Of Evil Zionists and the Great Satan
Asad Zaidi July 3, 2002
#18 Posted by amit on July 4, 2002 2:56:26 pm
Asad,
This is an excellent article that really hits the nail on the head. It is time for the Islamic world to have a renaissance and regain its lost glory. While the West is the obvious model for success, I would also offer the examples of India and China.
Theoretically, India should have been the poster child for historical grievances and religious neuroses. We were conquered by anyone who showed up at our doorstep, we were subject to imperial rule for centuries, large numbers of our people converted to other religions, our economy was wrecked beyond imagination, our society was totally fragmented along caste and religion and we had just suffered a partition with the bloodiest ethnic cleansing in history. Still, it is to India`s credit that we dusted ourselves off from the mat and started to rebuild a civil society, establish democracy, foster science and technology and rebuild our nation. Of course things are not perfect and we have our share of fanatics, but at least as a nation we are on the right side of history. Most of us look towards science and technology for solutions instead of burying ourselves in our scriptures.
The Chinese have a similar story with historical injustices from colonial powers. It too has dusted itself off from the mat and is well on the way to becoming a superpower. They have not developed democracy yet, but their overall emphasis is on economic growth, science and technology. They are also forward looking instead of wallowing in the past.
The problem is that issues like Palestine and to a much lesser extent Kashmir are diverting the energy of the muslim world. While these issues need to get resolved, the question is whether they should completely dominate everything else in the muslim world. I also suspect that a more developed, democratic Islamic world would have a much better chance of resolving these problems anyway.
This is an excellent article that really hits the nail on the head. It is time for the Islamic world to have a renaissance and regain its lost glory. While the West is the obvious model for success, I would also offer the examples of India and China.
Theoretically, India should have been the poster child for historical grievances and religious neuroses. We were conquered by anyone who showed up at our doorstep, we were subject to imperial rule for centuries, large numbers of our people converted to other religions, our economy was wrecked beyond imagination, our society was totally fragmented along caste and religion and we had just suffered a partition with the bloodiest ethnic cleansing in history. Still, it is to India`s credit that we dusted ourselves off from the mat and started to rebuild a civil society, establish democracy, foster science and technology and rebuild our nation. Of course things are not perfect and we have our share of fanatics, but at least as a nation we are on the right side of history. Most of us look towards science and technology for solutions instead of burying ourselves in our scriptures.
The Chinese have a similar story with historical injustices from colonial powers. It too has dusted itself off from the mat and is well on the way to becoming a superpower. They have not developed democracy yet, but their overall emphasis is on economic growth, science and technology. They are also forward looking instead of wallowing in the past.
The problem is that issues like Palestine and to a much lesser extent Kashmir are diverting the energy of the muslim world. While these issues need to get resolved, the question is whether they should completely dominate everything else in the muslim world. I also suspect that a more developed, democratic Islamic world would have a much better chance of resolving these problems anyway.
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#19 Posted by Ras Siddiqui on July 4, 2002 6:15:29 pm
For those interested in Security vs. Liberty
here in the U.S. and the price we are paying
please visit
http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/story/3450657p-4478737c.html
yours truly (not urstruly)
is pictured near the bottom
as usual....
Ras
#20 Posted by Romair on July 4, 2002 7:57:33 pm
I thought there were 1.2 billion Muslims in the world (about the same as the number of Hindus), not 2 billion.
This article is quite emotional. It is objective. But I am not sure it offers anything new, however. There are now two large groups and one small group in the, ``Clash of civilizations`` debate, i.e. Americans are evil, Islamists are evil, both are good and evil. I suppose this articles belongs to the third group.
I think the views represented here fall more in line with Arab views, and American views, rather than the, ``Muslim`` view and the, ``West`` view. Practically speaking the ``Clash`` is actually between the Arabs and America/Israel. Everything else is an off-shoot.
To the best of my knowledge, the Pakisatani, Bangladeshi, Malaysian (i.e. non Arab) govt. have never killed an American nor an Israeli. And the EU`s stance on Israel is quite a bit different from the American stance on the same country.
The Sep. 11 incident was, after all, a group of Arabs (not Pakistanis, Afghanis etc.) going from Western countries (like Germany etc.) to specifically target the USA, i.e. not Muslim vs. West, but Arab vs. America. If they wanted to target the West, why didn`t they blow up something in Germany or Canada, rather than risk getting into the USA?
