Ziauddin sardar, author of widely acclaimed Desperately seeking paradise: journeys of a sceptical muslim (Granta) a UK based Pakistani writer on Islam with a deep knowledge on Islamic theology writes on the question of whether Islam has anything to do with the violence committed in its name. The answer he gives shouldn’t surprise us: “Islam has everything to do with it”. And what is not surprising for Islam is also not surprising for any other religion anywhere too. This may not be the reason to be classified as an atheist that will be killing the messenger. The message is important to understand the problems plaguing the contemporary world the roots of which are being traced to religion. Mr. Sardar further writes that “..the terrorist are a product of specific mindset has deep roots in Islamic history. They are nourished by an Islamic tradition that is intrinsically inhuman and violent in its rhetoric, thought and pursuit. …..only recognising this brutal fact would we realise that the fight against terrorism is also an internal muslim struggle with islam. Indeed it is a very struggle for the soul of islam”(emphasis added). Now this “aspect of islam” is true to any other religion or sect. Violence in thought and pursuit is an “aspect” present as a common historical factor in most human societies. The degree to which it is controlled varies. Whether it is Hinduism or Christianity there will always be a group that will justify acts of violence and will even take the religious scriptures to justify these barbaric acts. Whether it takes a mainstream character or remains in the fringe also varies with the influence of the sanity centres in each society. Sanity centres necessarily interprets the contemporary reality on humanistic notion, seeking justification through religious scriptures if necessary, although one need add in organised religions (or societies where illiteracy and majority threat perception exist, ghettoised) the scope for secular interpretation is very much diminished. The difficulty is further compounded when these acts of violence are intrinsic in religion itself and hence the space of interpretation gets reduced. The option here could be to take the interpretation on a metaphysical level. For instance in Hinduism lord Krishna gives a go ahead to kill Karna which was foul but was justified. This can be raised to the issue of Means over Ends. Ends being pursuit of truth and goodness to all. But then who decides what is good?. Since in Hinduism nothing is codified and offers no prescription there is a space for debate and resistance to authoritarianism is intrinsic. Fundamentalists here really have to work overtime to identify issues and somehow try to link it with religion (I sometimes feel sincerely sorry for them. A series of bomb blasts is what they are waiting for). Modernity therefore only helps in what is good for us and surrounding, emboldens the beautiful part of the religion. There is immense possibility in synergic development here. Further there is nothing final in Hinduism and any argument (interpretation) can be questioned and even trashed. Since there is no real authority (one can even have a personal God!!!) so the question of imposition of ones view on other doesn’t even arise. However Hinduism can hardly be seen as a case study in a world where organised religions are up at each other’s throat. The other day I happen to see a religion channel GOD, which is about gospel truth in bible. People here are so very sure about everything!!. Where they ran an interview with an author of a book on how Iran is a threat. The whole discussion was centred on threat to Christians from islam!!!. The other issue dealt was how women were dying taking contaminated abortion pills. Terri Shiavo’s ghost was still hovering through a book “silent witness”. And the “newsreader’s” continuous assertion that state and religion are same. These are not fringe views. So whether it is Hindus or Christians or whatever one common factor seen in all societies is that the interpretation and imposition is always at the behest of powerful (elite) who necessarily stands to gain. So it is a mean to their power consolidation. It is not surprising that most interpretations of religion have gone against marginalized (sometimes tortured, murdered being classified as outsiders) or women. In the contemporary world too people who stand to gain from such a system justify these. Whether it is matrimonial column by some very educated people or the obnoxious practice of women wearing purdah (veil or chaddar, burka, if you may), to point out few. These are not isolated understanding this is very much related to how we treat other human being. This is objectifying human and taking away dignity. So violence becomes impersonal and easily justifiable (patriotism is a similar subject). Thus the concept of barbarism becomes intrinsic part of understanding and understanding concretising into thought and subsequent action (extolling crime) is but expected. It is that the seeds are very much germinating inside and the fruits comes out as some bomb blasts (or justification for a rape). Then they say as they did in London “ it is unbelievable” “they were brainwashed”(I never knew brain could be washed!!. aisee safedi ki bus doondthe rah jaoge!!). How could “young muslim men born and bred in the very same society, leading a normal life” could do this?. In the media particularly from abroad there seems to be an attempt to