Why brand entire Muslim community as terrorist?

Terrorism should be seen as an international menace. No religious identity should be attached to it as no religion on earth justifies terrorism that often ends up killing innocent people. Islam strongly forbids violence against the innocent. The unenlightened Muslims who say they are acting in defence of the religion may have either misinterpreted Islam or are practising it erroneously. And so, if one views at Islam on the basis of the activities of these misguided people, he or she will make a big mistake.

Yet the fact is, since the 9/11 World Trade Center attack, the entire Muslim community has been living in despair by being misunderstood by most in the rest of the world. The attack by few criminals was condemned by global Muslim leadership that identified the attackers as the black sheep in the community. But unfortunately, the entire Muslim community is still being viewed as terrorist today.

Very few non-Muslims have bothered to consider the facts that tens of thousands of local Muslims in Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan have been involved in anti-terrorism operations, helping the Allied Forces and local governments. Could the US-led military action against Iraq ever succeed if it did not get key support of the Islamic country of Saudi Arabia?

In recent times, some ill-informed groups have been slapping a number of unrealistic charges against Muslims. They portray Muslims as bad ferocious individuals, citing specific incidents to their convenience as evidence, even though in almost all cases they are very far cry from the truth. They try to give a totally different impression of the Islam as revealed in the Qur’an, citing various wars that took place as the religion spread around the world. They overlook the fact that in those wars Muslims took to arms basically to defend themselves. Their charges against Muslims or Islam are routinely hollow and always go unsubstantiated. The people in question are unacquainted with Islam, and are badly informed of the true face of those who commit cruelty in the name of Islam. They are often unable to evaluate the state of affairs in question in a healthy and rational manner.

If someone truly wants to know what Islam is, he or she should read the Quran- the only authentic source to know the religion. The Quran is based on the concepts of morality, love, compassion, mercy, modesty, self-sacrifice, tolerance and peace. One, who truly follows the path of Islam- as advised in the Quran, is considered the best Muslim. Not all Muslims follow the Quran. So, not all Muslims are good Muslims or good human beings. However, today Islam is mostly being identified on the basis of what its morality-less followers are doing.

On reading the Quran one can understand how Allah instructs His followers to be nice to his neighbours around, and shun cruelty and violence. Allah says, He does not like his followers who resort to violence against innocent people. Those who do not obey this divine command are walking in the footsteps of Satan and moving away from Allah.

Even the political doctrine in Islam is extremely peaceful, moderate and accommodating. The concept that badly needs clarification in this context is that of "jihad". The exact meaning of "Jihad" is "effort". That is, "to carry out jihad" is "to show efforts, to struggle". To be very precise, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) explained that "the greatest jihad is the one a person carries out against his lower soul". Here the “lower soul" is one’s selfish desire, unhealthy ambitions and immoral intentions. The use of the concept of "jihad" for acts of aggression against innocent people, is indeed “TERRORISM”, and is not only unjustified but amounts to a serious distortion of tenets of Islam. These misguided lots- "the terrorists", ignore what their conscience says and listen to their earthly desire for violence by resorting to wickedness, which is indeed un-Islamic. They become loveless, aggressive people who do not hesitate to hurt others without the slightest pang of conscience. Having no fear of Allah or God, they do not abide by the morality of their religion, nor do they practice it. Nothing can stop them from committing crimes and hurting the innocents. Hence these misguided men should not be considered followers of any religion at all.

Compassion, peace and tolerance constitute the very basis of Islam, and the commands of the Quran leave no room for dispute and contradictions. The moral teaching offered to humanity by Islam is one that aims to bring peace, happiness and justice to the world. The barbarism that is happening in the world today under the name of "Islamic Terrorism" has no connection with the Quran. Such terrorism-related activities are the work of a section of ignorant, bigoted criminals who have nothing to do with religion and its tenets. A strong action should be taken against these individuals, groups and organizations who take to savagery under the guise of Islam.

