The Islam I Left Behind

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Amil Imani
by Amil Imani
04-Aug-2010
 

Looking back, I see no particular time or event that, in one stroke, severed my link with Islam. There was nothing nearly as dramatic as what reportedly happened to Paul on the road to Damascus transforming him from a rabid Christian persecutor to a devoted follower of Jesus.

My alienation with Islam started as far back as I could discern things. More to the point, I never embraced Islam in the first place, although I was born and raised in a Muslim family.

I believe in a modified version of Occam’s razor, popularly known as the law of parsimony. To me, an explanation with the fewest assumptions is either the correct one or the preferable one. The best answers, more often than not, are the simple answers.

My search for answers has taken me on a journey of discovery in the competing, crowded, and confusing marketplace of ideas. I noticed a universal human need to believe in some power or forces beyond ourselves and beyond the finite and the corporal. If there were no God, we humans would make one up, it is said. In order to satisfy this seemingly innate need, three major contentions have emerged: Rejection-ism, characterized by dismissing any and all gods; Theism, positing a god who created the universe, set it in motion, and let it play out without interfering in it; and God-ism, with many gods, that demanded a super-god to sort them out.

Of the three camps, God-ism seemed to me the most attractive and troubling at the same time. And Islam’s God-ism—Allah-ism—steeped in superstition, replete with nonsensical explanations, and discriminatory Sharia law, repulsed me. All I needed to guide my life was contained in the ancient Zoroastrian triad of good thoughts, good speech, and good deeds. The Ten Commandments are a sensible extension of the above triad and the Universal Charter of Human Rights is its further elaboration.

Things Islamic not only did not resonate with me, they often clashed head on with what I valued and loved. What appealed to me and even enchanted me were more often than not taboo in Islam or anathema to the creed. I loved life, beauty in all its forms, poetry, the ancient Iranian culture and traditions. I loved laughter, celebrations of joy such as birthdays, our yearly festivities of Nowruz, my favorite that lasts for thirteen days. Nowruz, this ancient festival, has been celebrated for thousands of years by my people; it ushers in the spring, welcomes renewal of life, and expresses optimism for the year ahead to bless us with good health, abundant food, family, and friends in the land of a civilized free people.

I owe my parents a great debt of gratitude for not pounding into me a blind belief. They allowed, and even encouraged me to think for myself, to chart my path in life. Father was my model. He treated Mother and the girls as unquestioned equals. Mother, by her deeds, taught me that my friends, who happened to be Muslims, Jews, Christians, Baha’is and Zoroastrians, were every bit as worthy and Iranian as we were. She welcomed them all to our home and often at our table.

From very early on, I was troubled by Islam. It labeled people who were all alike differently and built walls separating them instead of bringing them together. Islam, the dominant religion of my native country, stigmatized non-Muslims and even persecuted them. I began questioning the value of religion. I couldn’t see much in Islam that attracted me and I knew just about nothing regarding the religion of my friends and neighbors. I sought answers, not from the mullah at the mosque because I had a feeling I wouldn’t like his answer anyway. I had heard their line more than I cared to. I began reading as widely as I could and it helped.

I discovered that, historically, as far as it can be determined, all human groups lived by codes of beliefs. The codes were far from universally uniform, either in context or formality. Yet, they all served the critical function of prescribing behaviors that enhanced the welfare of the group while proscribing those that undermined it. In tandem with the emergence of the code of conduct was the practice of rituals. While the code of conduct secured order within the group, rituals gave it a sense of identity, essential for solidarity of the “in-group” against the ever-present threats of the “out-group.”

Over time, the code of conduct and rituals merged, to various degrees, to serve the group. Some examples are religious ceremonies, secular observances, and the mixtures of the two.

Codes of conduct require enforcement. The physically strong, and perhaps more cunning, emerged as group leaders and enforcer—Chiefs, Sheiks, Earls, Lords, and Kings are continuations of this line of authority. Yet, all along there was a realization that an authority or authorities with much greater powers transcended that of the human. The ancient Greeks’ various gods and the pre-Islamic idolaters of the Arabian Peninsula represent this line of thinking.

Among some human groupings, the utilitarian value of prescriptions and proscriptions for the group evolved to the belief in opposing superhuman powers. Good things, such as bountiful rain, great harvest, and plentiful game, for instance, were seen as the offerings of the benevolent superhuman, while famine, earthquakes, plagues and so forth were attributed to the actions of the malevolent superhuman. The Zoroastrians concept of Ahuramazda—the god of good—and Ahriman—the lord of evil represents this line of belief.

At some point, monotheism appeared on the scene. The Abrahamic religions represent this line of development. One Supreme Being was posited as the all-powerful, all-everything author of the universe. It simplified things greatly. No need to supplicate many gods, or please one and antagonize another. This Supreme Being communicated with humans through intermediaries of his choosing, some so claimed. And through these intermediaries, he prescribed laws and ordinances.
Obedience to his laws attracted his blessings and disobedience incurred his wrath, often administered by human agencies in this world and more to come in the purported next world.

