Author: IANS
Publication: The New Indian Express
Date: August 17, 2006
URL: http://www.newindpress.com/Newsitems.asp?ID=IEH20060817021347
As a Muslim, my head goes down in shame each
time I find a Muslim name attached to insane acts of terror. I feel let down
by such Muslims. It agonises me when I hear that Muslim tenants are refused
accommodation in many cities. Recently, in London, a Muslim of Indian origin
was arrested for suspected links to the terror plot aimed at blowing up planes
flying from Britain to the US.
Sane Muslim voices aren't loudly heard. Even
British Muslims condemning the July 7 London bombings added a "but"
(root cause) to their denunciation. Killings of innocents cannot be justified
for any reason. Many Muslims are guilty of not speaking out against what happened
in Darfur while many are guilty of being sympathetic to Saddam Hussein who
was responsible for the deaths of thousands. Many Muslims are guilty of not
speaking out against the unjust acts of fellow Muslims against non-Muslims.
O terrorists! Whatever you do, however many
of us you kill will not stop life where freedom is strong and people can live
in harmony. Whatever you do, however many you kill, you will fail. Extremist
attacks anywhere are acts depravity and wickedness - planned to take innocent
lives. It is not the weapon of the weak against the strong but one of the
angry against the defenceless and innocent.
The terror attacks on the makeshift Ram temple
at Ayodhya was aimed at derailing the India-Pakistan peace process besides
damaging the country's secular fabric. Muslims must openly condemn terror
attacks so that they do not get clubbed with the terrorists on account of
their silence.
Note that 'jehad' is the most misunderstood
and misconstrued concept by non-Muslims, and even Muslims. The true concept
of jehad is not to be against other communities, groups or religions but against
one's selfish nature, vices and shortcomings. First an individual wages jehad
against himself to get cleansed. He then continues the efforts with his wife,
family, locality and the entire community. This is Jehad-e-Akbar, the right
meaning of jehad.
Muslims must come out openly on the streets
against terror outfits like Lashkar-e-Taiba, Al Qaeda, Harkat-ul-Ansar, Jaish-e-Mohammed,
Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, Sipah-e-Sahaba and such others.
Today Islam is under scanner because many
people have come to believe that the religion advocates violence. Not all
of them can be wrong as people judge by what they see. Today terrorists speak
and act violently in the name of Islam.
The terrorists who struck on Mumbai's trains
in July sought to drive a wedge between Hindus and Muslims. Militants have
no religion except death and destruction of the innocent.
At the same time, the government must find
out if these tragedies take place because of security lapses or whether the
fight against terrorism has slackened. It is perplexing how terrorists repeatedly
gain entry into sensitive areas despite heavy security.
Indian Hindus and Muslims are to be congratulated
for acting with restraint following the Mumbai disaster. Given the fluid communal
situation in India, the saner elements in the communities should take adequate
steps to thwart attempts by communalists to play up such incidents.
(Firoz Bakht Ahmed, writer of this article,
is a commentator on social, educational and political issues. He can be reached
at firozbakht@rediffmail.com)