Unfortunately, unlike the author, I do not see a bright future for the, ``Ummah.`` Infact, I do not think there is an, ``Ummah`` to begin with. So how can it have any kind of a future, bright or poor. The only successful concept of unit in the past few centuries has been that of a nation-state, i.e. a voluntary union of peoples based on some common ideal. Currently, geography combined with economic well-being and self-determination seems to be the dominating ideals. So:
- We need to stop thinking of the revival of any kind of Ummah(s). And think only about the revival of Pakistan, as a nation state. Screw the Ummah, for the time being, as far as I am concerned. Once the more resourceful in the Ummah start worrying about Pakistanis, only then should be worry about the Ummah.
- Stop obsessing with religion (from any direction). Religion is neither the cause of the problems of Pakistan, nor is it the solution. However, every Pakistanis seems obsessed with putting it into one of the two brackets. The, ``SameerJB`` school of thought considers it the cause of every evil, i.e. if we could only leave Islam, we would turn into Belgium. The ``Asif Naqshbandi`` school of thought considers it the solution to every evil, i.e. if we could only follow Islam, we would turn into Qurtaba.
Here is a novel idea: how about we say that Islam is just something that is out there; nothing more, nothing less. If someone likes it, they should follow it, and if someone doesn`t like it they should not follow it. Instead of trying to spend all our time, forcing other people to accept our hate or love, for it.
Religion is not going to solve our social problems, nor is it going to create any problems. Specially, since we cannot even agree to a singular definition of it. Our problems are due to feudalism, lack of education, corruption, dishonesty etc.; not due to Islam (lack or excess of it). Would these problems disappear if every Pakistani became a Hindu, or an athiest? I doubt it (there are Hindu and athiests who are not doing to well, either). Would they be removed if every Pakistani adopted some sort of Shariah? I doubt it.
Arabs should solve their own problems. There is no need for us to solve their problems. I doubt too many Arabs write articles like this about Pakistani problems.
Pakistanis` biggest problem is that we are unwilling to blame ourselves (not in a national sense, but in an individual sense). It is always the govt`s. fault, or the politicians` fault, or the maulvi`s fault, or the Army`s fault, or Islam`s fault.
Perhaps, each Pakistani individual needs to look in his/her own conscious, and see what he/she has done for Pakistan. Has he paid taxes, has he volunteered to defend Pakistan against a military attack, has he donated money, has he been corruption-free, has he gotten himself involved in a political process honestly, has he supported a charity? Or has he done what most of us do; talk, talk and talk, and just criticize the lack and/or excess of Islam.
If he/she has done some of the above, then he/she is part of the solution, and not part of the problem. Until enough Pakistanis start doing that, we will remain backwards. Doesn`t matter if we belong to the Christian Ummah or the Muslim Ummah or any other Ummah.
Rest assured, Islam is neither the problem nor the solution. Too much of Pakistan`s intellectual bandwidth is being spent on trying to prove it to be one or the other.
This article is quite emotional. It is objective. But I am not sure it offers anything new, however. There are now two large groups and one small group in the, ``Clash of civilizations`` debate, i.e. Americans are evil, Islamists are evil, both are good and evil. I suppose this articles belongs to the third group.
I think the views represented here fall more in line with Arab views, and American views, rather than the, ``Muslim`` view and the, ``West`` view. Practically speaking the ``Clash`` is actually between the Arabs and America/Israel. Everything else is an off-shoot.
To the best of my knowledge, the Pakisatani, Bangladeshi, Malaysian (i.e. non Arab) govt. have never killed an American nor an Israeli. And the EU`s stance on Israel is quite a bit different from the American stance on the same country.
The Sep. 11 incident was, after all, a group of Arabs (not Pakistanis, Afghanis etc.) going from Western countries (like Germany etc.) to specifically target the USA, i.e. not Muslim vs. West, but Arab vs. America. If they wanted to target the West, why didn`t they blow up something in Germany or Canada, rather than risk getting into the USA?
