Terrorism: Do you handle it as a crime or as a war or both? A good article.
“While the short term benefits of the American School are clear – you have a direct way of handling terrorists, you shoot them and they be damned, no silly rules of evidence collection, etc. etc. etc.”
The problem with the above is that a) there is a disproportionate innocent and non combatant casualties and b) the society is deprived of any involvement in the debate on the cause and effect of the terrorism.
Hence any long term and effective solution can not be reached.
Rashid

When Locals in Locals lost their Lives - July 11, 2006 Wiseguyin @15.
Your anger is justified IF it is established what you say to be true!
But the followers of Paedophiles & Savages who took the lives of non-combatant and innocent people can not be, please note, can not be MUSLIMS! Deranged fanatics yes!!
Rashid

The People\'s Poet I have attended a couple of sessions of Faraz’s poetry recitals. As said else where here, he has copious amount of entertainment and I noticed it did affect his performance as the night wore off!

Faraz was not particularly enamoured by singers like Mehdi Hassan etc he said, for he alleged that they did not respect the ‘copy right’ issues.

# 27 has quoted Ghalibs praise for Meer. It may not be the case with you Freethinker, but it is commonly understood to mean that Ghalib accepted Meer as his ustaad in Urdu poetry.
I have read a bit of Ghalib and have been impressed by his articles and letters on various issues too.

Ghalib comes out as a uniquely self-confident person and full of “Khudari”, to the extent that I believe that he would not admit to any body being above him. Hence the shaer:

Rekhta`h kay tum hi ustad naheen ho Ghalib
Kehtay hai`n uglay zamanay mein ko`i Meer bhi thaa,

needs to be analysed such that the ‘tu-mhi’ --stresses that there is also another Usdtaad, namely Meer, not above or in exclusion to Ghalib, but equal to him. Then he limits Meer’s expertise to Rekhta’h, which as I understand, in his time was a bit different to and not as linguistically sophisticated to Urdu, with the additional connotation that Rekhtah was the art of spontaneous poetry. Again the kehtay hai’n-- leaves the room for us to assume that he too, just like us, had ``heard`` from others that Meer was an Ustaad. Not Ghalib`s original thought!

I never the less love Meer and Ghalib both. May I say that in sheer impishness, particularly for an old wiry, lean and pious getup, my favourite is Qamar, who uses his name ‘Qamar’ =full moon - as no body else close to the real meaning:

Jalwa gar bazm-e hasinaa’n mey hai’n is shan say
Chaand jesay aey ‘Qamar’ taaro’n bhari mehfil may hai

Mainay jo upna naam btaayaa unhai’n `Qamar`
Khenay lagay khe daag dikhao jigar may hai? (The full moon has lots of marks on it)


Just an excuse to take part in your mehfil- Rashid_s

What Really is an Islamic State?
The time is nigh for me to thank you all for your comments, from which I too have learned a lot- thanks.

As #44 Zeena- where I am specifically addressed, I say this:
With the common concept of RELIGION- viz dogmas and its rituals, hence a set of values restricted to the industry I call CHURCH, run by an elite group, which I proscribe totally, you have essentially said with which I wholly concur.

Firstly to think of Islam, devoid of ANY religious connotation is not quite easy for us yet …and:
Secondly for the religious majority, to set Islam free in the UNIVERSAL domain is even more absurd for, them to lose their insular identity is unthinkable.

You and I would be on the same wave length in saying that Islam is deen-ul-fitraa, that is a NATURAL system, hence UNIVERSAL system, hence true islam.

If Qura’n happens to call it `Islam`, it is natural, for it is in Arabic language. Call it what ever we wish for God is conversant with all languages, as multitude of Prophets were given books in myriads of different languages and time frames.
Thanks again.
Rashid

Apostasy and Islam #402.
“It seems majority of ummah nowadays has failed to grasp the abstract and fluid nature of Quranic message”.
It begs the questions:
With the rigidity of Abu baker, arogance and harshness of Omar, simplicity and nepotism of Usman, persistence for inheritance of power of Ali, rebellion and greed of Muawiyah, drunken-ness and crualty of Yazid, millions killed in infighting of early days , etc etc! How come they also having “failed to grasp” the essence of the message, succeeded in spreading Islam from West to East with in the first century or so; as is borne by the fact that Muslims countries exists in the far flung places of the globe today? Shouldn’t we then question the conventional early history??
Like beauty being in the eye of the beholder, perhaps history is also in the mind of the reader!
Rashid

Apostasy and Islam The question arises as to where did this so called Sharia Islam as practiced in many Muslim majority countries, contrary to Quranic Islam, emanate from?
I believe there are three sources:
One is the use of Arabic words to give the common person the impression that because the words like Sharia, Hudud etc are Arabic, these cultural and common practices are Quranic therefore Islamic.

