Central Council of Ex-Muslims
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The Central Council of Ex-Muslims (Zentralrat der
Ex-Muslime) is a German association (Verein) of
non-religious, secular persons who were Muslim or
originate from an Islamic country. It was founded on
January 21, 2007[1] and has more than 100 members.
It has since opened branches in Britain and
Scandinavia. A Central Committee for Ex-Muslims was
also created in the Netherlands.
Contents
[hide]
* 1 Foundation
* 2 Goals
* 3 The Council's criticism of Islam
* 4 Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain
o 4.1 Manifesto
o 4.2 News coverage
* 5 See also
* 6 External links
* 7 References
[edit] Foundation
The Council was founded by about 30 ex-Muslims which
include Iranian women's rights activist Mina Ahadi
(chairman), who has been sentenced to death in 1981 in
her home country, the Turkish-born publicist Arzu
Toker (vice chairman), and Nur Gabbari, the son of an
Iraqi clergyman.[2]
The founding of the association is a breach of taboo
as Apostasy in Islam is not allowed and is punishable
by death in several Islamic states. Even in lands
where execution for apostasy was abolished, renegades
are not sure of their lives, as their Muslim relatives
frequently try to kill them.[3] Chairwoman Ahadi has
been put under personal security by German police
after receiving death threats.[4] Ahadi says that she
and other members have been "terrorized".[5]
The choice of the association's name is furthermore
deliberate, as it is an allusion to the name of the
Central Council of Muslims in Germany, which
represents approximately 20,000 of the over 3 million
German Muslims, and whose name is an allusion to the
Central Council of Jews in Germany.[6]
The Central Council of Ex-Muslims receives support
from the Giordano Bruno Foundation[1] in Germany and
according to its own claim also by the International
League of non-religious and atheists, Bund für
Geistesfreiheit München, as well as Humanistischer
Pressedienst.[7]
[edit] Goals
On February 28, 2007, the Central Council of
Ex-Muslims published details of the association's
goals in a press conference at the
Bundespressekonferenz in Berlin.[6]
Comparable goals are aspired by the initiative
"Secular Islam" of Islam critic Ibn Warraq, who
belongs to the signers of the MANIFESTO: Together
facing the new totalitarianism and has published a
book called Leaving Islam. Apostates speak out.[8]
The Council has stated its goals:[9]
1. "Start the campaign We've Given It Up!, which
may be an allusion to an earlier feminist campaign
under the slogan We have aborted!. The goal of the
campaign is to convey ideas of Enlightenment to Islam.
The Council wants to highlight the difficulties of
leaving the Islamic faith and help those who are
interested in doing so to leave Islam."
2. "Convince the German government not to perceive
all immigrants from Islamic countries as Muslims. The
Council criticizes the fact that these immigrants are
considered to be Muslims regardless of their actual
beliefs. Mina Ahadi denounces the German Islam
Conference which was initiated by the German
government in the summer of 2006 for making this
association."
3. "Convince the German government to stop dealing
with political Muslim organizations such as the
Central Council of Muslims in Germany (ZMD) or Milli
Görüs. According to the Council, these organizations
are inherently against human rights, anti-secular, and
are anti-integrationist and should not be seen as an
appropriate contact for the Muslim community by the
German government."
