Driven by the inherent curiosity of human nature, as described by the philosophers of the Enlightenment, you have eagerly clicked on the link to this article. Its peculiar title may have suggested a discussion on those mysterious few square centimeters of the female erogenous zone, teeming with nerve endings, conceptualized in 1950 by a German gynecologist. Your astonishment might be great, realizing the manifest absence of connection between the promised subject and the parties of the extreme right and left of the French political spectrum. I apologize for this subterfuge, for my intention is not to elaborate on the discovery by the German gynecologist Ernst Gräfenberg in 1950 but rather to discuss the empirical law articulated by Mike Godwin, an American lawyer, in the early 1990s, known as “Godwin’s law.” I have playfully referred to it as the “G-spot” to pique your interest.
Godwin’s Law: When the French Political Extremes Resort to Easy Comparisons
But what is this enigmatic “Godwin’s law”? As I mentioned in my previous article, “Humanity Once Again Facing the Banality of Evil,” linguistic vigilance is more crucial than ever in our interactions on social media. In the wake of the unspeakable terrorist acts attributed to Hamas on October 7th and the inevitable blind retaliation expected from the Israeli military, leading to countless innocent Palestinian casualties, the polarized and fruitless debate among the French extremes focuses on what philosopher Leo Strauss termed in 1950 the “reductio ad hitlerum,” the act of undermining an opponent by associating their views with Hitler or the Holocaust. This is what Mike Godwin theorized, applying it to online discussions. In the expansive realm of digital communication, this specific phenomenon consistently emerges, popularly known as “Godwin’s law.” This principle highlights an inevitable tendency in online discussions: as debates intensify, the probability of a comparison involving Hitler or the Nazis inexorably approaches 1.
More than just an observation, “Godwin’s law” illuminates the intricate dynamics of exaggeration and hyperbole in our social interactions while raising profound questions about the trivialization of historical atrocities and the ethics of rhetoric. One only needs to browse the platform “X” to witness the disheartening spectacle of the French extreme right and left fervently battling, trying to prove that the Muslim ideology has adopted Nazi-like traits or that the Israelis are employing methods reminiscent of their former persecutors. It is the first hypothesis that we will examine.
Islam and Nazism: A Deplorable Parallel
The French far right is capitalizing on the current dire situation to stigmatize the Muslim population by drawing parallels between modern Islam and Nazism. These assertions usually hinge on a misguided and reductive perception of Islam as inherently violent or intolerant — traits they improperly associate with the Nazi regime. However, equating a religion peacefully practiced by millions with the deathly ideology of Nazism is an appalling defamation. It demonstrates a profound ignorance of history and the inherent nuances of any religion. Indeed, Islam is not devoid of extremist and violent factions that distort its teachings, and the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Amin al-Husseini — a proponent of the holy war against Jews — did play a dubious and highly controversial role among Nazi dignitaries. However, it would be equally erroneous to equate Catholicism with the Inquisition or Protestantism with the Ku Klux Klan.
Through these purportedly intellectual shortcuts, the far right actually seeks to validate a xenophobic rhetoric and discriminatory policies against Muslims. It capitalizes on irrational fears of a supposed “Islamization” to promote a nationalist agenda based on the rejection of the “other.” The upcoming European elections loom as pivotal. They are set to be marred by this toxic debate and the overuse of “Godwin’s Law.” Many historians have drawn links between Islam and Nazism. Islamic terrorism, with its hateful fundamentalism that mirrors Nazism, now shakes our Western societies. Today, it predisposes some thinkers to conflate Islam and Nazism into a shared ideology. In 2014, Marine Le Pen believed it was legitimate to compare the Quran to Mein Kampf. Even though she has since seemingly moderated her rhetoric, she conveniently forgot that among the founding members of her father’s party were veterans of the 33rd SS Charlemagne Division. This conflation of Islam and Nazism is perilous, as significant instances of Muslim resistance against the Nazis — sadly overlooked or intentionally obscured — urge us toward caution. An opportunity arises to debunk biases and clichés about the relationship between Islam and Nazism during the darkest period of our history.
Muslims at the Heart of the Sole Waffen SS Mutiny
In April 1943, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Amin al-Husseini, a leader of the Arab movement who preached holy war against Jews on German radio, stated that “the Nazis are Islam’s best friends.” Any Muslim who died in combat for Islam and the Reich would be a “shaheed,” a martyr. In Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood made no secret of their sympathies for the Axis. In this backdrop, Adolf Hitler ordered the formation of Muslim volunteer legions from the Balkans to be incorporated into the most prestigious combat unit, the SS, declaring them to be “among the superior races of European peoples.” Nazi officials then claimed the Quran heralded Hitler’s arrival, not as a prophet but as “Issa” (Jesus), whose return is prophesied in the Holy Book to restore justice and triumph over the Antichrist. Ludicrous! While Nazi leaders had a fascination for Muslims (conveniently overlooking their Semitic lineage), it was because they viewed Islam as a fanatical and martial religion devoid of “Christian delicacy.” Yet, in reality, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem’s initiative would prove completely isolated and end in resounding failure.