Unfortunately, unlike the author, I do not see a bright future for the, ``Ummah.`` Infact, I do not think there is an, ``Ummah`` to begin with. So how can it have any kind of a future, bright or poor. The only successful concept of unit in the past few centuries has been that of a nation-state, i.e. a voluntary union of peoples based on some common ideal. Currently, geography combined with economic well-being and self-determination seems to be the dominating ideals. So:
- We need to stop thinking of the revival of any kind of Ummah(s). And think only about the revival of Pakistan, as a nation state. Screw the Ummah, for the time being, as far as I am concerned. Once the more resourceful in the Ummah start worrying about Pakistanis, only then should be worry about the Ummah.
- Stop obsessing with religion (from any direction). Religion is neither the cause of the problems of Pakistan, nor is it the solution. However, every Pakistanis seems obsessed with putting it into one of the two brackets. The, ``SameerJB`` school of thought considers it the cause of every evil, i.e. if we could only leave Islam, we would turn into Belgium. The ``Asif Naqshbandi`` school of thought considers it the solution to every evil, i.e. if we could only follow Islam, we would turn into Qurtaba.
Here is a novel idea: how about we say that Islam is just something that is out there; nothing more, nothing less. If someone likes it, they should follow it, and if someone doesn`t like it they should not follow it. Instead of trying to spend all our time, forcing other people to accept our hate or love, for it.
Religion is not going to solve our social problems, nor is it going to create any problems. Specially, since we cannot even agree to a singular definition of it. Our problems are due to feudalism, lack of education, corruption, dishonesty etc.; not due to Islam (lack or excess of it). Would these problems disappear if every Pakistani became a Hindu, or an athiest? I doubt it (there are Hindu and athiests who are not doing to well, either). Would they be removed if every Pakistani adopted some sort of Shariah? I doubt it.
Arabs should solve their own problems. There is no need for us to solve their problems. I doubt too many Arabs write articles like this about Pakistani problems.
Pakistanis` biggest problem is that we are unwilling to blame ourselves (not in a national sense, but in an individual sense). It is always the govt`s. fault, or the politicians` fault, or the maulvi`s fault, or the Army`s fault, or Islam`s fault.
Perhaps, each Pakistani individual needs to look in his/her own conscious, and see what he/she has done for Pakistan. Has he paid taxes, has he volunteered to defend Pakistan against a military attack, has he donated money, has he been corruption-free, has he gotten himself involved in a political process honestly, has he supported a charity? Or has he done what most of us do; talk, talk and talk, and just criticize the lack and/or excess of Islam.
If he/she has done some of the above, then he/she is part of the solution, and not part of the problem. Until enough Pakistanis start doing that, we will remain backwards. Doesn`t matter if we belong to the Christian Ummah or the Muslim Ummah or any other Ummah.
Rest assured, Islam is neither the problem nor the solution. Too much of Pakistan`s intellectual bandwidth is being spent on trying to prove it to be one or the other.
#21 Posted by Romair on July 4, 2002 7:57:33 pm
Ras #21: Looking good. NIce pose.
For some reason, I pictured you to be quite a bit younger. Mid thirties was my guess. Are you the only one on this site, whose face we are now familiar with? Is there anyone else.....
For some reason, I pictured you to be quite a bit younger. Mid thirties was my guess. Are you the only one on this site, whose face we are now familiar with? Is there anyone else.....
#22 Posted by ferozk on July 5, 2002 12:04:49 pm
Interesting article.
The article is a step in the right direction, because the muslim world (like it is a monolith)needs to search for the answers, which explain its present state.
In a sense, the decline in the muslim world can be, amongst other stipulations, assigned to a lack of questioning; a believe in the orthodoxy; a faith in the dogmatic; and over all else, a lack of a political tolerance. Generally, the muslim world is a very non-muslim world, because it seldom practices, what it preaches.
There is a saying that ``you can question a person`s actions, but not their believes``. In the muslim world, we question each other believes and deem ourselves better muslims than the other muslims. Once we all agree that we are muslims and stop dividing ourselves into a caste system, we may learn to tolerate each other.
From tolerance, we need to educate ourselves and stop denying education, specially to women, because disemination of education invaribly leads to a loss of political power. We have to learn to share power and learn political empathy and not indifference.
We have to learn to preach Islam as a religion of tolerance and not as a stepping stone to a political mandate. Above all else, we have to understand the meaning of what it means to have a plurality of opinions and learn to value dissent as a symbol of confidence and not as a sign of cultural weakness.
