Sir,
I hope that I get you right, since I was only responding to Ibrahim Abdullah in kind when he so unkindly keeps on making insinuations about the prospect (in his lurid imagination) of Sweden (god forbid) looting Mali when we should be gratefully welcoming the proposed Swedish contributions to maintaining some security for the majority of Mali's people, since Mali herself and the combined military forces of the African Union's 53 member states seem incapable of contributing a credible peacekeeping force to improve the security situation in that country.
As to looting – and indeed booty - it would appear that the Quran sanctions this and there is a whole chapter in the Quran Surat Al-'Anfal – the spoils of war devoted to explaining what Islam is all about.
It's amazing that Muslims are fighting almost everywhere in the Muslim world – except in the Islamic Republic of Iran – and yet you ask " Enemies of Islam"? "What is one to understand by the term? Who are these usually unidentified enemies? Is a concerned, constructive critic or commentator on an important matter of their time an enemy?"
I just met a friend from Morocco and complained about this militarisation of Islam – and he dismissed it as just politics! There is spirituality in Islam - and from a Sufi point of view I guess that the main jihad is to be made against the nafs al ammara
I think that we ought to leave it to the Muslims in this our discussion forum to answer your queries, including your unease with the activities of their Muslim Brethren in Boko Haram who are wreaking so much havoc on Mother Nigeria. As you have said, "Non-believers are therefore necessarily stakeholders in Islam" and further argue the necessity for peace since Muslims and Christians live in close proximity within the same country Nigeria. I know for a fact that Christians at least (all Christians) would like to live in peace and harmony with their Nigerian brothers and sisters-in Islam and now it seems to me that the ball is in their court and they should start trying to calm their brothers down because Boko Haram is not going to be allowed to destroy Nigeria or to destroy the whole world and bring untold suffering on themselves their womenfolk and children,with their terrorism. President Goodluck Jonathan at heart a peaceful man wanted to improve the security situation by even offering the bloodthirsty Boko Haram people amnesty to help them actualise the salaam alaikum wa rahmatullah, so that "non-believers"may stop keeping an eye on Jihad Watch and start looking upon and even be attracted to Islam as the religion of peace – but at this stage they say that they don't want an amnesty – the more peaceful Muslims should try to bring about peace everywhere where Muslims are fighting themselves and " non-believers"because, amnesty or no amnesty, after war it's usually peace or a ceasefire ...the Boko should go for a ceasefire...
On Tuesday, 4 June 2013 20:28:13 UTC+2, Anunoby, Ogugua wrote:
--Enemies of Islam"? What is one to understand by the term? Who are these usually unidentified enemies? Is a concerned, constructive critic or commentator on an important matter of their time an enemy?Islam is one of the world's great religions. Islams's followers share the world often times in close proximinaty with many, some of them call choose to call non-believers. It is often times forgotten that these so called non-believers' lives and livelihood are affected by the thoughts and activities of "believers". Non-belivers are therefore necessarilly stakeholders in Islam as muslims are in Christianity. They are entitled to have an abiding and enduring interest in what Islam teachs her followers to believe and think because what people think and believe help to determine how they choose to conduct themselves and act toward others. I might add too that Islam has help to shape our world for hundreds of years now and is consequently a legitimate subject of study, commentary, and criticism.If we assume for example that an enemy is an extremist non well-wisher, is it conceivable or indeed the case that Islam may have more enemies with it than outside it at this time? Was the al qaeda founder a friend or enemy of Islam? Are Nigeria's Boko Haram members friends or enemies of Islam? Has Islam become a convenient facade employed by some determined, extremist, ideological adventurers chasing their political dreams? I am just asking?"oa
From: usaafric...@googlegroups.com [usaafric...@googlegroups.com ] On Behalf Of Cornelius Hamelberg [cornelius...@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, June 04, 2013 11:58 AM
To: usaafric...@googlegroups.com
Cc: Cornelius Hamelberg; emea...@mail.ccsu.edu
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Swedish Peace keeping troops for Mali
PS.
Ibrahim Abdullah,
By accusing Sweden, I hope that you get my point and a taste of how it feels to be falsely accused.
What do you (pl.) make of the following:
In The Name Of Allah - Booty Plunder & Loot in Muhammad's Islam
Surat Al-Fath [48:20] - The Noble Qur'an
There's a lot of spurious, deliberate misinformation about Islam coming from some of the enemies of Islam. For instance, we know for a fact that people like Abu Bakr,al-Siddiq, Zubayr ibn al-Awam and Talha ibn Ubaydullah were millionaires by yesterday's and today's standards
Ibn Warraq tends to invoke "ethical relativism" as an excuse for that of which Islam is sometimes being accused.
