Editorial for BP
The Dar-ul Uloom Fatwa Against Terrorism
Sri Tahir Mahmood, a Member of the Law Commission of India and former Chairman National Minorities Commission has in an article in the New Indian Express (June 19, 2008) lauded this fatwa and offered to readers the correct message of Islam as the peace and non-violence, non-terrorism. How much every Indian and every non-Muslim all over the world will be comforted if the 1.5 bln believers in Islam do accept this version! What is important is not merely a declaration or like this but Fatwas determined actions of leaders of Islamic theology and politics to educate the bulk of Muslims in this interpretation. Every well -meaning man may extol the great humanitarian messages expounded by founders of religions. It is not the exposition that is material in actual life of the adherents of a religion; it is the degree of practice that affects individuals, communities, societies and nations. It is in this respect that well meaning intellectuals like Sri Tahir Mahamood must henceforth exert much more decisively in practice.
Sri Tahir Mahmood referred to the 1921 Darul Uloom’s of fatwa that it was incumbent upon the Muslims of India to actively participate in Mahatma Gandhi’s civil disobedience and non co-operation movements. This is only partly right and would be quite misleading. The 1921 Darul Uloom Fatwa was in the context of the Muslims of India launching the Khilafat movement for restoration of the Caliph and his dominians; the Caliph who was in far off Turkey and for whose restoration no Muslim country in the world other than India had made any issue. The civil disobedience and non-cooperation movement of 1921 launched by Gandhi was not primarily for gaining freedom of India but in support of the Muslim Khilafat movement against the British. That the Muslims of India did not participate in any observable strength in the later non-cooperation movements and struggles for freedom like the 1942 Quit India movement of the INC against the British is on irrefutable truth. On the other hand, the Muslim separatism and stridency grew as a result of the 1921 khilafat movement and the Fatwa culminating in Muslims in India asserting that they are not Indians and that they are a separate nation by dint of their religion and so demanding, rioting and voting for division of this country and creation of the Islamic state of Pakistan. This fact must not be forgotten.
It is very well known that unlike Hindus, Muslims obligatorily go to their mosques to pray, some of them five times a day but almost all of them definitely on Friday . In mosques, the addresses that are given by Islam’s clerics are what inform, inspire and energise and instigate Muslim masses. Another source of shaping the Muslim mind are madrasas. It is therefore important that what is spoken and exhorted from the platforms of mosques on Fridays and what is instilled in the minds of the young in madrasas are such as promote tolerance, respect for other faiths, non-violence and abhorrence of terrorism. An UNESCO message to nations says, “Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed”. The sermons in mosques and the instruction and education in Madrassas build up the psyche and therefore physical readiness s to wage struggle/jihad in spread defense of Islam . The cry that ”Islam is in danger “or that “our Prophet and our Book are insulted will inflame the indoctrinated.
If the Darul Ulooms’ fatwa and opinion and assertion in the Muslim intellectuals that Islam is a religion of peace and that there is no compulsion in the mater of religion and that violence against even a single innocent individual is violence against entire humanity, are to be believed, Muslim intellectuals and clerics must launch a movement as intense, as widespread and as participatory as khilafat movement rescue Islam from its terrorism -hugging hijackers. It is no use saying that only a few misguided zealous persons are indulging in jihadism, terrorism or suicide bombing. It is never the entire population of a country or community that participates or involves in any movement. It is only a minority of inspired and determined and conspiring and cooperating groups that prevail as the vanguard and leader of that community or society or nation. If the majority is either unconcerned, does not actively isolate these hijackers then by default it is colluding with the hijacking jihadis and terrorists. The famous statesman Edmund Burke said, “All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing”.
Ever so often and so very small issues mobilize thousands of Muslims to demonstrate saying that their sentiments are hurt. Can there be anything more hurting than the slur that Islam is understood by many non-Muslim as a religion of terrorism, of violence and intolerance? Muslim leaders are asserting and lament that their religion is being misunderstood. Is it then not their duty to come out openly and stridently and launch a movement to denounce and silence those who are destroying its fair name, distorting its Prophet, its sacred Book and are seen as frequent disturbers of peace? If the leaders and intellectuals don’t come forward then one will be not unjustified in assuming that they are in silent agreement with jihadi terrorists..
Just two recent events in Hyderabad are a test of the conviction of the Muslim intellectuals whose assert that Islam is truly a religion of peace. Why was Taslima Narseen set upon by no less than MPs and MLAs of her community in Hyderabad . Why was it that the public meeting of Ahmedias in Hyderabad on 15 May 2008 threatened with violence and disruption and rioting and so it had to be cancelled both at the instance of the local government which was terrorised into inaction? No Muslim intellectual came forward to condemn the unIslamic, intolerant, violent actions of those who asserted that they were acting in defense of the Prophet, the Holy Koran and Islam?
Can the tolerance and non-violence of who are known as Hindus any guidance to Muslims who assert that the very meaning of Islam is peace and submission and tolerance. Many a writer, many a politicians abuse Rama and Krishna and insult the Hindu religious teachers and preachers; many Hindus denounce temples and pujas. Is there one instance of believers in Hinduism resorting to violence and mayhem to intimidate and silence the desecrators and derogators of their religion and Gods? That is the test of the true acceptance that their faith teaches tolerance and non-violence and no compulsion in matter of religion .
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