We have to be brave to know that we are weak and farsighted to know that we have been blinded by our prejudices and in the end, we have to accept our failures and then have the wisdom to learn from them and not search for scapegoats to balm our mediocrities.
Ciao
The article is a step in the right direction, because the muslim world (like it is a monolith)needs to search for the answers, which explain its present state.
In a sense, the decline in the muslim world can be, amongst other stipulations, assigned to a lack of questioning; a believe in the orthodoxy; a faith in the dogmatic; and over all else, a lack of a political tolerance. Generally, the muslim world is a very non-muslim world, because it seldom practices, what it preaches.
There is a saying that ``you can question a person`s actions, but not their believes``. In the muslim world, we question each other believes and deem ourselves better muslims than the other muslims. Once we all agree that we are muslims and stop dividing ourselves into a caste system, we may learn to tolerate each other.
From tolerance, we need to educate ourselves and stop denying education, specially to women, because disemination of education invaribly leads to a loss of political power. We have to learn to share power and learn political empathy and not indifference.
We have to learn to preach Islam as a religion of tolerance and not as a stepping stone to a political mandate. Above all else, we have to understand the meaning of what it means to have a plurality of opinions and learn to value dissent as a symbol of confidence and not as a sign of cultural weakness.
We have to be brave to know that we are weak and farsighted to know that we have been blinded by our prejudices and in the end, we have to accept our failures and then have the wisdom to learn from them and not search for scapegoats to balm our mediocrities.
Ciao
#23 Posted by sadna on July 5, 2002 12:39:39 pm
Regarding the anti-US fury in the Arab/Islamic world in West Asia, apart from its own sins of commission, perhaps the US has willingly/unwittingly inherited the Arab hatred which European powers like the British and the French earned during their own self-serving engagements in the region.
When these powers left, they carved the region up arbitrarily and left behind nations with poor national cohesion because national boundaries(`lines in the sand`) artificially divided tribes and ethnicities. They also left behind rulers in charge who had poor basis to rule except usefulness to the departing European powers and they left no sustainable structures or philosophies for arbitration of power within the populations which were accustomed for centuries to living under top-down imperial/colonial rule.
In other words, a sure recipe for falling to Third World status for any country.
IMO, these nations will find themselves one additional evolutionary step behind the rest of the Third/developing world if they decide that after the `failures` of the last many decades, religion alone provides an adequate philosophy for arbitration among themselves and for relations with other nations. Religion is a great repository of culture(or the reverse) and valuable source of social cohesion and direction but paradoxically its extremely divisive when used as an instrument of power to arbitrate matters within a group. This is mostly because its impossible to devise adequate checks and balances within the scope offered by religion to prevent its misuse and distortions as an instrument of power. Hopefully the experiences in Afghanistan and Iran will serve to drive this lesson home.
When these powers left, they carved the region up arbitrarily and left behind nations with poor national cohesion because national boundaries(`lines in the sand`) artificially divided tribes and ethnicities. They also left behind rulers in charge who had poor basis to rule except usefulness to the departing European powers and they left no sustainable structures or philosophies for arbitration of power within the populations which were accustomed for centuries to living under top-down imperial/colonial rule.
In other words, a sure recipe for falling to Third World status for any country.
IMO, these nations will find themselves one additional evolutionary step behind the rest of the Third/developing world if they decide that after the `failures` of the last many decades, religion alone provides an adequate philosophy for arbitration among themselves and for relations with other nations. Religion is a great repository of culture(or the reverse) and valuable source of social cohesion and direction but paradoxically its extremely divisive when used as an instrument of power to arbitrate matters within a group. This is mostly because its impossible to devise adequate checks and balances within the scope offered by religion to prevent its misuse and distortions as an instrument of power. Hopefully the experiences in Afghanistan and Iran will serve to drive this lesson home.
#24 Posted by Anika Zaidi on July 5, 2002 2:19:51 pm
Very YLHish article ,too many statements made indiscriminately without proof.for e.g.
