This is America, the Beacon of Freedom

Those who claim to be the guardians of human rights have so far killed more than 1 million innocent civilians in Iraq since they launched their so-called War on Terror.

(TEHRAN) - The ninth anniversary of September 11 attacks coincided with the offensive insults of the Americans to the holiest book of 1.5 billion Muslims around the globe. According to reports by the Reuters, near Nashville, Tennessee, evangelical Pastor Bob Old and another preacher used lighter fluid and a lighter to burn at least two copies of the Quran. Old called Islam "a false religion."

It was also reported that the American protesters objecting to the construction of an Islamic center and a mosque adjacent to the Ground Zero site tore pages from the Holy Quran and set them alight. Reuters also dispatched reports from the similar abuses to the Holy Quran in Lower Manhattan.

The terrifying plan of burning the holy book of Muslims was initially proposed by the pastor of an obscure, small, non-denominational church in Gainesville who had announced that he would be burning copies of the Holy Quran on the anniversary of 9/11 attacks. The plan was described by the global media as a publicity stunt by someone whose desire for gaining some reputation and attention by the international media propelled him towards thinking of such an evil action.

Although a global wave of protests which erupted immediately after Pastor Jones announced his plan for burning the Holy Quran on September 11 dissuaded the attention-seeking preacher from realizing his mischievous intention, he inspired other people to go ahead with the plan and abuse a Holy Book which is venerated and adored by millions of people in the four corners of the world.

Insulting the holy book of Muslims in the United States put an emphasis on the fact that those who consider themselves the harbingers of mutual understanding, religious toleration, peaceful coexistence and freedom of expression are merely making unfounded and baseless claims which they perpetually fail to adhere to in practice. These are only claims which are designed to portray an idealistic image of the United States and its culture. Burning a holy book is the clear manifestation of an uncivilized and barbaric action for which there can't be any justification or explanation.

Muslims around the world are subject to the most unfair convictions and unjustifiable discriminations. They're usually labeled as extremists, fundamentalists and radicals. They're always judged with pessimism and negativity. Every terrorist operation is attributed to them and the most offensive charges are leveled against them as unjustly as possible.

So, what's the reality of Islam? Is it a religion of violence and barbarism, as the Americans claim? Does it further and spread terrorism and extremism? Is Islam a "false religion", as the evangelical pastor has claimed? A general investigation of the Islamic scriptures and Quran can provide the response to all of these questions. There are numerous indications that Muslims are among the most pacifist and peace-lover people in the world. Islam has categorically rebuffed violence and aggression towards the people and condemned those who use force against others and undermine their esteem.

The most fundamental pillar of Islam is based on sociability, interaction with the other people and respecting their prestige and stature. The Holy Quran on several occasions has underlined the importance of revering the humankind as the most prestigious and valuable creature of the Almighty God. In the verse 70 of the chapter Al-Isra', the Almighty God introduces the man as His most admirable and brilliant creature, saying that he is superior than all of the other beings on the Earth: "It is a favor that We have honored the sons of Adam and blessed them with conveyances on land and sea and provided them with good and pure things and exalted them above many of Our other creatures."

As a vanguard ideology, Islam has always emphasized the essentiality of behaving with the followers of other religions with respect and admiration. It was once asked from Imam Reza, the eighth Twelver Shiite Imam and the seventh descendant of Prophet Muhammad that how should one pay tribute to the Jews and Christians who don't follow the religion of Islam? He answered: "tell them may the Almighty God bless the world for you."

Those who claim to be the guardians of human rights have so far killed more than 1 million innocent civilians in Iraq since they launched their so-called War on Terror. One may wonder whether these 1 million people have been human or not. Islam has never claimed to be a charter of human rights, but in actuality, it is the most comprehensive and all-inclusive declaration of human rights. It pays attention to each and every aspect of human's dignity and disallows the destabilization of man's decorum. In the verse 12 of the chapter Al-Hujuraat, the Almighty God prevents the believers from backbiting, being suspicious about the others and spying: "Believers, avoid being excessively suspicious, for some suspicion is a sin. Do not spy, nor backbite one another. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? (by backbiting) You would surely detest it. Have fear of Allah. Surely Allah is much prone to accept repentance, is Most Compassionate."

