Representative democracy, though generally better than other forms of governments, suffers from so many defects;
- General ignorance and incapacity in the controlling body in the state and in the average number in the parliament.
- The dnager of democratic machinery being in the controlling hands of a section of population whose interests are not identical with the general welfare of the whole community.
- It gives undue prominence and power to sheer numerical majority.
- It leads to under representation of the minorities in the parliament and therefore suppresses their interests.
Generally, in representative democracy, the majority party succeeds in securing a large number of seats in the parliament, making the minorities to suffer under representation. To guard against this injustice proportional representation is a necessary complement. In fact, democracy is the best system devised by man for checking and guarding against the abuse of power.
To make democracy effective, worthwhile and healthy what is needed is proportional representation to the minorities who are living in India as second class citizens, whose destiny is decided by the majority community. As a matter of fact, the interest of minorities can be well protected only by the minorities themselves through proportional representation.
Ibqal Bankapur, Dharwad.
I refer to the article " Why was Nasreen burnt by her husband? by Prof. Dr. Mumtaz Ali khan . Is it not a shame that such a thing should happen in a Muslim community when everyone accepts the status to which a woman was elevated to in Islam. In pre-Islamic Arabia Arabs were known to bury their young daughters alive. This was stopped by Islam.
Today after 1400 years Muslim men are burning their wives alive for dowry or money. This is far far worse than what the pre-islamic Arabs used to do. This needs serious thinking by the Muslim community particularly the ulema who must come down very heavily on ill treatment of wife by her husband and causing dowry deaths. Khazis have a moral duty not to perform Nikkah ceremony where they come to know that the bridegroom has been paid dowry by bride's parents. I know of a Moulavi who refused to proceed with the Nikah ceremony until the bridegroom removed the gold ring he was wearing on his finger (wearing of gold is forbidden for men in Islam). We need such type of ulema, khazis, if the wretched dowry system has to be totally eradicated from the Muslim society.
In my opinion the girl also has the right to demand from him to produce HIV (AIDS) Negative certificate issued by a Govt.recognised medical institution and the intact sealed cover containing the report is opened only by the bride.
I appreciate your work in Islam and may Almighty Allah shower this blessings upon you.
Secondly, I do appreciate Farheen Ahmad's "Isn't it Funny" and it gives food for thought. I make similar remarks to my friends and their children who do not find time to follow the path of religion.
Thirdly, I would appreciate if you could let me know whether any part of your information could be extracted and published in our Muslim Newletters WITH REFERENCE to the original source of (your WebPage) information and not depict as our original information.
Intiaz Mohamed on email from Australia.
Your magazine is very informative. Please start a quiz and avoid giving too many advertisements Mr. Tariq Abdullah is doing a very useful job. Dr. Zakir's articles are also very instructive.
Abdul Rehman Siddiqui on e-mail for USA.
Editorial