Ali Eteraz

My friend Aslam Mphirii is an African-born Islamic Jurist who grew up in the States and has worked with various international organizations to modernize Islamic Law (he is a reformist but he likes calling himself a traditionalist). He was responsible for introducing me to The Renaissance School theories on Islamic Law which provide a meaningful and alternative vision of rescuing the Shariah from its current irrelevance. At the beginning of the summer he went to the Middle East and now he’s had a close chance to observe what’s happening. I just had an IM conversation with him which I have set forth below with some minor editorial changes. It became a bit heated. Please note that he is partly expressing his opinions, but mostly speaking about the Arab street. I have known him forever and I know he wants a peaceful resolution to the M.E. conflict: something resembling the 67 borders. Anyway, I hope you find it as informative as it was for me. We pick it up after the initial greetings.

Aslam: yea sadly - im in an impotent arab country

me: sup with the arabs in this one man
they know iran out played em

Aslam: the street is incensed bro
i dont even buy all the iran involvement
israel has been planning this step since syria moved out

me: but someone gave them the catalyzing moment

Aslam: its like 9/11 bro…you create the circumstances to bring out about the catalyzing moment
hezbollah’s kidnapping the soldiers is a b.s. motive
they knew hezbollah was not going to stand around for too long
while gaza got blasted
they knew it was only a matter of time

me: so israel wants this war? i dont buy that

Aslam: yes - but they miscalculated
i mean come on bro, you cant buy that they just happenned to respond with such punishing brutality to bring their soldiers home
they underestimated hezbollah’s strength
and have fought a poor war
they had a couple things in mind:
me: i think they went after nasrallah
using the soldiers as motive

Aslam: yea and they thought

me: thus the disproportionate force at the very state

Aslam: that they would get the lebanese christians
to side with them
yes, which stupidly they didnt realize would alienate any potential allies they could have had within lebanon itself
its a typical colonial mentality
america uses it too
beat the other side into submission so that people betray the resistance
it never works though
thank God the prime minister cancelled talks with rice
it would be disgusting to see her in lebanon

me: so what happens now?

Aslam: what should have happenned in the beginning - eventually they are just going to sit down and swap prisoners
but this is going to carry on for a little bit
hezbollah is entrenched and not going anywhere
i mean nasrullah is still broadcasting!

me: he’s in lebanon still?

Aslam: yea
i think israel has also crossed a terrible line
relations were normalizing
this was a poor move on israel’s part
even if i accept that hezbollah was the catalyst - which i dont - 2 soldiers being kidnapped was not worth this mess
israel’s in deep shit
i listen to arab radio every day and the talk is the same

me: holocaust?

Aslam: how is it that a militia is taking on this mighty army and the arab nations are incompetent?
no
God forbid

me: i just feel like, assuming there’s thawra (revolution) in the arab countries
the next step will be genocide of jews

Aslam: the thing is that the only group that could prevent that would be the religious establishment
for instance, someone like nasrullah would never let that happen
he actually - for the most part - is very strictly by the book on islamic law stuff

me: i see.
interesting point.

Aslam: however, the sunnis might go nuts

me: which they will.

Aslam: its not going to begin with israel though

me: shias?

Aslam: i could see an islamic wave gripping
the middle east
people are cursing saudi and egypt openly
even hardcore sunni imams
are backing hezbollah
ramadan buti - probably the most significant imam in syria just gave a khutba in the ummayyad masjid support hezbollah and going off on saudi

me: well what do people want

for the governments of arab countries to do military action?

Aslam: yes
me: but thats stupid.

Aslam: they want their governments to build up their militaries, to give them an opportunity to defend their honor…
why?

me: military action to do what? push israel back to 67 borders? into the ocean?

Aslam: i think people are settled on ‘67
no one talks about israel dissapearing
they talk about liberating west bank and gaza
the issue right now is not palestine though
people want arab governments to defend the sovereignty of another
arab nation

me: but the arab governments dont speak for the arab people. they never have.

Aslam: they find it disgusting that israel is bombarding a country with no air force, no navy, no standing army and just one militia
well - some would argue that nasser did
but thats besides the point

me: so the biggest problem it comes down to: is that arab people are living under tyrannies and have no say in their government, right?

Aslam: i think people dont just want military action…they would be satisfied if it started with stern words and symbollic gestures.
the thing is that although that is tauted as the main issue - and yes arabs do want to be able to speak out more - they dont really
care who is in power, they just want someone in power to say something
they feel the same frustration we feel in the US with our elected government
that never even utters a word of criticism against israel
i mean how atrocious was Rice’s response to the latest massacre

me: so they want condemnation of israel cuz it makes them feel better. is that how politics is supposed to work?

