News & Comment
Hanau: The Real Perpetrators

News:

Terror attack in Hanau (Germany).

Comment:

The contemporary notions of safety and threat in the West are intrinsically linked to the manifestation of Islam in their societies and abroad. As a result, almost every issue related to Islam and the Muslim community is dealt with disturbed obsessiveness, so much so, that in this process, their own liberal values and constitutional freedoms, which they deem so high, are bulldozed over without blinking an eye.

The effect of this witch-hunt against Islam, influenced big portions of the common people. Also, they began perceiving Islam as a threat to their values, traditions and their way of life and became receptive to narrow patriotic and nationalistic sentiments in order to counter it. In almost all European countries, anti-Islamic rhetoric by almost all political parties, whether left or right wing, has become the accepted shared norm.

In such a poisoned atmosphere, violence against Muslims is expected. Moreover it is just a matter of time. Last week, ten innocent people in Germany (Hanau) most of whom were Muslims, were shot dead by a terrorist called Tobias Rathjen who had racist and Nazi ideas. A couple of days prior, twelve men were arrested in Germany who had been planning attacks using semi-automatic weapons on Muslim worshippers during prayers in 10 German states, inspired by the terrorist who killed 51 Muslim worshippers in New Zealand last year. Their extraordinary goal was to kill Muslims in “commando” style.

Due to the consistent anti-Islam propaganda and the usages of patriotist and nationalistic sentiments who are supposedly under attack, the West is reviving a monster who cost millions of lives in Europe, not even a century ago, not realising that the stick of patriotism and nationalism which they hit the Muslims with, will turn against themselves. In October 2019, a right-wing extremist attacked a synagogue, killing two people. The same year, German CDU politician Walter Lübcke was killed by a right-wing extremist. In June 2019, thirty members of the neo-Nazi terrorist group Nordkreuz were arrested, most of them were from police and army circles. One of them was an active member of the SEK, a special police unit of the criminal investigation department. All members were trained gunmen and had access to weapons and tens of thousands of ammunitions. They were preparing numerous attacks on left-wing and pro-refugee ’politicians and prominent people.

However, the real danger is not the far-right extremist, but the leading liberal democracy which creates the basis for this extremism and violence. The real danger and threat should be sought within their own failing ideology which isn’t even capable of dealing with its own people let alone dealing with the “other” who has a different outlook on life. Instead, Islam is capable to include and embrace the total of humanity in its society without demonizing and oppressing them and ensuring happiness in this live and tranquility in the Hereafter.

[لَوْكَانُوايَعْلَمُونَ]

“If they only knew.” [Surah Al-Baqara: 103]

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Okay Pala
Media Representative of Hizb ut Tahrir in The Netherlands