Muslim Rulers Know No Shame

The horrific treatment of Uyghur Muslims in China can only be called Crimes Against Humanity, very much akin to genocide. The accounts and images coming out of China should melt even hearts of stone and pierce the brains of those who belong to the human race. Yet most Muslim rulers are shameful by their silence.

The world has done little, if anything, to support these Uyghurs in their plight. The United Nations has not exactly rushed to release its long-anticipated report on the treatment of Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang, to my mind so as not to upset China before the Winter Olympic games. The Western world has followed the U.S. in a diplomatic boycott of the games, with no head of state attending the opening ceremonies. Whether the absence of Western heads of state is a genuine show of support no one knows, but at least it has brought the plight of the Uyghurs to global attention.

Of the twenty or so heads of state attending the opening of the games, nine are from Muslim majority countries — Egypt, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia (with its de facto head of state, Mohammad bin Salman), Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Some of these countries don’t even have an athlete competing at the games, but they wanted to cement their relations with China. Pakistan’s prime minister, Imran Khan, even groveled publicly by saying that his ambassador to China had visited Xinjiang and had not seen any human rights abuses.

What does this say about Muslim rulers? They don’t care about the plight of others, even that of fellow Muslims. Yet, they are careful to pray in public, follow the rituals of their religion and bang their drums for Muslim solidarity. The inescapable truth is that they are total hypocrites with no moral code, Islamic or otherwise. Islam preaches the unity of humanity and compassion for the plight of others. These rulers only care for their own survival, nothing more. And yes, most of those in attendance at the games oppress their own citizenry, so it may be a bridge too far for them to be critical of Chinese oppression.

It is in part the behavior of Muslim rulers that gives Islam a bad name. They are oppressive and harsh in their own domain. They have robbed their people of their freedom and natural resources. They are corrupt. They rely on foreign powers to support them. And now with the rising fortunes of China relative to those of the United States, Muslim rulers, especially those from the Middle East, are racing to get into the good graces of their new master to be.

It is a sad commentary not only on Muslim rulers, but on Muslims in these countries who should be peacefully clamoring for reform, for rulers who are answerable to them, even though they dare not even demonstrate in support of their Uyghur brothers and sisters.

Muslims should study the saying, “It is better to die a thousand times, than to live without dignity.”