Singaporean's response to ISIS attacks goes viral internationally

He calls for Muslims to own the ISIS problem.

Jonathan Lim| November 16, 01:11 PM

Sulaiman Daud, last known for producing a kickass Final Year Project on Chiam See Tong and Potong Pasir, has written a Facebook post asking Muslims to own the ISIS problem.

The post has gone viral beyond Singapore's shores and as of Nov. 16, has more than 13,000 shares.

Sulaiman's post takes aim at popular rhetoric subscribed by politically-correct folk that ISIS is not "true Islam" and peace-loving Muslims practise a religion that is not the same as the one ISIS subscribes to.

In his post he said, "ISIS is a Muslim organisation, and it is an Islamic problem. Let me say it again to be perfectly clear. ISIS is a Muslim organisation, and they are a cancer at the heart of Islam. And the problem will not go away until Muslims confront that."

He goes on to add that, "There are no Christians in ISIS. There are no Buddhists, Jews, Pagans, Taoists, Houngans, Catholics, Wiccans, Hindus or even Scientologists in ISIS. ISIS is a Muslim organisation and they kill in the name of Islam."

Read the rest of what he said here:

I want to thank well-meaning non-Muslims who, in the wake of these attacks, have emphasised that they have been carried out by a small, twisted minority. A terrorist's goal is to sow hatred and discord, and by not giving in, you are defeating their plans.

But I want to say that as a Muslim, I wish that we weren't so quick to emphasise that this has nothing to do with us. While I personally have never killed anyone and none of my friends and family have ever resorted to violence, radicalism has everything to do with Islam. And the failure to address that out of a well-intentioned commitment to tolerance is making the problem worse.

ISIS is a Muslim organisation, and it is an Islamic problem. Let me say it again to be perfectly clear. ISIS is a Muslim organisation, and they are a cancer at the heart of Islam. And the problem will not go away until Muslims confront that.

ISIS attackers scream 'Allah hu'akbar' during their attacks.

ISIS recruits cite Qur'anic verses as justification for the rape and enslavement of women.

ISIS soldiers kill archaeologists, gay men and women, and people who refuse to convert to Islam because they are blasphemers.

There are no Christians in ISIS. There are no Buddhists, Jews, Pagans, Taoists, Houngans, Catholics, Wiccans, Hindus or even Scientologists in ISIS. ISIS is a Muslim organisation and they kill in the name of Islam.

So don't say that ISIS aren't 'true Muslims' or that they are 'not really Muslims'. Like any large organisation, ISIS exists in a spectrum. You have the aimless, restless teenager who never amounted to anything in his life and traveled to Syria because he can't find a job and doesn't know if the Qur'an is to be read from left to right or right to left. But you also have pious professionals, businessmen, and academics who read their Qur'an cover to cover, pray every day, were seduced into radicalism, and truly believe that the Islamic State's goal of conquest is a noble one. The so-called 'Caliph' Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi has a doctorate in Islamic studies.

So if you feel that Muslims are being oppressed or killed in Muslim countries, I expect you to also be just as outraged by ISIS. Because they have killed more Muslims in Iraq, Syria and Jordan than the entire US army. They have done more damage to the name and reputation of Islam than any Western nation. ISIS is Islam's biggest enemy, not the US, not Israel or France or Germany or the Russians.

We have to own the problem. We have to admit that this is a religious problem, and we need to renew our commitment to a secular country which treats all religions equally. I have believed in the importance of secularism all my life, and with every day that passes that belief grows stronger. Religion is no way to govern a nation. Not any religion, and not any nation.

ISIS is not America's problem, nor the British, nor the French. ISIS is not Syria or Iraq's problem. ISIS is a problem for Muslims. And if you can't admit that, you're not really a good Muslim either.

‪#‎LibertyFraternityEquality‬

‪#‎LongLiveTheRepublic‬

Here's his Facebook post:

*Editor's note at 12:30pm Nov 17: His Facebook post has been either made private or taken down*

 

How we respond, as a people, to the attacks in Ankara, Baghdad, Beirut, and Paris would determine if ISIS has achieved its goal. Sulaiman puts it best - "A terrorist's goal is to sow hatred and discord, and by not giving in, you are defeating their plans."

Let's not respond with hate and prejudice. Let's not fall victim to ISIS' plan of goading us into persecuting the people around us because of the religion they practise.

 

Not sure how to respond to the attacks? Check this out:

Here are some considered responses to the Paris attacks that put everything into perspective

 

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