``The legendary Israeli foreign minister Abba Eban once famously remarked that Arabs “never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity.” While this is undoubtedly both witty and slightly self-serving, there is a kernel of truth to it``
I dont remember a single quote attributed to Israelis & i dont believe Abba Eban is correct either .In hind sight everybody can be 100 % correct .I can say`` German lost to Brazil & i knew it b/c of poor offence``.He He HE ..What oppertunity & what is the proof that Israelis didnt rigg the Oppertunity just as they did the CAMP david & previous other peace treaty .Not that alestenian human never made mistake either .But i wont make them lookmstupid as Abba Eban the History Prof thinks
Israelis missed just a many oppertunity if you ask me .Israelis is nothing withour the Anmerican ARMS .Israelis not only live in Israel but in U.S.A...4 times the size of INDIA & 28 times the size of Pakistan & whole more than half of that 13 millions of them!!!
You treat muslim as a monolithic 100% match in everything which never is the case even among own homogenous country men of French or England.
Your e.g. of Ismaili & Bohra was most pathetic.Besides money which you yourself said was not the problem what can we learn from them.Sell clothes & shoes!
#25 Posted by shankar on July 5, 2002 2:19:51 pm
Romair,
{{Pakistanis` biggest problem is that we are unwilling to blame ourselves (not in a national sense, but in an individual sense). It is always the govt`s. fault, or the politicians` fault, or the maulvi`s fault, or the Army`s fault, or Islam`s fault.}}
er..& may I add..or India`s fault..:)
{{Pakistanis` biggest problem is that we are unwilling to blame ourselves (not in a national sense, but in an individual sense). It is always the govt`s. fault, or the politicians` fault, or the maulvi`s fault, or the Army`s fault, or Islam`s fault.}}
er..& may I add..or India`s fault..:)
#26 Posted by shankar on July 5, 2002 2:19:51 pm
Romair,
{{Pakistanis` biggest problem is that we are unwilling to blame ourselves (not in a national sense, but in an individual sense). It is always the govt`s. fault, or the politicians` fault, or the maulvi`s fault, or the Army`s fault, or Islam`s fault.}}
er..& may I add..or India`s fault..:)
Just wanted to rattle your soapbox a bit:)..
{{Pakistanis` biggest problem is that we are unwilling to blame ourselves (not in a national sense, but in an individual sense). It is always the govt`s. fault, or the politicians` fault, or the maulvi`s fault, or the Army`s fault, or Islam`s fault.}}
er..& may I add..or India`s fault..:)
Just wanted to rattle your soapbox a bit:)..
#27 Posted by jay on July 5, 2002 2:19:51 pm
Asad,
Great article, true to the spirit of an educated pakistani, like the ylh and tahmed, all the correct jargons, individual freedom, assuming responsibility, future glory. What is the kernal, the core value, one nation of islam, concern for the palestinians and the muslims of india.
It is not about the progress of pakistan, it is about islamic progress, the very TNT idea that created the talibans in pakistan, the jihadists for kashmir. The core value of pakistan that creates jihadists in their millions, to be sent to afghanistan, chechnia, kashmir.
You are a typical child of TNT.
Great article, true to the spirit of an educated pakistani, like the ylh and tahmed, all the correct jargons, individual freedom, assuming responsibility, future glory. What is the kernal, the core value, one nation of islam, concern for the palestinians and the muslims of india.
It is not about the progress of pakistan, it is about islamic progress, the very TNT idea that created the talibans in pakistan, the jihadists for kashmir. The core value of pakistan that creates jihadists in their millions, to be sent to afghanistan, chechnia, kashmir.
You are a typical child of TNT.
#28 Posted by fawad79 on July 5, 2002 2:19:51 pm
political pan-islamism is for the most part dead......but economic and scientfic pan-islamism can be helpful
#29 Posted by arjun_m on July 5, 2002 2:19:51 pm
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#30 Posted by anil on July 5, 2002 2:19:51 pm
Dear Asad:
It is a beautifully written article. Although you seem to discount that we and our successive generations will live in globally integrated environment, which would be highly productive and efficient. Such an environment would be a threat to close societies, whether being created by Islamic terror mongers, or Hindu terror mongers or any other terror mongers.
In such environment, the information travels on the highways of human thoughts at the speed of human thoughts, a frightening speed. The most recent world-wide outrage against a panchayat authorized rape is a good example. I know for fact that this enviroment will force a change in the furture, and the change would be for the better.
