War Begets War: It’s Not about Islam; It Never Was | Ramzy Baroud

[Tace]

Ramzy Baroud

Ramzy Baroud -- World News Trust

Jan. 13, 2015

It is still not about Islam, even if the media and militants attacking western targets say so.

Actually, it never was. But it was important for many to conflate politics with religion; partly because it is convenient and self-validating.

First, let’s be clear on some points. Islam set in motion a system to abolish slavery more than 1,200 years before the slave trade reached its peak in the western world.

Freeing the slaves, who were owned by pagan Arab tribes, was a recurring theme in the Koran, always linked to the most basic signs of piety and virtue:

“The charities are to go to the poor, and the needy, and those who work to collect them, and those whose hearts have been united, and to free the slaves, and those in debt, and in the cause of God, and the traveler. A duty from God, and God is Knowledgeable, Wise." [Al-Koran. 9:60]

It is unfortunate that such reminders would have to be regularly restated, thanks to constant anti-Islam propaganda in many western countries. The outlandish and often barbaric behavior of the so-called Islamic State (IS) has given greater impetus to existing prejudices and propaganda.

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http://worldnewstrust.com/war-begets-war-it-s-not-about-islam-it-never-was-ramzy-baroud

[Igel]

1. And yet estimates are that Muslim traders in N. Africa

"sold" more African slaves--granted, over 1000 year period--than the trans-Atlantic slave trade did.

That doesn't include European slaves from S. Central Russia, SE Europe, or other parts of southern Europe.

Or points east Sinai.

It is unfortunate that such reminders would have to be regularly restated. Including that much of the Muslim slave trade was rolled up and curtailed under European influence.

It's like arguing tax rates. Bad people only pay effective tax rates when how little they pay at present is at issue, their highest marginal tax rate is cited when it's important to point out how much they used to pay. On-paper versus reality: Which is accurate and representative depends on which is necessary at the time.