Where are the Questioning Minds?

This is a well-intentioned article written from the heart – especially the last two paragraphs. A little bit more of thoughts on practical ways (perhaps in small steps) for changing the mindset will enhance its value.

Re: # 9

Very intersting, meeting a `namehram` without a `burka`, Dr. Israr might have welcomed the opportunity to refresh his study of anatomy. His approach is all anatomical. Having been once a medical student he is interested more in bones, the hard ware, than in human soul.

Sitting in Cannada, no doubt Azra has made some serious mistakes about some historical facts, but on the whole thematically it is a timely and good attempt.

Hello Azra: you make some good points - and some real howlers! As Yasser said: was pre-British India really some matriarchal utopia? Are you seriously blaming the poor British for the misogynistic attitudes in Pakistan today?

Rabia al-Basri`s inclusion seemed really forced.

I have to ask: Were you in a ``fort`` when you met Maulana Israr? :)

Keep writing.

Re: # 10

Heh! No worries. I`m used to it :)

zia...

Oh gawd... Now Inquirer is going to call you zia-ul-haq for pointing out Azra`s obvious mistakes...

Somehow it is always our capacity make noise that wins an argument. Unfortunately moderates by virtue of their being moderate do not make a lot of noise and this creates an impression that they are a minority. Yogi makes an argument that Indian media creates the impression........``. Media does not create any impression. It only shows what is glaring and out of ordinary therefore newsworthy. We make impression from those images.

Azra is right on the money about Israr Ahmed however...

``Maulana`` Israr Ahmed is a crazy rabble rouser... an utterly disgusting fellow.. ironically in love with India which he calls a modern miracle and Indian Muslims who are according to him the most pious Muslims on the planet... He is interestingly the kind ``inquirer`` and other Indians would really love ... despite his retrogressive ideas and views on women...

An Indian equivalent of Dr Israr is Dr Naik... but Israr has focused mainly on building up Islamic credos as an equivalent of some sort of neo-marxist-Islamist hotch potch called ``Khilafat`` - he is also the convener of the global ``Khilafat Movement`` not just in Pakistan but all over the world... Dr Naik on the other hand has concentrated on proving that Hindus are wrong to be vegetarians...

Azra,

A well intentioned but flawed article. About the transformation in Islam esp. about the status of Females, you are bang on target. A lot needs to be done and may the force be with you ;)

As other interactors have already identified the flaws in your article, pre-British Hindu and Muslim societies were not perfect esp. about the treatment of females. Good riddance we got rid of these medieval customs; Let`s be fair and give credit where it`s due i.e. the British.

Also another tangential but related point, Hindus and Muslims were not living in harmony as you and many others believe. Hindus were prosecuted in their own motherland by some of their own who converted to Islam. It`s tragic and will never be repeated again..

Thanks,
Avkrishna

Azra:

Nice piece. Hats off.

However, tell me if you care, how many of the 15 million Pakistanis do you seriously believe are hostage to extremists like Maulana Asrar Ahmad? And on the `fort`, how many Pakistani women out of approximately 7.5 million do you think listen to the maulanas?

In most of Pakistan, you are free to do anything. I believe that the society in my province of the NWFP and in Balochistan, is what you are talking about. But the things are changing even in the NWFP.

re: Manto # 13

Israr Ahmed is an admirer of India?! God/Allah/Bhagwaan have mercy on us.

Naik brings no credit to Islam.

---

I do agree that India has produced the most liberal and, next to Saudi Arabia, the most regressive and intolerant breeds of Islam.

But my feeling is that as far as the latter type is concerned, that honor will soon (if it hasn`t already done so) belong to Europe and only possibly, at some point in time, to Canada.

