I’m glad many Muslims are writing about the news story of the moment concerning Boko Haram and clarifying the record more or less about Islam. However, to what end? Will this make them or any other so-called Islamist group change their ways? Will the hashtags, op-eds, media coverage, etc. resolve the matter? In my more extremist days I proposed a real on the ground solution: raise a Muslim army and go after these criminals like Marines storming Iwo Jima, but that was in my extremist days…
That said, while I admire our attempts to stay relevant and attempt to convince non-Muslims that we aren’t like “those people” I will continue to wonder the end game. As a character in a favorite novel series of mine always says “words are wind”. Maybe it’s time to be more hands on…or we can continue writing our hearts out, talking on TV and Radio, and hoping groups like Boko Haram will ever care, realize the error of their ways, and cease and desist, because we keep asking so fervently.
My Arabic isn’t so good (think kindergarten student trying to read) but my English translation of the Qur’an says something to the effect of: “Had I not raised men to repel other men, the world would be overrun with injustice.” I’m no scholar, but I don’t think Allah meant repelling with op-eds and media interviews, but I could be wrong.
Meanwhile, the media is now wondering if Boko Haram is a threat to the US….we should all know where that question leads and the implication behind putting the thought out there in the first place…
I eagerly await the day the sleeping giant arises from it’s slumber.
An American Muslim 