More Muslim reactions to Rushdie knightnood
The Pakistan government became the latest to imagine that the bestowing of honours to British citizens was any of their business. Their religious affairs minister, Mohammed Ijaz ul-Ha, actively encouraged suicide bombing as a justified reaction to Sir Salman’s recent knighthood:
The west is accusing Muslims of extremism and terrorism. If someone exploded a bomb on his body he would be right to do so unless the British government apologises and withdraws the ‘sir’ title.
Is he aware that the second sentences proves the first sentence’s point? It’s hard to tell.
Across Pakistan outraged Muslims reacted in the time-honoured fashion of burning effigies and calling for deaths.
The minister for parliamentary affairs, Sher Afgan Khan Niazi, proposed a resolution condemning the honour. It was passed unanimously by the parliament’s lower house. She told MPs:
The ‘sir’ title from Britain for blasphemer Salman Rushdie has hurt the sentiments of the Muslims across the world. Every religion should be respected. I demand the British government immediately withdraw the title as it is creating religious hatred.
It’s probably about time Muslims such as Niazi took responsibility for their own hatred, rather than blaming others for “creating” it.
Inevitably, Muhammad “Boo-hoo” Bari, the whiny secretary general of the increasingly-irrelevant Muslim Council of Britain, has a few words to say too:
Salman Rushdie earned notoriety amongst Muslims for the highly insulting and blasphemous manner in which he portrayed early Islamic figures.
The granting of a knighthood to him can only do harm to the image of our country in the eyes of hundreds of millions of Muslims across the world. Many will interpret the knighthood as a final contemptuous parting gift from Tony Blair to the Muslim world.
Funny how the “Muslim world” thinks everything is about them.
UPDATE: Forouz Raja’ee-Far, secretary general of the “Headquarters for Honoring the Martyrs of Islam World Movement”, has upped the bounty on Rushdie’s head to $150,000:
According to Imam Khomeini’s verdict, it is an obligation for all Muslims to kill Salman Rushdie even if he repents from the bottom of his heart and becomes the pious man of the time.
Also according to Imam’s verdict, if a non-Muslim person can find and execute Rushdie sooner than Muslims, it will be an obligation for Muslims to provide such a person with whatever he wants as his payment or prize
UPDATE (19 June) Apparently Ijaz-ul-Haq retracted his suicide-bomber comment:
If someone blows himself up, he will consider himself justified. How can we fight terrorism when those who commit blasphemy are rewarded by the West? We demand an apology by the British government. Their action has hurt the sentiments of 1.5 billion Muslims
We have no problem with Muslim fanatics strapping on bombs and blowing themselves up. In fact, as long as they don’t hurt anybody else, it should be encouraged.
Couldn’t agree more, Monitor. For the record, although I don’t know whether it’ll make it, I posted the following to the BBC PM programme’s blog (it’s at http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/pm/, in case anyone else wants a go). I thougt Auntie was being a bit unfair.
Whilst I have no particular interest in Sir Salman’s novels I am pleased to see him honoured as his knighthood demonstrates that whilst honouring our own we will not be intimidated or influenced by outside political pressures.
It is of course ludicrous to claim that this honour is “an obvious example of fighting against Islam by high-ranking British officials.†Were this true we would not have seen a 2005 knighthood bestowed by The Queen upon Sir Iqbal Sacranie, Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain, described by The Guardian as the “Most Influential Muslim in the UKâ€.
Rather than criticise the British government, Iran should congratulate Britain for having recently raised a number of British Muslims to the highest ranks of British Society as members of the House of Lords. These include Lord Ahmed of Rotherham, the first Muslim peer; Lord Patel of Blackburn, leader of the British Hajj Delegation; Baroness Falkner of Margravine; and Baroness Uddin of Bethnal Green. See my blog for more: http://www.bloggingyoungfogey.blogspot.com
What I find quite funny about political types is the following. If I (a non-politician) were to appear on news media saying “I hate n1ggers”, then people would look at my words and infer, reasonably enough, that I wasn’t fond of people whose skin is black. But, as a politician I am somehow permitted to rewind time and purge history, 1984-style, and say, “Ah, well, I need to ‘clarify’: when I said ‘I hate n1ggers’, what I actually meant was ‘Puppies are nice, and I love bunnies.'”
But what else would we expect from an Islamic Military Dictatorship. At least in this country I can go out on the streets and say “Muhammad blows goats” without being in (too much) fear of being executed.
Awarding you a knighthood is the UK establishment’s way of reminding you that you’re shit and your career is over.
What more do they want – fer feck’s sake?