Bouquets and Brickbats

I was impressed with the editorials in May and June 2008 issues of Islamic Voice titled ‘Shifting Away from Numbers’ and ‘Exercise in Futility’.
It needs great courage to accept one’s frailties. Instead of wallowing in a sense of victimization, we really need to acknowledge our own self defeating attitudes which is causing us more harm. The outsider is only systematically igniting the ammunition which we prepare ourselves to destroy us. Initiating deliberations on topics like replacing Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) with Makkah Meantime, only proves that we have become desperate for any kind of recognition, however controversial or valueless it be. Our intellegentsia is immersed in hairsplitting definitions of religion and dogma, and topics like systematizing methods of subjugation women. We have let our collective mind be hijacked by extremists and boors, who present to the world their way, as the way and we are silent spectators. This silence makes us tacit supporters in the eyes of the world, and therefore we are made to pay the price. Regarding the issue of competition for numbers, it is a primitive belief that a supremacy of numbers, will be an advantage over the enemy. Unfortunately we are a people who do not seem to have assimilated lessons in history, due to our ignorance. History is witness to the victory of well equipped armies, combined with logistically precise and strategically calculated battle plans, rather than huge blundering badly managed masses. It is this lack of understanding that gives rise to these fanciful flights of misguided cheer, when faced with the knowledge that our masses have increased in numbers. Anyway I think the need of the hour is a worldwide renaissance in the Muslim world, a churning required so that the real issues are spelt in there own context rather than knee-jerk reactions to issues and machinations of the west. It would perhaps benefit if we ignore for sometime, the West and its baiting or being baited; turn inwards and spend ourselves in setting our house in order and then take on the world.
N.T. Aabru
Bangalore

The car bomb blast that targeted the Danish embassy in Islamabad should indeed be condemned in the strongest possible terms. As a Muslim I was and am quite troubled over the cartoon controversies regarding the Prophet, not because of the cartoons themselves, which I totally agree are offensive, but rather, because of the perpetual absurd over reaction of Muslims worldwide. Why should Muslims get so excited They shouldnt even care what a newspaper thinks. The cartoons, horrendous though they may be, need not affect a Muslims impression of the Prophet, for our tradition clearly shows him to be a man imbued with dignity, morality and goodness.
Safiya Sameena
Vijayawada
safiyasameenahotmail.com

I have been reading Islamic Voice since 1988 and have till date preserved some of them, while others, I have gifted to my friends and relatives. My thinking has been moulded because of reading this publication. In the early 90s, the publication had a column Arabic Teacher, which was useful for beginners. I had learnt almost all the lessons, but then after this was discontinued, I also stopped learning midway. Have the lessons been printed in book form Sadathullah Khans Discover YourselfWorkshops have been held worldwide, but Kashmir has been ignored. Such Workshops should be held in the Valley too.
Tanveer
Srinagar
tanveersirrediffmail.com

31st May 2008 was an important day for all those opposed to acts of terrorism being carried out around the world and which are wrongly attributed to Islam and its teachings. On a hot Saturday afternoon, New Delhi s historic Ram Lila Maidan witnessed a huge turnout (between 10,00015,000) of Muslims at a peaceconference organised under the aegis of Jamiat UlamaiHind and Darul Uloom, Deoband. This meeting was supported by other important organisations including All India Muslim Personal Law Board and the Nadwatul Ulama, Lucknow , and leaders of different faiths and sects. The highlight of this meet however was a fatwa sought by the Jamiat leader and Member of Parliament, Maulana Mahmood Asad Madani and issued by the Darul Uloom, Deoband. This fatwa was against all forms of terrorism. The fatwa clearly stated, Islam is a religion of peace and security. In its eyes, on any part over the surface of the earth spreading mischief, rioting, breach of peace, bloodshed, killing of innocent persons and plundering are the most inhuman crimes.
The fact that various Muslim organisations came under one umbrella and condemned terrorism as antiIslamic was covered as frontpage news in various Urdu dailies of India . But did the English language media do the same The answer is NO. I took a look at some leading English dailies on the 1st of June 2008. Sample this. The Hindustan Times (Delhi edition) carried the news item on the 31st May conference on page 8. The Hindu ( Hyderabad edition) carried it on page 10. The Sunday Times of India (Delhi edition) has a small column reporting the same on its front page. Sadly it was crickets Indian Premier League that hogged frontpage newsprint and not the pathbreaking declaration, which was of utmost national and international importance. In my opinion, more than the patrons of the Urdu dailies, it was the readership of these English dailies that needed to be informed of the stand taken by thousands of Muslims that day at the Ram Lila Maidan. But who is listening When the unified voice of over 10,000 Muslims got relegated to a few column spaces somewhere in the corner of our major English dailies, how do you think the voices of the common man in Lucknow , Ahmedabad or Hyderabad would reach different corners of the country
Salil Kader
indikad75rediffmail.com
Hyderabad