Challenging the Law: The Glorification of Jihad

"The only way to progress is to reject all the conditions of ignorance. When a system built on racism dictates the agenda and you accept the parameters, then you give it credibility. "

A music fan I am not but an Aki Nawaz fan, oh yes. This brother from Bradford is really testing the waters with some of the lyrics from his new album, All is War (the Benefits of G-had). The album goes to great lengths to discuss the racism, Islamophobia and arrogance with which the world and in particular the West treat Muslims and Islam today. From Srebrenica to Afghanistan, from Che to Osama, from apartheid to Islamophobia, Aki rejects the status quo and predicts that the only thing that will save America from its inevitable self-destruction is that very thing which it seeks to destroy - Islam.

Inevitably Aki's attempt to portray the truth of this whole 'war on terror' has ruffled a few feathers. Not only have two record company executives threatened to resign from the label if the album is released, but Aki also faces accusations of glorifying terrorism. Welcome to the club bro. It seems that any attempt to understand Osama bin Laden's motives or to equate a human bomb with an aerial bomb (all of which Aki does in style) is unacceptable in the West's self-righteous society, where they make the rules so they alone can break them.

It seems however that Ali, may Allah protect him, is ready to take whatever they throw at him. It is uplifting to see that he is prepared to be jailed and punished for defending his right to speak the truth and glorify that which we all believe in. Aki's message to the police is indicative of the risk he is taking ...

"I've got a Post-It note on my front door saying don't knock the door in, ring me, here's my number."

In doing so he embodies the spirit of the words of Martin Luther King who said

“An individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for the law.”