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As a small group of conciliatory Muslim leaders met with Prime Minister Paul Martin last night, a war of words broke out between two other leaders whose irreconcilable world views stand as bookends to the diverse opinions of nearly 600,000 Canadian Muslims. "Imams like Aly Hindy are holding the entire Muslim community as a hostage. A vast number of Muslim Canadians don't want to have their leadership from almost medieval imams," Tarek Fatah of the Muslim Canadian Congress told the CBC yesterday. Meanwhile, Mr. Hindy -- who has given more than 20 news media interviews this week urging Muslims not to co-operate with Canadian security agencies -- once again took to the airwaves to say that people like him, and not Westernized Muslims like Mr. Fatah, are the true voice of Islam in Canada. The controversial imam defended his decision not to put his name on the recent sheaf of signed statements from Islamic leaders condemning recent terrorist strikes in the United Kingdom. "We've already condemned terrorism, this is obvious," Mr. Hindy said. "Why don't the churches, for example, condemn terrorism done by George Bush and Tony Blair?" So, while the Prime Minister held a meeting that organizers called historic, crucial conversations are taking place in mosques, basements and banquet halls as Muslims in Canada debate what it means to be Muslim in Canada. In Islam, as in all religions, factions wage a perpetual battle for souls. Within Canada's burgeoning community, debate rages as to how the seventh century's Prophet Mohammed would have wanted his followers to live today. Dozens of Muslim groups have formed, and often they feud. Young men and women use Internet forums to seek guidance from leaders on issues important to them -- for example, whether it's halal (proper) or haram (forbidden) to use chat rooms to arrange dates. Conferences devoted to Islam fill the SkyDome -- even though last year a fundamentalist imam issued a pre-emptive legal opinion, or fatwa, condemning such a conference for content that was bida, or too innovative to be supported by Islamic tradition. Many Muslims find it difficult to say what is mainstream. "Who speaks for Canadian Muslims? I would say any Muslim in the sense that there is no Vatican in Islam," said Salim Mansur, a newspaper columnist based in Southern Ontario. He added that the differences are so great that "any organization that claims that they are the legitimate spokesman for a body of people that are so diverse as Muslims -- for that very claim they should be dismissed as a buffoon." Nader Hashemi, a political scientist who teaches Middle Eastern studies at the University of Toronto, said the dominant strain of Islam in Canada is a harder-line version of the religion than most people realize. "The imams who have been preaching in Canadian mosques have been imports, people not born and raised in Canada, and their training tends to be in the theological seminaries of the Muslim world," he said. "When they come here, there is an intellectual chasm between the training they've received in the Muslim world and the reality of secular modernity here in Canada," Mr. Hashemi said. "It's not changing yet but it's going to have to change." He said that younger Muslims who were born in Canada are seeking a newer generation of leaders whose opinions are more in keeping with their own. In fact, he said, young people cringe at the "often embarrassing" remarks of older leaders. Historically, the Canadian Islamic Congress, which claims to represent the majority of Canadian Muslims, has probably been the most quoted Muslim group. Lately, however, the Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations has been generating a lot of attention. Last week, it organized a statement signed by 120 imams condemning terrorism, and it arranged last night's meeting with Mr. Martin. Other groups are coming to the fore. "I think they [young Muslims] are searching," said Shelina Merani, the 35-year-old spokeswoman for a group called Muslim-Presence Canada. "Sometimes when you go into a mosque you hear stuff you may not agree with." Other groups too, such as the Ihya Foundation, have denounced the U.K. attacks and have organized peace concerts. What's constant among Muslims is a certain amount of infighting. Last night, for example, the Muslim Canadian Congress denounced what it called the "photo-op" with the Prime Minister, saying that Mr. Martin ought to know better than to associate with "a group of imams who are better known for their support of segregation, misogyny and homophobia." Contrary to his earlier remarks to the CBC, Mr. Fatah of the MCC said in an interview that he prefers the likes of the "medieval" Mr. Hindy to other imams, whom he said present themselves as moderates when they are actually hard-liners. "Aly Hindy, at least, is consistent," he said. Disparate voices TAREK FATAH MOHAMED ELMASRY ALY HINDY |
Canada's Fallen
Soldiers MCC grieves the loss of our sons and daughters in Afghanistan, who died serving Canada in the line of duty. We offer our condolences to the families of the dead soldiers and hope to see all our troops back home safely.
Earthquake!
The MCC asks that you give till it hurts to organizations like the IDRF
Who speaks
Views and opinions on who, if anyone, is the real voice for Canada's Muslims
Sharia courts
The MCC campaign against religious tribunals for family law
Equal Marriages
The MCC takes a stand for justice, equality and human rights
War on Terror
The MCC condemns both terrorism and the "war on terror"
Palestine
The MCC does more than just talk the talk. Read about walking the walk in Hebron
Islam
Speaking for Muslims: A new group stirs the pot with its progressive ideas |
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