Indeed, the Sultan of Morocco, Mohammed V, staunchly opposed Vichy’s anti-Jewish laws, and in Algeria, Jews were never threatened by Muslims. In Tunisia, on the eve of the German invasion, Bey Tunis assured Jews they remained his subjects, equal to Muslims. When Nazi barbarism sought to fan the flames of hatred, some resisted the herd mentality, remaining committed to their sense of brotherhood. Such was the case with Khaled Abdelwahab, Righteous Among the Nations, who saved 25 Jewish souls from persecution by sheltering them on his Mahdia farm.
The 13th SS Handschar Division, one of the three Muslim SS divisions, was responsible for one of the most unique and overlooked acts of World War II. “Handschar” is a Turkish scimitar, a curved-blade saber. Why would a Waffen SS division adopt such an unusual emblem? Precisely because it wasn’t predominantly a German unit. It was mainly composed of forcibly recruited Bosniak and Croatian Muslims, similar to how the Das Reich was made up of Alsatians and Lorrains. This division, filled with illiterate peasants who didn’t speak German, was overseen by a mullah and an SS imam for each battalion. For training purposes, before heading to the Eastern Front, the 13th battalion of the Handschar division was stationed in Montauban and then in Villefranche-de-Rouergue. There, they faced maltreatment and suffered vexing measures, which outraged the local population. In this town in Aveyron, one of the most incredible and mysterious events of World War II unfolded, so much so that it remained unmentioned even by the Allies.
On the night of September 16–17, 1943, Bosniak and Croatian SS non-commissioned officers revolted against their German superiors, taking control of the city and liberating it from German occupation. Contrary to popular belief, the first French town to be liberated was not Bayeux on June 7, 1944, but symbolically Villefranche-de-Rouergue nine months earlier! Astonishingly, this liberation was executed by Muslim SS with active support from the locals, with no subsequent betrayals. However, the rebels made the grave error of not eliminating a fanatical imam who managed to rally a faction of the indecisive troops. Fighting broke out between the loyal SS and the rebels, with many aided by locals to escape and join the French Resistance. Those captured faced horrific fates, with 40 tortured, executed, and hastily buried, while 250 were sent to extermination camps, with only a few returning. A memorial now stands in Villefranche-de-Rouergue honoring the Croatian Muslim martyrs who revolted against the Nazis.
The Grand Mosque of Paris Saved Jews From Deportation
Contrary to some historians’ views, the Grand Mosque of Paris indeed played a vital role in aiding Jews, resistance forces, and Allied aviators during the German occupation. The mosque’s rector, Kaddour Benghabrit, provided false Muslim certificates to Jews, including the famed singer Salim Halali, protecting them from deportation. The mosque also served as a safe haven during Gestapo raids. This era also witnessed Algerian resistance forces, known as “FTP Kabyle,” assisting Jews, particularly rescuing children during raids and hiding them in the mosque. These acts were not driven by religious motives but by human solidarity. Another unsung hero was Abdelkader Mesli, an imam and representative of the Grand Mosque in Bordeaux. He provided fake documents to refugees, many of whom were Jews. After his arrest by the Gestapo, he survived deportation to concentration camps and passed away in 1961.
The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem was directly responsible for the deaths of thousands of Jews. Taking refuge in Berlin in 1941 and being generously funded by the SS and the plundering of Jewish assets, it’s perplexing that he was never charged with “crimes against humanity” or brought before the Nuremberg Tribunal. Wanted by both the British and Yugoslavians as a war criminal, he found asylum in France. In May 1946, using a fake passport provided by the French foreign ministry, he managed to leave the country. He spent his final days in Lebanon, continuously promoting anti-Jewish and anti-Zionist propaganda, yet staying untouched. He remains an outlier in the Muslim world.
The conflation of Islam and Nazism is deeply insidious. It now thrives on social media, revealing the disturbing forgetfulness of parts of France and certain political factions. The so-called Godwin’s Law has become a toxic fallback for narrow-minded individuals and certain pundits, bereft of solid arguments or sound reasoning. More than ever, Albert Camus’ words resonate: “Misnaming an object only adds to the world’s misery.”
