Where is Malaysia’s imam Mazhar Shaheen?

ARCHIVES 2013

By admin-s On Jan 14, 2013

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A standing ovation and thunderous applause greeted the preacher of Egypt’s Tahrir Square, Dr. Mazhar Shaheen, when he joined Coptic Christians in celebrating Christmas last Monday at the nearby Qasr al-Dobara Church, and delivered a stirring message of brotherhood and unity in the face of Islamist pressures threatening Christian-Muslim relations. [VIDEO]

(Coptic Christians celebrate Christmas on Jan 7, following the calendar of the Eastern churches.)

Addressing the congregation at the invitation of Samih Morees, his friend and confidante and pastor of the church, imam Mazhar Shaheen spoke of how all Egyptians carried out the Tahrir Square revolution of 2011, and the 18 days from Jan 25 to Feb 11 when millions of Egyptians rose in a people’s revolution to overthrow the dictatorship of Hosni Mobarak.

But the revolution led to the rise of an Islamist president (who did not attend Christmas celebrations) and of the hardline Muslim Brotherhood movement, and to declarations that wishing Christians a Merry Christmas was haram and forbidden, and Christians were condemned for protests against the president.

Post-revolution politics and Islamist pressures have placed the centuries-old tolerance and understanding between Muslims and Christians under great strain and imam Mazhar’s message of love comes in sharp contrast to the rising voices of hate. (» Christmas Confusion as Copts Experience “Other” Egypt — commentary by the Brookings Insitution.

Mazhar Shaheen’s message is bound to resonate with Malaysian Christians and other non-Muslim communities feeling marginalised by the campaign for racial and Islamic superiority and domination.

In Malaysia, official Christmas festivities have become a political gimmick, celebrating Santa Claus, reindeer and snow and not the Nativity, with a political leadership afraid to be seen next to crosses and other signs of Christian worship — and also accompanied by devout declarations that it is haram to wish Christians a Merry Christmas.

And then there is the racist campaign for superiority and domination by claiming exclusive ownership of the word for God.