Jerusalem: An Opportunity for Islamic Reformation?

by Nonie Darwish
December 18, 2017 at 4:30 am

https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/11558/jerusalem-islamic-reformation

Despite the cries that Islam is a religion of peace, Islamic terror threat is everywhere; Muslims still teach hatred of Jews and Christians and they still preach jihad and killing the enemies of Allah. How can any sane person trust that Islam is moderate and is serious about wanting peace when the Muslim world is exploding with terror?
Only Trump could have done that at this moment -- and with the help of brave Muslim leaders, a new milestone towards peace can begin.

It is not a surprise that all Arab leaders, including some of the closest Arab allies of president Trump such as president al-Sisi of Egypt, are publicly against the decision by president Trump to move the US embassy to Jerusalem. Arab leaders understand a certain bloody backlash against them if they don't. This is because Islamic law dictates that all land once occupied by Muslims must remain Muslim forever. Under Sharia Muslims have the right to take over land from non-Muslims but the reverse is considered an attack on Islam.

That is where the problem of Jerusalem stems from and it does not matter to Muslims if Jerusalem, or its other name Zion, is mentioned in the Jewish bible 850 times but never mentioned in the Quran not even once. It does not matter if Jerusalem is the holy land of the Jewish people, if it was Israel's capital over 3000 years ago or that Jews pray facing Jerusalem while Muslims pray facing Mecca.

The Western world would do itself and the truth a favor if they, at least for once, stand united to support Israel in its right to Jerusalem as its undivided Capital. In fact, it is time for Muslims to accept that facts about Jerusalem and right historical wrongs. Not too long ago Arabs used to tell Jews when relations did not go well between Muslims and Jews in various areas of the Middle East, to go back to their holy land Jerusalem. Now that Jews have done so, Arabs are trying to rob them again and again of their holy land.

But with the historic announcement by president Trump to move the US embassy to Jerusalem, the Arab world has a great opportunity to prove to the world that Islam is a religion of peace and co-existence as they claim. The moment of truth has come to give a historical opportunity to Muslims to write the wrongs against the Jewish people.

Muslims now have two choices. One is to the respond with the usual terror, boycotts and intifadas. The second is to seize the moment of truth as the best opportunity for growth and reformation in Islam by accepting Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. But will Arabs take this opportunity? Or will they continue their tradition to keep missing every opportunity to make peace with humanity.

Ever since 9/11, Muslims have been eager to gain worldwide recognition that their religion is worthy of respect as a 'religion of peace'. They have invested tremendous resources and done almost everything they could to reverse the tarnished image of Islam.

To achieve that goal, Muslims have used coercion, denial, threats and deception. They have claimed victimhood, blamed others and used shaming, arm-twisting and name-calling, as in the word "Islamophobe". But despite the apparent Muslim eagerness to change worldviews on Islam, their hard work has not succeeded and that failure has been compounded by the almost daily horrific acts of terrorism in the name of Islam.

What is lacking is a genuine willingness by Muslim society to change, not only by words but also by action. Despite the cries that Islam is a religion of peace, Islamic terror threat is everywhere; Muslims still teach hatred of Jews and Christians and they still preach jihad and killing the enemies of Allah. How can any sane person trust that Islam is moderate and is serious about wanting peace when the Muslim world is exploding with terror?

Right now, the only respect the world has for Islam is the kind that emanates out of fear; not the kind that emanates out of trust. The opportunity for Muslims to prove otherwise is now. Muslims might show the world and themselves that they are starting to operate from a new paradigm: one of sincerity and security in viewing themselves as part of a world community where they must feel secure enough to co-exist with in peace.

If Muslims choose to operate from this new paradigm, they must start by ending the denial of the history of others, especially of Jews.

Arab acceptance of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel is the only road for genuine peace and prosperity in the Middle East.

Only Trump could have done that at this moment -- and with the help of brave Muslim leaders, a new milestone towards peace can begin.

The Dome of the Rock Islamic shrine, located on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. (Image source: Godot13/Wikimedia Commons)

Nonie Darwish, born and raised as a Muslim in Egypt, is the author of the book "Wholly Different; Why I Chose Biblical Values Over Islamic Values".

© 2024 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.