Azra Rashid

You have asked quite timely question to question Quran/Islam or not? Well, first of all, what my true understanding of Islam / Quran is ,``It is the duty of all humans (I am not saying Muslims,b/c Quran is for all humans) to ask questions after reading Quranic verses from your own mind, explore the answer to all questions, always ask deeply spirited questions which are unanswered, true Islam/Quran encourages you to ask questions. Any true Muslim will not be threatened upon questions asked, rather, will answer them with the best possible way through exploration by Quran and by your or their minds. Quran focuses on exploring the whole universe, learning more and more knowledge, the only way to reach GOD(Al-mighty). God has made humans inquisitive(curious). God is also inquisitive to create this universe to be explored by us, the humans. God is the greatest teacher of all, and if, a good teacher loves his/her students to ask questions, to be curious, how come God, the great teacher shuts us to ask questions?

We ask big questions from each other to enter a conversation to explore ourselves, our religions, ethics, cultures. Religion is for us, and is closer to our nature, then how come any religion can prevent us from asking any type of question. So, my take is Islam never ever stops you from questioning. It is some pseudoIslamic fanatics, who shuts God`s will to barr your curious nature to take you away from true Quranic ways. They are the ones, who astray you from understanding real spirit of religion, the core of Quran is to explore nature to explore God. I can guarantee, if, you ask questions from God, God will answer all questions in one way or the other through any medium, either by relaying in your mind or in to other`s mind or you can find answer in Quran by your own interpretations. Usually we ask questions like, why evil? Why good things happen to bad? Why bad things happen to good and blah, blah, blah.

School is not much about what you learn, it is how to learn? Religion or say Quran is a universety in it self, God is dean and chancellor of that university, who helps humans how to learn about life and how to explore this universe by tempting humans nature to give us clues.Any question you asked humbly is answered in Quran about deepness of God and life. If, we ask big or small questions to search to quench our thirst, to explore, t hey will be answered sooner or later, if, we keep on asking questions humbly, helping you learn how to learn is the only motive of Quran. We keep on asking, we keep on getting answers, but, eventually we fail, b/c there will be still a mystery , which is beyond humanly power of understanding. This is the point, where humans are left unanswered and will always be, Well, this is also God`s way. But, still we ask b/c God loves to be asked. Quran`s goal is to explore all these answers yourself.

Now, conclusion:-Right from Real Quran`s point of view to ask questions. Wrong, not to ask!

YLH
[... Dr Naik on the other hand has concentrated on proving that Hindus are wrong to be vegetarians...]

Dr Naik who?????

Ye Gods! What has happened to Chowk!?! The level of bilge that it is putting out is almost beyond comprehension! Doesn`t anyone read these things before they are published?

I think YLH has shown what a waste of bandwith this article is. I especially liked the bit about blaming the British for the evils of modern day Islam and Pakistani society. I sometimes feel sorry for the poor Gora Saabs: always getting blamed for something or the other by the usual crowd of gibbering idiots.

Can we start a petition to remove this and Saima Shah`s article from Chowk?

#19 by mohar11 on February 3, 2006 12:42pm PT

The world famous in Pakistan Dr Naik...like the world famous in Pakistan Seervai..

The following is from the BBC news web-site. I would like to know what people think about this issue. Please keep abuse and non-respectful words away......

``Munira Mirza is a commentator on multicultural issues and Islamophobia

British newspapers should publish the images. Muslims should be able to see them and judge them for themselves, that`s why we have freedom of speech.

Many Muslims want the same freedoms as everyone else to debate, criticise and challenge their religion.

They want to be able to say: ``Hey we`re not children, we can handle criticism, we don`t need special protection - we`re equal.``

Many don`t want to be treated as a special group, seen as worthy of more protection from criticism than other groups because of their apparent victim status.

There are a lot of British Muslims who I`m sure would not be offended by the cartoons. There are, of course, many who are upset and hurt, but that`s the point of living in a free society.

No matter the price, the principle of freedom must be defended. Unless we stand up for freedom of speech, we are unable to engage freely and hold belief systems - of all kinds - to account.

In Denmark, there are counter-demonstrations by moderate Muslims saying they don`t want the images banned.

This idea that all Muslims have to hold the line against Islamophobia is just nonsense. We should not play the games of extremists and nor should we play into the very patronising assumptions of the British political elite about what Muslims are capable of listening to. ``

Thank you,
Anil Kapuria