I was born in Egypt to a privileged Muslim family, whose members included politicians and judges. I fled to Israel after I was tortured and sentenced to death over my decision to become Christian. I later made Canada my home, where I advocate for the religious freedoms and rights of minorities worldwide. The latest terrorist attacks in Canada, Australia, and France came as no surprise to those how have been following the rise of radical Islam. These attacks were brought about by a murderous political ideology, which focuses on world domination and makes every possible effort to avoid the truth. It is time to put an end to the suicidal practice of political correctness. We have to recognize terrorists for who they are, and we have to acknowledge the role radical Islam plays in the rise of violence and terrorism worldwide. Terrorist attacks, wherever they take place, cannot be justified or condoned. Radical Islam is not the product of poor socio-economic conditions, and wherever it gains a foothold we immediately see the subjugation and oppression of women and religious minorities. Criticizing and denouncing radical Islam for the actions of its proponents is not Islamophobia -- it is a necessary, justified action if we are to hold Muslims responsible for the religious education they offer. It is our right and our duty to do so, for our sake, for our children's sake, and for the sake of the millions of moderate and secular Muslims, who are concerned by the rapid rise of radical Islam in their countries. Islamist radicals carried out two especially inhumane terrorist attacks in 2014: In April, over 200 teenage girls were abducted by Boko Haram operatives in Nigeria and little is known of what has become of them. Various media reports suggested some were forced of convert to Islam and marry Boko Haram operatives, and some may have been sold into slavery. In September, Taliban gunmen stormed a school in Peshawar, Pakistan, and killed 140 people, most of them students. Despite the rage expressed by the international community in both cases, the world eventually moved on. The same week of the Paris terrorist attack, Boko Haram killed some 2,000 people in Baga, Nigeria, but the world ignored this brutal massacre almost entirely. These radicals go by different names: Taliban, Boko Haram, Islamic State, and al-Qaida to name a few, but their ideology and objectives are similar. Islam's biggest problem is not the rise of extremism, but the silence of moderate Muslims. They believe that by keeping quiet they are protecting themselves, but the truth is, they are only making the situation worse, as moderate and secular Muslims are sure to find themselves as these radicals' next target. The Muslim community should see the attacks in Paris as a wake-up call and realize it must begin an internal dialogue about the nature of its religion. Those subscribing to other religions should encourage the Muslim community to hold an open, respectful dialogue. Rev. Majed El Shafie is a human rights advocate and founder of the Toronto-based One Free World International human rights organization.
Criticism is not Islamophobia
מערכת ישראל היום
מערכת "ישראל היום“ מפיקה ומעדכנת תכנים חדשותיים, מבזקים ופרשנויות לאורך כל שעות היממה. התוכן נערך בקפדנות, נבדק עובדתית ומוגש לציבור מתוך האמונה שהקוראים ראויים לעיתונות טובה יותר - אמינה, אובייקטיבית ועניינית.
