Mules With Brains
Reform in Islam
Reform within a society, a culture, a nation, or even a religion cannot occur at the behest of the elite class. While it is true that the elites are the most influential within the governments and the media, but on the flip side they are perceived by the vast un-educated majority as the blasphemous face of their society, as the non-cultural, un-nationalistic, inconsiderate strata of the society which is too modernized to understand the sensitivities of the vast majority. While the elites enjoy the support of the so-called modern world, they have virtually no following amongst there own people.
This is not to say that the vast majority does not want reform. Of course it does, but in its own way --at it’s own pace. Through consensus rather than force, through respect rather than humiliation, through acceptance rather than rejection. Acceptance of the true meaning of Jihad rather than rejection of it as a whole. Respect for its cultural practices rather than being the centre of sarcasm. Consensus within there own leaders rather than the western media or the governments forcing them to act, at its own pace- with their own intiative.
Nobody likes to get into conflicts, but if you push someone into the corner- he is only going to get more aggressive. That is human nature, it has nothing to do with what religion you belong to.
Mules With Brains
posted by ben @ 12:55 AM
5 comments
5 Comments:
I suggest you get a native English speaker to proofread your grammar. Check, in particular, your use of "its" and "it's" and "there" and "their."
In general, I think the article is quite thoughtful and insightful. It's kind of a Montana Freemen view of the power elite.
The comments about "the true meaning of Jihad" and "respect for its [Islam's, I guess] cultural practices," on the other hand, are hard to take seriously.
Let's face it, there is very little to respect about Islamic culture. Since their borrowing of Hindu mathematical innovations a couple of centuries ago and thankfully passing them on to the Greeks, there has been very little contribution by Islamic culture to civilization. And Islamic culture today is corrupt to its core at both the governmental and grassroots levels. The suicide bombers as well as those who took to the streets to celebrate the razing of the Twin Towers and the concomitant murders didn't come from the Presidential Palaces!
"the true meaning of Jihad" and "respect for its [Islam's, I guess] cultural practices," on the other hand, are hard to take seriously."
Wow!
"there is very little to respect about Islamic culture."
Wow!
"Since their borrowing of Hindu mathematical innovations a couple of centuries ago and thankfully passing them on to the Greeks"
WOW!!
"there has been very little contribution by Islamic culture to civilization."
Oh mi gosh...WoW!!!
"Islamic culture today is corrupt to its core at both the governmental and grassroots levels"
Wow..Wow..wow
Just Wow...
Dude, when someone makes those kinds of comments, I dont even bother to provide counter reasons because you seem to have some
very harline, pre-conceived, un-intellectual, and streotypical notions against Islam. I suggest that you read how muslim scholars perceive Islam and then comment. Try and get the insider's view (By which I dont mean the elites). When you reach a basic level of understanding about Islam, maybe we can reason then. Right now I dont wanna get into arguments on the basis of what you perceive from the highly biased western media. Till then goodbye...
Oh also I wouldnt kill you if you actually publish your name. I am a resonable person, who respects others views, no matter how biased, uninformed or funny they are.
Ps: Gramatical errors, I sorry about. Second language -My english is...
First, I would like to apologize for the flippant way I commented on your English. It's actually quite good. I congratulate you on your success with it. Again, I'm sorry for my thoughtless comment.
Now let's get back to the main issues. You argue against appeals to the elite, but claim that some sort of true Islam is understood only by scholars. (What are they if not elites?) And what good is a religion which only scholars can properly explain?
Also, if old ladies celebrating in the streets the murderous acts of Osama's minions isn't evidence of a corrupt society, then what is? You wouldn't see my mother or any other normal, American lady celebrating in the streets even the well-deserved killing of Osama himself. Yet I've seen videos of Palestinian women jumping for joy that nearly 3000 people were murdered in NY. And what about parents who strap explosives on their children and send them out to die as murderers? This seems pretty barbaric to me and to a whole slew of other people.
You also accuse me of being unintellectual after you yourself dismissed "the elites." It doesn't take a genius and certainly not a scholar to know that Islamic society is backward and barbaric. Just check out the link in the post prior to yours for the views of one, formerly-Muslim lady.
Finally, your comments about the religion have little to do with my comments. My comments are about the barbaric Islamic societies. If there is some sort of pure, admirable religion which somehow has no demonstrably benign effect on these societies, then I have no comment on that. But if you can't see something, is it really there?
Dear Anonymous,
From my Comparative Politics class I understand that there are different notions of Elite in developed and developing countries. So let me clarify our notion of the elite. By Elite I (and we, most often) mean those people who are the relatively rich class in our society. It has nothing to do with what position they hold. For Example, common Indians do not see their Prime Miniter as Elitist, nor the religious scholars, hence the difference in our opinion. Neways I hope that issue has been clarified.
Now, no more country has suffered at the hands of terrorism than India. For the past 15 years, we have lost more than 50,000 soldiers and civilians throughout India, at the hands of Kashmiri Separatist groups, who claim to be performing Jihad in the name of Islam. However let me assure you that the second largest Muslim population in the world, including the muslim scholars and the majority of the Hindu's in India do not see those terrorists as Muslims. They are regarded as those who have strayed from the true meaning of Islam, nothing more but barbaric terrorists.
