Miscellanea [01 Jan, 2015 – 31 March, 2015]
Apropos the suggestion of Ahmed Hemani I ask the following:
Assuming Naik is right, and assuming that there is stuff in Quran or Hadith against Music, who of you, Muslim friends, would still opt for Music?
Our trouble is that we still seek Islamic support for our solutions to contemporary challenges. By implications this would mean that if it is not permitted in Islam we wouldreject it.
The alternative stratagem is even worse: we stretch the teachings to suit our meaning, often hypocritically or idiotically.
Unless we muster the courage to say, ‘well this may have had a historic context, but in my times I find this alternative acceptable’
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Tahzeeb/permalink/856164084404684/#
7/1/2015
MURDERERS OF MODERNITY
PERPETRATORS OF BARBARITY
Muslim brethren, please stand up and speak up against these marauders. At least in your own interest. Remember, the day is not far when they will catch up with you, kill those dear to you and claim purification.
Beware, they are inhuman. Help extinguish them.
7/1/2015
TERRIFYING TERROR – IGNOBLE TRIUMPH
Muslims stand up and speak up. At least in your own interest.
7/1/2015
ZAKIR NAIK’S LOGIC
His Advice to Muslims:
Marry Early, Have Children [unlimited] and Enjoy life.
Leave Family Planning to Allah
[I usually avoid personal profiling of living persons. But today I couldn’t avoid it.]
Doesn’t it scare you that this man commands the loyalty and affection of such a huge mass of educated Muslims?
I am scared that the middle classes of Muslims are being completely bankrupted of reason and logic, by this man’s supreme and holy illogic.
Whence will the reform come in this hapless community?
22/01/2015
HINDI CINEMA OR HINDU CINEMA
Whether demographically or conspiratorially.. the ‘market minorities’ do feel slighted and wonder if they belong here, too. After all they are also consumers, and paying..
I once wrote to Nirma for their ” Hema-Rekha-Jaya-Sushma ” What harm if a Fatima… or Mary were added, too?
My contention: If this was omitted because it did not occur to the advertisers, it is fair. But what if it did but they factored that Hema-Rekha-Sushma lovers would dislike Nirma if it also mentioned a Fatima?
Either pity Nirma, or the society that produces such mindset.
25/01/2015
SARASWATI VANADNA FORCED ON MUSLIMS
They have wavered between making it compulsory in all schools, then in all municipal schools, then in non-Urdu schools, and back then in all schools…
Then they also made singing Modi’s song obligatory
My concerns
a. What about the rights of atheists, freethinkers?
b. What about Muslims studying in non-Urdu schools? Doubly bad in this case, because these Muslims have gone beyond Urdu.
c. What about Hindus choosing to go to Urdu schools?
d. What about believing Hindus that may not wish to sing praises to Saraswati?
I hope that these reports are exaggerated and twisted. Assuming they are true, Pakistanis who did this fully deserve the daily humiliation they are facing. And I feel hugely closer to Hindus of India than to these Muslims of Pakistan.
Not only are the sufferers entirely innocent but more so, for they suffer because they are poor, helpless and resourceless. If they were very rich, technologically advanced and resourceful they would not.
Vande Mataram was not just the issue of MOTHER. There is the fundamentalist objection to obeisance. In any case those questioning Muslim patriotism despite Jana Gana Mana and Sare Jahan Se Achcha were being fanatic, too.
Today Saraswati Vandana, tomorrow Surya Namaskar, the day after Ganesh Pooja… How long should the minorities accommodate? And what kind of secularism is that? Why should Indian Muslims carry the burden of Pakistanis all the time?
Despite my ardent desire, I could not learn Yoga for years because I did not want to say Aum and observe surya namaskar, until I met a guru who delineated the science from the dharma. That was when I also took Yoga to the entire Muslim Juhapura through our MARKAZ auditorium and persuaded hundreds to learn it.
You force people, they resist. You understand their point of view and attempt to sort out a via media, there is harmony.
It is not just about Aum, Surya Namaskar, Saraswati Vandana… it is about hegemony. And nobody likes it. Me included.
29/01/2015
The holocaust
It was probably the most despicable act of 200 years.
However, I am not sure the problem of the Jews created by the European Christians was best solved by foisting them upon a colonized Arab Muslims’ territory. It was merely shifting the problem.
