The jihadists' obsession with abusing the name of Allah in their terrorist attacks is done to leg... more The jihadists' obsession with abusing the name of Allah in their terrorist attacks is done to legitimize the death of terrorists and their heinous acts. In reality, however, terrorist attacks brutally violate Islamic and universal Human Rights values of the protection of human life and dignity. At the same time, these acts are directed against Islamic teaching -as well as other monotheistic religions- which strictly forbid suicide. In fact, in a distorted way, suicide is sanctified and accepted as a divine act for the glory of God, as the “Ethics of Belief” traps the perpetrator in a spiritual impasse. Finally, all these acts of terrorist religious violence are directed against Islamic principles and teachings.
This article investigates the debate on Human Rights in Islam especially regarding their universa... more This article investigates the debate on Human Rights in Islam especially regarding their universality or particularity and the key positions that prevail. Additionally aspects of freedom in the Qurʾān that could inspire a reformation in the Islamic world are identified and developed. Through a sample approach to specific passages in the Qurʾān on freedom of expression and religion clearly shows that in Islam it is possible under certain conditions to ensure human freedom as well as other Human Rights. As a result follows that the more moderate choice and persistence of the Islamic conscience will lead to a significant revision of many perverted, anti-Islamic views and attitudes that plague the Muslim world over time. In this sense, other approaches must be manifested in the Islamic world and starring other people who will defend other Islamic interpretations, attitudes and practices that are more alternative but equally "Islamic", less hardline, more peaceful and certainly more philanthropic. The paradox for Muslims of our time to interact fruitfully with the rest of the world is that they must turn to the Golden Age of Islam for inspiration, to the authentic teaching of the Qurʾān, to the action of Muhammad and to the rule of the enlightened Caliphs. What is required is a pluralistic Islam inspired by the archaic Islamic community of the early formative period.
«The terrorist Propaganda of the Jihadists. The use of Digital and Electronic Media by ISIS»
Thi... more «The terrorist Propaganda of the Jihadists. The use of Digital and Electronic Media by ISIS»
This article investigates the misuse of the internet and social media as a tool from Muslims terrorists, especially ISIS, namely for terrorist recruitment, fundraising, par excellence propaganda in order to increase their audiences, oppose their adversaries etc. Additionally, the relationship between violent extremism and the tools made available by digital communication technologies in the Net, especially the Dark Web and also the Deep Web apart from the Surface Web are under question. ISIS and other terrorist groups quickly understood the potential of social media to broadcast their propaganda and gain multilevel support. The article aims to point out the crucial need for an immediate response to the threat of online Muslim extremist action from governments as well as from other agents such as technology companies. It is also well known that in the past few years regulatory measures have been imposed that require social media companies to do more to remove terrorist content from their platforms. Moreover, the paper focuses on the theological narration of Muslim radicals, especially ISIS. It presents the core of the Muslim argumentation and rhetoric that Muslim extremists use to gain the so needed Islamic documentation for they purposes. Finally, it is quite obvious that the preferred platform of online ISIS supporters is the end to end encrypted messaging application Telegram, which more and more replacing mainstream social media applications on the Surface Web. A serious effort from many parts must be done to confront the threat and even more to promote alternative visions, especially to young Muslims all over the world.
In the middle of the 14th century Western Thrace was captured by the Ottomans. At the beginning o... more In the middle of the 14th century Western Thrace was captured by the Ottomans. At the beginning of the 20th century this region was given to Greece and since then it has been the home of a respectable Muslim minority in Greece. With the implementation of the sharia there were, however, serious deviations from the Greek constitution as well as from European regulations. This constituted and constitutes a major legal and cultural challenge: For example, marriage by proxy was recently declared invalid. But other areas of Islamic family law are also subject to modernization. The second part of the contribution addresses fundamental questions of the Muslim judicial system, such as its concrete ability to assimilate and be innovative (bid'a hasana or mahmuda) as this is, for instance, clearly and concretely the case, according to the author, in Western Thrace.
The jihadists' obsession with abusing the name of Allah in their terrorist attacks is done to leg... more The jihadists' obsession with abusing the name of Allah in their terrorist attacks is done to legitimize the death of terrorists and their heinous acts. In reality, however, terrorist attacks brutally violate Islamic and universal Human Rights values of the protection of human life and dignity. At the same time, these acts are directed against Islamic teaching -as well as other monotheistic religions- which strictly forbid suicide. In fact, in a distorted way, suicide is sanctified and accepted as a divine act for the glory of God, as the “Ethics of Belief” traps the perpetrator in a spiritual impasse. Finally, all these acts of terrorist religious violence are directed against Islamic principles and teachings.
