Yesterday I sent off this letter to the press.  I hope it gets printed.  Anyway, here it is:  "Political Islam"

I believe a lot of people do not know this: Political Islam is a deviation!  According to former Egyptian Chief Justice Muhammad Said al-Ashmawy, the most natural consequence of bringing politics into religion is that the former debases the latter.

Because of his controversial views on political Islam, the Egyptian jurist has been on the hit-list of militants in his country.  He is surrounded by bodyguards most of the time.

In 1987, in "Political Islam", a book still being read by many, al-Ashmawy said that Islam was, from the beginning, an apolitical religion, concerned solely with spiritual and ethical guidance.  The form Islam has subsequently taken - as "religion and state" - for him is a deviation from and a perversion of that true conception.

Another consequence is that rulers who operate under the guise of political Islam acquire a certain degree of infallibility.  Their political statements will be seen as expressions of absolute truth and their political goals shrouded with religious sanctity.  When this happens, political issues cannot be commented upon, or even criticized.  "If you open your mouth, you will be accused of questioning God".

This is what is happening now in our country.  The political "ulama" (religious scholar) blatantly make pronouncements that question the religious faith of other Muslims who do not subscribe to their views.  This caused much dismay, confusion and antagonism between Muslims of different political belief.

Yes, people, these political "ulama" can fool some gullible people all of the time, all of the people some of the time, but they cannot fool all of the people all of the time.  I do hope this revelation is a wake-up call to all thinking Muslims!