Muslim oppression from Andalusia to East Turkestan

Please allow me to share here today, an article by Prof. Mehmet Akbaş, who is an esteemed and knowledgeable brother, as well as an academic and writer, as his words reflect perfectly my thoughts and sentiments:

Oh dear Andalusia, how you have fallen; how they destroyed you. Muslims brought forth a great civilization in Andalusia. That was the time when students from Europe would go there to study and, as a matter of fact, they would be eager to do so.

Such scholars were raised there! We had great caliphs who used to guide the world. We used to have madrasas and mosques. We had palaces with the Quranic verse, “La ghaliba illallah” (There is no victor but God), inscribed on their walls 60,000 times. And they all collapsed. Do you know why?

In this state, south of Europe, in other words, in the Islamic state in Europe, Muslims were divided into 23 factions. As if this was not enough, three factions among them took the lead and they started to fight each other. To top it off, while fighting among themselves, they got support from Christian Europe. This is exactly the sort of thing Europeans were anticipating. Muslims had entered their continent, ended their sovereignty, and ruled them. They were more than happy to help. Muslims shortly destroyed one another. Their state and power disappeared, which, consequently made them the enemy’s laughing stock. The state fell, with no less than 500,000 Muslims left behind. What were these people to do? Who was going to rule over them? Priests and monks started raiding homes. Andalusia was invaded. They began to monitor the Muslims: Does anyone take ablution? Does anyone prepare for Friday prayer? Is there a copy of the Quran in homes? Does anyone teach them to recite the Quran?

Three things were awaiting the Muslims of Andalusia, who destroyed their state with their own hands: You will either convert to Christianity, leave the land or die. Muslims’ European enemies did all three. Some of the Muslims in Spain were made to convert to Christianity, some were exiled or sold as slaves, while some were tortured to death.

As all this was happening, Andalusians sent one among them as a messenger to the Ottoman Empire, the most powerful state of the time. The messenger requests help, for Andalusia is bleeding under Christian oppression. A solution is needed. The messenger stands in the presence of Ottoman Sultan Bayezid II and starts reading the very long letter with tears pouring down his face.

“I bring you greetings from the collapsed mosques, greetings from the burned Qurans…”

The letter is lengthy and the messenger continues to read, his tears relentlessly moistening his face.

The Ottoman Empire cannot help, because it is at war with Persia and Austria at the time. It deploys one ship and 2,000 men. It fights for some time on Spain’s coast, but to no avail. Andalusia continues to cry: death, exile and torture continue.

The state fell in 1492, with not a single Muslim left in Andalusia by the 1600s.

Oh dear Andalusia, the end of an eight-century state was by your doing alone. You destroyed the civilization you built with your own two hands.

Today, the enemy is in East Turkestan, in Damascus, in Yemen, in Myanmar, in Iraq, in Egypt, in Palestine, in Gaza, In Afghanistan, in Pakistan…

East Turkestan is under attack. The Chinese are repeating the scenario that was implemented in Andalusia, here. They are entering homes and trying to destroy all traces of Islam. They are marrying Muslims girls with Chinese men. Scholars are being massacred, people are concentrated in camps and forced to learn Chinese. Their life is being completely monitored. Families are forced and pressured to bring back their children from abroad. Islamic life is being targeted.

China is going to do whatever it takes to eliminate Islam and Muslims. What about us?

Let us burden ourselves with the problem of Muslims in every environment; feel their pain deep within; accept their grievances as ours. Let us be generous towards them and donate; if we can find a way, we should travel to their region and seek solutions ; let us force administrators and place the state of Muslims at the top of our agenda at work, among family and companions. Let us discuss their problems. Let us ask questions to produce solutions to escape oppression and pressure. We should tell our students about the state of Muslims. Oppressed regions should be on the agenda and, we should voice the slogan, “Fight until oppression is wiped off the face of the earth,” always and everywhere.

Oh Lord, please do not let us experience another Andalusia. Allow us to be of those who will elevate Muslim territory. Allow us to be of the teachers who will raise the children of this ummah. Do not allow our enemies to destroy our homes and masjids.

If you are ever in Andalusia, there is a torture museum there; please visit it. (Mehmet Akbaş)