Let each of the rampaging European countries resettle their portion of the Jews with profound apology and in great dignity. Can they at least offer equivalent space and opportunities to the displaced Palestinians in their own lands from which they exited the Jews?
Btw it occurs to me that the Gujarat 2002 was far swifter, less demeaning and more violent. Indeed, I could watch it as I did many on Gujarat.
05/02/2015
[In reply to a FB Post at https://www.facebook.com/groups/peopleagainstcommunalism/permalink/347926625403804/
One by one every criminal is being set free or set at large, by a pathetically compliant judiciary and a supplicant police – clearly at the best of the criminal powers that be.
As a Muslim of Gujarat, India I ask all the Hindus of India, its industrialists, its bureaucrats, police officers, its jurists and judges and its media barons… if their conscience is not disturbed at this colossal, brazen and naked sabotage of justice and fairplay?
Do they realize that
– these things will fan Muslim isolation, disenchantment, sense of betrayal and possible terrorism?
– such things do not a nation make? This doesn’t behove of a law abiding, civilized society. Nor would this stop here.
You keep quiet today, you must keep quiet when you are so treated.
25/02/2015
DOUBLE THAT AMOUNT FANATICS: MY HEAD IS ON THE BLOCK, TOO
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Tahzeeb/permalink/888328187854940/
Mercifully I am not a preacher and practitioner of Islam. But if I were a practitioner I would unhesitatingly endorse this opinion by Qasmi. I too would, on the authority of Quran, claim that Shiva might well have been one of Allah’s Messengers. Quran claims that Allah sent His Messengers for all people at all times, only to conclude that chain on Mohammed. Qasmi, therefore, is perfectly within Quranic jurisdiction.
As to whether the Muslims may be called Hindus, no. We may be called Hindustanis. That is more like Chinese in China.
02/03/2015
THE GENESIS OF RELIGIONS – A PROPOSITION
Religions essentially emerged as follows:
“Disturbed by prevailing social order, sensitive person/s reflected – even meditated, deeply enough to go into trance – & over time came up with do’s & dont’s, as reformer/s, & exceptional leader/s, in that context.
That is why religions were heavily influenced by local mythology & folklore, & constrained / circumscribed by the knowledge & culture of the times.”
22/03/2015
JUNGLE JUSTICE: JUDGE, JURY, EXECUTIONERS
ALLAH-O-AKBAR once used to ring in my ears yearnings of humility, steadfastness, piety, control of arrogance, deferment of judgement, recognition of my imperfection and inadequacy.
Sadly in some of today’s Muslims this slogan seems to evoke instincts of unspeakable barbarity, judgement, self assurance and arrogance, of playing God himself.
In the process they have, in my opinion, ceased to be humans. At least this frenzied crowd did.
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=786682891417138&set=vb.100002263046337&type=2&theater
28/03/2015
[In reply to a FB Post at https://www.facebook.com/groups/Tahzeeb/permalink/906984232656002/
And come to think of the Muslims / Christians in just their tens and twenties in myriad villages of India, on the hillocks and in stray suburbs… then you know what sense of isolation they should feel. I feel sorry for them and understand why minority ghettos are necessary under such circumstances. I had to move into one of sorts, too.
That much worse is happening in Pak or BD is no excuse, nor a lofty goal to pursue. Also there are many Muslim countries where this does not happen.
Let us together pursue these criminals relentlessly.
In this particular case, though, [and without endorsing their violence] I feel the beef transport was the raison detre.
30/03/2015
ARE ALL TERRORISTS MUSLIMS?
My random thoughts:
a. When a man acted badly, someone saying definitively that he did so because he is a Muslim is unreasonable.
b. When a man is found to be Muslim and has acted badly, stating a probability that he did so because he is a Muslim is not unreasonable.
c. Muslims must take the blame for a larger number of terrorist and violent incidents today
d. Yes, Muslims have been the second worst sufferers of community-targeted violence [counting the holocaust as first] in a century due to shift of power and colonization
30/03/2015
https://www.facebook.com/groups/peopleagainstcommunalism/permalink/369973323199134/
Impotent State: The state should catch at least a dozen of such fanatics, try them transparently and firmly, and then hang them publicly. These men are cowards at the core of their heart, and stern and swift punishment will deter potential fanatics from becoming murderers
Potent We:
On our part we should spread the word of reason and compassion. We should continue to engage them with patience and perseverance. We can’t be them, nor can we ignore them.
