Islam at crossroads: Who's to blame?

Sunday, August 16, 2009
Islam at crossroads: Who's to blame?

By M. Rajaque Rahman, IANS

It has become almost fashionable for a Muslim to say 'Islam is in danger'. The religion whose literal meaning is peace is today seen as the root cause of terror and violence. The Muslim world cannot merely dismiss this as a fallout of a grand conspiracy against Islam by people of other faiths. It has failed to present the real essence of Islam and remained a mute spectator to many atrocities against humanity committed in the name cleansing the world of infidels.

This diffidence to stand up for Islam is mainly due to lack of clarity among Muslims about what their religion truly stands for. The Muslim world is heavily weighed down by its own blinkered interpretation of what's permitted and forbidden in Islam. The most glaring misinterpretation that has led to a distortion of the very essence of Islam is its understanding of the expression 'La Ilaaha Illallaah', which is the first principle of Islam. Literally translated, it means 'there is no god but God'.

However, generations of Muslims have been taught to interpret it as 'there is no god but Allah'. Thanks to this limiting interpretation, Muslims are made to believe that there are many gods, but only Allah is the right one. This understanding totally distorts Islam's real message of tauhid (oneness of God).

A case in point is the recent statement of chairman of National Fatwa Council of Malaysia Abdul Shukor Husin while passing a fatwa against yoga. "Many Muslims fail to understand that yoga's ultimate aim is to be one with a God of a different religion." When one has affirmed to 'La Ilaaha Illallaah', how can a Muslim think of another "God of a different religion".

If a Muslim thinks there are different Gods for different religions, he is negating the essence of Islam and unwittingly subscribing to polytheist beliefs. 'La Ilaaha Illallaah' establishes beyond argument that there is only one God. However differently we may pray and by whatever name we may call, it goes to that one source. Further, the Quran clearly states that God can be invoked in different names. "Glory be to God, beyond any associations. He is Allah, the Creator, the Evolver, the Bestower of Form. To Him belong the Most Beautiful Names." [Al Hashr 59:22].

Despite the clear pointers in the Quran, orthodox mullahs still hold that calling God by any other name than Allah amounts to associating a partner with Him. The biggest casualty of this exclusivity of Allah has been the concept of jehad, prompting innocent Muslims to believe that fighting against 'infidels' who don't call God by Allah is an act worthy for the Quranic promise of heaven for jehad. This amounts to challenging Quran's command to invoke God by any names with a sense of reverence and beauty.

This myopic interpretation of the concept of tauhid has had a domino effect on other spheres of life. Take the case of recent fatwas forbidding yoga for Muslims on the ground that yoga will erode their faith in the religion.

As the Quran and Hadith have nothing specific that will make practice of yoga haram, the ulemas based the ruling on their own fear of supposedly 'Hindu' elements of yoga destroying the faith of a Muslim. The best way to allay their fear is to look at the Hindu philosophy on yoga and see how and where it contradicts the tenets of Islam.

Yoga simply means uniting with the Self. Maharishi Patanjali's Yoga Sutras starts by calling itself an enunciation in union. The asanas, the practice of which is the focal point of these fatwas, are just one way of attaining that union. Is striving for such a union with the Self against Islam? It cannot be. For, Prophet Mohammed has said, "He who knows his own Self knows his Lord." Anything done in pursuit of knowing the Lord will count as a meritorious act of following the Prophet.

The best explanation of why yoga is not just permissible, but also desirable for Muslims is to be found in the second sutra of the Yoga Sutras. "Yogas Chitta Vritti Nirodhah." It means yoga is stopping all the modulations of the mind. Ceasing all the outward activities of the mind and reposing in Allah is the ultimate goal of Islam. So doing yoga asanas as a means of attaining a thoughtless state will qualify as the highest form of ibadat (prayer). Hence contrary to the fatwas, yoga as a spiritual pursuit is very much permissible in Islam.

It's universally proven that yoga brings peace of mind, and on that count yoga is almost obligatory for Muslims. As Islam means peace, peace of mind is a prerequisite for one to be truly following Allah's only religion.

This leaves only one ground for orthodox mullahs to frown at yoga: that yoga stems from polytheist beliefs of Hinduism. But when yoga means union, how can it be linked to polytheist beliefs? In fact, yoga takes one away from polytheism and leads to Advaita, which is in perfect agreement with the doctrine of tauhid.

The time has come for ulemas to dispel this mistaken understanding of the real essence of Islam. Else history will accuse them of doing a great disservice to Islam and unwittingly leading innocent Muslims towards polytheism.

(The author is a former business journalist and now teaches yoga-based spiritual programmes of the Art of Living. He can be contacted at rajaque@gmail.com)


Read more... Posted by Mohammad Shahanshah Ansari , 0 comments
Labels: Indian Muslims - Current Affairs, Islam, M. Rajaque Rahman
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Victim as the Culprit
By Ram Puniyani



One BJP activist from Mumbai has filed a complaint (August 3rd 2009) against actor Emraan Hashmi accusing him of promoting communal enmity. Mahesh Bhatt who gave statement in support of Emran Hashmi also figures in the complaint. Emraan Hashmi had earlier approached state minorities commission that he has been discriminated against by the housing society, Nibhana in posh Pali hill locality of Mumbai. His complaint has been that he had already paid the advance of a lakh of rupees to the seller of the flat, but the housing society refused to give the no objection certificate on the ground that Hashmi is a Muslim. Many others have challenged this version; the society secretary said that they do not discriminate against people on the ground of religion, etc. A week later the compromise was struck between the actor and the society.

One does not know from newspaper reports, as to which version is true, why should Emraan state what he has stated? One also knows that similar trend of Muslims being denied houses in mixed localities have been there earlier as well. No society or builder will officially state that a people from particular religion are not permitted in their complex, these things operate in a very subtle way. Last year Shabana Azmi also was denied her choice to buy the house in a particular area. To that also many people just disbelieved it and many others ridiculed the actor, doubting the authenticity of the fact. It sometimes really sounds surreal that an actor is being denied a flat in a particular housing complex.

The peak of the reaction is seen in the form of a BJP activist filing a case against the actor for promoting communal enmity! Earlier Shabana Azmi and now Emraan Hashmi have faced this situation. There are many other such cases which might have been there but not known to us. For those who interact with large section of the community it is no secret that this type of denial persists more so in Mumbai and also in other places. The religion-caste based societies are there and they are a big set back to the process of national integration, which began during freedom movement. This process has been going on with lots of hiccups due to the rising communal violence, the outcome of communal politics, which aims at communal polarization.

The exclusions of ‘others’ is of various types. There are Parsi, Jain societies which have excluded those not belonging to their religion. In the aftermath of carnage many a Muslims after taking the beating decide to migrate away from the mixed localities to migrate to safer pastures, which later on come to be dubbed as Mini Pakistan’s. The latest observation has been the members of minority community have not been permitted to return to their original abodes. This was observed in Gujarat and later in Kandhmal. Similarly in areas where Muslims are in majority Hindus have been leaving that area voluntarily. The seeds of suspicion, which make them leave, are sown due to prevailing social common sense which demonizes the minorities. This process of exclusion by choice or by force of circumstances, both is very harmful for the national integration; to the concept of fraternity in particular gets a big beating due to this. Some of Mumbai’s suburbs, Mumbra, Bhendi Bazar, Jogeshwari have come up as areas with heavy concentration of Muslims. This concentration went up in the aftermath of the Mumbai violence of 1992-93. In Gujarat also in most cities Muslims got further isolated in the wake of 2002 carnage.

Due to this pattern of violence the general perceptions in society have worsened and now the whole Muslim community is painted as the homogenous uniform body painted in a color, which has nothing to do with truth. Further this physical isolation intensifies the negativity of perceptions about the ‘other’ community and this is mutually reciprocated by different religious communities. This lack of trust in fellow Indians is extremely dangerous.

So far, those complaining against the discrimination in allotment of housing were at least heard but now they are been alleged to be creating enmity! We cannot gloss over societal problems and expect that they are not there. Ostrich like, we can not hide our heads in the sands of make believe, and deny the realities. It is only after properly understanding the social problems that we can solve it. Emran Hashmi in a way has mustered courage to bring forward the phenomenon which is very much there. To treat such a person as culprit is like accusing the girl who has been raped, as saying that she has invited it! In a way this is also the pattern of society, to accuse the victims as having brought the misery onto themselves because of their own fallacies. There is a perception that Muslims start the riots and invite the trouble for themselves. This of course is far from true as a research by a police officer shows (V.N.Rai, Combating Communal Conflicts) and by the inquiry Commission reports including the latest one of Srikrishna Commission report which studies Mumbai riots.

Technicalities apart we need to address this serious social issue. We have examples in small countries like Singapore, where in the Government housing scheme there are reservations for different ethnic groups. This ensures that people from different ethnic-religious communities are neighbors and have an inbuilt situation where they interact socially. We are far from that. The biased builders and subtle operation of biases in the housing complexes needs to be done away by measures which are multilayered. Legal protection, affirmative action and debunking the misconceptions about minorities are the need of the hour. The compromise struck between the actor and society is welcome and kindles the hope that these exclusionary trends get wiped out in due course, one also hopes we are able to overcome these biases against our own citizens and create a more amicable atmosphere for all of us to live together.

(www.pluralindia.com, ram.puniyani@gmail.com)


Read more... Posted by Mohammad Shahanshah Ansari , 0 comments
Labels: Descrimination, Emraan Hashmi, Indian Muslims - Current Affairs, Ram Puniyani
In The Land of Mayawathi Dalits are Still Untouchables

By A.M. Jams Heed Basha

Times of India Made Startling Revelations on Untouchablity Still Practiced in Uttar Pradesh.

It was shocking, bizarre and unbelievable that it could happen in the very state where the champion of Dalits is the Chief Minister. Yes, it is real in Uttar Pradesh. The Times of India carried a full story under the caption "Untouchability still alive in India - Dalits have little access to Temples, kids made to sit separately in schools," last week.

What was intriguing was despite Mahatma's effort to remove untouchability, constitutional safeguards against untouchability and social awareness, these did not deter the upper caste people in Uttar Pradesh from doing away with the practice of untouchability. The news item carried a photograph in which an upper caste man pours water for a Dalit to drink in an Uttar Pradesh village. It was a disgusting sight and inhuman, unacceptable to any man of honour. What was his fault? He was Dalit, of course.

I really appreciate the effort taken by the Time research team to fan out in 8 states including Uttar Pradesh for a reality check and brought to notice of the authorities that after more than 60 years of independence, in the country of Mahatma, a Champion of Dalits, untouchability is still alive and thriving. This makes a mockery of the social change ushered into society not long ago.

The report says, "Dalits are still segregated with little access to temples, water sources and upper caste areas". It was equally most unfortunate that in the birth place of social reformist Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Radhanagar in Hoogly, they still have a separate crematorium for Brahmins and non-Brahmins. The Times of India has also reported that in a bizarre case in Warangal district, the Dalits were forced to draw water from their well where a dog fell and died. There could be nothing more inhuman that shows excessive segregation in a society, than this. Politicians want Dalit votes but they care little about casteism and such inhuman practices that are happening in the 21st century.

