VOA标准英语2011--Role of Islam in New Libya Uncertain

Role of Islam in New Libya Uncertain

Libyan rebels are still hunting for Moammar Gadhafi, but many of their countrymen are taking time marking the end of the first holy month of Ramadan without their longtime secular¹ leader. Islam in Libya is undergoing a resurgence². The question now being asked is how much it will influence the next government.
The call to prayer rings out over Tripoli, a city of mosques⁴ until recently tightly controlled by Moammar Gadhafi.
These are pivotal times for Libya's faithful, who for decades had to follow a leader who put the celebration of himself before that of God.
At the Mawlai Mohammad Mosque³, one of Tripoli's largest, Abdallah Ahmed Bilal takes pride in what the congregation accomplished⁵.
"The mosque has had a very important role during this period," he said. "It organized some revolutionary people to go to fight Gadhafi in any way. And he [Gadhafi] also shelled it. He bombed this mosque."
The mosque survived the attack largely unscathed. But the symbolism proved powerful.
One man, his anger just barely contained, says "This is the mosque of God." He explains that when they tried to praise God, "Allahu Akbar" over the loudspeakers, Gadhafi forces attacked. He calls his former leader a dictator.
At the beginning of the uprising, the secular Moammar Gadhafi demonized the rebels as Islamic terrorists. But as the tide of battle turned Gadhafi and his inner circle began reaching out to Islamic leaders.
His son, Seif al Islam, gave up his English-tailored suits and clean-shaven demeanor⁶ for a beard and prayer beads⁷. He called for a religion-led Libya that would be like Iran or Saudi Arabia.
Many dismissed it as brazen⁸ pandering⁹ to the citizens of this overwhelmingly Muslim nation. Because, as some here see it, the victory of the rebels will be a victory for Islam.
Faiq Shieb is one of the managers at the mosque. He says he wants to see Islam practiced everywhere - in schools, in businesses and in the courts. Islam, he says, will be the law of Libya.
If he gets that wish - and abundant references to God by both rebels and ordinary Libyans suggest he might - what form of Islamic rule would prevail is unclear.
In the past, some rebels have praised Osama bin¹⁰ Laden¹¹ as "excellent." And an al-Qaida leader, killed in recent days, was Libyan.
The opposition¹² Transitional National Council is overwhelmed now with immediate¹³ demands, including critical shortages of water. At the mosque, they are one step ahead, with water saved for washing before prayers. At some point soon, the religious nature of the new Libya will have to be addressed.

1 secular   

n.牧师，凡人；adj.世俗的，现世的，不朽的

参考例句：

• We live in an increasingly secular society.我们生活在一个日益非宗教的社会。
• Britain is a plural society in which the secular predominates.英国是个世俗主导的多元社会。

2 resurgence   

n.再起，复活，再现

参考例句：

• A resurgence of his grief swept over Nim.悲痛又涌上了尼姆的心头。
• Police say drugs traffickers are behind the resurgence of violence.警方说毒贩是暴力活动重新抬头的罪魁祸首。

3 mosque   

n.清真寺

参考例句：

• The mosque is a activity site and culture center of Muslim religion.清真寺为穆斯林宗教活动场所和文化中心。
• Some years ago the clock in the tower of the mosque got out of order.几年前，清真寺钟楼里的大钟失灵了。

4 mosques   

清真寺； 伊斯兰教寺院，清真寺； 清真寺，伊斯兰教寺院( mosque的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Why make us believe that this tunnel runs underneath the mosques? 为什么要让我们相信这条隧洞是在清真寺下？
• The city's three biggest mosques, long fallen into disrepair, have been renovated. 城里最大的三座清真寺，过去年久失修，现在已经修复。

5 accomplished   

adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的

参考例句：

• Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
• Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。

6 demeanor   

n.行为；风度

参考例句：

• She is quiet in her demeanor.她举止文静。
• The old soldier never lost his military demeanor.那个老军人从来没有失去军人风度。

7 beads   

n.（空心）小珠子( bead的名词复数 )；水珠；珠子项链

参考例句：

• a necklace of wooden beads 一条木珠项链
• Beads of perspiration stood out on his forehead. 他的前额上挂着汗珠。

8 brazen   

adj.厚脸皮的，无耻的，坚硬的

参考例句：

• The brazen woman laughed loudly at the judge who sentenced her.那无耻的女子冲着给她判刑的法官高声大笑。
• Some people prefer to brazen a thing out rather than admit defeat.有的人不愿承认失败，而是宁肯厚着脸皮干下去。

9 pandering   

v.迎合（他人的低级趣味或淫欲）( pander的现在分词 )；纵容某人；迁就某事物

参考例句：

• This magazine is criticized for pandering to the vulgar taste of some readers. 这家杂志因迎合某些读者的低级趣味而遭到批评。 来自辞典例句
• We're four points up there; we don't need to get hit for pandering. 我们在那儿领先四个百分点；我们不必为了迎合一些选民而遭受批评。 来自电影对白

10 bin   

n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件

参考例句：

• He emptied several bags of rice into a bin.他把几袋米倒进大箱里。
• He threw the empty bottles in the bin.他把空瓶子扔进垃圾箱。

11 laden   

adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的

参考例句：

• He is laden with heavy responsibility.他肩负重任。
• Dragging the fully laden boat across the sand dunes was no mean feat.将满载货物的船拖过沙丘是一件了不起的事。

12 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

13 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。