Today it is clear that French President Macron, or rather the forces he represents, have declared war on Islam. But what conclusions should we draw from this? When a war is declared, does each individual grab a rifle, pistol or knife and run towards a well-organized and armed enemy army? Or is it necessary to have an army or a force with a rear, with a division of responsibilities, with trained and experienced professionals, and finally a staff with a strategy and tactics for that war?
We do not know for sure who organized the murder of this teacher who mocked the Prophet, peace be upon him — whether it was a disgruntled young man or special services who used him for their own provocation. But it is surprising that the media or sheikhs who are directly or indirectly involved in the war, wherever it is being fought, are spreading encouragement for such actions. We deliberately use the term «war» rather than «jihad» because the latter has a multifaceted character related to religious goals and conditions, whereas war is by nature a confrontation and pure art, and therefore, when it is studied in military academies, it is considered how it is conducted, not what it is conducted for.
But why do people who know what war is and what it requires in terms of leadership and strategy incite individual Muslims to commit actions that not only do not fit into the strategy of Muslims, but on the contrary, can be foreseen and planned by the strategy of their enemies? Do they act the same way in their own war and do without thinking what their enemy provokes them to do, trying to trap them?
Coming back to Macron, the severed heads of teachers and cartoonists who create an aura of heroes and martyrs of freedom for them and Muslims as barbarians and savages are not effective weapons or tactics in the fight against the forces he represents. Effective weapons against them can be sanctions, boycotts, termination of contracts, organized Muslim voting against relevant candidates and for their opponents, etc.
Recently, a group of sheikhs associated with Al-Azhar announced the creation of a structure that will take legal action against blasphemous cartoonists like Charlie Hebdo and the like. It is very important to work in this direction, because in the age of viral spread of information, the thoughtless influence of one person involved may not prevent it, but lead to its further expansion, as we have seen. But if tomorrow big companies start to suffer serious losses, and the ideologists, media tycoons, mayors, etc. involved in this start to face sanctions, become unwanted business partners, they themselves will start to influence power and society to change this attitude, using the opportunities they have.
And here it is very important that Muslim countries and their leaders do not limit themselves to populism, which allows them to score points with Muslim voters, but move from words to actions. Western countries managed to introduce an international sanctions list for Magnitsky because of a Russian lawyer. Can’t at least those Muslim countries whose leaders are committed to Islam introduce such a list regarding those who publicly violate the sanctities of Islam? After all, criminal cases can be opened against them, their extradition can be requested through Interpol, as is usually done with Muslims — and even if they cannot be arrested, it will seriously complicate their lives. Moreover, while some secular fanatics are aware of this, there are many businessmen, politicians, cultural figures, etc., for whom this is not necessary at all, and who will begin to be cautious about their associations with such figures if they are fraught with such consequences.
All these technologies are not only known, but are widely used when it comes to protecting the interests of countries or individual groups. Azerbaijan and Ukraine blacklist those who enter their occupied territories illegally, the Jewish Anti-Defamation League inundates those it considers anti-Semites with lawsuits, feminists or LGBT activists obtain the removal of advertisements that offend them. But Muslim leaders still prefer to «catch the hype» about the insult to Islam and the war against it, rather than respond appropriately to this challenge, as they do when their vital national or party interests are at stake.
We must radically change this situation and move from emotional reactions that have no effect or worsen our position to conscious actions that lead to victory in modern wars.