justify the attacks on London as an ‘inevitable” reaction to invasion on iraq. Mayor of London (as reported today) terms it as, quite appropriate I thought, a reaction to “hypocritical policies of west”. To some extend this is true but the attempt to straightjacket this as a case of retaliation is foolhardy and dangerous. This will be legitimising violence, an attempt to dehumanise the problem as wrong or right devoid of human context. This is further squeezing the secular debate space to religious polemicist. This is allowing terrorist to find a legitimate base for using religion, a perverse justification. This is a dangerous trend. Yes Bush-Blair are war criminals and have gone against the international community. A conservative estimate puts the civilian deaths at 25000 in iraq which includes killing by the occupying force as also by the resistance groups. US defence secretary Donald Rumsfled (some call him Mister Dumbsfelt) is quoted as saying “we don’t do body counts”. Yeaaah sure “we jus kil ‘em. Like terminator. Bang.bang.bang.” These people are responsible for this tragedy. They have increased the threat of chemical and biological warfare on innocent people. Even the threat of nuclear fallout in near future is not ruled out. But that is not the justification for violence as retaliation seen as legitimate action by some in media. Why is that the so called “marginalized youth” of Britain didn’t protest (or go on a suicide mission) when innocents were killed in Kigali or more recently in Darfur??. Why was Thoe Von Gogh killed? In most part of the world youth do get despondent and many a time feel alienated they don’t behave like the one in Britain. The foreign minister of Pakistan is wrong in blaming Britain for its “failure to integrate migrant youth” for the simple reason that the onus is on immigrants to adjust further intergation is not entirely societal it can even be personal . They seem to be too much pampered. Importantly most terrorists have spent some time in Pakistan. It is estimated that as many as 15% of Pakistani madrasas preach violent jihad and few even provide covert military training. This is not about Pakistan it could have happen to any country even India were there are reports of Hindu fundamentalists training youths (ditto as white supremist Timothy Mcviegh got gun training in home ground). This is the perilous level to which religion can be taken that is as factory to churn killers. These are, as Wole Soyinka writes some years back (in an article Beauty and the Beast- in context to attack of fundamentalists on beauty pageants in Nigeria) “the storm troopers of intolerance, the manipulators of feeble minded…murderous hands of fanatics ”. The horror of peace under the darkness of purdah (veil) and other symbols of tyranny being accepted as culture is as dangerous as terror of massacring innocent people in Darfur or Baghdad. Mr William Dalrymple writes (in Guardian Newspaper) “……producing cannon fodder for the taliban and graduating local sectarian things is not at the same as producing the kind of technically literate Al-Queada terrorists use………indeed there is an important and fundamental distinction to be made between madrasa graduates-who tend to be pious villagers from impoverished backgrounds, possessing little technical sophistication- and the sort of middle-class politically literate, global salafi jihadis who plan Al Queada operations around the world. Most of these turn to have secular and technical backgrounds and very few turn out be madrasa graduates….”. Indeed an in-depth study(by Peter Bergen of John Hopkins) of 75 islamist terrorist who carried out major anti-west attacks show that “53% of the terrorists have either attended colleges or have received college degree”. Islamic terrorism, like its Christian predecessor has remained a largely bourgeois endeavour, writes Mr. Dalrymple, they are highly educated and their aims clearly and explicitly political. Point taken infact we are aware of this trend it is applicable to any society, it’s a step to consolidate power. But to deny its religion origin and to see only the “explicitly political” part is a fallacy, dangerously flawed understanding. The “swamp of grievances” where these terrorist breeds are also about what they perceive as religious discrimination wherein the factors are multifold. Why this selective passionate reactions?. Also understand many people in different part of the world face their own set of grievances they don’t come out with bombs and kill innocent people as retaliation, probably they need pentagon training!! Because of their demented, sometimes obsequious, mainstream worldview the West (particularly Britain) has helped the fundamentalists (of all places, even Hindus are trying to codify themselves in West and transport it to our backyard) to crystallise their regressive views, in a concerted effort as uniqueness of culture. Wherein this interpretations may have nothing to do with the people in the land of origin, the culture of which these scoundrels are so studiously trying to protect in West. Infact these so called protectors are not even bothered about local people (take for instance the case of resistant groups in Iraq, consider how they have no qualms in killing even children). So what Britain is fighting is terror of creation of their own mindset, iraq is only an excuse, a diversion. These acts were waiting to happen. O the horror of stupidity!. Nay it is not ignorance.