Throughout the 13 years they lived in Mecca, our Prophet (PBUH) and his Companions were subjected to terrible duress, attacks and slanders; they were forced to leave their homes and threatened with death. But they never resorted to violence despite all this aggression and oppression they faced. When the oppression in Mecca increased, they migrated to Medina, and during the Medina period they only engaged in wars that were unavoidable and for defensive purposes. This further leaves every Muslim with a duty to represent, through his attitudes and behavior, the religion of Allah in all finest possible manners. Muslims must display kindness, humility, forgiveness, as our Prophet (PBUH) possessed. And they must be compassionate and affectionate as he was.

The people who make malicious claims, imagines that it is genuine Muslims who abide by the Qur’an that spread terror in the name of Islam. The fact is, however, that they (ill doers) have nothing to do with the Qur’an or Islam at all. By making these allegations against Muslims, the motivated sections in question ignore one very important point. As is known in history the USA caused the deaths of tens of thousands of people by dropping atom bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. But the Islamic world never sought to lay the blame for this action perpetrated by the U.S. government or Christians. In the same way, thousands of Muslims were barbarically slaughtered during the attacks which were openly called the Crusades, and even Christians belonging to other sects were tortured to death, many mosques were both pillaged and ransacked. The blood that has recently been shed in Iraq, Afghanistan and other Muslim countries was Muslim blood. But Muslims have never used this as grounds to charge that the people who live by the Gospel are killers. Any sane person can see that irreligion always reigns anywhere in which oppression is taking place. Indeed, rational Muslims who abide by the Qur’an and believe in Allah never hold Christians responsible for the massacres in question. That is not something that anyone who genuinely believes in Allah could do.

Unless one reads the Quran he or she cannot understand what Islam is all about. The Quran preaches that Muslims must not go to extreme in any war.

“Fight in the Way of Allah against those who fight you, but do not go beyond the limits. Allah does not love those who go beyond the limits.” (Surat al-Baqara, 190)

“But if they cease, Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Surat al-Baqara, 192)


http://twocircles.net/2011dec09/why_brand_entire_muslim_community_terrorist.html
(published on 9 December 2011 - 2:24pm)

Do we need “Anna Hazare kind of campaigns” to see Communal Violence Bill through?

At the recently concluded meet of National Integration Council (NIC) the discussions on The Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence (Access to Justice and Reparation) Bill loomed large. Not too many members of the council were seen speaking in favour of the bill, resentment of all political parties were out in the open, the credibility of ruling alliance was in tatteres as the partners in governance were not generous on numerous issues with the proposed draft. The unfortunate part was the treasury benches kept mute while most of the opposition leaders tore apart the proposed draft with criticism. The opposition’s disapproval was more out of prejudice and misconceptions rather than out of what the Bill contains and intends to put right.

The communal forces aiming for a Hindu Rashtra often spread venom against the religious minorities creating a sense of insecurity with the majority community, consequently aggravating a communal rift between two co-existent peaceful neighbors. The Catastrophe of partition should be etched in the moral values of the sub-continent; lessons should be learnt from the horrors of sectarian politics and communal propaganda from either side.

Post Independence, the organizations which kept aloof from the mainstream struggle for independence and were responsible for murdering Mahatma Gandhi, actively indulged into spreading hatred towards religious minorities (Muslims), the Muslims were often cornered into throwing the first stone, which was then used as a pretext for unleashing violence against them. Thus initiation and facilitation of the communal politics against religious minorities came into existence. Communal politics with communal propaganda gradually became somewhat the “social common sense” of the majority community against Muslims in the country. Regrettably most of the state institutions are influenced by the infectious communal prejudice, the police in particular have become the tool for the biased attribution towards Muslims, who all remained vulnerable and the nastiest affected during any violence.