Therefore, I do not believe Ummah apartheid can be hidden behind a nation, just as I do not believe Ram-Rajya can be used similarly by similar people. People and Nations with the money and power will wrongly propogate Muslim resurgence and Himdu resurgence and Christian counsciousness, and Jewish Diaspora. However, the underlying thread is more important.
This thread had three strands - changing technology, opening economy, and fast cross-border movement of intellectual capital and money. It is going to bind all societies together in an unprecendented way. No old thoughts Ummahs, Ram-Rajyas etc. would be abel to stop this growth. Any ``Ummah Resurgence`` would be seem with suspect eyes, and accordingly dealth with.
Thank you.
ANIL KAPURIA
It is a beautifully written article. Although you seem to discount that we and our successive generations will live in globally integrated environment, which would be highly productive and efficient. Such an environment would be a threat to close societies, whether being created by Islamic terror mongers, or Hindu terror mongers or any other terror mongers.
In such environment, the information travels on the highways of human thoughts at the speed of human thoughts, a frightening speed. The most recent world-wide outrage against a panchayat authorized rape is a good example. I know for fact that this enviroment will force a change in the furture, and the change would be for the better.
Therefore, I do not believe Ummah apartheid can be hidden behind a nation, just as I do not believe Ram-Rajya can be used similarly by similar people. People and Nations with the money and power will wrongly propogate Muslim resurgence and Himdu resurgence and Christian counsciousness, and Jewish Diaspora. However, the underlying thread is more important.
This thread had three strands - changing technology, opening economy, and fast cross-border movement of intellectual capital and money. It is going to bind all societies together in an unprecendented way. No old thoughts Ummahs, Ram-Rajyas etc. would be abel to stop this growth. Any ``Ummah Resurgence`` would be seem with suspect eyes, and accordingly dealth with.
Thank you.
ANIL KAPURIA
#31 Posted by semipreciousme on July 5, 2002 2:19:51 pm
…asad, interesting article…some extremely valid points but painted with very broad strokes….btw, i think the figure is closer to 1.2 billion….
Samina:
“On a sobering note, (and I hate to bring it up)who is responsible for that young woman who was gang raped in Pakistan as revenge for the sighting of her TWELVE YEAR OLD brother with a girl from another tribe? What are WE going to do about it? Apparently this rape was sanctioned by a group of tribal elders and her father handed her over?!”.
…sickening indeed…a slew of ministers have paraded in to meet her and the president’s supposed also visit her soon…she’s been given 5 lakhs in compensation with which she plans to open a school for girls in her village…the b@stards have supposedly been arrested, but if they’re actually punished remains to be seen…and what about the next time it happens?…and the next?...
Samina:
“On a sobering note, (and I hate to bring it up)who is responsible for that young woman who was gang raped in Pakistan as revenge for the sighting of her TWELVE YEAR OLD brother with a girl from another tribe? What are WE going to do about it? Apparently this rape was sanctioned by a group of tribal elders and her father handed her over?!”.
…sickening indeed…a slew of ministers have paraded in to meet her and the president’s supposed also visit her soon…she’s been given 5 lakhs in compensation with which she plans to open a school for girls in her village…the b@stards have supposedly been arrested, but if they’re actually punished remains to be seen…and what about the next time it happens?…and the next?...
#32 Posted by rsaxena on July 5, 2002 2:19:51 pm
re: romair
{Ras #21: Looking good. NIce pose.
For some reason, I pictured you to be quite a bit younger. Mid thirties was my guess. Are you the only one on this site, whose face we are now familiar with? Is there anyone else.....}
...first you wanted shrinker to post a picture of himself in a thong, now you`re all over this...interesting...
{Ras #21: Looking good. NIce pose.
For some reason, I pictured you to be quite a bit younger. Mid thirties was my guess. Are you the only one on this site, whose face we are now familiar with? Is there anyone else.....}
...first you wanted shrinker to post a picture of himself in a thong, now you`re all over this...interesting...
#33 Posted by hariharan on July 5, 2002 9:56:29 pm
Definitely a ``feel-good`` piece.
What affects the Umma: Here are some thoughts:
1. What is the first thing the Taliban did after
coming to power?
Ans: Barred women from education. (Remember, this was the institution of ``govt`` doing it to 50% of its population).
2. What did the Saudi institution (prevention of vice, etc) do when a school building was burning with girls screaming and dashing out?