This article investigates the debate on Human Rights in Islam especially regarding their universa... more This article investigates the debate on Human Rights in Islam especially regarding their universality or particularity and the key positions that prevail. Additionally aspects of freedom in the Qurʾān that could inspire a reformation in the Islamic world are identified and developed. Through a sample approach to specific passages in the Qurʾān on freedom of expression and religion clearly shows that in Islam it is possible under certain conditions to ensure human freedom as well as other Human Rights. As a result follows that the more moderate choice and persistence of the Islamic conscience will lead to a significant revision of many perverted, anti-Islamic views and attitudes that plague the Muslim world over time. In this sense, other approaches must be manifested in the Islamic world and starring other people who will defend other Islamic interpretations, attitudes and practices that are more alternative but equally "Islamic", less hardline, more peaceful and certainly more philanthropic. The paradox for Muslims of our time to interact fruitfully with the rest of the world is that they must turn to the Golden Age of Islam for inspiration, to the authentic teaching of the Qurʾān, to the action of Muhammad and to the rule of the enlightened Caliphs. What is required is a pluralistic Islam inspired by the archaic Islamic community of the early formative period.
«The terrorist Propaganda of the Jihadists. The use of Digital and Electronic Media by ISIS»
Thi... more «The terrorist Propaganda of the Jihadists. The use of Digital and Electronic Media by ISIS»
This article investigates the misuse of the internet and social media as a tool from Muslims terrorists, especially ISIS, namely for terrorist recruitment, fundraising, par excellence propaganda in order to increase their audiences, oppose their adversaries etc. Additionally, the relationship between violent extremism and the tools made available by digital communication technologies in the Net, especially the Dark Web and also the Deep Web apart from the Surface Web are under question. ISIS and other terrorist groups quickly understood the potential of social media to broadcast their propaganda and gain multilevel support. The article aims to point out the crucial need for an immediate response to the threat of online Muslim extremist action from governments as well as from other agents such as technology companies. It is also well known that in the past few years regulatory measures have been imposed that require social media companies to do more to remove terrorist content from their platforms. Moreover, the paper focuses on the theological narration of Muslim radicals, especially ISIS. It presents the core of the Muslim argumentation and rhetoric that Muslim extremists use to gain the so needed Islamic documentation for they purposes. Finally, it is quite obvious that the preferred platform of online ISIS supporters is the end to end encrypted messaging application Telegram, which more and more replacing mainstream social media applications on the Surface Web. A serious effort from many parts must be done to confront the threat and even more to promote alternative visions, especially to young Muslims all over the world.
In the middle of the 14th century Western Thrace was captured by the Ottomans. At the beginning o... more In the middle of the 14th century Western Thrace was captured by the Ottomans. At the beginning of the 20th century this region was given to Greece and since then it has been the home of a respectable Muslim minority in Greece. With the implementation of the sharia there were, however, serious deviations from the Greek constitution as well as from European regulations. This constituted and constitutes a major legal and cultural challenge: For example, marriage by proxy was recently declared invalid. But other areas of Islamic family law are also subject to modernization. The second part of the contribution addresses fundamental questions of the Muslim judicial system, such as its concrete ability to assimilate and be innovative (bid'a hasana or mahmuda) as this is, for instance, clearly and concretely the case, according to the author, in Western Thrace.
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This article investigates the misuse of the internet and social media as a tool from Muslims terrorists, especially ISIS, namely for terrorist recruitment, fundraising, par excellence propaganda in order to increase their audiences, oppose their adversaries etc. Additionally, the relationship between violent extremism and the tools made available by digital communication technologies in the Net, especially the Dark Web and also the Deep Web apart from the Surface Web are under question. ISIS and other terrorist groups quickly understood the potential of social media to broadcast their propaganda and gain multilevel support. The article aims to point out the crucial need for an immediate response to the threat of online Muslim extremist action from governments as well as from other agents such as technology companies. It is also well known that in the past few years regulatory measures have been imposed that require social media companies to do more to remove terrorist content from their platforms. Moreover, the paper focuses on the theological narration of Muslim radicals, especially ISIS. It presents the core of the Muslim argumentation and rhetoric that Muslim extremists use to gain the so needed Islamic documentation for they purposes. Finally, it is quite obvious that the preferred platform of online ISIS supporters is the end to end encrypted messaging application Telegram, which more and more replacing mainstream social media applications on the Surface Web. A serious effort from many parts must be done to confront the threat and even more to promote alternative visions, especially to young Muslims all over the world.
This article investigates the misuse of the internet and social media as a tool from Muslims terrorists, especially ISIS, namely for terrorist recruitment, fundraising, par excellence propaganda in order to increase their audiences, oppose their adversaries etc. Additionally, the relationship between violent extremism and the tools made available by digital communication technologies in the Net, especially the Dark Web and also the Deep Web apart from the Surface Web are under question. ISIS and other terrorist groups quickly understood the potential of social media to broadcast their propaganda and gain multilevel support. The article aims to point out the crucial need for an immediate response to the threat of online Muslim extremist action from governments as well as from other agents such as technology companies. It is also well known that in the past few years regulatory measures have been imposed that require social media companies to do more to remove terrorist content from their platforms. Moreover, the paper focuses on the theological narration of Muslim radicals, especially ISIS. It presents the core of the Muslim argumentation and rhetoric that Muslim extremists use to gain the so needed Islamic documentation for they purposes. Finally, it is quite obvious that the preferred platform of online ISIS supporters is the end to end encrypted messaging application Telegram, which more and more replacing mainstream social media applications on the Surface Web. A serious effort from many parts must be done to confront the threat and even more to promote alternative visions, especially to young Muslims all over the world.