Central Committee for Ex-Muslims

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Central Committee for Ex-Muslims (Dutch: Centraal Comité voor Ex-moslims) is a Dutch committee that aims to aid Muslims who wish to leave Islam through the constitutional right of freedom of religion.^[1] In addition, the committee fights to break the taboo on apostasy in the Muslim world as well as start a debate on the violation of women's rights in Islamic societies.

The committee has urged the Dutch government to offer more help to ex-Muslims in exile. Ehsan Jami and Loubna Berrada founded the committee in 2007, with the help of several advisors and other influential people such as professor Afshin Ellian who is known to be a fierce critic of Islam.

The committee officially started its activities in September 2007 after announcing its foundation to the Dutch public in a broadcast on Radio 1 on 2 May 2007.^[2] During the broadcast, Jami announced a wish to offer a helping hand to Muslims who want to abandon the faith of Islam since Islamic society doesn't allow apostasy. Jami pointed out abandoning Islam is an option in most Muslim societies, so long as it isn't spoken out and one continues to act as though one is still a believer. Open apostasy in Islamic societies, Jami explained, leads to expulsion and death threats - as decreed in Sura 4: 88-89 which reads: “Whosoever turns back from his belief, openly or secretly, take him and kill him wheresoever ye find him, like any other infidel. Separate yourself from him altogether. Do not accept intercession in his regard.” - a manner of conduct he strongly opposes. Later that week, Jami appeared on Dutch television show 'Schepper & Co' defending his remarks by pointing out he, as a politician, has the duty to verbalise worries that exist in society, thereby making full use of Dutch society's freedom of speech.

“Sharia schools say that they will kill the ones who leave Islam", Jami said. Gaining support from the Dutch government to permit freedom of conscience is a fundamental aspect of the committee's action plan.^[3]

Co-founder Berrada quit the committee in June 2007 because she felt Jami acts too aggressively towards the entire religion of Islam, stating: "I don't wish to confront Islam itself. I only want to spread the message that Muslims should be allowed to leave Islam behind without being threatened"^[4]

[edit] See also

• Central Council of Ex-Muslims (Germany)
• Criticism of Islam
• Ehsan Jami

[edit] References

1. ^ Ehsan Jami directs committee on for ex-Muslims: Fighting for the freedom not to believe, Euro-Islam.info, 7 May 2007.
2. ^ (Dutch) Committee for Ex-Muslims founded, stream of reactions from society, NU.nl, 2 June 2007.
3. ^ Young Muslim's begin dangerous fight for the right to abandon faith Times Online September 11, 2007.
4. ^ (Dutch) Founder leaves committee, De Pers, 12 June 2007.

v • d • e Controversies related to Islam and Muslims Criticism Islam • Quran • Islamism Issues Apostasy • Dhimmi • Eurabia • Antisemitism • Domestic violence • Islamism • Islamophobia • Jihad • Persecution of Muslims • Qutbism • Terrorism • The Satanic Verses controversy Women in Muslim societies Notable critics Afshin Ellian • Ayaan Hirsi Ali • Ahmad Kasravi • Daniel Pipes • Irshad Manji • Ibn Warraq • Philippe de Villiers • Robert Spencer • Theo van Gogh • Geert Wilders • Hugh Fitzgerald • Susanne Winter Muslims List of Guantánamo Bay detainees • Moazzam Begg • Osama bin Laden Events since 2001 September 11, 2001 attacks • Guantanamo Bay detention camp • Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons • Qur'an desecration controversy • 2005 beheadings of Christian girls • CPT hostage crisis • Fox journalists kidnapping • Abu Ghraib torture and prisoner abuse • Egyptian ID card controversy • Flying Imams controversy • 2005 Cronulla riots • French headscarf ban • Imam Rapito • Knighthood of Salman Rushdie • Pope Benedict XVI controversy • Lars Vilks Muhammad drawings • Fitna (film)