The God of the monotheist is a hands-on God. And Islam’s Allah is extremely hands-on. He leaves virtually no room for anything or anyone to do anything without his full knowledge and authorization. In the Quran, it is explicitly stated that not even a leaf falls from a tree without the decree and knowledge of Allah—just one of innumerable assertions that define the all-everything Islamic superhuman. In more recent times, another form of evolution appeared on the scene. The work of Sigmund Freud represents this line of development. God was marginalized. God was reduced to a hypothetical father figure who would reward or punish the children, depending on their actions. Yet, a form of duality was posited within the individual: the Id representing the impulsive, the ungoverned by the code of conduct, the amoral, devoted exclusively to self-gratification, and the Superego standing for the law-abiding, the moral, and the caring for others.

My love of reading the inexhaustible treasure of Iranian exquisite poetry helped nurture me. Along the way, I learned about and revered Cyrus the Great and a host of other Iranians who personified all that is good and in line with the great benevolent God, Ahuramazda. The more I learned and witnessed about Islam, the more it repelled me, for it is much more in accord with that of the agent of evil, Ahriman.

Islam glorifies death by calling many of its martyrs the solders of Allah. Islam preaches superiority of the “we,” and inferiority of the “other.” It is a creed steeped in superstition, demands blind obedience to authority, and sanctions just about every form of freedom—the very precious gift of the Creator Ahuramazda that makes us humans. Everything in Islam is in black and white. One is either Muslim—good—or non-Muslim—bad. Men are superior; women are subservient. This life is worthless and should be offered for the pleasure of Allah as defined by the clergy.

Islam is a creed of an ignorant people of a primitive age. It is fixated in time and place; it harbors the ambition of taking the 21st century world back 14 centuries and ruling it by its dogma of intolerance, injustice and death. Yet, Islam is not only an obsolete vestige of a defunct era, but itself is an infinitely fractured belief that can hardly put its own home in order. The numerous Islamic sects are at each other’s throats; sub-sects and schools despise one another as much as they hate the non-Muslims. Hatred, not love, drives Islam.

I came to the realization that the root cause of my peoples’ degradation and suffering is Islam. It is a creed that was imposed on an enlightened, tolerant and free people at the point of the sword by savages hailing from the Arabian Peninsula during the seventh century with promises of booty and women in this world and glorious eternal sensual rewards in the promised paradise of Allah in the next. With each passing day, I rejoice more and more in my good fortune; in my ability to avoid the yoke of Islamic slavery and its blinders that imprisons a billion and half people by walls of superstition, hatred of others, and celebration of death.

It is distressing to witness Islam making headway in the traditionally non-Islamic lands. Masses of brainwashed faithful semi-literate Muslims, badly underserved in their own native lands, are moving to countries where the “infidels” welcome them with material offers denied to them in their own homeland as well as the liberty to subvert the very societies that give them refuge.

Even more distressing are those good-hearted simpleton non-Muslims who are up in arms defending the rights of Muslims to practice their religion in free societies such as the United States of America. These well-meaning, badly misguided folks don’t realize that practicing Islam requires subverting and destroying any and all non-Islamic beliefs and practices. All one needs to see this deadly aspect of Islam is to examine how Islam is practiced in places such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Afghanistan, Sudan, Somalia, and even the so-called more moderate Islamic states such as Egypt.

The overflowing treasuries of the oil-enriched Islamic rulers finance legions of pampered clergy with a highly vested interest in maintaining and promoting the creed. Islamist apologists and mercenaries are collaborating shamelessly with the clergy in portraying a greatly deceptive picture of what Islam is in order to win a highly coveted prize—the West.

Truth can be distorted and even hidden for a time. Yet, it invariably emerges. Thus is the case with Islam. Although it is, by its deceptive means, attracting some adherents in foreign lands, it is losing them by the tens of thousands in its own region as more and more people see for themselves the evil belief and deeds of this creed. It is from the ranks of the newly emancipated, that voices of alarm are raised to warn mankind about the true nature of Islam. Even a cursory examination of the teachings of Islam, the life of Muhammad himself, and the conduct of Muslims in the world provide irrefutable evidence to the fact that this primitive creed, called religion, is anathema to all that is cherished by civilized and fair-minded human beings.

I am not against Muslims. I condemn Islam and those who support and promote it. In the same sense that I am not against slaves, I am against slavery and those who advocate and advance it. The very practice of Islam is tantamount to perpetuating and practicing slavery. Slavery enslaves the body, while Islam entraps the mind. Both ideals and practices are abhorrent and detrimental to the realization of our highest hopes as human beings.

