"Politics Corrupts Religion and Not Vice Versa"

By Matt Purple - CNSNews - Alexandria, VA, U.S.A.
Friday, July 13, 2007

Muslim Figures Condemn Violent Tactics of Islamists

A panel of Muslims leaders and filmmakers gathered at the Heritage Foundation Thursday to speak out against violent extremists whom they believe are corrupting Islam.

Muhammed Hisham Kabbani - chairman of the Islamic Supreme Council of America [ISCA] and the Sufi Muslim Council of Britain - and Hedieh Mirahmadi - a political advisor to the Sufi Muslim Council of Britain - condemned Islamic violence and warned of the consequences of allowing Islam and government to be intertwined.

"The Muslims today are mixing religion with politics," Kabbani said. "They are using religion for their own political advancement."

Contrary to many who advocate for separation of church and state, he contended that politics corrupts religion and not vice versa. He said Islam and politics were fundamentally incompatible and called on Muslim leaders to advise politicians rather than seeking to obtain power themselves.

"The real connection between God and [individuals] has to be complete and continuous," Kabbani said. "And politicians don't say the truth sometimes. Instead they use religion to get their agendas enacted."

Kabbani and Mirahmadi subscribe to the Sufism tradition of Islam.

Adherents say the tradition holds that knowledge and reason are necessary to achieve meaning and faith, although some scholars of Islam dispute the notion that Sufism is inherently moderate, citing the rhetoric of revered Sufi thinkers.

Kabbani disputed the notion that Muslims were called upon by their prophet, Mohammed, to engage in violent acts of jihad against non-Muslims, saying that true jihad was a personal and internal struggle for faith.

After the "war against the aggressors in Medina" was finished, he said, Mohammed declared that [the war] is finished. "We will build bridges with everyone. We will have good communities. We will have relationships with the Jews. We will have relationships with the Christians."

"Now we will have the greater jihad," Kabbani added. "And the greater jihad is against the self."

Also on the panel were Martyn Burke, director of the documentary film "Islam vs. the Islamists," and producers Alex Alexiev and Frank Gaffney, both from the Center for Security Policy. The movie, which showcases Muslims with moderate views and the attacks they have faced from fundamentalists, was shown prior to the panel discussion.

[picture from http://islamicsupremecouncil.org/country_reports/World_Tour_2001/abouttour.htm]