Festivals are the time when people forget old rivalries and embrace each other to enjoy the occasion. But festivities also have their flip side. Dalits were served food separately in their own plates and tumblers, which they were asked to bring to participate in a mass feeding.

In Uttar Pradesh, where the champion of Dalits holds the highest office of Chief Minister, every village has a chammar toli, a place segregated for Dalits. Also, Dalit children are made to sit separately in schools. Even where the post of President of a Village has been reserved for a Dalit, no one had the guts to contest the elections. The Presidency is still lying vacant, for example, in Malasa village in Kanpur Dehat, fearing a backlash from Thakurs.

Even Rajasthan is not free from casteism. Even today, the newcomers to villages are screened for Dalits and they cannot pass through the Upper caste houses wearing chappels and headgear. It was also reported that segregation was at its bizarre best in Rajpur tehsil, 60 km from Kanpur, where Thakurs withdrew their children from a school after a Dalit cook was employed to prepare mid-day meals.

The above are some of the incidences of casteism and practices of discrimination against Dalits still in vogue in independent India.

It has another side too. In Tamilnadu and Punjab, the Dalits have asserted themselves, leaving uppercaste people gasping. Education among the Dalits and their position in government and politics would have brought the differences. Even among the uppercaste people, they began to feel the need to remove the age-old inhuman practices of untouchability and a law is in place to protect the rights of Dalits.

Despite individual assertions of rights, the society as a whole needs to be re-educated through concerted programmes. Government and NGOs have a role to play. In Uttar Pradesh where such incidences were reported, the Mayawathi government would have to take action to see that Dalits are treated with dignity, love and compassion like any other human being. They are equally part of humanity as they are not from alien lands. Jai Hind.

A.M. Jams Heed Basha is a Chennai-based columnist, who writes at www.newageislam.org and NewsBlaze.com


Read more... Posted by IDMV , 0 comments
Labels: A.M. Jams Heed Basha, Dalit Muslims, Descrimination, Mayawati
IITs can’t expel SC, ST students on merit excuse: SC

Times of India

NEW DELHI: The premier IITs cannot just cite pursuit of academic excellence as a reason to expel SC/ST students failing to make the grade, the Supreme Court said while exhorting the institutes to take care of those belonging to socially backward classes at every stage.

Asking IIT Delhi to reconsider its decision to expel five students from the backward classes for their poor performance, a Bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justices P Sathasivam and B S Chauhan said, “These socially and economically backward categories are to be taken care of at every stage even in specialised institutions like IITs.”

Asking IITs not to apply the grading system mechanically to backward class students, especially those belonging to SCs and STs, the Bench said, “They must make all endeavour to provide additional coaching and bring them up at par with general category students.”

Writing the judgment for the Bench, Justice Sathasivam said SCs/STs were a separate class by themselves and the creamy layer principle did not apply to them. Additionally, the Constitution enjoins upon the state to promote with special care the educational and economic interests of people and protect them from social injustice and all forms of exploitation, he added.

After perusing the low grades of students who were expelled from IIT Delhi, the Bench said, “It is true that the petitioners were not able to secure the required credits as against the stipulated minimum requirement for continuation of their studies.”

However, it rose to their defence, especially as they were from the socially and economically backward class. “It is relevant to mention that admittedly all these students had joined IIT Delhi in the academic year 2006-07 and 2007-08 after clearing All-India JEE conducted for all the IITs in the year 2006 and 2007. It shows that they were successful in securing the minimum cut-off marks earmarked for the SC/ST categories,” the Bench said.

“In such circumstances, it cannot be claimed that all these students are not fit to be admitted in IIT,” it said, adding, “We are of the view that ends of justice would be fully met by giving one more opportunity to them.” It directed IIT Delhi to consider their cases afresh within four weeks taking into consideration the various aspects discussed in the judgment.


Read more... Posted by IDMV , 0 comments
Labels: Dalit Education, Dalit Empowerment, Dalit Muslims
A long wait for Independence

By Dr Sandeep Pandey,

Jajupur is a village in Sandila Tehsil, P.S. Atrauli, of Hardoi District of UP. 107 dalit landless families were allotted land pattas in 1976 by the Gram Sabha but till today the dalits have not been able to cultivate their fields. The reason is that a politically influential feudal family of the neighbouring village Majhgaon doesn’t give up its control on these lands which it exercises directly or indirectly. Ramchandra Singh’s brother Sri Ram Singh has been the Block Pramukh of Bharawan. They have a third brother Ramendra Singh. Cousin Nagendra Singh’s, who is an advocate too, wife is the Gram Pradhan of Jajupur even though they live in Majhgaon.

As soon as these land plots were allotted to the dalits the landlords planted trees on these pieces of lands so that they could lay a claim on them. They always give the excuse of these trees to assert their control over these lands. For some dalit families their ancestors might have taken some loan from the ancestors of landlords. The unpaid loans, fictitious or real, become an excuse for the landlords to continue holding on to their land.

Whenever a complaint is registered with the authorities, the revenue department officials begin the measurement of land plots afresh. The land is marked and handed over to the dalits every time. But either they are unable to sow or if they display the courage to sow they cannot harvest. The control of land goes back to the landlords. Under political pressure the revenue department officials lack the will to recommend registration of case under the ZALR Act against the encroachers or the police lacks the will to prevent landlords from encroaching after the lands have been handed over to the dalits following a due process.

Recently a dalit youth Rajesh cut two neem trees standing on his land to take care of the expenses required to treat his ailing 3 years old son. A case was registered against four dalits including Rajesh for illegal felling of green trees. Ramchandra Singh, Ramendra Singh and Sukhdeo Singh took away the driver and the helper on the tractor trolley which had come to take away the cut trees. Both these were also dalits. They were beaten at the house of Ramchandra Singh and then handed over to police. Policeman incharge of investigation in the case M.P. Singh created ruckus in the house of Rajesh when he couldn’t find him to arrest. He broke a cot and portion of the thatched roof. When it was enquired from the SDM whether felling trees was such a serious crime that the police would exercise undue pressure on the family of the accused the SDM responded that the police doesn’t register a case sometimes even on his complaint when whole orchards are cut. Finally Rajesh got relief only after he got bail from the court. But in the meanwhile his child had expired because of neglect of his situation.

A complaint was filed against Ramchandra Singh, Ramendra Singh and Sukhdeo Singh demanding registration of FIR under the Prevention of atrocities against S.C./S.T. Act and the ZALR Act. However, the landlord family is so powerful that it got action against its members stalled. It is amazing how the politically influential family escapes retribution even after violating serious laws and prompt and decisive action is taken by police against the dalits for felling trees on their own land. And all this is when there is supposed to be a dalit sympathetic government in power in UP and the DGP has issued clear cut instructions that FIR has to be registered against any encroacher on a land belonging to dalit allotted by the Gram Sabha.

About a couple of years back the revenue department had slapped a fine of more than Rs. 14 lakhs on Ramchandra Singh, Chandra Prakash Singh, Nageshwar Singh and others for encroaching upon land allotted to dalits by the Gram Sabha. Two people paid the fine but eleven others were able to obtain a stay order from the court.

Having lost all hope from the system the dalits have now decided that they’ll let the landlords cut all the trees which they claim were planted by them, even though technically the trees belong to the dalits as it is a Gram Sabha land and anybody else cannot lay a claim on it, and in return the landlords would allow them to till the land. The dalits don’t care that they are losing the trees so long as they finally get to become the owners of the land. The powerful landlords, interestingly want a guarantee from the dalits as well as the administration that no case will be registered against them for felling green trees, which is actually illegal.

All revenue department officials feel this is a good compromise practical solution. The dalits also feel that this is probably the best deal they’ll get because chances of them getting the land with the trees are remote given the prevailing circumstances. They are desperate to see after 35 long years the day when they can call the land which belongs to them their own. But this is a travesty of justice. This is a victory of brute muscle and money power and failure of Indian Constitution as well as Law and Order machinery. The police-administration have surrendered to the feudal elements and interests of dalits are not safe even in a dalit sympathetic government. The country may be independent for the past 62 years but these dalit families of Jajupur would not yet testify that they have had a chance to enjoy the fruits of freedom.

[Dr Sandeep Pandey is a Ramon Magsaysay Awardee (2002) for emergent leadership, member of National Presidium, People's Politics Front (PPF), heads the National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM) and did his PhD from University of California, Berkeley, USA. He taught at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur before devoting his life to strengthening people's movements in early 1990s. He can be contacted at: ashaashram@yahoo.com. Website: www.citizen-news.org]


Read more... Posted by IDMV , 0 comments
Labels: Dalit Empowerment, Dalit Movement, Dr Sandeep Pandey
SC/ST caste certificate is for lifetime: Official

BANGALORE: Urban Development Principal Secretary D. Thangaraj has said the educational institutions and recruitment agencies should not demand latest caste certificate from the candidates as old certificates hold good at any time.

The Social Welfare Department has issued a circular stating that Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe caste certificate once issued by the Tahsildar holds valid for a lifetime, he said.

He was speaking here at the inaugural session of a three-day capacity building workshop on Dalit Rights and the Law.
Mr Thangaraj said that insistence on latest caste certificate by these institutions has resulted in an increasing number of fake caste certificate cases.

Minister for Social Welfare D Sudhakar said despite several laws and welfares schemes of the central and state governments, atrocities on Dalits continued. The Minister said Dalits have been deprived of their rights and properties and subjected to harassment due to lack of commitment among the officials in the implementation of laws. Many officials were unaware of the provisions of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Prevention of Atrocities Act of 1989 and several circulars issues by the Department for the stringent implementation of the welfare schemes.

The officials failure to respond to the grievances of the SCs and STs was one the major reasons for their socio-economic plight. Issue of fake caste certificates, misuse of funds meant for the welfare of Dalits and irregularities in the execution of social welfare schemes need to be checked, the minister said.

Social Welfare Department Secretary E. Venkataiah said the conviction rate under SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989, was just 15 per cent at the national level.

S Japhet, Professor, Centre for Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy, NLSIU, and A Jayagovind, former vice-chancellor, NLSIU, spoke.

Courtesy:
http://mangalorean.com/


Read more... Posted by IDMV , 0 comments
Labels: Dalit Education, Dalit Muslims, OBC/Dalit Reservation
Technical training for Muslim Dalits

Himalayan News Service

BHAKTAPUR: The Centre for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT) is all set to launch a special programme for the welfare of Dalit-Muslim teenage girls in 10 Tarai districts after the festival of Dashain.

Ramesh Bakhati, Director of the Examination Division, CTEVT, today told The Himalayan Times that the programme was being launched from this year to provide access to technical education, especially to the Dalit-Muslim teenage girls, as they were one of the most marginalised group in the nation.

He said, "The CTEVT has already allocated a sum of Rs 60 million to provide free technical education to poor Dalit-Muslim teenage girls." According to Bakhati, the special programme will be launched in Rautahat, Malanguwa, Bara, Parsa, Mahottari, Dhanusha, Siraha, Saptari, Sarlahi and Tikapur this year.

"We have already begun our homework to make the programme effective and successful," he added. He fursaid that technical education in subjects such as Assistant Nurse Midwife would be provided to the participants.