Related Topics: Israel

Recent Articles by Nonie Darwish

Does Turkey Belong in the Future of NATO?, 2018-08-15
"Jihad Allowance": Views of Work in the Middle East, 2018-07-10
Tyranny of Shaming, 2018-03-11
The Terrorism Jobs Program: Pampering the Palestinians Must End, 2018-01-16
The Expanding Umbrella of Anti-Semitism, 2017-11-24

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Comment on this item

12 Reader Comments

mark • Dec 22, 2017 at 09:05

Thanks, Nonie, but it is not Islam that claims it is a religion of peace and co-existence, but Bush and Obama and their ilk.

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David Walker • Dec 18, 2017 at 13:20

"Ever since 9/11, Muslims have been eager to gain worldwide recognition that their religion is worthy of respect as a 'religion of peace'."

Really?

What with ISIL/ISIS burning schoolgirls alive for refusing forced marriage, Boko Haram, al Quaeda, terrorist atrocities throughout the Middle East, Europe and the USA, the rape and grooming gangs in dozens of British towns and cities preying on nuder-age girls because under Sharia law it is permissible as they are not considered fully human and many, many other unpleasant matters - all of which appears to be entirely ignored by the vast majority of the organisations who claim to speak for Islam - and worse, often complain that any attempt to bring these affairs to the public notice amounts to Islamophobia, I can't say I've noticed.

Nor am I the only one...

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Carl Goldberg • Dec 18, 2017 at 13:15

This is very surprising coming from Nonie Darwish who understands Islam. How can she possibly speak of a genuine peace between Muslims and Israelis, or between Muslims and Jews, in general? Ms Darwish knows perfectly well that the Moslem god, Allah, in the Koran, commands Moslems to make war on the Jews (and Christians, too) and subjugate them to Islamic law (9:29). And, she knows perfectly well that the Moslem prophet, Muhammad, commanded Moslems to fight with the Jews and kill them. This genocidal hadith is part of the Hamas Charter. These sacred doctrines are in addition to the Islamic law Darwish cites which says that any territory once conquered by Moslems remains Islamic forever. Individual Moslems can live in peace with a Jewish Israel, but Islam -- that is, the entire Islamic religious commmunity -- cannot. Articles like this one only awaken false hopes in non-Moslems that Islam can somehow, someday, become peaceful if Moslems start behaving peacefully. These false hopes are dangerous. Nonie Darwish knows better, so why is she awakening these false hopes?

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menahem lester • Dec 18, 2017 at 12:32

Nonie - I appreciate your articles and your frankness.
However, there is another factor which you've missed.
Islam - somehow or other - is attractive to some people. I speak from knowledge of the UK, where it's known that 100,000 people converted to Islam over the last decade. Moslems make up a surprising proportion of the prison population and in prison they proselytise and convert many. Young women also seem attracted to Islam and maybe, in particular to Moslem men who have a clear vision (murder?) of life whereas the run-of-the-mill British male is often devoid of purpose.
Despite the violence and the campaign to subdue the infidel population - and maybe because of it - Islam still gains.

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Bisley • Dec 18, 2017 at 12:31

There's always been an opportunity for Islamic reformation, but an exceptionally slim one. It won't happen without a different sort of people in political and religious leadership. While most of the Muslim public would probably accept coexistence with non-Muslims, if that was the official policy, very few those who are in favor of such a policy are going to risk the consequences of going against the generally accepted belief to promote it. And, since most of the existing leadership derive much of their wealth and power from keeping the struggle against unbelievers going, it's simply not in their interest to support any change of policy, regardless of what good it might do.

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Harvey Epstein • Dec 18, 2017 at 11:51

Here again we find another "prayer" that Islam somehow reform itself. The changes required to achieve the goal will not come from a reformation, but only from a transformation. Frankly this can only occur if a new "messenger" arrives and a totally new Word is presented to replace the Koran. This will not likely happen.

Some sects, such as the Ahmadiyy, make an effort, but most of the Islamic world treats this as heresy. This approach has failed to win the hearts and minds of the mass of Muslims.

To even think that Islam is a religion of peace, or that it even has a peaceful intention and is conjoined with a concept of tranquillity which is acceptable to any other faith is to live in a dreamworld. Just read the Koran itself. It is a religion of subjugation.

Ask yourself the simple question: what has happened since 9/11? Are there more Christians, Jews, Hindi, Budhists, etc. in Muslims controlled lands, or fewer? Have conflicts within Islam declined? The fact is that the Shia and the Sunni are just forming greater alliances against each other and seeking non-Muslims allies in the process.