So, if you could just provide some evidence to back your pious protestations and what you fear Swedes might do in the future, as guest in Mali, I'll be the last person to argue with you. There's another fear-monger Robert Fowler, in today's BBC Hardtalk; he fears that Islamic radicals are working on a plan to establish a caliphate that will extend from Mauritania to Somalia – he says that Boko Haram and allies are united in that sense of purpose
On Tuesday, 4 June 2013 17:30:53 UTC+2, Cornelius Hamelberg wrote:--
Dear Ibrahim Abdullah,
Of course in some war situations which get out of control, soldiers loot, rape and pillage. In some non-war situations that what some African governments are accused of doing, by their own people : looting their people's treasuries, systematically . T It's a class of Africans known as the lootocracy . We could focus on those no good buggers instead.
I remember how I felt when I read this paragraph on page 16 of Solomon Nigosian's Islam: Its History, Teaching, and Practices the section on"Prophet and Statesman":
" The economic interests of Muhammed and his followers depended at first on local trade. Later, however,Muhammed approved raids, in normal Arab fashion, on caravans passing through or near Medina. He himself led three such raids in 623, all of which failed. A year later he led some 300 men to attack a wealthy Meccan caravan returning from Syria with a supporting force of over 900 men. The two forces faced each other near a place called Badr. In the ensuing battle the Meccans were badly defeated. This success appeared to Muhammed as a divine vindication of his prophethood. Moreover it encouraged him to lead larger Muslim forces on preemptive raids against hostile nomadic tribes." (and the next couple of paragraphs) which all lead to discussions of "ethical relativism" of the type Ibn Warraq raises in several of his writings
I don't suppose that you are proud of the looting done by the conquering Muslim armies in early Islam; quite on the contrary you must be proud of the denials of looting done by the conquering Muslim armies in early Islam.
You say that Sweden looted in the Congo - well I don't even take the Quran's word for everything that I understand of what the Quran says, so why should I believe your accusations, without any proof? The Quran says bring your proof.
As for Mali some precious manuscripts were allegedly looted by the Tuaregs others (thank God) are in safe keeping and hopefully undergoing restoration in the United States of America.
Sweden is going to Mali for humanitarian reasons, Sweden is not going there to loot, but to stabilise the situation, keep the peace, engage in social services activities and to help build/re-build infrastructure. If the Africa Union could do it, Sweden or France wouldn't have to be there According to the news sources,
" Sweden would contribute with airborne transport, flight safety support, and a national support unit, Defence Minister Karin Enström told the TT news agency.
"This is about a lack of development, decades of tension between different ethnic groups, uncertain access to food, widespread humanitarian need, increasing criminal activities and armed extremists," the ministers wrote.
"Our answer to help must therefore be broad. This is about security, about relieving acute distress, about sustainable development and about supporting political processes. And we must do all this together with the many international players who have been gathered to contribute to the Mali government and the Malian people."
The ministers added that 15 Swedish military instructors were already aiding the EU's efforts to educate and advise Mali's armed forces, claiming the operation was risk free.
"It is in Sweden's interest to contribute to international peace, security, and development in different ways. It is a part of our global responsibility. This is how our foreign policy tradition looks. And that is how we will continue to act," the ministers wrote.
Bildt explained that Swedish Hercules planes would carry out "tactical transports" and that Swedish troops would be in the field, but not out on patrol as they are in Afghanistan.
"No operation is risk free," he told TT.
While the current proposal limits the Swedish operation to one year, it's possible the mission could be extended. "
On Monday, 3 June 2013 23:00:54 UTC+2, Ibrahim Abdullah wrote:Sweeden will not be proud if they repeat what they did in the Congo: LOOT!!!!!!!!IB=======================
On Mon, Jun 3, 2013 at 4:44 PM, Cornelius Hamelberg <cornelius...@gmail.com> wrote:
I was only pulling the Ibrahim Abdullah's leg.
Oh Gloria! So we love both him (Abdullah Ibra-him) ? That's good news coming from you. We have several friends in common, mostly here in Stockholm. Met him for the first time at a Fasching Concert to which I took the late Jeff Cartriers ( great jazz bassist from South Africa - also known as Ishmail) who was then in a wheel chair. Jeff was a friend of Elisabeth Palme – the wife of Olof Palme...that's just a small indication of how close the anti-Apartheid movement in Sweden was to the Swedish government. The cream of the still Stockholm based South African freedom fighters, musicians, poets, ideologues, grass root workers, future ambassadors etc. were at the concert I'm talking about and we sat at the high table with some of the great ones. During the break Jeff introduced me to Abdullah Ibrahim ( whose music I had been listening to for years) at which point - on being introduced to him, I recited one of his anti-apartheid poems to him, a poem I had read in "Transition Magazine " or maybe "Black Orpheus" at the Institute of African Studies library in Ghana, in 1970 :
"Then
as now when
finger-touched
you moved your hand
away."
and then immediately made the fatal mistake of attributing the poem to the name under which he had created it : Dollar Brand. (He hates that name). I've met some of the great South African and African American jazz musicians. It's a tough profession....
