price because of it.” [2]
From this statement alone, we can extract much of what Mrs. Sultan is trying to concede. To begin with, Mr. Powell was discussing the views of McCain’s cabinet about Muslims, but Mrs. Sultan demonstrates her hostility towards his brief and rare sympathy towards Muslims. Her assertion that there is a “consequences for being a Muslim,” really begs the question, what does that mean? Is being Muslim somehow destructive to democratic societies? Are Muslim’s victims because they follow Islam? If so, how? Moreover, as she analyzes Mr. Powell’s argument, she clearly wants his sympathetic view of Muslims to disintegrate by reminding the reader-and possibly Mr. Powell if he was interested in hearing her voice- that if it wasn’t for “Muslim terrorism,” then indeed America would not be in the mess it is in-threat of terrorism, economic depression, etc. For Mrs. Sultan, America was enough to satisfy her “emotionally, physically and intellectually.” The implicit message is: you probably won’t be satisfied abroad in the Arab and Muslim world because they just lack all the facilities to induce the aforementioned qualities of life Mrs. Sultan seeked.
Nevertheless, her next victim of slander was Barack Obama. America has proven itself, undoubtedly, once again by not faltering to racist and bigoted views that often prevent great candidates of diverse backgrounds from reaching their dreams, and an example of this is the new president elect, Barack Obama. Barack Obama’s background had been difficult for American’s to digest, but they did, and even more astonishing, is the world did as-well. For Mrs. Sultan however, she wasn’t very concerned about his religion, but that Islamist’s in particular, who would utilize him as a way of achieving their goals: implementing shari’ah law in the United States:
In this context some Islamists go so far as viewing the Islamic background of Obama as a heaven-sent confirmation of the first step in realizing the dream of submitting the West to Islam. The mere fact that American president bears a Muslim name like Hussein is enough to assure them that Islam is marching into America and has already infiltrated the White House.
Why is Mrs. Sultan so concerned about what a small fringe of Muslim’s think? Moreover, would American’s really vote for Obama, if he implicitly was doing the deeds of Islamists? Of-course not. This idea would probably do a better job selling as a non-fiction novel, or possibly a plot of a prime-time television show. It gets more interesting, she states, “This is not an Islamophobic prejudice I present,” while in the same article, she presents to the reader that “according to Islam’s most revered jurists, a true Muslim must believe in Islam as both religion and a political entity.” Mrs. Sultan has given Islam a voice as to choosing the most revered jurists, without ever providing us who is voicing this choice, and who the jurists are. But before she makes this point, she questions Mr. Powell’s understanding of Islam by stating, “that Islam is not just a religion but a political doctrine that seeks to impose itself on non-Muslims even by force.” Why don’t Muslims know this, well, according to Mrs. Sultan, they “are not familiar with it, or because they have deliberately progressed beyond it.” If they are not familiar with interpretation Mrs. Sultan provides, then how is it possible that many Muslims have already opened up discussions on this issue, as well as trying to understand it at many different angles? As for the latter point of her obscure belief, indeed Muslims have not progressed beyond it because for most Muslims, political Islam does not spread at the point of the sword, therefore their belief’s of Islamic law and political Islam can surely contain attributes of peace and tolerance. Is there something wrong with fostering those beliefs? They are in Mrs. Sultan’s view liars, mainly because “the concept of taqqia (literally, “caution, prudence, dissimulation”). It allows a Muslim to conceal his true cherished beliefs when he feels that non-Muslims around him have the upper hand, while at the same time working secretly to achieve his “noble” objective, so that he can attack them when the time is ripe.” I believe she purposely mentioned this because Barack Obama -with his Muslim background-maybe practicing “taqqia” on his fellow Americans. Or is she how some rational individuals call, Islamophobic?
As for taqqia and Surah 5:51 that was mentioned in her article, the answer to these often misconstrued tenents can be found here and here, respectively. I believe those articles would suffice as clear refutations. Mrs. Sultan has demonstrated her hatred for Islam, by misquoting sources, giving Islam a voice by attributing it to Islamists, and using political Islam as doctrine of offensive war which undermines this nation due to the practices of traditional Muslims. Yet, she does dot not discuss these statements with any depth, or references to other sources which could give the reader a better view of her beliefs. I feel there is still much needed intellectual discourse on Islam, but Mrs. Sultans arguments would dissipate completely in such venues .
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References:
Hikmah's Blog 