Read more... Posted by Mohammad Shahanshah Ansari , 0 comments
Labels: Dalit - Muslim News, Dalit - Muslim Unity, Dalit Education, Dalit Empowerment, Dalit Muslims
Nehru, Jinah and partition
By Asghar Ali Engineer,



Mr. Jaswant Singh, a senior BJP leader from Rajasthan has written a book on Jinnah which is expected to be published shortly. He has, according to a news item on NDTV, called Jinnah a secular person and thrown responsibility for partition on Nehru. Earlier Mr. L. K. Advani had also described Jinnah as secular while visiting Jinnah’s mausoleum in Karachi and paid heavy price for it as RSS asked him to resign as president of BJP. And now Jaswant Singh, a fairly independent minded leader has called Jinnah a secular person.

No doubt Jinnah is a highly controversial figure. He is greatly admired and is father of the nation in Pakistan. He is often referred to as Baba-e-Qaum by Pakistanis. But he is hated by many in India and is considered mainly responsible for creation of Pakistan and hence a villain of the peace. Such extremes can never adequately define a person, let alone being understood adequately.

The motives for describing Jinnah as secular by two top BJP leaders may be different but there is an element of truth in what they say. Shri Advani was speaking as a politician during his visit and may be he tried to please his hosts in Pakistan. Mr. Jaswant Singh is under no such obligation and is speaking as a scholar as he is known to be of fairly independent mind and may not be much concerned about what RSS and BJP leaders might think.

It is not only in India that Jinnah is subject to different interpretations, some hating him as breaker of India and some absolving him of total responsibility for partition. Jinnah is subject to different interpretations in Pakistan itself, some moderate and liberal Muslims describing him as secular and often quoting his speech in the Constituent Assembly as a proof of his secularism. The conservatives and orthodox Muslims, on the other hand, projecting him as believer in two nation theory and true Muslim who created Pakistan for Islam and Muslims.

We have the same problem with Mahatma Gandhi in our own country. Some Dalit and RSS leaders hate him again for different reasons. Dalits hate him as an upper caste Hindu leader who upheld the concept of caste, if not of untouchability. And RSS leaders hate him, though publicly they may not take such position for obvious reasons. They hate him as they consider Gandhi as betrayer of Hindu cause and supporter of Muslims. They even indulge in propaganda that Gandhiji is responsible for partition of the country.

Many people hold Nehru as responsible for partition and among those who hold Nehru as responsible there are all types of people – secular as well as communal. The question arises who is really responsible? We Indians and Pakistanis while holding our own leaders as responsible we have completely exonerated the British rulers of their responsibility for partition.

Though secular elements at times do refer to the role of the British, communal forces in both the countries have completely absolved British. In RSS propaganda main culprits are Muslims led by Jinnah whereas in Pakistani propaganda it is Hindus led by Gandhi who are mainly responsible for partition. If one studies the complex developments carefully in mid-fifties it is difficult to fix total responsibility on any one person or one party. Different actors played different role adding up to partition of the country.

First let us see the role of Jinnah since he is at the centre-stage of partition. Before this we also have to look at him whether he was secular or communal. It must be noted that we cannot go by western definition of secular and communal. We have accepted these terms in our own sense and in our own context. Gandhiji was secular despite being highly religious in his attitude. Nehru, of course, was secular more in western than in Indian sense.

Similarly Jinnah was also secular more in western sense. Both Nehru and Jinnah never were religious as Gandhi and Maulana Azad were. Nehru was closer to Jinnah than to Gandhiji and Maulana Azad was closer to Gandhiji than to Jinnah. Maulana Azad also was deeply a religious person like Gandhiji though he was more liberal in religious matters than Gandhiji.

Jinnah was thoroughly westernized person right from his younger days. He never had any religious training. He did not observe any Islamic taboos like liquor and pork. He never observed religious rituals. He even disagreed with Gandhiji about involving Ulama in politics and he opposed Gandhiji taking up Khilafat question. He believed in separation of politics from religion. He was described as Muslim Gokhale by friends. Gokhale was liberal and so was Jinnah.

Jinnah was certainly secular in this sense. He until 1935 described himself as Indian first and then Muslim. And, until 1937 he had never thought of partition even in his dreams. He even entered into an informal understanding with the congress in 1937 elections in U.P. His differences with Indian National Congress had begun from 1928 onwards when his demands were rejected by the Nehru committee set up by the Congress to solve communal problem. He had even ridiculed the concept of Pakistan initially propounded by Rahmat Ali, a Cambridge University student.

The two nation theory was deeply flawed and Jinnah had formulated it as a sort of political revenge on the Congress leaders like Nehru who refused to take two Muslim League nominees in the U.P. cabinet after Muslim league lost 1937 elections and Nehru was responsible for this. Maulana Azad tried to persuade Nehru to take the two nominees but unfortunately Nehru did not budge. Some scholars suggest that Rafi Ahmed Kidwai, an influential Congress leader from U.P. prompted Nehru. Whatever the reason politically it was unwise not to take two Muslim league nominees. Maulana Azad has pointed this out and has criticized Nehru on this count in his political biography India Wins Freedom.

For Jinnah it was outright betrayal and he decisively turned against Congress and gradually it led Jinnah to propounding two nation theory. Thus two nation theory was a politically contingent proposition rather than any religiously grounded proposition. Had Nehru shown little political sagacity this theory would not have come into existence at all. And in no sense of the word Jinnah ever wanted to establish an Islamic state in Pakistan. Jinnah would not have even approved of Pakistan having Islam as an official religion. That was not his bent of mind. If one goes by Jinnah’s speech in the Pakistan Constituent Assembly it is doubtful if he wanted even a Muslim state, let alone an Islamic state. He was all for a secular state in Pakistan.

Then if we call Jinnah communal in what sense can he be described as one? Or can he be? In those days when we were fighting for freedom of our country communalism was not opposite of secularism, but of nationalism. Anyone who was anti-national was described as communal. Thus if at all Jinnah could be described communal it is in this sense. And as pointed out above, Jinnah opted for partition not as a part of his conviction but as a result of political contingency.

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was responsible in a way as he was not very happy with the Cabinet Mission Plan as it would have resulted in weak centre as except defence, foreign policy and communication all residuary powers would have rested with the federating states. Both Nehru and Sardar Patel were not happy with this scheme. And as Azad has pointed out in his book Nehru, on being elected as president of the congress in 1946, gave a statement that Cabinet Mission Plan could be, if necessary, changed. This infuriated Jinnah as Muslim League had also accepted the Plan and a composite Government was formed after 1946 fall elections.

This finally drove Jinnah to accept nothing less than partition. The greatest culprit was British rulers as they also wanted India divided so that they could easily establish intelligence and military base in Pakistan to stem the tide of revolution which by then had become a certainty in China. Nehru Government would have never allowed such bases in United India. Lord Mount Batten got Nehru, through his wife Advina to endorse the partition plan.

Thus it would be seen that apart from Jinnah the British and Nehru were also responsible for partition of the country. In my opinion the greatest responsibility of partition lay on the British shoulder. They cleverly maneuvered the complex situation in a way to make partition a reality. Partition, as Maulana Azad also pointed out, was neither in the interest of India nor in the interest of Muslims themselves.

The ultimate result of partition is that Muslims of Indian sub-continent stand divided into three units and Kashmir problem is also result of this tragedy. And both the countries are spending billions of rupees on their armies and now such powerful interests have developed in keeping conflict between the two countries alive that all efforts for talks fail. Now the only solution is in confederation of nations of South Asia, with no visa and common currency.

If European countries could form a viable union despite the fact that they were at each others throats until late forties why can’t we in South Asia?


Read more... Posted by Mohammad Shahanshah Ansari , 0 comments
Labels: Asghar Ali Engineer, Jinah, Nehru, Partition
Friday, August 14, 2009
Indian Muslims Cannot Afford to Fall Behind Again

By Tanvir Salim,

Incidents of bomb blasts in its cities and other such upheavals notwithstanding, India is quickly becoming a player among the world's powerful nations. It is ready to join the "Big-Boys League". Everything about it might not be quite as shiny as Indians would like to claim, but no matter! After all, there are dark spots on the moon as well. And yet the moon captivates.

We have seen the march of India over the last fifty-plus years. It has gone from being an underdeveloped country to one that is galloping ahead economically and grabbing attention. During the journey, some mistakes have been made. Some opportunities have been lost along the way. There has been injustice, and worse still, many who were undeserving were hoisted up to positions of power and influence. But such is life. We learn from our mistakes and take the next step forward.

For the Muslims, the journey has been no different. Against all odds the determined and hardworking among them have succeeded. There has been discrimination against their community, but opportunities have been forwarded as well.

Most of us Muslims were unable to utilize those resources to our best advantage. And we have been guilty of waiting for opportunities to be handed to us. We didn't avail of the government schools and universities as much as we could have, preferring to be educated in our own Muslim supported institutions. And thus we lost considerable energy reinventing the wheel.

The news is better now. The Muslim middle class is on the move and participating in every walk of life. However, those at the lower level need help, and lots of it.

It is the better placed among our community who have to make a difference in the lives of those not quite as fortunate. We have to share what we have been blessed with and what we have attained. Sadly, our disunity prevents agreement over the measures that are to be taken. This did not hurt our cause as much in the past. Zamindars and the Taluqdars, who had plenty, shared some of their wealth for services rendered. That is no longer the case.

The Revolt of 1857 brought about a dramatic change. Since the Muslims had taken an active part in the mutiny, they were punished by the British and forced onto the sidelines. Muslims also played a major role in the subsequent Freedom Movement, but they could recover fully from what happened to them in the aftermath of the 1857 revolt. The reasons for this are many. The fact remains that over the last century and half, it has been a downhill slide for the Muslims in India.

This dawn of the 21st century has brought along a new attitude and opportunities for each and everyone in India. We are also witnessing changes in the mindset of the Indian Muslim. Indian Muslims have traveled widely and settled in many parts of the world. At some places they are struggling. At others, they have made a name for themselves.

These successful ones are in a position to do their part, however small, to change the lives of their less well-off "brothers and sisters" in India. As a Hindustani saying goes: "Boond boond se sindhu bana hai, sindhu sindhu se yeh saagar". In America they say in the same vein that "every dollar counts."

The good news is that we Muslims abroad are indeed trying to help out. The not-so-good news is that so far it hasn't been enough.

We do not seem to be good advocates for ourselves. And unfortunately, images and sound-bytes tend to capture all the attention. It is the reason why, e.g., comments are made on tennis player Sania Mirza's dress but not on her game. On the more important issues, there is too often no more than a lukewarm response. And part of the fault lies in the issues not being raised forcefully enough, and not dramatically enough.

Not too long ago, I had raised the prospect of funding for a school. There did not seem to be much support. Perhaps I should have brought out pictures of malnourished children squatting on cold, hard floors. Other communities have used such imagery when advocating their causes, and made good progress.

We have to adopt these "tricks" and "tools of the trade" too. We are short on resources and have woken up late to the plight of the Indian Muslims. We need to do better.

