Art has a largely negative impact on human morality. So says Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, the grand imam of Egypt’s Al Azhar madrassa and arguably the “most influential Muslim in the world.”
In a recent televised interview, Tayeb was asked “To what degree does art influence the morals of the youth.” The sheikh responded that art—presumably all forms and expressions of art, as no particular form was specified—has a 90 percent influence rate on the morality of the youth; and all of it is bad.
What is of note here is that, once again, Tayeb responds in a way that one is hard pressed to differentiate from the “radical” response. For we are constantly hearing that it is the “radical Muslims”—the ISIS types—who condemn all forms of art. Yet here is the “moderate” making essentially the same claims.
But of course, this is nothing new. As documented here, Tayeb agrees with any number of “radical” views: he believes that Islam is not just a religion to be practiced privately but rather is a totalitarian system designed to govern the whole of society through the implementation of its (otherwise human rights abusing) Sharia; he supports one of the most inhumane laws, punishment of the Muslim who wishes to leave Islam, the “apostate”; he downplays the plight of Egypt’s persecuted Christians, that is, when he’s not inciting against them by classifying them as “infidels”—the worst category in Islam’s lexicon—even as he refuses to denounce the genocidal Islamic State likewise.
One can go on and on. Tayeb once explained with assent why Islamic law permits a Muslim man to marry a Christian woman, but forbids a Muslim woman from marrying a Christian man: since women by nature are subordinate to men, it’s fine if the woman is an “infidel,” as her superior Muslim husband will keep her in check; but if the woman is a Muslim, it is not right that she be under the authority of an infidel. Similarly, Western liberals may be especially distraught to learn that Tayeb once boasted, “You will never one day find a Muslim society that permits sexual freedom, homosexuality, etc., etc., as rights. Muslim societies see these as sicknesses that need to be resisted and opposed.”
Also not new is how important Western and Christian institutions ignore all this and continue to portray Tayeb and Al Azhar as “moderates.” Thus, despite all the above—despite the fact that Al Azhar encourages enmity for non-Muslims, and has even issued a free booklet dedicated to proving that Christianity is a “failed religion”—it was rcently announced that “The Vatican and Al-Azhar University, one of Islam’s most renowned schools of Sunni thought, will be joining forces to discuss how to fight religious extremism that uses God’s name to justify violence.”
Such are the mockeries of our time as ugly reality continues marching unopposed.
Blame it on the artists, they warp our minds. Blame it on people like Angelico, Bosch, Botticelli, Da Vinci, Degas, Giotto, Raphael or even Rembrandt since they never put out anything that millions of people around can enjoy through books, paintings and Museums. Burn down the music halls that play Mozart, Rachmaninoff or dare I say Prokofiev and his evil sinister and bombastic concertos. According to Tayeb, we should only read and memorize the Quran, believe the fundamental of the Jihad as describe in the Hadith, the Sunna of Mohammed as only good things to learn in our lives since they teach us the way Mohammed taught his followers to live their lives.
After living in Muslim countries for so long, and even marrying in to a Muslim family, I am not bewildered any more why people follow Mohammed like the “Pipe Piper” over a cliff. So much to say, so little time, these countries are doomed unless by some mystical chance a reformation takes place; I’m not holding my breath.
What would this imam or any other for that matter, know about art appreciation, since they would never agree to or approve of anything that comes from ‘the infidels’. And how can he talk about what is not moral, when Islam itself is the antithesis of morality which is God’s law.
One can only think that Christian churches who are willing to accommodate anything Islamic are willing to sup with the devil and therefore moving towards apostasy.
The church needs revival!
I pray each day and ask G-d when will the suffering of Christians stop and when will he end Islam. Each Christian should pray every day for our brothers and sisters in Christ who are suffering.
“The Vatican and Al-Azhar University, one of Islam’s most renowned schools of Sunni thought, will be joining forces to discuss how to fight religious extremism that uses God’s name to justify violence.”
Eh….would that be the same Vatican that has one of the most extensive collections of art on the planet?! If they could turn the Vatican into rubble tomorrow, they would surely do so and this monster would be praising Allah!
Sometimes I think my head will explode….