In the verse 13 of the same chapter, the Almighty God has highlighted the fact that the most venerable and esteemed people are the ones who fear Him the most and do good deeds as a result of this fear. This shows that people, regardless of their religion, ethnicity, gender and language, are equal in Islam and their decency is the basis of judging their actions: "Verily the noblest of you in the sight of Allah is the most God-fearing of you."

Islam has also stressed the importance of respecting the followers of other religions and called the holy books of Jews and Christians divine revelations which should be treated with esteem and respect. In the verse 46 of the chapter Al-Ma'idah, we read: "And We sent Jesus, the son of Mary, after those Prophets, confirming the truth of whatever there still remained of the Torah. And We gave him the Gospel, wherein is guidance and light, and which confirms the truth of whatever there still remained of the Torah, and a guidance and admonition for the God-fearing."

With these descriptions, it will become clear that Islam is a religion of toleration, peace and friendship. It pays tribute to all of the religions which had preceded it and obliges the Muslims to live along with the followers of other religions peacefully. Islam confirms and verifies the authenticity of previous holy books and asks the Muslims to be benevolent and compassionate with the "people of faith".

Burning a holy book which is full of instructions for a peaceful, serene, pure and happy life indicates nothing but ignorance and animosity. More than 1.5 billion people around the world read the Holy Quran to learn from its insights and teachings. Burning such a book simply indicates the lack of tolerance and freedom in a country which considers itself a beacon of freedom.

Thanks God, Muslims have always treated with the followers of other religions respectfully. They never drew insulting cartoons of Prophet Jesus nor did they desecrate the Bible and Torah. The mainstream media in the West portray the Muslims as terrorists and extremists, but the Muslims around the world have righteously demonstrated that they are worthy of praise and admiration for their excellent demeanor and their peaceful disposition.

The latest writer to join Salem-News.com's team; Kourosh Ziabari is an Iranian media correspondent, freelance journalist and the author of Book 7+1. He is a contributing writer for websites and magazines in the Netherlands, Canada, Italy, Hong Kong, Bulgaria, South Korea, Belgium, Germany, the U.K. and the U.S. He was once a member of Stony Brook University Publications’ editorial team and Media Left magazine’s contributing writer, as well as a contributing writer for Finland’s Award-winning Ovi Magazine. As a young Iranian journalist, he has been interviewed and quoted by several mainstream mediums, including BBC World Service, PBS Media Shift, the Media Line network, Deutsch Financial Times and L.A. Times. Currently, he works for the Foreign Policy Journal as a media correspondent. He is a member of Tlaxcala Translators Network for Linguistic Diversity and World Student Community for Sustainable Development. You can write to Kourosh Ziabari at: kziabari@gmail.com

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Douglas Benson September 14, 2010 7:22 am (Pacific time)

If I took your book and burned it then by all means .If I buy it to burn thats not the same. You can insult me all you want it wont lead to violence but step to me or my property and yes you will find I can be very violent . Sticks and stones my friend . Im an adult not some hothead teenager . Im out Peace

Ersun Warncke September 13, 2010 11:41 pm (Pacific time)

