What we would really love to see and what we definitely don't want to see

Submitted by A very concerned reader, Mar 18, 2021 at 15:37

Dear Dr Pipes,

What Prashant has shared today with us very valuable. I am with him that what we all would love to read from the Islamic community is precisely this. I'm curious as well to know which these 26 verses will be. I'm also hopeful that one of those verses is Qur'an 5:33 as well as 5:64, 9:29, 9:30, among others. But indeed, I would love to see Muslims question and review the verses which put down women and reduce them to mere objects to satisfy their needs, procreate and perform the "only-women-can-do" chores. I would love to see that polygamy is ban and the Sharia law is modified by putting men and women on the same pedestal. It's hard to believe that they still suffer from this inequality in this century, that they can't divorce while a man can do it at anytime besides marrying an unlimited number of women. This is violence as well, Dr Pipes, although this one is hidden. We call it domestic violence, emotional and psychological abuse. Unlike the scars produced by being beating, these scars never fade away completely.

As one can inferred by both the hatred verses which instill nothing but violence towards those who are not of the same thinking ("convert or kill them" message) and the objectification of the women reduced to possessions that can be modified by several violent ways since Allah gives all the rights to the males' willingness, it is apparent to me that all in all, nothing good can come from this scripture. The seeds of terrorism can be grasped by kids from early years since they're forced to memorise the surahs for their prayers. A nonsense repetition that sooner or later will bring its rotten fruits out.

Perhaps I am a dreamer, but I repeat, I'm hopeful that one day, this is accepted from Muslims and a transformation can start. In the meantime, I feel that we have gone backwards in time, and in the West, soon, more infidels will he seduced by the luring campaigns to promote the "religion of peace", trying to imitate what little by little has found its place even in Western clothing brands, restaurants and halal food that we're eating without knowing, segregated places, documentaries and movies that we are kind of forced to watch without noticing. By measuring our words to not offend Muslims and even being called to condemn that an infidel singer has committed blasphemy in their lyrics. All for the sake of the tolerance and the diversity. Let alone the growing number of women converting to be able to marry Muslim men.

Far from being looked up to for our educational and health systems and enviable standards of welfare state, we would be just the ignorant who refuse to see the light. Hence, we would be so little in number, that we would need to defend ourselves. I don't want to see this day coming. But it's a fact that is already happening.

Thank you, Prashant, for sharing this again. Very interesting to read, as usual. And thanks Dr Pipes again for such a great work spreading your knowledge, analysis and experience.

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