Successive governments have set up various commissions to secure this objective— commission for minorities, for preventing atrocities against SC/STs, for protecting human rights and women’s rights. But most of them have been toothless and have failed to prevent violence and protect the vulnerable groups from systematic and targeted violence. While Gujarat provides one example, the violence unleashed against Christian tribals in Kandhamal, Odisha is another example. The continuous violence against tribals in the Northeast by armed forces, and against Dalits by upper castes in almost every state cannot be ignored. The history of post-independence India is strewn with numerous cases where the ruling governments and the commissions constituted by it have failed in their duty to protect these groups.

Almost all the fact finding inquiry commissions constituted after every untoward incident reveals that the most of the spontaneously-looking riots are always part of larger conspiracies, a systematized plan of the communal forces. The reports further make public that the targeted violence are for political goals duly assisted by the attitude of the political leadership which would otherwise be impossible without the cordial help from the incumbent bureaucrats and forces. And it fetches no brownies in guessing that, it’s the rightwing politicians who then benefit from the same by polarizing the majority community votes in their favour.

And most predictably the proposed draft has been dubbed as ‘anti-majority’ by the BJP and has been criticized as a kneejerk response to the Gujarat violence of 2002-03. They also fear that it may alter the federal structure and adversely impact the autonomy of the states. But protection of minorities and vulnerable groups like tribals and Dalits is well within the Constitutional scheme. Hence, any provision to protect the secular fabric of the nation and the right of vulnerable groups to live in peace and harmony cannot be dubbed as an ‘anti-majority’ measure.

The picture is very complicated and muddled but the undertones are very clear, about this opposition! It’s because the Hindutva forces are opposed to any affirmative action where the weaker section of the society be it the minorities, schedule caste or OBC is identified and given protection. The main opposition party has openly opposed the bill because of its vested interests attached, as it wants to promote their kind of political agenda with the continuation of existing political pattern of discrimination and biasness against religious minorities and other weaker & oppressed sections of the society.

Mahatma Gandhi, who symbolized the animosity to communal politics, laid down his life opposing it, his sacrifice must not go in vain. Hence if the intension of the ruling government is sanctimonious, it is unusual as to why the ruling party or its allies are not sticking its neck out to bring peace and prevent violence through this bill by suitable agreement and an appropriate debate in parliament. Therefore whatever the outcome be, it’s bound to have an adverse effect on the government’s sincerity and secular credentials.

http://twocircles.net/2011dec04/do_we_need_%E2%80%9Canna_hazare_kind_campaigns%E2%80%9D_see_communal_violence_bill_through.html dated 03/12/2011

A SLAP ON THE FACE OF PRICE RISE….

Harvinder Singh, a transporter from Delhi, caused a furore when he landed a slap on the face of the Union Agriculture Minister, Sharad Pawar in protest against the rise in food prices. Although this is not the first time ,Prashant Bhushan, lawyer and aide to activist Anna Hazare, who last month was assaulted in his office by a young man who found Mr. Bhushan’s remarks on self-determination in Kashmir to be so offensive that he started swinging. Or the former telecom minister Sukhram, who was slapped and kicked in court earlier this week by a man identified as none other than Harvinder Singh – which makes you wonder how many causes Mr. Singh gets irate about in an average week. Then In 2009, a Sikh journalist hurled a shoe at Home Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram during a news conference after getting angry with the minister's reply to a question about the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. But as always this time too, the leaders of all political parties immediately condemned the attack (on Mr.Pawar this time) on the grounds that there is no place for violence in a democracy.

No doubts that the act of slapping a minister is ought to be condemned. But such an incident indicates that common people are getting increasingly frustrated with the country’s politicians. The incident should be viewed as a sign of the anger and frustration of the common man against rising prices that the United Progressive Alliance government has struggled to contain. None of the leader is doing anything to tackle the burning issues of corruption, price rise and inflation, all of which have made the lives of ordinary people miserable. The incident should prompt politicians to engage in serious.

Meanwhile Anna Hazare’s remarks on the incident seem to have been taken out of context and twisted by the media. It was only a spontaneous and natural reaction to the situation. People should be allowed to express what they feel. Politicians have directed barbs at Hazare because he claims to trend the gandhian path. However, not many politicians have the time to follow gandhian principals themselves.

