Bouquets and Brickbats

Your editorial ‘Think Anew’ set me thinking (Islamic Voice, October 2007). There is need for educated Muslims to develop a think tank of intellectuals. While a substantial number of Muslims have become educated, there is dearth of thinking Muslims. Most people tend to merely quote the scriptures rather than deduce inferences from them in present context. It is rightly noted that several terms like hijab, taqwa, ijtihad etc have developed a very obscurantist meaning. Most books from the Islamic publications fail to impress present day readers. They are loud on rhetoric and sterile of thought. No wonder why ill-trained clerics rule the roost among Muslims.

Threat of boycott of film Aaja Nachle brought a ban on the blockbuster movie within a day. No so called liberal had the guts to criticize the UP government ban. If a movie could be banned merely for being insulting to a community, there is justification for also banning a book which hurts the sentiments of whole community. Did not the Maharashtra government ban James Laine’s book titled Shivaji: A Hindu king in Islamic India although the book was written very objectively. I wonder why the liberals who want to defend the right of Taslima Nasrin to write pornography while being in India, stitched their lips on the ban on the movie.

This is with reference to your editorial ‘Substantial advance towards social justice’ (November 2007 issue). You have very rightly observed that the Muslim elite in Tamil Nadu are oblivious of the actual needs of the community. Cities like Chennai, Madurai, Trichy, Coimbatore are totally devoid of modern facilities such as hospitals, disabled homes, blind and deaf and dumb schools, working women’s hostels, endowments for students and higher studies. Muslims have to depend on such facilities being run by other communities. Instead of doing all this, they are building Haj houses and palatial hotels. It is time the elite made a realistic assessment of the needs of the masses and took corrective steps.

Please refer Islamic Voice December ‘07 issue page no.35. Under the heading Qur’an, it is stated that out of 114 surahs, 90 belong to Makkah period and 24 belong to Madinah period. I am afraid the figure is not correct. Factually, 86 surahs belong to Makkah period and 28 belong to Madinah period. I hope this much clarification should set the matter right.

I was thoroughly overwhelmed when I went through the Islamic Voice for the first time last month. It provides us a window to the news, events, happenings, personalities and issues in the Muslim world and the community spread all over the world. Editorials carry mature analysis. It has been successful in portraying the ideology of Islam in the best possible way. It is doing a yeoman service. I wish if it could be published twice a month.

Email: mohammed_khanz@rediffmail.com

Exposure by Tehelka has brought the heinous crimes against humanity to the fore. It urges action by all conscientious jurists, writers, lawyers, orators, doctors and scientists in order that Gujarat is rid off the devils. Unless that is done, we all will be open to the blame of being very selfish.

Modi’s victory has come as no surprise to people like me who understand communal politics. The victory is not due to major developments happening in Gujarat, nor the so called charisma of Narendra Modi. It is only due to mutual fear and suspicion of the majority community against the minority, something which Hitler had so successfully used to remain the leader of the Germans for so long. The hatred preached by some elements for decades has grown so strong roots that even without riots an atmosphere of distrust continues to persist which is converted into electoral gains by their parent orgainsation i.e. BJP. I won’t be surprised if the winning streak of BJP in Gujarat continues for a couple of more forthcoming elections.

Email: ramesh_s_waghmare@yahoo.co.in

I am student of Hailey College of banking and finance (Punjab University). Ii have to work on term assignment “the concept of trust means (Waqf) in Islamic perception”. I call upon your readers to supply me some material so that I could complete my assignment.

Email: anam_hcbf@hotmail.com

Eid-ul Azha should be an occasion for us to celebrate festival in commemoration of sacrifice, not human, but symbolic one to prepare ourselves to sacrifice our greed, miserliness, selfishness, egoism, avarice. This should be a fiesta to practise how to put away our anger, annoyance, resentment, antagonism, fury, rage and wrath. But how many of us really do this?