Wednesday, May 23, 2012

12/03/09, Letter to the Editor, printed in USA Today

USA Today







Minaret ban in Switzerland could backfire
Qasim Rashid
Richmond, VA

Switzerland has banned the building of new minarets. Critics argue that this ban is a violation of the United Nation's Universal Declaration of Human Rights that guarantees religious freedom in faith and in practice for its members. Proponents argue that such a ban will curb the rise of extremist factions, even though the minaret is not theologically required in Islam ("Swiss voters ban mosque minarets," News, Monday).

A similar situation has existed in Pakistan. The country banned religious literature of Ahmadi Muslims, who were declared non-Muslim in a 1974 constitutional amendment. In 1986, severe restrictions were placed on this community, so someone practicing the Ahmadi understanding of Islam could be punished by death.

Over the years extremists, such as those who proposed the original ban, had gained power. In an attempt to rid Switzerland of extremism, the voters might have allowed it in through the back door.

The Swiss might have agreed to more than what they bargained for by passing the ban. History is not on their side.


Link to original article: http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2009/12/letters-minaret-ban-in-switzerland-could-backfire-.html?loc=interstitialskip

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