Press Release
Incitement about “Extremist” Literature in Vught is clearly anti-Islam Policy

De Telegraaf went big yesterday with news about “extremist literature” being available in the Vught prison. The Muslim detainees would be “radicalizing” instead of “de-radicalizing”. The CDA and PVV jumped right on and called for the removal of these books. Jelle van Buuren, terrorism-researcher at the Leiden University, argued for the censorship of Islamic literature by comparing it to all sorts of “Nazi books”. He said that we would be amazed if convicted rightwing extremists read these books.

The only thing that amazed us was the level in which the news about these “extremist literature” was being presented to the Dutch public. The books they speak about so contemptuously are well-known and accepted books of respected scholars that are studied by Muslims and non-Muslims alike. According to a source, two boxes of twenty copies of the Tafsir of Ibn Kathir were brought in as if they were dangerous explosives! All the while these world-famous and respected classics on the explanation of the Noble Quran, have been used as a reference for various scholars over the centuries. As of today most Muslims have a copy of this Tafsir somewhere in their closets. The same applies to the books of Ibn Taymiyyah and other respected scholars, whom they now deem as “extremist literature; forbidden to read.”

By calling to ban these renowned books and scholars they pronounce their desire to ban similar Islamic literature in which normative Islamic norms and values are described. In other words; they don’t have any problems with a certain “version of Islam”, but they do have a problem with Islam.

This is not only the case in The Netherlands but also in certain parts of Europe where relatively speaking many Muslims live. They are developing a “light-version of Islam.” A version of Islam which is detached of its basic core-values and conforms to the secular way of thinking. Just recently, the French president Macron announced that he has taken steps to reform Islam by setting the picket poles for French Islam (In the Netherlands, the Dutch version of Islam is called “patatje Islam” (Chips Islam).

He wants to push through the secular way of thinking even harder and adapt Islam to it. He said: “We are working to structure Islam in France and its explanation...” Three hundred French prominent persons answered by writing a manifest to “update” and remove “anti-Semitic” and “anti-Christian” verses from the Noble Quran, these including former president Nicolas Sarkozy, former prime minister Manuel Valls and Betrand Delanoe (former mayor of Paris); artists like the singer Charles Aznavour and actor Gerard Depardieu and other influential persons.

The true aim is at Islam and the Noble Quran, so they begin by banning the books and individuals which explain Islam and do not interpret it according to the wishes of the banner carriers of the secular liberal way of thinking.

We ask the Muslim community to be alert about this and if need be, speak out against this anti-Islam policy. As said already, today it’s the explanation of the Noble Quran they try to twist and forbid. Tomorrow it will be the Quran itself.

[وَإِذَا تُتْلَى عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتُنَا بَيِّنَاتٍ قَالَ الَّذِينَ لاَ يَرْجُونَ لِقَاءنَا ائْتِ بِقُرْآنٍ غَيْرِ هَـذَا أَوْ بَدِّلْهُ قُلْ مَا يَكُونُ لِي أَنْ أُبَدِّلَهُ مِن تِلْقَاء نَفْسِي إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلاَّ مَا يُوحَى إِلَيَّ إِنِّي أَخَافُ إِنْ عَصَيْتُ رَبِّي عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ]

“And when Our verses are retied to them as clear evidences, those who do not expect the meeting with Us say, “Bring us a Quran other than this or change it.” Say, “It is not for me to change it on my own accord. I only follow what is revealed to me. Indeed I fear, if I should disobey my Lord, the punishment of a tremendous Day.” [Yunus: 15]

Okay Pala
Media Representative of Hizb ut Tahrir in The Netherlands