Secondly, old habits die hard. Although Islam came to clear the table of corrupted religious corpus compiled by the Church (a generic term), the entrenched practices of the old have crept back in to some communities such as the Afghanis and Nigerians just to name a few.
Putting to death for apostasy is one such example. Leviticus 24-16 and Deuteronomy
13-5 & 6-10 of the Bible enforce such punishment. Thus the Church oriented communities of Muslims are better Christians than the Christians themselves who have discarded the teaching of their Books in the name of Human Rights.

Thirdly, the entrenchment of the Church and its operatives, the Clergy has robbed the Muslims, the freedom to think and question every thing despite the injunctions of the Quran.
The article is therefore to the point, unlike many of the religious scholar’s verbose treatise to hedge their bets each way, instead of calling a spade a spade in simple terms.
Rashid

Neglected Victims Paedophilia
Shridhar Naik
It is a brave gesture on your part to bring this subject up on Chawk.

In the Sub-continent and the Asian region in general, there is a culture of denial that paedophilia exists at all. Yet it is rampant under the carpet.

In many of the established Religious institutions, particularly where celibacy is touted as a virtue, they turn a blind eye and accept the practice as a small price to pay for the path to heaven. Some accept it as a cultural deviancy, but shameful never the less.

Amongst Muslims, particularly emanating from central Asia, the calumny has been advanced few step further in that, I assume in order to legitimise their paedophilia, the compilers of Hadis, have ruthlessly dragged in the exalted personality of Prophet Muhammad by claiming; contrary to Qurnic injunctions, that he had married a baby called Ayisha at the age of seven, some kindly say “no, no! she was NINE”. Some concession to cultural deviancy!

In many of the third / even developing world , poverty is the main driving force behind the deviancy(That is why the rich flock to them). With improved economy of the countries, one hopes that the practice of child molestation will one day stop. But when a religious bent is given to any mal-practice in society, that hope just evaporates in thin air.
Rashid

Muslims and Modern Banking: A Rejoinder #67.Masadi
You said: “In a just society, in a moral society, extreme surplus and extreme deprivation should not exist side by side”.
#15 I had anticipated such a response, and that is why I had asked ‘Please ignore the social and emotional implications involved in the Bread or Chapatees!!
The responsibility(s) of the State in ensuring equitable distribution of naan-nutfaa/daal-roti is a separate issue. Although it is an important issue for it touches upon what the so called Muslim world and the wealthy wold is doing with the NATURAL wealth of the world, but this is not what is being discussded here.
Is the answer still NO? If so on what basis?
Rashid

Muslims and Modern Banking: A Rejoinder Masadi and others.
At # 15, I had posted what I thought was simple question from a simple mind. It said,
“Please explain the following ;
If A borrows 100 Rupies from B, to buy a bread today, how much should A return to B a year latter? ……” Perhaps I should have stuck to the Candle-makers example!

Let me elaborate bit more now.
I want to know, please :
How to compensate B, in a commercial, ethical and practical sense for:
1. The loss of the capacity of B to have benefited from the use of his 100Rp CAPITAL for a year(time factor). Loss of any benefit must be compensated, No?
2. The bread is 105Rp(INFLATION) a year latter. It would have cost A five Rupies extra in any case to return the loan, No?
3. The 100Rp capital that B had accumulated was as a result of his LABOUR and labour must be paid for, No?
4. In the commercial transection between A and B where A benefited due to the transection, B should also EQUITABLY share the benefit, No?
The reference to Bread, Chapatees and flowers was not meant to be frivolous. The common material denominator(currency) for compensation (EXTRA, above the return of capital) is MONEY.
Why is bread at the inflated price, chapatees or a bunch of flowers not Ribwa where as the extra money is?
The difference between Interest and Ribaw(USRY) is equitable benefit for all parties in the transection as opposed to benefits to the LENDER ONLY at the expense of the borrower. Usury reminds me of Shakespeare’s Shylock!
Rashid

Muslims and Modern Banking: A Rejoinder M Asadi
Please explain the following ;
If A borrows 100 Rupies from B, to buy a bread today, how much should A return to B a year latter?
1. 100 Rupies (that he borrowed)?
2. 105 Rupies (for the cost of bread has gone up by 5 Rupies)?
3. Take a Bread costing 105 Rupies to B (who perhaps only eats Chapatees)?
4. A bunch of flowers costing 5 Rupies?( B may suffer from hay fewer)
How does one compensate B for the LACK OF USE of his hundred rupies for whole year, if paying the extra will send the parties to hell.
Please ignore the social and emotional implications involved in the Bread or Chapatees!!
Rashid

