If it's not in your name, why not say something?

There is a common criticism often voiced about Muslims with respect to the terrorist acts that Al Qaeda, IS and other groups commit using the Muslim religion to legitimatise their despicable acts. The criticism is: "why do you keep so silent about what's being done in your name?". And the implicit conclusion drawn by many is that silence indicates complicity or, at the very least, support. Cue inflammatory headlines in the gutter press and right-wingers foaming at the mouth and spewing their bile over us.

Although there have been some Muslim leaders who very quickly and unambiguously disavowed and condemned terrorist acts, from the majority of Muslims overwhelmingly there seems to have been silence. Perhaps this silence is understandable when you consider the brutality of the terrorists. I suspect, but I don't know, that there has been, and probably still is, a very reasonable fear in the Muslim communities of horrible retribution on anyone that speaks against the Jihadis. Fear and intimidation are very effective until what people are feeling and experiencing is as frightening as what they fear. At that point even the timid fight back.

Ignore the headlines in the Sun and the Mail: I believe we are seeing the start of that fight back. The silence seems to be changing: voices are being raised. 'Ordinary' Muslims are beginning to speak out against the terrorists and as the number of voices being raised increases, terrorist intimidation will decrease, recruitment and indoctrination will diminish, and we will see defections in the terrorist camps.

 

It will be slow in the beginning, but if true Muslims continue to stand up for their faith, the terrorists will be defeated. In fact it is the only way that this perversion will truly be eradicated. The bombs and bullets favoured by Cameron and his fellow travellers might snuff out the infernos but it will take the voices of true faithful to stamp out all the embers.

Maybe I'm right, maybe I'm wrong. But, unfortunately, I'm pretty certain in thinking that the moderates won't get a chance to develop and deliver what we all want. Events in Parliament this week will probably see the hawks get their way. And I find that very sad.