Imam Mateen Khan Challenges Liberalism

Memri Special Dispatch

No.7879, February 6, 2019

"Imam Mateen Khan"

Mateen Khan sets forth the tenets of liberalism as understood today, which are pretty much what he says they are, and - to put names to the result - a mixture of classical liberalism and postmodern liberalism:

"When we talk about liberalism we are talking about a political and moral philosophy. The people who are its proponents say it is built on liberty and equality. . . . They espouse a wide variety of views, depending on their understanding of principles. Like I said, it is a philosophy. It is a world view, it is how . . . [they] think.

So generally, they support the concept of civil rights, democracy, secularism, gender equality, racial equality, internationalism, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press . . . . Now I know most of [you] . . . are listening to these words and thinking: 'What's wrong with that?' We will get there . . .

"[There] is a cultural war . . . . [There]is a philosophy that they want to spread. If you don't want to adopt [liberalism] on your own . . . [They say:] 'If you as a Muslim people do not want to adopt our philosophy on your own, then we will bring it to you with the excuse of [rights for] women and [rights for the] LGBT, and the excuse of the intolerance that you have in your land'" . . .

"Liberalism, by its core, is meant for everyone. Therefore, everyone must accept it, and if there are people [not accepting it], then that is a threat to [liberals'] core identity. And they need to find a way to get rid of [that threat] . . . . "They want you to take on the philosophy of liberalism, and in doing that, you will leave the philosophy that Islam brings with it . . .

"[They say:] 'You have to adopt what we believe in, as far as freedoms go. It is our ideology that we should be free to say whatever we want, so you need to let us curse the Prophet Muhammad, because if you don't, then you are backwards – you are not liberal, and you are not meant for the 21st century.' This is what you are being converted to.

[They say:] 'You can have Muhammad. He was a great man, but he should not have done what he did to [the Jews of] Banu Qurayza [when he beheaded all the men and enslaved the women and children]. No one [else] . . . in history [accomplished] what he did – but he should not have married Aisha [at 6 and should not have consummated that marriage when she was only nine].'"

Mateen Khan is speaking very carefully, so as not to be cited for hate speech, I'm assuming, for if he were to state very explicitly what he thinks the philosophy of Islam stands for - in all its gory detail - it would stand in almost complete opposition to liberalism.