The subject is obviously discriminatory. But the subject has to be
broached and discussed. We are Indians. No topic is a taboo for us.
We always feel guilty of blaming Muslims for lot of disturbances around
the world and in our neighbourhood. As someone starts blaming Muslims for this
& that, someone will defend that not all are bad. We know so many of our
friends who are Muslims and they are all good. So it is wrong to stereotype
them.
With so much terrorism all over the world perpetrated in the name of
Islam, Muslims are victims of it more than others. So the good majority of the
Muslims should raise up and voice against it and create strong organizations of
like-minded folks to give strength to peace building. That’s our wish.
It is a well-known fact, that majority of people are good. Good people
are in majority in any community, any locality, and any religion. It is true
for Iraq and Syria too. It is true for even Pakistan. It is true in India
amongst the Muslims too. Majority Muslims in India are Good people. They don’t
harm. They don’t intend to harm. They like to live peacefully with their
neighbours whatever their religion may be.
But the problem is they are silent against the bad Muslims. They will
suffer indignation. But they remain silent.
The good Muslims in majority don’t form their own union rising against
the bad Fatwa giving institutions (Ulemas), Fundamentalist policies. That will
require taking on powerful institutions which is dangerous to their lives. So
they let the bad policies rule them & meekly submit to it.
Do they do their good bit selflessly to
the society?
We don’t see any organization from Majority good Muslims in times of
distress, natural disasters, flood relief. We don’t see them active in any
Medical, Health services. No lake rejuvenation, river cleaning drives, tree
plantation drives etc., and we don’t see any selfless services organization
working in the society from the silent Majority of good Muslims. Very few
people from that community join other established organizations; NGO s working
in these areas like Ramakrishna Mutt, Sri Sathya Sai Trust etc., Puttaparthi
Sai Baba has even put up the crescent moon in their symbol of harmony to
appease them. But still hardly anyone join them.
There are so many musicians from Muslim community. Their Musical
heritage from Mughal period till date is a great asset in building Harmonious
India. Do they have any trust or NGO with all good Muslims coming together to
support, develop, project young talents? Do they shun and oppose the fatwa
against young upcoming singing stars? In the recent past, young girls
performing on TV in Karnataka, Assam were threatened by fundamentalists. The
Dangal girl actor in Kashmir was threatened by bad Muslims. Was there any good
Muslim organization coming in support of them? Did they give the young minds
assurance that they are on the right path according to their religion?
Like many mutts & ashrams, any masjid or institutions supporting
rural development, indigenous science, unani, Ayurveda, forestry, animal
husbandry, water conservation efforts?
Any sports supporting organization from the Good Muslims in Majority?
The Muslim community has great potential in Sports. Many Individuals from the
community has held India’s flag fluttering high in International events. Will
they form committees to support sports in their Madrasas or Urdu schools or
communities? Will those good Muslims join hands to form union to financially
support, award, reward their community high achievers in Sports?
What holds them back from forming small communities, unions to just
keep doing selfless service to their own community, uplift them, make them
mingle with the rest of the world?
If you know of any such organizations, pls share their good work.
Support them. Encourage them. Let our Muslim brothers form good brave unions to
develop sports, music, art & develop respect for other cultures through
their culture. The service orientation is peaceful as it doesn’t really require
them to come in conflict with any Fatwa giving high order organizations. They
can silently service the people of the nation.
Will they protest against Bad acts of
some Muslims?
Yakub Memon was convicted of wiring to bomb his own city to kill
innocent people going to office, school and factory on a fine weekday morning.
He was hanged to death by the Government of India. On the day of his funeral,
there was another Great Muslim by name APJ Adbul Kalam cremated. Arguably there
were more good Muslims at the funeral of the terrorist Yakub Memon than a
nation builder like APJ Abdul Kalam.
How to explain this? Why do they make Hero of a nation destroyer? Why
do they not have the consciousness of identifying who is good and who is bad?
Why do they not disown & shun a convicted terrorist?
When Godse killed the Mahatma, every Hindu despised him. There was no
organization which claimed their ideology killed the Mahatma. When it was
pointed Godse attended RSS, they immediately disowned him. A killer, a
terrorist can never be a Hero. Amongst the great majority of Hindus the
consciousness of who is Good and who is Bad is clear. They come out in open to
denounce and condemn a bad guy whether a Hindu or not.