I left Islam behind, because that’s where it belongs—behind in the dustbin of history. I summon Muslims to cast off this baseless, harmful, misguiding belief. I urge all people to resist Islam’s encroachment, not to be deceived by its sanitized version presented in the non-Islamic lands, and to encourage Muslims to free themselves from its shackles.

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Veiled Prophet of Khorasan

Mammad

by Veiled Prophet of Khorasan on

 

How is condemning Islam racist please justify your remark. Islam is not a race as you know it has members of all races. There are while Anglo like Jihad Jane and Cat Stevens; Arabs; Blacks and all the other races. So how do you say that being anti Islam is racist?

You are supposed to be a University Professor right. If so you should know the difference of race and religion. I think you do know it but are playing games. You want to use the "white guilt" to bully people into submission. Well it ain't gonna work. The only place it works is in the academic world where censorship and PC are a way of life. Please be honest and do not insult our intelligent. The most bigoted people are Islamists who hate freedom; women; Jews; and anything that goes against their little insular path.


maziar 58

good biz........

by maziar 58 on

we've an Indian (kumar in TN. ) who's been using these lines to get himself a seat in a.........

and also another lady zelnik using the same lines in a bible belt christian county.

ISM will be put in dumpster like the other poster suggested.

good article to read not neccessarily to follow MHO.        Maziar


Mammad

Racist Liar

by Mammad on

 

This is the same Imani who has advocated expelling Muslims from all the Western Countries. This is the same Imani who has spread words of hatred about Muslims. This is the same Imani who called Muslims "subhuman," the same way the Nazis called Jews. He is a racist, period. Anytime a person targets a whole segment of the population that have a common point - in this case their religion - that person is a racist.

Now, he says he is not against Muslims, but Islam! He thinks that people like me forget his racism. I suppose his propganda of hatred did not get him far enough, even with the ultra-right, ultra-reactionaries in this country. It did not make him a "star" even in those circles, because Imani does not realize that the racism that he espouses against Muslims is also used against him. After all, the racists in this country never trust an Iranian! So, now, he wants to show a "compassinate" side of his!

Propagating racism does not take courage, as Dale Husband claims, it takes bigotry, imbecility, and utter disregard for all human values, which Imani has been know for for a long time. Go back to your circles, Imani. The stench of your racism is madenning.

 

Mammad


Immortal Guard

Islam or Islamism!

by Immortal Guard on

Islam is a religion. Islamism is an ideology. Islamism may usurp Islam to further its ideological goals but they are not the same.

But Capitalism and Liberalism will end up in the dustbins of history the same way Nazism, Fascism and finally Communism did.


MOOSIRvaPIAZ

Whatever makes you happy/rich

by MOOSIRvaPIAZ on

How many articles have you written for the pro-Likud neoconservative magazine?
//www.americanthinker.com/amil_imani/

hating Islam is good business.


Rosie.

Another thing,

by Rosie. on

I condemn Islam and those who support and promote it. In the same sense that I am not against slaves, I am against slavery and those who advocate and advanceT it.

That's a very nice distinction. But where do you draw the line? Do you see a practicing Muslim like say Mammad as a slave or a slave owner?

What about Mostafaei?


Dale_Husband

You have great courage!

by Dale_Husband on

I have written my own statement against Islam. Here it is:

//circleh.wordpress.com/2010/05/04/muslims-get-a-life/

If you are brave enough to stand up against Islam, I can do no less!

Dale Husband, the Honorable Skeptic


Rosie.

From the sublime

by Rosie. on

to the ridiculous and back again, and again, and again, like a virtual roller coaster in the categorical Coney Island of your mind.


Immortal Guard

Set you sights on the Arabs!

by Immortal Guard on

Persians whether knowingly or unknowingly have always been Zoroastrians underneath their skin. Islam has mostly been about politics for Persians.

You should start to set your sights on the Arabs for whom Islam is not only a religion, but also their culture and way of life. Now try to inoculate the Arabs against political Islam. A few decades from now one will be able to judge how successful your vaccination program for the Arab masses was!


i_support_khamenie

Problems with Islam and a subnote

by i_support_khamenie on

 none


Javadagha

I agree with several posters that the quality of IC has gone dow

by Javadagha on

You are getting good in cut and paste of non-senses.   Since you left Islam, have you become follower of Oral Roberts or another Christian mullah? Our problems are not religious, it is cultural.I agree with several posters that the quality of IC has gone down drastically and become a place where people such as MasoudA, Amil, or Fred went their frustrations.

 


mahmoudg

another fellow on the same wave length

by mahmoudg on

Although i have not only denounced Islam and its backward ways, but I have denounced religion in general.  Islam belongs in the 7th century and it should have never left that era.  but, alas it has and now we have to fight it and stop it.  By any means possible.