Here he is with Johnny : Abdullah Ibrahim & Johnny Dyani : Namhanje
Another favourite : Abdullah Ibrahim - Soweto/Dollar Brand - African Herbs
So many Swedish women that I know, are in love with that. South African jazz pianist ….
On Monday, 3 June 2013 15:56:38 UTC+2, Emeagwali, Gloria (History) wrote:Correction:From: Cornelius Hamelberg [cornelius...@gmail.com]
The South African Jazz pianist, a musician with over seventy albums to his name,
is Abdullah Ibrahim. I love his music. He is my favorite musician.
Professor Gloria Emeagwali
africahistory.net
vimeo.com/user5946750/videos
Documentaries on Africa and the African Diaspora
________________________________
Sent: Monday, June 03, 2013 5:21 AMTo: usaafric...@googlegroups.com
Cc: Emeagwali, Gloria (History)
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Swedish Peace keeping troops for Mali
There's a connection between the little provocations made by my most dear, most revered, most effulgent Mwalimu Mama Mzuri Gloria-in-excelsis-Emeagwali and my favourite South African jazz pianist, Brother Ibrahim Abdullah and that is that you both touch a raw nerve : Dag Hammarskjöld<http://www.google.co.uk/#output=search&sclient= > perishing because he and the Swedish peacekeeping military were standing up against international racism (immorality for profit) in Conrad's and King Leopold's Congo - and the recent riots that spread from Husby - that have been characterised as "Muslim riots<http://www.google.co.uk/psy-ab&q=Dag+Hammarskjöld+and+ the+Congo&oq=Dag+Hammarskjöld+ and+the+Congo&gs_l=hp.12.. 0i22i30l4.2752.2752.0.4437.1. 1.0.0.0.0.115.115.0j1.1.0...0. 0...1c..15.psy-ab.a4ZXqdqZzTM& pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm= bv.47244034,d.bGE&fp=35acbb911 3f5c85e&biw=1024&bih=613 #sclient=psy-ab&q=muslim+riots >" by the enthusiastic sections of the islamophobic media , otherwise also wrongly characterised as the Swedish race riots <http://www.google.co.uk/#scli+in+sweden+2013&oq=Muslim+ riots+in+Sweden&gs_l=hp.1.2. 0j0i22i30j0i8.2447.10301.0. 14281.22.13.0.9.9.0.243.1348. 9j2j2.13.0...0.0...1c.1.15. psy-ab.gg08tvdk8Z4&pbx=1&bav= on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.47244034, d.bGE&fp=35acbb9113f5c85e&biw= 1024&bih=613 ent=psy-ab&q=race+riots+in+ >Sweden&oq=race+riots+in+Sweden &gs_l=hp.12..0i8.1094005. 1099334.1.1101652.20.12.0.8.8. 0.92.811.12.12.0...0.0...1c.1. 15.psy-ab.LJGMfVtTOFQ&pbx=1& bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv. 47244034,d.bGE&fp= 35acbb9113f5c85e&biw=1024&bih= 613
It's so tedious having to have to engage some of the self-appointed media pundits (they're everywhere) and sometimes have running battles (verbal) with them, trying to explain that it's not only Muslims rioting. It's mostly frustrated and marginalised immigrant youths – nearly all of them Swedes/ Swedish citizens many of whom were born and bred in Sweden etc. most of them white or Semites. Some academics have now proposed a commission to look into the causes of the violent
" resistance" and I hope that the commission will include some experts "of foreign extraction" and that they will come out with meaningful recommendations that will be implemented in this our refugee-land in which many immigrants – like the Jews of old – do not want to assimilate or succumb to the Francophone type policy <http://www.google.co.uk/#gs_rn=15&gs_ri=psy-ab&suggest=p&cp > in Africa, that demanded that they become assimilated, "assimilé" - a slightly more difficult thing for many immigrants to achieve in Sweden, when for most parts of their lives they are sequestered in immigrant ghettoes such as Husby – where Sheikh al-Hajji Bangura's other most favourite Negro from Sierra Leone (not me) used to live...=36&gs_id=88&xhr=t&q=French+as similation+policy+in+Africa&es _nrs=true&pf=p&output=search& sclient=psy-ab&oq=French+ assimilation+policy+in+Africa& gs_l=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.& bvm=bv.47244034,d.bGE&fp= 35acbb9113f5c85e&biw=1024&bih= 613