Tanvir Salim
( http://tanvirsalim.com)


Read more... Posted by Mohammad Shahanshah Ansari , 1 comments
Labels: Indian Muslims - Current Affairs, Tanvir Salim
The Failure of Indian Muslim Leadership

By Tanvir Salim,

In any democracy, elections come and go, and so they do in India. But in that country, election results do not seem to amount to much for the economically deprived. It doesn't matter who ends up the ruler. Sooner or later he or she begins to behave similarly as the one who has been replaced. And many among the unfortunate remain as they were -- poor, undernourished, and uneducated.

It is a pity that time and again elections seem to bring renewed hope to the downtrodden. There would be hope perhaps if the elected leaders came, so to say, from some distant world. But in reality they turn out to be cards of the same deck, shuffled manifold to present a different face and an ever attendant utopian vision. The gullible among the masses never catch onto these tricks.

This has happened especially to Muslims, and far too often. The Muslim community takes great pride in participating in electoral politics and patronizing one political party after another, all along with the false impression that it controls its destiny and that its voice counts. Yes, its voice does count. But due to lack of sound leadership, Muslims end up repeating the same mistake time and again.

Good leadership is a rare commodity. It wasn't present among us at the hour of India's birth as a nation. As a result, Muslims in the subcontinent suffered through one of biggest human exoduses ever. We failed ourselves then, and today, after decades of turmoil, we are continuing to do a bad job of it.

A small consolation is the fact that today's Indian Muslim seems to have finally realized where he truly stands. Whenever he has to prove his patriotism he makes a good show of it. Last year, in Boston at the Hatch Shell, on the occasion of India's Independence Day, the members of the Aligarh Alumni Association of New England filled the air with a spirited rendition of Iqbal's "Saare Jahan se Achcha, Hindustan Hamara".

This is then, about us. Now let us take a look at our leadership.

It is not as if there is a shortage of Muslim leaders. They can be found in every nook and cranny of India. Some of them are involved in genuinely useful activity. They are working diligently for the betterment of the downtrodden. But there is not enough of this, and most of it comes too late.

In New Delhi, I was surprised to discover that the people, mostly Muslims, who are settled on the land around Batala House near Jamia University, have to beg for water from the colonies nearby. They do not have clean water to drink. This is in a region where the river Jamuna once flowed. If such is the condition of Muslims in the nation's capital, one can only try to imagine the dire situations in the more remote villages, many of which are inaccessible and therefore lack recourse to outside assistance.

We do have a few Muslims in high places, but to no apparent benefit to the community? Have we seen any good come out from a Muslim being appointed Vice President, or even President of India? I don't believe so. Such political developments provide no more than a false sense of euphoria and become choice pieces of conversation at social gatherings. The harsher realities though are never far away.

Some among the Muslims have played the game of politics very well and got themselves elected to positions of authority. But they have failed to do anything for the weak constituents they claim to represent. A telling fact is that today a few of the Muslim communities trail even the Dalits in certain aspects.

All this did not come about overnight. The Muslim leadership which evolved since partition has always been at the mercy of the ruling elite, i.e., the Congress Party. The Muslims were kept satisfied and happy with a few ministerial posts every now and then. But those portfolios never really amounted to much. When was the last time we were given the education, home, or finance ministries in the central government, or elsewhere? The answer is a distressing eye-opener.

Muslim political leadership in India remains a misnomer. Nor have the Indian Muslims done much to make a success of their platform.

Tanvir Salim
(http://tanvirsalim.com)


Read more... Posted by Mohammad Shahanshah Ansari , 0 comments
Labels: Indian Muslims - Current Affairs, Tanvir Salim
Crime and No Punishment

Malegaon Blast Accused Get a Respite

By Ram Puniyani

Eleven suspects of Malegaon blast, September 9, 2008, got a breather (August 01, 2009) when the special court dropped the charges under MCCOA against 11 suspects of the crime. Prosecution failed to show that all accused were member of a single organized crime syndicate. This MCOCA act also requires that there should be two previous charge sheets against one of them. Since the case prepared by police could not prove these the charges have been dropped. The ATS and Maharashtra Chief Minister have stated that they will ensure that they will go to the higher courts, against the order of this court decision. In past Congress has not undertaken any serious efforts to punish the guilty, so this statement of the authorities has to be taken with a pinch of salt.

MCCOA apart, the overall scenario and line of investigation followed by police has left lot of ground uncovered which can come handy for the culprits getting away lightly if the police does not do its home work well. There may also be deeper political dimensions to the issue as well. The first point which struck the observers so far was that for a long time police line of investigation in the blast cases was based on the premise that some Muslim group is involved in the crime. This created two problems. One was that the innocents kept getting arrested and tortured and second that the real culprits could hide under the cover provided by the popular perception about terrorism. The vicious cycle was broken by Hemant Karakre with the impeccable evidence in the form of the Motor cycle of Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur from the crowded lane of Malegaon. Her link led to several people and many organizations. The people involved were Swami Dayanand Pandey, Lt Col Prasad Shrikant Puroit, Ajay Rahirar, retired Major Ramesh Upadhayay, Rakesh Dhavade and many others. The connections with Abhinva Bharat, Hindu Jagran Samiti, Army units, Bhonsala Military School (Nagpur and Nashik), Akanksha Resort Sinhgad all emerged and the picture of a broad conspiracy became clear.

The investigating officer, Hemant Karkare, about whose death in 26/11 terror attack, Antulay raised certain questions, faced immense pressure due to criticism from Hindu right wingers, Thackeray’s paper Saamana went on to say that they spit on the face of such a anti-national person like Karkare, and some others also called him as Deshdrohi. One does not know what direct/indirect impact all this had on the future drafting of the charge sheet. Human Rights activist Teesta Setalvad in her articles in Communalism Combat Feb 2009 raised several questions about the charge sheet, which remain unanswered.

One recalls that the Nanded blast (April 2006) case investigation itself was very much muted and it was only the pressure of campaign form Rights activists that the investigation was pursued. Rakesh Dhawade, one of the accused in the Malegaon charge sheet had confessed to his involvement in the training of few youth, for the preparation and detonation of bombs. The training was done near the Sinhgad Fort, Pune, in July-August 2003. Despite this he was allowed to be discharged from the Purbea masjid blast case on July 27, 2009! ATS says it was because the local police did not file a strong enough charge sheet! One does not know whether it is a lack of coordination or there is something deeper to this?

It is beyond one’s comprehension as to why section 125, waging war against the Indian Nation, has not been applied to these accused. In this case the involvement of the serving military officers and the retired ones has not been probed. It has ramifications far deeper then can be seen from the surface. These military officers had the background of Bhonsla Military School, which is practically controlled by RSS. The RSS has its wing for retired military personnel and has a lot of emphasis on cultivating connections with men in uniform. The theft of 60 Kilograms of RDX by Purohit is a pointer of what the serving and military officers can do once they are ideologically indoctrinated by the notions other than that of secular democratic India. Purohit in his narco analysis on 9th November 2008 had revealed about his role in Samjhauta Express blast and a possible role Mecca Masjid blast.

There are multiple aspects of the case involved. One does not support MCCOA at all, it is not only arbitrary and draconian; it also is a refuge for police not to undertake the trouble for deeper investigation and doing its home work properly. Even if one does not trust the narco analysis, there are enough other evidences to link up all these accused indoctrinated by RSS ideology. The point is why so many links which are there for all to see are not followed? Why resort to the short cut of MCOCA, or Narco analysis.

The core point is the biases of the state apparatus, political, bureaucratic and that of police in particular which has resulted in evolution of two sets of justice delivery systems. One is for the affluent and privileged that can get away with whatever they want and the second is for the weaker sections, including minorities. Here right from the police investigation to the charge sheeting, the political influence and biases which influence the process of justice delivery (or the lack of it) and the final verdict all are having a tinge of bias.

The political polices do determine the whole process. It is such outcomes which make a section of population feel that they are used merely as vote banks and when the time of justice comes they are not considered at all. If the culprits of Malegaon are treated with kid gloves under the theory that violence from Hindu fold is retaliatory that will be the travesty of justice of the worst order.


Read more... Posted by Mohammad Shahanshah Ansari , 0 comments
Labels: Indian Muslims - Current Affairs, Malegaon Blast, Ram Puniyani, Terrorism
WE ARE ALL PART OF TERRORISM

BY ABDUL HANNAN

A special POTA court on 06 August 09 pronounced the death sentence to the perpetrators of 2003 bomb blasts in Mumbai in Gateway of India and in Zaveri Bazar on 25th August 2003 in which 54 people had been killed and hundreds were got injured.

Defense lawyer has said that he will challenge this decision in High Court. According him, his clients are innocents and there are so many grounds which can help in proving them innocence, ignored by the court. After the high court decision, surely defense will go to Supreme Court which will decide their last fate that whether they are innocents or guilty.

In the light of recent judgment issued by the special POTA court, their guilty has been proved, hence they are awarded death sentence.

Mr. Ujjwal Nikam, special public prosecutor after pronouncing the judgment, says; “this is a significant judgment, it’s because of these devils that 54 persons lost their lives and another 244 were injured”.

No doubt, that it is a significant judgment and an open message to those who believe blood bath is the last and best option to show that what they can do and which types of disastrous can be escalated across the country.

But we are in very hurry to forget that few years ago, when TADA court began to award the sentence to the perpetrators of 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts, at the time, it was said that after the harsh punishment, every one before going to show the cruelty, will think hundred times. But what happened. Spate of serial bomb blasts across the country show the helplessness of law and security agencies, though it is still a mystery that who is behind the serial bomb blasts? Mr. Hemant Karkare, who was near to uncover the mystery of every bomb blasts, killed in a terrorist attack leaving hundreds question on his death and left the bomb blasts a merely mystery.

According report, twin blasts conspiracy was hatched in Dubai. Zahid Yusuf Patni, who later turned approver, in this case, established an organisation named “Gujarat Revenge Forces” to take the revenge of the killing of Muslims who were beheaded under state government supervision in Gujarat in 2002.

Now, most conspirators of twin blasts have been arrested or killed. Rizwan Laddowala and A. Shaikh Batterywala acquitted. Nazir, prime accused in this case encountered by the police in September 2003. Husband-wife pair and Mr. Ashrat Shafique Ansari were granted death sentence.

Surely, the chapter of Mumbai 2003 blasts has been closed with granting harsh punishment by the court which is clear message that such persons deserve such sentence.

Announcement of death sentence isn’t meant the end of terrorism from the country. The successes of judicial systems in bringing the perpetrators before the justice for their action are not the guaranty of reducing such incidents in future.

2003 Mumbai bomb blasts have left a series of questions that we have to search the answers that why such happening it in the society. Why the youths, who in past were living with us, working among us and were busy in their normal life, suddenly a day we hared about them that they arrested or they found guilty in bomb attacks. Who is it forcing them to join anti-national network? Are it is their profession? Are they joining it for the money, or for bank balance? Are they were in contact in previous with any other terrorist organization? Who will take the accountability of their crimes which claimed 54 lives and left 244 injured?

Yes, death sentence, which will be continued in future as well in such cases, is the right and true justice with them on their work and with the victims who lost their beloved once, but death penalty is not the solution. What we did against the offenders of 1993 bomb blasts in Mumbai. All of them brought to justice. Every one awarded the sentence according their role. Many of them are waiting the day when they will be hanged, but bomb blasts remained continue. Hundreds of thousands of civilians get killed in series of attacks across the country.

