Ayaan Irsi Ali. Infidel, Free Press, 2007, ISBN 0-7432-9503-X
This is a nightmarish, mind-shattering book. A time-travel book back one thousand years into a grim, primitive time. Everybody knows that Islam was spread with sword and fire — in one word, by terror. Nothing has changed its predatory essence.
The author, Ayaan Irsi Ali, is a Somalian born Dutch citizen who had an exceptionally disadvantaged childhood — first in Mogadishu, later in Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia and then Nairobi, Kenya. She survived malaria, pneumonia, female genital mutilation without any anesthesia, and a bandit who held a knife to her throat but then decided not to cut. She survived her sadistic mother’s daily beatings; her Qu’ran teacher’s beating that fractured her skull, and her father’s heartless action to marry her off to the first-comer. After such torments and trials you would think that Muslims would sympathise with Irsi Ali? No, they want to murder her, making a mockery of Allah the merciful, Allah the beneficent!
While the family lived in Saudi Arabia, ruled by the fundamentalist Muslims, from where they were deported in 1979, everything was associated with sin. If a girl’s white headscarves shook loose, that was sin. Men were flogged, women were stoned. After the Friday noon prayer you could go and watch the executions, where heads and hands were cut off. Saudi women were regularly beaten by their husbands. How is it possible that in our day and age no human rights organisation has done anything to abolish such terrible and primitive practices?
When Irsi Ali became a teenager she tried very hard to be a good Muslim, wearing approved garments and praying a lot. At the same time she had enough sense to graduate from high school. She realised, that education was important. She learned English and read English literature. Her expertise in English was the magic key, which opened the door to her freedom.
Irsi Ali’s father enjoyed the attractions of polygamy. He married four times, including remarrying his first wife. When it suited him, he just walked off and left the wives to fend for themselves and his children. The first wife was a government official and able to bring up their two daughters, but Irsi Ali’s mother had to beg his clan for money to feed his children. The third wife had only one child. In actual fact polygamy is simply a factory for producing babies. What an existence, filled with noise and prayer. No songs, no dances, no parties, no music, no art, theatre or fiction literature.
It is very obvious that Islam is incompatible with the idea of modern democracy. Infidel has already had a huge impact on the whole world, and even if the irate Muslims happen to murder Irsi Ali, her message remains alive: that Islam has to succumb to reform to become humane and acceptable to the modern world. It is wrong for the West to be supertolerant of primitive practices of Islam.
When truth fears daylight (1)
Archived Articles | 07 Sep 2007 | I.R. LiscinskiEWR
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Reading this article I became concerned about its very racist tone. There is too much racism in this world, we should not add to it. I have lived and travelled a lot in Muslim countries, so I know a bit about Islam and Muslims. There is such a great variety among the 1 billion or so Muslims. The majority are peaceful and just want to get on with their lives. Malaysia is not Turkey is not Saudi Arabia. Iran under the Shah was not as it is under the Ayatollah. To lump all Muslims into one and call the essence of Islam “predatory” is just wrong. Remember that Christianity was also spread by “sword and terror” – the Inquisition, the Crusades, what was done to the Maya, Inca and Aborigines. Both World Wars were mainly undertaken by Christians. Christian America has invaded countries killing a great many of the local population. Christian Great Britain colonized non-Christian countries denying locals their rights.
And one must also not get into the erroneous belief that cultural traditions and politics are the same as what is noted in the Koran. Both the Bible and Koran are subject to interpretation – fundamentalist Christians and missionaires are sometimes not that nice either.
Fundamentalist Islam is not acceptable to me, but calling all Muslims terrorists is also not acceptable. I also believe that the abuse of women by fundamentalist Muslims should be denounced loudly and clearly but not at the expense of all of Islam. Most Muslims love to dance (eg bellydancing), have wonderful music, throw great parties and Islam is very rich in the arts (eg Alhambra, Blue Mosque). And like any religion, country, nation, peoples, there are flaws and problems. So let’s keep it in perspective.
As a final note, “modern democracy” is not always the best solution. North America and Europe are babies in history compared to Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Those cultures flourished while England was just getting itself out of the gutter. In some cases, tribal rulers are the best choice. But then our Christian ideals would not allow that, would they.
And one must also not get into the erroneous belief that cultural traditions and politics are the same as what is noted in the Koran. Both the Bible and Koran are subject to interpretation – fundamentalist Christians and missionaires are sometimes not that nice either.
Fundamentalist Islam is not acceptable to me, but calling all Muslims terrorists is also not acceptable. I also believe that the abuse of women by fundamentalist Muslims should be denounced loudly and clearly but not at the expense of all of Islam. Most Muslims love to dance (eg bellydancing), have wonderful music, throw great parties and Islam is very rich in the arts (eg Alhambra, Blue Mosque). And like any religion, country, nation, peoples, there are flaws and problems. So let’s keep it in perspective.
As a final note, “modern democracy” is not always the best solution. North America and Europe are babies in history compared to Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Those cultures flourished while England was just getting itself out of the gutter. In some cases, tribal rulers are the best choice. But then our Christian ideals would not allow that, would they.
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