May  06 Newsletter

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Dr. Ibrahim Among Thirty Prominent Reformists to Recieve a Death Threat From an Islamic Militant Group

Last month, the Ibn Khaldun Center was saddened to learn that a death threat had been issued to its Chairman, Dr. Saad Eddin Ibrahim, and over 30 other prominent political and religious reformers, including many in the West. On April 10th an organization, probably based in Egypt, calling itself “Supporters of God’s Messenger” (“Al-Munasirun li Rasul al Allah”) announced it would kill “atheists,” “polytheists” and their supporters unless they repented, listing its targets, and many of their family members by name.  The story was variously covered by Freedom House and the CBS News Network.

            Another prominent name on the list is Ahmad Subhy Mansour, an imam who fled Egypt and now lives in Virginia, and has published works arguing against the death penalty for apostasy. Yet another is Wafa Sultan, a California psychiatrist who, in recent media appearances in the West and on Al-Jazeera, has been an open, eloquent, and consistent critic of reactionary versions of Islam.  The communiqué charged that the names on the list had betrayed “Islam and the Muslim umma, publicly supported leaders of unbelief, the worshipers of the cross, the Christians with whom they attend conferences, helping them against our spiritual leaders, and even demanding for them the right of ruling over our Muslim lands. Also, they support and cooperate with the sons of pigs and monkeys [i.e. Jews] against our brothers in our homeland of our Al-Aqsa Mosque.” The e-mail, signed by one Abu Dhar al Maqdishi, identified as the group’s media spokesperson, was sent to their intended victims.

            The targets were pronounced “guilty of apostasy, unbelief, and denial of the Islamic established facts” and were given three days to “announce their repentance and disavow their writings in denial of the traditions of our Prophet and to repent their support of the countries of unbelief and their rulers.” It demanded that repentance be made “publicly in the newspapers that they write in, and never to return to these writings and deeds again.” The message also said the group knows where their homes are, where their children go to school, and when their wives are alone at home.

            Of course, death threats are an occupational hazard for Muslim reformers and those who support them, but this is more than the usual vicious e-mail or phone message. As Dr. Sultan pointed out in the Arab daily al-Sharq al-Awsat, the latest threat “differed from the dozens she had previously received because it was made by a group and not an individual,” and included personal information about the recipients, as well as the names of some of their spouses and children.

            Jihadists have taken heart from the many confused and appeasing government responses to the violence over the Danish cartoons and are escalating their offensive. Groups such as “Supporters of God’s Messenger” now aim to silence any prominent Muslim who dares to criticize their actions and beliefs or a would-be reformist who suggests a modern interpretation of Islam.

            Now is the time to ensure not only that those on these and similar lists are protected, but that their voices are heard and amplified. Otherwise all hope of an Islamic reform movement will be lost.

This article was taken from the original piece written by Paul Marshall of Freedom House’s Center for Religious Freedom, April 14th, 2006.