1992 Mumbai violence caused 1993 bomb blasts, and 2002 Gujarat violence leaded to attack on Gateway of India and on Zaveri Bazar. In both, the conspirators of 1993 and 2003 Mumbai blast aren’t same. In Mumbai riot, those who had been killed were innocents and those who took the weapons in their hand were also innocents before 1993. The cause of civilian deaths and increasing the violence in the wake of domiliation of Babri Mosque in 1992 in Ayodhya was the handy work of political leaders and rioters with the assistance of police.

Youths of particular community were feeling that police, security agencies and the systems all are have been corrupt and left only one solution of this injustice to take revenge which they did it in 1993 in Mumbai.

Same story was repeated in Gujarat in 2002, where criminals, rapists, killers and the commanders of Hindutva forces under the protection of state government played what they want. During the violence they were protected by the police and after the violence they were leaved freely in the lack of evidence. Across the country and in entire glob, this naked dance of Hindutva forces was viewed. Muslims were feeling insecure and this injustice and biased work played by the Gujarat government with the help of police which is still continue incited some youths to take Gujarat revenge.

We didn’t learn the lesson from the mistake which is being repeated by the state and central government. It is true that they found guilty and are like devils but why we forget that they are not same in nature. They were good and honest citizens, they were wanted to live and work something extra for their parents and for the country. They were natural human being and were away from unnatural work. They have family; they were living as millions live in Mumbai and in India. Their feelings and their nature was not different than any others. Their past is very clear; they were a decent and honest citizen for India. Corrupt systems and injustice in punishment forced them on such action. We are all involved in the killing of 54 people. We can’t separate ourselves from the incidents are claiming the lives of civilians.

Law, death sentence and special police squad is not the solution. It will not help us to come out from that situation forcing them to carry out the cruelty work.

Their role and action tell us our story and shows that how much the systems are corrupt. Terrorist not burn by the nature, society, government systems and their surrounding culture made them terrorist, or thief, or killer or rapists or corrupt.

Unfortunately, police state and central government can spend millions on security and on war fear team to face the challenges posed by any terrorist organisation, but they don’t have thousands rupees to teach morality to build a none-violence society.

If justice will fail and government remained work on biased systems, such as offenders will continuously is being birthed.

Free and clear atmosphere, justice and fairness in polity are the best solution to win and to stop such persons from going into wrong hand.

ABDUL HANNAN
JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA


Read more... Posted by IDMV , 0 comments
Labels: ABDUL HANNAN, Indian Muslims - Current Affairs, Terrorism
Why they are not terrorists?

By Abdul Hannan

On Friday 31 July of 2009, MCOCA withdrawn from all Malegaon accused. ATS failure in convincing to court that why it was the right in placing the MCOCA against that accused send a grief and shock to Muslim community. It is considered a big relief to Hindutva forces and setback to those who were into dreams that a day the powers of separatism of the country will be scattered by the punishment of their activists.

Justice should be implemented at any rate. If these accused are the part of destabilizing the nation and have the role in anti-national network as it was claimed at the time of their arrest, the punishment should be implemented on them and why ATS failed in proving its argument against them a question mark, but if these arrested persons to be found innocents they should be freed.

What happens in future we have to wait for that day when their fate will be decided, whether they will be freed or they will stay in jail to get on what they did. But one thing always is striking my mind that what media and ordinary people think about them, are they just only accused or they are terrorists and ATS was right in taking action against them.

MAHA ATS from day one of the arrest of Sadhvi and others her associates are on target by Hindutva forces. Before them Sadhvi Pragya Singh, Prohit and others are all innocents despite their involvement to be proved because they are from nationalist forces and if they are gone to target Muslims for the security of Hindutva there are nothing to say that their action is against the national interests.

A section of media never called them terrorists as they seen curious to use this term against the persons are from minority and arrested in same charges. As soon as police claim that terrorist network busted out and it cracked the terror network which was behind the blasts, media and the people who are very hurriedly in quick result, whether arrested person is innocent or not call him terrorist, but in this case media was seen very sensitive. Media not considered them as terrorists. The tone of media and the term of “terrorist” to be changed when it used to translate against these Malegon accused terror cases in the program or in its exclusive reports.

The exposure of Hindu terrorism and the arrest of some Hindu terrorists for their involvement in making and placing the bombs in various places, not taken with open mind and the work of former ATS chief Hemant Karkare, who broke this ice that only Muslims are not terrorists with the arrest of some Hindutva terrorists discouraged by so many classes in India. Mr. Karakre came under hard criticism by BJP and called anti-Hindu by the forces, whose hands had proved many times in violence and in every attack against minority community. The intention of Hindutva forces are that if some their activists found in the attack, police and security agencies should have to avoid them to arrest or exposing them because in their words they are protecting the nation from Islamic terrorism which is a common threat for both Hindus and the country as they claim.

It is very common thinking that Tamils, Naxals and various other terrorist groups are active in Assam or in other Indian cities are fighting for freedom and for justice, hence they are not terrorists, though they blow rail track, killed Chief Minister’s sons, threaten to civilians of dire consequences if they found them supporting the police. Muslims are fundamentalists, radicals and jihadis, hence they are terrorists. Military means, POTA, TADA or GUJCOC is only one solution to learn them lessen. Government, police and security agencies also work and move on same track. Being Muslim is enough to be a terrorist. No need to give any proof. They are Muslims its mean they are terrorists.

Actually, the mind of Police, security agencies and media has set that only Muslims can be terrorists. Bomb blast, making sophisticated weapons and blowing themselves are their left hand work. That reason after every bomb blast, we can see a series of arrest of Muslim youths and combing operation in Muslims areas to find out so-called terrorists to show that see us, we again got a Muslim terrorist.

Being Muslim in India and existing of Pakistan, which has a net of illegal network across the country and the presence of internal fomenter of communal tension, who always attempt to codify to ordinary people against a particular community, put the position of Muslims into doubt and enough to understand that Muslims never be a patriotic for the country.

Interestingly, that demolition of Babri mosque is not considered a terror act. Post-Godhra violence is not terrorism. Twenty five years journey of LTTE in Sri Lanka, where this organisation lunched so many air, ground and suicide offensives against Sri Lankan forces is not known terrorist organisation among a section of society even the fingers were not raised on the rallies were organized in favor of this outfit in India and in London also. Every arrested activist from those organisations is not much more important for media and for Hindutva forces as well.

Naxalism is not terrorism, their attacks are not terror attack, their activists are not terrorists, and their bastions are not terror camps. Naxals solution can’t be achieved by only military means. It is the political issue and can be solved by politically means and dialogue. This is very common thinking which can be seen in print and in electronic media. Political class also has no difference in it.

Laying down the life of those security personals and central forces are fighting against the terrorism of Naxals and the life of families who had lost their relatives in Naxal terror attack has no worthy and no more important for the forces are better feel to be called “nationalist forces”. No question mark for anybody neither media nor police nor ordinary people that who are supply them weapons, money and intelligence information?

This hysteria that only Muslims are terrorists and others are not, leaded illegal detention, torture, harassment, pick-up doctors, youths, shop keepers or any other what the security agencies decide in pressure.

It is very clear and no doubt that a particular group, who is active in politics, in police and in media is not working on the track to protect the nation. Their articles, their conferences and their reports are not for the interest of the nation. In the garb of Hindu religion and in the name of security of the nation they are fomenting communal tension, separatism and are inciting the youths of both communities to indulge in violence against each others to strength the thought will support such groups to justify their illegal and anti-national activities. If some people of particular minority community is involved in anti-national work, so the involvement of some groups from majority community is also not good indication for the interest of the country because both are dangerous for the country.

This is the responsibility of every Indian to denounce, condemn and not tolerate such biased and one sided story and action. This is our country and every one has dull responsibility to work for the interest of the country whether they are from any community or from any religion. We should have to unite on one platform to fight against the real outsider and insider enemy because both are terminating the sovereignty of the country. If Pakistan backed organisation tried to destroy the symbol of democracy by the attacking on Parliament and in Mumbai and in other cities, on the other side internal groups is also shown their real work to destabilize the unification of the country by demolishing of Babri Mosque in 1992, in Mumbai and in Gujarat 2002.

Prior to that, court gives its judgment against them, media and ordinary people have to clear their positions that what they think about them, if they are conspirators so why shouldn’t be punished? Why same laws shouldn’t be placed on them? And why such groups find sympathizers among of them. For the security of the country and for the unification of entire community, media and ordinary people have to ask themselves.

Abdul Hannan
abdul_hannan_hannan@yahoo.co.in
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia


Read more... Posted by IDMV , 0 comments
Labels: ABDUL HANNAN, Indian Muslims - Current Affairs, Terrorism
Rethinking the Dalit Muslim Movement

BY KHALID ANIS ANSARI

The Pasmanda Movement (PM) refers to the contemporary caste/class movement among Indian Muslims. Though the history of caste movements among Muslims can be traced back to the commencement of the Momin Movement in the second decade of the twentieth century it is the Mandal decade (the 1990’s) that saw it getting a fresh lease of life. That decade witnessed the formation of two frontline organisations in Bihar—the All India United Muslim Morcha (1993) led by Dr. Ejaz Ali and the All India Pasmanda Muslim Mahaz (1998) led by Ali Anwar—and various other organisations elsewhere. Pasmanda, a word of Persian origin, literally means ‘those who have fallen behind’, ‘broken’ or ‘oppressed’. For our purposes here it refers to the ‘dalit’ and ‘backward’ caste Indian Muslims who constitute, according to most estimates, 85% of Muslim population and about 10% of India’s population.

By invoking the category of ‘caste’ Pasmanda Movement (PM) interrogates the notion of a monolithic Muslim identity and consequently much of ‘mainstream’ Muslim politics based on it. By and large, mainstream Muslim politics reflects the elite-driven symbolic/emotive/identity politics (Babri Mosque, Uniform Civil Code, status of Urdu, the Aligarh Muslim University and so on) which thoroughly discounts the developmental concerns and aspirations of common Muslim masses. By emphasising that the Muslim identity is segmented into at least three caste/class blocks—namely, ashraf (elite upper-caste), ajlaf (middle caste or shudra) and arzal (lowest castes or dalit)—PM dislodges the commonplace assumption of any putative uniform community sentiment or interests of Indian Muslims. It suggests that just like any other community Muslims too are a divided house with different sections harbouring different interests. It stresses that the emotive issues raised by elite Muslims engineer a ‘false consciousness’ (to use a Marxian term) and that this euphoria around Muslim identity is often generated in order to bag benefits from the state as wages for the resultant de-politicisation of common Muslim masses. When PM raises the issue of social justice and proportional representation in power structures (both community and state controlled) for the pasmanda Muslims it lends momentum to the process of democratisation of Muslim society in particular and Indian state and society in general.

Besides, the PM also takes the forces of religious communalism head on: one, by privileging caste over religious identity it crafts the ground for fomenting solidarities with corresponding caste/class blocks in other religious communities, and, two, by combating the notion of a monolithic Muslim identity it unsettles the symbiotic relationship between ‘majority’ and ‘minority’ fundamentalism. In short, PM holds the promise of bringing back Muslim politics from the abstract to the concrete, from the imaginary to the real, from the heavens to the earth!