Ans: The institution(prevention of vice and promotion of ``virtue``) sent them back to the classroom to be burnt to death. For what? they didn`t cover their faces?
Now, this is the kind of attitude that the Muslim Ummah faces. It needs to set-aside rituals for rituals sake. It needs to set-aside ``culture`` if it is bad public policy. It needs to set aside ``tradition`` if it is bad public policy.
What is the point of chopping one`s hand under Sharia, if the outcome is a person without limbs?
Doesn`t he/she become a welfare receipient? How can he/she work? Don`t the Ummah think that it would be advisable to order ``community service`` for people caught stealing?
I know, I know, many of them will respond, women are given equal rights in Islam. That is fine.
What is reality?
Islam will be progressive when it REALLY gives equal rights to women, non-muslims, etc.
Islam is now more identified as part of ``bhamiyan-bashing`` talibans, women ``stoned to death``,
children as young as 5 becoming ``camel jockeys`` being cheered by ``tradition`` holding arab elders, ``fatwah`` issuing muslim ``scholars`` with the likes of Ayotollah, Mullah; Jehadi driven ``suicide bombers`` willing to blow innocent bystanders, ``slitting throat`` variety like the Algerian ``islamic salvation front`` doing the dirty work in southern part of Algeria-the victims mostly are children, women; another ``slitting throat`` variety by Abu-sayaff group in Phillipines, ``acid throwing`` on women variety in Kashmir and so forth.
Islam needs to shy away from this victo-crat mentality; After all, muslim nations hardly have any credibility to demand ``self-determination`` when the outcome from any self-determination is to establish an islamic theocracy and back to stone throwing, acid throwing, slitting throat sharia variety.
Have you ever seen Musharraf or the pakistani establishment talking of self determination for
Taiwanese, Tibetians, Southern (christian) algerians, Kurds(in iraq). Noooo.
So why should the world care if the muslim ummah seek salvation only for muslims?
Do non-muslims matter in a islamic scheme of things?
What affects the Umma: Here are some thoughts:
1. What is the first thing the Taliban did after
coming to power?
Ans: Barred women from education. (Remember, this was the institution of ``govt`` doing it to 50% of its population).
2. What did the Saudi institution (prevention of vice, etc) do when a school building was burning with girls screaming and dashing out?
Ans: The institution(prevention of vice and promotion of ``virtue``) sent them back to the classroom to be burnt to death. For what? they didn`t cover their faces?
Now, this is the kind of attitude that the Muslim Ummah faces. It needs to set-aside rituals for rituals sake. It needs to set-aside ``culture`` if it is bad public policy. It needs to set aside ``tradition`` if it is bad public policy.
What is the point of chopping one`s hand under Sharia, if the outcome is a person without limbs?
Doesn`t he/she become a welfare receipient? How can he/she work? Don`t the Ummah think that it would be advisable to order ``community service`` for people caught stealing?
I know, I know, many of them will respond, women are given equal rights in Islam. That is fine.
What is reality?
Islam will be progressive when it REALLY gives equal rights to women, non-muslims, etc.
Islam is now more identified as part of ``bhamiyan-bashing`` talibans, women ``stoned to death``,
children as young as 5 becoming ``camel jockeys`` being cheered by ``tradition`` holding arab elders, ``fatwah`` issuing muslim ``scholars`` with the likes of Ayotollah, Mullah; Jehadi driven ``suicide bombers`` willing to blow innocent bystanders, ``slitting throat`` variety like the Algerian ``islamic salvation front`` doing the dirty work in southern part of Algeria-the victims mostly are children, women; another ``slitting throat`` variety by Abu-sayaff group in Phillipines, ``acid throwing`` on women variety in Kashmir and so forth.
Islam needs to shy away from this victo-crat mentality; After all, muslim nations hardly have any credibility to demand ``self-determination`` when the outcome from any self-determination is to establish an islamic theocracy and back to stone throwing, acid throwing, slitting throat sharia variety.
Have you ever seen Musharraf or the pakistani establishment talking of self determination for
Taiwanese, Tibetians, Southern (christian) algerians, Kurds(in iraq). Noooo.
So why should the world care if the muslim ummah seek salvation only for muslims?
Do non-muslims matter in a islamic scheme of things?
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