Author: Firoz Bakht Ahmed
Publication: New Kerala
Date: July 8, 2005
URL: http://www.newkerala.com/news.php?action=fullnews&id=5504
The dastardly attack by terrorists
at Ayodhya aimed at desecrating Lord Rama's birthplace will no doubt be
condemned by all. As an Indian Muslim I feel embarrassed when I hear, see
or read Mohammedan names associated with arson, terrorism and killing.
I pray that people live together not as Hindus and Muslims but like the
two beautiful eyes of a bride known as India, as described by Sir Syed!
In the 8th century, Imam Ghazali, an Islamic ruler, had warned that terrorism
would destroy Muslims unless Muslims destroy terrorism.
To many non-Muslims, Islam has become
an intolerant and violent religion whose followers enforce conversion at
the agony of death, destroy shrines and idols of other religions and indulge
in terror in the name of religion. Islam tends to be judged by the vandalism
of a Mahmud of Ghazni or a Mohammad bin Qasim or a Taliban, by destruction
of Buddhist statues, by attacks on the Indian parliament and by attack
on Gujarat's Akshardham temple.
One would feel that this is as unfair
as judging Christianity by the savagery of invaders from Spain or the degeneration
of the church under some popes or judging Hinduism by those who destroyed
the Babri mosque in Ayodhya.
Muslim terrorists, be they from
Kashmir, Pakistan or any other area, are to be condemned by all right-thinking
Muslims for defiling Islam. There is a common command in the Quran to serve
the mankind, especially the handicapped, needy, orphans and the oppressed.
Islam has laid down some universal fundamental rights for humanity as a
whole that are to be respected under all circumstances.
What exactly is Islam? It seems
that every Muslim is twisting Islam to suit his ends. But whatever Islam
is, it certainly is not what Osama bin Laden practises or what Lashkar-e-Taiba
terrorists do. Islam means submission to the Almighty, not to terrorism.
Islamic human rights are concrete
sets of laws for peace and mutual coexistence. They are not like the 'fatwas'
of the half-baked Muslim clerics or the Shariah courts of the so-called
Islamic Pakistan. Islam is not about massacres of the innocents in Jammu
and Kashmir. True Islam symbolises security of life and property.
Muslims must be separated from 'Muslim'
terrorism. Those who have committed devilish acts have nothing to do with
Islam. Sura Al-Baqr (Verse: 114) in Quran states that Allah dislikes those
who indulge in arson, loot and killings. Sura Al-Kafirun (Chapter: 30)
mentions: "Lakum dinokum waley yadeen" (You follow your religion; let them
follow theirs).
Besides, terrorists are neither
Muslims nor Christians, neither Hindus nor Sikhs. Terrorism is the murder
of the innocent. Besides, terrorism is not the pursuit of legitimate complaints
by illegitimate means. All acts of terror are anti-Islam. The terrorist
wraps himself in religion to cloak his motives.
It is most unfortunate that concepts
like 'kafir' and 'jehad' are being misinterpreted by so-called religious
scholars and discussed out of historical and social contexts. The true
concept of 'jehad' in Islam is not directed against other communities,
groups or religions but against one's own self to fight evil, injustice,
inequity, illiteracy and ignorance.
Our faith must be true and sincere.
We must be prepared to show it by way of charity to fellow beings no matter
what faith they follow. We must be good, law-abiding citizens supporting
social causes and organisations.
Our own individual soul must be
firm and unshaken in all circumstances. This is the standard by which a
particular mode of conduct is judged as good or bad. Thus, by making god's
pleasure as the objective of one's life, Islam has furnished the highest
possible standard of morality. And god is most pleased when He sees that
his humanity is involved in mutual inter-faith cooperation and harmonious
coexistence.
(The author is a commentator on
social, educational and religious issues. He can be reached at firozbakht@rediffmail.com)