But despite these brave promises PM has been unable to make the impact that was expected of it. Any mass movement must strive to maintain a balance between the ‘social’ and ‘political’. The pioneers of caste movements—Jotiba Phule, Periyar EV Ramaswamy or B R Ambedkar—were quite alive to this notion. Apart from raising radical political demands like the one for a separate electorate for the depressed castes, Ambedkar is also remembered for social campaigns like the Mahad Satyagraha and also for raising labour and gender issues on more than one occasion. Periyar too raised the social question when inspired by a rationalist worldview he put to fire religious texts (which he considered exploitative) on the streets of Madras. Phule too defied the standard conventions of his day when he decided to open a school for the education of girls. One can scarcely fail to notice the vigorous social and cultural critique of Indian society that they offered both in theoretical terms and in action. The PM has unfortunately not taken this aspect seriously.

Right from the days of the All India Momin Conference (its pre-eminent leader being Abdul Qayyum Ansari) way back in the 1930’s to its present post-Mandal avatars, the PM has singularly concentrated on affirmative action (now the politics around Article 341 of the Constitution) and electoral politics at the expense of other pressing issues. It has been completely ineffective in developing a comprehensive alternative social/cultural/economic agenda and the corresponding institutions and mass mobilisation that it necessitates. As a result of this perennial weakness it has failed to preserve an independent outlook and has incessantly been subsumed by one political formation or another. If the Momin Conference was assimilated by the Congress, both Ali Anwar and Ejaz Ali have been co-opted by Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) in Bihar. Moreover, it has been lackadaisical in forging alliances with corresponding caste/class movements in other communities thereby shying away from the task of forming a broad coalition of suppressed communities across religious identities or the Bahujan alternative as Phule labelled it. Consequently, it remains captivated by its limited electoral agenda and has been transformed into an easy route for realising the petty political ambitions of the nascent middle-class elite in pasmanda communities.

Need to Focus on Social

If the PM is to do justice to its potential, it is imperative that it incorporates the social into its agenda. I can think of at least three interventions in this regard as of now, and all of them flow from the main features of caste system itself. The caste system is premised on three essential features: (a) the principle of hierarchy in accordance with the elaborate rules of purity-pollution as registered and legitimized in the canonical religious texts; (b) endogamy; and (c) hereditary occupational specialization. These three features apply to the Muslim community too in varying degrees. While caste as a principle of social stratification is not acknowledged in the Holy Quran (the inclusion of a close category ‘class’ is a contentious issue though) but for all practical purposes it operates as a category in the Islamic juristic/legal corpus and interpretative tradition as it has evolved in India (See: Masood Alam Falahi, Hindustan Mein Zaat Paat Aur Musalman (in Urdu) (Delhi: Al Qazi Publishers, 2007)). Moreover, there is some evidence to suggest that the process of Islamisation has only worked to reinforce rather than weaken or eliminate caste distinctions. Endogamy is still rampant in Indian Muslims as the various matrimonial columns in the newspapers/internet testify. As far as the link of caste with hereditary vocation is concerned the market economy has eroded it to some extent but still a large number of pasmanda Muslims find themselves engaged in caste-based callings.

Due to the above mentioned trajectory of caste in Indian Muslims, the task for the PM seems clearly cut-out. One, it must offer a critique of the Islamic interpretative tradition as it has evolved in India and if possible construct an alternative Islamic hermeneutics from the perspective of the marginalised. The dalit/bahujan movement has often rejected Hindu religion in totality and located its philosophical and ideological roots in the Indian mode of dialectical-materialist discourse and in their day-to-day interaction with nature. Hence, its epistemology has had a strong material basis and also inclination to link itself to the production process of the Indian subcontinent as expressed historically in the discourses of Lokayats or Buddhism. The PM, however, has correctly critiqued and protested the casteist interpretations of Islam forwarded by the Indian ulema and has reclaimed the strong emphasis of Islam on social equality. But what is its take on economic equality on which Islam is presumably silent? Is it willing to interrogate the interpretative methodologies of ‘‘imperial’’ Islam which has been bequeathed us and is being constantly indoctrinated to pasmanda students via the obfuscating and unimaginative curriculum and pedagogical practises in Islamic seminaries (madrasas)? Is it willing to discover the rationalist and progressive trends in Islamic history (the Mutazila and Qaramita for instance)? How does it relate to the materialist tradition in Indian society as earlier mentioned? How does it relate to the liberation theology movements in contemporary Islam in other locations (in South Africa for instance)?

Two, broad campaigns and effective social interventions need to be undertaken to encourage inter-caste marriages (and also love marriages!) in Muslim society. There is a strong link between caste and patriarchy in India. By resorting to these measures caste politics will be engendered and set on the libratory track.

Three, a rigorous analysis of the Muslim working class is imperative and strategies must be designed accordingly. The entire politics of reservations concentrates on challenging the monopoly of upper-castes in the organised public sector which constitutes only a small—though privileged—segment of the job market. While this is essential it only affects society indirectly by democratising the state in the long run. A majority of pasmanda Muslims, however, work in adverse conditions and depressed wages in the unorganised sector (which constitutes about 90% of Indian employment) either as labourers in sectors where caste plays a minimal role (farms, brick kilns, construction industry, bidi manufacture, etc) or in caste determined vocations (as weavers, potters, oil-pressers and so on). The PM would do well to make common cause with movements that are working towards narrowing this huge gap between the organised and unorganised sector at a macro level and also think of organising caste based occupations in cooperatives or retraining those skilled workers whose traditional skills have dated and no longer generate an appropriate demand in the market.

However, I must stress here that the above mentioned suggestions are provisional in nature and not well-formed intellectual positions as yet and I merely offer them here for a debate among individuals and groups who sympathise or are connected to the PM is some way. Also, many more issues could be taken up and added to the list—for instance, education, health, environment, models of development, art, popular media et al immediately come to my mind.

Reconsider Icons

Besides, I also feel a need to reconsider the icons that have been selected by the PM because the semiotics of any movement arguably defines and circumscribes its politics. Three personalities have usually been celebrated by the movement: Baba-e-Qaum Abdul Qayyum Ansari, Veer Abdul Hameed and Ustad Bismillah Khan.

Abdul Qayyum Ansari, who belonged to the julaha (weaver) community, challenged the ‘‘two-nation theory’’ and Muslim League politics squarely but failed to see through the caste/class composition of the Congress politics and was ultimately subsumed by it. Abdul Hameed, who belonged to the darzi (tailor) community, was awarded with the highest gallantry award Paramveer Chakra posthumously for his bravery and martyrdom in the Indo-Pakistan war of 1965. Ustad Bismillah Khan, who belonged to the halalkhor (sweeper) community, as we all know, was a renowned musician.

I do not intend to underestimate their achievements but it must be said that all these icons are problematic in terms of their libratory impact. While Abdul Qayyum Ansari’s career ended in a political compromise and could not transcend the immediacy of electoral politics, Abdul Hameed’s contribution entails a danger of succumbing to apologetic nationalism (as was evident in the emotive slogans and songs inspired by his life that were rendered in the Pasmanda Waqaar Rally held in Patna recently on 1 July 2008). Moreover, Bismillah Khan’s symbol is so innocuously apolitical as to make us speculate if it serves any purpose at all.

Can the PM move beyond these icons and rediscover more libratory figures in history? Can Kabir—with his working class background, his unflinching critique of both ‘Hindu’ and ‘Muslim’ religious pretensions and obscurantism and above all his explicit positioning against the caste system—be offered as a candidate here? Can other libratory symbols from Islamic and Indian history fit the bill?

All in all, the crux of the argument submitted here is that PM needs to grow beyond quota politics and rethink its abnegation of the social/cultural/economic aspects of the movement. Along with its present accent on democratisation of the state it would do well to also consider the more far-reaching issue of the democratisation of society at large. PM needs to engage in a balancing act between the political and social. This will create the much desired synergy necessary for launching the libratory promise of PM on track.

[The author is a member of a research-activism group called The Patna Collective. He can be reached at khalidanisansari@gmail.com. This article was published in the Economic and Political Weekly, March 28, 2009, Vol. xliv no 13.]


Read more... Posted by Mohammad Shahanshah Ansari , 0 comments
Labels: Dalit - Muslim Unity, Dalit Movement, Dalit Muslims, khalid Anis Ansari
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Uniform Civil Code

By Afzal Ahmad Khan

In the post independent India, the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) is probably one of the most misunderstood phrases, deliberately propagated by the politicians to confuse public and divide them on communal lines for their political gains. They created a false hype among Hindus that the Muslims, who, according to their Personal Laws, have been permitted to keep four wives at a time, will soon overtake the Hindu population and reduce them to minority and thus the descendants of Babar, the invader, will once again become the ruler of our country and this time by democratic means of majority in elections. Similarly, fear was created among the Muslims that if UCC is implemented in India; they will not only be forced to follow the laws governing Hinduism but their survival in this country will also be seriously threatened. They deliberately hide the fact that Islam came to India way back in the eleventh century, some good five hundred years before the arrival of Babar, who took the reins of Delhi in 1526 by defeating Ibrahim Lodhi, a Muslim and not any Hindu. Moreover, a very nominal population of Muslims came to India from foreign lands; and most of the Muslims of this country are the local converts, who embraced Islam due to the prevailing social compulsions of the time. This fact has been repeatedly confirmed not only by historians but even by Swami Vivekananda, the greatest exponent of Hinduism. According to him Islam was not spread in India by sword. The Mohammedan conquest of India came as a salvation to the downtrodden, to the poor. That is why one-fifth of our people have become Mohammedans. Similarly, the Sachar Committee has thoroughly exposed the Sangh Parivar’s totally false and baseless propaganda that the unchecked growth in Muslim population will result in their overtaking the Hindus, when it gave the following Report in its findings-

”Projections for future population growth in India show that by the end of the 21 century India’s total population will stabilize in which the Muslim population would be less than 20% of total “. (Pg. 45).

However, after succeeding in their mission of spreading this false propaganda against Muslims, the communalists along with the Sangh Parivar tried to garner the Hindutva vote in their favour by propagating in public that, they will implement the UCC throughout the country and thus, will not only check the abnormal growth in Muslim’s population but will also save the nation from going in their hands once again. Similarly, the self-proclaimed secularists showed their apparent sympathy to the Muslims by promising that, if voted to power, they will ensure that nothing of this sort happens in this country, and thus tried to garner their vote in their favour. Obviously, the question of Common/ Uniform Civil Code (UCC) can only be raised when there is more than one Civil Codes (CC) within the territory of India, but constitutionally, there is no CC of our country, therefore, the demand of a UCC should have never cropped up. However, the politicians deliberately and purposely kept the citizens of the country in dark to exploit them for their political gains. Ironically, none, including the media ever tried to clear this misconception by highlighting the truth in public so that the misunderstanding about UCC could have been removed before it were deeply rooted in the minds of public and acquired a communal overtone which resulted in many unpleasant happenings in the country.

