thouht provoking article. nice but what concrete efforts r to be taken? curriculum at all the levels to be with the same line of thinking and with lots of activities &with research based data to be added.
harsha merchant.
Hello Friends, This is Dr. Matin Ahmad Khan, a Doctor, in a Medical College, in Jharkhand, A very thought provoking article indeed by Mr. Khalidi.
But, you have too concede to the fact that since centuries, minorities--be it lingual, religiuos, castiest, racist, have been subjected to some kind of discrimination and the majority owns the the right to rule. Yes, I agree with regret that in our country this discrimination has been there under the cover of our supreme Consitution.
I was very young, probably, in School, when I remember of having read one news item that [probably --if memory is correct Late Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna, the then CM of UP, made it sure that sacred lines from all major religions were chanted at any official function.
We learn that the % of minorities [read muslims in central services is less than 3% and the amount of loans granted to muslims till date is still lesser.
Only, our , chameleon like politicians are to be blamed-- just think --in our country , there is a holiday on the birth day of our holy prophet Muhammad [PBUH], but not in Kingdom of Soudi Arabia -- from where Islam originated. A holiday --what for --when observing ''birthdays'' as it is observed in west, is discouraged in Islam.Guess why?
0ur, mullas and moulvis [religious leaders] are to be blamed for this too. They give the impression to the outer world that the shariat [Islam] is only for fatwas on talaq/or related marital issues.
I dont recall ,of any time , our islamic leaders have ever talked about need of education in muslims , leave aside modernisation of madarasas. How many graduates of these madarasas have joined civil services or have become engineers /doctors/teachers, though a graduate of madarasa board is equivalent to any degree holder.?
A graduate of madrasa , opens another madarasa , [cycle goes on] to run his livelihood--by taking alms from the community--this is the fact.
How many, come to the forefront to denounce about the myths and misconceptions about Islam --which the media has put before us?
How many people [which includes muslims too] know that ''Islam 'means ''submission in peace''?
When the word ''islam'' means ''peace'' , how can a terrorist be a follower of Islam ? Terrorist can't belong to a particular faith , but , you are bombareded with the news items like ''muslim
fundamentalists/terrorists''--open any news channel --any time-- you will find this.
Nowadays , ''the media'' has toned down their rheoteric a bit , ve nce they have to name ''Hindu Terrorists''[in India! is not a surprise !]
How many of Muslim leaders have contradicted to the false stories when 'media' paint the news items with ''jehad ''as a holy war.?
How many of people[including muslims] know that 'jehad' means'' to struggle/to srive for one's betterment of one's soul''?
'Jehad' has become a fashion - go any where--everbody is talking about 'jehad'as a 'holy war'.Now ,how to make them, understand that ''If you dont indulge in sex with your spouse, respecting her desire not to have sex at that time , you are doing a 'jehad' against your soul [nafs]'' ''When a diabetic , does not take sweets in a party, inspite of having a strong desire of having them, he is doing a 'jehad''' Since the 'media 'is controlled by west and in Even in West, Islam is the fastest growing religion and so they see Islam suspiciously'and have become biased against 'islam', Naturally muslims have to suffer and will keep on suffering The need of hour is to defuuse the myths and misconceptions about 'islam''and muslim religious fraternity has to come open to defuse the misconceptions attached to islam, and let media know the actual facts so that media too can act in impartial way.
There is a silver lining in the offing---Post 26/11, atleast English print media has taken the courage [the Telegraph 3/12/08--page 05-- news item--'Attack lesson:Terror has no religion'']it says--''Muslim Council and Jumma Masjid Trust has refused to allow the nine dead terrorists to be buried in kabristan[graveyard] in Mumbai''
This news item should have found a place in every news paper/channel in at the cover in bold letters, but unfortunately , how many of print/electronic media have given due importance to
this ''revolutionary ''behaviour of a community who is always looked down uopn with suspicion ,of having soft corner for 'pakis'. Unfortunately, even 'the Telegraph' could ''accomodate'' this news item in page 5.!
You are probably right when you ask 'Is India a secular' ONE SONG OF MAHENDRA KAPPOR ''BHARAT TO AZAD, HUM AZAD KAB KAHLAYENGE KABHI RAMRAJYA KE DIN YAHAN PER AYENGE KE NA AYENGE'', I am listening.
Thanks
Dr. Matin Ahmad Khan