Strange to be ignorant of the way things work:
Their skill at finding what they need,
Their sense of shape, and punctual spread of seed,
And willingness to change;
Yes it is strange.
Strange to be ignorant of the way things work:
Their skill at finding what they need,
Their sense of shape, and punctual spread of seed,
And willingness to change;
Yes it is strange.
(Philip Larkin; Ignorance)
It is very strange indeed. As strange as when Mr. Aijaz Ahmed (in an essay in Frontline) is “particularly pleased to see, two days after the attacks, large number of purdah-clad ladies and bearded gentlemen of certain religious persuasion out on the streets in full force…” Read the words “certain religious persuasion”….guess who!!! ..this is the angrezi ka kamal related sophistications…so one assumes. He even mentions “exquisite hijab”!!!. We don’t share his “particular pleasure”. Sorry no way. Pseudo secularists like Aijaz Ahmed and the Master who gave him the space in this magazine are the reason for rising tolerance to minority fundamentalism and subsequent majority backlash. We are not, as civilised people, “particularly pleased” to see women being packed up and paraded (off course made to believe as their esteemed Right). It is as disgustful practice as mutilation of vagina in North Africa or dowry system in India to point out few ‘vibrant culture” from other part of the world. People like Aijaz Ahmed have the capacity to stray us from the perspective, which is so very crucial for our sanity. They come as secular hooligans. If bush and cronies used 9/11 to capture oilfields. Then these people use 7/7 to consolidate their regressive norms like purdah wearing-dark spots of humanity and other feudal affiliation as part “culture” protection. These are cheerleaders of Culture of tyranny. Culture of shame we share as human beings. So are they going to allow polygamy too? That is also “exquisite” culture!!!..
Mr. Blair might point to the “shoddy perversion” of Islam caused by western way of life and “values so dear to us”. What is this western way of life which so exalted?. The west is also France which so refreshingly different in its understandings. When Britain prouds for its “multicultural” society one can’t but feel nauseated. Are these “values dear to us” about supporting the attack on innocent people of Iraq when it was an opportunity to unite sane voices around the world in the fight against terrorism rather than the sham it is reduced to, bringing the world to serious disaster?. Are these “values dear to us” about tolerating medieval practices?. If these are “values dear to us” then these attacks are only boomerangs. The next boomerang is Right wing capitalising and majority communalisation. Slow shift in mainstream politics towards a regressive intolerant one. This is nothing unexpected. Ideally in a more civilised society such people- people who idolise regressive ideas and traditions, should either be not allowed in or kicked out at the very first instance. It is the root at which they are eating into. If these people are respected in “developed” countries it makes things doubly difficult for people in poorer countries who in most cases are fighting the same exploitative system, whether it is casteism in India or public space for women in Pakistan. I am sure you have heard of Mukhtar Mai case or how they resisted to as simple an issue as women’s marathon in Pakistan? Britain like other “developed” countries should behave more responsibly. There are lots of expectations it has to fulfil when one associates terms like “developed”. Many people in this part of the world do admire the West for its developments and standard of living it offers to its people. The kind of opportunities and freedom it provides. “Those ideals and conviction which resulted from historical experience, from the craving for beauty and harmony…the ideals concerning the conduct of men towards each other and the desirable structure of the community….conceived and taught by enlightened individuals in the course of history”(Albert Einstein, 1954). But when this same society extend that space to heinous medieval practices in the name of “multiculturalism” we are appalled. Understand this most people who migrate to West are in most cases gainer/by-product of an exploitative system back home. It is not poor or marginalized who migrate to richer societies (there is huge difference between people going to Dubai for work and those who intend to migrate to west). So before being proud on its “multiculture” the British people need to take a crash