Bouquets & Brickbats

This is with reference to Maqbool Ahmed Siraj’s article titled ‘Shivaji and Aurangzeb’ in the October 2006 issue of Islamic Voice. There are instances available in history to show that certain actions of emperor Aurangzeb were directed against Shias. The 32nd dai mutlaq or Bohra spiritual head, Saiyedna Qutubkhan Qutubuddin was killed at Ahmedabad on August 10, 1646 on the charge of being Rafzi (shia). At that time, Aurangzeb was the Governor of Gujarat. (Ref. Jonah Blank, Mullahs on the Mainframe, University of Chicago Press). The book was reviewed in Islamic Voice also.


Though, even under the reign of emperor Jehangir and Shahjahan, the Bohras were persecuted, it scaled new heights under Aurangzeb’s tenure as governor of Gujarat in 1645. He ordered confiscation of six cartloads of Dawoodi Bohra literature and threw the 32nd Saiyedna in prison. He was tried in a kangaroo court and executed.


Sunni imams were appointed to supervise worship at all Bohra masjids and attendance at these converted mosques was compulsory. Bohras resorted to taqiyya (concealment), attending Sunni services in the public, but practising their own rituals inside homes. When on military campaigns, he would take the 33rd Saiyedna along with him to ensure compliance of the community. He prohibited Bohra rituals in mosques and on birth, marriage and deaths. Repression peaked in 1683 and tapered off the following two years when a massive famine drew Aurangzeb’s attention away from ideological concerns.

I was impressed by the article, “Is Grameen Bank Different from Conventional Banks,” in December 2006 issue of Islamic Voice. A Noble Prize for Prof. Muhammad Yunus is something which was pending for a long time. He is the best suited economist for the honour. Instead of awarding the prize for peace, he should have been given the prize for the invention in economics. He has written new lessons in economics for millions of people to follow in future. I have been watching very closely his work for the past 20 years and I was all the time impressed by his devotion and for his search for new economic systems to solve the age old problems of poverty across the world. I wrote quite a few articles on his work in the Indian press with an intention to motivate many of our professors to find solutions to our country’s problems. However I hardly find anyone interested in the work that was undertaken by Prof. Yunus. He has done yeoman’s work in distancing himself from the conventional banking systems that have no practical use for millions of people of his country. He never believed in the new fad of globalisation imposed by the western countries upon developing countries.


Email: bokaredg2001@yahoo.co.in

There is nothing new or fresh about the Sachar Committee report on the status of Muslims in India. The saffron party and its allies are not prepared to accept these facts and are creating a lot of hue and cry if anything positive has been initiated for the benefit of the minorities. They have even disrupted the Parliament on a statement by the Prime Minister advocating Minorities’ causes. No doubt there is heated debate on the backwardness of minorities on the socio-economic front. The media as usual brought out some interesting articles, opposing reservations. Muslims are unable to understand why everybody is against reservations. We also have some retired politicians who had failed to do anything worth the name during their tenure of office, apart from playing second fiddle to the saffron flag. They are talking about education, but how can this be done when the children are starving and engaged in petty labour for a paltry sum at a tender age. Education is the panacea for all the diseases. “No reservation, but education”, is the latest mantra.


Email: keyem2802@yahoo.com

This is with reference to the news report- ‘Non-Muslim Translates Quran in Danish’, published in the December 2006 issue of Islamic Voice. This is a fact to cherish and appreciate. There is an urgent need all round the globe to have the holy Quran translated in as many languages as possible to spread the message of Allah. The glorious Quran is not confined and meant for Muslims alone, but sent by Almighty Allah as guidance to the entire mankind on earth. Some individuals are not in agreement when non-Muslims’ translate the holy Quran. Here, when this Danish person has translated the Quran in the local language, the people of that region are bound to read and get exposed to the Islamic world. In fact, the apprehension that there might be errors while translating is not of concern because we already have very prominent, authentic translations of the Quran by very eminent translators. So whenever there is any doubt (while reading new translations), one can refer the translations by these eminent translators. There is an urgent need to emphasise that all Muslim brothers and sisters should read the Quran, especially the translations in the languages, best understood by that individual.


Email: afre_aafr@yahoo.co.in

The controversy over the “Face Veil” for Muslim women has touched a high magnitude today. Such debates never took place in the past. Whether the face veil is required or not depends on the existing environment and the prevailing conditions. As per the injunction of the holy Quran, Muslim women are not expected to cover their faces. In the early days, since the existing conditions and surroundings were conducive and supportive to safety and well being of the Muslim women, they left their faces uncovered. They did not lead secluded lives and moved about freely in the markets. They even took care of the injured in the battlefields. Those days, the environment was free from sins, where in the first glance at a woman was an accidental one and the second one considered a grave sin. Lofty morals, virtues and fear of god dictated the lives of people then. But today environment has changed. Rape, eve-teasing and sexual harassments is on the rise. So some Muslim women will choose to wear the face veil and some of them even prefer to lead a secluded life sacrificing their education and jobs.

“Virtues of the Blessed Companions” in the December 2006 issue of Islamic Voice was a good selection. Please include the name of the publisher in the source or book mentioned. It will be worthwhile if Islamic Voice publishes website addresses that provide free Islamic software to download, on Quran and Hadith. Please also include more articles on huquq-ul-Ibad and the settlement of wrong on the day of judgement. The opinion piece-“Faith-Hot As Coal” was excellent. Devote more space to incidents in the life of the Prophet (Pbuh) and articles on faith, like how to strengthen one’s iman”. In the November 2006 issue of Islamic Voice, the question on “Meeting Mother’s Objections” was answered very casually by Adil Salahi. Salahi has taken a soft approach, though on other issues he gives a convincing explanation. Importance should be given to the Quran and the Sunnah first in all matters. Love for the Prophet (Pbuh) should have been highlighted by Salahi. These days, people do not pay attention to the Sunnah and the Quran. I know of a man who wears a gold ring given by his mother just to please her.