The Arab Superiority (Insecurity, to be honest)

Hugh Fitzgerald:

Within Islam, the [Arab] supremacist ideology is expressed first, and perhaps most importantly, in linguistic and cultural imperialism. The Qur'an is written in Arabic, and was delivered to, given to, revealed to, the Arabs, that best of people. That best of men, Muhammad, was an Arab, and so were the Companions. The Qur'an itself should ideally not be read in any language other than Arabic (the Arabic in which it was written, not in any simplified or updated version). Qur'anic recitation is in Arabic. The students in Pakistan or Indonesia or elsewhere who pass their young lives memorizing Qur'anic passages are essentially memorizing Arabic, a language that they do not know at all, and understand most imperfectly. Yet it is 7th century Arabs, real or imaginary, who must serve as a guide to existence. Was Muhammad against sculptures? Against music? Against painting of living creatures? Very well then. For all time, and in all places, good Muslims will emulate Muhammad. For he is central to Islam, far more significant than Jesus is in Christianity. Yes, it is true that "Allah knows best" but so to does Muhammad – see Qur’an 33:21. They both know best.

[Emphasis mine]

I still remember the time when one of my cousins, in Pakistan, was being "taught" the Quran by his mother. She held a stick and told him to repeatedly recite, and thus memorize, the Quranic verses. She would provide him "a gift" and correct him for each instance he made an error. He, very likely, had no clue about the meaning of what he was cramming in his head. Though, other relatives were gushing in their praise towards my cousin. I, however, was horrified. Thankfully, I didn't go through with this brutal ritual.

In Saudi Arabia there is apartheid: the signs "Muslim" and "Non-Muslim" are everywhere, both physically and in the minds of men. But "Muslims" are further divided into Arab (first class) and non-Arab (second class). This has not escaped the attention of the many Muslim non-Arabs who live in Saudi Arabia -- or at least not the attention of all of them.

Speaking as one who lived in Saudi Arabia as a Muslim non-Arab, that's quite right. Non-Muslims live in their own compounds or mini-cities, cut off from the rest of Arabia. And that's non-Jewish non-Muslims since Jews are not allowed entry in Saudi Arabia (how's that for rabid antisemitism).

When it comes to non-Arab Muslims, they're, indeed, treated as second class. For example, I went to a Pakistani school in Saudi Arabia, and never mingled with any Arabs. My dad got paid around half the salary of his Arab colleagues. And in virtually any confrontation between an Arab and a non-Arab, the so-called legal system favored the Arab. This had the effect of young Arabs bullying the non-Arabs, knowing full well that a non-Arab would risk a heavy fine / jail time / deportation if he, in any way, reacted physically.

I heard this story from a non-Arab friend who lived in the UAE. A non-Arab Muslim he knew was at the receiving end of Arab bullies in the UAE. This guy couldn't take the verbal abuse and got into a tussle. Of course, he was deported for starting a fight with the passive Arab. He was taken to the airport by security personnel and along the way they stopped to peacefully sodomize him. Don't you know? Some Muslims are more equal than others.

VoiceOfSkippy in the comments at Dhimmi Watch:

We are not encouraged to wear sandals, become carpenters, do the "Jesus shuffle" if he had a particular walk, eat Jesus' favorite foods, etc. Also, I have little experience of Jesus having thousands of tiny and insignificant rules and rituals, when to pray, how to pray, how often, fasting (at least the Protestants), the role of women, superior camel grooming techniques, etc. The Catholics invented lots of rituals, but did not demand adherence to them on the threat of punishment.

All the mini rituals, of any cult, are mostly there to drum into your head the sense of utter subservience.

In contrast, there is no aspect of Muhammad's life that is not to be utterly duplicated, grand or obscure. Imagine transplanting a zealous 7th century arab warrior to London, or Philadelphia, to integrate and grow.

I can imagine that. Integrate...grow...raise a brain-dead army of the Ummah...kill all the infidels except the pretty girls and women who'll be kept as sex slaves for the honorable Ummah.

Update 04:30 PM ET, OCT. 31
Open post at Basil's Blog.