In fact, in our country, there are different Personal Laws (PLs) for different communities, which govern the rights relating to property, marriage, divorce, maintenance, adoption and inheritance and are applicable only among the persons belonging to the same religion. While The Hindu Marriage Act 1955 governs the Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhs and Jains, the Muslims, Christians, Parsis and Jews have their own PLs. It is universally known fact that the Sangh Parivar and its allies have always presented Muslims as villains to polarize the voters on communal lines so that they can garner the Hindutva vote in their favour. To substantiate their claim, they quote some isolated cases or false stories, conveniently overlooking the fact that such cases are not only found in Islam but are equally common among other religions including Hinduism. It is interesting to note, that Goswami Tulsi Das who is the author of “Ram Charit Manas”, one of the pillars of Hindu religion, says in this epic –.

“Dhol Ganwar Shudra Pashu Nari, Yeh sab taran ke adhikari”

(Drums, ill-mannered persons, Downtrodden, animals, women, All these deserve beating)

Though, as the author of Ram Charit Manas, Goswami Tulsi Das commands blind faith and is very highly respected in Hinduism yet no Hindu will agree to take the above quote as the governing principle of Hindu religion; but at best will accept it as a personal opinion of Tulsi Das. Therefore, some individual or isolated cases, where the personal laws have been misused can neither be generalised nor can be tagged as a governing principles or evils of that religion.

To clear the misunderstanding, let us consider the logic and spirit behind the following few provisions of Muslim Personal Laws (MPLs)—

1. Permission to keep up to four wives at a time – It is a universal fact that, since the time immemorial, the job of earning and protection of the family has always been done by the male member of the family. And to achieve this, they are required to go on difficult work sites, battle fields and other such far off and remote places where risks to their lives are many times more than the females, who are mostly confined to their homes doing their household works and looking after the other members of the family. Even today, when the women are having equal rights with their male counterparts, the protection and earnings for the family is primarily the responsibility of the male members and therefore, sheer due to the nature of their work, they are more exposed to the risks of their life than females. In such conditions, the mortality rates of the males is bound to be much more higher than the females and thus the ratio of 50:50 provided by the nature is misbalanced, leaving a lot of hapless ladies without the protection and support of males. In these circumstances, only the under mentioned two options could have been offered to such females by the society-

i. Leave them alone on the mercy of others to struggle with their own fate. In this case there was every likely hood of their exploitation in the male dominated society as we have been coming across horrifying stories about the widows and girls since ages. It was also possible that, having no other option for their survival, they might have been forced or themselves fallen in some illegal and immoral trade.

OR

ii. Give them in the protection of another competent male who can smoothly navigate their rest of the life with peace and honour.

The latter option was naturally more dignified. Therefore, just to save ladies from social evils, the males were allowed to have more than one wife (up to four), of course with the permission of other wife and with the strict understanding that he will treat them equally in every sphere of life.

2. The right of inheritance in the property of parents - The girls were given the right of inheritance in the assets of their parents so that even after their marriage, they can have the financial and moral support at their back and do not remain only on the mercy of their husband or in-laws because in such cases there was every likely hood of their exploitation.

Only two provisions of MPLs have been quoted here with the logic and reasoning behind them to clear the misunderstanding deliberately spread by vested interest for their personal gains. There are many others, and if they are studied minutely with an open mind without any pre-conceived bias, these provisions of MPLs will appear more as reforms for the society than anything connected with the rituals of any religion.

The Article 44 of our Constitution says, “The State shall endeavour to secure for the citizens a uniform civil code throughout the territory of India.” The broad conception of UCC means unifying all the “personal laws” to have one set of good secular laws, which will apply to all the citizens of the country, irrespective of their faith or religion. Any perception that a UCC would necessitate changes in only Muslim personal laws is not correct. A truly secular, non-discriminatory and progressive code may require changes in all the personal laws or Marriage Acts. This is the reason why changes in Personal Laws have been resisted not only by one community, but by the persons belonging to every religion.

However, probably under a pre-planned conspiracy, the politicians as well as the media, instead of highlighting the merits and social values of MPLs, deliberately created the false impression about them. This was probably done to divert the attention of Muslims from the injustices done against them by the governments and its agencies. Since our independence, the politicians have used the ‘Change in Muslim Personal Laws’ as a tool to tease Muslims and to create fear in their minds so that they exhaust their resources in defending their Personal Laws, and do not concentrate themselves in demanding their due rights of education, employments and developments as guaranteed by our constitution. This conspiracy of the politicians and the Governments have left Muslims far behind in every field of life, and the Sachar Committee Report is its testimony.

We have already created enough issues, like Babri Masjid, religious conversions, Maharashtrians and non-Maharashtrians, north and south Indians, terrorism, Naxalism etc. that has cost dearly to our nation. Any further addition like PLs, in the already existing issues may prove disastrous for the country. Since the PLs are applicable among the persons belonging to the same faith, therefore, if the followers of that particular religion do not have any problem with their PLs, why should others unnecessarily poke their nose and create a national problem even after the report of Sachar Committee? In fact, even these self-appointed nationalist are not raising their voice out of sincerity to settle any issue. Instead, the only motive behind all these action is to tease Muslims and to polarise society on communal lines so that they can garner the Hindu votes in their favour and their slogan of Vande Matram is to nation but a follow up action of the same motive of capturing the communal votes. Their patriotism can be gauged from the fact that when Sadhavi Pragya, Col. Purohit, Maj. Ramesh and other members of their core group were caught for antinational activities of making and planting bombs at public places, they not only came out openly in their support but also raised the highly inflammatory slogans of ‘victimisation of Hindus for appeasement of minorities (read Muslims)’. Their innocence was not only pleaded by the highest persons of their organisation at the highest level of the country but they also openly provided accused every support including the legal and monetary assistance. Contrary to this, when Muslims are caught allegedly for the same crime, they do not allow any legal aid to them though it is their constitutional right. Anyone who dares to take up their case, is not only called anti-national but also threatened, misbehaved and even beaten along with the accused inside the courts. Ironically, apart from others, even the lawyers who are constitutionally guardians of our legal system are taking the law in their hands and doing this illegal act even inside the court rooms and the courts, which are constitutionally bound for maintaining peace and decorum inside its premises, do not act against these goons, instead, remain hapless spectator and probably mute supporter.

Therefore, the Governments should immediately clear the misunderstanding about the MPLs publically, because due to these misconceptions, the politicians along with the anti-social elements are poisoning the society with communal hatred. Those who try to polarise voters on communal lines by provoking religious feelings, should not only be punished for anti-national activities but should also be banned from contesting elections. Because, if caught in such activity, they try to present themselves as a ‘victim of communal politics for appeasement of minorities (read Muslims) and also play the drama of becoming a martyr to that community to gain the sympathy of that sect and thus their vote. The minorities should also be assured not only by words but also by action to believe that nothing-discriminatory will happen against them and our secular constitution will reign supreme. This will boost their confidence in governments tremendously, and once they develop the confidence in governance and the deeply rooted fear of their victimization on communal grounds are out of their minds, they will whole-heartedly concentrate on developmental activities to contribute their share in building the nation.

Afzal Ahmad Khan
Sydney, Australia


Read more... Posted by Mohammad Shahanshah Ansari , 1 comments
Labels: Afzal Ahmad Khan, Uniform Civil Code
THE OPENING CHAPTER OF QUR’AN- ITS ECOLOGICAL INTERPRETATION

By Asghar Ali Engineer

(Islam and Modern Age, August 2009)

Divine scriptures are capable of variety of interpretation and specially those verses, which are not specific commandments of dos and don’ts. The first chapter of Qur’an has seven verses and is in the form of prayer by human beings to Allah. Allah Himself has revealed this prayer to His Prophet (PBUH) so that Muslims could pray to Him. This opening chapter is of utmost significance in Qur’an and Muslims repeat it in every raka’ (unit of prayer). This prayer is rich in symbolic language and has been interpreted in various ways by different commentators.

Here I am attempting it yet in a different way to save the world from ecological disaster, which our world is heading to, if no attempts are made to check rising temperature on earth – what has been called global warming. It is beauty of the revealed scripture that even if interpreted to tackle contemporary challenges, it does not in any manner, loose its original meaning and significance.

Maulana Azad in early twenties of the last century interpreted this chapter in his multi-volume commentary of Qur’an to prove unity of whole humanity by emphasizing importance of the words rabb al-‘alamin (i.e. nourisher of the whole universe) Maulana’s contribution is indeed very important and will remain of great significance for long time to come. Maulana’s learned interpretation is very different from any earlier interpretations. It thus also shows that succeeding generations has every right to understand Qur’an in different ways to seek Divine guidance to solve their problems. This chapter being in the form of prayer, provides greater inspiration.

To seek inspiration from this opening chapter is very very important as world’s ecological balance, on which depends survival of humanity, is at stake. According to The Hindu of 28th May 2009, which quotes from Guardian Newspaper, “Senior doctors in the U.K. recently published a report warning that climate change is the biggest threat to global health of the 21st century Rising global temperatures would have a catastrophic effect on human health, the doctors said, and patterns of infection would change, with insect-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue fever spreading more easily.”

This is just on health side. Other effects like shortage of water, an essential commodity for life, would be equally disastrous. There is complete unanimity among scientists that glaciers, even on North Pole are melting and melting of glaciers will have disastrous effects in more than one ways. It would result even in rise of sea levels submerging many coastal cities causing great disaster. Sea levels along some coastal towns have already risen causing worries to its people.

Faced with such disaster to human survival we have to seek inspiration and succor from Allah’s own words, the creator of this universe. The opening chapter of the Qur’an begins with invocation which Muslims use before beginning of any work i.e. “In the name of Allah Who is the Beneficent, the Merciful.” Beneficent and Merciful are translations of Al-Rahman and Al-Rahim. Both are very significant words. Rahm in Arabic signifies tenderness requiring the exercise of beneficence (see Imam Raghib’s al-Mufridat). Thus rahm comprises ideas of love and mercy, Al-Rahman, also a noun, is intensive form and thus indicates greatest preponderance of the quality of mercy.

Thus Allah is greatest benefactor and merciful. The Prophet is reported to have said: Al-Rehman is the Beneficent God Whose love and mercy are manifested in the creation of this world, and Al-Rahim is the Merciful God Whose love and mercy are manifested in the state that comes after. (Bahr al-Muhit Commentary by Imam Athir al-Din al-Undalusi)

Now the first chapter right in the beginning says, “Praise be to Allah the Lords of the worlds i.e. Rabb al-‘Alamin. Here both the words Rabb and ‘Alamin have to be emphasized. Rabb in Arabic means, according to Arabic-English Lexicon by Edward William Lane, not only fostering, completing and accomplishing. Thus rabb conveys the idea of evolution of things from the crudest state to that of highest perfection.

And if we praise to that Lord of all the worlds who is Rabbi i.e. Who evolves things from crudest state to its highest perfection, the praiser’s duty is to be of assistance in achieving this stage of perfection. What are we praising the Lord of the worlds for? For his function as Rabb and hence we cannot act contrary to that. Our acts should also reflect the function of evolution towards perfection, not its destruction.

He is not only Rabb al-‘Alamin but also Al-Rahman and Al-Rahim i.e. one Who is Beneficent and Merciful, shows tenderness of love and mercy towards His creation in addition to taking it from various stages of perfection to ultimate perfection. And this not only for our world wherein we humans exist (but also all biological forms of existence, mountains, water streams, oceans, all forms of primitive life, animals and trees. All of us who praise Allah, have to dedicate themselves as agents of beneficence, mercy and perfection.