We need to sort out those heretical/moderate sects of Islam and try assist them against their antagonists. We should remember that the Koran calls for our destruction. We seem to forget this. Islam is still at war with all things non-Islamic and if we forget this we are doomed, as were the Jews of Medina and Kaybar.

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June • Dec 18, 2017 at 09:43

The US Congress had declared Jerusalem as Israel's capital in 1995 and thus since then it has been the law. The fact that subsequent Presidents had deferred the move has been one of fear that moving the Embassy would not be in our best interests. It has not been in the best interests of the US. Even as we have aided our supposed allies in the Middle East, frequent protests of death to America, the big Satan have emanated from these "allies". Our soldiers have died for Iraq, yet Iraq is in the thrall of Iran. Jordan, a country in existence only by the grace of the US and Israel, harbors a population which despises the US. There is not one true ally in the Middle East with the exception of Israel. This was an overdue and needed move. We must climb out of the rabbit hole and stand up for our rights and our interests. We have the strength to defend both. Now, we must understand where those interests truly lie and it is not in Islam!

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Raymond Rakower • Dec 18, 2017 at 08:49

The only problem is that the Muslims consider their present life on Earth as a very brief moment, and that their real "life" is the eternity in Allah's paradise. Which means that for them, making peace with people of other faiths doesn't have any meaning. To the contrary, they believe that it would spoil their eternal life. The conclusion is that peace between Palestinians and Israelis can never happen. One must therefore admire Sissi, the Egyptian leader, to live in peace with Israel. But he must be very careful towards Egypt's religious leaders.

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Hanna • Dec 18, 2017 at 07:25

Dear Nonie Darwish, you are dreaming. This is all wishful thinking. Everyone, including many Muslims, knows that JERUSALEM IS AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN ISRAEL'S CAPITAL. Unfortunately, most Muslims will never accept this fact. So, it is time for all Jews, and the rest of the world to do what is right and not only declare Jerusalem as Israel Capital, but also practice what they preach, and make it happen — MOVE THE EMBASSY TO JERUSALEM, IT IS ABOUT TIME, last, but not least, President DONALD TRUMP got it right — the Jewish Embassy should have been in Jerusalem a long time ago — whether the Muslims like it or not. They, the Muslims will complain and riot, but they do that anyhow. Sooner or later they will get used to it. IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. Thank you Nonie Darwish and Gatestone.

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Nonie Darwish

Hanna • Dec 18, 2017 at 13:01

The point of the article is to prove to the world that Islam cannot continue to claim it's a religion of peace as long as they don't accept Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. If Arabs continue to claim Jerusalem for Islam, then Islam is NOT a religion of peace.

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Gabriella

Hanna • Dec 18, 2017 at 13:41

Humiliation and shame are two very strong emotions that are driving the rejection of the Jewish presence in Israel with Jerusalem as its capital. I can imagine that there is nothing more humiliating for the Arabs than having the Jews, who are considered worse than dogs and pigs - or is it monkeys and pigs? - living in their midst, having established their state, won wars against all odds, and made such a success of their country. It must feel like an intolerable insult, and provoke so much envy. Envy is very destructive, it consumes you, but it also stops you from fulfilling yourself in life. It is tragic, really, that there are so many wasted lives, consumed by hatred and rage.

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Musya Tumanyan

Hanna • Dec 18, 2017 at 18:22

Nonie Darwish, I highly respect your point of view. However, it's a wishful thinking. As you rightfully stated, the Muslim World will not change, it goes against their fundamental beliefs and therefore not attainable. I do fully agree with Hanna! That's exactly what the every progressive democratic country should do - to move their Embassy to Jerusalem. Otherwise it already sends a message of submission to the demands and blackmail by the Muslim World/Street. A progressive Muslim leader is under constant threat for his life if he goes against the Muslim Street. At this point there are no reasonable forces that can and will change the Muslim narrative of Islam superiority. It will be a total suicide. Therefore, the stand President Trump took is unprecedented and should be supported by the Free Democratic World. Unfortunately as we see today the threat of oil boycott and militant jihad continues to loom over the minds of World Countries leaders. Hence is the excuse not to follow the right lead. Many excuses not to follow are meaningless, the fact of the matter weak country leaders are just scarred for the consequences and backlash from the Muslim World. But thank you Nonie Darwish and thanks to Gatestone for the interesting topic. I am a loyal follower of your publication and when possible post and forward to my friends on FB.

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