Letters

The Manual for Social Harmony proposed by Maqbool Ahmed Siraj is wonderful and it should reach large sections of society including non Muslims.

I am impressed. However, there are certain issues like, kafir, jihad, mujahid, talak, blood money, sharia laws of stoning and flogging, polygamy, a dress code including beard, prejudice against girl child and women, cow slaughter etc are the subjects on which the hate machine is surviving. I wish Mr. Siraj could do something about all these issues. I am not asking the Muslims to question the word of Quran, but is it possible to have a right kind of interpretation of certain terms used therein.
I have seen certain maulvis protesting against national anthem. I believe it is the outcome of narrow interpretation of Quran. We need a serious discussion on these issues.

We should keep on talking. That is the only way to make our nation a habitable place free of hatred.

I agree with the views and suggestions of Maqbool Ahmed Siraj proposed in his article ‘Manual for Social Harmony (Islamic Voice, December 2008). The time has come for us now to look into these issues seriously and thoroughly and to evolve modalities to build bridges with others in the plural society our beautiful country for peace and amity to prevail all the time to come.

Mahatma Gandhiji’s personal effect have been brought back to India but, time and again, some of his personal belongings crop up here and there. One such personal effect him is his personal copy of the Quran. Gandhiji had a habit of reading the Quran every morning. He had made personal notes on its margins. He finally sent his copy f the Quran to a friend Maulana shah Abdul Qadar Raipuri popularly known as Hazratji of Raipur. Efforts must be made to trace out Gandhiji’s personal copy of the Quran and restore it to his belongings.

I read with interest the ‘Manual for Social Harmony for Muslims’ by Maqbool Ahmed Siraj with keen interest. The text reveals deep concern for peace and co-existence in the country in view of the plural society. I appreciate the guidelines and find them emulation worthy. These are
are applicable and can be done practically. The communities should develop respect and tolerance towards each other and should not fall prey to petty prejudices and communal competition.
The profile of Dr. Nazarul Islam from West Bengal has highlighted the achievements of a less known social worker. Hats off to him!

Not only I read these articles but also preserve them with me. Certainly, all these point to positive journalism that Islamic Voice has been following.

This refers to your report on Hindus outnumbering Muslim pupils in West Bengal madrassas (Islamic Voice, February 23, 2009). Not much secularism should be attributed to the madrassas. West Bengal and Assam have a tradition of High Madrassas (like High Schools elsewhere) which were part of the Government Education Department and included a government syllabus with provision of some theology. The government of West Bengal has merely continued these institutions and due to the availability of instructions in all subjects, even Hindu children avail of this facility. Merely because of the nomenclature of ‘madrassa’, they need not be confused with the Arabic theological seminaries in UP and Bihar. Since these madrassas receive Government aid, the beneficiaries too are drawn from all quarters. And even Hindu teachers are appointed on their staff. There should be no element of surprise and any unnecessary claims of secularism. Much of these High Madrassas are in advanced state of decay. Of course, all are enrolled here. But they teach almost next to nothing. In districts like Murshidabad, Berhampore, Jangipura one could find 700 students crammed in tiny rooms and only two or three teachers controlling the kids. One could imagine the state of coaching in such circumstances. Their plight is not unique. All Government schools catering to OBC, SC, ST and minorities in this unfortunate State reflect the same features. The Marxist Governance in West Bengal has led to extreme deterioration of the situation of disadvantaged communities. Their only hallmark is that they have kept the communal forces under check. But they have kept the people of the state under penury, illiteracy and squalor as well.

This is with reference to commentary titled ‘US role in Destabilising India’s Neighbourhood’ by Nazrul Bari (Islamic Voice April 2009). The analysis is brilliant. The author has pointed out the US double-speak and double standards. The United State is hell bent on pursuing its energy goals in Central Asia since long and is trying to cover up its track with its phoney war on terror. The US foreign policy is to be blamed for all the mess around the world. Be it the logging of forests in Amazon basin or Sumatra’s jungles, or tapping oil in West Asia and central Asia, the United States policy is based on twin objectives of protecting the Zionist state of Israel and tapping energy sources and securing the energy routes with its armada. Only those conflicts that interest the US are highlighted by the world media which is again monopolized by the Jewish interest in the US. Darfur gets wide publicity, but genocide of Hutus and Tutsis in central Africa never got that sustained cverage. It is time we analysed the crises around the world from the angle of global cop’s power game. India should not be misled by US’ hoodwinking strategy.