course on what is culture. If they haven’t yet “crashed” into it !!. I am reminded of a documentary that I saw some years back on the life at Time Square New York. It was a very long documentation on life and events around Time Square. There is a scene where the “black” racist group was spewing venom on “white”. One pedestrian a white man agrees to be stamped by them, he even let them stand on him!!. This moron says something like he wanted take the sin of past atrocities away and other gibberish!!!. When I look at British society I feel ditto. Such morons. They either knows lick or kick in the name of “multiculturalism”. So far it has been licking in the name of “multiculturalism” now it is going to be kicking (tough laws and killing innocent people) in the name “multiculturalism”. Can never be normal. Cannot treat people as humans. Can’t see what is exploitative and regressive mindset. But more than “developed” morons in Britain I am more concerned about the affect this has on our society. The rats will definitely come home to nibble. …..well its already started. Few weeks back I was watching NDTV (Big Fight concerning Imrana case and UCC) a women wearing purdah, covered from head to toe in the audience claims (in a foreign accent, this is very important) that she too is liberated!!!. Yes object yes. Etu liberratedtto!!!. Mr. Pronnoy Roy and gang should be ashamed of themselves for mainstreaming these rats. Maybe they are trying to brush up on “secularism”. They really don’t know what they are playing with. Anyway they don’t have to face the consequences those are for people down somewhere who creep in as Imrana case or jath panchayats. The population of these rats are only going to increase making things immensely difficult for us. For a moment I thought I should give one good slap to any britisher I come across in near future, as a tribute. This feeling further fuelled when I heard that London is to host Olympics (some during celebrations even claiming victory of multiculturism!!). Then very next day I saw the blast sights in TV and felt sorry for them. All sane people should stand for French people and their effort to deny such squiggling space for medieval practices in the name of culture. Blasts can happen anywhere but I will be genuinely pained if it strikes France. They are beacon of sanity, which we aspire to achieve. Religion has to be removed from its deeply authoritarian aspect and intolerance it breeds. There is no space from such an idea in civilised society. If West has to accept religion as more than a personal matter and recognise it as a communitarian (as a foreign columnist suggests) then it has to create a system wherein the authoritarian aspect of religion is dealt severely. Liberty and freedom cannot be hostage of religion or any ideology. An attempt to see liberty and freedom through religion is curtailing what we cherish. This neo con jihadi agenda is a threat for world peace. In an essay titled “Human Rights and civil Rights”(published in 1934) Albert Einstein writes
It is very strange indeed. As strange as when Mr. Aijaz Ahmed (in an essay in Frontline) is “particularly pleased to see, two days after the attacks, large number of purdah-clad ladies and bearded gentlemen of certain religious persuasion out on the streets in full force…” Read the words “certain religious persuasion”….guess who!!! ..this is the angrezi ka kamal related sophistications…so one assumes. He even mentions “exquisite hijab”!!!. We don’t share his “particular pleasure”. Sorry no way. Pseudo secularists like Aijaz Ahmed and the Master who gave him the space in this magazine are the reason for rising tolerance to minority fundamentalism and subsequent majority backlash. We are not, as civilised people, “particularly pleased” to see women being packed up and paraded (off course made to believe as their esteemed Right). It is as disgustful practice as mutilation of vagina in North Africa or dowry system in India to point out few ‘vibrant culture” from other part of the world. People like Aijaz Ahmed have the capacity to stray us from the perspective, which is so very crucial for our sanity. They come as secular hooligans. If bush and cronies used 9/11 to capture oilfields. Then these people use 7/7 to consolidate their regressive norms like purdah wearing-dark spots of humanity and other feudal affiliation as part “culture” protection. These are cheerleaders of Culture of tyranny. Culture of shame we share as human beings. So are they going to allow polygamy too? That is also “exquisite” culture!!!..