Recently, Jitendra Prasada, a member of the congress and a close aide of Rahul Gandhi, was seen kicking protesters during a campaign trail in Uttar Pradesh. The protesters had allegedly breached the security cordon around Rahul Gandhi. However, it was the security staff’s responsibility to deal with such a situation, not prasada’s. Such leaders, with their obvious contempt for the common man, are not fit to be role models for the youth of this country and most observably no condemnations were registered by any politician.

Over the years, the gap between the haves and the have-notes has widened. Politicians lead luxurious lives while millions do not even get two square meals a day. In legislative assemblies, laws are passed summarily, and there is no concerted effort to address the problems that plague the common man. Such problems might take years of work to eradicate. Even while criticizing the attack on Sharad Pawar, one cannot forget the role he has played, as minister for agriculture, in the price rise crises.

A while ago, the Supreme Court had directed the government to distribute the food to the poor free of cost or at low prices, instead of letting it rot in the godowns of the Food Corporation of India (FCI).The government however did not comply with the orders.

Meanwhile, Hazare seems ready to apologize to Pawar for his hasty remarks. But the agriculture minister remains defiant in spite of the attack on him. When asked if he could forgive Harvinder Singh, Pawar reportedly said,” Who am I to forgive? I am not a judge”. Sadly, that the real face of our politicians, defiant, egotistical and unrepentant.


http://twocircles.net/2011nov30/slap_face_price_rise%E2%80%A6.html

ESTABLISHING DEMOCRACY IN LIBYA IS TO BE A HARD TASK..

The atrocious murder of Colonel Gaddafi engineered by the US led NATO forces, after Saddam Hussein’s hanging in 2006 proves that in the current world order, the United States of America can do whatever it wishes with other nations and leaders who do not toe its line.

It further strengthens my disputation that US hardly cares about egalitarianism or the well being of the people of other nations as long as its own financial and military interests are served. And this artificiality can well be judged by the fact that, the US doesn’t denounce human rights violations in countries like Pakistan and Saudi Arabia which to us all are equally fraudulent and callous regimes.

But then saying this I dont want to mean that I support any tormenter- be it Saddam Hussein or Colonel Gaddafi. My only argument is, Gaddafi could have been taken into custody and put on trial at the International Court of Justice for his alleged misdeeds and atrocities. His assassination is nothing but another misdeed by global powers and alliances.


As Gaddafi’s tyrannical regime in Libya has come to an end the National Transitional Council is set to initiate the process of democratic elections in the country. But for the Council steering Libya out to at least a near-perfect democracy will not be an easy job when the country has no contemporary history of party politics or the rule of law. So, it will be interesting to watch how the council establishes a democracy in Libya which had been in anarchy for decades.

Libyans should keep the state of Iraq in mind and should not go overboard to rejoice now.



http://www.milligazette.com/news/2688-establishing-democracy-in-libya-will-be-a-hard-task
This article appeared in The Milli Gazette print issue of 16-30 November 2011 on page no. 14

ABDULLAHS ARE NOT ABOVE THE LAW...

I have this strong feeling that whatever has happened to Kashmir in last two decades or so has lot to do with the father-son duo- Farooq and Omar Abdullah.

In some way or the other they are responsible for most crises in the state, as their family members have been at the controls of the state’s management since its inclusion to India. And to keep their enthrallment for power afloat, they always sided with the ruling alliances in Delhi irrespective of the feelings of their electorates back home.

The insurgency started and flourished with them at the office. When Kashmir burnt, Abdullah’s were holidaying in UK, caring least about the people they call theirs. Yet when things seemed mature for elections they returned to Kashmir feigning love for their land and the people.

The father-son duo never had a clean image. Dr. Abdullah had always in the eye of the storm either for his ostentatious life style or the sandalwood controversy or his despotic rule. He was many times caught on the wrong foot. But this time the charges leveled against the duo are more serious (Syed Mohammed Yusuf , a National Conference (NC) worker died while in police custody, his family has moved court against Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and his father -- Union Minister Farooq Abdullah) and they should be investigated.


