The misleading nature of emotional speech and dehumanisation

An excellent article from Sheikhy Notes by Sheikh Arfan Shah:

http://sheikhynotes.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/misleading-nature-of-emotional-speech.html

In declarations is magic,” (Al-Bukhari) the Prophet (may Allah bestow peace and blessings be upon him) eloquently put something that we need to understand.

Politicians know the art of manipulating words to inspire their audience. They have speeches that are well prepared and set out in manner to excite their audience into displays of arrogant partisanship. This is the problem with emotional speech it moves were sometimes the truth does not. The truth is almost always delivered in rational manner which is not the case for lies because lies are delivered in a manner that the person finds hard to deny.

This is not something specific to politics as this happens in all spheres of our lives. Many speakers get overexcited and we think that they are correct because our ear drums have taken a severe beating. This is almost never the case. Sit back and examine what the words that are actually said, then you’ll find ignorance and arrogance hiding in-between. This is the essence of misleading speech. It sounds wonderful but once you break it down then it is nothing but inflated speech without substance.

The cause?

Invariably the cause is partisanship. Rational examination of the ‘other’ side is never done as no quarter is given to them. No matter if the other side do any good or not, everything is discounted because we hate them therefore no good could ever come them.

So when we are all gathered together one of them speaks using foul and abusive language. We all accept it because if we do not them we will be accused of following the other side. Now we have truly entered a sect and now we are no longer part of the mainstream.

Mainstream Sunni Islam is not about partisanship nor is about following scholars who have twisted the Sunnah to allow them to swear and apostatize whole groups of Muslims. This has never been the case is Classical Sunni Islam.

Another cause, is when we experience difficulty and are unwavering in our response for immediate justice. The brutality of some regimes in the world has lead to many condemnations of certain leaders. Yet the Muslims seem to be totally unaware of how the leaders work. They will do anything in their power to hold onto power.

Killing is just nothing to many of them but do not let that fool you because think who are happily selling these regimes weapons? Do they care? The followers of the Prophets are being killed and they are counting the profits made in the arms trade. The innocent people count their dead relatives. Have we not seen oppressor before in the Muslim world? It is something new? Look at the story of Pharaoh and Musa (upon him peace). Many leaders won’t go unless they go in a box. And if you think the west is going to save you then you have been successfully brainwashed by western media.

Dehumanisation

Dehumanisation of Muslims is something that has happened for centuries but ask yourself one question, why? The answer is simple when you remove the humanity from someone them you ‘engineering consent’ to their murder. The war of terrorism has cost the lives of more innocent people that the actual terrorists. Innocent civilians such as those of Iraq and Afghanistan who had nothing to do with anything but because they lived in a land, they became targets. 


Recently sixteen civilians were killed by one of the occupying forces in Afghanistan. But who cares because they are subhuman anyway? Who cares about the brutality of the torture the Iraqi’s faced in secret airbases? Who cares about the Geneva Convention? Human rights who cares that only for us not them. Who calls for those when we do what we like to them because they are not with us they are against us! This is part of the diatribe that you will hear which lead the cost of the lives of innocents.

“Dehumanisation and attribution of blame reduce our ability to empathise with the victims in croding their human status and holding them responsible for their own fates.” (The New Order of war by Bob Breacher p.207.)

So ask yourself again is emotional speech misleading? You must answer yes especially when it’s not accompanied without any truth.

The media

The media is full of incorrect reports and false information but when you are constantly reminded of these things it becomes difficult to reject them. The media is full of reports that constantly dehumanise Muslims and for this reason the press has come under much scrutiny and not a moment too soon. Why hasn’t any wealth Muslim thought about purchasing a large broadsheet and put in balanced information? Why bother when I have my Ferrari and my football club? That’s all I need. None of it will benefit you in the afterlife.  

Why is it that we let the television talk you all night yet you no let an unrighteous person into your house? Yet the television is worse because its filling you with unrighteous thoughts and ideas. This is how they have conquered the mind of just about every individual who watches it. Take the television out of the house and throw it away! The box has colonized millions of minds forget about sending an army send a ship load of Televisions.

Beware!

Know there are people who want to influence you into thinking like them. They want you to tow the party line, they want to become like them. So its time to think and ponder about the information that you are being given, ponder the validity of it.

Think and research yourself look into at trusted sources of information then make your own mind up. Do not be a docile vegetable that accepts whatever you are told open your eyes and use your brain. If I was a non Muslim I would like to know what Islam is and not rely on the sources of misinformation that are being presented. Similarly, a Muslim should look at his own sources of misinformation and compare them to the classical sources.