And, Allah, as this opening chapter says, is Rabb, not only of our world, our earth but of everything in this universe, of planets, stars, moons, black holes and whatever exists in this universe, visible or not visible to us or even of various planets to be discovered and which have not yet been so far discovered.

Adam’s story in Qur’an is also very significant in this respect. According to the Qur’an Adam lived in paradise along with Eve and was provided with every thing but was prohibited from eating fruit of a tree. Adam would not have lost paradise, if he had not defied his Lord and ate the forbidden fruit. However, Adam was tempted to eat the fruit and was expelled from paradise.

What was that paradise? A perfect balance of needs and supplies and by eating the fruit Adam (representing human race) destroyed that balance through his greed to defy the Lord and violate the ban and that ban was also for human benefit only. It is very close to what human beings are doing with the earth they live on. They are trying to eat that forbidden fruit i.e. violating the balance of nature.

Allah is highly Beneficent and takes care of all the needs of human beings He has created. Humans were living in the paradise. Paradise, here, is not a fixed place there in heavens but right here on earth. Maulana Muhammad Ali a translator of the Qur’an, says, “…paradise, according to the Holy Qur’an, is not a place for simple enjoyment or rest; it is essentially a place of advancement to higher and higher stages: But those who keep their duty to their Lord, shall have high places, above them higher places, built(for them)” (39:20)

“This shows”, Maulana says, “that not only does paradise admit the righteous to high places, but it is, in fact, the starting point for a new advancement, there being higher and higher places still, and it is in accordance with this that they are spoken of as having an increasing desire for attaining to higher and higher excellences, their prayer in paradise being: ‘Our Lord, make perfect for us our light’ (66:8)”

Thus if we have this understanding of paradise (quite in keeping with the verses of the Qur’an), on earth too, we can create paradise by being obedient to the laws of our Lord, the laws He has made for us. Had we observed these laws and there is no change in these laws of the Lord. “(Such has been) the course of Allah that has run before, and thou will not find a change in Allah’s course.”

Thus Allah has fixed course of His creation. Anyone who defies this course pays for it. Today we are disobeying our Lord and His fixed course and destroying the ecology of our earth, meant to be our paradise, if we faithfully obey the laws of nature, of our Lord. We have eaten the forbidden fruit (over using resources of earth, polluting it and destroying its ecological balance.

It is by these actions that we have been expelled from the paradise and converting it into hell. In the fourth and fifth verses of opening chapter we say “Thee do we serve and Thee we do beseech for help.” This we say every day in our five times prayers but are we indeed observing it in practice or saying so merely ritually? Obviously we say so only ritually. While we say this in our prayer we continue to violate course fixed by Him, we violate laws of nature on every step.

If we serve Him and saying so again and again, should we pollute His earth, should we overdraw from its resources? Can we still beseech Him for help? Can we deserve that? Certainly not? Are we not sinning against Him and still seeking His help? If we are serving Him we must obey all His laws, the course fixed by Him and then only we can beseech Him for His help.

Allah, in this opening chapter Sura-i-Fatihah is described as Master of the Day of Requital.” i.e. yawm al-Din. Din, according to Imam Raghib means recompense, requital. And yawm (day) in the Qur’anic terminology is any period of time from a moment (55:29) to fifty thousand years (70:4) i.e. from indefinitely small to an indefinitely large. So if we violate Lord’s laws for a small amount of time to a large amount of time, we will be recompensed accordingly on that Day of Judgment.

We have been violating these laws to fulfill our greed and disturbing the ecological balance. It is true Allah is Ghafur al-Rahim (Forgiver and Merciful) but we can be forgiven only when we repent sincerely and never repeat our mistakes. The earth even today produces in abundance for our survival but if give up our greed and check our consumption and reduce pollution of earth to minimum, rising temperature will come down and our earth will become paradise again.

As we pray to Allah as taught to us through this sura-i-Fatihah we say to Allah “Guide us on the right path. The path of those upon whom Thou has bestowed favours, Not those upon whom wrath has brought down, not those who go astray.” Allah is our Lord, our Sustainer and if we seek our sustenance from Him we have to follow the right path shown by Him and pray to him to show us the right path. What is this right path (sirat al-mustaquim)?

It is the path devoid of greed and over consumption and Allah by forbidding Adam to eat the fruit of a tree in the paradise showed us this right path and as long as we follow this path our paradise will remain intact and Allah’s bounties will continue to be enjoyed by humankind but we should not do anything to earn His wrath and follow the path of greed and over-consumption that will lead us astray.

This path of Allah’s bounties had been available to whole of humankind as long as we followed sirat al-mustaquim (right path) of modest consumption of earth resources and keeping earth pure tayyib and did not over pollute it. Can we now say we are following the same path – sirat al-mustaquim? We have to reflect on this serious question. We have violated this law and gone astray in number of ways.

The poor of the earth whom Allah calls mustad’ufin (weaker sections) and favors them have been deprived of their just consumption by those whom Allah calls mustakbirun (the powerful, the rich) who have been unjust and monopolized over-consumption and have over-polluted the earth. As we know the developed and rich nations are consuming more than 70 per cent of earth’s resources and polluting it in that proportion.

How correct is Qur’an’s pronouncement when it says, “And when We wish to destroy a town, We send commandments to its people who lead easy lives, but they transgress therein; thus the word proves true against it, so We destroy it with utter destruction.” (17:16). What Allah says in this verse that those habituated to easy life (i.e. the rich) do not hear the words of wisdom and continue to violate it in sheer arrogance (what the Qur’an calls istikbar) and then Allah destroys them.

The rich of the earth forgetful of final consequences of their life style continue to ignore all the warnings and ultimately face the doom. Are the rich nations of the west, particularly USA, not ignoring all the warning of rising temperature of earth and pushing us all closer to the disaster? They insist the poorer nations and developing countries reduce their consumption and not they. The G-8 nations which are all developed nations in their recent conference in Italy once again did not agree to reduction of their consumption of earth resources.

Qur’an repeats this warning when it says, “Nay their hearts are in ignorance about it, and they have besides this other deeds which they do. Until, when We seize those who lead easy lives among them with chastisement, lo! They cry for succour.” (23:63-64) Do we not find precisely same behaviour on the part of rich nations of the west? Are they not refusing to mend their ways and reduce their consumption of earth resources? Will they not push our earth to the brink of disaster by ignoring the warning?

Technological progress is most welcome but it can be boon or curse depending how this progress is used by the rich and powerful. The weaker sections and poor nations are, after all, totally helpless and their voice is never heard. But warning has to be repeated as Qur’an says to the Prophet to warn as he has been sent as warner (nazir). If people listen to him they will be rescued, if not, they will face doom.

The technological progress has enabled human beings to consume more and more and also to pollute the earth too more and more. But this ability has to be used with wisdom. It is reason which enables us to discover new horizons and know more about our universe and again it is reason which enables us to discover more and more natural resources below and above ground and use them.

But reason is, let us be clear, a double-edged sword, a mere tool, which could be used or misused. It is because of reason that we have progressed tremendously from primitive to advanced human beings, from caves to skyscrapers but then it is this reason which has given us tools to destroy our planet through over-consumption and over-pollution which is leading us to disaster.

What is needed is what Qur’an calls hikmah (wisdom) and what is wisdom? Wisdom is reason plus values and experience. Without combining with values reason can play very dangerous role also as it did in Europe through weapons of destruction finally resulting in making all destructive nuclear weapons and in Hiroshima and Nagasaki it killed more than two hundred thousand people.

But if reason is used with values like justice, benevolence and compassion, it can prove to be a great boon and that is what Qur’an advocates. According to Qur’an there are five key values: haq ‘adl, ihsan, rahmah and hikmah i.e. truth, justice, benevolence, compassion and wisdom. These are Allah’s names also. Allah’s names are Haq, ‘Adil, Muhsin, Rahman and Hakim i.e. Allah is Truth, Just, Benevolent, Compassionate and Wise. These values are extremely important for balanced progress of human beings.

Qur’an gives great deal of importance to hikmah (wisdom) and hikmah is most fundamental value in human progress. Qur’an goes on to say that “And whoever is granted wisdom, he indeed is given a great good.” (2:269). Unfortunately human beings use reason for selfish ends and push us to the brink of destruction. But those who use wisdom behave according to the values of justice, benevolence and compassion and became savior of humanity.

Thus the path of wisdom is indeed path of bounties and of divine blessings. When we pray to Allah to guide us to that path on which He has showered His bounties, it is the path of wisdom. So if our prayer has to have any meaning we have to follow this path of wisdom and save our earth, created by Rabb al-‘Alamin and He has perfected it gradually until all forms of life appeared on it.

It took millions of years for perfect conditions for human life to appear but now because of our irresponsible behavior we are destroying it and if do not restrain our overdrive for consumption human life may become extinct due to destruction of ecological balance. And this is not exaggerated statement in any way. This is already being predicted by scientists. But mutrifun (those addicted to easy life) refuse to take heed.

As we say we go to hell because of our sins. What is hell? It is not something located out there on high heaven. It is around us, consequence of our own sins of over-consumption and destruction of our earth’s ecological balance. Qur’an describes Muslims as ummatan wasantan (community of middle path) and as believers in divine revelation contained in the Qur’an it is their duty to lead the world in reducing consumption of oil which results in emission of carbon resulting in climate warming.

The oil wealth is also hidden below deserts in Muslim countries of West Asia and they can certainly ration oil production in such a manner as to reduce carbon consumption. It is they who pray five times every day to Allah to guide them to the right path and thus it is for them to act in a responsible manner so as to compel the western nations to reduce their carbon consumption.

This will surely save our earth from impending disaster. It is true it is extremely difficult and complex problem. There is every danger that western countries led by USA may invade the countries with oil resources as they did in Iraq. But then they can convene conference of all developing countries and seek their cooperation. Of course it is easier said than done but one has to find solution to what all of us know is sure disaster.

Surely, those who possess rich oil resources can play some responsible as well as creative role in the matter. We posses Qur’an and Qur’an shows us path of wisdom. Are Muslims going to use this wisdom specially as they also possess the oil wealth? So far indications are not very encouraging. The Muslim nations hardly have courage to confront USA as they depend so much on it for technology and for weapons of destruction.

If we keep on praying five times every day and this prayer does not reflect in any meaningful way in our conduct, our social responsibilities, what is the use of such mechanical prayers? The quality of our faith (iman) depends in our action which promotes good of whole of humanity. After all believers have been charged with the responsibility of what Qur’an says amr b’il ma’ruf i.e. enforcing what is good and nahi ‘an’il munkar i.e. fighting against evil. Is climate warming an evil or not and if it is evil should we not struggle against it?

Institute of Islamic Studies
Mumbai.
E-mail: csss@mtnl.net.in

http://74.125.153.132/search?q=cache:DB77nKDMPj8J:www.dalitmuslims.com/2009_07_17_archive.html+Palash+Biswas+on+Indian+Holocaust+My+Father%27s+life+and+Time&cd=9&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=in