Muslims respond to "Cube" store report
updated 05:00 pm EDT, Thu October 12, 2006
MEMRI angers Muslims
A recent report from the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) claiming that some Muslims dubbed Apple's Fifth Avenue Store in New York blasphemous has angered numerous Muslims, who are actively criticizing the media firm for selectively publishing the most extreme statements from the Muslim world. An unnamed, anonymous website allegedly posted an entry stating that Apple's NYC store is a "blatant insult to Islam" because it resembles the Ka'ba -- a sacred building in Mecca open 24 hours with a cube-like shape -- and urged Muslims to spread the word and "stop the project," according to MEMRI. Apple responded to the claims, saying that the entrance to the Apple Store is not meant to resemble the holy structure and that the company has never referred to the store as "Mecca," as some bloggers recently had, according to TechWeb Technology News.
"New Yorkers have given our store on Fifth Avenue a resoundingly positive reception," said Apple spokesman Steve Dowling. "A couple of blogs referred to it as 'Mecca,' and others observed that, during construction it looked like the Ka'ba. Apple has never referred to our store as Mecca, and the entrance is not an attempt to look like the Ka'ba. We respect all people's religions and regret that the comments of these independent bloggers have offended anyone."
A MEMRI representative said that the reported material was translated directly from the source, and that the organization's mission is to "present material that would otherwise go unreported, including discussions on Islamist websites -- as it is written and read in the Arab world." Some would question the integrity of MEMRI, however, as Ibrahim Hooper of the Council on American-Islamic Relations once told the Washington Times that MEMRI's goal is to find the "worst possible quotes from the Muslim world and disseminate them as widely as possible," according to TechWeb Technology News.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jan 2006
Some day...
... the moderate voices within Islam really have to muster some real strength to come forth loud and clear enough to make themselves heard above these people who actually contribute to ridicule Islam by always shouting and screaming and trying to scare people from thinking independent thoughts. It is sad, actually, when one considers that Islam didn't succeed mainly because of its military strength and sheer power, but because it actually brought the light of knowledge and yes. believe it or not, freedom of thought to the dark, Medieval ages in Europe. That was the reason why so many turned to Islam, not because they embraced a strict mental regime, but on the contrary, because it was a bright alternative to brutal feudalism and to religious terror. They brought science and philosophy with them and they brought culture and civilization.
And now, these fundamentalists cry, scream and yell and shout that we shall respect them - for what? For crying and shouting and yelling? For wanting to turn time backwards? For intellectual and spiritual cowardice disguised as physical brutality and terror?
They shouldn't be allowed to speak for Islam.
But media is much to be blamed for this - are they willing to let the moderate voices speak? Do they encourage them to do so?