Last week, there were terrorist attacks on the eve of a major hindu festival --Holi, in the holiest Hindu city of Varanasi in India. Dozens Died. The terroroists who were later shot dead, SEEMED to be muslims. They claimed to have waged Jihad against the HIndu's according to the Pak-E-Koran. However, majority of the Indian's did not see them as Muslims. I.e. They were not muslims who had attacked the hindu temples but instead they were mindless, barbarians who had used religion as a tool to justify there inhumane, un-islamic actions.
Now, as I said you seem to be carried away by the biased Western media. Here is what the reeaction to the blasts by Muslims in India was which was ofcourse never highlighted by the eblightening western media.
Times of India:
Varanasi women get fatwa issued
[ Thursday, March 16, 2006 11:54:13 pmTIMES NEWS NETWORK ]
RSS Feeds| SMS NEWS to 8888 for latest updates
VARANASI: Perhaps it was for the first time that Muslim women came forward to demand fatwa against terrorism.
Their queries prompted Maulana Abdul Batin Nomani, Mufti-e-Banaras and Imam of Shahi Masjid Gyanvapi, to issue a written fatwa against terrorism on Wednesday.Quoting references from the holy Quran, the mufti said Islam strongly condemned and restricted the 'fitn-o-fasad' (violence).
"Islam is synonymous with peace and protection of humanity," he said, adding that Allah has expressed unhappiness on all those acts that breach peace. Allah says: "Slaying an individual without any reason is a heinous crime and sin; if one kills an innocent person, it is the killing of entire humanity, and if one saves an innocent person it is an act of protecting the entire humanity." (Quran; Sooreh Maida, Ayaat 32).
The fatwa against terrorism came in response to the written queries put before the Mufti by Qamar Jehan, former head of the department of Urdu, Banaras Hindu University, and Muniza Rafiqu Khan, registrar of Gandhian Institute of Studies, to know whether terrorism had any place in Islam.
"I also want to know the meaning of new terminology, 'Islamic terrorism', in light of teachings of Quran," said Qamar Jehan, while talking to TOI on Thursday. It may be mentioned that the March 7 serial bomb blasts at Sankat Mochan temple and Cantonment railway station in which 17 persons were killed and over 100 injured were condemned by people of all communities. The three-page fatwa said all human beings of the world were members of the family of Allah. The safety of each individual is essential and there is no barrier of religion or geographical boundary.
The holy Quran strictly denounces the act of violence through its different 'ayaats' including 'Sooreh Bakara - 60 and 205', 'Sooreh Araf - 56' and 'Sooreh Qasas - 83'.
It is the duty of each and every Muslim to have good relations with all individuals, irrespective of their religion. The fatwa further stated that a person of any country or religion involved in act of terrorism goes against the teaching of Islam.Such persons could not be termed as religious-minded, as terrorists have no religion. Islam not only restricts a person from doing wrong, but also commands not to support evil as it is a sin.
Dear Anonymous, It is due to this differrence in attitude towards terrorism between India and the Rest of the World, that George W Bush once said: "Its amazaing that India has the second largest Muslim Population in India and yet not one of them has ever been accussed of having links with AL-quaeda or other terrorist organizations." Mr Anonymous, It is with some pride that we Indians can claim that the Indian Muslims above all are untouched by these stupid allegations against Islam. Mr Anonymous, we are proud of our Muslim brothers in the country.
I said your comments were Unintellectual because you alleged that the Muslims hadnt contributed much to the world. I mean I cant even begint o tell you how wrong you are. The President of India, Mr. APJ Abdul Kalam Azad, is the father of Indian Nuclear and Space Missile programme. Thanks to him and other scientists, today india has broken Into the select 4 member group of countries which can launch satellities using GPSLV. Thanks to him, the world's first educational satellite, The EDUSAT was launched in 2004 and became operational in 2005. I mean I could just go on and on...
Mr Anonymous, the difference between your and our perspective on religion is that while:
*The western media highlights Pat Robertson as the face of christianity, we highlight Mother Terresa
*The western media highlights the few terrorists as the face of Islam we highlight the majority who are peaceful, loving people.
*The western media highlights the VHP as the face of Hinduism we highlight Mahatma Gandhi.
That, Mr Anonymous, is the basic difference between the way the west approaches terrorism and the way we do. --The effects are more than clear. While the US and its allies are confronting Muslims on the issue of terrorism, we in India are collaborating with them to address the problem.
Regards,
Rahul Gupta.
Thanks for your response. But please refer to me as Ms. Anonymous in future posts.
I never said that Muslims had not contributed anything to the world. Of course, individual Muslims do, especially if they are free as in America and perhaps in India, Turkey, and some day in Iraq. I said Islamic culture had not contributed anything in the last thousand years or so to civilization (an exaggeration, of course, so substitute “very little” or “next to nothing” or “nothing significant”). America is not an Islamic culture, though Muslims live there. India is not an Islamic culture, though Muslims live there. Pakistan is an Islamic culture.
And by civilization, I meant mainly civilized behaviors. Civilized behaviors include taking care of your family and educating yourself and your family, including women. A civilized society also has great respect for and contributes to the advancement of science and technology and learning in general.
I know that Arab culture is a subset of world Islamic culture, but these results from the Arab Human Development Report are illustrative, nonetheless, of Islamic culture's respect for learning (http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/Printable.asp?ID=1696 and http://www.rbas.undp.org/ahdr/press_kits2002/PR1.pdf):
“The whole Arab world translates about 300 books annually, one fifth of the number that Greece translates. The cumulative total of translated books since the Caliph Mamoun, is about 100,000, just about the number that Spain translates in one year.”
Post a Comment
<< Home