People of Turkey have a relatively better living standard since the country distanced itself from religion. That will all evaporate if Erdogan, the neo islamist, jumps into the religious pit.
What brings strength? Science, Freedom, and Diversity. Islam lacks all three. Islam is not getting stronger, it is just creating huge heap of living dead. It is probably like global warming. Unless we take proper step to check it, it will be catastrophic.
What is this ego of yours Mr. Hannan that you have such illusional happiness: Islam is getting stronger!
--- In mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com, "S A Hannan" wrote:
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> The Middle Path… Message of A Muslim Leader (Erdogan)
> Personal Reflection
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> By
> <http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1237705908
> 441&pagename=Zone-English-ArtCulture%2FACELayout#**1#**1> Farrukh I.
> Younus
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> Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaking on "Turkey, Europe and the
> Islamic World." © Farrukh Younus.
> We have a saying here in England, when it rains, it pours; today, I was
> happy to be wet, at least in the metaphorical sense of the word. One of
> the benefits of the G20 meeting in London is that world leaders have
> been brought onto the same platform. Some, while in country, took the
> effort to address the general populous, with Prime Minister of Turkey,
> Recep Tayyip Erdogan, being hosted by the Oxford Center of Islamic
> Studies, speaking on "Turkey, Europe and the Islamic World."
> Seated with a friend, we were flanked by a member of the Greek
> ambassadorial attaché to one side and a medical student of Turkish
> origin on the other. The venue, the Sheldonian Theatre, able to host a
> thousand seated individuals, was as expected, over subscribed.
>
> There is Simply Islam
> PM Erdogan spoke on a number of issues from dismissing Huntington's
> 'Clash of Civilizations' to Turkey's efforts in entering the European
> Union. One of the key areas he addressed was the abuse of the freedom of
> speech. The PM observed that freedom of speech should not be used to
> charge insult. As he spoke about how we as Muslims respect Prophet
> Moses, and that how we as Muslims respect Prophet Jesus, a little
> respect for Prophet Muhammad should not be too much to ask for.
> Speaking of values, PM Erdogan spoke about the label that has been
> attached to Turkey, of being a 'moderate' Muslim nation. This was wrong.
> When we speak of Christians, or Jews, or Hindus etc we do not refer to
> everyday individuals of these faiths as 'moderate' rather we refer to
> them by their faith. There is no 'moderate' Islam; rather, there is
> simply Islam. True, extremism does exist, but the extremists are a
> minority and they do not represent the majority, and they, the
> extremists must be addressed.
> The distinction he was trying to make was extremely subtle, almost a
> play on words, so much so that until he identified it, I had not even
> thought of it as an issue. The middle path he stressed. The middle path
> is hope. The middle path is compassion. The middle path is peace. The
> middle path.
> As PM Erdogan's talk came to an end he opened the floor to questions.
> Amongst those asked was one about a particular Professor Abdullah in
> Turkey. As the host interjected asking for less specific questions, PM
> Erdogan interrupted the host, responding to the questioner, apologizing
> for his ignorance as he was not familiar with the case. There is
> something humbling about a politician apologizing for his ignorance of a
> matter, perhaps a sign of why he, as a leader is loved by so many.
> Many other questions came and went, with the expected comments regarding
> his position at Davos where he stormed out of the talks in protest at
> not being able to respond to the Israeli spokesman's charges against the
> residents of Gaza. When children were being killed, when the elderly
> were being killed, he responded not only as a Muslim but as a
> humanitarian. He had no ulterior motive, he was not representing any
> group or any agency, and he was speaking as a human being, stating that
> the murder or babies can never be defined as defensive.
>
> To me, politics is politics and the individual's faith is less relevant
> so long as the individual in question fulfills their obligation of
> representing their constituents.
> Our Common Grounds
> His message although brief, is a message that we as Muslims must adopt
> in our lives today, balance. It is our individual responsibility to
> project an identity that reflects who we are and what we actually
> believe instead of letting our faith be hijacked by a handful of
> loonies. We as individuals, groups and communities have a responsibility
> not only to ourselves but also to one another. We must not focus on our
> differences but those things which we have in common to address those
> people who prefer extremism to dialogue and engagement.
> It is not very often that I have the opportunity to listen to a Muslim
> politician, let alone the Prime Minister of a Muslim country. Here in
> England, I have come to expect a diversity of opinion from the Muslims
> who participate in the political field. Some of which I agree with, some
> of which I do not. To me, politics is politics and the individual's
> faith is less relevant so long as the individual in question fulfills
> their obligation of representing their constituents.
> On a global scale, I have always struggled with my understanding of
> political representation. When I look at Prophet Muhammad, upon whom be
> peace, I do not see a totalitarian, rather I see a leader who consulted
> men and women for advice, a team leader, a team player. He was someone
> who discouraged representation by virtue of heritage, rather, encouraged
> representation by virtue of merit. From statement such as 'he who
> sticks to a king is perverted' to where he said, "I exhort you to hear
> and obey even if your leader is a black Ethiopian", stress was not
> placed on race or lineage, rather implied upon merit of capability.
> There is however a difference between an ideal and working to reach that
> ideal. Recently, here in England, we the people have been utterly
> disgusted by the abuse of our members of parliament whose expenses and
> allowances are a cause for concern with one politician claiming expenses
> for watching pornographic movies that her husband watched in a hotel!
> The idea that democracy in itself is a perfect solution is great on
> paper but often, as with anything else, subject to real world
> application. This was the message that I understood from PM Erdogan's
> speech.
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> "Erdogan's message although brief, is a message that we as Muslims must
> adopt in our lives today, balance."© Farrukh Younus.
> An Overnight Change!
> We see this same theme when addressing the current financial crisis the
> world has found itself in. Given the scale you simply cannot replace the
> system; rather the system needs to be changed in a staged process,
> whatever that change may be. And when PM Erdogan was asked in another
> question if the Islamic banking/ finance model would be the solution to
> the crisis his response was not simply 'yes', rather, he referred to
> initiatives to promote an Islamic business model and stated that they
> would be measured by merit of it is success.
> To some, this may be viewed as a 'cop out'; to me I believe it was an
> extremely sensible response. Far too many Muslims live in an idealistic
> fairyland, where they expect immediate change overnight. It never
> happened at the time of Prophet Muhammad with a population of thousands,
> it is considerably less likely to happen in this day and age a
> significantly larger population. Solutions are much more complex than
> simply branding something Islamic.
> This is our individual challenge, to work within the systems and
> structures that exist today to bring benefit, change, opportunity and
> success, to each other, and for one another. Whether or not this is the
> message PM Erdogan wished to portray does not matter so much as it being
> the understanding I took from his talk.
> When the questions and answers came to an end, as PM Erdogan tried to
> leave the building, he was flanked from all sides, not by protestors,
> nor those wishing to criticize him, rather, by those wishing to greet
> him, to shake the hand of a man who many believe is one of the better
> leaders we have today; with members of the crowd calling out in Turkish
> "We are proud of you (to be our leader)" – kindly translated for me by
> the Turkish student sitting alongside me. Indeed PM Erdogan, we, Turks
> and non-Turks alike, are proud of you.
>
> _____
>
>
> Farrukh I. Younus holds a master's degree in international business
> management and works in the emerging telecom industry. He resides in
> Surrey, UK. His interests include travel, nouvelle cuisine, and
> chocolate. You can contact him via artculture@...
>
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