Similarly when some bad Hindus mob attacked a Muslim in Dadri recently,
the entire nation condemned the mob attack. Every Hindu political leader across
all parties, saints & institutions condemned the bad act. Even the so
called Hindu extremist sympathizing BJP condemned the mob attack. One or 2
individuals from BJP who called Akhlaq as cow thief were disowned by the party
as it is Individual remark and not wanted to be seen supporting such views as
broader party view. Because, the broad base of Hindus despise this act of mob
attack. The attackers are not known. Nobody celebrates the attackers as heroes.
They are rotting in some police custody.
In contrast, when Muslims in very large groups come together to support
Burhan Wanis, Afzal Gurus, Yakub Memons of the world who are destructors of
humanity through terrorism, we don’t see any Organization or Group of Good Muslims
to protest against the supporters and calling them wrong.
There are many young Muslims lured to join ISIS and other terrorist
organizations abroad. Are there any parents’ organizations campaigning against
these terrorist organizations? Exposing them and their hegemony and hatred for
the world at large? Bringing awareness to their young kids about what is right
what is wrong; what’s good and what’s not?
Do they reform their own society? Case
of Triple Talaq
Triple Talaq issue is a social evil. By Islam, a lady can be thrown out
of wedlock easily by uttering 3 times Talaq to her. When a lady comes out of
wedlock, she becomes vulnerable in the society. The society looks down upon
her. Even the normal people will become corrupt in their minds casting an evil
eye on a shelter less lady. This causes individual trauma and social
disharmony. A responsible society should reconcile and make them live together
for long. Society should encourage strong marriage bonding. Religion should
play that part of making harmonious long bonding in the marriage. If the
religion makes way for easy breaking of the Marriage bond, then how can it be
called a religion?
Some people say, it is not such a big issue. It doesn’t happen too
often. Firstly, if it is not a big issue, then why not remove Tiple Talaq?
Secondly, in one Mahila Police Station in Bangalore itself there are
300+ Triple Talaq cases pending. It is such a big issue, that women affected
are knocking the door of the Supreme Court by forming their own groups. They
are arguing that Triple Talaq is against Quran. The Muslim law board is
fighting against the rights of these affected women. Should the good Muslims
not protest? Should they not fight for the affected women? Should they not shun
these Mullahs, Ulemas if they are creating social evils? Should they not
transform and reform the society?
When Child marriage was found to be a social evil, many eminent Hindu
reformers like Tilak, Gokhale proposed and rewrote the marriageable age. Many
orthodox Hindus protested. But who remembers the protesters? The reformers are
real heroes of Hindu society and nation today. When Dalit untouchability was at
its peak, the Hindu society reformed so much, that Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar a
famous Dalit was made the head of the panel to rewrite constitution. There is
still Dalit discrimination here and there. But the Hindu society has continuous
stream of reformers from Buddha to Sankara to Basavanna to many of the modern
day seers the likes of Jaggi Vasudev!! And the good majority of Hindus simply
embraces the right path lit by the reformer & shuns the social evils. The
mass consciousness of Hindus easily differ the good from the bad and supports
the good leader & his call for good actions in the society.
There have been almost no reforms in India’s Islamic society. No change
to Triple Talaq; No ban on polygamy; No NGO or Institution in India advising
the Muslim law board of the reforms in Islamic societies across the world. In
many Islamic countries Triple Talaq and Polygamy are made illegal. Why not in
India?
Good wishes to the Majority of the Good
Muslims of India
Amongst the powerful rulers in the history of India, rather anywhere in
the world, only Akbar comes across as one powerful Islamic leader who dared to
reform some tenets of Islam. But nobody followed him further. That’s why
British called him ‘The Great’ as he dared to reform. If at all, any reforms
in Islam are possible, it is only in India it is possible. The Sufism which
proposes love of Allah more than Jihad of everything else is surviving only in
India. It originated in Iran. In Iran Sufis have no rights; In Pakistan &
Afghanistan their shrines are destroyed. In Saudi and all other Islamic
countries they are exterminated.
My wish is, the Good Muslims, who are in Majority, to rise and reform
their own society. Embrace open culture of love & respect all. Oppose and
shun all bad acts, actors and tenets of their philosophy. Support and encourage
righteous leaders who defy fatwa giving institutions and embrace openness. Otherwise
what good are those Good Muslims who don’t serve society selflessly, don’t oppose
bad acts & bad actors, don’t reform their own society?
