That’s how it went when an ex-Muslim suggested making paper airplanes out of the Koran
Mustafa “Muse” Sayegh is originally from Lebanon, but has now settled in Denmark. He is an active debater and author, and has embraced Western values of freedom in every way. Recently he wrote on Facebook that he saw many reasons to burn, shred or even make paper airplanes out of the Koran, and then loves to post a video of different ways to get rid of the Koran. It “got the whole Muslim out of his seat”, says Sayegh when he shows a reaction to the post.
The ex-Muslim Mustafa Sayegh is chairman of the Danish board The Apostate Association and book current with the book FREE. He is strongly committed to creating a community and network for just apostate Muslims in Denmark, and in addition to organizing and writing, Sayegh also gives lectures and writes debate articles, such as a topical article in the newspaper Information: It is not the media’s fault that Muslims are missing from the debate. This is due to social control.
That the social control is as strong in the Muslim environments in Denmark as in Norway leaves little doubt when Sayegh summarizes what he has experienced in the last few days. The control extends far beyond national borders and all the way back to the country of origin Lebanon.
Paper airplane all the way to Lebanon
Sayegh writes the following on his The Facebook page:
Well, the news has reached Lebanon, where I have my roots. All day today I have been bombarded with messages in my inbox from strangers in Lebanon. But also family members/relatives that I have no relation to have written.
In several places I can read about the “family love” you can expect. And remember, I haven’t even made the actual video yet.
What is happening here is part of the social control that many Muslims here in Denmark know about (but probably do not want to acknowledge).
Because even if I’m completely indifferent, and the video will of course come, yes, that doesn’t mean that my parents or family who live here are indifferent. On the contrary, they are very concerned about using their Islamic status.
This is precisely what characterizes social control, and why it is so effective. It is not Sayegh alone who is exposed to hatred and incitement, it is at the same time a built-in social expectation that his immediate family must refrain from his attitudes and from the whole of him.
Ruined Islamic status
The mainstay of social control is a form of Islamic status, says Sayegh, and he gives telling examples of how he himself destroyed his own Islamic status when he awakens religion. He writes that the apostasy comes with bad feelings for his family because he has made his own choice, but that the responsibility for reprisals against the family does not rest on him, but on the Islamic environment.
That status was destroyed the moment I publicly distanced myself from Islam.
Or when I wrote a post about my Danish boyfriend not converting to Islam.
Or when I wrote a post about my future son not having to be circumcised.
Or the countless posts I have written where I criticize Islam’s view of humanity.
Of course, it is not pleasant for me to know that just because I do not want to submit to Allah, my parents or siblings will be subjected to humiliation, threats or reprisals from other Muslims and family members.
Men honestly. I can’t give in to it. I am doing nothing wrong in not submitting to Allah.
If I had to git etter, I would git etter for the pressure from those fools. And that doesn’t make me happy. I have already tried it most of life.
At the same time, one wonders why it takes an ex-Muslim to point out the obvious: the problem is not that Sayegh uses freedom of speech, the problem is an environment that goes berserk with poorly concealed death threats. It should be thought provoking for anyone who promotes the claim that Paludan’s Koran burning is a problem while turning a blind eye to the reactions which are so beyond that it should cause widespread dismay for any person who glances at the calendar and sees the number 2023.
Remember that this is just from abroad. Then think about the pressure you face from Muslims who live here.
They can stick their Allah and their prophet up where the sun don’t shine. I live in Denmark, and here I appreciate and love the freedoms and rights that exist. If you don’t think these freedoms are particularly cool, then go to one of the many Muslim countries where apostasy and blasphemy are punishable by death. And have fun there.
PS: Love that my little easy-to-read book is compared to the Koran.
Call me Prophet Musse, says Sayegh.
For the post, the ex-Muslim posted screenshots of some of the reactions he got.
Then we can remind you that Sayegh continued not to have released any video, it is previously barely at the planning stage. It is, if nothing else, interesting to know that we live in a time where «Islamophobia» and «institutionalized racism» have been integrated both into everyday speech and policies, while the words «Koran» and «paper airplane» in the same sentence trigger death threats from the . same allegedly oppressed.
Sayegh says so dog good enough:
Why must the Koran burn?
Eh, I can actually come up with many suggestions as to why it should actually be burned, shredded, made into paper airplanes or origami.
I will soon make a video about that, where I will also demonstrate how to get rid of a Koran in these environmentally conscious times.
But I have to get a Koran first. After all, it has been many years since I have had such a hat manual lying around at home.
Main illustration: Mustafa Sayegh/Facebook (with permission)