[edit] The Council's criticism of Islam
Arzu Toker stated in an interview that she considers
Sharia, Islamic law, as unacceptable and contradicting
to both human rights and the values of the German
constitution. According to Toker, Islam is anti-woman
as it humiliates women and turns them into servants of
the men. It is also anti-man, because it reduces men
to breeding animals controlled by their urges. She
also said that she does not distinguish between Islam
and fundamentalism since according to her, "Islam is
inherently radical".[10]
The Council is also critical of umbrella organizations
in Germany, which they say represent only political
Islam and not most of the Muslims in Germany, and
accuses them of being responsible for the appalling
conditions under which many Muslims in Germany
live.[11]
In different interviews Ahadi has stated that it was
not possible to reform Islam, that she is critical of
all religions and not only of Islam, but that she does
not want to abolish religion.[12] The Council would
like to live in peaceful and tolerant coexistence with
Muslims in Germany.[6]
[edit] Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain
The Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain is the British
branch of the organization, representing former
Muslims who fear for their lives because they have
renounced Islam.[13] It was launched Westminster on 22
June 2007.[13]
The Council plans to protest against Islamic states
that still punish Muslim apostates with death under
the Sharia law.[13] The Council is led by Maryam
Namazie, who was awarded Secularist of the Year in
2005 and has faced death threats.[13]
The British Humanist Association and National Secular
Society sponsored the launch and support the new
organisation.[14]
The activists of the organization, many of whom are
Iranian exiles, support the freedom to criticize
religion and the end to what they call "religious
intimidation and threats."[15]
[edit] Manifesto
The CEMB in its manifesto states that it does not
desire to be represented by regressive Islamic
organizations and "Muslim community leaders".[16] It
says that by coming forward in public, it represents
countless other apostates who fear coming out in
public due to death threats.[16] They take a "stand
for reason, universal rights and values, and
secularism".[16]
The Council in its manifesto also demands several
things such as freedom to criticize religion,
separation of religion from the state and the
"protection of children from manipulation and abuse by
religion and religious institutions".[16]
[edit] News coverage
* The courage of their convictions - Guardian
Unlimited
* Ignore Islam, 'ex-Muslims' urge - BBC
* NSS supports the launch of the Ex-Muslim Council
of Britain - National Secular Society
[edit] See also
* Apostasy in Islam
* Faith Freedom International
* Criticism of Islam
* List of former Muslims
* Liberal movements within Islam
[edit] External links
* Website of the Central Council of Ex-Muslims in
Germany
* Website of the Council of Ex-Muslims in Britain
[edit] References
1. ^ a b (German) FOCUS: Zentralrat der Ex-Muslime
in Köln gegründet, February 11, 2007
2. ^ (German) Kuno Kruse: Die vom Islam abfallen,
Stern, February 27, 2007
3. ^ Heffening, W. "Murtadd". Encyclopaedia of
Islam Online Edition. Ed. P.J. Bearman, Th. Bianquis,
C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel and W.P. Heinrichs. Brill
Academic Publishers. ISSN 1573-3912.
4. ^ (German) Anna Reimann: Pioneer for Leaving
Islam protected after threats, Der Spiegel, February
21, 2007
5. ^ Founder of ex-Muslim group threatened, United
Press International, February 23, 2007
6. ^ a b c Abdul-Ahmad Rashid: Mission of the
Reformed, Qantara.de, 2007
7. ^ Website of the Central Council of Ex-Muslims,
links
8. ^ Information portal for Islam dropouts, media
9. ^ Arzu Toker on the Federal Press Conference,
compare Website of the Central Council of Ex-Muslims
10. ^ (German) Natalie Wiesmann: "Wir Atheisten
müssen lauter werden", die tageszeitung, April 4,
2007]
11. ^ (German) Political Demands by the Council
12. ^ Abdo Al-Mikhlafy: Islam Can't Be Reformed,
Says Founder of Ex-Muslim Group, DW, March 3, 2007
13. ^ a b c d Jonathan Petre: New group for those
who renounce Islam, The Daily Telegraph, June 21, 2007
14. ^ Maryam Namazie: Launch of the Council of
ex-Muslims of Britain, Scoop, June 19, 2007
15. ^ Tom Heneghan: "Ex-Muslim" group launches in
Britain, The Scotsman, June 20, 2007
16. ^ a b c d CEMB Manifesto
Retrieved from
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Council_of_Ex-Muslims";
Categories: Apostasy in Islam | Former Muslims |
Freedom of expression organizations | Islam in Germany
| Islam in Europe | Islam in the United Kingdom |
Organisations based in Germany | Organizations
established in 2007 | Criticism of Islam
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* This page was last modified 02:58, 27 December
2007.
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---------------
Jusfiq Hadjar gelar Sutan Maradjo Lelo
Allah yang disembah orang Islam tipikal dan yang digambarkan oleh al-Mushaf itu
dungu, buas, kejam, keji, ganas, zalim lagi biadab hanyalah Allah fiktif.
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