Douglas, I agree with you on the principle that if speech drives you to violence you do not belong in a free country, but I would also note that it is an matter of practical fact that people are easily incited to violence by symbolic acts that are designed to demean their most firmly held beliefs. For a person who believes that the Bible is the Holy word of God, and who has based their entire life on their interpretation of that book, setting the book on fire is the same thing as setting them on fire. The symbolic act is violent in nature, because it is purposefully calculated to instigate violence. I am a strong believer in freedom of speech, but I would never assume that speech does not have consequences. If you go up to someone on the street and start talking s**t to them, using the most insulting language you can find for their particular frame of reference, then the results are pretty obvious. People are free to say what they want, but no one can be made free from the natural consequences of their own actions. I am not anti-religion, so my perspective is a bit different than yours, but if you ignore religion and just think about someone coming up to you on the street and getting in your face and calling you a b**ch, it is basically the same thing. Would you really respond to that by saying "I respect your right to freedom of speech?" If you take that a step further, and a random person takes the thing that is most valuable to you and sets it on fire, would you respond to that by saying "I respect your freedom of speech?" It has to be recognized that for religious people, their religion is more valuable than any property they could ever posses. Burning a person's Bible can be more serious than burning their house. You can criticize the basis of their belief, but that does not change their belief. That is the way they experience the world, and they are just as free as anyone else to assign value to objects in any way they see fit. I don't see things the same way, but if someone tried to burn my house down, I would not view that as a legitimate expression of their rights as free individuals. I would view it as an act of war and respond in kind. You could burn my house down and tell me that it is just stupid superstition that makes me angry, because my house would have turned to dust eventually in any case, but I am not going to be dissuaded by your argument. The point is that we are free to value things as we like, and we can criticize each others values, but that is different than destroying the things that we hold valuable. Debating about the merits of the text of a holy book is legitimate free speech. Burning a holy book is an act of aggression.

Melanie September 13, 2010 6:25 pm (Pacific time)

To "Anonymous, 9/13/10 @ 7:03am: :Iran Ayatollahs Issue Fatwas Against Koran-Burners. (September 13, 2010) Two Iranian grand ayatollahs issued fatwas calling for the killing of those who insult the Koran, including anyone who burns the Islamic holy book, the state-run Fars news agency reported. No one was specified in the decrees, which were issued by Nasser Makarem-Shirazi and Hossein Nouri-Hamedani in response to questions asked by student groups from universities in Tehran, Fars said. Such an action against any individual could only be carried out with the authorization of an Islamic religious judge, they said. “Undoubtedly, the blood of a person who burns the Koran should be shed,” Makarem-Shirazi was cited by Fars as saying. Everybody should “strongly condemn” such an act. http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-09-13/iran-ayatollahs-issue-fatwas-against-koran-burners.html Well I guess we should see if it's time to do likewise for those who damage the Bible. Or maybe other demeaning acts and comments should also be redressed in similar manner as the above-referenced fatwa? It's pretty easy to see that this will escalate very quickly if any American is killed, or even threatened personally via a fatwa. What's the answer to stop this potential madness? It can't be something like we should all give peace a chance, because concrete action must be taken. Historically who has been the agressor?

Natalie September 13, 2010 1:36 pm (Pacific time)

If you don't post a comment, would be nice to know why. BTW, Anon, switching from Alex Jones to Saint Hollywood site for getting news is not exactly the best decision either. Get out and talk to people that have been to places. Media talks because there's something to talk about. Whether it's Catholic molestation cases, baptist Westboro attitude, or "the mosque issue" in NY. Don't give them "food", and they'll leave you alone. Nobody's interested in your good deeds and intentions. Period.

Douglas Benson September 13, 2010 7:46 am (Pacific time)

Friend Ersun I really liked your last article I really liked what you had to say about the fact that we have no right to impose our constitution and "freedom " on other countries . I put this to you though .Protest is by its very definition is provocation . I put burning a flag up there as an example ,I most likely wouldnt do so I LOVE MY COUNTRY but our goverment sucks. Anywho back to the subject Protests ,picket lines and the like have more than one goal the first is provocation the second is education . I have a particular dislike for religion ,I think they are all mythology plain and simple. They are dangerous to freedom and the bloodshed they help facilitate is undeniable .Most people are sheep that want easy answers and the power this gives religous leaders is scary . I would gladly burn every last bible,quran,torah ,etc. In fact I would have loved to get a group together durring Glen Becks rally and burn bibles as a statement that returning this country to godly values [hate,intolerence and laws that impose thier moral view on others ] has no place in a free country. Thier right to expose themselves for the religous nuts that they are is a good thing .Lets just say I wont be voting for any tea party boys. I want to make this clear . I will stand up for everyones right to be free . Muslims ,christians ,jews , gays,white power nuts , communists ,athiests ,agnostics,pot smokers ,drug users, etc. If someones speach drives you to violence you dont belong in a free country. Im out Peace.