Mr. Blair might point to the “shoddy perversion” of Islam caused by western way of life and “values so dear to us”. What is this western way of life which so exalted?. The west is also France which so refreshingly different in its understandings. When Britain prouds for its “multicultural” society one can’t but feel nauseated. Are these “values dear to us” about supporting the attack on innocent people of Iraq when it was an opportunity to unite sane voices around the world in the fight against terrorism rather than the sham it is reduced to, bringing the world to serious disaster?. Are these “values dear to us” about tolerating medieval practices?. If these are “values dear to us” then these attacks are only boomerangs. The next boomerang is Right wing capitalising and majority communalisation. Slow shift in mainstream politics towards a regressive intolerant one. This is nothing unexpected. Ideally in a more civilised society such people- people who idolise regressive ideas and traditions, should either be not allowed in or kicked out at the very first instance. It is the root at which they are eating into. If these people are respected in “developed” countries it makes things doubly difficult for people in poorer countries who in most cases are fighting the same exploitative system, whether it is casteism in India or public space for women in Pakistan. I am sure you have heard of Mukhtar Mai case or how they resisted to as simple an issue as women’s marathon in Pakistan? Britain like other “developed” countries should behave more responsibly. There are lots of expectations it has to fulfil when one associates terms like “developed”. Many people in this part of the world do admire the West for its developments and standard of living it offers to its people. The kind of opportunities and freedom it provides. “Those ideals and conviction which resulted from historical experience, from the craving for beauty and harmony…the ideals concerning the conduct of men towards each other and the desirable structure of the community….conceived and taught by enlightened individuals in the course of history”(Albert Einstein, 1954). But when this same society extend that space to heinous medieval practices in the name of “multiculturalism” we are appalled. Understand this most people who migrate to West are in most cases gainer/by-product of an exploitative system back home. It is not poor or marginalized who migrate to richer societies (there is huge difference between people going to Dubai for work and those who intend to migrate to west). So before being proud on its “multiculture” the British people need to take a crash course on what is culture. If they haven’t yet “crashed” into it !!. I am reminded of a documentary that I saw some years back on the life at Time Square New York. It was a very long documentation on life and events around Time Square. There is a scene where the “black” racist group was spewing venom on “white”. One pedestrian a white man agrees to be stamped by them, he even let them stand on him!!. This moron says something like he wanted take the sin of past atrocities away and other gibberish!!!. When I look at British society I feel ditto. Such morons. They either knows lick or kick in the name of “multiculturalism”. So far it has been licking in the name of “multiculturalism” now it is going to be kicking (tough laws and killing innocent people) in the name “multiculturalism”. Can never be normal. Cannot treat people as humans. Can’t see what is exploitative and regressive mindset. But more than “developed” morons in Britain I am more concerned about the affect this has on our society. The rats will definitely come home to nibble. …..well its already started. Few weeks back I was watching NDTV (Big Fight concerning Imrana case and UCC) a women wearing purdah, covered from head to toe in the audience claims (in a foreign accent, this is very important) that she too is liberated!!!. Yes object yes. Etu liberratedtto!!!. Mr. Pronnoy Roy and gang should be ashamed of themselves for mainstreaming these rats. Maybe they are trying to brush up on “secularism”. They really don’t know what they are playing with. Anyway they don’t have to face the consequences those are for people down somewhere who creep in as Imrana case or jath panchayats. The population of these rats are only going to increase making things immensely difficult for us. For a moment I thought I should give one good slap to any britisher I come across in near future, as a tribute. This feeling further fuelled when I heard that London is to host Olympics (some during celebrations even claiming victory of multiculturism!!). Then very next day I saw the blast sights in TV and felt sorry for them. All sane people should stand for French people and their effort to deny such squiggling space for medieval practices in the name of culture. Blasts can happen anywhere but I will be genuinely pained if it strikes France. They are beacon of sanity, which we aspire to achieve. Religion has to be removed from its deeply authoritarian aspect and intolerance it breeds. There is no space from such an idea in civilised society. If West has to accept religion as more than a personal matter and recognise it as a communitarian (as a foreign columnist suggests) then it has to create a system wherein the authoritarian aspect of religion is dealt severely. Liberty and freedom cannot be hostage of religion or any ideology. An attempt to see liberty and freedom through religion is curtailing what we cherish. This neo con jihadi agenda is a threat for world peace. In an essay titled “Human Rights and civil Rights”(published in 1934) Albert Einstein writes
“ A large part of our attitude towards things is conditioned by opinion and emotions which we unconsciously absorb as children from our environment. In other words, it is tradition- besides inherited aptitudes and qualities-which makes us what we are. We but rarely reflect how relatively small compared with powerful influence of tradition is the influence of our conscious thought upon our conduct and convictions……with our growing self-consciousness and increasing intelligence we must begin to control tradition and assume a critical altitude towards it, if human relations are ever to change for the better. We must try to recognise what is in our accepted tradition is damaging to our fate and dignity- and shape our life accordingly”
Bye
Depalan
Ps. Two movies East Is East (English) and Khamosh Pani (Pakistani) are very relevant in this context and very strongly suggested.