Therefore, I believe it would be fair if the father-son duo to step down from their respective public positions and facilitate the process of investigation

FASCIST SUBRAMANYAN SWAMY MUST BE REINED IN

I strongly feel that the legal action initiated against Dr Subramanian Swamy is precise and that he must be arrested under Section 153 (A) of the Indian Penal Code for his "extreme xenophobic right-wing thoughts" which he expressed in an article headlined 'How to wipe out Islamic terror', published in the DNA on 16th July 2011. It’s regrettable that even apparently cultured or educated people like Dr.Swamy overlooked the fact that Muslim community has as much stake as any other in the development, refuge and well being of India as a nation. He has almost directly identified country's Muslims as terrorists. But the fact is, not a single Indian Muslim has ever been convicted on charges of anti national or terrorist activities. It’s difficult to believe that before writing this sensitive article the Harvard-educated economist-politician did not do enough research on India’s Muslims. His article in the DNA reflects his ghetto mindset. It’s clear he is on a communal agenda and attempting to drive a wedge between country’s majority Hindus and largest minority Muslims.
People with such mindset are doing no good to the country or to the society with such discordant expression against a community. Swamy’s irresponsible act has the potential to create a rift between two communities which could trigger big socio-political chaos or even communal unrest in the country.
Muslims have always come forward and have condemned all distasteful incidents as and when it happened. No Muslim organizations has ever supported the terror attacks which were allegedly [alleged by police and Hinduists] engineered by Muslim groups or individuals. But hate-mongering people who conspired and assassinated Mahatma Gandhi and then gleefully boasted their misdeeds are there in the country. These people consider Indian Muslims outsiders and want to throw them out of the country. These fascist people or groups must understand that Muslims like others are not limited or confined to any particular province or district in this country. Muslims constitute nearly one-fifth of India’s population [it’s figure accredited by the international media and other agencies]. They are scattered all over the place and it is impossible to wipe off the entire Muslim population from this country.
These sick minds must understand that just because we are born as Muslim or follow the religion of Islam, our constitutional rights cannot be taken away. Rightfully we are as much Indians as they are. They must understand that by dividing the country on impious grounds they are weakening the core foundations of the country’s establishment. And India can never be a strong nation if it’s biased against minorities. All sections of the society must unite to fulfill the aspirations of an integrated and strong India. If you cannot protect the rights of the minorities, you can no more proclaim that you have an egalitarian and secular society and you live in a ‘united India’.

http://twocircles.net/2011oct25/subramanian_swamy_must_be_reined.html

“Right to recall” and “Right to Reject” elected politicians seems to be the only hope for the community now!

All politicians across party lines are found religiously biased against Muslims. From these politicians the community receives nothing but discrimination, deceit and injustice. No politician has ever been faithful or truthful to the needs and demands of the community. Although Muslims have been ardently loyal and politically faithful to the politicians they elected, the community was treated by the politicians nothing beyond a vote bank. The talks of minority appeasement sound a hackneyed slang to us. In every walk of life Muslims have to fight discrimination in this society. It has become an uphill task for a common Muslim to make both ends meet...

All politicians routinely coax Muslims during elections and abandon them as soon as the elections get over. These political parties don’t even wait for the results to be available, and change colors the way chameleons do. No politician in India ever bothers to help the Muslims. None has ever tried to help uplift the socio-economic condition of the community. None offered means for education or bothered to improve the living standard of Muslims. Nobody thought to create job opportunities for the younger members of the community. After every election Muslims are left with more disappointments and resentments.

All political parties indulge in same practice of staying nonchalant while in power, and doing dharna when in opposition.

I dont tend to agree with Anna Hazare’s way of protest in totality. But I appreciate the concept of "right to recall" and "right to reject” our politicians whenever we deem it necessary. I personally believe, if in the form of something like a bill the practice gets implemented, the community will have the carrot and a stick to get their things done “rightfully”…