There is a huge gap between reinterpreting the texts of quranic scriptures (something that runs against fiqh or islamic jurisprudence), and only attempting to highlight the humanistic values abundant in islam, to face the western critics. The first is totally inconceivable, as it runs against the reasoning behind the message of islam itself,that God has preserved through the original script and the sunna of the prophet (Peace be upon him), added to them the ijtihad of the scholars. The second point is quite timely and runs with sincere attempts by muslims to purify and publicize their religion, as it actually is, and not as often negatively depicted socially and politically.

But ask yourself why, in a world where Islam is the fastest growing religion, with people from a multitude of backgrounds reverting to Islam in their droves, if Jews and Christians leave their reinterpreted and distorted religions and seek refuge in one that is preserved in its pristine truth, why should Muslims make their religion like the one that these people flee? Does that make any sense?

The reason how a religion of peace has managed to gain a reputation for being a religion of war and terror is down to the way the Islamic scriptures are misinterpreted to suit perverted agendas. Words and phrases that are often repeated in the media have been misconstrued by individuals to give incorrect meanings. The deliberate blur between jihad and acts of terror has been a phenomenon that has resulted from those unqualified in the science of Sacred Law. Since the end of the Sunni Ottoman Caliphate in 1924, the Muslim world has been fragmented. The loss of unification created many difficulties from
which Muslims are still trying to recover. For one thing, it has seen the loss of the promulgation of traditional Islam, which has now given way to individuals claiming the right to "reinterpret" Islamic texts (Ijtihad) to grant them legitimacy in their own ideas (bida or innovation). This has seen a tendency toward ambiguity and the careless use of many important terms. Traditional Islam in contrast is related to the notion of orthodoxy, clarity and authority; to continuity and consistency in the transmission of the truth. It places its reliance upon classical scholarship as exemplified in the four schools of Islamic jurisprudence. Within this tradition of Islam, a true Islamic landscape emerges, encompassing the richness of scholarly tradition and its illuminating contribution to the advancement of civilisation.

On the topic of treatment of women, and stereotyping, ponder the verse from the Glorious Quran that says, "O you who believe! If a rebellious evil person comes to you with a news, verify it, lest you harm people in ignorance, and afterwards you become regretful to what you have done." [Al-Hujurat 49:6]. Allow me to take you back once more when after the Russians retreated from Afghanistan during the Russian occupation, on the other side, the American government, the British government, the French, the Chinese, and all of the rest, supported the counter-revolutionaries called the Mujahideen; These groups subsequently dispersed into Afghanistan. All of them had different ideologies, and a lot of weapons. Instead of having a single administration, they fought in Afghanistan. The destruction that they brought was worse than the destruction the Russians brought. 63,000 people were only killed in the capital, Kabul. Another million people migrated because of this lawlessness.

Seeing this destruction and lawlessness, a group of students called the Taliban, started a movement called the Movement of Students. It first started in a village in the southern province of Afghanistan, called Kandahar. It happened when a war-lord, or a commander abducted two minor girls and violated them. The parents of those girls went to a school and asked the teacher of the school to help them. The teacher of that school, along with a sizeable number of students, finding only 16 guns, went and attacked the base of that commander. After releasing those two girls, they hanged that commander, and so many of his people were also hanged. This story was told everywhere. BBC and other news networks also quoted this story. Hearing the story, many other students joined this movement and started disarming the rest of the warlords. This same students movement now controls over 95% of the country including its capital. Only a bunch of those warlords are remaining in the northern corridor of Afghanistan.

These warlords are the ones that are the "bad" apples and have nothing to do with Islam. The "Real" Taliban that I'm talking about, after coming into control, actually eliminated kidnappings, rapes, prostitution, robberies, and murders committed by bandits and dacoits, that were rampant in Afghanistan in the years after the Russians retreated. When the Taliban took control, all brothels in Kabul were closed and the bandits fled to neighboring countries for refuge (i.e. Pakistan, Iran etc). Women were given their rights back as per the Glorious Quran. Afghans were now free to travel even at night.

Thanks to the Student Movement i.e. Taliban, there now exists strict Islamic shariah in Afghanistan. They have closed cinemas, prohibited photography of people, banned gambling, prostitution, etc. They "enforce" morality on their people and totally reject any form of westernism and secularism, which they perceive as corruption and running contrary to their way of living i.e. the "true" Islam. Obviously, due to the existing occupation, the Afghan infrastructure is almost completely destroyed from war. The brave warriors of the Student Movement are now fighting to defend their country, its people, dignity, respect and honour. The only thing remaining is for God to grant them victory over their enemies. Peace.

Ahmed