I was on holiday in the USA when my travels were rudely interrupted by the terrible events of 11th September. and I grieved with the world over Man's inhumanity to Man. In the days that followed I was glued to the TV day in and day out, hoping against hope that the culprits would soon be brought to book. Then, on the 20th September I saw the Afghan ambassador delivering the decision of the Taliban Government vis a vis Osama Bin Ladin and the American ultimatum. I was struck by their ‘innocence’. They were innocent of the realities of the modern age, happily blinkered by their self righteous bigotry, believing they were living in the middle ages where the dictat of religious leaders were mindlessly followed by an ignorant populace. Besides, the destruction of the Soviet Union has given the Afghans a false sense of omnipotence; they forget that their success was largely due to the backing of the now reviled and hated USA.

They ignore the fact that in spite of their ‘omnipotence’, they are still unable to end the civil war that has rent Afghanistan apart ever since the USA washed its hands of that part of the world (once its objectives had been reached). The groveling poverty became worse and the instability became intolerable when the internecine civil war for power amongst the victorious Mujahideen war lords dragged on and on and on. A new wave of refugees descended on Peshawar (Pakistan); overstretching its already inadequate public services. This new wave of refugees was of the white collar workers who had lived and worked under Russian rule. Doctors, teachers and other professionals finally left the war ravaged country, coming to Pakistan in search of a better life.

The elite had left Afghanistan years ago when Sardar Daud staged his bloody revolution deposing King Zahir Shah, thus easing the way of the Russian invasion of Afghanistan.

The clarion call for Jehad, to fight and resist the godless Russians, was whole heartedly backed by the USA and other allied nations. Money from Saudi Arabia and America poured into Pakistan for the Afghan cause. The hated regime of the worst military dictator Pakistan has ever seen; the regime of the man who had hanged Pakistan’s first elected Prime Minister Mr. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, was propped up by the ‘free world’ in their battle against the Soviet Union. General Zia ul Haq, himself a fanatic, transfused the fringe fanatical religious parties with new life by allowing them a large part of the largesse from the West. Madrassas (religious schools) mushroomed all over Pakistan and each religious party developed a fully armed wing for the Jehad. Today, we are reaping the whirlwind sown in the ‘80s!

The raison d’etre of the call to arms of the students (talibs) of these religious seminaries was to bring peace to Afghanistan by ending the civil war that was tearing it apart while destabilizing the neighbouring countries. In the early days there is good reason to believe that the Pakistan secret services aided and abetted the Taliban. Today the people who could only have hoped to lead prayers in a village mosque lead a country and they are drunk with their own power. In their self importance they forget that they are no match for the world’s only super power. They forget that their antiquated weaponry is no match against the most sophisticated armoury of the world.

On 20th September 2001, while refusing to give up the arch terrorist Osama bin Ladin they issued a ‘fatwa’ (religious edict) that in the event of an attack on Afghanistan, Jehad would become an obligatory religious duty of every muslim. If it wasn’t so alarming, their proclamation would have been laughable for its naiveté.

I have yet to find any verse in the Holy Quran where it is the bounden duty of all muslims to protect and defend a repressive, cruel, coercive regime such as the Taliban have instated in Afghanistan. I wonder, do they equate themselves with Islam, the religion propagated by Muhammad, peace be upon him, who led by example in his preaching of mercy and love?

The word ‘Islam’ shares the same root of the Arabic word ‘Salaam’ meaning peace; while the word ‘Islam’ means submission to God’s Will, and ‘Muslim’ means he who submits to God’s Will. Therefore, anyone who submits to God and worships God alone is a muslim, a ‘submitter.’

“While every religion has been corrupted by innovations, traditions, and false idolatrous doctrines, there may be "Submitters" within every religion. All Submitters who are devoted to God ALONE, and do not set up any idols beside God, are redeemed into God's eternal kingdom.” (Quran 2:62).

Amongst the five pillars of Islam (Prayer, fasting, Hajj (piligrimage), Zakat (giving a percentage of ones saving as alms and Jehad), Jehad is the most misunderstood and misconstrued. The best translation would be, a sincere and noticeable effort, a true and unselfish striving for spiritual good; a battle against ignorance, barbarity and the destruction of Islamic ideals.

"Permission (to fight) is granted to those who are being persecuted, since injustice has befallen them, and GOD is certainly able to support them. Jihad is a step in the true and ultimate path of Islam (submission). ."(Quran 22:39).

Fighting an oppressor or aggressor is fighting against oppression or aggression, thus it is fighting for justice and therefore in the name (cause) of God; and ; "Those who readily fight in the cause of GOD are those who forsake this world in favor of the Hereafter. Whoever fights in the cause of GOD, then gets killed, or attains victory, we will surely grant him a great recompense. Why should you not fight in the cause of GOD when weak men, women, and children are imploring: "Our Lord, deliver us from this community whose people are oppressive, and be You our Lord and Master."(Quran 4:74-75).

Jihad also includes striving for and establishing Justice; but before one can strive for justice in the community, justice must be amongst a persons’ main religious and moral principles. Jihad may also reflect war. The fighting of a war in the name of Justice or Islam; to deter an aggressor; for self defense; and/or to establish justice and freedom to practice religion would also be considered a Jihad .

Taken in its correct perspective, I therefore implore George Bush to declare Jehad against the Taliban government in the name of the muslims who died at the WTC, in the name of American muslims and in the name of muslims all over the world; for the Taliban have gone against every precept of islam and their actions, their laws, their beliefs is increasingly making it the most reviled religion of the world.

Let the world band together to wage Jehad against ignorance, bigotry, barbarity, terrorism and the destruction of Islamic ideals that the Taliban have been propagating. No muslim woman will give her blessings to her son for a Jehad declared by the Taliban. Their government treats women as non-people at best, and second class human beings in general.

I wish to ask the Taliban why they believe they are Islams defenders when it is their actions and behaviour that has attracted uprobrium and anathema of muslims and non muslims alike, who gave them the right to declare anyone an ‘infidel’, especially Christians who are known as ‘people of the book’. In the words of the Taliban ‘Allah knows best’ who is, and who isn’t an ‘infidel’!