Aslam: you underestimate the value of pride and honor

me: they haven’t had any since 1948 when they lost.
so they try to recoup it in bits and pieces and when their govts wont stand up for them they whine and we call it ‘the street is pissed’
tell me straight up: do arabs ever recognize they were humiliated twice?

Aslam: well depends where you are. they consider the hezbollah presence honorable
of course
they totally know they got their ass kicked

me: eff honor man. the prophet came by to ERASE this kind of honor driven bull shit. this is tribalism at its worst!

Aslam: however, they do recognize - rightfully so - that Israel had some major help both times
me: so did they. egypt was suckling good soviet cock back then.
do u talk to people?
or are u listening?

Aslam: man that is b.s. - the prophet did not come to erase honor. there are plenty of hadith speaking of the value of honor
man, soviet help was not as forthcoming as european and american help
yea i talk to people and listen

me: i said THIS kind of honor. THIS kind of honor is motivated by the desire to EQUALIZE ‘lost honor.’ the prophet said that patience is the best honor.

Aslam: the arab radio is blowing up with 24/7 coverage
man, dont be selective in your reading. the Prophet spoke of “pride” as something that one should not lose
but that it should not be arrogance

me: honor and pride are not the same thing.

Aslam: they are interchangeable in arabic
its getting at the same point

me: how would arabs regain it?

Aslam: honor is fundamental to eastern culture
it shouldnt be abused - as in honor killings - but it is central to eastern and Islamic culture

me: by the way, im SICKENED by any talk about ‘regaining honor’ that to me is such a bunch of bs

Aslam: thats cause you have been away too long man
its not an issue for you
you look at it through a different lens
come sit here

me: no thanks.
u think i’d really change my mind?

Aslam: yea man…if you have any empathy for people

me: my empathy for the lebanese people doesn’t require me to tap into reserves of ‘honor’
honor presupposes that one behave honorably - it is not honorable to condone suicide bombing nor is it honorable to perpetuate anti-semitism, nor is it honorable to confine your women
i know about honor man, please.

Aslam: bro - thats not even the b.s. im talking about
we didnt even get in to any of those issues
we are talking about your basic honor
dignity
lack of humiliation

me: isn’t it basic honor to treat others with dignity as well?
in fact, THAT is basic honor

Aslam: of course man - but thats not the issue right now. we are talking about honor in situations where you are suppressed, humiliated etc.
on a regular basis

me: ok.
is the arab street humiliated by israel or by their own government more directly?

Aslam: israel

me: isn’t it the case that their govt tells them they are humiliated by israel so the people dont take up arms against the tyrant?
just as is done in our country?
isn’t that the oldest trick in the tyrant book?

Aslam: no
no one needs to tell them that israel is humiliating them
the government doesnt say shit in jordan
you dont even have it discussed in friday khutbas (sermons)

me: its all israel all the time?

Aslam: no, israel is NEVER discussed in the khutbas here
me: you just said israel puts the humiliation on them

Aslam: but people dont need their governmetn to tell them that israel is humiliating them
they see it on the news
they hear it from their family

me: ok: what are the causes of israel’s humiliation?
west bank and gaza?

Aslam: primarily

me: 71, 67, 48?

Aslam: no, 2006

me: but prior to 2006 what was it?
since it is not sua sponte
Aslam: its since the creation of Israel to today
pick a date

me: so then how can u think they don’t want to drive the jews out?

Aslam: because honor does not necessarily require them to go to that extent
they want a semblance of normality
shit some people would just be happy with it being easier to get into palestine

me: that’s an assumption - ok but ill give you the benefit of the doubt.
what about hamas

Aslam: i mean i had a professor whose father died in nablus and going to his funeral wasnt even an option

me: they want it in power?

Aslam: man, they want a chance to rule the damn country

me: so the feeling is all out that israel escalated it in order to prevent hamas from its authority?

me: so the feeling is all out that israel escalated it in order to prevent hamas from its authority?

Aslam: its a fact. israel was making raids into gaza constantly prior to the abduction of the israeli soldier. they had just taken a gazan doctor and his son a few days before. in every speech that israel or bush gave they said that hamas was not a legitimate
government and they would not meet with them.

me: so a huge part is israeli resentment agst hamas?

Aslam: huge part of what?

me: what started this.

Aslam: not resentment, but active attempt at dismantling the hamas government
see people think its b.s. to talk about democracy
but then not respect the fact that people chose hamas

me: got it.

Aslam: its sad akh (bro), you talk to any taxi driver here - 70% of the population is Palestinian - and ask his origins he says Palestine, usually followed by a
but ive never been. i pray i can go one day
dont get me wrong though - people aint happy with their governments and curse them all the time too

me: but rite now thats on the backburner
what’s happened to iraq talk?

