An important question is being asked these days, although not often enough. If indeed, ISIS does not represent a widespread interpretation of Islam, then where are the prominent Muslim leaders around the world who should be standing up and denouncing it loudly? After all, leaders of any faith would be screaming if its principles were being misrepresented enough to generate hatred against its peaceful practitioners.
It seems that, with only minor exceptions, there have been no loud voices decrying ISIS coming from the Muslim world, at least not being broadcast to the West. If you have heard anything like that -- please hit the old Comments section below -- and I'm not talking about the King of Jordan showing his spine and fighting ISIS, bless him. I'm talking about religious leaders denouncing them on the specific grounds that what they are doing blatantly in the name of Islam is blatantly inconsistent with Islam.
This is strongly needed in the West, where millions of Muslims live, and where some of its youth are being recruited to the ISIS legions and their religious fanaticism. Will anyone stand up and represent the faith? Will anyone stand up and denounce Islamic terrorism? Who is the leading Muslim in the United States, and will he show the courage to do so?
Well, I can answer the first question, because there is no doubt whatsoever who the most well-known and admired Muslim in the USA is. Whether or not he will stand up and be heard, well, that's a whole 'nother thing, because to date he has been mostly silent on the matter, and certainly in the past few years.
I'm talking about you, Muhammad Ali.
Certainly no one looks at you as an imam or cleric of Islam, or any kind of clergyman -- maybe you are or were, but it doesn't matter. Whatever you are, you are an American and a Muslim; your faith is being turned into a progenitor of terrorists and your religion's followers are immediately mistrusted solely because of their denomination and its association with beheaders and torturers. And you, sir, the self-proclaimed "Greatest", are easily the most famous Muslim in our country.
It is time for you, because no one else has the pulpit you have. Your country, which you refused to fight for because you "ain't got no quarrel with them Viet Cong", needs you now. I don't care if you didn't have "no quarrel with them Viet Cong", but you do indeed have a quarrel with "them ISIS" -- at least I hope you do.
You, sir, need to call a press conference -- and they'll line up to hear you; it will get lots of attention. You need to stand up and say in no uncertain terms, that you condemn ISIS, that their claim on Islam is as corrupt as their 7th-Century approach to life, and that you call for America to lead the charge, in defense of your beautiful faith, to wipe ISIS off the face of the earth.
No one is as Teflon-covered as you. You could dodge the draft and still keep your fans. You could go to jail and they still will love you. You could act like a total jerk in a couple of your fights (windmilling arms was pretty classless) and it made no difference. You can say anything you want to.
We're all ears, "champ." You've nothing to fear, and your words could slow the flow of young Muslims from America over to join the terror brigades. To stand up there, to set aside your shaking and your age and infirmity, and be the man Muslim America needs, well, that would finally make you the deserving champion. Otherwise, well, silence is affirmation.
And we certainly hope you're on the right side of this battle.
Copyright 2015 by Robert Sutton
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