Letters to the Editor

I read the editorial in your monthly, Islamic Voice, entitled “Retrograde”, I fully support your view that the Personal Law Board should restrict its activities to fighting for the Babri Masjid (only in courts) or similar causes and, not appropriate to themselves the sole voice of Muslims of India in all matters, including matters which impinges on the welfare of Muslims in general. The country has been faced with massive population growth. It is the Government’s obvious duty to promote family planning and, it has been doing so for many decades now. Economic and Educational status of the majority of the Muslims in the country, has now reached dismal proportions and, it is getting worse by the day. It is feared that, Muslims do not take to family planning, they would simply be multiplying poverty, rather than multiplying wealth, as each poor person only produces a few more poor persons. You have done well to point out that Muslim countries (some Islamic) such as Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Egypt have been promoting family planning as a State Policy. Sometimes, it appears that, Muslim Ulema in India are the only real protectors of the Faith and Upholders of the Sharia, and therefore, speak out of turn.

E-mail: bashiruddinbabukhan@rediffmail.comn

Mirza Yawar Baig’s angry reaction to your very well reasoned editorial entitled ‘Retrogade’ saddens us. Most of the ulema only study Arabic and Urdu, which does not reflect the concerns of masses and the larger India that exists beyond their small premises of madrasas. This is why these ulema fumble when they have to decide the issues in modern scientific light.. How could they lead the ummah in the 21st century when their knowledge of a modern society is so limited? We have the shameful instance of a Friday khateeb comparing the Muslim girls who work in Call Centers as ‘Call Girls’ in his Friday sermon. This is outrageous.


Islamic Voice should keep up its tradition of guiding the Muslims on the modern pathway.

I read in Islamic Voice, November 2004 that the Saudi government is spending 12 billion SR for re-modification of the Haram premises to facilitate more Hajis to perform Hajj. My question is how long and how many times this re-modification has to be done. Is it worth it to spend such a huge amount? Are people who experience all these comforts come back as real Muslims? So instead of spending so much money to make the life of Hajis comfortable, it is better the Saudi government spends the same money on Dawah or on the betterment of the poor Muslims in other countries.

Dr. Zakir Naik’s half- baked knowledge is illuminated in the November 2004, issue of Islamic Voice. His intention to stress upon the importance of Sura Ikhlas is welcome. But he should not take advantage by showing Osho in poor light. Has he read his books or has he atleast tried to know about his lectures. Even Osho’s followers do not worship him as God. Dr Zakir Naik writes: “Osho is a fake God man.”, While explaining Islam and the Quran, is it necessary to raise negative questions about personalities who are respected by people of other religions?

E-mail: dbmalik@yahoo.com

We Hindus know very well how the month of Ramadan is observed by Muslims in India. In India, the fasting from dawn to dusk is not too long, but what about Muslims in Northern Europe, when sometimes daylight hours are very long or very short. It will be nice if any readers of Islamic Voice let me know about this.


S.N.Sharma, Rtd. CPLO/C.Rly, C/30, Rly Society, Sector-2, Vashi, Navi Mumbai-400703, Ph: 7826619

An important development is unfolding in Europe, on whether Turkey should be admitted to the European Union or not. A 100 years ago, the Turkish Empire was a world power. But it lost the First World War, and with it, all Muslim countries from the Adriatic and Morocco upto Saudi Arabia and Iraq became Western colonies. The Turkish Sultan was also the Khalifa of Islam. The Turkish leader Kamal Mustapha Ataturk wanted his country to move towards Europe and Westernization. If Europe finally says ‘no’ to Turkey, it will end Ataturk’s vision of Westernization of a Muslim country.


I hope European leaders show a sense of vision . They cannot afford to spurn this historic quest of Turkey, particularly in the context of the tragedy in the Middle East.