Belgian Muslim population say Islam has nothing to do with terrorism. (
Tass).
164 Jihad Verses in the Koran: The 164
Jihad verses in this list was selected based on
how clearly and directly it spoke about
Jihad, at least when considered
in its immediate context.
Most of the listed passages mention a military expedition,
fighting, or distributing war spoils.
Belgian
Muslims’ response to the suicide bomb blasts that hit their country’s
capital on March 22 takes just two words to describe - pain and grief.
Devout Muslims keep saying again and again:
their faith and religion
have nothing to do with insane cruelty and violence, committed by
terrorists who claim that their aim is the triumph of "true faith."
The
residents of another Brussels community, Schaerbeek, now have to learn
to live under a pall of restlessness on the local streets. Nearly half
of its population is Muslim.
Schaerbeek currently sees incessant security sweeps and crowds
of journalists from all over the world roaming the streets.
"
We’d lived peacefully all along. We’d never thought life might turn
us this way. No one could’ve ever thought Islamic radicals would be in
hiding here," says Marocco-born local dweller Feisal.
He blames the radicalization of youth on a conflict of generations and a crisis of identity.
"By and large it’s the third generation of migrants. Their parents
had moved here in the post-war years to take builders’ and other
unskilled jobs,
their prime concern being to earn a living. They paid
very little attention to raising their kids, if at all," says Feisal.
It is such young people who are the easiest prey for radical recruiters.
"
They were abandoned to stew in their own juice. To look for a place
in life. They had no identity or a niche in society. Born in Belgium,
they proved aliens for those who had stayed in their home countries and
for the indigenous locals.
As a result many go astray and get
brainwashed," he said.
Feisal, who has established himself in Belgium well enough, believes that only enlightenment and education can banish extremism.
The
Quran does not call for murder. It’s all madness and lies, but the media
keep pouring oil on the fire. A majority of us are peaceful people in
their right mind.
The schools and well-versed intellectuals should do
their job properly. Regrettably, this may be a very lengthy process. The
fruits of such efforts are not immediately clear, though," he said.
The March 22 Brussels blasts drew strong condemnation from Belgium’s senior Muslim clerics.
The League of Imams of Belgium has described them as "
criminal doings beyond description."
"In the face of this tragedy we are calling upon all citizens of our country for solidarity and unity regardless of faith. We are to get through this test together and steer clear of the traps that may be planted in our way by those who wish to trample underfoot the values of tolerance and neighborliness we all together have worked for," the league of the Muslim clergy said in a message.
The head of the Belgian Muslims’ Executive, Salah Echallaoui, elected just before the tragedy, urged all Belgians to unite.
He called for a common front against all types of violence and terrorism, adding that the true Muslims of Belgium remained deeply committed to democratic values.
According to demographers, Belgium’s Muslim community is likely to double by 2030 to above one million. Read the full story
here.