Aslam: its all mixed in as well. people feel it is connected. i mean Rice doesnt help things by saying we are seeing the birth pangs of a “new Middle East”
the Arab radio shows were all over that - with every caller talking about what the freak does that mean!?!?!
so it comes across like a master plan

me: damn

me: what do u think she meant?

Aslam: i think she meant what all Bush administration officials mean - they do have a grander strategy
israel got the green light on this one from the US - no way Israel would have carried out such a massive attack

me: u think their goal is to democratically elected puppets?

Aslam: given that the US is in Iraq
i dont think they are as worried about democracy
but definitely keen on puppets or very weak states

me: shouldn’t they be satisfied by their puppets though?

Aslam: they totally miscalculated iraq

no because they cant always get puppets…i.e. Ahmed Chalabi puppet realized it was better not to be
one
they are just beginning to realize how powerful Iran is getting
and the Shia presence
i mean, Hezbollah’s stand could really make the average Muslim in the Arab world think about Shias differently

me: like salahuddin’s kurds?

Aslam: yes

me: damn

but obviously not to that extent just yet

Aslam: the sunni/shia divide is deep
but this may help that a lot

me: ok u said earlier iran’s not involved

Aslam: i mean hezbollah and hamas are cooperating now

me: but why wouldn’t they be if shia power is about to become exponentially greater

Aslam: not involved in that they are not giving the orders

me: we have always know about shia expansion. remember the jafari cults in pakistan in 1979?
are they giving military support?

Aslam: yes
definitely
but hezbollah’s objective is not shia power
and it operates on its own
the truth is man cross-border raids between israel and hezbollah have been going on
for a while
israel kidnaps civilians
hezbollah kidnaps soldiers
then they swap

me: so its the shit the pak/india do all the time
north/south korea

Aslam: well sort of - but pak and india are more connected to their groups
and have much more control
ISI is much more directly involved with the kashmir groups

me: this was informative.
i talked to a guy who went and talked to israelis
he said that israeli insiders feel that it will go on for a while and they they’ll go back to how it was

Aslam: its changed forever
the dynamic has
it may not be evident right away
but some important seeds have been planted

me: dynamic within muslim world? or in relation to israel?

Aslam: muslim world
if hezbollah survives this
it will be huge
but either way

me: for who?

Aslam: they have already won
for hezbollah
and the arab world

me: has hizb filled the vacuum that old yasser left?

Aslam: i think they have filled a vacuum that yasser never had
cause yasser never did what hezbollah has done

me: they are the next ’stage’ in the yasser activism?

Aslam: i mean bro there is absolute glee here when news of hezbollah’s attacks comes
people’s eyes light up

me: how is islam playing into this?
or is it almost secular?

Aslam: islam plays in in the sense that hezbollah is religious
and people have to come to terms with them being shia
because that is a huge issue

me: ok i need to get going soon akh
when do u get back?

Aslam: august 30th inshallah

me: inshallah

Aslam: by the way, the other thing that has happenned bro is that
it is difficult - if next to impossible - to be neutral anymore

me: ah.

Aslam: your credibility on any topic
rests with your position on this issue
i mean you can use religious arguments, but other than that any excuses for israel
just dissapeared

me: what sort of religious arguments?

Aslam: jihad ones
i mean people are still against the killing of civilians
etc.

Aslam: and the fact that nasrullah apologized for killing the children was big

me: which kids?
Aslam: in haifa
2 kids i believe
nasrullah went on the air and apologized

me: i see.
so they think he’s got honor
is he like that or is that a ploy?

Aslam: yes they think he has honor. i do believe he is like that. like i said, he seems to stick closely to islamic law.
even in his attacks, you will notice that he did not start attacking israeli cities until israel began bombing
me: so in terms of islamic law, this is just war?

Aslam: then he didnt attack deeper into israel until israel escalated their war
well…i have been thinking about that a lot. the biggest issue i have is that hezbollah acted without the consent of the government - or so it appears
if that is the case then it is not justified in my eyes

me: but u said they had been abducting soldiers all the time.
so maybe they thought they had tacit consent

Aslam: yes
possibly
thats what i dont know
i mean according to the lebanese military
they had the army’s support

me: interesting.

Aslam: the christian general is in full support of them
and that they are part of the lebanese defense
if that is the case then them acting to take the heat off of gaza
would be justified
alright man ill let you go
i got to run too
hope all is well
we should get together when i get back

Endnote: I doubt Israel helped its cause by killing 34 children today. Pictures (graphic) are available here. It just struck me that the building was a UN building, which means that the argument that Hizbollah were hiding in there probably does not apply. Update: See one of my commentators (Decurion) response.

Update: I just learned that Nasrullah apologized solely because the kids were Israeli-Arabs. I did not know this during the chat.