Islamists' vision for the U.N.

The U.S. government may have a hard time envisioning a useful role for the United Nations, but the Islamist fundamentalists do not. This article is based on remarks by Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Chief of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, the powerful hard-line Taliban-linked political party in Pakistan. He spoke at an international Islamic conference in Birmingham, England.

Opposition Leader in National Assembly Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Monday demanded that the United Nations should declare the defamation of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) an international crime.

Addressing a large gathering here, Maulana Fazl said the UN needed to adopt a blasphemy law to protect the honour of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and respected figures of other religions and faiths.

He denounced the anti-Islamic attitude by the West and spurned as baseless charges of involvement of Muslims in terrorist acts.

... Maulana Fazl said Europe should not consider Muslims an enemy but study Islamic teachings. He said to fight terrorism with terrorism was leading the world to destruction.

He said a great number of Qadiyanis were converting to Islam. [ed. note: this sect, like the Ahmadis, mentioned later, is a minority splinter group that practices a modified form of Islam in South Asia.]

He said attempts to repeal or amend the blasphemy law and Hudood Ordinance in the Muslim countries were under duress by western countries.

Fazl said to differentiate between Jihad and terrorism was need of the hour.

"Those who declare Islam as a religion of terrorism are the real fanatics and extremists," he said.

He said Muslims were ready to render every sacrifice to protect the honour and sanctity of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the belief of finality of his prophethood.

The ratio of conversion to Islam had raised very much after 9/11 incidents, he said, adding that negative reports against Islam, Muslims and Islamic states were published by the western media after Qadiyanis and Ahmadis restored [ed.: resorted?] to malicious propaganda in this regard.

"Muslim countries should raise their voices in the UN for the protection of the honour and sanctity of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the belief of Khatme Nubuwwat," he said.

The story notes that "scholars and participants from all European countries including Great Britain, Germany, Norway, Belgium, Denmark, as well as Pakistan, India, Bangladesh attended the conference." It claims that "more than 20,000 people participated in the conference."