Islamic Banking – a Sham
#44-some Mr Tariq Hashmi answered
`` We believe that there is nothing wrong with taking loans to fulfill the basic needs of life``, But ``.....and deem it sinful to take loan on interest then you must not proceed ``
This is called puting a bob each way or `saanp kaa saanp marey or lathi bhi naa tutey``
Exhorbitant profit, disproportionate interest(eg on Credit Cards debt) and shark loans and its imposed conditions eg WB fall in the ambit of Usry. Hounest banking BUSINESS is a service to mankind.
Rashid

Islamic Banking – a Sham ``The issue of Riba (usury) is more convolute``
The issue is not convoluted at all. As the Prophet was not a modern banker, his message was only to lay down basic principles of EQUITY AND FAIRNESS for society. Yes the same as Christ who turned the tables on money lenders of the temple to free the poor from the bondage of the Priest.
It is the modern Banking system that has freed us from the lifelong bondage of debt of money lenders.
It is the Muslim myopic priest and their Church who have convoluted usury and other basic principles of economy, for example 2.5% Zakaat etc by giving it an Arabic name Sharia for their own gain!
The closets definition of usury would be ``all gains to ME at the expense of OTHERS”
This is best illustrated in the play The Merchant of Venice and the character of Shylock.
Rashid

Mohammad Who?
#317 Bheram1``{But the point remains that even if one does not accept Zaratushtra as a prophet.``
In my book ``To every people was sent an apostle 10-47`` and ``some WE have named and not others 40-78`` leads to the conclusion that ``..believe in some and to reject others....they in truth are unbelievers 4-150``.
Mankind has progressed in its intellectual journey of maturity hand in hand with and led by many messangers over time. Each prophet brought the same message and in their mission were treat as equal, I am told. The difference in language and style not withstanding. The fallibility of humans to grasp the message is no fault of the messanger.
Did not Iqbal call Ram imam-e-Hind?
Rashid

Are We The Most Racist Of Them All? Congratulations Rakesh Mani.
It takes guts to show the dirt in our own belly button.
Over a century ago when people of the Subcontinant were taken to Africa and other colonies initially as indentured labourers to build the railways or what ever else the British wanted us to do, we saw the indigenous people there as Blacks, although some of them were lighter skinned than us and yet we immediately created a new race—Kaaria, Kaaley, Nehrey etc!
A century later the chicken came to roost in the form of Idi Amin and other riots against us in many parts of Africa.
Still old habits die hard!
Although I understand, scientifically there is no such thing as a Race, but racism has its own meaning. Example:
Many years ago Filip Wilson, an Afro-American comedian accidently dropped his white handkerchief on the stage floor while walking off the Stage. His manager, a white man bent to pick it up. Filip immediately turned round to face the audience and quipped “this is the first time a white man went cotton picking”. The statement was an enormous hit with the audience!
By the way are Desis and Pakis two different races? No no don`t bother to answer. The posts have made it clear.
Rashid

Temporary Marriage in Islam Temporary Marriage in Islam
Mohammad Gill
February 8, 2006
Mr. Gill, PLEASE BE FAIR, YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT SHIA AND SUNNI PEOPLES’ PRACTICES, NOT ISLAM!
Rashid

Where are the Questioning Minds? 232 by Ramanujan on February 7, 2006 9:43pm PT
#155 by rashid_s

”[My friend if you mean the later, let us join hands in stacking all such books that retard this maxim and set them ablaze. I will start with the Hadis corpus for that makes me ashmed!! ]
Okay. Could you start with the Quran instead of the Hadith?”

#232 Ramanujan
Logic demands that I start sifting the reason for the shame with a fine sieve to remove the voluminous material first before moving on to the Gem.
If you remember the argument on my part was the interpretations, and if I may add, interpolations that have been made to the original. Hence on the basis of that I invited you to join me in setting ablaze this extraneous material, where I would start with Hadis.
It is this corpus written and collected by people, often on the behest of the rulers of the time, from about the eight century onward and has been repeated ad nauseam by the vested interest, namely the “clergy”, which institutionalised the “church” for their DAAL ROTI.
I therefore maintain that it is imperative to pull the carpet under their feet by destroying (figuratively speaking) that material which has put the Khimar (cover) on the common man’s thinking.
Now it seems you are NOT ACCEPTING the invitation TO DO YOUR PART and are unreasonably asking me to throw MY Baby with the proverbial bath water. So be it!
Rashid