Author: Arvind singh
Publication:
Date:
Initially, this column thought not
to write on the Taliban's vandalism, and the reason was very simple that
there couldn't be two opinions about the dastardly act. If a thing or an
action is bad it is bad. Moreover, there have already been many condemnations
of the act, in the media and by the wiser people the world over. Despite,
a global objection and warning the Taliban continued with the demolition
of Buddha's images. Latest reports suggest that the tribe of believers
have finally accomplished the task.
Here in India, the discourse on
Taliban vandalism turned towards the conventional line. For instance, so
predictable the writings were and so crass the motives that one might figure
it out in the very first paragraph. It was something like this: Blame Taliban
for obliterating the Buddha's images but cite similar analogy at home,
namely destruction of Babari mosque. The condemnation of Taliban was so
mild and the destruction of the mosque was so strong that in conclusion
the censure of the former appeared like applause.
Rather condemning Taliban with full
energy, the media bolstered by secular leadership assigned major blame
to "Hindu Fundamentalists". It was reported that the NDA government has
no "moral right" to denounce the act since the leader of the group, the
BJP was responsible for the razing down the Babri mosque. Assume, if the
government did not react to Taliban's spiteful action, they would have
shouted: "See they even did not condemn." When the government condemn they
shouted: "You don't have moral right to object." The exercise was to rob
the government its due right to deplore the Taliban. Beside, it is essentially
to show that the BJP is a precursor of Taliban.
What we persistently overlooked
or calculatingly undermine is the fact that what Taliban is doing is perfectly
in consonance with the Islamic injunctions. Those who quote Quran to indicate
that the act of Taliban is ultra virus to the religion are busy in inventing
a moderate and liberal face of Islam. They in fact indulge in perverse
presentation of Islam. Such attempts are not new. Moreover, Muslim critiques
of Taliban have evaded one question and that is: If Taliban abhorred the
statues, why has Taliban refused to transfer the statues to India or any
other place if they do not want them and insisted only on its destructions?
This question inherently covers why the so-called moderate Muslims refuse
to publicly denounce the concept of Dar-ul-Harb.
Besides, Muslim intelligentsia and
politicians are condemning the act of Taliban because they wanted to put
Sangh in the same line with Taliban; given the animosity the latter attracts
the world over. However, why Indian Muslims are so furious with Taliban
now? Taliban is not a new phenomenon. Since they were ruling in Afghanistan,
their dictates were culturally medieval and actions were publicly inhuman.
We incessantly denounced the Indian government for mishandling the airplane
hijack but in the same vein we did not criticize Taliban for supporting
hijackers. What Taliban then did and what it is doing now is not only very
predictable but also mandatory to Momins.
The destruction of idol, according
to the Quran has two modus operandi; one, in heaven by angels of Allah
and the other on the earth at the hands of Ibrahim who was designated the
first Muslim. The surah pertaining to destruction of idols and images is
Surah Saffat, the 37 chapter of Quran. It tells Muslims that on the Day
of Judgment, Allah would assemble idols and idol-worshippers through his
angles and throw them into hell fire. It reads: "Assemble those who did
wrong, together with their wives and what they used to worship instead
of Allah, and lead them to the path of hell.Then lo! This day they are
sharers in the doom."
So much action in heaven, imagine
what on the earth. The Quran describes Ibrahim's iconoclasm in several
pages in surah 37. The holy book says: "Ibrahim said unto his father and
his folk: What is it that ye worship? Is it a falsehood - gods beside Allah
- that ye desire? And he glanced a glance at the stars; then said: Lo!
I feel sick. And they turned their backs and went away from him. Then turned
he to their gods and said: Will ye not eat? What aileth ye that ye speak
out? Then he attacked them striking with his right hand. And his people
came towards him hastening. He said: Worship ye that ye yourselves carve?"
Non other than the establisher of
the religion, the Prophet was the moving force behind the iconoclasm. During
his expedition to Mecca, the Prophet mounted on his camel went to Kabah.
He made sacred gesture to the Black Stone and conducted seven rounds around
the image. Then he commanded his force to smash idols one by one around
the place. As his followers were busy in smashing idols with pickaxes,
he celebrated the event with a verse: "Truth hath come and falsehood gone,
for falsehood verily vanisheth away." This was not all. An announcer was
asked to go in the town to warn people: "Whoever believeth in Allah, let
him not leave his house any image, whatever that he doth not break in pieces."
In next two weeks, the Prophet expedition
dispatched his forces on idol breaking mission. Khalid, his trusted lieutenant
destroyed the fane of Al-Ozza at Nakhla. Amr, another lieutenant smashed
the image of Suwa worshiped by the tribe of Hudhail. However, the destruction
of Al-Lat worshipped by the Thakif tribe was extremely moving and shows
the tremendous intolerance of the Prophet and the religion he established.
After victory of Mecca, he led siege to the city of Taif ruled by the Thakif
tribe. The siege was raised since the town-dwellers fought brilliantly.
Meanwhile, tribes surrounded to the Taif city accepted Islam and joined
the army, thereby increasing the might of the Islamic force. It became
difficult for Thakif to continue the resistance.
The tribe lastly decided to submit
and accept Islam. However, the tribe was not ready to renounce their goddess,
Al-Lat. For negotiation, the tribe sent a deputation of six people to the
Prophet. They pleaded with him to retain the goddess for three years. He
was obstinate never allow any concession. They pleaded retention for two
years, one year, six months and finally, a few days. The Prophet declared
that he would not allow any god to co-exist with Allah. In the end, the
tribe refused to smash the image with their hands. The Prophet always used
to insist that the tribe itself should destroy images of their gods and
goddesses. This was not only necessary to display neo-converts zeal for
Islam but also a message for perspective converts.
Al-Mughira, kinsman from Urwa and
Abu Sufiyan, the leader of Quresh tribe, the tribe of the Prophet volunteered
ecstatically to finish the act. They did it with great exuberance and passion
amidst wailing and shrill shouting from the tribe.
The Islamic history abounds with
such instances. Wherever the religion went it followed by death, plunder
and destruction. The supremacy of the faith established only, Islamites
believe, when all signs of other religions are removed. This is true is
of all Semitic religions. The principal feature of such religions is that
they are inherently intolerant and disrespectful to other religions. What
Taliban is doing is not at all unIslamic but what the Prophet had mandated
every Momin to do.
We should recognize this fact. Islamic
invaders in India did the same thing innumerable time. Latest findings
in history and archeology enriched us so overwhelmingly that to decline
temple destruction in India is equal to insanity. Only realization of the
single fact would enable us to counter the Taliban's threat.
It is not first time that Islam
has attacked Buddhism. Those who want to see Islam's previous records with
Buddhism should read Dr. Ambedkar's Thoughts on Pakistan and M. Williams's
Buddhism. The reading forces us to re-evaluate our understanding of Buddhism.
They also help us to understand how Buddhism was banished from India. Moreover,
the study would obliterate the Marxist interpretation of the Buddhism's
decline in India.
And what assault! Gautam Buddha,
the greatest human being the world has ever produced. He put a gentle,
humble, loving and generous face of humankind. Islam put exactly opposite
of it. The assault on Bamiyan Buddha has renewed the appeal that Islamic
terrorism has to be collectively fought. Taliban must not forget that the
power of silence is omnipresent, omnipotent and everlasting.