Anonymous September 13, 2010 7:03 am (Pacific time)

"Islam shows no respect for any who have different views" Byron, maybe if you actually did some reading instead of getting your "news" from the drug addict Rush Limbaugh, you would not make such infantile and uninformed statements. Islam is one of the very few religions who actually do recognize and respect other religions. You are right..propaganda is indeed for the uninformed and willfully ignorant, as you have proven.

Ersun Warncke September 12, 2010 7:07 pm (Pacific time)

Douglas, I agree that there are extremists in every religion, but it should be clear that reasonable ordinary Americans value freedom of religion. One of the key American values is unity that transcends any particular religious faction, and that is a very important value. The use of the media to publicize provocations against only one religion, Islam, gives a dangerous and false impression of true American values, which respect all people of good faith regardless of religious sect. Burning a Bible or burning an American flag is clearly an act of provocation, which reasonable people would agree has no place in America. We may allow people to do it without engaging directly in violence against them, but we certainly do not respect them, or give them a podium. America is a country made up of Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Muslims, and on and on. The importance of maintaining peaceful and civil relations between people of all religions is not some abstract idea, it an essential part of what makes our country work. If someone announced they were going to burn Bibles in America, there would be massive protest, and for very good reasons. To ritualistically desecrate the holy book of another person's religion is an open provocation to violence, and that has no place in civil society.

Douglas Benson September 12, 2010 1:50 pm (Pacific time)

So you say that Islam is a religion of peace Kourosh .Is your skin so thin that insults to your religous beliefs are met with threats of violence? Will you back up your claims of peace by denouncing these threats from your religous leaders ? You are correct that this shows disrespect and hate from a small portion of our religous community just like some of your religous leaders . Come on now tell me I would be perfectly free to open a church preach and distribute the bible in Iran or most other muslim countries . Muslims dont burn the bible ?Tell the truth now . Christian missionaries havent been executed in any of these countries for preaching "christianity"? Isnt blasphemy a crime in these countries punishible by death? Could we burn the quran publicly in your country ? Wouldnt the sentence be death? I dont believe in god period and I think this whole thing is stupid .Freedom is my religion ,not just for me but even for these nuts . Want to build a community center at ground zero ?I defend your right to do so . Some pastor wants to burn the quran? Same thing .The KKK wants to hold a rally ,burn crosses etc. Same thing . So when I want to march for peace,burn the flag in protest of what our country is doing to show my hate for thier actions I can. Freedom is messy my friend and if its working you will be offended. You dont have the right not to be offended. Peace

Byron Skanlon September 12, 2010 1:43 pm (Pacific time)

The writer wrote: "They never drew insulting cartoons of Prophet Jesus nor did they desecrate the Bible and Torah. The mainstream media in the West portray the Muslims as terrorists and extremists, but the Muslims around the world have righteously demonstrated that they are worthy of praise and admiration for their excellent demeanor and their peaceful disposition." There is an abundant amount of evidence going back hundreds of years that this is not true. As far as the statement that one million muslims killed in Iraq by Americans, well there is no evidence for that number, but one thing we know for sure is that it is radical muslims killing essentially innocent muslims that just want to have peaceful lives. Also do not forget that when Saddam was living and his oil for food/medical supply fraud he was doing which also contributed to the death of who knows how many. Propaganda is the way of many, but it only gets traction with the uninformed and those whose agenda is anything but truthfulness. Please don't forget that Christianity is over 6 centuries older than Islam, and Judaism is thousands of years older. Respect is given when earned. Islam shows no respect for any who have different views, so what's to happen?

Editor: You can't classify an entire race or culture that way, sorry.

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