The first real racist that I ever met in Sweden was a guy who had served in the Swedish military in the Congo. He even explained it to me and I could understand that he became a racist out there in the jungle – and perhaps you would have become one too ( or a tribalist ?) if the enemy tribe or Oyibo had been shooting at you and trying to genocide you (like Moïse Tshombe) 24 hrs a day - or a couple of months or years whilst serving out there. You'd bear the scars of war – the scars of having to do unpleasant things such as killing, mostly in order to stay alive – killing - instead of turning the other cheek or " loving your enemies" as the Xtian scriptures tell us – as in I wanna love you<http://www.google.co.uk/#sclient=psy-ab&q=Bob+Marley+:+I > – and treat you right (everyday and every night)s+this+love&oq=Bob+Marley+:+Is +this+love&gs_l=hp.12..0l4.449 6.4496.0.5766.1.1.0.0.0.0.91. 91.1.1.0...0.0...1c..15.psy- ab.wLfOhA7lI2A&pbx=1&bav=on.2, or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.47244034,d. bGE&fp=35acbb9113f5c85e&biw=10 24&bih=613
That Swedish troops have ever been accused of "looting" is news to me – in fact much of the once great Swedish auto industry depended on raw materials like cobalt which is still plentiful in the Congo and South Africa – and yet Swedish trade unions of the type which the current leader of the Social Democrats Stefan Löfven used to head ( it's called METAL) - they were prepared to suffer the effects of sanctions on South Africa which could have crippled or immobilised the auto industry - with no alternative sources of supply, but they went ahead – and in fact I occasionally met a couple of COSATU representatives (at home for dinner) who were sent to Sweden to train....
We should be happy and congratulate Sweden for wanting to help our people in Mali - whilst the Africa Union is still dragging it's feet complaining about lack of finances and equipment (as usual) after so many years of independence and co-operation with the looting of the continent they are still engaged in their favourite Buddhist contemplative pastime called "do-nothing" perhaps on the way to Nirvana, a supreme state of super-natural indifference and inertia.
'Sweden should be proud of its troops' - The Local<http://www.google.se/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source= >web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CC4QFjAA &url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww. thelocal.se%2F48216%2F20130529 %2F&ei=V0qsUYbfCIX24QSL5ICoDg& usg=AFQjCNHunSpiHu460ZffqtICKa edWWE7ng&sig2=uby5PRI2nu0vNwNn fQ5UHw&bvm=bv.47244034,d.bGE
Sin-cerely,
http://www.thelocal.se/blogs/corneliushamelberg/
On Monday, 3 June 2013 02:48:41 UTC+2, Emeagwali, Gloria (History) wrote:
...and they had a whole week of race (?) riots last week.
Professor Gloria Emeagwali
africahistory.net<http://africahistory.net >
vimeo.com/user5946750/videos<http://vimeo.com/user5946750/vi >deos
Documentaries on Africa and the African Diaspora
________________________________________
From: usaafric...@googlegroups.com<https://webmail.ccsu.edu/owa/Ur > [usaafric...@googlegroups.com<lBlockedError.aspx https://webmail.ccsu.edu/owa/U >] On Behalf Of Ibrahim Abdullah [ibdu...@gmail.com<https://webrlBlockedError.aspx mail.ccsu.edu/owa/UrlBlockedEr >]ror.aspx
Sent: Saturday, June 01, 2013 6:46 PM
To: usaafric...@googlegroups.com<https://webmail.ccsu.edu/owa/Ur >lBlockedError.aspx
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Swedish Peace keeping troops for Mali
Hope the Sweedes will behave this time around--they looted the Congo in the 60s.
========
On 5/30/13, Cornelius Hamelberg <cornelius...@gmail.com<https://webmail.ccsu.edu/owa/UrlBloc >> wrote:kedError.aspx
>
>
> *Swedish Peace keeping troops for
> Mali*<http://www.thelocal.se/48232/20130530/ >
>
>
> Of relevance: *African Union proposes an emergency military
> force*<http://www.google.co.uk/#output=search&sclient=psy-ab >(some&q=African+Union+proposes+an+ emergency+military+force&oq= African+Union+proposes+an+emer gency+military+force&gs_l=hp. 12...3502.3502.0.5405.1.1.0.0. 0.0.96.96.1.1.0...0.0...1c.. 15.psy-ab.2lSKPuehb7c&pbx=1& bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.47244 034,d.bGE&fp=d1dc93a0ad812a1b& biw=1024&bih=593
> kind of rapid reaction force. Let's hope that words will be
> translated into actions...
>
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