INTERNATIONAL HUMANIST AND ETHICAL UNION
ASSOCIATION for WORLD EDUCATION
ASSOCIATION of WORLD CITIZENS

In the context of the 61st session of the UN Commission on Human Rights
We cordially invite Representatives of Members and Observers States of the UN Commission on Human Rights, UN bodies, Specialized Agencies, Intergovernmental Organizations and NGOs

Monday 18 April 2005 - 10:00 to 18:45

We are aware of the importance of the concept of Jihad in Islam, widely interpreted as "struggle" - both in the sense of personal struggle, and in the struggle to promote Islam in the wider world. In recent years, however, it is the second meaning that has gained prominence with calls from many quarters for "Holy War".

Johannes J G Jansen, Utrecht University, The Netherlands

In the earliest period of the history of Islam, in the years before 660, a novel Muslim religious movement appeared that claimed the monopoly on representing 'real Islam', and that regarded all other Muslims as apostates if they refused to join their movement. Christians and Jews may have been relatively safe from the aggression of this sect-like movement, but born Muslims are reported to have been ruthlessly killed if they rejected the absolute claims this novel group made. If they refused to join, they were accused of having committed the sin of apostasy, and killed.

Dr Hamouda Bella

David G. Littman

In my accompanying article, just published 1, I quoted from Edward Lane's classic description on Jews and Christians, published in 1836. One may ask 170 years later: what is being taught currently to Muslim children in Saudi Arabian and Egyptian schools, specifically on the subject of the "infidels" - especially in relation to concepts like traditional "Jihad and Martyrdom"?

Bat Ye'or

Nous avons entendu des témoignages convaincants sur une détresse humaine et des violations de la dignité de la personne et du droit des peuples. Ces abus s'inscrivent dans la continuité historique qui a été évoquée : celle du jihad et de la dhimmitude pour les populations infidèles soumises. Cette histoire cependant continue d'àªtre totalement niée par les négationistes et c'est précisément ce négationisme historique qui maintient et protège la pérennité de ces injustices. Jihad et dhimmitude constituent un ensemble unifié, homogène qui représente à  la fois une structure doctrinaire, juridique, et un comportement politique et social forgé dans 13 siècles de préjugés.

Ibn Warraq

The very notion of apostasy has vanished from the West where one would talk of being a lapsed Catholic or non-practising Christian rather than an apostate. There are certainly no penal sanctions for converting from Christianity to any other religion. In Islamic countries, on the other hand, the issue is far from dead.

Koran
It is clear quite clear that under Islamic Law an apostate must be put to death. There is no dispute on this ruling among classical Muslim or modern scholars, and we shall return to the textual evidence for it. Some modern scholars have argued that in the Koran the apostate is threatened with punishment only in the next world, as for example at XVI.106, "Whoso disbelieveth in Allah after his belief -save him who is forced thereto and whose heart is still content with the Faith but whoso findeth ease in disbelief: On them is wrath from Allah. Theirs will be an awful doom." Similarly in III.90-91, "Lo! those who disbelieve after their (profession of) belief, and afterward grow violent in disbelief, their repentance will not be accepted. And such are those who are astray. Lo! those who disbelieve, and die in disbelief, the (whole) earth full of gold would not be accepted from such an one if it were offered as a ransom (for his soul).Theirs will be a painful doom and they will have no helpers."

Azam Kamguian
We Need to Fight the Battle for Enlightenment

I am delighted to be here today to speak at such a wonderful conference. Here, I talk as an apostate, an atheist who left Islam and religion altogether at the age of 15, a veteran activist of women's rights who survived the atrocities committed by political Islam in Iran.

I wish to open my remarks by expressing my profound gratitude to the International Humanist and Ethical Union, the Association for World Education, and the Association of World Citizens for their invitation to me to address this conference at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

Achol Cyer Rehan

I will speak about Jihad, and how it victimizes Southern Sudanese. I have never known freedom. I was born in the war. The war in the Sudan is all about jihad, religion and culture. The rule of jihad is peace or war - your choice... When you accept to become a Muslim you will be at peace. And if you reject Islam then you are at war.