even with no future migration
French teacher Samuel Paty showed cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad in a class on free speech. On October 16th 2020, he was beheaded (is it permissible) by a Muslim migrant. The French government, in a show of solidarity with the teacher & free speech, displayed cartoons of Prophet Mohammad on Buildings. North American Muslim leaders were outraged. Imam Omar Suliman compared this to a genocide.
Imam Omar Suliman is an American Muslim scholar, civil rights leader, writer. He is the Founder and President of Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research, and an Adjunct Professor of Islamic Studies at Southern Methodist University. He is currently the Resident Scholar of the Valley Ranch Islamic Center and the Co-Chair Emeritus of Faith Forward Dallas at Thanks-Giving Square, a multi-faith coalition of clergy for peace and justice. Below is an excerpt of a lecture given days after the beheading of French teacher Samuel Paty.
Genocides are carried out in the name of assimilation. But this is what we have with this problem. This is what we have at this juncture. It is not Islam that has the problem. It is France that has the problem. …and that subjugation affects all of us. That type of behavior affects all of us.
Genocide is a reduction of a population. Muslim population is increasing in France
And you see it in France where you have the Prophet PBUH portrayed in the worst of ways. Insulted in the worst of ways. …Our brothers and sisters are living these days. Right now, where they are walking in the street and harassed. Just for being Muslim and targeted.
Their institutions are being shut down right and left. They are being taunted and provoked over and over again and told that they are the problem, not the systemic bigotry and racism that’s being leveled towards them.
And so our hearts are with our brothers and sisters there and of course with our brothers and sisters all over the world that are subjugated and suffering in this way. Our hearts are with them. And we want them to know that their steadfastness is seen by us all as well as we see their steadfastness. We see the way that they are holding their own.
And may Allah grant us that sincerity and that steadfastness and that firmness. And May Allah MHNBE allow us to remain with our deen [religion], and its fullness, with our Quran, with our Sunnah, in its fullness and not no succumb to these types of forms of oppression.
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